U And Me Will Always Be Together

Chapter 21

"Ohoo Rishika, stand still. Now you are irritating me." Raji whined glaring at Rishika. Raji had been trying to help Rishika wear the saree but Rishika just moved saying that she felt ticklish.

"Aunty, what should I do? I feel ticklish every time you try to fix those saree frills." Rishika grinned at her sheepishly at which Raji couldn't help but smile.

"This is the last time I am fixing them Rishika. If you don't stay still, I'll go and call suganthi." Listening to her words, Rishika stood still, not wanting her mother-in-law to teach her wearing a saree.

"Fine. You are done now." Raji declared happily. "You are gorgeous" Raji said and added to herself 'Santhosh would have a hard time around you.'

Rishika looked at herself in the mirror. She was indeed looking beautiful in the saree. Asking her to come downstairs quickly, Raji left the room. She then combed her hair and just applied a lip gloss and nothing else.

Santhosh came home happily whistling. After all he had met his buddies after a long time. As he walked up to the staircase, he spotted Rishika coming down and stood rooted to his spot.

'Wow' that was the word that escaped his mouth as he looked at her - no, gawked at her. He had seen her in a saree for the first time and she was breathtaking.

As she descended the steps, adjusting her saree he felt his heart beat increasing. All he wanted to do was to touch her and KISS her?? As the thought came into his brain, he jerked and looked away.

Rishika noticed him staring at her and shifted uneasily on her feet. She then saw him break his gaze and look away. After a moment, he climbed the stairs and walked past her without looking at her leaving her surprised.

As she descended two more steps, she heard a whisper in her ears "You look beautiful." She knew it was Santhosh. When she turned around to look at him, he was gone. She smiled to herself and went to the dining hall.
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On their way to the shopping mall, Rishika realized that she didn't find Santhosh's dad anywhere in the house. So to start a conversation, she asked suganthi "Aunty, where is uncle? I mean I haven't seen him around."

"He is in UK, Rishika. He will be back by tomorrow morning." suganthi said and added "Don't worry he will be there at your reception." Santhosh grinned at her while Rishika bit her lip at her stupid initiative to start a conversation which ended up with everyone pulling her leg.

As they reached the mall, they heard Santhosh say "I'll park the car and join you after placing an order for my suit. You go and start with the shopping." Rishika, Raji and suganthi stepped out of the car.

By the time Santhosh finished selecting his suit, Raji, Rishika and suganthi are almost done with the shopping except for Rishika's saree to wear at the party.

As they kept checking each and every saree and making Rishika try it, Rishika was tired.

As Santhosh approached them, he saw Rishika's state and chuckled. He noticed his mom and Raji stuck with two sarees one red and one light pink.

Without any second thoughts, he said "Red looks good." When his mom and Raji frowned at him he fumbled with words "I mean.... red.... dark color suits Rishika."

"They are very good together. He loves her so much, doesn't he?" suganthi whispered to Raji after Rishika and Santhosh left to the counter to pay the bill. All Raji could do was smile at her and add to herself 'I hope he realizes it soon'

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"Santhosh?" Rishika called him for umpteenth time, trying to wake him up. But all he shifted was toss and turn to his other side.

She shook him once again, but in vain. 'Mr. Sleeping Devil. The name suits him right.' She thought to herself and went to his ear and shouted "Santhosh, Please get up."

Santhosh didn't open his eyes but complained sleepily "Basket? Why don't you let me sleep? Is it morning already?" He covered his face with a pillow while Rishika sighed.

"Santhosh, It's 11.10 pm. But I want to go to the bakery. I don't know the route here. Please get up." She pleaded him expecting him to get up. But he was The Santhosh.

He moaned impatiently. "If you want, you may go. I don't want to come. Now let me sleep." He shouted rather rudely before resuming his beautiful sleep. He heard Rishika say "Fine. I'll go by myself. May you have all the night mares." After that he didn't hear her voice.

After five minutes or so, Santhosh's eyes suddenly fluttered open. He looked around his room. He really couldn't make out if he had a dream or was it really Rishika who had come to wake him.

Irritated and deeply anxious as he heard her talk about going out, he slowly sneaked to Raji's room where Rishika had been sleeping. Peeping in, to his utter shock, he didn't find Rishika.

"God, this girl is crazy or what? Why does she want to go to bakery at 11.30 in the night?" muttering to himself, he quickly put on his jacket and tiptoed out of his house, lest he would wake anyone.

Santhosh looked around as he stood on the road before his house. It was quite and that alarmed him. He saw a man at a chat Bandar, packing his stuff. He walked up to him and asked "Did you by any chance, see a girl walk through this way?"

The person eyed him suspiciously before he said "Oh yeah. A girl in her mid twenties?" he said and after a pause added "She asked me for a bakery and I told her about the one which is two lanes away. And she left."

Santhosh quickly mumbled a thanks and almost ran in the direction. "Two lanes away? And that too at midnight when she is new in chennai? I can't believe it." He gritted under his teeth as he increased his pace and ran. He fumed in anger, but deep down he started to panic- for her.

As he was about to enter the lane told by the person, he spotted Rishika. She was still in a night pant with a cotton tops  with a shawl draped around her and it was almost falling off her shoulder?? His eyes widened. 'Why the hell is she running?' he thought to himself as he ran to her.

As he reached her, he saw a glint of relief sweep her features. Panting, she came and stood beside him, thanking God and it was then he noticed a drunkard staggering behind her.

Anger rose in his veins as he saw a packet in her hand. He felt her hand holding his as the drunkard approached them. He shoved his hand away and punched the man hard in his stomach. As he stumbled, he slapped him again only to hear Rishika shout at him.

"Santhosh? stop it. What are you doing?" As he heard her words, he let go off the man who fell on the ground. He quickly turned around and walked up to her.

Rishika saw his eyes full of anger and was scared at him. Before she could utter a word-

*SLAP*
Rishika's palm automatically reached her cheek as it started paining like hell as if being pricked with hundred needles. As her eyes welled up, she heard him yell

"Damn Rishika. Have you lost your bloody mind? You are a girl for God's sake and anything would have happened. You are married to me and hence my responsibility.

Does your shopping at this time make any sense?" he shook her which made the packet fall of her hands and added "You should have woken m-" he stopped as he realized that she did try to wake him and released her.

Santhosh was more pissed off as she didn't bother him an explanation but just took the packet form the ground and started walking back. He wanted to pull his hair out in anger. Instead he kicked a coke tin lying on the ground and followed her.
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With Lots of Love
NavyaAS