The Great Indian College Romance

27. Touristy

With only the sounds of the ocean waves to keep me company, I sat there for a while after Siddharth left. His confession had left me reeling. It was only when the breeze picked up again that I realized my cheeks were wet. I wiped away my tears and got up.  

I found Sarah near the washrooms and one look at my face and she was running my way. 

"What happened? Are you okay?" she asked frantically.

"Hey, I am gonna head back to the hotel now if that is okay?" I said. 

"Meera you are scaring me."

"It's nothing."

"Alright we are heading back then," she said.

She got her phone out and gave Matt a quick call. He met us near the entrance and we took a cab back. Sarah let everyone know that we were heading back. She waited until we were in my hotel room which was mercifully empty because Vahni wasn't back yet. She was probably with Angad right now but I was trying not to think about that.

"Spill," she said. 

"Siddharth confessed." 

Sarah blinked, "To you? That he likes you? Tonight?" 

"Well, I didn't let him get to it but yes."

I related what had passed outside the club. She listened in silence. Then when I was done she said,

"I am not surprised, to be honest." 

I stared at her in disbelief. 

"Was I the only one who was blindsided by this? Yug said something like that too."

"Meera come on. You are talented, gorgeous and nice. It was only inevitable," she said and then interrupted me when I opened my mouth to protest against her statement, "No, you would've seen this coming if you weren't so preoccupied with someone else." 

I looked at her quizzically and she rolled her eyes,

"Angad duh. It is obvious you two like each other to anyone with half a brain cell."

I shook my head,

"That boat has sailed, I am afraid. I messed up." 

"No it hasn't!" she protested.

"Sarah, he is out in the club probably drunk kissing Vahni as we speak." 

"And how do you know that?" she asked.

"Because I saw them together. And Vahni has had her sights on him since we saw them perform on the first day of college. Angad probably welcomes it." 

"Why do you think that is true? That man has spent the entire year either chasing after you or beside you."

I frowned.

"That isn't entirely true and the issue at hand is Siddharth. What do I do now?" I ran a hand through my hair, "I feel terrible about how everything turned out. I love Siddharth as my friend. He has become one of the most important people in my life."

Sarah hummed and patted my shoulder sympathetically. 

"He is in his room right now I think," I stood up, "Should I go and talk to him now?" 

"And say what?" she asked and I was stumped. 

What could I say to him?

"I think everything that needed to be said has been said," Sarah said, "You told him you don't feel the same way right? You'd be rubbing salt in his wounds at this point."