Karthik had been immensely quiet for the past three days and had been away spending his time alone after classes. Karthik never missed any of his extra-curricular activities especially music but he had been missing those these last few days.

Manoj was more than worried for Karthik who wasn't turning up for their Music Club activities. "Is he sick or what?" Manoj mumbled his way to Karthik's room.

"Karthik!" Manoj knocked the door, no responds. "Karthik!" he called again pounding the door harder.

"Quit it, Manoj" Karthik yelled before opening the door for him.

In an instant, Manoj checked Karthik's temperature by putting the back of his palm on Karthik's forehead. "You seem to be alright, then why aren't you attending the club activities."

"Not interested" Karthik shrugged and dropped himself on the bed.

"Not interested? What is wrong with you? You never skip any classes before especially if its music and now, why?" Manoj sat on the small chair next to the bed.

"I don't like to attend any meeting of the Music Club" Karthik's voice muffled, as he spoke burying his face in his pillow.

"Why?" Manoj was startle to hear that from him.

"There is this particular group of girls isn't letting me be in peace. They are following almost everywhere I go except during classes." Karthik said without lifting his head from the pillow.

"You can't stop coming because the entire girls in the college following you, right."

"Are you mad, Manoj? I'm not a celebrity for the entire college girls to follow me, its that one specific group of girls that are disturbing me." Getting up from the bed, Karthik pace back and forth in his room.

"Ohhh, I think I know them. They were six to seven new girls who were in the club that seems to not go along in the committee members. I guess it must be them. So, you are basically hiding out from them"

There wasn't any need of responds as that was the reason why he wasn't going anywhere after classes and tried not to attend any of the club's activity.

"Didn't I told you to say 'No, I'm busy' sort of answer?"

"Do you think that I wouldn't have said that to avoid them?" Karthik walked to the small balcony.

The view of the opposite balcony reminded him of how Anuradha helped him that weekend, his lips curled up.

"Hmm... so, are you going to continue hiding throughout the semester?" Manoj joined him on the balcony, leaning his back on the railing.

"I don't know, whenever I think of help my mind goes straight to Radha. As if she will help me out in this girls' matter."

"What makes you think that she will help you?"

Manoj's question reminded Karthik of how spontaneously Anuradha played along with him the other day agreeing that she was his girlfriend and freeing him from those four girls. The girls too never came back chasing him after that day.

"So, Anuradha actually helped you. She said you both were in relationship. Wow... I never knew anyone would play along saying that. Alright, what's the plan? You can't be sitting here hiding from them all long."

"I'm thinking of a plan too, I guess that's what I'm going to work on."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

On the other hand, Anuradha had indulged herself in preparing for the Theatre Play Intercollegiate Competition that consist of five rounds before the champion will be announced.

"Anu, we have another month before the competition starts and we have five plays to rehearse. Do you think we have enough time?" Shika asked as she went through the scripts Anuradha prepared to show their lecturer who is in charge of the club.

"I hope so." Anuradha ran her finger through her long dark hair trying to figure out how to schedule their rehearsal time without clashing with their classes.

"Anuradha" Mrs. Gracie called her, breaking her from her train of thoughts. "What do you have prepared for the competition? I hope you have prepared well according to the categories," Mrs. Gracie giggled as she flips the pages one by one.

"Emma..., The Glass Castle...," Mrs. Gracie's eyes were opened wide as she read the next title, "Ohh, Dracula. This is an interesting pick and needs a lot of rehearsals." She commented.

"Yes Mrs. Gracie, I'm aware of that. We will only proceed with that play if there is green signal from you" said Anuradha.

"You have included some Indian mythological scripts too. Perfect! Every script is perfect for you and your committee to play. I suggest you to discuss every scene with them and concluded which five you will like to proceed. I will then assist, on the play" Mrs. Gracie got up from her seat and paced to the door.

"All the best in selecting the scripts, Anuradha. You have a bigger responsibility now" said that she left them with the club members.

Anuradha took a deep breath before turning to her forty-four members and begin explaining each script scene by scene in detail.

She expected to finish narrating the script in three hours but with more number of new members, the doubts too were more and that took whole lot of time.

Three hours passed, checking her watch Anuradha didn't want to proceed anymore. "We will continue the rest of the scripts tomorrow but please be here by two o'clock so, we can finish this and kick start our rehearsals."

Moving in through the crowd that was leaving the lecture hall, Christopher squeezed in and managed to enter without getting crushed.

"Butterfly!" he sat on the table next to Anuradha and snatched the scripts off her hands. "What's the script like this semester?" he mumbled.

"Hmm... can I play Dracula this time?" he asked with beaming smile.

"Why play, you are by default a Dracula" Anuradha said as she controlled her laugh.

"Exactly" Shika joined in.

"Then Dracula, I am and you play Ms. Lucy." Christopher said as he hit her head with the paper script.

"I will play, Mina." Shika selected her sole.

"Err... stop it Christopher or I will break your head for sure this time." Anuradha growled pushing his hand away.

"Be my first victim, Lucy" Christopher said in a faint tone leaning in.

"Shut up, Chris"

"And I will hunt you down, Dracula"  Shika said.

Anuradha looked puzzled at both of them as they were almost in the character, she shook her head.

"Go and rehearse far away otherwise I have to pretend to sleep walk" she said waving her hands.

They both obliged and went to back of the lecture room not so far from Anuradha. She was again going through the scripts and reading them one by one.

"Are you guys sure about that script?" She asked pointing at the script in Christopher's hand. They nodded a yes.

"Radha?" She turned to the door to see Karthik, Cameron and Manoj at the doorway.

"Hey, guys. What brought you here?" The other two who were discussing about the script came forward.

"Karthik here needs help" Cameron spoke as five of them surrounded Anuradha's table.

Along with Anuradha, Shika and Christopher too looked curious as they waited for one of them to speak again.

"Okay, what help?" She finally asked.

"Be my girlfriend" Karthik blurted. 

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

Well, don't you think Karthik  'told' her to be his girlfriend instead of 'ask' her to be his girlfriend?

What do you think Anuradha would say?

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