When It Drizzles

When it Drizzles Part 16

When it Drizzles
16

After saying a goodbye, when Asok left her, Archana felt an unknown feel inside her. And really, she wanted to travel with him again. She wanted to talk with him more. And she never wanted their journey to end. But she didn't understand why she felt like that. She smiled herself by rewinding their talks. And it was a feeling of something unfamiliar to her. But she immersed in it. She cursed herself by forgetting him to ask the date of his return journey. She could have to ask, then they could go together.

By thinking like this, she scolded herself;

"Achu, what nonsense are you thinking? It is too bad.”

Even after reaching home, Asokettan was still in her thoughts. That smile, how beautiful to see those eyes which smile along with his laugh. He was a handsome little man. He must be six feet tall. She thought. Not fair at all. But not dark either. A honey complexion. A thick mustache. A long nose. Good eyebrows. You can tell by the red color of his lips that he doesn't smoke cigarettes. She felt a desire to hook her fingers with his long fingers.

She wondered why she was painting Asokettan's face. No matter how much she thought to forget his face, that face came again to her mind. Something she had never felt for a man before, some closeness she felt for Ashokettan. A feeling that as he belongs to her.

She blamed herself for thinking this and hit her head. Yet she sat down again and thought the same thing. Her mind kept yearning to see him again and be close to him. Only one day of intimacy. Yet she fell in love with him so much. She forgot about herself. Somehow, she desired to open the college very soon after the Onam holidays. On that day she had forgotten to ask Asok that which train he was going back to college after vacation. If she had known, she would have taken the ticket for that train.

Onam has arrived. Onam is the national festival of Kerala. Hindus, Christians and Muslims, regardless of caste and religion, celebrate Onam. Even, those who are abroad take leave and come to the country. For ten days from Atham to Thiruvonam, flower beds are laid in front of houses. Onam will celebrate for four continuous days.

The main item is the meal. Vegetables, payasam and pappadams are mixed together and eaten on banana leaves. Various cultural and sports programs are held in each village. Married girls come to visit their own families.

Chittappan (Father’s younger brother), her father's sister and family also came to the feast at Archana's house. On Thiruvonam, everyone was busy putting on new clothes and arranging flowers and preparing the meal, but Archana was in another world.

Archana couldn't concentrate on anything. Her mind was only full of Asok.

"Archana, give me some of that sambar."

Chittappan ordered during Meal.

Archana took a bowl and served curry from it.

"Hush, what is this, Archana? This is not sambar. It is buttermilk curry. You have been nothing in this world lately, haven't you? What happened?"

Archana was startled by Chittappan's question.

Everyone was busy playing various games in the yard. A swing had been placed in the yard of the house. When Chittappan's children called Archana to swing on the swing, she stayed away. Still, the children insisted and took her away. Archana fell from the swing while swinging.

Grandma, without anyone seeing, asked Archana.

"What happened to you? You are not like this, are you? Are you worried about something?"

Archana got puzzled.

"Nothing, Grandma. I have a lot to study. It's just study tension."

Archana said that and left.