Tiptoeing towards love

19

Kanimozhi

A few days later, a senior sister came to our class and called out the members who had given their names to the dance club. Turned out that she was the incharge of the dance club and informed that we were to execute a dance performance on the upcoming language day.

And being the enthusiastic person I am, I readily agreed, and seeing my excitement and my skill in dancing, the senior sister, Revathi Akka made me stand in the middle and taught us the dance steps.

We would have practice post the college hours till 6 pm and at present, we were in an empty classroom and Revathi Akka was teaching us the steps to the song, 'Manja sela manthakini'. There were a total of 10 girls, out of which, five were acting the role of guys, while the other five were performing the female roles.

I was one of the female ones and my pair is Dhriti who is a first-year student like me but is from a different department. We got along with ease as she was a talkative person just like me!

"You guys dance so wonderfully together!" Revathi Akka exclaims to us when we are done rehearsing the steps we've learned today.

"Thank you akka," we both say in unison and smile at each other before wrapping up our belongings to exit the classroom.

My body was sweating immensely due to the practice so I removed my dupatta and bid bye to Dhriti before walking in the direction of the restroom. The dimming weather made the campus look terrific and I hastily rushed to the restroom.

Once inside, I wash my face and do the needful, then I head out of the restroom and saunter across the lonely corridor. I rush my way through the 2nd and 1st floors and when I step down the stairs to reach the ground floor, I notice the senior guy sitting leisurely on the stairs.

I slow down upon noticing him. It was very odd and creepy to see him perch here alone...

Gulping in fear, I dash past him but pause when he calls my name. "Kanimozhi," I swirl to him, surprised that he knew my name!

He is an average-height guy with a beard taking over his chin and the side of his jaw. He looks dejected and a bit scary.

Then he stands up from the stairs and approaches me who was standing at the base of the staircase. He pauses a decent distance away from me and mutters, "...you have a nice name," he says in an innocent tone. To be very honest, his voice and looks don't match at all. He appears to be a tough guy but he sounds too innocuous.

"Thank you, Anna (elder brother)" He smiles at my emphasis on the word 'anna'.

"That's a good way to reject someone," He chuckles and continues, "I wasn't really plotting to hit on you or something though. It's just you look like my girlfriend who perished a year ago. Hence seeing you reminded me of her and that's why I kept on looking at you whenever I had a chance. I'm sorry If I scared you," I know we shouldn't trust people easily but I can witness genuineness in his eyes...

"Oh, so that is why you were always staring at me! I thought you were going to propose to me," I smile at him sheepishly.

"Well, I don't blame you. I mean, what could you possibly assume when a guy was looking at you in all the chance he gets?" He speaks up calmly.

"It's okay now. We can be friends from today onwards" I forward my hands to him and he shakes it when suddenly my name is shouted by my Parthi mama.

I shriek a little and pull my hands away from the senior's hold before turning to encounter my obviously resentful mama.

"Bye Anna (elder brother), see you later!" I usher to the senior and walk in hurried steps to my mama. "Why the fuck do you have a phone! And who the hell is he?" Mama sternly asks when I stop in front of him.

"I forgot to turn off the silent mode. Sorry for that mama. And that guy I was speaking with is my senior..." Mama regards me quietly but I can say that he is still indignant with me.

After that day when Mama accepted me as his wife, he started to distance himself from me again. It was as If we were back to square one of our relationship. However, some incident like this makes him behave out of character and he instinctively becomes possessive over me.

Now was one of such situations.

It's been two weeks since that day and throughout these 14 days, I used to trigger my mama by speaking with Sam continuously on the phone. Being aware of my plan, Sam just attends the call and does his work while I blabber on the phone like a crazy person.

One time, mama snatched the phone from my hand and disconnected the call and the second time, he kept my phone locked away so that I wouldn't contact Sam at all!

It was so fun to watch him get irritated even If I merely talk about a guy or to a guy...

Observing me for a few seconds, he suddenly catches my wrist and tugs me into our car. I control my laughter as Mama drives the car with an irked look on his face.

Upon obtaining our home, Mama angrily storms inside while I unbotheredly stroll behind him.

Afterward, just as every day, Mama cooked the dinner and we had it together. However, I could sense that he was still unconvinced.

Post the dinner, when we were parting ways to sleep in our respective rooms, Mama didn't kiss me on my forehead as he always does.

"Mama!" he doesn't listen to me and saunters up the stairs.

Perhaps because of my unsettling heart, I had a nightmare that day and went up to my mama's room. Within the first two knocks, he opens the door.

Relieved, I hug him tightly.

Mama pats my hair soothingly and questions softly. "Had a nightmare?" I nod my head, still buried in his chest.

"Should I get you water?" I shake my head negatively and look up at him. My heart is thudding furiously, not completely pacified yet.

"I need you mama," I say lowly, and surprisingly mama nods his head at me before closing the door and taking me to his mattress...

Wait? Am I dreaming or what?

He let me lay on the bed and suited himself beside me. Covering us with the duvet, he faces my side and gently wraps a hand around my waist.

Stunned would be an understatement!

I was beyond stunned and laid there like a statue, unable to understand his sudden gush of open affection...

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