Lost love

Kannum Kannum

He stood there like a Greek god, hand raised to knock on the door, eyes wide and earnest, a small smile grazing his face. Kaveri’s heart stopped for a second, and then started fluttering like a hummingbird, her eyes widened impossibly at his handsome, rugged charm.

“Ne…neenga Inga? En..na?” She stuttered.

He smiled at her nervousness, “Illa..nee Inga varradha pathen…atha..pesanum. Please”, he fidgeted suddenly feeling awkward and at a loss for words.

“Hehn…..tha…ba…” kaveri mumbled incoherently, feeling utterly stupid. ‘ayyayo…enna pechu varla…pesu di. Bekku mathiri mulichuttu nikra’ she mentally scolded herself.

“Ennachu? Are you alright?” His voice turned utterly gentle as his eyes brightened and twinkled at her tongue-tied state. His smile widened.

Kaveri took a deep breath, ‘kaveri…neeye unne damage pannikadha…olunga thairyama pesu. Sirikran paaru unne paathu..evlo azhaga muthu mutha andha pal varisa..enna oru cute aana smile…’, she slammed the brakes hurriedly appalled at her own thinking, ‘pochu…pochu…na nijamave loose aiten.’ She collected herself and asked slowly, “enna pesanum?”

Vijay watched her, entranced by her flustered state, thoroughly enjoying her ‘thiruttu muzhi’. ‘Ivlo yosikra…mindvoice heavy duty paakudhu polaye..aana..ipdi kannam sivakra alavukku na innum onnume pannalaye…apdi ennatha yosichirpa…aanalum nalla cover panra…paal vadiyara moonji mathiri vechukittu enna pesanumnu onnume theryadha mathiri kekrale..na Anga pesnatha ketututhane vandhaa…’

“Hello…ungalatha..enna pesanum?” Kaveri let out a relieved sigh, ‘appada…pechu vandruchu…vitradhadi…ipdye maintain panniru.’

Vijay thought for a second, “illa..nee thappa eduthukalanna…Inga veliya..apdiye gardenla walk pannite peslame…Inga vechu…illa..ipdi roomla pesradhu avlo nalla irkadhu…athan”, he said surprising kaveri.

‘Avlo nallavana nee…aana paatha apdi thonalaye..’, she thought but nodded her head anyway and walked out.

On the other hand, Vijay followed her thinking, ‘thatha solradhu serithan…namma summa irundalum…namma mind adanga mateengidhe…enna Panna..andha kannum…Ava muzhiyum…iva kita irukradhe namakku danger tha..thaniya pesuvomnu poi kaiya kiyya vechu thera iluthu theruvula vituta enna panna…edukum public space laye irpom…’

“Vennila!” Vijay called her, “itho Inga ukkaralame.” He pointed at a few lawn chairs strewn around.

Kaveri’s face twisted, “Kaveri!” She stressed out.

“Enna?” He asked confused.

“Kaveri…en Peru.” She reiterated annoyed, “nantha nethe unga thathata sonnene…enakku kaveri tha pudichirku. Venilla set agala. Avaru sollalaya?” She asked brazenly.

For a second,Vijay felt bothered but then, he took a deep breath and extended his hand, “Hi kaveri! Naa Vijay! Nice to meet you!”

Kaveri stared at him and his extended hands like he was an alien, making him cough out a laugh. He raised his eyebrows and pointedly stared at his still out-stretched arms, making kaveri embarrassed at her faux-pas.

She hurriedly raised her hands to his thinking, ‘loosu..loosu…meendum meenduma..’

The minute he felt her soft palms on his, he exhaled with relief, a knot in his heart that he didn't even know he had, unwrapping gently, easing him into a state of happiness that felt real for the first time in years. He looked at her face contently, noticing that she was still staring at their entwined hands with awe, and wondered about what she was thinking that very minute. She didn't make any move to remove her hands from his, and he was very content to stay that way as long as possible. After a long moment, she suddenly started and wrenched her hand away, her cheeks flaming and eyes dancing in embarrassment.  Vijay smiled at her gently, trying to ease her discomfort.