Meant to Be note on page 162 - Page 83

Meant to be

part 36

Vishnu sipped his coffee slowly watching Raji..looking at the entrance of the canteen for every five seconds with an eager eyes but turned back with a crestfallen face, twisting her lips in disappointment... the coffee cup kept in front of her remained untouched..she bit her nails in tension and sighed impatiently... he silently watched this drama for a while..

"Raji ungalukku cold coffee dhan venumnu solli irundhaa naan munnadiye order panni irupen..ippa paarunga soodaa coffee vaangi ,adhai aara vachittu kashta padureenga..."Vishnu asked in fed up voice..

Raji looked at him blankly for a second as if comprehending what he was hinting...as the meaning of his words sunk in ..her eyes drifted to the coffee cup , surface covered by the dark browned skim of the liquid...And then shifted her gaze to Vishnu with a sorry look..

"Yenna aachi Raji.."

He asked in serious tone with concern...

"Karthik.."She replied curtly..

"Avanukku yenna?all problems r solved ,he is safe now.."

"Vichu sir cabin ku poittu innum varalaiye..." she said in worried voice.

"Idhaan unga problem aa?ungalukku namma vichu sir ah pathi theriyaadhaa..normal time laye valachi..valachi advice pannuvaaru..ippo oru critical situation vera ..viduvaaraa...full meals poittu dhaan anupuvaaru.." Vishnu laughed for his own joke..but stopped in mid as he has not got any reflection from her...

"Raji.. .rendu periya thalainga meet panni irukku ..company oda valarchiya pathi deep discussion aa irukkum..adhaan ivlo neram aagudhu.." She glared at Vishnu fumingly..where he laughed shaking his hands in his usual way..

"Dho karthi ye vandhutaane.."

Raji turned back with glittering eyes..only to be greeted by a stranger guy..walked pass their table ..

Her face fell in disappointment combine with annoyance at his untimely prank...

She twisted her lips in anger..

Before she shouts at Vishnu ...Lakshmi's voice interrupted,

"hi guys..." she greeted both and seated near Vishnu...

"Hi Lakshmi" Vishnu...said with a smile..while Raji stayed quiet..

Lakshmi eyed Vishnu like asking what happened to Raji..

"Adhu onnum illai Lakshmi ..karthi varaannu chumma oru pechukku dhaan sonnen..udane Raji appadiye minnal vegadhula thirumbinaanga paaru..lightening speed nu kelvi pattiruken..adhai inniki dhaan nerla paarkuren..if u want to see the demo..nee ippo Raji kitta Karthik varaanu solli paaren..." Vishnu made fun of Raji..

"Venaam Vishnu naan kolavery la iruken.." Raji warned him

"Hai chumma irudaa Vishnu..Raji paavam.."Lakshmi pretended as if defending Raji..by muffling her laughter ...Raji understood her double game and glared at Lakshmi..

"Sorry Raji..."

Suddenly Lakshmi said.

"Hey.. Karthik varaan.."

"Vilaiyaadaadha Lakshmi neeyum Vishnu maadhiri yennai kalaaikara.."Raji asked with a grumpy face..

Rather than giving answer Lakshmi just smiled.

And said.. "Hi Karthik.."

Raji was about to say something angrily..but her words frozen by hearing the voice of Karthik saying..

"Hi Lakshmi.."

He sat near Raji with a grinning face..Raji looked at him in surprise..

His smile widened seeing her surprised face..

"Yenna avlo aachariyam..yenakku thalaila yedhaavadhu kombu mulaichirukaa.." he wobbled his hands on his head..Funnily..

She whacked his arm in anger..

"Naan inga yevlo tension aa iruken..nee paatukku jolly aa sirichittu iruka?" she was sulking.

"Yenna tension..adhaan yellaa problem mum solve agiduchila? "Karthik asked

"Dai machaan ..nee vishvanadhan room ku ponadhula irundhu..Raji nee yeppa varuva..yeppa avruva nu kettu kettu..yen rendu kaadhulaiyum ratham varudhudaa..seekiram anga yenna nadandhadhunnu solludaa." Vishnu mocked at Raji's desperateness ...

"Naan vishvanadhan sir room ku ponen..avaru yennai ukkara sonnaru.."Karthik started with a kind of a tone as if he was going to narrate a lengthy story..

"Dai indha munnurai..mugavurai yellam naangale fill pannikirom.nee main matter ah mattum sollu.."vishnu asked impatiently.

In vishvanadhan's cabin

Karthik...who do u think u r?how could u deliberately approach a police officer without company's knowledge.?"

Vishvanadhan sir asked sternly..

"sir.." Karthik stunned as he has not expected this kind of blow...

"Who gave u permission..?we should try to solve the office issues internally..i can't allow any outsiders to intrude in my business..HR irukku..legal affairs team irukku.. adhai vittutu straight aa nee paattuku oru police officer kitta help kettiruka...indha vishayam leak aanaa..it will affect the reputation of the company u know..?"vichu sir accused him..

"Sorry sir,yenakku vera vazhi theriyala..i was in a hurry to prove my side..so I failed to think all these.." Karthik was regretting...

"it's ok..i am forgiving for the first time.as ur action yielded good result.. i hope u won't repeat such acts.."

"of course not .. sir." Karthik sighed in relief..

"Koushik ippadi oru deceiver aa irupaannu naan konjam kooda ninaikalai.we immediately terminated him and also added his name in block list..so he won't be able to get job in any of the decent company.."

"so ...as koushik has gone..now its ur responsibility to take over the project.."

"Which project sir..?Karthik asked in confusion..

"Target project dhaan vera yenna?"

Karthik was shocked..

"sir..." he was dumbstruck ,unable to form a proper sentence...

"Puriyudhu..andha project cancel aagita dhaa sonnen la..but adhu cancel aagalai..they just kept it on hold...until we sort out this issue..i purposely hidden this information .to find out the real culprit.

Karthik couldn't be happy than this.He smiled brightly..

"This is really a great news sir..andha project cancel aagitadhunnu naan romba feel panninen."

Vichu sir said with a smile.. "Hard work never fails."

So karthik...carry on with ur work ,later I will inform the presentation date..

Mostly it will be after diwali only..so enjoy ur holidays..and come back with a new zeal..."

"Thank u sir.." Karthik left his cabin over rejoiced..

"Idhaan nadandhahu.."Karthik finished his flash back...

"Hooo.."all three hooted in joy..and hi- fi ed each other..

"kettadhulayum oru nalladhu irukkunu solluvaanga adhu idhu dhaan.ippo Karthik ku oru level mela poga chance kedaichirukku.." Raji said with excitement..

"Dai machaan ...unnoda edhiri ozhijaan..nee termination la irundhu thappichiruka..ippo PM vera aaga pora..so kandipaa idhu yellathukkum thani thani yaa nee treat tharanum."

Vishnu insists him..

"Ivan oruthan yeppa party kondaadalaam nu alaivaan..Dai PM nu laam onnum sollalai...ippodhaikku vera replacemet vara varaikkum koushik oda velaiya seiya solli irukaanga avlo dhaan.." Karthik taunted him..

"paaraa...ivaroda thannadakkatha...Ippadi laam solli thappika mudiyaadhu machi..kandipaa big treat venum machi.."Vishnu was adamant...

"Ok daa..asathiduvom..but this time it will be something special...its not a normal dinner treat..".

"Then..?"

"indha murai treat yennoda veetla...Dewali ,yennoda birthday yellam serndhu varudhu..so will celebrate both together in Bangalore my native place.."

"Wow super..naanga ready" VL agreed instantly..

In their excitement none noticed the paled face of Raji...

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KPN travels bus zoomed on the dark smooth six lane road of NH 4..from Chennai to Bangalore...

It has just crossed the congested Chennai city traffic and got to reach the outskirts and speeded up its journey...

Almost all the passengers had dosed off...Raji seated near window and looked at the outside..the fastly moving images looks like a fast forwarded animated movie to her.. enjoying the cool breeze of rainy season with a sweet smile plastered on her lips...wind mixed with the humidity of the rain hits her face hard and ruffled her hair stands which covers her eyes..before her hand reached to it, she felt a hand slowly tucking her loosened strands behind her ear..

She got goose bumps with that soft touch and her body shuddered not out of cold obviously..she didn't need to turn to see who that was.. she bit her lower lip hard to stop the fluttering feelings erupted inside her belly..

She could see his face coming closer to her from the corner of her eyes..her breath seized..as his face reached very close to her cheek, his breath fanning her cheek..she couldn't think beyond that..as her mind only thinking of his forthcoming act with anticipation..his hand encircled her as if going to embrace her..her body stiffened lacking his ability to react further..

His encircled hand went towards the window and closed it gently and he drawn back his hand caressing her arm with a gentle stroke, her eyes followed his every action widened in surprise..

She turned towards him to tell something tauntingly but in that process her lips brushed his cheek passing current through both their bodies..

She gulped hard seeing his gaze intensified..the cold inky darkness of the ambience also seems to add some fuel .

Suddenly she snapped his hand and broke the trance..

"I know how to close the window..."she said trying to bring sternness in her voice as much as she could.

He grinned cheekily..and stared at her keeping her eyes intact..

She felt very uncomfortable with his intense gaze..

"yennaa?" She asked feeling awkward..

He shrugged his shoulder as if saying "nothing.."

"Appo thoongu."she said stricktly..

"ok..good night.."he leaned backwards and comforted himself on the head rest..closing his eyes..

She looked at him thoughtfully..

"yaaro yennai uthu uthu paarkaramadhiri irukku.."he said with closed eyesand naughty smile lingering on his lips...

She slides slowly on his shoulder hugging his arm..and called him huskily..

"Karthik.."

"mmm."

"unnoda parents ku yennai pidikumaa?"she asked in worried voice..

"unnai yeppadi pidikaama pogum?"he answered through another question..

"pidikaama poitaa..?"She expressed her anxiety..

He snapped open his eyes and gazed her gloomy face..he could see she was really disturbed...

"Inga paaru..avanagalukku pidichaa ok..pidikaatiyum onnum problem illai..don't worry..i will take care of everything..relaxed aa iru paarthukalaam.."he assured her..

She closed her eyes convinced by his assurance..

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In Karthik's house.

Karthik's parents received them at the entrance itself..they seemed elated by seeing his dear son after so long..

Karthik introduced his friends to his parents..they welcomed them warmly..

Raji felt little comfort after seeing K's parents friendly, cheerful faces..

Karthik's house was indeed huge ..it was a bungalow type house. Every inch of it screamed luxury as well as class..

RVL awed by its grander...

They never had an idea of Karthik as this much Richie rich..

The house was a two storey bunglow..interior of the house looked more magnificent than it seemed from outside...

Giant sized sofa placed middle of the hall gives royal look to the living room..nicely carved doors and furniture..antic pictures enriching the glossy painted walls..big arched staircase seems very elegant.. everything was placed perfectly and orderly..not even a single displacement of objects..it was very obvious that they had spent fair sum amount for interiors.

RVL seated on the plush sofa..which adopted them comfortably..

"Dai machaan nee ivlo periy jameen parambarainnu sollave illaiye daa..?vishnu asked in astonished voice..

"jameen num illai..jaameenum illai...its all my dad's hard work...idhula yedhuvume naan earn pannadhillai...appuram idhula perumaiyaa sollika yenna irukku..naan sambaadhichi vaangina ore veedu yennoda Chennai apartment dhaan..adhuvum innum 20 years ku EMI kattanum.."Karthik said casually..

"Karthik..."a squeal came from the door Step grabbed their attention..before they contemplate anything a girl ran towards Karthik like a strom and literally thrown herself on him by hugging him so tightly...Karthik stumbled back a few steps due to the force..but he didn't complain...he too hugged her with a excited smile...

Raji's jaw dropped in shock...

As the girl's back was facing towards her she couldn't get to see her face..

When they broke the hug and laughed like maniacs ...Raji's eyes widened even more on seeing the beautiful face of the girl...

"Hey,sumi..yeppadi iruka?" Karthik asked ..

"Fine daa...nee dhaan aale maarita.."the girl whom Karthik called as sumi replied..

They laughed again..

"Ok let me introduce my friends to u.."

"Friends idhu yennoda childhood friend, neighbor, partner in crime..ippadi sollite polaam..my best friend sumi..alice sumithra.."

He introduced the girl to his friends..

"And sumi,these are my colleagues cum friends..Vishnu,Lakshmi..and ..."

"Rajiii..."she completed his sentence and hugged Raji as if choking her breath...

"hey,Raji...yevlo naal aachi unnai paarthu.."

Raji also reciprocated her hug with a smile..

All the three watching the drama with gapping mouth..Surprised by the turn of events..

To be continued..