"Welcome to the airways, sir! Your seat number is 25, please move straight right."

Rithick didn't react.

"Welcome to the airways. Your seat number is 26. Please move straight right."

Neethu smiled before moving towards Rithick, who took the window seat, 25.

Neethu by noticing his suit, thought he was probably a businessman. She decided to call him sir.

Neethu asked, "Sir, can I have the window seat? My seat number is 26, next to you."

Oh my God! What the hell? I can't sit near a girl, he grumbled to himself and got away from his seat.

Neethu was very happy to have the window seat and took the seat immediately. "Thank you, sir! Why are you standing?"

He blinked. He wanted to get off from the flight immediately.

"The flight is ready for take off, sir. Please take your seat."

Rithick hesitated before sitting near Neethu.

He rested his head on the back of the seat and closed his eyes. How could he pass an hour and a half? He felt uncomfortable. This was the first time in years that he was sitting near a young girl.

Neethu observed his anxious face. "Sir, what happened? Are you worrying about your family?"

Rithick didn't open his eyes.

Neethu said, "Sir, listen to me. There is nothing to worry about. Our intellect is responsible for everything. Always have a smile on your face. Feel free and cool."

What? An advice from a girl? This was her limit. Rithick opened his eyes and glared at her.

Neethu said, "Sir, do you want to see my face smiling or with tears?" Her eyes held an innocent look.

He was stunned.

"Sir, this is the first time I am leaving my family and friends for pursuing my higher studies. If I remain quiet, I can remember those happiest moments I have experienced. I miss them badly," she said whole-heartedly.

He was struck by her words because he was dealing with the same situation as hers. He was actually not in a mood to curse her.

She was puzzled. Why was he not responding? Maybe he was dumb.

"Oh God! Why am I thinking like this?" she murmured. She decided to check out whether he was dumb or not.

"I am Neethu, what's your name?"

She was shocked as there was no response from him. He was looking at her with fixed eyes. "Sir! I feel really sorry for you... you can't utter a word. Don't worry about it. I hope you can hear me."

How dare she? She thinks of me as a dumb person? I was just struck by your words, Rithick thought. But he found the situation funny and smiled a bit.

By seeing him smile, her eyes brightened. "Sir, always have this smile on your face."

"I have lots of info to share with you, sir. Can you bear with me?"

He smiled. Ah! This girl is interesting! Hey! Are you Rithick? Unbelievable man, he thought.

"Let me introduce myself," Neethu said.

He stared at her.

"Of course! You know my name. My dad is a teacher and my mom is a housewife. My parents permitted me to fly beyond my dream... that is the reason I am here now. My younger sister is named Geethu. This was about my family," she said without pausing.

"Well! I have lots of friends in my hometown. Every weekend we used to play many games, especially hide and seek. It was one of my favourite games."

"What? Hide and seek! I played that with my cousin, Rahul during childhood, his mind voiced.

He gazed at her and wondered, "How could a girl be childlike even when she was grown up?" He is 25, till now there was no place for girls in his life. How had she made him mesmerized? He couldn't take his eyes off her.

Neethu continued, "Sir! Do you want to know about my hobbies?"

He nodded instantly.

"Sir, my dream is to build an orphanage as soon as I have settled down in my life." Rithick admired her thought and felt proud of his dad (there were five orphanages in his name). Each and every word made Neethu closer to him.

She then described her likes. "Singing is my passion. Do you want to hear something?" she asked with excitement. He nodded with a smile.

She cleared her throat and sang, 'Oh! My friend! My secret friend!

Oh! Friend! Listen to my small, small wishes...

This same way of embarrassing me!

This same way of being close to me!

I want this, till the end of our life

Oh! My friend! My secret friend!'

The lyrics made him feel the situation. He was mesmerized, each and every word seemed to be new. Though he had heard the song many times before, he was melted by her voice.

He was bid to appraise her but by knowingly or unknowingly, she thought of him as a dumb person. If she knew that he was just acting, she might be vexed. The situation made him dumb in front of her. He didn't want to miss her in his life.

Oh, God! Come on, Rithick! There was no mistake from your side. She misunderstood you, that's it. You changed your attributes to make her happy. If you showed your usual awkwardness, she might be in distress, he consoled himself.

"Sir, did you like my song?" she asked enthusiastically.

He nodded his head and with a smile, gave her thumbs up.

"Ah! Thank youuuu!" she said with full energy with cheered up eyes.

They both looked each other often without any conversation.

"Well, come on, sir! I can't sit without talking," she uttered.

Rithick was amazed at how she could talk without stopping, even when there was no response from his side.

"Sir, do you know? My Favourite hero is Prabhas and heroine is Anushka Shetty. Have you watched 'Bahubali'?" she enquired like a child.

He nodded. She then moved closer and asked with a low-pitched voice, "Why did Kattappaa kill Bahubali?"

He couldn't control himself and burst out with laughter. Her question was like a child talking to her father. She giggled as well.

The flight had safely landed at the destined place. The passengers from the flight were getting off, except Rithick and Neethu. They were requested again to get off from the flight.

Both of them came out from their dazed states. Rithick wondered how the flight had reached the destined place within a fraction of seconds! They took their respective baggages and got off.

Rithick and Neethu stared at each other. Rithick felt that they wouldn't be seeing each other again.

Neethu said, "Sir, I am grateful to you. You have spent your time with me patiently. I have enjoyed my moments with you. I felt warmth, same as that of my family. If I hurt you in any means, I'm extremely sorry for it. Bye. Take care."

She walked about three steps and paused, turned her neck slowly to see him. He walked straight ahead without looking her.

"Sir!" she yelled. She almost ran towards him.

He turned and noticed her pink cheeks. She was breathing heavily.

"Sir, you have made my day memorable. I am going to miss you," she told him with misty eyes.

He was filled with the emotional impact of an overwhelming surprise. He was going to miss her that was sure.

She gave him a withered smile before moving away.

Neethu had felt very close to the young man, who sat near her in the flight. He was very special to her because he was her first friend outside home. She had many friends but he was little different from them.

God! She didn't know anything about him, not even his name. Hopefully, he might be an entrepreneur or businessman. How could she see him again? How could she find him without knowing any details about him?

She had never behaved like this before. He was too different from others. His gentle behaviour and his eyes had captured her. His eyes wanted to say something, but she couldn't understand it.

She didn't know any other place. She had visited this place twice with her dad to complete all the procedures regarding her career.

God! She hadn't informed her parents that she had reached safely. Her phone rang at that time. It was her dad. After conversing with her parents and sister, she moved towards her college hostel.

================================

Dedicated to all my friends those who support me in my first chapter..

Thank you so much Friends for your great support ...I'm excited and happy a lot with your comments and votes...keep on supporting...

Kindly bare with my errors,I'm not good at writing...

Hope you will enjoy....If you like my story kindly vote and comment me,this means a lot to me ..