When You Are With Me

Thank You Adharv.
Sorry I failed to keep up the expectations with respect to sports day.. Bakerywarming is a cool term..Like it

 

Thank you for feedback mam..
I'm sure you will get answers for all your questions when story ends. I will be posting next chapter in few minutes. Please continue reading the story.

 

Chapter-14


‘You are eating as if you were starving for months.’ Sriram commented looking at his brother’s plate.


‘I missed home food.’ Srikanth said helping himself with another round.


Priya watched them with a smile and asked, ‘What you need for dinner Srikanth? Tell me in advance so that we can inform the cook.’


‘I won’t be home for dinner. I was supposed to meet Shruthi’s father but he is not in city, So meeting my friends instead.’ Srikanth said in a sad voice.


‘What’s her plan, now that she has finished engineering?’


‘Her parents are thinking of getting her married, that’s what I’m meeting her father.’


‘Interesting. What’s her plan in the same?’


Srikanth paused for a minute and asked ‘What are you getting at Priya? I don’t understand.’


‘Didn’t both of you know that she is finishing college this year and you are a student not ready to settle still?’


‘Honestly I didn’t know till six months before...’ He told patiently.


‘Let me be blunt here Srikanth. If this girl is serious about you, she would have fought to delay the marriage saying some or other reason. You are just 22, I think you need a minimum of two years to settle down. So what are you going to do? If going by your description her father, it’s unlikely that he will change mind just by speaking to you.First of all do you know whether Shruthi has spoken to her father about you?’


‘She hasn’t. She wanted me to be present when she raises the topic. I’m trying to meet her father for quite some time but that’s getting delayed for some or other reason.’



‘How convenient..’ Priya whispered and started leaving the table.


‘Priya wait….I always asked your advice regarding my love life and it has worked well. Now after being my mom, you can’t run away from it.’ He held her hand and made her sit in the table.


‘You won’t like what I’m going to say…’ Priya hesistated


‘More reason you should say what’s in your mind.’


‘Shruthi has more reasons than early marriage in the family to go against you…so better ask her straight..’


‘Hey what’s wrong with me… there cannot be any reasons..’ Srikanth asked curiously.


Priya looked at Srikanth. He was six feet and had a strikingly handsome face. He was fit , intelligent , humorous ,well mannered. There was nothing wrong with him.


‘I didn’t say it’s something to do with you..’


‘You talk like a mystery writer… Well I’ll meet her this evening and clear it out. I’m sure she is just afraid of her father.’


‘Of course. I’ll be happy if I’m proved wrong. I know your feelings for Shruthi.’


Srikanth reached home late and he found out that he couldn’t sleep that night. He went to terrace and found out Priya was sitting there.


‘How did you guess that about Shruthi?’ was the first thing he asked.


Priya looked in some other direction. Few months back Srikanth called her and talked about problems with Shruthi. Since then Priya was suspicious about this. ‘I have faced such people before Srikanth.’


Srikanth eyes looked teary. ‘ I thought I will spend my life with her. ‘


‘Where do you stand with her at the moment?’


‘She clearly said that her family will not accept the son of divorced parents whose parent has remarried ..no she used the word shamelessly remarried.’ Srikanth’s voice broke down.’ I’m more pained to know she too shares the same opinion as her family. Looks like she was waiting for the right moment to break it to me’


‘I’m sorry Srikanth. We never thought our marriage will bring such complexity in your life. But is there no hope for you and Shruthi?’


‘Srikanth shook his head and said, ‘She clearly told me it’s a closed chapter and asked me to forget it. How am I to do that when everything reminds me of her?’

Priya couldn’t answer this question as she knew what it is to lose someone whom you loved dearly.

 

Yes person like Priya is what you need to sail through difficult phase...

That's an interesting guess on whether Shruthi's father is related to them. let see about it in next few chapters.

 

Thanks Peddadas. Let's see how their family strength is

 

Chapter-15


Jai was speechless when he learnt about Srikanth’s love life. ‘I never thought my personal life will impact the boys…’ he said breaking his silence. He just reached home that evening and the moment he saw Srikanth he knew something was wrong. ‘He is young to have a girl friend…’


‘He is twenty two and if he doesn’t fall for a girl now when will he? He is in tough phase Jai. But knowing him, he will bounce back stronger.’ She remarked. They were sitting in terrace where Srikanth and Priya were talking few days before.


‘I’m not a better judge of that…It hurts to see your son suffering and you can’t do anything about it. ‘ Jai’s voice was very painful.


‘I understand that. But still you can do lot of things like cheering him up…’ Priya said looking upto Jai.


‘I didn’t mean that Priya… About Shruthi’s father….’


‘Don’t talk like a movie villain Jai. Srikanth is clear about this. He is angry about Shruthi not her father. You should respect his personal life and stay out of it until he requests otherwise.’


That night when Jai went near Srikanth’s room the lights were all on and he was working in his laptop.


‘Hi Dad.’ He immediately locked in laptop and turned towards Jai.


‘Dad.. Please stop looking at me like a victim…’


Jai laughed and replied ‘I wasn’t conscious I looked at you that way. So how are you?’


‘I’m not okay. Trying to divert myself in all possible ways…’ he replied seriously.


‘When I and your mom split, I drank an entire bottle overnight. …’ Jai recollected his painful memories.


Srikanth chuckled, ‘Don’t tell me that. It was me who put you to bed. Till that day I didn’t know you drink..’


‘Even I didn’t. That was the first and last time.’ Jai smiled. He could sense Srikanth’s mood became better.


‘I’m not planning to take that route dad.’


‘Not that I was hoping for. Srikanth, I know the reason why you wanted to do your summer project in Chennai is to be near Shruthi. If you want to go to some other city, some other company for your summers just let me know.’


‘No dad you are mistaken. I didn’t choose Chennai for her. Though you don’t approve the company I’m going to do summers, I love it and I’m going to work harder so that I get job offer there.’ He said in determined voice.


‘Let’s talk about it once you complete project there…’ Jai wasn’t happy with Srikanth’s choice of company, but he realized this is not the best time to have this conversation.


‘By the way there is a Harley owners ride this weekend. Would you like to join?’ Jai asked animatedly knowing his son’s love for the bike.


‘Isn’t house warming this weekend?’


‘Oh yes..forgot it for the moment’


‘Yeah you were more concerned about cheering me up.’ Srikanth chuckled. ‘But dad I’m planning to take the bike to office.’


‘That’s okay. I’m really happy that you have summer project to take your mind off.’


‘I also have Vivaan to soar up my spirits, Sriram to vent out my feelings and Priya for sane advice.’


Jai was happy to see his family standing up for each other at the time of crisis. He was confident that Srikanth will sail through this tough time.