Episode 3: ‘The fine line between to be and not’

Viji had Karthick’s image running on her head all day. More so then, as it was time for the bus trip back home. Perhaps that was why she ended up taking the seat that she took in the bus. Viji couldn't decide what Karthick meant to her by then. So, she let things be as they were. Time is the best judge, she thought.

Amid all these thoughts, Karthick just crossed her to take the seat in front of her. She couldn't believe what Karthick was doing. She turned nervous with him very nearby.

No matter how nervous girls are they manage to never show any signs of it. Viji began talking incessantly with Nithya, her friend sitting beside her on the two-seater. That is how girls usually react when consumed by the situation.

That was when Karthick decided to turn up with his introduction.

‘This is Karthick; Guess you have heard me alright’, Karthick repeated.

Viji was pleasantly taken aback and hadn’t reacted until Karthick spoke the second time.

‘Hi, it’s Viji. Nice to know you.’ Viji greeted in a mellow voice with a smile.

Karthick turned numb in joy for a second or two. He had actually heard her talk!

‘I am a third year student. I study Electrical & Electronics’ Karthick had to say something to fill the silence.

‘Oh good...I just joined today. Electronics and I are miles apart. I have taken textile technology’ Viji spoke little considering how much her eyes did.

‘Textile Technology, I understand, must be interesting.’ Karthick just wanted to keep the chat going.

‘Yes, far better than how interesting Electronics must be, I presume.’ Viji for the first time let her smile unveil her milky white teeth. Karthick just felt heaven in as close as inches away.

The next couple of seconds went by quiet. Karthick was visibly lost in the beam of light Viji’s smile let out.

He quickly had to cover up with a question.

‘So, how do you like our college?’ Karthick was playing his part as her senior.

‘I just hope it is good. I should be here for 4 years, now that I have made a choice.’ said Viji, putting back the strands of hair that fell on her face.

Nithya was left out amidst all this. She had to pitch in herself, ‘Hi...This is Nithya, Viji’s friend.’

‘Hello’ said Karthick and carried on his talk with Viji. Viji didn’t bother to drag Nithya into the conversation either.   

‘How badly I want a change of seat now’ Nithya murmured to herself.

‘I don’t think ragging should be an issue in our college; even if so I shall see to that you have no problem...’ actually the fact was Karthick was speaking non-sense just for the sake of talking something.

Karthick couldn't make out what Viji's thoughts were. He was just pleased Viji's replies weren't only one to two words, because that is usually a please-stop-this-non-sense sort of indicative from girls. 

Karthick gathered guts from Viji's demeanour, 'Actually I am beating around the bush here. I introduced myself to you just because I had one thing to say. And that is, you look beautiful!!!'

Viji was jumping up and down though she didn't actually move a muscle. Her eyes were totally engulfed in joy. She wished she heard that once again.

'Oh! Thank you.' Viji said very little given how much she felt elated. Girls normally are very good at playing down their emotions. 

Nithya regretted she had to sit through all this, 'Oh gosh! What more melodrama should I encounter for today?' she told herself. People who are out of that infatuating bubble would feel it all too exaggerated.

'In fact, did you notice me looking at you in the morning? If you didn't, you know that now.' Karthick emphatically declared.

'Actually, I did notice that. It was so obvious' chirped her reply with a shy face.

'Was it so obvious?!' grinned Karthick. 'I thought I did it secretly. I am...I am sorry had I disturbed you doing so.' 

'That's alright. But I never thought you would come up and talk to me today . Even if that happened, I never imagined you would confess to what happened in the morning.'

'That's me. I wanted to say what I felt. That can't be wrong, can it?' karthick said.

Nithya sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to take in anymore of this. She moved to a seat 2 rows back immediately after the seat was vacated.

Viji and Karthick thanked Nithya non-verbally nodding to each other with a sheepish look.

'I appreciate that. Not many would have been so genuine.' Viji couldn't hold back a compliment. 

Girls offer compliments only when pushed to their limits of admiration. If you manage to pull one out of them, you can be sure you deserve the compliment totally. Karthick very much did. Truth alone labels a person as good.

The bus was soon approaching Karthick's stop. His day was already made. He had said all that he wanted to. He had time for a few closing lines.

'So...I am so glad I got to know you. I wish you have a wonderful 4 years of college. And, this will be a day I remember.' Karthick ended. 
The last line on that being a day to remember implied more than what it actually meant, atleast to Viji.

Viji offered a smile in return, to go with a wave of the hand to mean bye. 

Its boys who let out such loose lines that give-away their exact feeling. Girls are so measured in what they talk. Hardly can others make out what is going through their minds from their talks. Girls teach us many things in life. This is one important lesson to be learnt from them.

On retrospection through his walk back home, Karthick couldn't read too much in-between the lines during his conversation with Viji. Karthick was left wondering what Viji's feeling for him was.  

Viji sat by the window on the bus after Karthick left and smirked on and off. She called up Nithya, made her sit beside her, apologised and made up with her. 

'So, you guys...what is going on?' Nithya asked.
'I don't quite know.' Viji giggled. 
'Smells like something is brewing!' Nithya said and stood up to leave. 


          -End of Episode 3-

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nagappstheblogger!!!