27. Blossoming spring days

After several hours of thinking Rahul came up with the decision.

RITHICK'S POV

"Rithiiiick! Rithhhick!" Rahul shook my shoulder to wake me up from deep sleep.

"Why Rahul? Sleep for some more time. We are not going to college today," I said in sleepy voice.

"I am going out, Rithick" he said

"Going for jogging?" I questioned him with closed eyelids.

"Nope! Friend's marriage is there in Chennai. I will come after 1 week," he said.

"We both have only common friends. Who is that friend? Who is that hell to invite you alone?" I said and tried to get up. I opened my eyelids slowly. I was stunned to see Rahul with luggage in his hands.

"My school friend"

"Who is that?" I got the luggage from him.

"It's not necessary to answer all your questions. Just leave me Rithick," he said annoying.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't ask me anything. I will be back after 1 week. Please, inform it and convince our family. Bye Rithick. Take care," said him

I was confused and why was he behaving weirdly? We have only common friends and what is the urge to go to friend's marriage without informing to family? What happened to Rahul? Questions pinned my mind.

"Wait a minute, Rahul" I said. I took few shirts and pants from cupboard. I asked him to pack my dresses too and then I went to restroom.

"I am ready, let's go!" I said pointing the door.

"Rithick" I heard Nethra calling from my back.

"Will you drop me in Mercy home?" said Nethra shocking us. Now, I understood the weird behavior of Rahul. I looked at Rahul once and he looked at me with guilt.

"Nethra, Firstly, my deep condolences to your husband who expired in bomb blast. Why can't you stay here? It's tough to handle the baby alone. Change your decision. We will be happy if you stay with us," I said

"I will lose my happiness" she said in one throw. I didn't expect this reply from her. She changed in character and behavior. She will never talk like this before.

"Nethra! You are good enough with everyone. If I am your problem, I will move out" Rahul said without looking at her.

"Look! I am not ready to talk with anyone. I said everything to Sanjay uncle. He arranged home for me as I wish. Also, one more condition" said Nethra harshly.

"What?" I asked

"I don't want you people to visit me there in home. I hate everyone. I don't want to see you anymore. I am living for my child. Please, don't disturb me" said her mercilessly.

"I am totally confused with your behavior Nethra. What did we do to make you hate us?" I asked.

"I lost my mom and now my dad too because of your fake evidence he was in jail," said her making us shock again.

I clutched my fist in anger and controlled myself because Rahul was standing besides me. "I don't want to hurt you that is the only reason I am quiet. Don't check my patience. It's your limit," I said angrily.

"You are rude and ruthless, Rithick! You people don't know the value of relationship" she said violently keeping her dad in mind.

"You deserve what you are right now," said Rahul disgusting me.

She looked Rahul for a while and went from there. I didn't talk with Rahul after that. I came out of the room. Later, Nethra left the home without informing anyone. Few minutes later, Rahul came down worriedly. He talked to Riya and then took the bike key without even had a glance at me. I felt that Rahul tried to avoid me from his life, so only he took such decision in the morning. If he took me away from his life, surely I will go away from him. I wish Rahul to be happy always and I will do anything to make him happy.

Rahul's POV

I was hurting myself for being rude to Rithick in the morning, also Nethra behaved violently to him. When I was ready to leave the home, he was ready to accompany with me without knowing the reason behind it. He was in my life all the time throughout my ups and downs. He helped me to come out in my bad times. I have hurted him for many times but he didn't even hurt me for once. I don't allow anyone to talk rudely to Rithick. He was not such a person to tolerate this kind of talks but he controlled himself for me. Nethra went away from me but later that Rithick held my hand tightly and gave me enough confidence. How can I allow someone including Nethra hurting him in front me? So I use such words to shut her mouth otherwise she won't stop arguing. I never used to talk like this to Nethra before. Even, if she talks something badly about me it doesn't matter. I could see a sudden change in her eyes but I bothered about it to the least. She doesn't want to stay with us, then why should we worry for her?

I was angry at Nethra for about only few minutes. This was my problem; as soon as anger comes, it will fade away sooner. I want to see Nethra immediately now so I went to her room. I was shocked to see her room was locked and I went running to living room. Riya said that she had gone from home without informing."What is wrong with this girl? Where did she go? I remembered her telling about Mercy home to Rithick" I cursed her. I took bike keys and came down.

I drove the bike fastly and reached Mercy home. I came inside the home; there I could see Nethra talking with the proprietor. It was one of the orphanage currently uphold by Sanjay uncle. I think she was filling some documents. I stood there hiding myself from her. The proprietor got the documents from her and gave disguising look.

"Sanjay sir informed everything about you and he asked to take care of you and your child each and every minute. I could see the real affection in Sanjay sir for you but you have fill up the blank that you are ORPHAN. Don't think that I am involving in your personal matters Mrs.Nethra. As I have seen many people who came here was really an orphan and they loved to establish/find relations to remove the hard word Orphan from their life. In some cases, though the people have relations they are forced to stay here but your case is entirely different. I know well about Sanjay sir and his family. They are lovely and very good persons. Don't break their relationship for any reasons. Think once or twice again and come tomorrow if you are feeling same as today," he advised her.

Nethra's deed was hurting me much. I am crying inside. How could she use the word Orphan? Stupid girl. I am waiting for her reply.

"Thank you sir, you are good person I came to know from your words. I am living for my baby. I think that I will get peace here. If you are not ready to permit me, I will find some other place," said her.

This girl was really stubborn. I was not in a position to talk to her because if she knew that I am here she will go to some other place. At least, this place is good. If she gets peace from here as she said, I will be happy and will never come in her way.

I saw her completing all the formalities to stay there. She took her baby and the maid took her luggage and they moved towards their room. I hide myself and she was not aware of me. I felt very sad about her decision and with the hope that she will realize and come to home sooner; I came out from there hard-heartedly.

My phone rang while I am driving, I thought it was Rithick and took the phone. It was some unknown number. So, I didn't attend the call. I reached home after sometime, Rithick was watching T.V and he looked at me but pretended like he didn't. I settled in the nearby couch. He didn't react. I pulled the remote from his hand, he didn't react. I switched off the T.V, he didn't react.

What happened to him? Is he angry at me because I have behaved rudely in the morning? Did he find out that I lied him as friend's marriage? No, It shouldn't happen. My only happiness is Rithick now, If he didn't understand me, it will hurt me more. I can't bare his silence.

"Rithick!" I called him breaking the silence.

My phone rang in between it was the same unknown number. I looked at Rithick and he didn't respond. I decided to pick up the call.

Rahul’s POV

I picked up the call, the voice was familiar to me but I couldn't recognize.

Rithick didn't look at me even.

"Hello" I repeated again

"Can't you guess me? I will never talk with you for two days," said her in other side.

"Hey Neeethu! Cool. I found out. Sorry Neethu. How about you?" I asked her.

"No problem. I am good. I called Rithick but he didn't respond much. Did any issues between you both? I asked about you to him, he didn't give proper answer instead he gave your mobile number" she said.

"Okay Neethu. We are fine. Rithick is little bit busy here so he may not respond you properly,” I said looking at Rithick.

“Okay Rahul. I am happy to hear that all are fine there. What about Nethra?” she asked.

“I will tell everything tomorrow, Neethu”

“Okay Rahul. Bye! Take care” She said and hanged the call.

I gazed at Rithick. Again, he didn’t look at me. Rithick never behaved like this before. Now, What happened to him? He never showed his anger to me. His silence was killing me. No one other than me can stand before his anger but he was behaving very silly to me as a name of anger.

“Rithick! I am sorry. Please forgive me I never repeat,” I said sitting besides him with my hand encircled in his shoulder.

He jerks my hand and he didn’t listen to me.

“Rithick! Please. Don’t kill me by your silence” I said seriously

“You already killed me Rahul” replied him.

I couldn’t understand why was he talking like this? I regret myself for telling lie to him in the morning that I am going to Friend’s marriage. Also, I behaved rudely to him. Is it hurt him this much? I asked sorry for that also but he is stubborn.

“Rithick! Let me tell you a frank statement,” I said.

‘What?’ he asked seriously.

“This anger doesn’t suit you my dear brotherly love” kidding him hopefully he will be cool down soon.

“I am not a fool to trust you again, You love Nethra more than me. I came to know from your actions. It doesn’t matters me if her love for you is true but she is hurting you always. Still, you decided to leave the home for her. Am I least important to you Rahul?” he cursed.

Is my Rithick is possessive?  I am started enjoying it. His innocence overloads in his angry face. He was trying hard to control himself. I am sure he can’t fight with me for so long so I decided to start acting as like I am angry with him.

“Why do you doubt my love? Of course! You are right Rithick. I was least bothered about you........” I pretended seriously. Looking at his face, I stopped it.

“Okay Rahul,” he said and immediately he went from that place without listening fully.

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Rithick’s POV

As everyone knew, how much I love Rahul? I never felt alone though I didn’t have siblings. He used to take care of me in each and everything. He was two years elder to me but I used to call him as Rahul. I never call him as Anna or by any other relationship. We are best friends. While thinking about him, my anger is reaching top. How dare he was to leave home leaving me? Also, when she left he ran immediately behind her without looking at me. Nethra was more important to him. He followed Nethra and I followed him without his notice.What was he thinking about me in his mind? Why was he not ready to share his problems with me? It hurts me a lot. Why was he bearing his pain all alone? Did he forget that I am his twin soul? I am there for him in all his tough situations.  Slowly my bit anger was also vanished.

What should I do now? I should talk to Rahul right now. I am hearing his footsteps. I am pretending like I didn’t notice his arrival.

“Rithick” he called me.

I couldn’t control without talking him. I said in tough voice, “Why?”

He showed me that he booked two tickets for Chennai at previous day night.

I looked weirdly.

“If I want to go alone, I may go on previous day itself. If I feel not to inform you, then why should I wait till today morning until you woke up?” he smirked

I was clear now. My lovely Rahul booked two tickets for us as he can’t leave me. He waited for me till morning. Another question arose in my mind,“Why did you tell that you are going to friend’s marriage?” I asked

“How will I tell that I am leaving the home because of Nethra? Will you allow me Rithick? So I said like that I am sorry,”

“I understood Rahul. I was never angry at you for hiding the truth. I know there will be valid reason behind it but for......” I lengthened.

“Tell me Rithick”

“Whenever you are facing the problems, you are always avoiding me Rahul. I don’t want to stay in your happiness alone. Why can’t you share your feeling to me Rahul? Why are keeping me away from your problems? I felt there was gap between us Rahul. I will be happy if you share with me. Trust me Rahul and I will be always with you” I said from my heart.

“Sorry Rithick, If my actions hurt you. I never thought to avoid you. As you are always my sweet and cute younger brother, I feel like you are still small. I don’t want to hurt you by my feelings. If it was the problem and making a distance between us, I will definitely break up the distance and come to you Rithick,” he said gently and hugged me. I hugged him back. As usual we had converse till late night and he told strictly that we should go to college by tomorrow onwards.