'Please da thangam.. enakaagha panna matiya?' Srishti shivered at the way he addressed her with so much tenderness. The expanse of his kindness overwhelmed her greatly,
She sighed and skimmed through the internet and found the exact saree she had brought along with Priyanka. It amazed her how he stole her heart without even trying. She turned his laptop back at him before adding it to his cart,
Adhiran smiled at her victoriously as he quickly completed the transaction with a few more swipes.
'Ahn innonu sollanum' he started,
'Ayyoyo!' she exclaimed much to his amusement making him laugh shamelessly,
' Ne un friend kita pesitu irunthatha keten nu sonnen la ' she simply nodded,
' Rahul.. Rahul ku unna romba pudichiruku Srishti '
' Athela illa.. Na chinna vayasulernthu Avan kooda iruken athunaala edho infactuation' she clarified almost immediately,
' Sasha ma…you don't realise the effect you have on people.. Avan unkita pesumbothu athu infactuation maathiri therila.. he was serious about what he said'
'Irunthaalum na avana apdi paakala'
'En ? Priyanka ku avana pudikum na?'
'Ungluku epdi ?' her eyes widened in surprise,
' You're so selfless… unna Avan kooptapo ne Priyanka va kootitu po nu sonnapovae therinjuthu' he laid his observation,
Srishti was getting frustrated by every passing minute owing to his interrogation, how did he even ask this to her? It made it painful enough that Adhiran thought she'd consider Rahul's invitation when all she wanted was him.
It frustrated her that he didn't see it.
' I only rejected him because I didn't like him.. enaku avana apdi paaka thonala.. and it doesn't change for anyone.
Enaku yaar koodayum antha dance ku poga vanda.. I just want to be alone and spend time with my friends.. ' she huffed a breath,
'Hey.. Sasha.. unna force pannathuku sorry ma.. but I just wanted to make sure you are happy with your decision ' he slowly told her,
she couldn't take it anymore and took a sip of her coffee, all she wished was to find a corner and cry herself to sleep.
'Sasha … sorry soldren la.. mannika maatiya ma?' she found his peering eyes that ached to catch a glimpse,
'Enaku kovam illa ma.. ' she whispered on her own accord and Adhiran's fingers laced with hers,
He was right, her palm was indeed negligibly small in his.
'Anike sonnen la.. unkita na rude ah iruntha pothum vaaya moodu nu sollu nu' he whispered, knuckles softly tracing her soft palm.
Srishti giggled again, letting go of all the misery that weighed her heart down as she looked into his eyes,
' Wow! Sasha! You did a killer job with your makeup!' Priyanka spinned her around slowly, appreciating her craftsmanship,
' Athu.. youtube video paathu pannen' Srishti smiled wide being the fast learner did come with its benefits!
'Munnadiyae therinjuruntha enakum potu vida solirpen!'
Srishti sighed and looked at her best friend, she had absolutely no need for makeup. With her big eyes and the ocean blue saree that was gracefully wrapped around her, she looked nothing less than a fairy,
Srishti's eyes fell on her reflection, her doe eyes lined with a thick stroke of kohl, her lashes lines with a winged liner, her lips glistening with her glossy red lipstick. Srishti looked like an ethereal goddess in her wine red saree from the haunted glamor of the 90s she adored so much.
The duo soon reached the west wing of the campus where the festivities were happening; it was already seven, meaning that the programs had already begun. Srishti found herself a corner to stand as she admired the place.
'Sasha.. phone Kaila vechiko.. Dinesh unkita pesnana enkita sollu..
Keep me updated okay?' Priyanka advised her best friend and held her hand,
'Saringa madam…I'll be careful! Vera edachu iruka?' she pinched her cheek,
'Athu.. na unaku thanks sollanum' Srishti..
For making Rahul ask me to the dance ' she smiled at her,
'hey.. na-
'enaku theriyum..guess panrathu onnum avlo kashtam illa.. Rahul ku unna romba pidikum.. ne edhu sonnalu Avan maruka maatan
Athuvum enaku theriyum..'
'Priyu..Athela illa' Srishti shrunk her nose in uneasiness,
'Athu dha unma.. but athula un thappu edhum illa.. I've come to terms with it..
First enaku konjam kashtama irunthuchu… but I know.. enaku yaaroda second option ah irukarthukum interest illa.. i deserve someone who genuinely likes me..' she explained her,
Srishti was pleasantly surprised and didn't say anything,
'So unaku avana pudichirntha-
'Hey! No no! ' Srishti made an animated face,
'Illa.. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't holding you back from your true love' Priyanka chuckled at her adorable best friend,
'Apdila illa'
'Athu dha theriyumae..' There was a sly smirk that graced Priyanka 's face,
' purila?' With that the girls proceeded to have fun by dancing around and goofing up with their classmates and Srishti felt herself loosen up after a long time. She had gotten herself a cup of water and stood in a corner catching a breath ,
'Yaar vanthruka paaren…you still made it to the dance!' Dinesh stood right in front of her with his cruel eyes as he eyed her maliciously,
'Apo ne dha en saree ah kizhicha nu othurkiya?' she replied back in an instant,
'Romba dha thimiru unaku… saree ah kizhichen.. ama.. enna ? Night full ah ukanthu thachitu vanthiya?
You're a loner.. all you do is listen to old songs and stay alone ' he scoffed with an arrogant smile.
Srishti yawned in response, feigning the same arrogance,
' I'm happy the way I am, Dinesh. Ne enna black mail panrathunaala na affect aaven nu mattum nenachikaatha..
Enjoy the rest of the dance ' Srishti smiled with nonchalance as she walked past him before he could respond.
All she wanted that very moment was silence. And that's what she seeked by reaching the deserted part of the campus with a large balcony, surrounded by neem trees that kept the place cool .
She was so occupied by her thoughts that she didn't notice footprints.
Adhiran walked towards her in slow strides, his glossy hair messed up by the wind, his sinewy frame hugged by a rich wine red shirt, his chiseled fingers that held the veshti as he came to stand in front of her.
He matched the semblance of his name, as of the sun descended down from the heavens to partake a mortal form.
'Hi' Srishti whispered, clutching the pallu of her saree, and suddenly,the cold wind was effortlessly replaced by the warmth that he emitted,
'Hii' he whispered, taking a glance around the place,his eyes finally coming to land on hers, ' Avan unkita enna sonnan , Srishti?'
Srishti understood that he had seen it all and sighed, 'Enna solida poran..vanthu tease pannan..Avan kooda na vanthrukanum nu solitu ponan..'
'Avlodha sonnana?'
' Paati kaalathu paatu ku aaditu iruken nu kalaichitu ponan' she smiled, hoping the comment would ease the mood. When in reality, it was just a cover up to hide that she was uncomfortable,
Adhiran looked distant without saying anything and Srishti smiled to herself, this was one of the very few moments in which she could look at him without him catching her off guard,
' Na poi solla maaten, I was watching you the whole time. And I know very well, ne enkita edho solla matingra.. Ne hurt aana un kannu kaati koduthrum , Sasha ma' he finished,
' Professor Adhiran, avana pathi pesi ipo namba dha tension agitu irukom… vidunglen… na angernthu vanthathe ellar kiternthum thalli iruka dha.. ' she told him,
' I'm sorry.. na aprma-
'No.. not you' She expressed her objection as quickly as possible in order to make him stay, at that moment, Srishti didn't care of the desperation she felt for him deep inside her heart was voiced out, instead, she chose to embrace the moment as it was, 'You can stay if you want'
Was he aware of her cheeks that burnt deep scarlet because he affected her that much?
Adhiran simply nodded,
'Avan Vera edhum sollala.. but the one thing that I'm upset about is that he didn't care..
Avan dha en saree ah kizhichan nu enaku theriyum.. but he didn't seem guilty about it.. and thinking about it makes me feels sick' she scorned,
' I wish I could hit him.. just once. En kovam laam pora alavuku polanthutu vitruven' he whispered under his breath, his fingers balling into a fist,
'Vanda.. ' Srishti 's adamant nod stopped him, ' Avan avlo worth illa '
Adhiran's lips curved into a small smile as his hand rose above to tug a strand of hair away from her face. Just a feathery caress, but that was all that she needed to feel electrocuted,
Srishti smiled at him wordlessly,
' Idha na soldrathunaala onnu aagida porathilla nu enaku theriyum.. But I must mention it,
You look radiant tonight ,Sasha ma..rombavae lakshanama iruke " he whispered looking right in front of her eyes, as he grinned with his teeth,' And you've such a brilliant taste in music, so perfectly cultured!'
Srishti giggled at his compliment as she tried to cover the stream of emotions that tossed her heart, ' Is it your polite way of calling me boring, Professor Adhiran?'
' Unmaike kaalam illa pa!' he sighed and rubbed his heart, ' Pazhaya paatu keta paati nu sonnavan dha boring!'
' Ungluku puriyuthu.. ' she smiled at him again, hardly surprised that he had the same taste,
' Another great number as we speak!' His excited voice caused her to perk up and listen.
En Iniya pon nilavae
Srishti took a step forward to listen but her heel caught itself in a tree stump and sent her staggering frame sideways, thankfully, Adhiran's warm hands reached her before she felt the fall. He slowly made her stand properly,
' You must have some magnetic field around you or something… Unga pakathula vanthale balance pora alavuku' Not just my feet, but my self control and senses too, thought her poor heart,
'Hey.. athu En Iniya pon nilavae dhaana?'
'Yes.. ipo en munnadi ne dha iruke.. So would you like to dance with me on , En Iniya pon nilavae?'
His cautious eyes were on her in an instant, captivating her senses instantly. She simply nodded, wanting nothing more than the safety of his muscly arms and his warmth . Shristi's eyes sagged, practically intoxicated by his redolence and the warmth he radiated.
She hoped to not fall again, which was sure to happen if he didn't hold her,
'Na Inga irukarthaala'
Her composure was long gone when he asked for her hand to lead them both to the wooded flooring beside the balcony, hiding them well away from the eyes of the world. Srishti looked above and smiled to herself,
Was it the stars that outlined to fill her blank space?
Adhiran's right hand cautiously snaked above the highest slope of her bare waist,while her hands rested on his broad shoulders. 'Unaku uncomfortable ah iruntha sollu da' he whispered,
He had no idea that all she wished was to loop her arms around his neck and feel his fluffy hair, all she wanted to do was rest her chest against his and let their hearts do the talking,yes, it was uncomfortable, the space in between them was hardly settling,
' I'm going to move closer ' came another whisper , perhaps, keeping one's hands stretched away from a palpable distance wasn't comfortable for too long,
Adhiran swayed them both slowly to the mellowing symphony of the song and let the words quietly out of his mouth, his hot mouth gilded against her ears past her flowing ebony tendrils like the elixir from heaven, Srishti gave in to her urge to sigh,
He was already too perfect for a human being and now he could sing,
'Another work of art from a talented artist ' the darkness that surrounded them with the minimal luster from the moon made her valiant,
Adhiran seemed perfectly causal as he smiled , ' Nanu solven athu.. you're dancing wonderfully '
'Please…you're the one swaying us side to side'
His soft touches made her giddy as she moved closer instinctively,her head partially resting on his chest, his hands slid down to rest on her waist, the shape of his palm fitting perfectly well on her small curvy waist,
Adhiran spun her around once and Srishti smiled wide, closing her eyes completely. The soft breeze, the moon that dimly lit the place, his fragrance that surrounded her and the ecstasy of her favorite song made her a happy memory to cherish forever,
Adhiran's eyes fell on her open pallu that danced in the breeze and brought it forward to slowly tug it from the front so that it didn't disturb her, her beady eyes would never dare to make her feel uncomfortable. But the lass was so unaware of what was happening,
Adhiran closed his eyes again before opening them, ' The song is over.. we better head back inside '
Srishti nodded slowly and wondered what had gone wrong suddenly , she felt so cold all of a sudden without him.Totally unaware of how the situation affected him.
Tbc
Hey guys! Hope you like this one!
I'll be really happy if you'd tell me what you think!