Disc: The views here in this part are strictly author's personal and what author follows/believes and not to hurt any religious views or anyone.
If it hurts you, Iam sincerely apologizing here.
Thank you..

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I didn't know what I was doing in my life..

A complete mess..

I was waiting for a perfect chance to question Rajesh..

Which came three days later..

It was hard for me to understand what's happening around me at that age..

I was too young to understand the scenarios then..

Exam pressure, tiffs at home, everything ate my mind..

So yeah, third day, I went to the cafe opposite to the school with Nisha as Pavi was on leave..

Must be my fortune..

I knew she would have stopped me if I had told her that I wanted to meet Rajesh..

We ordered our tea and Nisha ran back near the school as her cousin came..

I knew him through her..

I hadn't interacted..

She had told that they both were in a relationship..

The families had decided once they were born..

I wished..

I badly wished I had one cousin like that..

What made me to fall for Rajesh is the mystery I couldn't understand till date..

Yet, fate is so powerful..

It will show the wrong persons at the right time and right persons at the wrong time..

I can hear what you are saying..

16 is not a perfect age to fall in love and Iam talking here philosophy..

That's what you must be telling..

But, not only 16..

I made the same mistake again after few years..

Okay, while I was in my dream, Rajesh entered the cafe with a football spinning in his hands..

I was shocked initially..

And he got some cookies and turned towards me and smiled..

Even if I didn't want to smile back, it was so contagious that I smiled back..

He came and stood next to me..

Enna inga ukkandhuruka, adhuvum thaniya? He asked as his eyes roamed around to check if there is someone actually..

Nisha vandhuruka..Anga poirukka, I said blatantly..

I could sense the glimpses of excitement in his eyes..

My heart started bleeding..

Yet, I managed to smile..

Neenga avala love panreengala, I didn't know how the words came out of my mouth..

Haan? He behaved as if he was amused..

Illa, ava sonna, adhan ketten..The hidden courage had came out finally..

Adhu apdi illa..He was stumbling to get a perfect answer..

Enna yen party ku invite panneenga..Enna yen paathu siricheenga? I asked out of curiosity or whatever..

He said, Neeyum avalum nalla friend aache..I know you like me..So, unna nalla friend ah paathen.. Avalta pesanum na chance venum la..So, I thought you may give a proper introduction to both of us someday or other..

Friend ah? Naana? I was shell shocked..

Before he could react, tea came..

I started sipping mine and exactly Nisha entered the cafe then with Ganesh, her boyfriend..

They were laughing and suddenly her laugh stopped on seeing Rajesh..

She came in..

Rajesh moved a bit and she sat along with Ganesh..

She saw Rajesh for a microsecond may be and then turned towards me..

Mulla, Idhan Ganesh..

Ganesh, idhu Mulla..

Ganesh smiled at me and I smiled back..

Theriyum ma.. Adhan sollite irukiye epodhum, he told with a wide grin..

Aama, en friends rendu peru dhan.. Andha Pavi inniki leave..Illana avalayum intro kuduthurpen..
Padikanum nu leave potrukaa ava.. Nisha said in a disappointed tone..

Rajesh was an extra there..

Nobody noticed him including me..

I did it intentionally..

I was hurted like hell when he said, Unna nalla friend ah paathen..

I am a girl who gives so much respect to friendship till date..

When I was a teen and coming from a problematic family, I had that affinity towards my friends obviously..

So, when he said that he considered me as a friend, I was annoyed as he destroyed the term 'friendship' as well..

I knew..

I knew where his eyes went while talking to me..

I was not a mad girl to differentiate between the looks..

His eyes were obviously showing interest over me all those days..

Even after Nisha's arrival..

He was a liar..

So, I didn't want to see him anymore..

He stood for sometime and left the place..

And, we three had a quality time together and went back home..

So, then the time flied rapidly..

I didn't have enough time to think about Rajesh as my exams were at the doorstep..

I had to concentrate on my studies..

I had no other go..

The school had finished the classes and tests and revisions were going..

Since we had to write slip tests almost daily, the time which I had to face Rajesh had been reduced considerably..

Rest of the time, the staffs made some groups amongst the students..

A group of 4 members..

One girl who is a easy learner, one girl who is a moderate learner and two slow learners..

Girls and boys were separated as groups in this way and were given a heavy coaching..

Our school was the one who always bag  state ranks..

Atleast district ranks..

So, they kept us on toes..

Even if I had to face R, I started ignoring him and time literally ran..

It was just 4 days for the exams and I was sick..

A continuous fever along with vomit..

The first day, we thought it as a normal fever or probably exam fever..

The next day night, I was too tired and I started developing rashes and boils all over my body..

It was athai who noticed first and told to amma..

Amma , being so religious, scolded me at first as if I voluntarily got the pox..

She insisted me not to write examinations and was crying that I had destroyed my future..

Appa was equally confused..

Athai came for the rescue and she took the medical help as soon as possible..

When amma said 'Saami kutham aagum' , athai stopped her by saying 'Apdi aagadhu..Apdiye aanalum enakku varattum edhuvo.. Chinna pulla ava... Enna theriyum avalukku.. Yerkanave avalukku mudiyala.. Neengalum sethu varuthu edutheenga na ava enna pannuva? Idhellam vara vechikra vyaadhiya? Tension, heat, edhuva venaa irukalam..
Ozhunga treatment edutha dhan exam ezhudhalaam... Chumma andha kaalam maadhiri edhaachum pesaadheenga anni.. Ammu exam ezhudhuvaa.."

She was so stern that amma couldn't stop her..

Athai gave me proper medication along with the necessary confidence and I was mentally okay..

And yeah, of course, I wrote the examinations..

We got special permission..

I was so glad that I could pull off the exams easily..

The last months revisions helped me a lot..

I had done all the examinations well expect the social examination..

I was too sick that day..

And a new boil was developed in the thumb and I wasn't even hold the pen properly..

I lacked the concentration as I had vomitted twice..

I managed somehow and wrote the exams with a honest attempt..

That was it..

The exams were over..

The next months were free as heaven..

I was confident that I would score enough marks to get a seat in the first group..

So, I went to coimbatore where my paatti and thatha reside along with athai..

We had such a fun over there and came back to Kunnakudi just 2 days before the result day..

The result day..

The results were out..

I scored 475 out of 500..

I had scored centum in maths and science..

As expected, I got 88 in social, which I didn't bother about..

And yeah, I bagged the rank of district third as well..

My joy knew no bounds..

So, what next?

--Will brew..