Young Love

Prakruth observed her as she walked away… her hand was fine… he sighed in relief but he wondered why she scolded him again, he wanted to leave but he couldn't help himself from following her.

"Punya where were you till now?" asked Siri panting… she had ran from a long distance.

"I escaped towards sides of the road…Where are Appa and Amma…?" asked Punya.

"They're that way…come we'll go" directed Siri.

"Did anyone save you? Or you just escaped on your own?" intrigued Siri…

Punya looked at her face to check if she had seen them together.... "I just ran to safety" said Punya in a low tone. Her mother took her into embrace and consoled her…she fell short of words to explain how she escaped to her family members… She tilted her head to look up at the boy who saved her… he was found talking to someone else. She walked away with family as he wasn't looking at her.

...…

"Saab… Saab…are you safe..?" asked Prasad in anxiety.

"Yes" I answered without even looking at him

"Saab it was a big bull… I think something enraged it… It ran in all directions to cause the chaos. Some people have caught it and they took it away…"he continued his explanation. "Are you sure you won't have lunch here? he asked.

"Saab…Saab…" he repeated as Prakruth inattentive. "Yeah, what?" he raised my eyebrows in irritation. Poor guy had to repeat again… "Don't worry Prasad, you go join your family… I'll handle myself…Today forget that I'm around" Prakruth said as he wanted to meet this girl again… "how could that girl draw my attention so much…I was the most attentive and responsible person...now I'm roaming behind a girl who scolded me twice… what's wrong with me…am I nuts? Haven't I seen any beautiful girl? Roshni, my classmate lingers around me always…even though she has boys running around her like bees around a beautiful flower. She always stares at me, ignoring all of them… I never had this kind of feelings on her…" thoughts lingered as he continued to follow her from a safe distance.

...…

"Hey Punya, take a look…aren't they lovely?" asked Siri pointing at the pair of elephants on either side of the temple gates. Elephants were fed before they lifted their trunk to bless the pilgrimage.

"Appa, I want a blessing" pleaded Rishi…

"Ok, come…we'll get it… Punya are you coming?" asked Varun.

"Punya…" he called in higher tone to interrupt her sight from Elephants. "Are you coming?"

"No Appa…"she nodded in disagreement. "Uncle, I want to come" said Siri as she ran leaving Punya behind. "What happened baby?" asked Narmada putting her arms around Punya who was lost in her thoughts, "Nothing Mom, I think I'm hungry…" she sighed.

"Come then let's proceed towards Prasadalaya…" said the Grandpa leading everyone.

They all proceeded to the Prasadalaya (A place where holy lunch was served) she sat next to her father and her friend followed her. As the queue passed, Prakruth got the seat just opposite her. The temple authorities started serving, crowd was continuously chattering, the wheels of food containers added to the noise making it difficult for Prakruth to hear her voice. He couldn't help looking at her… as she was busy with her friend, he had no fear of getting caught.

"Punya eat…" gestured Siri who saw Punya playing with the food in her plate.

"Ok" she agreed and looked at her family members once, to confirm that no one observed her absent-mindedness. "How can I eat when he's staring at me?" thought Punya. She knew that he was following her, though she didn't see him directly… she was feeling uncomfortable in his presence, she was confused about her feeling-whether she liked his presence or not!!!

"We'll rest till evening in our house, please come" Siri's father invited Punya's family to his ancestral house which was situated at a walkable distance from temple.

"Dad, we're not tired, I'll take Punya around and show the Mela" said Siri to her father.

"Only you two girls? Come, I'll join you" said Grandmother Gowri as she was anxious about their safety.

"Ok come Ajji… guide us through the Mela…" agreed Siri. Punya followed them without speaking a word. She didn't want that guy to feel that she's hypocrite and stay back.

"Ajji, I'm also coming…" Rishi came and held his granny's hands.

Others went to have some rest as they weren't interested in roaming around in hot sun. Punya could feel a pair of eyes landed on her back always but she ignored. She was wondering as she walked, is he good or bad…? "How come I fall into his arms out of everyone in this world? Will he be always following me like this? I have never seen him around my house. So he's not from my place. Why are we meeting again and again? When I crashed against him, he had lifted his hands in air… why did he hug me back later? Is he doing it intentionally? Who is he? God… save me…" she pleaded Lord Venkataramana and walked close to her granny. She didn't want to give him a chance to meet or speak.

...…

Prakruth followed her everywhere trying his best to reach out to her, but all his efforts went in vain… The two families left the venue in their cars that night after the drama… Prakruth headed to farms downhearted.

Whole night Prakruth struggled to close his eyes… "She was absolutely ravishing in her attire today. How can I sleep??" thought Prakruth. Eventually she filled his heart unconditionally…the feel that he knows her from a long time grew more intense…He sat up in his bed perturbed.