"The coffee is quite bad here. I wish they could open a Starbucks or something here soon.", she said to me. "Starbucks in a jungle? That would not be good for business." I replied. Her friend was a photographer or so it seemed judging by the large SLR she had kept in the middle of our table.
"Do you have normal cigarettes?" the photographer asked me. I offered her my Benson and Hedges.
I too lit one for myself and tried hard not to stare at her. She too was avoiding any eye contact.
"So you two know each other? Hope you two aren't exes!", the photographer finally said something to ease the tension. "No...no she was in my tuition and I used to pick on her a lot. So she hates me.", I replied.
"You never picked on me, I picked on you and no I don't hate you. But, I am not quite fond of you too...", she said quite curtly.
"Ahh... that explains it!", the photographer retorted. However, it explained nothing, nothing to me at least. I was still confused, I wanted to leave but that would be too cowardly.
"What brings you here?" the photographer asked me. "I am here on a mini-break, I have to join a new job sometime next month." I replied. "What job?", she asked again. I was hoping for her to sit quite for some time. But, neverthless she insisted on talking. "I am well... joining the IAS soon so...".
This time my once beloved jumped in "IAS? for real? I knew you were smart but now you've proved it" . "Thanks, I just wanted something different in life." I replied.
The conversation became even more mundane after that and soon it was decided that we should meet for dinner. As if we had a choice in this jungle. I retired to my room and tried to sleep but could not, the thought of her being in the room next to mine was eating me on the inside.
I got up and reached for my stash and rolled up a thick one for myself. Just as I was about to light it she knocked on my window.
"Well you can't smoke that alone, I want in", she said. "Were you spying on me?", I retorted. "Hey! at least you weren't doing what I thought you would be...", "and that would be?" I said. "Fapping!" she said with a roaring laugh.