The place where me and Pavi sat was the exact place to see the gang..

They were a gang of 8 boys..

Of them, Rajesh and two more guys were the closest..

I have seen sometimes that Rajesh used to pick them up in his car..

Iam good at drawing..

Atleast,I believe so..

I used to go for the drawing competition that usually occurs between the schools..

Rajesh was not studying in our school when I first met him..

I saw him when I was doing my 7th standard..

I was in a hurry to go inside the competetion hall..

The school was different..

It was an interschool competition..

While I was searching for that crayon box, somebody hit me to rush inside the   hall..

I was irritated and annoyed as my whole sketchpen box fell down..

I had to pick and organize everything again..

I was literally running out of time...

I managed to take everything on my hands and sat on my place in the most clumsiet way..

I knew well that the whole room was seeing me..

But, I had no other go..

I was nervous too..

The school had so much of belief over me..

I did remember what my incharge told me before coming here..

"Mullai, You know well that this is an interschool competition..

You have to show your skill in this..

Naan, Principal, Drawing miss ellarume
un mela romba nambika vechirkom..

Draw well..

And come back with the cup.."

Not only to me but to everyone who participated...

The competition has various departments..

Like eloquation in english and tamizh, essay writing in english and tamizh,poetry in english and tamizh, drawing,  solo dance, group dance, music, instrumental music, group singing, mimicry and so we came as a troup..

The topics will be on spot..

Pavi usually comes for the Tamizh essay writing..

She always felt like it was her genre..

She was in a different block..

She would grab a prize for sure, I was thinking..

By then, the topic was given..

'ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION' was the topic..

I thought of drawing 2 scenarios like one place which looks so pleasant by the side of an agricultural land and one place which is highly polluted by the side of a factory..

I divided the sheet and started drawing..

All the nervousness went out when I started drawing..

I went deeply into the drawing..

I finished the outlet with my pencil..

And filled with crayons too..

When I thought of giving the outline with the sketchpen, the trouble started..

They were so dull..

Probably some issues because it fell down..

I really didn't know how to give the finishing touch..

All because of that idiot who was sitting opposite to me..

I turned and stared at him..

He by his intuition,turned towards me and asked what..

I glared and turned back..

I knew I can do nothing right then..

I just managed with the available sketches and gave it to the supervisor..

I felt like crying..

I remembered how amma was against this competition and stuffs when I asked appa to buy me those sketches..

I had used it barely once and it had became useless..

Now what would I do?

I was loathing in self pity..

And, I heard someone behind me..

I turned to see that fellow who hit me in the morning..

He was stumbling..

Hhhiii..Iam Rajesh..

I didn't reply..

I didn't want to..

Sorry..neenga enmela kovama irukeenga pola..

Naan venum nu pannala..

I was in a rush..

Naan avasarathula vandhadhula sketchbox thatti vittadha gavanikala..

Sorry pa..

He pleaded..

I turned my face..

Nijamave sorry pa..

Naan venum na pudhu sketchbox vechirken..

Adha ungalukku kuduthudren..

Competition la neenga kandipa prize vaanguveenga..

Ipo illati kooda next time for sure.

More than him, his talks pulled me towards him..

A new sketchbox is what my mind was calculating..

He went searching his bag and took out the new box..

Faber castell sketches they were..

Gosh, I just love this..

He offered it to me and I accepted..

Unga name enna, he asked..

Mullai, I replied with a shy smile..

Ok..Sorry and thank you, he said and left the place..

I was standing amd admiring the beauty of the pens until Pavi came and touched me..

Ennachu di.. bomma maadhiri nikkira..

She saw the pens and exclaimed..

Wowwwwww, man, Faber castell ah..nee vanganum nu solite irundhiye..

Vaangitiya..

I nodded as a no and explained her what happened..

Oho, sketch pottu love panravanga okay..

Idhu enna sketch kuduthu love?, She asked as if she is one innocent soul..

I tried to hit her but the speaker started announcing everyone to come, assemble at the auditorium..

We went there..

After the usual talks, the prize announcement started..

I got third prize..

I didn't know whether I should feel bad or to be happy that I atleast got third for my pathetic, unfinished work..

And, Pavi, to my shock grabbed the second prize..

Enna di..,nee epdi second prize, I asked her..

Hmm...Adhan kathir vandhurkaane..

Paakalaya? Avan irukapa naan 2nd vandhene..

Adha nenachu sandhoshapadanum naan actual ah..

She replied in a dry voice..

Kathir ah? Avan vandhurkaana? I asked her..

Vandhurkane.. Competition start panradhuku munnadi enkitta pesitu kooda irundhan, she replied..

Ennavaam, I asked as if I don't have any  interest..

Enna..chumma dhan..usual school stuffs..

Avanga veedu enga veetukitta dhana iruku?

So, podhuvaa pesitu irundhom..

Avalo dhan..

Apram competition..

That's it..

She said with a tinge of exclamation..

You have a soft corner for him,illaya? I asked carefully without showing any emotions in my voice..

Haan aama dhan.. He is one hard working boy di..

Veetla amma ku laam ella help um pannuvaan..

Unakku theriyum nu nenaikren..

He isn't from a rich background..

Avan padikradhe scholarship la dhan..

Rajesh oda appa dhan help pannirukaaru pola..

So, he may switch his school by next year..

I was not interested in hearing the melancholy behind him..

So, I ended the talk with a oh..

And the prizes were distributed and we got them..

The overall title went to ZION school in which Rajesh and co were studying..

I thought of saying a bye to Rajesh before I start back to my school but he was very busy with his friends and the faculties who were here the very next moment they got the news..

When I turned to see him, he didn't look at me but Kathir saw me..

I turned my face to the other side and got back to the van..

I felt so nervous..

We couldn't grab the champion cup because of various reasons..

I messed up..

Pavi got the second prize..

We got no prize for mimicry as he got his throat strained all of a sudden..

And bla blas...

The management didn't scold us..

They welcomed us with a warm smile..

When I showed the certificate to amma, she was like, Romba sandhosham, poi padipa paaru..

Idhu soru podaadhu..

I got vexed but that was a different story..

And Rajesh joined our school when we were studying our eighth grade..

To my bad luck, he was in a different section in 8th and 9th as well..

So, yeah, we are in our special classes for our 10th standard and atlast, he is here..

With us..

I felt so elated and excited as well..

And all of a sudden, he turned towards the girl side and smiled at me..

That was it..

I was flying..

I imagined till our wedding..

Man, you are so handsome..

I was drooling over him and started day dreaming..

What will happen next?

Will he understand that I have feelings for him?

But how Iam going to express him my feelings?

Let's see..

-Will brew..