A Girl With Hope

2. Pebbles In Stream

As the city became bright with the reflection of sunlight, the day started getting brighter and the sun rays touched the face of Bhanu, which was covered with her hair, the girl with a light brown skin tone started rolling on the bed and finally sat up collecting her hair and tie it into a pony which reached until her waist. She walked out of bed after arranging her blanket neatly and went to the washroom to freshen up and get ready for her first day of work.

She went downstairs from her room after her bath, and meet her parents who were busy getting ready to leave for work. She greeted them and started having her breakfast.

Bhanu's father: "Which job did you join? Is it related to your studies or isn't? Does it have any physical work? Although seeing how lean you are, no one would give you that type of work!", he sighed and waited for his answers.

Bhanu: "I am working to see accounts for a store, it will help me to get to know of business and I will also learn how to interact with other people. It doesn't require any physical work, I will just sit and look into accounts" she said lying as she knew her father wouldn't allow her to work if she said she was working in a grocery mart." Ok dad, I'm getting late, I will talk to you in the evening, bye. Bye Mom" she said hurriedly and put her essential things and a lunch box in a tote bag, hung it to her right shoulder, and stepped out of the house, informing others to leave the house keys behind the flower pot.

After a two-minute walk from her house, she arrived at a Bus-Stop where she took a bus to reach the main street junction and walked for five minutes to reach her destination, 'SS Mart' says the board on the grocery Mart.

She went inside but instead of a lady she saw a man who was reading a book sitting on the billing counter. " he must be Anu Aunty's child" Bhanu thought and went to greet him.

"Uhh.. Hello, I am Bhanu, I'm here to start my work as a part-timer," she said extending her hand for a handshake.

The boy lowered his book from his face and Bhanu met with brown dark eyes which were cold with not so welcoming look and heard a deep honey-like voice saying " I know. Go arrange the items in the boxes I placed there. Here's the list, make a count of the received items " he said handing her a list and pointing at the new load they received this morning. She took the list and walked towards 4 to 5 packed boxes, she sighed and started to unpack them while the boy was eyeing her from time to time from his book.

~~ On the other side, reminiscences ~~

Anu Aunty: Somaa..., Today a girl came for a part-time job, her name is Bhanu, she is a college student, help her tomorrow to learn all the stuff.

Soma: what mom? again a college student. I thought this time we would hire someone full time and I could keep my focus on my startup.

Anu Aunty: just shut up! If you wait for free time to do something, then you can never do anything. You have to learn to do new things while managing other things that are already going on.

Soma: I know maa... but did you forget the last part-timer who worked, he used to snuck out stuff. How can you choose a student again?

Anu Aunty: She is a nice girl Soma... be good to her. Soma just laughed sarcastically at her words.

~~ End of Reminiscences ~~

Soma looked at Bhanu and thought "She is not that bad, she is looking good too" he smiled unknowingly and realized what he was doing and was shocked. he scolded himself for his behavior.

He turned his focus back to his book and tried to not look at her. On the other hand, Bhanu is thinking "Anu Aunty is so good, why is her son being so rude, can't he just smile, huh whatever", as her thoughts went on, she heard the sound of the door opening, when turned that way, she was shocked to see her bestie walking inside.

Krithi went to Soma and said "Excuse me! I'm new here, can you help me find some things?",

Soma replied with a smile "Of course! See that girl there, she will help you with things" he said not ready to hear Bhanu's answer. Krithi said thanks and went towards Bhanu and winked at her smiling sheepishly. Bhanu who was in shock just gave a nod and started to walk towards the things her friend mentioned.

"What are you doing here!!" she shouted slowly when she reached a safe distance from Soma so that he would not hear her speak.

"I just wanted to see the place you work " Krithi replied casually,

"You should have said to me before coming, you can't just barge in out of nowhere!" said Bhanu with little anger.

"If I give you a heads up, you would never allow me to come, forget it! Think that I just came to buy things" said Krithi simply,

"Seriously! There is a grocery store just opposite your house, you came all the way here to buy some things... ahh! do whatever you want" said Bhanu Irritatingly,

"Just think of me as customer bae, but the boy sitting there is handsome, do you want to go for him, he will be perfect for you, just forget about that Arav, "she said trying to change the topic,

"You are comparing him with Ara, he is no way near him, my Ara always speaks nicely and befriends everyone, you don't know about this man, he is speaking like I am snatching his things from him, so mean" said Bhanu angrily,

"You never know bae, He talked to me nicely! I think he likes you!! that is why he is treating you specially, like in the movies" Squealed Krithi and Bhanu just gave her what the look.

Krithi saw her look and replied "ok ok. Let's leave the topic for now, just say did that Arav message you since the holidays, why are you so obsessed with him",

"Hello, I'm not obsessed, This is love, you will not understand just forget and he will message me when he is free, he is very busy not like you" replied Bhanu.

"You will not listen to me until it's over for you, just forget him, bae, he is not good for you" said Krithi pleadingly,

"I can't argue with you, stop talking about Ara, and now go take these things, that cold guy must be waiting for us, go.. go.." said Bhanu pushing Krithi forward after placing the basket containing her things in her hand.

Krithi took the basket and went towards Soma and smiled and asked " You are so handsome, are you a student?", Soma smiled politely and answered her while billing her things "Thank you, I'm not a student, completed my graduation this year", "wow, you are my senior then, Hi senior, my name is Krithi, yours?" asked Krithi, "My name is Soma, Krithi" he said and handed her things and bill.

"Soma! Such a girly name" giggled Bhanu lightly but Soma heard her talking and said "To make such remarks, Your name must be so girly" said Soma sarcastically.

"Hello, My full name is Bhanu Latha, totally a girly name, just like yours," said Bhanu more sarcastically, and when Soma understood her words he got angry and started arguing back and while their fight continued, Krithi just got silent and laughed within her as they were fighting like an old married couple,

she just left slowly not to disturb them and they realized Krithi left, after hearing door closing sound of the store. When they saw Anu Aunty approaching the store through a glass window when Krithi left, They both huffed at each other and stopped arguing. Bhanu went to do her work and Soma went back to reading his book.