"Reethi beach's real name is fonimagoodho. But because it's really long and sometimes hard for people to pronounce,they nicknamed it Reethi beach." One of the many tour guides,Alicia Keys,explained as they trudged through the path leading further into the island. "This here is Handhuvaru bar,where you can relax and also enjoy several drinks and spirits. The main bar also serves spirit and cock tails. It all depends on what you want."

Ella wiped away the sweat coating her forehead,with the back of her hand. Gosh,the weather was not in their favour at all. One would think that the island would be cool,being surrounded by the ocean and all,but then it was somehow hot.

They have been walking for two hours straight without any resting and even though the walk was a bit tiring and stressful,Ella enjoyed every minute of it.

They have gone through all of the island and Handhuvaru and the water sport centre was the last stop. From what she had seen so far,Ella concluded that they were truly blessed on this island. They had,literally, everything they could ever want.

From spa center,hot tubs,a diving centre,out door pool with bar,and even a private beach with a lot of privacy. The place was truly beautiful.

The Handhuvaru bar looked really big and lovely. Unlike the first main bar they saw,which was built in a Maldivian way,Handhuvaru bar was made of bricks and marbles. The giant structure had a big sign board with the name,Handhuvaru thirst quenching bar,on it.

Ella suddenly remembered that she was feeling really thirsty. She reached into her bag to take the water bottle she was sure she carried earlier,but was disappointed when she came up empty.

Frowning,she crouched and upturned her bag,dumping all the contents on the floor. A groan escaped her lips when she realised that there was indeed no water bottle in the bag.

"Shit." She muttered.

"What's wrong?" Someone asked from beside her.

Ella tilted her head back to get a clear view of the person. A dark girl with long dark braided hair frowned down at her in worry. The girl looked really pretty and slim. And from the way she was dressed,it was obvious that she was an Indian. The saree and the red dot in the centre of her forehead was a dead giveaway of where she came from. But what surprised Ella was that unlike the other Indians,not that she have met one before,the dark girl was not wearing any jewelry.

"Should I get one of the tour guides?" The girl asked again,when Ella didn't respond.

Elka sighed. "Nope. I forgot my water bottle and funny enough,I am not with any cash."

"Oh." The dark girl reached into her own hand bag and brought out an unopened water bottle. "Here,you can have mine."

Ella shook her head. "If I take yours,then what about you?"

"I have two more."

"Okay."

Ella accepted the bottle. She unscrewed the cap,took huge gulps from it,then screwed the cap on.

"Thank you,miss..."

"Anu. Anushka Sotomayo. And it's Mrs,not miss."

"You are married?"

"Ya. I am here with my Sathish for our honey moon. Plus I am pregnant."

"Wow." Ella took a closer look at Anu,and sure enough there was a little baby bump. "You look young and beautiful."

Anu giggled as if Ella just told her a joke. "I get that every time. I am actually Twenty nine years old."

Ella's jaw dropped open in shock. Her eyes did a quick sweep of Anu's frame. It was really hard to tell that the girl was anything above eighteen years old. Wow,guess people are not always what they look like.

"Ella. That's my name. Congratulations by the way Anu." Ella began to shove her stuff back into her bag. "This is my first time here,I guess same goes for you."

"No. This is my second time." Anu smiled. "What about you? Are you here alone."

"Yes and No." Ella got up with her bag in her; she slipped her arm through the bag whole before settling it on her shoulder. By now,everyone had started moving,so she and Anu joined them too.

"Why,yes and no eh?"

"Yes,because I am not married. And no,because someone I know is here with me."

Anu nodded. They two of them stepped over a fallen palm tree,which still looked fresh, which meant that it just fell recently.

"That person is a male,yes?"

Ella couldn't stop a grin from spreading across her face. Anu was surely intelligent.

"Now I have my answer." Anu tossed the edge of her saree over her shoulder. "If you don't call it prying,do you like him? And if yes,does he know?"

Ella found herself answering even if she didn't want to. Anu was the type of person who would make you want to spill your guts to her without a second thought.

"No,he doesn't." Ella bit her lower lip. "Actually it's a bit complicated."

"Tell me."

Ella explained everything from when she first met William in the cafe in Philly to what happened at the lagoon that morning. By the time she finished,Anu looked deep in thought. Ella waited for her to say something,but when it was obvious that she won't, Ella spoke up.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Anu threw her a side-long glance. "From everything you just said,I can tell you that he likes you. No,he desires you just as you desire him. But you are both just too stubborn to succumb to it. Your friend and sister in-law did a lot already by sending you here,if you want their efforts to pay off,you have to do something too."

"What should I do?"

Anu grinned at her. "Very simple. Let me tell you a secret about Sathish and I. When I met Sathish, he didn't like me at all. In fact we fought every time,driving our families berserk with our constant bickering. But one day,I discovered that I felt something for Sathish, and when I told my older sister,Bulbul, she told me that I loved him,by that time Sathish was engaged about to be married to a girl named Pragya Mehra. I thought of it and thought of it,I didn't decide until it was almost to late. On his wedding day,right when they were about to go round the holy fire the seventh time,I told him the truth, and do you know what happened?"

Ella's face was filled with anticipation and dread. She felt bad for Anu that maybe Sathish would reject her and all,but at the same time she wanted to know what happened. "What?"

"He told me right there and then that he loved me too. Turns out that the wedding was only a ploy to get me to admit my feelings. See? We only need a little pushing at times." Anu wiped her sweaty face with her saree. "It's a common mentality for the world that men should always do the wooing,but then at times, a lady also need to do the same. It's not easy for some guys to walk up to a lady and ask them out you know?"

"So,what you are saying is that I should do the chasing instead?"

"If you want Ella. It's better to love and lost than to have never loved. At times,you need to speak your mind to the person, maybe a little pushing is all that person needs."

"Thank you." Ella scratched her head. "I would think about it."

"You should. I stay in villa 53,over the lagoon. If you want anything,come there okay?"

"Okay."

Anu craned her neck as if searching for someone,Ella watch a loving smile spread over her face when a man with facial hair,dressed in jeans and flannel shirt,emerge from somewhere in the crowd,with the same smile on his face when he saw Anu.

"Sathish." Anu beamed at him,when he fell into step beside them.

"Priy, how are you? You look exhausted,do you want to rest? Do you need anything to eat?" Sathish inquired as he slung his arm over her shoulder to pull her closer.

Anu rolled her eyes. "I am fine Sathish. Meet my new friend Ella. Ella, my Priy,Sathish."

"Nice to meet you,Sathish." Ella gave him a small smile. Jealousy chewed away inside her at the way Sathish was behaving with his wife. One would wish to be in a relationship once they meet this two.

"Nice to meet you Ella. Any friend of my Priy is also my friend."

"What's Priy?"

"Sweetheart. Sathish, I am a bit tired." Anu winked at Ella,as if saying 'watch him' .

"What?" Sathish stopped walking long enough to scoop Anu into his arms making her squeal.

Few people looked their way,but they smiled knowingly while murmuring between their selves.

"Excuse us Ella,but I think I need to tell the tour guides that we need to rest for a bit." Sathish didn't wait for her reply before marching off to the front with a smirking Anu on his arm.

Ella shook her head with a smile playing on her lips. Anu was a really nice person. She actually made another friend today. Which reminds her that she needed to call Cassie.

Concluding that she would do it later,she marched off to the water centre,thinking about what Anu said all the way.

Is it really right for a lady to chase after a guy?