This Stolen Life by Jeevani Charika

Author:Jeevani Charika
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912973088
Publisher: Hera
Published: 2019-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Sahan was sitting on the floor of his bedroom, documents and textbooks strewn in a semicircle around him. Soma had failed to show up again, but he knew from when he’d called Yamuna on the pretext of ‘catching up’ that Louie was unwell. It was the first time that Soma’s job had got in the way of her meeting him. It brought home to him the fact that she had a job. She was only there, wheeling his nephew around, because she was employed by his cousin. Not because she was a friend or family. Suddenly the gulf between their situations seemed wider than ever.

He looked at the neat pile of letters and brochures that lay at the far end of the room. He was applying for jobs in earnest, not many of which were local. Soma was interested and supportive. He wondered how she felt about the fact that he might be leaving soon. Perhaps she didn’t mind. What bothered him was how much he cared. He had spent weeks convincing himself that his interest in Soma was entirely platonic. He was homesick and wanted to hear someone say his name properly. He was teaching her to read. When his course came to an end, he would leave and forget about her. Who was he trying to kid? He could never forget her.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone rapping a rhythm on the door. There was only one person who knocked like that.

‘Come on in, Nate.’ He put the textbook down on his lap.

Nate wasn’t alone. Cara followed him into the room. ‘Bex told us what happened. What the fuck, Sahan? I thought you liked her.’

Ah. He had been expecting this conversation to happen a lot earlier. Perhaps Bex had kept it quiet for a while. ‘Is she really upset?’

‘Well, she’s understandably a little annoyed.’ Cara stood in the doorway, with her hands on her hips. ‘No one likes to be rejected.’ Nate put a hand on her arm and led her across to the bed, where they both sat down. ‘Sahan, mate. We talked about this. You said you were ready to move on.’

‘But I have exams and—’

‘Don’t give me that crap.’ Cara leaned forward. ‘We all know what this is about. It’s been two years, Sahan. What Tamsin did was wrong, but it’s not going to happen again.’ She gave him a look full of sympathy. ‘You can’t carry on like this, Sahan. You can’t let her have this hold over you.’

He didn’t bother looking up. Since he’d met Soma, he thought of Tamsin less and less often. Why did Cara have to mention her now? Even the sound of her name made him feel sick.

Cara threw her hands up. ‘It’s not like anyone even knows about what happened. And even if they did, no one would care.’

Saliva rushed inside his cheek and he felt hot, but he didn’t feel as nauseous as he normally did. Sahan swallowed. ‘I know. I care.’ He sighed. ‘You must think I’m a huge drama queen.

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