The marks were enough to get me into group 1..

We had this scheme in the school..

Like,20 marks will be added to our original score if we decide to continue in the same school..

So, my score was 495..

The cut-off for bio-maths group was 470 and yeah I got through it easily..

Since Pavi also wanted to join the same group, I was so relaxed..

She got 472..

So, we both were in the same class..

Nisha's father again got transfer to North India and she went happily..

We knew that we will be missing her but what else can be done?

So,we met her at the time of getting the mark sheets for one final time in the school..

And yeah, I had met Kathir too..

He had come to the school to meet the staffs..

He had secured 470..

He had given the exams through private mode..

He looked so pathetic..

His face was filled with dolour and anxiety..

He came near me and extended his hand towards me..

I extended mine to meet his..

His rough palms told the untold stories..

Congratulations Mulla, he said..

How easily my name flows through his mouth!?

Wish I could do the same..

Thank you, I replied with a smile..

Appa epdi irukanga, I added..

Irukaanga, he said with a grief..

By then, the staff called me and I went..

Kathir left the school when I came back..

I didn't have the courage to ask Pavi about him..

I came to know that Rajesh scored 400 and he went to some other school..

Later, Pavi told me that he had joined Diploma..

I was fine actually..

Actually, I was happy that I need not have to see his face again for the next two years..

Even though I took the group with all my heart, I should accept the fact that maths and physics were very tough..

Really tough for me..

I had this aversion towards computer science eversince..

That's the main reason why I took biology group..

As amma's cousin's step-sister's second daughter told her that Bio-Maths will have the opportunity to enter the medical stream also, amma suddenly got that craze over the group from nowhere..

So, it was easy for me to join..

But..

I was very sure that Iam not going to join the medicine even if I get enough score..

My ambition was to become an engineer..

I didn't tell this story to amma and appa..

I didn't want to create one more fiasco..

So, the school started..

Syllabus was very difficult..

The 10 marks sum of the maths which I did in my 10th standard had became a single step of a sum in 11th and 12th mathematics..

Tuitions for Physics, Maths, Chemistry along with the classes in the school kept us on the toes..

We barely had time to breath..

To be very honest,I had zero time to think anything apart from studies..

The pressure and the expectation from the school and the parents had kept me busy enough..

Nothing happened noticeably in the next two years in my life..

While joining 11th, I came to know that Kathir's father had passed away..

I felt bad for him..

I knew that he had this passion to study..

Why fate is being so dismissive to him?

Hmmm..

Life has to move on..

I came to know that he and his family moved out of the city..

I wished him good luck from my heart..

That was it I could do..

And the next two years ran and I completely forgot everything..

At time..

Rarely..

Rajesh will flash in my mind..

I had zero feelings for him then..

I had learnt the art of moving on may be..

I don't know..

Time literally flew and the exams came..

****

I met her for one final time, may be..

I badly wanted to tell her that I like her..

But, the staff called her and she went off..

From my life as well..

I didn't want to wait in the school as I had one bunch of things to do at home..

So, I ran back to home..

I had scored enough marks to get into the first group..

But..

Fate decided something else..

I had to bury my desire for the sake of my family..

I now, can understand what is life..

But, I was too young to understand the nuisances of life then..

My heart bleeded when I took the decision of dropping my education..

Even though, I could understand the facts that only one from the family can study and it should be Jeeva anna as he was in his diploma which will be very helpful for the family to earn atleast some money, my heart never accepted the fact..

It is still a scar in my heart..

Iam a successful businessman now..

I know I can talk in English like a pro now..

Thanks to the classes I went..

But, a scar is a scar..

A wound is a wound..

When I thought that losing the love and losing the education were going to hit me hard, to add the fuel on the fire, I lost my appa too..

I hoped that we could get him back..

He was being treated beyond our power..

Almost all the wealth were being sold..

Only the shop and the home were left behind..

Amma was completely shattered and she was paralyzed..

Moorthy anna was the only one who was in a stage to accept that appa had left us all forever and his primary motive was to save amma atleast..

Amma completely collapsed on hearing the news..

Moorthy anna, he is still an inspiration for me..

He took the charge the next moment..

He took care of amma..

He did all the works from the cremation to the 30th day..

Jeeva anna and myself were not even in a mind to understand what was going through..

And Kanna, he being the kadaikkutty of the family, is the pet for everyone in the family...

He wasn't even in a mind to accept that appa is no more..

No appa..

Amma was in the hospital..

Just think of our life..

It was too difficult to put up with..

The nights were very scary..

Moorthy anna managed to cook and Jeeva anna and myself tried to help him..

Cuts, boils, bruises, everything happened in the kitchen which couldn't come near to the pain in the heart..

We managed with what's left and amma came back..

Her initial days were filled with tears..

After two months, we sat down in the hall..

We had no tears in the eyes..

We sat and spoke about the life..

We were clear that leading a life here in the kunnakudi is not possible..

Each and every brick of the home and the shop reminded us of appa..

And, the shop was similar to a sinking ship..

If we cling upon it for the sake of appa sentiment, we also will definitely sink..

Moorthy anna wanted to sell it as soon as possible..

Amma didn't accept at first..

Anna explained her how life will become pathetic if we stay like this..

So, we had decided the shop and the home also..

To our rescue, amma's brother came..

He is a well off..

He asked us to come and live with him..

We didn't want to..

But, we had no other go..

So, we sold everything for a decent amount and went to coimbatore with mama..

Life took some unexpected turns since then..

-Will brew..