Professor

27 | Tubelight

~~~~~~~~~~Vikram~~~~~~~~~~

I looked at Harini. She then averted her gaze to the front. The guy beside her looked in to her phone and they were talking something. 

A girl called me again with my name. She was sitting in the table that was to the front of Harini. Seeing me standing with a dubious look, she came forward and greeted 'hi' and guided me to the table where she was seated earlier.

Not knowing who she is , I nervously greeted her and sat  opposite to her crossing Harini.

"ahh. I have seen your photo in the matrimony site. Our parents have fixed this marriage meet here in this mall"

What???

Oh my God... Such a tubelight I am. My entire family including Deva and Sandhya anna has planned this marriage meet. They deliberately made me come here rejecting the marriage reception. 

How perfectly they all have sketched the plan and acted. And I am the biggest fool in the world to believe my bro Vignesh. 

" I am Dhriti. I have come to meet you regarding marriage proposal"  The girl in front of me spoke snapping me back from my thoughts. 

"uh.. sorry  I was not aware of it . I ..I am not ready for marriage right now. So . sorry on behalf of my parents .. Please.. I hope.."

"Its ok.. even I am not. Like I have different expectations but my parents forced me to meet you"

"So all good?"

"yep. we can just say our tastes does not match and we are not proceeding further"

I smiled and thanked at her. We then cut short our conversation and left the place. I don't think there is any need for me to talk further with her. 

I joined Deva bro and his family. 

"Finally everyone played a prank on me la.. I never thought that you both would also be a part of their plan" I said with disbelief.

"Vignesh know very well that you will not agree for the marriage meet in the reception. Hence we planned to make you meet her this way"

"mama.. I don't want that girl as 'mami' will find some other one" said Kadambari.

I looked at the kids with pure shock. 

"yes chittapa.. I too did not like her. " Viren stated licking his ice cream.

"ada paavingala.. china pasanga kooda idhula plan ah. Aga naan mattum dhan indha plan theriyama vandhena"

(God.. even the kids are aware of the marriage meet today. Am I the only person who is unware of it?)

We then spent some time there chit chatting. I did not think about Harini after that.  But then I saw her walking in front of me with her gang. They all must be her relatives or cousins. I could see them dressed little ethnic. May be they all were to attend a function. Harini too was dressed in blue anarkali. 

Harini crossed me looking through her side eye. I could see her feeling shy to see me and turning her face away as if she has not seen me.  

Myself and others stopped near a place as the kids wanted to drink water.  I kept my hands on the  rail fence looking down. Harini was going down in the escalator when she turned around to my side. 

Harini thought she was casually looking this side, but it was very easy for me to predict that she turned to look at where I am. 

I raised my eyebrows with a teasing smile. She immediately looked front,  face palming herself with a smile. When she got down to the next floor, she looked up to see if I am still present here or not.