When starts align

Part 5

The way she almost estranged him left him with an ache that was completely unknown to him.

"Kovama irukalo?", he brooded over that thought as he watched her disapper.

"Enna da kandukaama poita?", Ritesh could not restrain from being curious as to what had happened between the two.

"Kovama iruka nu nenaikren", he rubbed his forehead unaware of why she was angry.

"Morning thangachi nalla dhaaney irundha... nee enna panna ?!", and his accusatory tone was definitely making him uneasy.

"Therila da... nanga pesitu irundom and then I noticed messages from our jam group so had to rush back to make it in time. Vera onum nadakalaye", he tried to make sense as he narrated what transpired.

Before they could get into it he saw his band mates enter the canteen.

"Machan let's go before they see us. Enna ivanga kooda paatha....", he rushed to leave before anyone noticed knowing that his small wish of staying just a normal student to her will be completely butchered.

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Tara rubbed her forehead that had fit against Aakash's chest a few moments ago following which she had frantically rushed into the restroom after blurting out a weird "No problem".

She debated with herself for feeling so disappointed with someone she knew for less than a day. It wasn't on him that she trusted him right away. It was on her.

To expect the same from him was irrational and she completely saw that. Yet, she wasn't able to move on from feeling vanquished.

Splashing some cold water on to her tired face, Tara tried to take some deep breaths unsure if he would still be outside.

She just wanted this day to be over. She wanted to go back home and lay on her amma's lap, the safest place on earth.

Taking one final look at her face after drying with a couple of tissues, she put up that warm smile of hers before walking out of the restroom.

Her eyes scanned across the canteen and her eyes fell on Karthik who was seated in the same seat as before but had now gotten his jacket off which revealed his crisp white shirt which fit him perfect.

As she walked in that direction she saw him loosen his tie to take it off and when she was just a few steps away he loosened his shirt's top button that left a visible gasp on her face, albeit involutary.

The whole sequence evoked reactions in her that she never knew existed.

She swallowed feeling powerless and clumsy. The only saving grace was that he still hadn't noticed that she stood only a few steps away, paralyzed by his effect on her.

She shook away her thoughts and tried to bring evasive mind back under control before reaching their table and fortunately her mind behaved.

Sensing her footsteps close in, his eyes instantly rushed to meet hers.

"En Ipdi paathute irukaaru... already irukra prechana podhaadhu nu indha kannu vera", she whined at how helpless she was.

"Unaku dan ma waiting. Dhruv parking lot la dan irukan. Va", he informed as he picked up his jacket that was on the chair and peeked a quick glance at her refreshed face which was missing kajal from this morning and her kutty pottu was a tiny bit out of place. 

Coughing out of his trance state, he started to walk out of the canteen, towards the parking lot. 

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