17. Blossoming spring Days

"Any... any love affairs?" Rithick asked hesitantly.

Neethu looked into his eyes. She started losing herself in those dark orbs.

"Tell me, Neethu," Rithick asked.

Neethu's mind voiced, "Rithick, I have fallen for you, but I am not sure about your love for me. When I realize your love for me, I will surely propose you, my prince,"

Rithick's mind voiced, "I am crazy about you. Don't gaze me like this... It does something to my heart. When I am sure about your love for me, I will marry you, Neethu. Don't worry,"

Both hearts were thinking for each other's sake. They were deeply in love. Rithick and Neethu differed in all the aspects of their life but they were in love with each other. They proved that opposites attract. Their hearts started communicating with each other. The love that hadn't been proposed yet had a great power in bringing the hearts together. This was through their eyes because eyes were the real gateway to enter someone's heart.

Time passed by, days passed by, weeks passed by... but their love for each other remained the same. They enjoyed each and every second together.

"Loved you yesterday,

Love you today,

Will Love you tomorrow - I don't bother about whether you love me or not."

Shakash and Shantra couldn't do anything to hinder their love. All their plans got wasted.

One fine morning,, Rithick and Rahul were seriously discussing about something. They didn't even notice the arrival of Neethu.

In between Rithick's mom had called him and asked him to take a half day leave.

Before going, Rithick said to Rahul, "Don't worry, Rahul. I am there for you through thick and think." He hugged his cousin.

Rahul nodded.

Rithick gave a small smile to Neethu and whispered, "Take care of my Rahul, Neethu. I have to go immediately." He left the place.

Rahul and Neethu were alone in the Green Park.

Neethu was not aware about their discussion, but she had heard the name 'Nethra'.

Who was Nethra? What was the relationship between Nethra, Rithick, and Rahul?"

After Rithick went away, Rahul seemed helpless. Neethu had no idea about what was going on between him and Rithick She thought of asking Rahul, but decided to be quiet.. For the first time, she could see him so distracted. He looked pale. She didn't want to question him in this situation.

Rahul was looking strangely at the things around him. His lifeless eyes were wet.

Neethu didn't know what to do at that moment. She tried to break the silence but couldn't do it...

The silence was broken by a phone call. Rahul's phone rang. He sat like a statue without making any attempt to pick up the call.

When the phone rang again, Neethu asked Rahul to attend the call. He didn't respond. After five missed calls, he attended the phone.

It was Rithick on the other side.

"Rahul, why didn't you attend my call? Be serious about the matter, Rahul, please. Try to understand the situation," Rithick said.

"Leave me alone, Rithick." Rahul ran his hands through his hair.

Rithick replied, "I know what to do. You just shut up, Rahul. If you keep behaving like this, you can go away from me."

"Are you asking me to go away from your life? How could you say these words to me, Rithick?" said Rahul.

Neethu heard the words spoken by Rahul. She was shocked and angry with Rithick.

"What happened to Rithick? Why was he asking you to go away from his life?" Neethu questioned him.

Rahul didn't reply, instead dialed Rithick's number.

Rahul tried again. There was no response from Rithick's side.

Neethu tried from her phone but Rithick didn't attend the call.

After a few minutes, Rithick's phone was switched off.

Neethu's anger reached its peak. She couldn't control herself.

"What is Rithick thinking of himself? He doesn't know how to respect the feelings of others. How cruel is he to tell you to get away from his life? I am ashamed of Rithick. No one can get a cousin like you, Rahul," Neethu went on and on breathlessly.

"Will you please stop blaming Rithick? What do you know about my Rithick? The only thing you know is the friendship between us. No one can get a cousin like my Rithick," Rahul said.

"Rithick doesn't love you as much as you do, Rahul, because if he really loved you, he wouldn't have left you in this toughest moment. He left you, Rahul. He is a heartless person who has no feelings and no emotions whatsoever." Neethu seethed with anger.

"Will you please shut up? Who is the heartless person here? Rithick loves me more than his life. Today, I am alive because of him. He is the man, who gave me my life back years ago," Rahul said.

"What? He gave your life back? I can't understand, what is going between you two?" Neethu said.

"I think it's time to share my deepest secret with you, Neethu because I trust you only after Rithick. You are only aware of our happy side of us... but I am dying inside each and every moment thinking about Rithick. He doesn't even know about this. Only two other people know about this and they are my dad and Rithick's dad."

"What are you saying, Rahul? Thank you for trusting me, I am grateful to you." Neethu sighed.

"Rithick's life is in danger. Anything can happen to him in a minute. I am not here to study with him, I am his bodyguard," Rahul said.

"Oh my God! Why is Rithick in danger? Does he have any health problems?" Neethu cried and her love for him increased beyond  limit. She started to miss him a lot.

"No health issues. Please, Neethu, control yourself. It should be a secret. At any cost, Rithick shouldn't know about it," Rahul almost pleaded with her.

"Why is Rithick's life in danger? I want to see him... now!" she cried. "Please tell me what is going on... please."

"I am one of the reasons for this. My dearest uncle, Sanjay is another reason. There are a lot of other reasons too. Until today, my dad Ruthra and me couldn't find the secret behind the threatenings towards Rithick." Rahul face looked pained.

Neethu sobbed harder. She was not aware of the reasons behind Rahul's words. A few minutes later, she wiped her cheeks.

"Whatever the trouble is, Rahul, I am with you. We will make Rithick's life safe together."

"Thanks Neethu. This is what I wanted." Rahul sighed.

"If you don't mind, please tell me about your past. Maybe we can find out why he is being threatened."

"Neethu... do you know who Rithick is? His background?" Rahul asked.

"I am not aware of that, Rahul. Tell me."

"Rithick is the only son of one of the top businessmen in our country, He is the son of the business tycoon Mr. Sanjay," Rahul revealed.

"What?" Neethu asked.

"Mr. Sanjay is his dad."

"The great businessman, Sanjay?" She had no words to say. "I saw him in the college on the inaugural function day. I have also read about him in newspapers and magazines. I have also seen him on the TV news."

"I can't believe this. I am happy that Rithick has such a hard working and good gentleman as his father. Why didn't he tell me about his dad? " Neethu continued. Her fear increased beyond the limit because in magazines she had came across many life threatening incidents in this great businessman's life.

"That's his situation, Neethu. Also, one more important thing... to keep Rithick safe, no one should know about him, especially that he is Sanjay uncle's son," Rahul said.

"Got it, Rahul." Neethu sniffled, her eyes turned misty. "Where is Rithick? I want to see him."

Without waiting for Rahul to respond, she continued, "Why did you leave him alone, Rahul?"

"Why is his phone switched off? Did anything happen to Rithick?" she cried. Immediately, she took her mobile and made called him.

His phone was switched off. Her fear kept on increasing. Her heart pounded.

"Neethu... calm down, please. Rithick is safe. You don't worry, Neethu." Rahul gave her a small smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Neethu."

She relaxed for a minute.

"Rahul, you and Rithick are always together but now, what happened to you both?" Neethu was confused.

Rahul decided to reveal their past to Neethu. He felt that she could make an effort in making Rithick's life safe.

Rahul glanced at Neethu. He sensed a warmth in her eyes, it was as if they were pleading, even begging him to tell the truth. He firmly believed that he could trust her. Slowly,  he began to unravel the pages in his life that he had kept buried since so long.