Chapter 2 2 Akshitha

"Akshu! Come and learn some cooking at least until you go to Chennai. It will help you

there!" Sumathi, Akshitha's mom, was shouting from inside the kitchen.

"Mee! I'm busy now. Will learn during dinner." Akshitha shouted from her room.

Coonoor is a beautiful place. It's very close to Ooty! But it is not commercialized like Ooty. Coonoor has its serene beauty still maintained. Akshitha and Sumathi have a little land and a house of their own. They plant strawberries, carrots, beetroot, celery and broccoli. The local farmers market buys their yields for a good price and that serves them for their living. They have 3 people working on their farm. Akshitha and Sumathi also work their part.

Akshitha is now busy cutting out her recent admiration's picture from a magazine. She has a problem called 'celebrity crush'. Over the years, she has crushed on many people. Her first celebrity crush was actor Vijay and then Hritik Roshan and then Surya and then she liked Virat Kohli and then Rana Daggubati. After him, it's now Yadav Rishid!

She's been following him since last year when he got the young Entrepreneur award. Every news channel talked about him. Since he looks so hot and handsome, he's become the most searched man on google. But then, he came in all the magazine covers. He's caught in a lot of gossip. He is seen with many actresses. That gave him continuous media attention.

Akshitha is actually happy about those gossips. Because that is what is keeping him seen. She has downloaded almost all of his pictures online on her phone. She is crazy enough to paste his pictures on her room walls.

Kavya, her friend, always used to tease her for her fantasies. Kavya lives in Coimbatore.

Akshitha and Kavya studied in an engineering college in Coimbatore. Akshitha stayed in

college hostel.

"Hey loosu, open your eyes and see the guys who are behind you. What is the use of crushing on someone who doesn't even know you exist? Our class Suman is dying for your looks. And you are looking at this man who lives far away."

"Pch! I love this man, Kavi! Look at him. OMG! He is so handsome. Awww look at that

dimple on his cheek when he smiles. If I happen to see him face to face, I will surely kiss those dimpled cheeks."

"Nut case! What happened to your love for Rana? Has he disappeared?"

"No! Rana has a special place in my heart. But this man owns my whole heart. Never once have I ever felt so much pull on someone like I have on him, Kavi. Yash is totally killing me."

"Huh this is what you say on every new crush you have. Yash? His name is Yadav, right?"

"Hehe! Yadav Rishid for everyone. Yash for me."

Kavya just threw her a look which says Akshitha is a lunatic. Akshitha has been doing this stupidity from her 3rd year of college. She almost knew everything about Yadav. Like where is his house, how many cars he does he own, where does he travel, his favorite car, how many actresses are behind him, etc.,

Sumathi knows everything about what her daughter is up to. She just let it go, because these crushes won’t bring any harm. Or at least that is what she thought at the moment.

Behind Akshitha's home is a tea estate. It's one of the biggest estates in Coonoor. There is a big mansion in that estate which has its backyard facing Akshitha's house's backyard. The shared compound wall separates both the backyards.

Benjamin is the owner of that estate. He is a 60yrs old man. Akshitha calls him 'Jamin Uncle' in short (Zameen is a title given to landlords). He lives all alone with a servant in that mansion. He has a daughter who lives in Mumbai. She won't visit him often. But his granddaughter Emily will visit him every summer.

Emily is a couple of years elder to Akshitha. They don’t get along well from childhood. Akshitha will call Emily as 'Eli' (mouse) that infuriates Emily. Emily is a beautiful girl and she knows it. She hails from Mumbai and hence wears all modern outfits. It suits her the best. She always looks down on Akshitha and it irritates Akshitha.

Since Jamin uncle is lonely, Akshitha serves a good company to him. He will listen to anything and everything Akshitha has to say. A part of his estate is covered with corn fields. Akshitha will steal sweet corn from the field with her friends Manoj and Rahul every other evening. Jamin uncle knows it but he let go of it because it's her who makes his life lively and colorful.

Manoj and Rahul are 3years younger to Akshitha. They are her neighbors. She knows them from their birth. They are like brothers to her. Since she is a single kid, she appreciated their company. They used to do all sorts of mischief. They all even got beaten up by Sumathi for their deeds. But nothing has changed them.Akshitha usually jumps the compound wall to go to the mansion! Her mom is literally against this but Akshitha holds Jamin uncle's support! Yeah! Who will walk almost 2kms around, to go to the mansion when it’s just 2minutes away!?