Chapter 4

*Kamla Pov*

“I don’t know why you are dragging us along with you. We three would have taken a well deserved rest before our exams start the next week, right?” Girish asked yawning.

“Our exams will take a long time to finish and I can’t make my mom wait for my visit. And you all are here because just a few hours back you decided it.” I replied and pointing out his own plan in the end.

“That seemed to be like a sound plan to see your fiance run the in the opposite direction in live. However, I am tired with that bus journey at present along with this walking into the village with no transport we can find.” He explained and yawned again.

“Do you think it is right time to tell him?” David whispered near my ear and I stopped myself from laughing.

“Tell me, what?” Girish asked, apparently hearing David’s words.

“That you are not going to get your wish.” That’s all David replied before walking away.

“She is not in the village and left last weekend for her cousin’s wedding.” I explained making Girish frown.

“Why didn’t you tell me, but informed those both?” he asked, looking at the grins covering our two other friends.

“You were out with your girlfriend when I got the call and even Pavani knows this.” I replied shrugging and stared at my house.

“Well, we can at least have your Mom’s food.” He said shrugging himself.

“Mom!” I said, entering the house with a big frown to see that she hasn’t even closed her door.

“Kamal? Today?” Mom asked the moment stepping out of the kitchen with a big frown for herself.

“Are you not happy, Mom?” I asked her frowning more.

“Today?” she asked again before glancing at the clock which we four followed to see that it is near to lunch.

“It doesn’t matter!” she mumbled and started walking near to the small table in the living room.

“Mom! What happened to you?” I asked, still not believing her disappointed look.

“It’s good to see you, Kamal.” She mumbled without even looking at me and just dialed someone’s number from the phone.

“Is she really ignoring you? She didn’t let you leave her sight when she came to the campus to visit.” Rakesh whispered from beside me.

“I think she is calling her.” David whispered, and we all immediately walked near to her, but put a little distance away to not make her feel suspicious.

“I am not lying, dear. Have I ever lied to you?” Mom asked, frowning at the table.

“He just arrived and I didn’t even know that he is arriving. If you don’t believe me, then wait a second.” She said before turning towards our side only for her eyes to widen.

“Kamal!” she calmly called.

“What is it, mom?” I asked her not able to remove the frown from my face at all.

“See? Now, it is in your hands. However, make sure to take a transport and not walk all the way from the city.” She said laughing before hanging up the phone.

“She is a crazy girl and you are so lucky.” She added, smiling at me before hugging me with a bright smile.

“I am so glad that you decided to visit me and also to bring your friends with you.” She said smiling at my friends.

“We are glad to be here, Aunty.” Girish said suddenly grinning at her.

“You all must be very tired. I will prepare lunch within a few minutes and you all freshen up a little.” She said before walking into the kitchen.

“Seems like my wish is going to get fulfilled.” Girish whispered before I showed them to my room.

I shook my head and just hoped she didn’t come here before I leave. Maybe, that would not matter at all. After all, she would be running! I thought, grinning to myself.

“Does all the women in your village runs?” I heard the question from Rakehs who is standing behind me while we are strolling near to a small lake in the evening.

“No, why?” I asked before turning around only to stop in my tracks to see a girl running in a very fast space a little far away from us towards some lane.

“Maybe, she is your fiancé.” Girish mumbled and immediately started running with Rakesh following him.

“Do you want to miss the chance to finally see her?” David asked, raising his eyebrow before following them and I followed him with no other way.

“She is not your fiancé.” Girish grumbled when we reached near to my house.

“Why?” I asked him frowning.

“She didn’t stop at yours or even her house and just continued to walk till the end the lane before turning some way.” Rakesh replied trying to control his breathing along with us.

We all walked inside my house thinking to take a rest before packing the bags to return. However, we all stopped near to the door with jaws dropped in shock.

*Vani Pov*

“Aunty!” I called her before entering the house from the back door and saw her sitting in the living room.

I stopped for a second and looked around before sighing in relief. I smiled at her and sat before her on the floor.

“Did you run?” she asked and I nodded smiling.

“I couldn’t get even a single Auto or a rickshaw to here, when I got down from the bus.” I explained and looked around again.

“He just went towards the lake to take a small stroll.” She replied to my unanswered question.

“Why did you come from the back door?” she asked before I could show her my relief.

“I just wanted to bid my time to reach here. So, I continued towards the end of the road and then took the lane behind ours.” I explained smiling more.

“How was the wedding?” she asked, smiling at me.

“I don’t know! I left before it even started directly from the function hall.” I replied, to which she frowned at me.

“I shouldn’t have called you like this at all. However, the moment I saw him, I just did. Now, you have missed your cousin’s wedding.” She said in a sad tone.

“It is fine, Aunty. It is not like I was dying to be there. I was there for Satvi Di and she seems to be fine at handling those both people.” I said shaking my head.

“You should let go of your anger toward Leela when Satvi already did that.” She said in a small tone.

“But…” I started to say only to stop seeing her hand waving at me.

“Did you forget about Mr.Choksi?” she asked and I suddenly grinned.

“How can I forget him? He is like… like a very handsome man and would make any girl look at him. However, he seems to be fallen for my Di.” I said, grinning but saw her looking behind me.

“Is he there?” I asked her in a whisper, to which she shook her head in negative.

I slowly stood up not believing her words and took a deep breath with a lecture for myself regarding how I should just talk to him normally even a little before marriage.

“I am ready.” I mumbled and she gave me an encouraging smile but looked a little worried.

I turned around only to take a step back with full force seeing four guys looking at me like I have lost my mind.

“We saw you running to the end of the road with our own eyes. How can you be here so soon?” some guy asked with a confused look.

“Did you really didn’t attend your cousin’s wedding and returned from a function hall for him?” another guy asked.

“How were you able to run in that heavy clothing?” another guy asked and the questions just continued which just made me think only about one point.

They saw me running like a mad woman on the roads which includes the person who is just staring at me with a frown.

This is so not the first impression I want him to have for me. I mean, I have run so many times when he was here, but that was from the back door or the front one depending on the place he is present.

However, I never ran on the road before him. Suddenly, panic settled inside my heart and in the next second I ran towards the kitchen and made it to my house within a few minutes.

“Wait!” I heard someone calling when I was about to close the door.

I know that the voice belongs to one of his friends so I didn’t close it on his face and waited for him to reach for the door.

“We shouldn’t have scared you like that. However, it seems like you really run the opposite side whenever you see him. I never believed him and always had a doubt.” He continued to talk and just walked inside the house.

“I will bring some water.” I said, seeing his exhaust expression and walked back only to see him still talking.

“Here!” I mumbled placing the glass on the table.

“I am Girish! And the one who asked you about leaving the wedding is Rakesh. Then person asking about your clothing comfort for running is David.” He explained and I nodded feeling silly for running again.

“I practically know you, Vani. I hope you don’t mind me calling you that. He told us so much about you.” He said when I didn’t utter another word to him.

“He talks about me?” I asked him with shock before sitting on the chair before him.

“Yes! I mean, kind of.” He replied, frowning to himself.

“Tell me about him.” I suddenly asked, smiling when he was about to say something else.

I finally got to know other things about him after ten minutes of hearing from Girish. He finally stood up, looking at the clock.

“I need to leave. I was just here to apologize, but I don’t know why I couldn’t stop talking at all.” He said and I smiled again.

“I am glad that you talked. It seemed nice to know some other things than the ones aunty tells me.” I said to which he smiled but frowned.

“It is good to know you, Vani.” He said before saying something else.

“I didn’t talk much.” I mumbled frowning.

“You need not to. Thanks for the snacks too.” He said before walking near to the door but again stopped.

“Maybe the next time when he comes here, you should really talk to him. It is good for both of you.” He suggested and just walked away.

Well, I would have talked if they didn’t ask those crazy questions one after the other. I thought, shaking my head, but then remembered his face.

He is more handsome than the last time I saw him. I walked near to the door to see all of them leaving Aunty’s house and walking away.

Those few moments of our eye contact are enough for me to pass any number of days or even months. I grinned before walking inside the house and closed the door before leaning on it.