· • ● Poornitha ● • ·

"Am I really thinking of him and blushing?? Why am I doing that??" I asked looking myself into the mirror.

"He makes me blush. Oh god! Poornitha what has happened to you?? Look how pink your face has become!" this is so strange. I face palmed myself.

Enough of checking out myself in the mirror I thought and lay myself on the bed. This is not going right, why should I be thinking of him and be blushing so badly?

My phone rang and I was sure it would be Rakshan. He must be calling to ask if I checked his video and what am I going to tell him???

All sorts of imaginations were going on in my head and by the time my phone had rung 7 times. When I realized it, I realized another thing that it wasn't Rakshan who had called but it was Akka. I hit my head for being so damn crazy and called her back with a silly smile on my face.

"Poovu all well, right?? How many times to call you? Were you sleeping?"

"Nah. Was dreaming!"

"Jokes apart Poovu. Please."

"Who said I am joking? I wasn't. Ok listen-"

"No wait! You listen, I am with Krish and-"

"Can't you both be a bit serious, when your little sister had been through such a stressful situation?"

"Hey wait, who said we are not serious?? We are. Phone is on the speaker and Krish is also listening."

"Huh?" I made a disgusted look and thought, previously it was a conference call and Rakshan was in it, now the phone is on speaker, Akka and Jiju together in the call. "Ok fine. Nobody else right??"

"Nobody else baba. Stay chill." said Jiju.

"You came up to tell something, what is it?"

"Yeah ahh well, Rakshan actually sent me a message. Few messages to be specific."

"What were they about?"

"An audio message and a video. The video was all about us and he had added few messages in them to tell me, as he couldn't tell them all when he proposed."

"Ok!"

"He sung a song and that played at the background of the video."

"Ok what then?" asked Akka with all her curiosity.

"Ok I'll just get to the point, he tried to impress me and.. and.. I got impressed."

"Really?" asked Jiju in joy. I could sense he was laughing.

"With a video you got impressed? Seriously Poovu..?"

"Akka, you should watch it you know.. then you would understand! Be at my place instead."

"Hey wait wait. Did you deeply think about it? You know right how serious this is?"

"I know your concerns Akka, I know you are afraid. But you please understand one thing, that it's nobody else but Rakshan, he is not a person we need to fear about. I did think about it."

"Ok fine! So what have you decided??" she asked.

"I am very much falling for him Akka. I am falling in love with Rakshan."

"That's absolutely fine and good. Why do you sound crying?" asked Jiju.

"I don't know if I'm right!"

"Poovu love happens just like that, there is nothing right or wrong in it. The person whom you fall in love with should be the right person, a good and honest person. Should not cheat you, he should love you truly and honestly, he should have the courage to stand boldly for you whatever be it Poovu. You should not go wrong in choosing the person who you are supposed to hold on to for the rest of your life. This is a life long commitment and if it goes wrong then I hope you get me, I have told it to you before also isn't it?? If you have thought about all that and still think, you love him, then it's all fine Poovu." said Akka.

"I did think about it, will do it again. But what about Amma Appa??"

"We all together will talk to them and try convincing them if needed."

"You will land up on a good conclusion. Don't worry."added up Jiju.

I ended the call and sat back relaxing myself.

4 Days Later

"Trust me Poovu, there wouldn't be anything more exciting than this. Listen to me and take the next flight to Coimbatore. I have mailed you the tickets."

"What are you saying?? Jiju it's not even a week since he proposed me and I never consulted anybody home. Without their permission.. Like how bad it would be-"

"Look I will take care of all that. Poovu, listen to me carefully, are your ears open?? This is a one time opportunity and don't miss it. Now you can take time and think in the flight. Pack up, get a cab and start for the airport."

One time opportunity!? Yeah he is right. But I am scared how my family and most of all how Rakshan's family would react. Each and ever move with Rakshan here after involves his family also. And I can't let some messy crap happen in front of the crowd. Jiju is excellent in planning I agree, and this time he hit a century, with an absolutly mind blowing plan. But will it really work. This deals lot of people and involves too much of risk as well.

"Jiju, I'm all OK with your plans. I will start immediately. But I think I should talk to Akka and tell her everything. But don't worry, I will talk to her on the way to the airport."

"Better. Don't waste even a single minute. Talk to her and let me know. Keep me updated about your whereabouts."

"Sure Jiju. Thank-you so much for all that you planned and for doing so much for both of us!"

"Anytime for you. And look now itself you've started considering yourself and Rakshan together, 'both of us'. Haha."

"I would, right!"

"Ok fine. Go pack your bags. Book a cab. Hurry up girl!"

"Alright I'm going Jiju. Catch you later."

"Be safe."

"Sure I will." and with that I hung up the call.

I started packing all my stuff, simultaneously I booked a cab to reach the airport. When done I made myself a cup of coffee and sipping it let out a huge sigh. I called Bala and clarified with him all the interview schedules. Next, I even spoke to Akka and she was convinced by our plan.

Reaching the airport from home is such a monotones drive. 4 hours.. Gosh! It's so boring and I am totally clueless of what to do. Ok fine, I should actually start cultivating the habit of reading books. I pulled out a book from my bag 'The Alchemist' and turned on to the page where I had lastly stopped reading. I started reading it and did not feel coherent with the last reads. I decided to start it all over again and began reading it from the first.

Quiet strange I finished half the book on reaching the Airport. I have never been reading any book constantly for so long but today I did. Reason unknown. Paying for the cab, I dropped my luggage on a trolley and walked in. Waiting in the waiting area before I could get into security checking I called up Jiju to confirm with him once more for this flight.

"What's making you so doubtful Poovu??"

"Jiju I am afraid if any of our family member takes us wrongly. It is not just about Rakshan and me, but all 4 of us, if some one takes it wrongly?? And more over he would be performing live on stage, I don't want any troubles to come up when he is live, in front of so many media people. You know right, how much this stage, this day and most of all the Title of this competition matters to Rakshan. He shouldn't have any embarrassing moments, or any sort of troubles today."

"Poovu, I told you I will take care of it. Nothing will happen. You needn't worry about our families ok. I will handle all of them. Stop worrying about them. Now about Rakshan, as far as I know him, he will handle the situation. He will be surprised and happy seeing you here, and he will handle his performance nicely. He will perform well I am telling you, if you are here. He would give a complete soulful performance in-front of you. The media people would be interested in knowing what is going on and all as usual. You know it right. That's quiet common, nothing can be done with them. But I can assure you telling that nothing will go wrong, and no problem will come up. So now do you trust your Jiju??"

"Yes I do. But I am still worried."

"Everything will go on well. Have you reached the Airport??"

"Ya, standing at the Airport only Jiju. I must go in for the security checking."

"Alright. Message me when you have boarded the flight. I will plan accordingly to pick you from the Airport here!"

"Sure Jiju. Thank-you so much." and with that we hung up the call.

Pushing my trolley I went in for the security checking, and then waited at the waiting area.

It was 6AM and I was wondering what could be done. I simply took my phone and looked through few pics that Rakshan and I had clicked. Some during Akka's engagement, some when he was here in Mumbai, some while we were out shopping. Suddenly some thought came to my mind and I walked into one of the stores.

Walking in and looking at the sales girl there I asked, "Can you show me a leather bracelet with a metal guitar."

"Sure ma'am!" she said and went in. In a couple of minutes she came back and displayed some bracelets.

The last time when I was supposed to board the flight with Akka and Jiju, I missed the opportunity of buying the bracelet I wished to, for Rakshan, but now I wasn't willing to let go of the opportunity, and decided to buy it. Moreover, I thought I can wish him and wear that bracelet around his wrist before his competition begins today evening. He would be happy and my presence would be with him throughout.

I looked at all the bracelets, but the one I had seen the last time, wasn't there. I asked the sales girl describing the bracelet again, but she couldn't find it. Maybe that sort got sold! Banging my head I came out of the store. Standing out I thought what could be done, and most of all I regretted for missing the bracelet.

I quickly brushed up through my memory and thought if the same bracelet would be available somewhere in the near by stores. But even if it was, it would be of no use, it's 6AM in the morning and all the shops here would be closed.

"Can you help me find the kind of bracelet I am asking for?? Please find out in the stores in the other wings of the Airport if they have the bracelet." I told the sales-girl walking back into the store.

"Sure ma'am. Please be seated her, I shall just call and find out."

Just when I sat I heard the announcement made for the passengers of my flight. It was the first call, so I let it go over my head lethargically. It took around 15 minutes for her to call up and find out and she said the bracelet was no where available in the Airport. Well ya, this is an Airport and not a Shopping Mall. How would the bracelet be available here??

"Thank you!" I said looking at the sales girl and walked out. There came up the second call for the passengers of my flight. I ignored it again.

Finally after battling with my thoughts I made a decision in my mind and walked towards the exit. Running out I took a cab thinking I should go in search of some fancy gift shops that could be open early in the morning.

"I need to buy a leather bracelet, if you know any shop selling them somewhere near, stop there. And please hurry up. Its getting late for my flight."

"Sure ma'am." Said the driver looking at me from the rear view mirror.

He stopped at few shops and I checked for the bracelet there, but what I looked for was not available. Coming out of every shop, empty handed, made me grudge upon my current fate. We had come quiet far from the airport now. It was around 30 kilometers. There is no use of me going back to the airport now, because I knew I had missed my flight. What made me chill about it, I don't know.

Now it was 7AM and it had been a long time since I was looking for the bracelet. As I could not find it anywhere, I decided to stay out for some time and start looking for the bracelt maybe in 2 hours when the shops start opening. I paid the cab and went sat at a bus stop. I took my phone out and kept watching Rakshan's video song over and over again. I didn't do anything else but kept watching the video. Suddenly my phone went blank and that's when I found my phone's battry was dead. I sat quiet for some time and then noticed the shops being opened slowly. I started checking in the nearby shops and then took an Auto to check in the shops that were far.

Was my good fate holidaying somewhere in Hawaii that I am haveing such a tough time looking for a simple bracelet?? "Deiveme, Please help me out."

I decided not to board the flight without the bracelet and was sure enough that I would find one for sure in an hour. I asked the Auto driver to stop at a fashion store and went in to check for the bracelet and I found it in that store and came out buying it. "Thank you Muruga!"

"To the Airport Bhaiya." I told the auot driver.

"Ok Madam!" he replied.

Reaching the Airport I rushed in and pleaded with the Boarding Pass issuer to get me a seat in the next flight. I made all the reasons possible to make them believe that it was an emergency and I had to leave. Luckily seats were available and they issued me a boarding pass. Phew'.

Walking away I realized I will have to inform Jiju of all that happened and that I missed the scheduled flight as well, but my phone was dead and I had to charge it. I found a charging point and put my phone on charge for 20 minutes. The next flight to Coimbatore was 6 hours later and anyhow I had to wait. When the phone seemed to have enough charge I decided to call Jiju, that's when I noticed there were 13 missed calls from Jiju. I called him and told him of what I had done, he scolded me for missing the flight. He told he would send his car with a driver to pick me from the airport to the venue of Rakshan's Finale. My craziness ended up putting Jiju as well as me in a very packed up situation.

Now there is 5 hours more for my flight, I don't know what to do. I took 'The Alchemist' book from my bag and began reading it. I found the right way to crack through the time and reading the book made me feel really good.

An hour before my flight's scheduled arrival there was an announcement saying that my flight was delayed and maybe an hour late. Well some how if I get to Coimbatore and meet Rakshan before his Finale and wish him good luck, wear him the bracelet what I bought as well as confess my love for him, that would do to me. I don't wish to be late at any chance. This time Iknow my petition list to God is quiet long, but there is slightly a hope that he will make things fall right somehow.

This is going to be a real adventure!

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