‘I told her to stop at three, but she may have a problem!’ Noah adds as I playfully slap him on the arm.
Mala’s eyes flick between us with each sentence we say, her whole expression shifting into something way harder to read.
‘You know what? You two stay, I will go,’ she says, shuffling out the other end.
‘What? Mala!’ I say, protesting.
But it’s too late. She’s already pacing out of the juice bar. I stare back at Noah in panic, but he’s just as perplexed as I am.
‘Should I?’ I gesture outside.
‘Yeah, why not?’ he shrugs.
So I leave my juice with him and bolt out the door after her. It takes a few minutes of hapless running and calling her name before I finally catch up. I grab her arm as I do, her skin warm to the touch as she whips her head round and stares back at me.
‘Why’d you leave? Did I do something wrong?’ I say, panting.
Her wide eyes dart to the pavement as soon as I look her way.
‘No, you didn’t – it’s fine,’ she says, dejected. ‘I just... I didn’t realise what this was. My mistake.’
‘What do you mean?’ I ask.
She tries to turn again, but I’m still close enough to grab her hand, squeeze it tight, pull her back.
‘Mala, please, what do you mean?’ I ask again, softer.
She lets out a deep sigh, eyes flitting to my face before repelling off it. ‘Look. I totally respect whatever you and your boyfriend are into, but that’s just not who I am. I’m not really interested in... joining couples.’
I choke on my spit in shock. ‘What?’
She continues. ‘Like I said, no judgement! It’s just not really who I am.’
‘We’re not a couple,’ I say, stunned.
‘What?’ She looks confused.
‘Noah and I. We’re not a couple,’ I say vehemently. ‘I was flirting with you because I wanted you. Noah is my friend. No couple business here.’
She doesn’t look any more relieved. In fact, she raises an eyebrow sceptically. ‘How long have you two known each other?’
‘About a month,’ I say.
‘And in that month, you’ve never been physical?’
‘Well . . .’
‘I knew it.’ She sighs.
‘But we decided . . .’
She grips my arm, lightly caressing it to stop me. I feel the trace of her nails and shiver at the brief moment of intimacy.
‘I believe you,’ she says softly, staring into my eyes. ‘You might not see it, but there’s something there – it’s soobvious. And I’m not prepared to get in the middle of that.’
She turns to walk away again, but I’m not ready to give up. We had a spark – a spark worth at least trying to explore. I’m only in Prague for a week longer. If we don’t try now, then we’ll never get a chance again.
‘Mala!’
