You Are Missing In My Heart!

Part 8

“Ms. Nethra Nithyavasan..” a voice called Nethra, breaking her from her trance. Nethra realized her surroundings and blushed faintly in embarassment. She did not know how long she was hooked into those grey eyes, but it seemed forever to her. Her heart was beating a little faster.

Trying to mask her feelings, she looked at Arjun.

“What happened Neethu.. Who is that?” he asked.

‘So he noticed me staring into a stranger.. what should I say now!!’ she thought while her mouth automatically asked “Who?”

“Who eh? The one you are trying to burn alive?” he mocked.

“Ohh.. thhaaattt.. himmm…” she fluttered

“Yes! That him!” he added in the same mocking tone.

“He is the MD of the architect company we are working with Aju..” she finally managed to say.

“Oh! Ok.. in that case say a ‘Hi’ and talk to him na.. why are simply staring at him like a school kid..” he asked and laughed.

“Stop it Aju.. NO need to talk and all.. seems like he has come with his family.. and moreover I have just met him once” She lied.

“Anyway.. drink your coffee.. its getting cold..” he said casually

“Ok” saying so she took the cup in her hands. Her favourite Choco frappe.

Arjun burst out laughing and Nethra looked at him in utter confusion and anger. “Now why are you laughing like a crack..?” she asked.

“Because my dear baby.. cold coffees don’t get further cold” he explained. Just then Nethra realized what Arjun said and acted like she was going to pour the coffee on his face in anger and he laughed even more.

Abhinay’s eyes kept noticing all this drama and his fear about the relationship between the two grew by every passing second. His heart repeated “Who is he?” for the hundredth time. Meanwhile his ears were on the conversation going on between Anita and his Mom.

“You should come home Anita” his Mom was saying.

“Sure Aunty” Anita accepted eyeing him from the corner of her eyes.

Abhinay very well knew how desperate his Mom was to get him married and he clearly understood the consequences if these two met often. ‘I must find a way..' he thought.

Anita was also trying to judge Abhinay’s feelings. Though she was talking with Samyuktha her every cell was noticing Abhi’s reactions. Unfortunately for her, she did not notice a beautiful woman sitting in the table behind her or Abhinay looking at her. She thought that just to avoid looking at her he was looking somewhere and she misunderstood the troubled expression on his face seeing Nethra with Arjun as his feelings for her. ‘He is still very much hurt..’ she thought.

Arjun noticed Nethra’s change after seeing that person but she did not probe Nethra further. He also kept noticing the other man and found that he was frequently looking at Nethra. “He looks handsome” thought Arjun. His mind went into a series of questions and confusions but he knew he cannot ask any of those to Nethra. “I need to be careful” he thought fiercely.


Abhinay sat restless in his office room. It has been 2 weeks since he met Nethra. He didn’t see her after the encounter in the coffee shop. He didn’t even get to talk to her that day. He didn’t want to introduce her to Anita, but he was now worried what Nethra would have thought about him. His frustration on not seeing his love turned to anger and anyone who was unfortunate enough to come across him tasted a bit of it and Anita was no exception.

Anita finished the plan of an independent house that they were building for one of the multi-millionaires in the city and Mithun had given the responsibility to Anita. Anita had spent the past two weeks drafting this and she has taken every care to come up with a plan that Abhinay would like. After all she knew his tastes in architecture. He should find it impossible not to appreciate her she thought. She looked at that finished plan with content and with that in hands went towards Abhinay’s room.

“May I come in sir?” she knocked and went in. It hurt her every time she had to address Abhi as ‘sir’ but ‘this is just temporary’ she consoled herself and went in.

“Yes?” he inquired with a frown.

“I have finished the plan for Mr.Gupta’s house. Please have a look” she said.

“Ms. Anita I don’t remember asking you for the plan”, he said in a controlled voice.

“No.. I just..”

“Listen Ms. Anita.. if you have completed the plan please discuss that with the client.. I don’t micromanage” he said in the same voice and carried on with his work.

Anita stood there frozen. All the efforts she had taken for that in the past two weeks came flooding into her memory and he was not even ready to see it at the least, forget about approval and appreciation.

Abhinay looked up and asked “Is there anything else?”

“No.. this.. no.. nothing” she fumbled and rushed out.

Mithun who was walking towards Abhinay’s room saw Anita’s agonized face as she rushed past him and stood there midway with a thoughtful expression on his face.


Nethra stood there on the platform with a travel bag in her hands. She looked towards her right every now and then checking for an Auto. She checked the time and it was already 7 PM and her bus to Chennai was scheduled 'to leave by 9 PM. ‘I should have started a little early. I should have known better about Bangalore’s traffic' she cursed herself. All ready the traffic was heavy and the autos were already loaded with people. As she was growing desperate by each second a black Honda accord stopped past her and a deep male voice called from within.

“Ms. Nethra..” and Abhinay stepped out of the driver seat.

Abhinay was travelling towards his house in the same irritated mood when she saw Nethra standing on the opposite side of the road. The luggage in her hands and the way she was searching the road indicated that she was heading out of city and waiting for an auto. Thanking all the Gods in favor of him, he made an ‘U’ turn and sped towards her.

Nethra’s smile on seeing him washed away his two weeks of frustration.

“Hello Mr. Abhinay” his own name sounded sweet to him.

“How are you Nethra?” he asked, “heading somewhere?”

“Am goods, thanks! Yes, going home to Chennai” she answered.

“Oh ok.. if you don’t mind, I will drop you at the bus stand” he offered.

“That’s fine.. I will take care” she said.

“Its ok Nethra.. I am going that side only.. come I will drop you” he insisted.

“No, thanks Mr.Abhinay. I will go by myself” the friendliness in her manners changed and she was stern.

If Abhinay was shocked his face did not give away his emotions. He shook his shoulders in a careless gesture and walked away.

Once his back was to Nethra his jaw clenched in anger and he started the car. ‘what is the problem with her? Am I going to kidnap her? Or do I look like a flirt to her?’ his happiness turned into a huge disappointment in a few minutes. To divert himself, he turned on the music and it played –

“Amuthenbatha visham enbaadha..

Unnai amuthavishamenbathaa..

En kadhale En kadhale..

Ennai enna seiya pogirai..”

(Are you an elixir or a poison..

Or are you a poisonous elixir..

My Love.. Oh.. My Love..

What are you going to do to me..)

(Cont.)

 

Dear Friends.. Sorry for disappearing in the middle of the story. I have come back with the update Hope you all will continue the support!

 

Thanks dear Aarthi! Sure, will update frequently.. Thanks for your immediate attention and encouragement!!

Dear Deepu.. Thanks a lot for your continued support and will not make you wait for long

Sure meepre!! Hoping nothing would make me runaway again

Thanks a lot dear SB!! How I missed your loving FBs I was reading both the stories from the beginning to refresh my memory and got a chance to re-read you FBs. I must say your Feedback all along wanted me to continue the stories sooner!! Such is your love and support!!