It was Saturday morning, a resting day for those who worked hours for the hectic night before. Karthik woke up earlier than usual. He remembered setting his alarm till noon but his sleep got disturbed by a call from his friend, Manoj.

One who had to skip a semester just like Karthik citing his own personal issue, was also happen to be Karthik's class mate in his first two semesters. Karthik was relieved that he had someone he knew in the new batch.

They had agreed to meet early on Saturday morning to start on their first assignment for the semester as a team.

While he waited for Manoj, Karthik stood on the small balcony of his room. His eyes taking in the bright colours squeezing through clouds. It was chilly, he thought pulling his cardigan around himself.

As the mist thickened and unmistakable roll of thunder growled, it didn't take long until the husky colour faded. Rain splattered the balcony. The touch of the rain remained him of the girl who helped him out yesterday from the crazy girls. However the rain eased off as quick as it came, Karthik headed to the door to answer the non-stop pounding.

"Easy, Manoj. I can't fly to open the door"

"But you can run, can't you?" Manoj entered the room with his guitar in one hand and a coffee mug in another.

"I don't wish to, you can wait" Karthik picked up his most favourite instrument, the flute.

"I need to warm up, Karthik otherwise my brain won't work. Let's play a piece of A.R.R. What say?" Manoj asked, tuning the guitar.

"Sounds good"

"Oh, hey Karthik, why were you late last night for your first performance by the way?" he asked in curiosity.

"Don't even ask. I don't know how the girls knew I'm performing, I told Cameron to keep it low and somehow the girls knew and cramped me up at a corner."

"You had a choice to move out of the crowd, didn't you and I know you won't do it. What did they ask? Flute or Keytar?"

"Nothing. They were just asking about why I was not seen for a semester."

"So, you kept answering. What were you thinking, that you are giving some interview, huh?" Manoj scolded.

"I know, I'm just being too good for myself." Karthik tapped the flute on his forehead.

"Learn to say NO Karthik otherwise you are going to end up playing flute and keytar in the subway" concerned Manoj scolded him gently pointing to nowhere.

"... but I don't like to disappoint people who come to me or be rude to them."

"No one is asking you to be rude, Karthik. Just say 'some other time' or 'I'm running late for my class'. It will be hard at first for people like you but it's okay, slow and steady."

"So, how did they leave you yesterday since you weren't ready to shoo them away?" Sipping the aromatic liquid, Manoj kept the mug back on the table.

"Fortunately, a girl came to my rescue, shooing those girls away." Karthik's sulking face long gone replaced with a smile.

"Oh, really? Now who is that girl who helped you instead of joining the crowd." Manoj slid the guitar band over his shoulder and repetitively strummed the open E chord.

"I don't remember her name but you have spoked about her before"

"Me? Hmm... I don't talk much about girls, if I do then it must be either Elizabeth, Kim, Emma, _"

"She is an Indian"

"I supposed its Anuradha then" Karthik nodded in respond

"Yeah, she is the one"

-*-*-*-*-

The faded melodious tune swimed to her sleeping soul, waking her up in the best way possible. She smiled greeting herself a 'good morning' Anuradha looked out through the parted curtain, the sky shined brightly signifying a good start without the rain.

Anuradha found herself walking to the balcony, mesmerized to the faded tune of the flute and guitar that was coming all the way from the opposite building. The boys hostel.

The corners of her lips curved up "I know this song" she murmured, humming the tune of the famous song. "What a lovely start, it is"

https://youtu.be/OOM1L9eYVl0

It was almost an hour and a half since she woke up, Anuradha was back after her morning routine, she could still hear the faded tune but it was being overpowered by girls from her building, cheering.

'Why won't these girls let those men practice in peace?'

"Shika! Where is that catapult?" Anuradha tapped Shika's leg waking her up.

"What is that?" she asked yawning while rubbing her eyes. "It's inside that drawer" came the reply a while later.

Intending to help, Anuradha scribbled on a piece of paper, crumpled it and aimed the catapult to the only balcony that was opened which was right opposite to hers. Since the distance between the two building isn't much, it was easier for Anuradha to aim.

Manoj spotted Anuradha aiming the catapult to their room, "wait, wait, wait" he yelled, afraid it might be something hard that would hurt them but it was too late to stop her.

The crushed paper hit Karthik's shoulder, he picked it up and flatten the paper. There was a note;

You might know this, but close your door if you don't want to be disturbed by this hooting and cheering.

"Who threw it" he asked walking out to the balcony, gaining waves from the girls. Karthik returned a quick wave and locked the door as said.

"Anuradha. I thought that was a stone or something hard" Manjo walked back and return to his seat.

"It was just a crushed paper, Manoj." Handing the crumpled paper, he peeped out the window.

There she was, her back facing him.

"I was scared thinking if she wanted to break either one of our head"

"And why is that so?" Karthik  asked, turning to face Manoj.

"I heard she once did that to a guy name Christopher"

"No way!" Karthik eyed Manoj waiting for his to break into a laughter, it never came. "She really broke his head?"

"According to the source, they said he had been after her for quite some time asking her out. Frustrated, one day she wanted to put a stop for all the nonsense Christopher was creating. Aimed for his head but it got hit on his cheek bone" Manoj sighed as if he too wanted Christopher's head to bleed.

"And she did not get caught?"

"Nah, no one knew it was her. She managed to keep him away from her and college for one whole week." Karthik was impressed, if it was him, he wouldn't even think of hurting the person physically.

"Oh look, there's no one out there." Manoj peeped through the curtains this time. "She helped you, again. Now we can work in peace." 

"Yes, she did. Wasn't that supposed to be the first thing we should have done, to shut the door," sighed, Karthik brought the flute close to his lips. 

-*-*-*-*-

Kavitha was going around the entire house searching for Anuradha.

"Where have you been?" she questioned Anuradha as soon as she came back from Shark's walk.

"Since when did you start worrying for me?" Anuradha wasn't interested in starting an argument, she ignored Kavitha's stare and walked up to her room with Shark tagging along behind her.

"Why would I worry for you?" huffed Kavitha, walking towards the staircase. "Where is the money?"

"What money?"

"The money that was in the brown briefcase that I brought in yesterday"

"How do I know?"

"It's missing since you left," Kavitha hissed, her eyes burning in rage.

"Mrs. Kavitha Ray, I have much better work to do then taking your money that I'm least interested in" Anuradha could feel the conversation heating up and all she wanted was to end it quick.

"If it wasn't you then where is it?"

It wasn't new that Kavitha misplaces her stuff every time but when it's about money she always been extra careful. A moment of silence passed, Anuradha remembered noticing a similar described briefcase a couple of hours ago.

"I think I know where it is" she dashed up the first floor with Shark running up the stairs with her and Kavitha following behind her.

Not  bothering to knock the door, Anuradha barged into Ajay's room and started searching for the briefcase she had saw earlier.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he yelled.

"Tone down, Ajay," she snapped and continued her ransack and found it hidden under the bed.

"This is the one, isn't it?" Kavitha's face turned red as Ajay stood guilty at the corner of his room.

"Open it" she demanded, handing Kavitha the briefcase.

To Kavitha's surprise, almost half of the money that was in the briefcase was missing. Embarrassed for accusing Anuradha she hang her head down.

"Where is the rest of the money Ajay?" there wasn't even a slight tone of anger in Kavitha's voice. That infuriated Anuradha more, this was what had prompt him to do as he wishes.

Anuradha stood there silently with her arms crossed across her front, waits for the mother-son duo to start their drama.

"I'm sorry, mom. I needed it for my college project I was afraid you might not give as I needed ten thousand"

"Ten thousand??!!!" Anuradha gasped hearing the amount he needed. "Ajay! You are studying for business, for God's sake, don't lie! I can't even name a course that needs TEN THOUSAND POUNDS for a single project!"

"You better stay away from this matter. How do you even know he might not need that much money for his project? You aren't doing the similar course as his, are you?"

Anuradha was done, she didn't want to argue with her mother anymore. "Think mom, think. He is fooling you with his sweet talk and you are falling for it."

"I know what I'm doing." Kavitha snapped at Anuradha and raised her palm, signalling her to be quiet. "Don't try to create a rift between us."

"Whatever, mom. Don't be a dumb." She walked out of the room.

"You should have told me. I would have arranged the money for you" Anuradha heard Kavitha's faded voice as she walked away from the room.

She wasn't sure if her mother was dumb from birth or Ajay's birth had affected her mental health.  

********************

MEET SHARK...

THIS IS MY SHARK & 

THIS is Penfolk aka Kaushi's SHARK... :D  you can choose either one to be Shark. :D

Isn't the flute piece soothing... 

What do you think of Anuradha's attempt on breaking Christopher's head?  

If you liked what you read, then don't forget to hit the star icon and also drop your precious comment. I'm ever ready for critics. :D 

Lots of love,

DEVA.