Meant to Be note on page 162 - Page 89

pls to ur replies ...

Meant to be

part 38

"Raji..i am back.."

Sumi came running to Raji's room with so much of excitement..

Raji welcomed her with a sweet smile..

"Hi Sumi.."

"Yenna yaaraiyum kaanom?" Sumi asked looking around..

"Avangalaam veliya walk poi irukaanga.."

"Nee pogalai..?" Sumi asked in surprise..

"Nee varennu phone pannine la..adhaan naan varalainu solliten..Moreover I am bit tired also.."

"Oh thanks Raji..yenakku un kitta neriya pesanum..."

"Unakku niyaabagam irukkula..namma cultural days..andha Korea paiyan Ming tamil pesurennu kolai panninaane.."

"Iyoo adhai marakka mudiyumaa?vaazhthu nu solradhukku vaathu nu solli..appo irundhu avanoda per ae vaathu nu aagipoche.." both chuckled reminding that incident.

For some time they both travelled down the memory lane to few years back and dwelled in their past..Recollecting those golden days' of their college life..

After a while the topic shifted to their current position..

"Naan inga oru IT company la kuppai kotturen..appaa vukku naan business ku varanum nu aasai..but naan thelivaa solliten ..yenakku adhula interest illai nu..Karthik kum appadi dhaan..avanukkum uncle oda business la interest ae iallai ..."

"Sari sollu ..Karthik office la yeppadi..ozhungaa irukaanaa?illai appadi ippadi nu.."she she paused for a while... letting the rest to Raji's guessing..

"Yennai vida unnoda childhood friend ah pathi unakku dhaane nalla theriyum.."Raji answered the question diplomatically..

"Pasanga veetla irukara maadhiriye veliaya vum irupaangannu solla mudiyaadhu illaiyaa..as far as I know Karthik is hallmark gold..but office la yepapdi irukaanu yenakku yepapdi theriyum.."

"Karthik ulla oru maadhiri veliya oru maadhiri nadikkira type kedaiyaadhu..very straight forward and open type..moodi maraikara velai yellam avanukku theriyaadhu..as a boss he is very helping minded ..caring and sweet person.."

"Adhai vidu maa..Unofficial aa yenna panraan..adhai sollu.."Sumi asked with curious voice..

"Unofficial naa?" Raji scrunched her brow.

"Iyoo idhu kooda theriyalaiyaa?any love affairs.. meeting..dating..etc.. indha maadhiri.."

"Idhellam nee Karthik kitta dhaan kekanum.."Raji replied curtly..she not at all liked the way sumi asked questions about Karthik's personal life...

"Avan kitta ketaa onnuku onbadhaa solli..yenakku vayithula puliya karaipaan..avan solradhula yedhu poi..yedhu unmaine sila samaiyam kandupidika mudiyaadhu..appadi super aa nadipaan.."

Sumi replied in complaining voice..

"Avan yaariyum love panna maataan yenakku theriyum..but avana yaarum try panrangalaa?unakku theiryuma Raji..."Sumi asked casually Raji could feel the tint of pride in her voice..

"Adhellam yenakku theriyaadhu."Raji played safe..

"Podi nee waste... idhu kooda therinji vachika maataiyaa?"Sumi chided Raji..in disappointment..

"Idhellam avanoda personal ..ipapdi gossip panradhu..thappillaiyaa..?

"Ammaa usidha mani..un kitta kettadhu yennoda thappu dhaan.. idhukku Lakshmi dhaan sariyaana aalu..naan ava kittaiye kettukaren.."

Raji didn't like the way the conversation was heading to..she altogether doesn't like the way Sumi showed interest in Karthik' s matter. Why she was so much curious to know about Karthik's love interest..?

Seeing her behavior, Raji had surmised that Sumi had some feelings for Karthik..but she couldn't able to fathom how intense that would be..whether it was the mere concern as a friend or something beyond that..she restricted her brain to think further in that context..

She felt very uncomfortable discussing about Karthik's personal life with Sumi..

Suddenly Sumi's one statement was bugging her so long..

"Sumi ...Karthik yaaraiyum love panni iruka mataan nu nee yepapdi avlo confirm aa sonna?"she asked with a discreet look..

"Adhuvaa..avan moonu varushamaa Mumbai la irundhappave yaaraiyum love pannalai.. indha aarum maasathula appadi yenna perusha magic nadandhirukka pogudhu ngara nambikai dhaan."Sumi giggled as if she had cracked some joke..

"But magic nadandhiruke.."Raji's mind screamed ...

"Raji un kitta oru mukkiyamaana vishayam sollanum.." sumi started in a serious tone..which had churned something inside Raji's stomach..

"Actually, of late I was so worried to whom I could share this matter..u know how much I felt relieved seeing u..?my heart has jumped and said..finally I have found a person to whom i can rely on with my secret.."

Raji didn't made any gesture to ask about Sumi's secret..Actually she wanted to refrain from all of it..

"Naan vishayatha solradhukku munnaadi..u have to make a promise..idhai yaaru kittaiyum solla maatennu.."Sumi extended her hand to Raji..

Raji didn't budge..her gut feelings said that something very bad going to come which she doesn't want to hear..so she stayed quiet..

Presuming her silence in a wrong sense Sumi said..

"Hey..Don't get angry yaar..i know u won't gossip ..sorry..nee promise panna venadaam..i have full faith on u..i know u won't reveal it to anyone."

Raji felt so miserable.. "Omg ..don't know where all these buildups will lead to.."

"Raji..yenakkum Karthik um naalaikku engagement nadakka pogudhu..i am so excited u know..?"

That's it most awaited thunder descended down straightly onto her...

Raji felt her head was spinning and her ears disabled to grasp anything after the word engagement.

She went numb for a moment..staring at Sumi blankly with shutter shocked face... Sumi stopped her blabbering seeing Raji's dumbfounded state..

"Hey..Raji yenna shock aagitiyaa?i shouldn't have said it so suddenly sorry...but Karthik um ippadi shock aagi nikkanum ngaradhu dhaan uncle ,aunty oda plan..naalaikku avanoda birthday party la..surprise aa solli avana shock aaga vaikaporaangalaam.."she chortled in glee..but stopped in mid as she didn't get any response from Raji..

"Raji r u ok?"

She was too shocked to react further..

Raji gulped hard before composing herself to utter a word..

"Sumi..Karthik ah kekaama yeppadi ivlo periya arrangement ah panraanga?"she asked in restless voice...

"Adhuvaa..Karthik Chennai ku transfer aagi varradhukku munaadi..inga vandhirundhaan..appo uncle avan kitta marriage vishayamaa pesi irukaanga.avan yaaraiyaavadhu love panraanaanum kettu paarthaangalaam..adhuku Karthik."naan yaaraiyum love pannalai..neengalaa oru nalla ponaa paarthu sollunga..kelvi ye kekaama thali katturennu solli irukaan.."appuram uncle um anuty um avanukkaga ponnu thedinappo..onnum avangalukku manasukku pudicha maadhiri illaiyaam.appo dhaan kaila vennai ya vachikkittu nei ku yen alaiyanumnu yennoda niyaabagam avangalukku vandhirruku..

Yenga appa amma kitta pesi irukaanga..avangalukkum ok dhaan..parents level la ok aanadhum..yen kitta ketaanga..naan first romba yosichen..yaennaa Karthik ah naan andha maadhiri ninaichi paarthadhe illai..appuram yosikka yosikka..Karthik yenakku romba nalla partner aa irupaannu thonichi..avanukku yeppavum mathavangala hurt panna theiryadhu..yellaar melaiyum romba anbaa irupaan..avana marriage panninaa yenndoa life nalla irukkum nu naan muzhusaa nambaren..adhu mattum illama..pugundha veedu yeppadi irukkumonnu naan bayapada vendaam,uncle and aunty ku naan romba chellam..sari nu solli sandhoshamaa thalai aattiten.."

Appuram Karthik oda parents avanukku birthday gift aa indha engagement irukattum nu decide pannitaanga..avanga selection Karthik ku pidikkum nu avanaga muzhusaa nambaraanga...

Raji pls..neeyum indha suspense ah maintain pannu..aarvathula yaar kittaiyum sollidaadha..mukkiyamaa Karthik ku indha matter theriyave koodaadhu..."she deliberately dragged Raji's hand and put it on her hand marking a symbol of promise..

"When uncle announce this surprise tomorrow ,I want to see karthik's change of expression from shock to surprise to happiness...i wish to live and cherish that moment..."

Raji stared at Sumi who was pouring all her excitements and enthusiasm with dream filled eyes..

Raji felt her insides were burning thinking Sumi having love feelings for the person whom she owns ..her possessive side hated Sumi's words about her feelings towards Karthik.

"Hey Raji keezha satham kekudhu avanga vandhutaanga pola irukku..sonnadha marandhudaadha..yaar kittaiyum solla koodaadhu..u promised me..remember.."

She darted outside to meet KVL..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raji was standing on the terrace ..staring at the huge garden with her eyes fixed like a statue..the garden was illuminated by many colorful lights making the place looks like a miniature of the heaven..

If it was some other day she would have mesmerized by this heavenly beauty but now her mindset doesn't allow her to enjoy the scenery instead it seemed to intimidate her evenmore..

She felt herself being thrown away into endless darkness...her mind slowly drifting to nothingness with the thought of losing Karthik..her heart felt the void due to the uncertainty of the future..

As it was a night before diwali..crackers and fireworks had adorned the sky from all the directions..the rockets zoomed up on the sky ..blasted with a loud noise and shattered into colorful patterns..but she was immune to all those excitements..

But for each bursting of the bomb or some explosives..her body shivered as if it was blasted right down inside her..

"Why me..Why it is always me ..am I not blessed to be build dreams..?Why every time my dreams had been crushed cruelly..am I cursed to dwell in pain..?"She seemed to wallow in self-pity..

Sumi was in the same position once she was ..that time she was at receiving end of pain..but now she was at the giver side..how could she betray Sumi..who was having high hopes on her..?

" How could I tell her..that she was pursuing some other's dream..?"

How could I gave the same pain which I had gone through once..that too the person whom trusting me the most.?"

No she can't wipeout the happiness of Sumi..she can't broke her heart..moreover..she had no strength to bear the accusing eyes of Sumi..

At the same time she can't give up karthik at any cost...without him she was nothing..he is her everything..

"Yenna maadhiri oru nilamaila yennai sikka avchiteenga kadavule.."

Her mind was fully confused..it had twirled with so much of emotional turmoil ..in her bewildered state..she didn't paid any attention to the surroundings..

Slowly two warm hands encircled her by her waist. her trance broke with a snap of her eyes..

"Missing me...?"a sensual voice whispered in her ear...

An unknown peace surrounded herself when his hard form framed her back..with a soothing hug..

Her body trembled in his touch..

He tightened his embrace..tucking her so close to him..

"Kulirudhaa.."

She was struck in a whirlpool of emotions..his proximity and warmth made her so weak and vulnerable. her eyes welled up..tears rolled out wetting her cheeks...

She sniffled softly inhaling sharply to hide her tears from him..

"Raji..u caught cold..?"he turned her to his side with a question..

But she didn't let him to see her face..she hugged him immediately..Burying her face in his hard chest..

Karthik was puzzled by her weird silence..then he contemplated it as her shyness..engulfing her tightly in his arms..

Raji's heart wrenched in pain..how could she reveal the truth to him?she had not thought that she was bound by the promise..but she felt her tongue was tied by her own conflict of emotions..

If she told him the fact then he would have clash with his parents..she can't see them standing at loggerheads fighting for her sake..that Morning only she admired their bonding ,now how can her let that bond break because of her..

Neither she had the guts to confess the truth to Sumi nor to karthik...in both cases she had her own reasons for not letting out the truth..

She was struck in a complete mess...not knowing what to do next..

Karthik waited for sometime but not getting any response from Raji..he slowly parted her from him..

"Yenna inikku over ottudhalaa irukku..?'he asked playfully..

He cupped her face in his hands..but her eyes were closed..her face was glowing even under the dim light of night time...

He kissed those eye lids to make it open...

Her sparkling eyes..had a streak of wetness that left him puzzled..

"What happened Raji...?" he asked in concerned voice..

Before she say anything his phone buzzed..

He fished out the phone from his packet..and grinned seeing the screen..

"Who is that.?"Raji asked softly..

"My mom..."he replied with smile..

Her heart pained..hearing his reply.. "No I can't let this smile to vanish from his face.." she reinforced her decision of not telling the truth...

"Avanga yedhukku indha nerathula phone panraanga?" she asked indecisively..

"Adadaa..yen mela unakku yevlo paasam Raji..hello madam ...for ur kind information..time crossed 12.. that means my birthday has started..my mom calling to wish me...how shameful..i myself have to remind u all these.was n't it nice if it would have been the other way round..?"

She inhaled sharply in regret... "Oh sorry Karthik..i forgot it.."

In her disoriented state where she had time to think about other matters..

"Naan kuduthu vachadhu avlo dhaan..."Karthik sighed disappointedly..

"I am really sorry .."she showed extremely worried face..

"Oh god ..unnoda sorry puraanam mudinjadhunaa..pls yennai wish panriyaa..mom is calling continuously I can't avoid her for so long..i wish u should be the one to greet me first.."

He said in a hurry..

She felt terrible.. "How bad he would be feeling now..Poor birthday boy.."

"Raji come on..birthday baby oda indha china wish ah kooda fulfill panna maatiyaa?"he asked with grumpy face..

She cupped his face with her hands and tip toed to kiss his forehead..

"Happy birthday to u karthik.."

He closed his eyes to capture that precious moment and treasure it inside his memory ..

"Avlo dhaanaa?" he asked with a naughty glint..

"Vera yenna ..?"She asked innocently..

"Lakshmi sonnaa..nee yedho yenakku birthday gift thara porennu.."Karthik asked with a huge grin..

"Indha lakshmi ah naan...vishnu oda serndhu ivalum ottai vaai aagitaa.."she taunted lakshmi inwardly..

She knew what he was hinting..if she wouldn't been having the burning pain inside she would have given in to his demand willingly ..but she was not ready to say those exclusive words reserved only for him in her confused state.. as of now she can't confess her feelings whole heartily..

But it seemed he was not ready to buy any of her excuses..he stood firmly crossing his hands over his chest..watching her keenly..

She thought of a plan to escape from his piercing gaze..her wavering eyes stopped at his vibrating mobile..

"karthik unga amma thirumba phone panraanga paaru attend pannu ..naan varen.."she tried to move away from him in the pretext of giving him privacy..

But he caught hold of her hand and jerked her to him with a tug..she hits him hard..gripping his shoulders for support..

"Sollu.." he asked in demanding voice..Caging her in his tight grip...as if saying he would not let her go until she pour her heart out..

She looked at him with nervous eyes..thinking of ways to get rid of his clutch..

"Don't even think of running away this time.."

He blocked her futile attempts with his stern voice..

Now she had no other go...She looked at him with puppy face...But he was immune to her tactics...

Finding no other option ..she looked into his eyes reluctantly..

"Karthik..."

"mmm.."he cued her expectantly ..

"I...I.."she stuttered..

"I.." he prompted her to speak further..

"I..I..feel sleepy.."She said it in one go..

"What..." he was stunned for a while.. .and his face was worth to watch...

Making use of his momentarily inactive state..she escaped from his clutch..and rushed out from there..

He gritted his teeth and kicked the floor in frustration..

Suddenly he felt the wetness around his chest...his eyes narrowed down there ... the kajal of her smudged that had marked a prominent black hue against the contrasting background of his white t-shirt..

"Was she cried?"The question haunted him...

To be continued..

aiyoo yenna ithu yeppavum rajiku thaan ippadi problem varumaa?

Sumi and karthikku engagement ahh? aiyooo😕 but in your previous part you said "Though Karthik's parents looked nonchalant but they too observed the chemistry running between KR..and they exchanged a meaningful look to each other."

hi gayu

i wrote only "they exchanged meaningful look" nu but didn't said anything about what they were thinking nu...😆😆

hi ramya,

what am i do?story will be enjoyable if only it has these kind of ups and downs..😃

congrates for becoming a goldie..😃👏

hi ammu...

update soon aa?yen kitta poi idhai kekalaamaa?😆😆

surely will try ma..😊