The String of Hearts

23) New Home

Almost after half an hour when I came back, I couldn't find vennela in the kitchen. The kitchen was broomed and cleaned. I came back to the living room and searched for her.

"Vennela?"I called her out

"I'm here"I heard her Voice from upstairs. I looked up and saw her coming downstairs

"What are you doing there?"I asked

"Wash your hands and come up. I'll tell you"she said. I looked at her cluelessly

"But why?"I asked

"Please"

"Okay fine"I went to wash my hands. When I came back she walked upstairs. I followed her. Vennela stepped into the terrace. I walked in behind her.

My eyebrows went up in surprise. She'd cleaned the terrace and had put our bedding here. She hanged the small fairy lights which she'd carried, above the bedding and dinner was kept in between.

"Is this okay?"she asked. I looked at her. She was biting her lips with a tensed face. I smiled at her and she sighed in relief, smiling back

"It looks....wonderful!"I exclaimed. Our eyes locked again and she quickly looked away.

"The food will go cold"she said

"Yeah"I said.

We sat opposite to each other. She served me the food. We started eating in silence. I noticed her face, glowing a bit under the moonlight. I looked up to see the vast, endless sky. It looked beautiful.

Vennela resembled the moon in the sky.

"Vennela"I spelled out and she raised her head to look at me.

"What?"she asked. My senses knocked in

"Um-the food is good right?"I asked

Okay...what the hell was that jay?

"Yeah"she nodded. I shut my mouth

"Is this really your house?"she asked. I frowned

"Yes. I had bought it few months back. Why?"I asked and she shook her head. There was a strange silence in between us

"I know you're going to miss your family more than anything else. Is staying away really necessary? Why can't we just talk and-"I cut her off in between

"Vennela please let's not talk about it. And yes, staying away is very much necessary. Not only for me, but for you Vibha and Anand as well. It's true that I never treated you well back in that house. But what mom tried to do with Vibha, it is..horrible vennela. What if something might have happened to her?"I asked. She fell silent for few seconds

"Do you really believe that hema aunty would do such a thing?"she asked and I had no answer. That's something I had kept on asking myself

"I don't know. I feel so damn helpless. Right now, I need a break from everything. Literally every damn thing. I don't want to mess up my mind and work again. That's why I decided to come here. I'm I making you feel uncomfortable?"I spoke out my doubt. Her eyes widened a bit in response

"I didn't mean it. I support your decision. I'm sorry for asking that"she said as her gaze dropped back to the plate.

"It's okay"I said. We had rest of our food in silence. I helped her in cleaning up.

"I'm not feeling sleepy. I think I'll clean here up for a while. You please go and take rest"she said once we were done. I glared at her

"Don't you understand? Vennela you need rest. We'll do it in the morning. Come"I pushed her by her shoulders and climbed the stairs, walking behind her. I could feel her smiling.