Meant to Be note on page 162 - Page 28

Meant to be

part 18

Raji was feeling very restless, not seeing him around for so long...for every 5 seconds she was looking at the entrance...and pouting her lips in disappointment...

"Yenga poi tholainjaan...?office time ae mudiya pogudhu...inniku avanoda bike la polaam nu nenaichaa ippadi sodhaparaane...yenga poi irupaan..meeting kooda yedhuvum illai...ippadi seat la illaama yengayum poga maataane...?"

She was finding reasons for his disappearance...

"Phone panni paarkalaamaa?"

She tried his number but it came as switched off...

Her mind was even more disturbed and she had bit her nails in anxiety..

Suddenly she heard the door opening sound and she turned instantly towards that direction but to her dismay, it was not him...

Eventually all the employees were leaving the office... but she was still waiting for him with hopeful eyes..

She was more frustrated with herself..

"Raji unakku yenna aachi..why u r so dependent on him...just think of the Raji before a month...how independent u were ..u r a very strong person and would never expected a favor from anyone but now u have become very weak emotionally and expecting everything from him and u r rely on him even for a small ride to home..

Why Raji ..?have u lost ur identity...and individuality?

"Don't trust people blindfolded...and don't give up ur self respect and originality.."

Her mind alerted her...

"But I am feeling very safe and secure with him around..."her heart defended him ..

Expecting love and care from others is not wrong...but being addicted to it would be a problem..think of the day, when u will not getting those care and love...can u able to survive even without that love?what if he leaves u?"

"Don't forget he is also from the same male society who only knows to exploit women ..they are selfish people Raji..They have no feelings for others.." her brain finds logic..

"No Karthik is not like that ..he is one among the millions ..i trust him whole heartedly ..You pls stop ur blabbering..."

She just got up from her place ...and went in search of him as she doesn't want to debate with her own self anymore...

She went to canteen to have coffee...after ordering the coffee she searched for the place to sit.. She had frozen in her track...she couldn't believe her own eyes ...

She was feeling her head was spinning by the sight of Karthik consoling Angel who was crying uncontrollably... by touching her hand with so much care and concern...

Since it was post office timing ..there were not much crowd in the canteen .but even then half of the crowd presented there had watched the drama with great interest..

Raji's eyes were pooled and she walked off immediately from there but even though she couldn't avoid the last words hitting her ear drums so clearly..

The earth was slipping under her feet and She felt like drowning inside that hollowness..

She walked like an zombie from there..and didn't even know how she had reached home..

She went inside the bathroom and opened the shaver and sat under it ..cold water was piercing her skin like a needle...she was fully drenched from head to toe but her senses became numb to feel that coldness...her mind was shocked beyond limits to react to the external stimuli..

She was not crying ..or feeling any anger or pain or anything her mind went blank.. her heart became hallow...her senses were numb..

Those precious three words which she had wished from his mouth so desperately... at last have been uttered... but not to her ..to someone else..

"How could he do this to me?

Appo ivlo naal yennoda pazhaginadhu yedhuvume unmai illaiyaa?illai adhellaaam avanukku onnume illaiyaa?am I a mere time pass to him..am I living in fool's paradise?

His voice reverberated in her ears continuously as if mocking at her..She closed her ears and folded her legs and dug her face between her knees..For how long she had been under the shower she doesn't know..the loud bang on the door brought her back to this world...

She slowly moved her numbed limbs and opened the door with great difficulty..after that she couldn't remember anything as her eyes were blocked out and she fell unconscious but a strong pair of arms caught her before she hits the hard floor...

When she gained her consciousness she was in her bed ..she felt her head was so heavy and could feel the high fever in her body..

She turned to her left ..Karthik was sitting beside her with a worried face..

Seeing Raji has gained conscious he touched her forehead with so much of care and concern...

"Yenna Raji aachi unakku..yen ippadi cold water la kulichi udambukku fever ah izhuthu vittukara.."

Yenna yedhaavadhu problem aa?veetu nyaabagam vandhuduchaa?adhukkaaga ippadi unnai pottu kashtta paduthikanumaa?yevlo neram cold water la irudhiyo theriyala...

Nalla velai naan unnai parka vandhen...door open a a irundhadhu...bathroom la shaver satham kettadhu..so wait pannitu irundhen..but nee varave illai..i was very worried...and banged the door..thank god u opened the door..but nee vandhu ninna condition irukke..adhuvum nee mayangi vizhundhadhum yenakku uyire poiduchi...pls Raji don't do such stupid act again..yedhuvaa irundhaalum paarthukalam...pls don't hurt urself..."karthik voice showed extreme pain...

His care and concern has brought tears in her eyes..she cried silently..."kadavule idhellaam poi nu namba kooda mudiyalaiye..."

Karthik wiped her tears and continued...

"Yenakku kaiyum odalai..kaalum odalai..unnai bed la padukka vachittu ..doctor ah kootitu varra varaikkum..yen uyire yen kitta illai Raji.."

Slowly anger seeped through her mind...

"How dare he touch me ..with the same hands which had touched that brat ..."

Suddenly she was panicked thinking of something.. and hurriedly checked her dress..she was in her night dress ...

"Yennoda dress..."she couldn't continue as she was very embarrassed to ask further..

But karthik understood her hesitation and explained.

"Unnoda dress thoppala nanaiji irundhadhu..unnoda friend Kavya vum veetla illai... adhaan vera vazhi illaama...but I switched off the light before that.." he was also feeling very awkward to explain things further..at that time he didn't think of anything other than bringing her out of shiver and cold..

She closed her eyes in frustration ...

"Sari ippa yedhuvum pesa vendaam ..modhalla indha soup ah kudi.."

"Yenakku yedhuvum venaam.." she denied weakly...her voice also came as a mere whisper..

"Doctor saapida solli irukaaru..pls konjamaavadhu saapidu Raji.."he almost pleaded her..

Her stomach also grumbling, so she decided to have the soup..but she couldn't able to move a bit..

Seeing her struggling to get up... he supported her to settle in a half sitting position...he extended the spoon near her mouth..though she doesn't like all these drama... she had no option left other than to accept his hospitality...as she was incapable of doing anything on her own..

She reluctantly opened her mouth..

After feeding her... he gave medicines to her and then made her to sleep and tucked her under blanket securely...

He comforted himself on the small couch and extended his legs tea poy..

She was shocked to see him sleeping in her room itself..

Seeing her widened eyes,he smirked..

"Unnai indha nelamaila vittutu naan yeppadi poradhu..kavya um oorla illai..so inniku naan inga dhaan stay pannuven..nee thoongu..naduvula yedhaavadhu venumaa yennai yezhuppu.." he declared authoritatively and closed his eyes as if stating that the decision has been made..

"Idhukku onnum kuraichal illai..nallavan vesham poduradhula ivana adichikka aal kedaiyaadhu.."she though sarcastically..

She was starring him in disbelief...

"Yen veetukku vandhu yennaiye adhigaaram panradhukku ivan yaaru?.."

"Moraichi paarthadhu podhum thoongu.."he ordered her with closed eyes..

She hid her face under her blanket and closed her eyes tightly to hide herself from his sight...she had tried very hard to ignore the feel of his presence in her proximity...But she couldn't get rid of him as well as his killing memories..

Raji was slowly drifted to sleep due to the effects of the medicines...

But on the other side..Karthik was wide awaken and thinking about that day's incidents..

At last he had sorted out the things between Angel and him...but now Raji was having fever and not well ...that was bugging his mind...the sight of her lying on the floor lifeless had shaken his very existence..

"Yenna aachi avalukku yen ippadi panninaa?avlo high fever irundhadhu ...kadavule Raji ku seekiram udambu sari aaganum.." he prayed to god for her well being..

He looked at her ..she was sleeping like an innocent kid..he went near her and touched her forehead ..fever has reduced now...he caressed her hair lovingly and came back to his place and had spent the whole night watching her thoughtfully...

Next morning...Raji was not feeling like going to office..she had become very weak by the emotional turmoil she had under gone...and her body also not supporting her..more than that she has no energy left with her to manage the questioning eyes of him..

Karthik was not being around... "Poi tholaiya raan.."she thought in anger..but at the same time her heart was pained for thinking like that about him..

Karthik came from the kitchen with the morning coffee to her...

"Good morning..."he said with a smile...

"Yeppadi irukka Raji...?" he asked in concern...

"Aahaa yenna oru nadippu..nethu andha Angel kitta idhae karisanathoda pesinavan ivan dhaanu sonnaa kooda yaarum namba maataanga...ippa konjam kooda guilt feel ae illaama yen kittaiyum adhe feelings ah kaaturaan..periya nadigan daa nee...

Idhai nimbi dhane ivlo naalum yemaandhen.."she thought bitterly...

Seeing her immersed in thought..he touched her shoulder to bring her back from her thoughts..

She shrugged off his hands immediately...

He was puzzled by her odd behavior..but ignored that feeling...

"Nethu high fever aa irundhadhe..ippa yeppadi irukku..?

He raised her hand to touch her forehead to check the temperature..

But the speed in which she jerked back was shocked him.. he was taken aback... he felt like having the tight slap...

He fisted his hand and brought it back at once..

"Naan inniku office varalai. .."she said with her eyes fixed to the floor..

"It's ok take rest ..naan venaa help ku kooda irukattumaa..?"

She hurriedly denied... "No thanks ...rest yeduthaa sariyaa podium..naan ippa rumba tired aa iruken..so pls..."she indirectly asked him to leave..

"Oh sorry...u take care.." he immediately vacated the place..but he has no clue ..all of a sudden what happened to her?

Netech solutions..

Karthik was standing in the veranda..and starring the busy road ..but his mind full of questions revolving without any answer..

Now he clearly understood that Raji was avoiding him for sure..

"Hai daa machaan.".Vishnu made his entry..

But his excited voice didn't reach Karthik..Vishnu patted his shoulder to gain his attention..

"Dai machaan ..yennadaa..pagal kanavaa?

"Onnum illai daa.."Karthik turned his face to the other side..

"Onnu illai..adhaan onbadhu irukkunnu moonji solludhe...yenna daa problem ?

"Raji.."

"Raji yaa?yen yedhaavadhu sandai pottiyaa?"

"Illai daa..yellaam nalla dhaan daa poittu irundhadhu..dhideernnu yenna aachunnu theriyala..ava yennai avoid panraa.."

"Dai anniku night office la onnaa irundheengale..appa yedhuvum pannitiyaa?"Vishnu teased him..

Karthik scowled at him in rage..

"Naan yenna sollittu iruken... nee yenna kekkura...adhellaam onnum illai..andha incident ku appuram kooda ava nallaa dhaane pesittu irundhaa.."Karthik couldn't find head or tail of this problem..

"Dai.. adhellaam onnum irukaadhu daa...Raji yaavadhu un kitta pesaama irukaradhaavadhu..naan namba maaten.."

"Dai ..indha naalu naalaa ava yen kitta muzhusaa oru naalu vaarthai kooda pesalaidaa..."Karthik vent out his frustration..

"Udambu sari illlama irundhaangalla..adhaan oru maadhiri irukaanga pola...sari aagidum daa.."

Vishnu tried to convince him..

"Illai daa.. idhu vera...ava yen kitta mugam kuduthu pesa maatenguraa..naanaa poi pesinaalum..oru vaarthaikku mela answer panradhillai...anniku avalukku udambu sari illaama poche.. annaila irundhu dhaan ippadi behave panraa...romba kashtaa maa irukkudaa machaan..avalukku yenna problem ne theriyalai daa.."karthik poured his heart out...

Suddenly Vishnu said.. "dho Raji ye vandhutaanga avangalaiye keppom yenna problem nu.."

"Vishnu.. vendaam daa.."he warned him..but he ignored his warning and called Raji..

"Hi Raji..inga vaanga.."

Raji came there with reluctant steps..

"Good morning Raji.."

"Good morning Vishnu.."she wished only Vishnu and didn't even turned to Karthik's side..

"Yenna vishnu yedhukku koopiteenga?"

"Adhu onnum illai Raji..indha Karthik yenna solraan theriyumaa?"he had started with full excitement..But Raji cuts him in middle and said

"Chumma vetti kadhai pesa dhaan yennai kooptengalaa..yenakku neraiya velai irukku..oor kadhai pesa yen kitta neram illai.."she replied rudely and walked off quickly from there..

Vishnu was shocked to the core..

Karthik eyed him like.. "Ippa yenna solra..?"

"Dai machaan... apapdiye pazhaiya Raji ya paarkara maadhiri irukkudaa..history returns nu solluvaangale adhu idhu dhaanaa?"

"Dai..ava pesaadhadhu oru pakkam kashtamnaa..yenna kaaranamne theriyaama irukkaradhu adhai vida torture aa irukkudaa...ava yennai avoid panradhu yenakku valikkudhu daa.."Karthik's voice was broken at the end..

Vishnu side hugged him..

"Dai...machaan... karthi..yenna daa..nee ippadi laam feel panra aale kedaiyaadhe...yenna daa achu..?Raji pesuvaangadaa..avanga yedho mood out la irupaanga...seekirame yellaam sari aagidum...free aah vidudaa.."Vishnu consoled his best friend..he was also worried for his friend..

But Karthik knew very well it was not going to be alright that easily... his instinct said..something went terribly wrong..

To be continued...