· • ● Poornitha ● • ·  

"Hello?? Are you listening?" asked a lady standing behind me. I gave here a puzzled look for which she spoke, "She's calling you!"

"Please place you luggage to be weighed." said the lady who sat at the counter issuing Boarding Passes.

"Ahh I'm sorry. I'll just do it, sorry." I said and placed my bags on the weighing machine. She did her work, checking with the luggage, labeling them and something more. When she was done she gave me my Boarding Pass, taking it I moved forward.

The security checking was done and there wasn't a need for me to wait I directly boarded my flight and took my seat. The bouquet what Rakshan had given me was in my hand. For some reason the fragrance kept me on in spite of all that had happened few minutes ago. Honestly I had never had this thought that Rakshan would propose me. It has just been 6 months since he knows me, and he fell in love with me so soon?? Is that even possible? I don't believe in 'love at first sight', but is it like he feel in love with me then itself when he saw me for the first time??? Come on I am not Cleopatra for that to happen, and it doesn't seem to be like he did then. He was very normal and showed no signs of love or even attraction. He is definitely fooling me and it's nothing more.

My phone rang and I took it out of my bag. It was Akka.

"Akka?? What happened? Just now you bid me bye and you are calling me so soon??"

"Rakshan told me he proposed you, is it so?"

"Ohh so he has fooled you also! Is it only you or he fooled Jiju as well??"

"What?? Fooling?? Are you serious??"

"Not really, I am not sure but, I feel he attempted in fooling me."

"I don't know what to say. Here Rakshan and Krish are talking to each-other and Krish seems to be knowing that Rakshan was planning to propose you. When I demanded for an explanation they said they would tell me soon. That's it."

"Jiju also knows it???"

"Yes Poovu."

"Now I don't think he was fooling me. Was Rakshan serious with what he had said?"

"I don't know!" she said bluntly.

"Akka, I'm getting worried, I don't -"

"Ma'am please put your phone on flight mode and fasten your seat belts." the air hostess abruptly came to stop me.

"Will call you back soon, please be available and see to it Amma and Appa don't get any idea about this."

"Alright. Be calm and don't worry yourself ok."

"Other family members also should't know about this."

"Flight mode ma'am, please." it was the air hostess again.

"Nobody should know about it Akka, please."

"Ok I will see to it. Don't worry!"

"Ma'am would you please try to understand.."

"Ya I'm done!" I said taking my phone away from my ear and ending the call. I put on the flight mode and fastened my seat belts. Till then Ms. Perfectionist decided to stand next to me like a strict nurse.

I crossed my hands and sat staring at her as she walked away. When she was gone I turned towards the window and opened it, it was all dark out, except for the runway lights. The flight took-off in some time. I sat back and thought of Rakshan. "Does he really love me?? And did he seriously mean it, while he proposed me?" As I thought of it I realized he won't be fooling anyone for that matter, on such sensitive issues, and especially in such a stressful situation. He knew how much I wished to be for his Finale, and this sudden office call is getting me on my nerves. He won't be fooling me at such a time, but this is something even more than fooling. "Poornitha, Rakshan proposed his love for you!" It's not a simple or a small thing, it's such a huge thing, and I am here sitting cool on hearing it. He proposed me man! A love proposal. It's such a serious and a huge thing. My answer would mean what would happen next in our lives. "Damn hell what's happening here? I've been put under so much of pressure."

On looking at the situation with an open eye, I realized the seriousness of it. I felt the pressure of the whole situation to be over me. I put my head down holding it with my hands. I couldn't stop myself from getting worried. I looked at the bouquet and thought of how he had proposed me, how deeply he had looked into my eyes, and said it. "Ohh man Rakshan, why did you put me in such a problem...??" I asked looking at the bouquet. I happened to find a small card on the bouquet and pulled it out, it read "I Love You Poornitha." I folded the card and put it in my bag. I started becoming nervous and asked for some water to the air hostess.

I controlled all my emotions till I reached home. It wasn't easy at all. I didn't feel like talking to anybody so I didn't off the flight mode in my phone. When I was home, I just went in, sat down near the couch on the floor and thought about it. I had to decide if I should accept his proposal or not.

"Damn my foot! All this wouldn't have happened if Bala hadn't called me to come here, to hand him the interview papers immediately." I banged my hand on the coffee table. It's moreover my carelessness that has brought me here, all the way from Coimbatore to Mumbai. I should have cleared all my works then, when I was shifting from my old office to my new one. I didn't do them, and thus now, I'm made to pay for my laziness. I am really nuts, Abhi rightly calls me that. I checked the time, and it was 2:30AM. I went to my room, changed my clothes and tried to sleep for sometime. 

~~**~~

 I am so fed up right now. It's 6:45AM and I thought it's better if I get ready and go to my old Office and find the Interview Scripts and hand it to Bala. I can relax when I am done with it, and sit and think about Rakshan there after. I went in for a quick shower. I couldn't stable myself from Rakshan's thoughts and most of all his proposal. I badly wish if that thought goes off my mind for some time as I wash myself. I got out changed to some office fits, and went out locking the house. On the way I called Akka and told her I had reached safely and would talk to her once my office work is done.

By 7;30 I had made it to my office. On reaching  I directly went to my cabin and started looking for the Interview scripts. I searched for it in my files, and cupboards and found it at last in one of the cupboards. Luckily Bala was in the office and I could meet him. I went to Bala's cabin and placed the scripts on his desk.

"Poornitha you are here this early?"

"The scripts what you wanted are here Bala!"

"Ohh Thanks! And sorry for troubling you."

"My fault Bala, pardon me for that."

"Ohh that's ok. Seem to be in a hurry? What has happened?"

"Need to leave, got some important family work! Is there anything else you need from me Bala? Clear it off now itself, I wont be able to make it here often."

"I can understand Poornitha, there is nothing more. You may leave."

"Thanks Bala, Sorry and Bye!" I said walking out of his office. "Ahh these are my office keys, you have them." Walking back into his office I handed him the keys.

"Ok Poornitha." he said and I left his office then.

Finally it's done. For this I had to come all the way from Coimbatore to Mumbai, isn't that a hell? All my laziness. I scolded myself as I walked up to the bus stop. Sitting in the Bus, I called Akka.

"Poornitha.." I heard Rakshan's voice from the other end of the line. I checked my phone to see if I had dialed the correct number and I saw Akka's photo on the display. I wondered why Rakshan answered her phone.

"This is Rakshan."

"Yeah I know that Rakshan. But why are you answering Akka's call?"

"Swadhu just now went into the Kitchen to help your Amma out in cooking. Actually I came here to meet Swadhu, she had called me to talk."

"Ohh Alright!"

"How are you? You reached there safely right?"

"I am fine, and yeah came here safely."

"The papers what Bala wanted, have you given it to him?"

"Yes Rakshan."

"Ok"

"Hmm"

Both of us remained quiet for some time. The Rakshan spoke, "Poovu, ahh what I was thinking is, if you have given him the papers, then there is no other work for you there, isn't it? Why don't you get a flight today and come here."

"Well, I will try to. Bala might call me for some work. So I need to be here." I lied.

He remained quiet.

"When Akka comes, just ask her to call me when she is free. We shall talk later Rakshan." I didn't even wait for his reply and just cut the call. I wonder what made me tell a lie, but I could not tell him that I would return soon as well.

It's actually difficult for me to face him right now and I don't even understand what to talk to him.

I looked out of the bus window, it was a bright sunny day and it was scorching. When I had arrived at my stop, I got down, and brought the necessary grocery from a near by mall. Carrying them I walked to my apartment.

Once I was home, I started preparing for my lunch, I was badly hungry. I heard my phone ringing and walked from the kitchen to the drawing room to pick it. It was Akka.

"Akka?"

"Yeah me only don't worry!"

"So finally you are free to talk to me !"

"Sorry Poovu girl, I actually wanted to talk to Rakshan, and know what exactly was in his mind. Moreover I wanted to know when he started getting all these love feelings and when Krish and he discussed it all. They never told me about it, I wanted to ask them why and all sorts!"

"You discussed all this at our place?"

"Yeah!"

"What if anyone had happened to listen to you all and they got to know about the whole thing??"

"Nobody heard any of our conversation Poovu, so better relax. You needn't worry about it."

"Please handle it all Akka."

"I will dear. And you know what on talking to Krish and Rakshan I found out he wasn't joking Poovu."

"I know Akka, even I realized it, when I deeply thought about it."

"So what do you feel about it?"

"Feelings are all confusing and that's the problem now. I am not able to think about it peacefully."

"Chill Chill! You will find an answer soon. Acha is your lunch done?"

"Cooking it."

"Alright, then have your lunch and we shall talk about it after that. Don't think about Rakshan now. Keep him aside for a while, OK."

"I will somehow eat my lunch, there's no doubt about it. But keeping Rakshan's thoughts away, I don't think that would be possible."

"Just have your lunch properly, that would be more than enough."

"Will have it, don't worry. So we shall talk later on then. Bubyee!"

"Bye dear. Take care." she said and with that I ended the call.

Just when I put my phone away and came back to the stove, it rang. It was Jiju this time.

"Jiju.."

"Yeah Poovu all well na?"

"Seems to be. I don't know. Just a minute let me put my headphones."

"Hmm" he said and stayed on the line for some time.

"Yeah Jiju."

"How are you?"

"You know right, what I would be going through!"

"Poovu I understand. Things will sort out soon."

"I wish the same, what stress I'm going through right now, I honestly feel the storm should pass on soon."

"Don't put yourself under much pressure dear. And is your office work done?"

"Yeah that is done."

"Then why don't you come here, we can discuss it all together and come to a conclusion soon right. Letting you be alone there isn't giving us all a good feeling."

"Rakshan was asking me the same."

"So are you coming? Do you want me to book your tickets?"

"Not needed Jiju, Bala said he would and moreover I think I should be coming there after a week, I don't wish to see him so soon. I am worried when I think of facing him."

"You would be missing his Finale then, why do you want to do that Poovu?"

"I don't want to risk it Jiju, his Finale means a lot to him as he is doing it all for his father, and I don't want my presence to spoil it. He won't be much distracted in my absence."

"What are you saying Poovu, nothing of what you are saying makes sense. Just hear me, Poovu, Rakshan really loves you! From the day he started to have love feelings for you, he told me about it. And believe me, it's not like yesterday he thought of it, and today he expressed his love to you, nothing like that. It's not even like he had a motive to love you, from the day he first met you. He started it all like a friendship, and respects the friendship what you both had and still have. He has shared his feelings what he has for you with me, and he is true about it."

"Jiju I need some time to think about it. And please don't force me to come for his Finals, I can't face him."

"I agree, I am ready to give you all the time you need to think about it, I won't ask you to hurry and all. Just listen to me. Poovu you know it right that Rakshan and I have been really good friends for quiet a long time, and trust me, that's not the reason why I'm here talking to you. I'm not here to convince you to love him, I won't do that. If he is my friend, then you are my sister. What I mean to say is, I know him well enough, that I can 100% tell you he truly loves you. He isn't fooling you or playing some prank. Now coming to you, I am not putting any pressure on you to accept his proposal, I just wanted to tell you that what ever decision you take I would support you and stand for you. Don't ever think that this Jiju would betray you. I can never think of doing that to my sister. If you fear that your answer would create troubles to anyone, then you can always let it to me, I would take care of whatever comes up. Think about it well, and what ever you feel right, do it. If you need any help or assistance Swadhu and I are always available. Ok."

"Jiju, all you say is fine, but one thing that pricks me is, if you knew it before you could have told me about it or at least given me some hints, I wouldn't have let Rakshan be so close to me, that he started to love me."

"Nobody can change what has already been planned by God Poovu. If it is God's will that you both should be united, then whoever tries to separate both of you, they would be unsuccessful. And if you both are not meant to be united then God, won't let you both be, he would bring in some means to separate you both. You will know God's plan in the near days Poovu, don't worry about it."

"It's so easy to talk about all this. I am struggling here not knowing what to say. It's so difficult to judge my feelings and come to a final point. I don't understand what feelings ahhh AUCH!"

"Poovu??? Are you alright? What happened??" I heard Rakshan's voice all of a sudden and was taken aback for a minute. I was shivering for few minutes and looked around if he was near.

"Man?" grudged Jiju, "Poovu what happened? Are you there?" I got back to my senses on hearing Jiju. 

"Is this a conference call? Or is your phone on the speaker Jiju?"

"Sorry this is actually a conference call, but Poovu are you alright? Please tell me what happened?" asked Rakshan in a hurry.

"Are you trying to create a scene of sympathy on me, so that I will think good of you and fall for you?"

"Poovu it's nothing of that sort. Why would I do that?"

"Then what is all this Rakshan? Jiju you are also in this??"

"Sorry Poovu!"

"Rakshan get yourself disconnected from the call immediatly."

"Poovu we are sorry, don't do that na, he just wanted to listen to you."

"I had already told him we would talk later, in that case there is no point of eavesdropping."

"Sorry Poovu, I know it's my fault. Just tell me what had happened and why you screamed, I would disconnect the call after that. Please.."

"I cut my finger while cutting vegetables. Heard it? Not a word now. Just disconnect the call."

"Poovu enough na, why are you blasting on him?"

"Jiju I should be blasting on you also."

"Sorry! Now listen, wash your finger and put a bandaid quickly."

"I don't want to talk to you right now. Let me be alone for sometime. I know to and can dress my wound myself."

"Poovu, I am sorry. I know you are badly hurt for what happened. Don't fail to notice the love he has for you, in your anger."

"Will think about it."

"Take care Poovu."

"Thank-you Jiju, you too take care."

I pulled my headphones off, put my phone on silent and put it away. I got irritated with what Rakshan had done. I had clearly told him, we would talk about it later on, but he never heard me. Silently he listened to me talking to Jiju, isn't that bad. I am fed up with him.

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