You Are Missing In My Heart!

Thanks BB, All in Nethra's hands

 

Thanks dear Ramya!! Will try to post soon

 

Part 21:

Abhinay sat on his bed not daring to think what he had done a moment ago. He was too worked up to lie down. On one hand he was relieved to have revealed his feelings to her; on the other, he could not think of her reaction. Nethra had not shown any interest towards him so far. She had just started treating him as a friend. Abhinay himself had not planned to show his feelings any sooner, but it had happened. ‘Blame it on the wind, blame it on the night, blame it on the moon and the stars and blame it on the angel who stood there’, he cursed. Though it had happened unplanned, he did not regret it. He smiled to himself. ‘Will she understand? Does this count as proposal?’ he chuckled. He was tempted to go out and see what she was doing but he did not dare to face her again that night. ‘Coward Abhinay’, he said. He was in a euphoric state. ‘What if she rejects? But what will she reject, I did not propose anything,’ he grinned and the next minute he frowned, ‘will she directly ask me what I did mean? Or will she go away? Where will you go my dear Neethu.. I will follow you to the end of the world,’ he grinned again at the thought and started humming,

“Illai Illai solla oru ganam podhum

Illai endra sollai thaanguvadhendral

Innum innum enakkor jenmam vendum

Enna solla pogiraai.. Enna solla pogiraai!”

[Translation - A second is enough for you to say NO

But it will take another lifetime for me to digest it..

What are you going to say?!]

Nethra was sitting on the living room sofa. She was scared to get into Samyuktha’s room. She was so sure that Samyuktha will hear her drumming heart. She sat on the sofa biting her nails. ‘I don’t want you to go’, his words repeatedly echoed in her ears. She closed her ears with her palms and shut her eyes tight trying to push his image and voice out of her mind, in vain. ‘What does he mean by that?’ she thought. Her mind tried to find another reason – any reason that will not mean what he meant. But it was so clear, so straight, in her heart she knew what he meant. ‘What should I do now?’ she asked herself. Another thought interrupted her, ‘but, he is already engaged. Isn’t he? I heard Arundati talk about Anni.. then, why is he behaving like this to me? But how can I ask this to him? Should I say I overheard their conversation? But wait.. why should I ask that? What am I thinking?’ she stood up from the sofa shocked by her line of thought. She started pacing in the living room. ‘Why am I bothered about whether he is engaged? Am I going to reciprocate his feelings if he proves otherwise?’ she asked herself. “No! I Can’t! I never can!” she said aloud answering her own question.

‘Aiyo what should I do now? Should I tell him directly? What should I say? He did not say anything explicitly’ she considered. She could not bring herself to reject or hurt him directly. ‘I have to go from here, very soon! I cannot encourage him or give false hopes’, she decided.

Abhinay woke up and checked the time. It was six thirty in the morning. He did not know when he dozed off. All the happenings of the previous night flooded his memory. ‘What mood madam would be in?’ he wondered and came out of his room. As he came to the living room, he found Nethra on the sofa curled up like a ball and sleeping with a frown. A few strands of hair rested across her face. He slowly knelt with one knee beside her; his hands reached for the strands, but he stopped and said in a low whisper, “why are you tempting me like this?”

After about fifteen minutes, Abhinay came again into the living room this time with the coffee tray. “Nethra!” he called sweetly.

Nethra heard someone call her and in her sleep she recognized Abhi’s voice. She opened her eyes a little and saw Abhinay’s face. She waved her hands in front of her face saying, “Go away!” and turned the other side. As she turned, she realized that she was lying in the sofa and that she was not dreaming but Abhinay was really standing there. Embarrassed, she slowly turned her head to confirm and there he stood with a mischievous smile. She hastily sat up and said apologetically, “Sorry.. I thought.. I.. I had a bad dream”

“Yeah! Looks like!” he said with the same mischievous smile and continued, “Take your Coffee, I will go away”, saying so, he placed the coffee tray on the center table and turned to leave.

At the same time Nethra got up from the sofa. Her legs had gone numb due to sleeping in the same awkward position, she lost her balance and fell directly on Abhinay, who was turning towards her. In reflex, her hands hugged his body for support and her forehead hit straight on his shoulders. Abhi, who froze at this sudden accident, automatically raised a single hand and held her supportively. ‘Nice way of saying Good Morning’, he thought coming out of his shock and his body mildly shook as he laughed inside.

Nethra who was equally shocked and all the more embarrassed, sensed his body shaking in laughter and hastily moved away from him. She glared at him but there was no trace of laughter left on his face.

With a serious expression, he asked, “Are you alright? you hurt?”

But, she could see through the serious mask of his. The flicker in his eyes said it all. She continued to glare at him and rubbed her forehead. She had hit her head pretty hard on his shoulders.

“Coffee..”, he pointed to the table.

She took the coffee cup without another word. He said, “Go in and sleep comfortably for some more time” and walked away smiling with another cup in his hands.

"Sleep comfortably", she made a face mimicking him and started hopping towards the room, as her legs were still numb.

“Any help?” he peeped out of the dining room and asked.

“No, thanks!” she said angrily and continued hopping. He shrugged in response.


Nethra’s phone rang, while they were at the breakfast table. It was Arjun.

“Aju.. tell me!” she answered.

“No nothing.. you tell me”, she said and Abhinay guessed that Arjun might have asked about her serious tone.

“Oh.. ok.. text me his number!........ what?... one sec…”, saying he passed the phone to Abhinay.

“Hey Arjun!” Abhinay greeted him enthusiastically.

“Doing great.. how about you?”

“Oh is it..”, Nethra who was watching Abhinay’s face saw his enthusiasm draining.

“Ok.. hmm.. I will contact him…”

“ok.. bye!” he finished and disappointment was evident in his face. He did not try to mask it.

“What is it, Abhu?” Samyuktha enquired.

“Nethra’s dad has spoken to his friend Maa.. and made arrangements for Nethra’s stay there. Mr. Raghavan will be waiting for Nethra today evening”, he conveyed the message.

“Oh! But instead of going there and all.. you can stay with me itself..” Samyuktha said and continued, “but, form your parents position, I understand that they want you to be in some place they know and trust” she sighed.

Nethra simply smiled and nodded and looked at Abhinay from the corner of her eyes. Abhinay was intently looking at her and she immediately moved her gaze.

Rest of the day went uneventful as Nethra hid behind Samyuktha most of the time.

Nethra packed her bags and got ready in a yellow georgette salwar. She combed her hair and started plaiting it. ‘Long hair is always beautiful’ – Abhinay’s voice echoed in her ears and she frowned at her image in the mirror. As she came out with her bags, Abhinay was waiting there with his car keys.

“I will go in an Auto.. you need not trouble yourself”, she said.

“They have banned Autos and call taxis in Bangalore”, he replied seriously.

“What? Why?” She frowned

“Who knows? May be some affected person has complained about the tough competition these guys give him”, he said innocently.

And while Nethra was trying to understand what he meant, Samyuktha came from inside carrying a tray. It was a pooja tray containing kumkum and flowers.

Seeing the tray, Nethra immediately knelt and touched her feet, seeking her blessing. Samyuktha was also overwhelmed by this gesture and passing the tray to Abhinay, she pulled Nethra up and hugged her.

“I envy your mother, dear. She has brought you up with wonderful manners”, she said touching Nethra’s cheeks and kept kumkum on Nethra’s forehead.

“Do you wear flowers my dear? No issues, if you won’t.” she asked with doubt.

“I do wear maa.. Pink jasmine is my favourite!” She said and took the flowers.

“These days many girls do not wear flowers, but, this pink jasmine is Arundati’s favourite too!” she said proudly.

“Depends on the dress maa.. With salwar and saree, no issues of wearing flowers..”, she laughed.

“I am going to miss you badly.. You will visit me often, won’t you?” Samyuktha asked.

Warning bells rang in Nethra’s mind reminding her, her decision to stay away from Abhinay. Before she could say anything, Abhinay said, “Of course maa! How come Nethra will not visit us? She will! What say Nethra?” smiling, he raised an eyebrow questioning her.

“Hmm.. Sure Maa!” assuring Samyuktha, she glared at Abhinay and he muffled a laugh.

(Contd.)