The first year at
University goes very quickly. Aditi likes
College and she likes London. It is time for the
end of the
year dance in two
weeks. All the girls are talking about it.
When she goes to lunch
one day Aditi sees Isha. She looks
away but he comes to
speak to her.
‘Aditi are you going to
the dance? I want a partner. I hope
you can come with me?’
He smiles at her.
Aditi feels her heart
jump when Isha looks at her with his
lovely smile.Then she
remembers she does not like him. She
says, ‘I’m sorry I can’t.
I’m going to the dance with someone
else.’ She turns away
quickly.
Isha pulls her arm but
he does not hurt her. He frowns.
‘Why don’t you like me
Aditi?’ he asks.
‘I don’t like men who
think women only want someone
handsome or rich,’
Aditi tells him.
‘You are still upset
about last summer? I am really sorry. I
am angry with myself. I
hope your family ask me to come this
summer I…’
‘No, they are not going
to ask you. I want to choose my
husband. My father is
not going to make me marry and I
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don’t want to meet you
in my home.’
Isha nods. ‘I
understand’, he says politely. He does not
smile. ‘Of course you
can choose. I am sorry you don’t like
me. Good luck Aditi,
I’m sure plenty of men want to go to the
dance with you. He
turns and walks away.
Aditi feels awful. She
watches him walk quickly down the
corridor. ‘Why am I
rude to Isha when I like him?’ she thinks.
The next day Aditi is
glad when Tony asks her to go to the
dance with him. Aditi
loves dancing. Molly is going to the
dance with Silvio, her
new Spanish boyfriend.
The night of the dance
soon comes. Aunty Yasmin
telephones. She wants
to talk about the holiday, ‘Your father
is coming to fetch you
next week. He is happy you are
coming home Aditi.’
‘I can leave college on
Thursday afternoon,’ Aditi says.
‘Lots of young men want
to meet you this summer holiday
Aditi. Can I ask them
to come to the house?’ Aunty asks.
‘Yes, it is fun to meet
new people. It is kind of you to ask
them to come and meet
me Aunty.’
‘Oh good. You are
growing up Aditi. I want you to meet
some nice young men.
You can have fun in the holiday. You
can buy new clothes.’
‘Yes, but I must go now
Aunty. I am going to the dance.’
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‘Yes, Aditi.
Good-bye.We can talk on Thursday.’
Aditi puts the phone
down. She thinks, ‘Perhaps I can
meet someone I like at
home.’ Aditi is lonely. Lots of the girls
in University have
boyfriends. She thinks perhaps she can
meet
someone she likes at home in the holiday.