Author's Note :

So guys, as from this chapter the Coimbatore sequence begins, there might be many characters coming and going in between (as relatives and family friends) who are not mentioned in the "Characters and Introduction" of this book, so don't get yourself confused. They may not appear in the story after this sequence. Thank you :)

"Sreedevi and her mom"

Sreedevi

No idea what this 5 days has in store for me. Sigh.

My mom keeps staring me as I stir the juice. I tilt my head and stared her back with a straight face. She sighs dramatically and pours the juice in the glasses. I wonder what drama is she trying to pull. She keeps a disappointed face and I cant help but ask what's wrong with her.

"Aanalum unak ivlo pudivaatham aagathu Devi"

I frown. Its been only 15 minutes I have entered to this house and I wonder what have I done.

"Ennathu?" I ask almost confused.

"Kalyanam aagi ondra varsham aachu... Inga varanu.. Amma appa va paakanu nu unak konjo kooda oru ennam illa.. Atha vidu.. Oru kozhantha pethukalam nu kooda unak thonala"

I roll my eyes hard.

"Arambichitiya? Naa vanthu ara mann neram kooda aagala.. Athukulla aarambichitya?"

"Pinna enna devi? Engaluk ore ponnu nee thane.. Unna pathi engaluk kavala irukatha? Kavitha epovume kooptu ore azhuga thaa peran pethi paaka aasaya irukku nu.. Ana unak atha pathilam kavala illa.. Enak nallave theriyu Devi unnoda pidivathathunala thaa unak innum kozhantha undagala nu"

Though her words turn daggers that prick my heart, I know I am not like what she thinks and I dont really care what she thinks of me. Controlling the tears that threatened to brim, I move out of the kitchen with the juice. My mom scoffs behind me.

Appa and Ajay are sitting on the couch and talking while I give the juice to them and take one for myself. Ajay frowns at my dull face but I fake a smile at him.

"Apro enna da panuvinga?" Dad asks Ajay.

"Illa Uncle athellam namma company innocent thaan nu prove panniduvom... Actual ah Intha one month close panirkrathu la kooda etho politics lam irukku.. Namma ithula elam thala idurath illa.. One month salary kudukrangala leave vutrukangala.. Enjoy panna vendiyath thaan" Ajay says.

My mind wandered to the day he lost the job. How he was washing the plates with a thud and how he was screaming at people whoever called him that day. I laugh in my mind and Ajay looks at me and squints his eyes catching my mind.

"Yen da jay.. Unak un amma vuk oru phone panni aachu pesalam la da? Ipo 2 varama summa thane irukka?? Ava epovume complaint pannuva nee koopdave matingra nu" My mom says.

"Illa aunty-"

"Athepdi.. Avuruk akka kooda romance pannave time seriya irukume Chithi.." Vinay, My periappa's younger son says coming from upstairs.

Ajay and I share an eyelock and avert immediately.

If only they know!

"Vinay? epdi irukka?" Ajay hugs his shoulder as he settles beside him on the couch.

"Naa nalla iruken Mams.. Akka epdi iruka?" Vinay asks me.

"Nalla iruken da.. " I smile softly.

"Seri sapduringala? Naanga ellam saptom" Mom asks me and Ajay.

"Illa aunty naanga saptom... Devi nee sapudriya?" Ajay asks.

"Illa ma.." I shake my head.

"Train la konjam thane ma sapta?"

"Illa enak pasikala..." I assure him and gets up from the couch.

Vinay and Ajay helps me to get our luggages to my room in the first floor and my mom follows me to the room. Ajay kept the luggage inside and went downstairs to help Vinay with the other one.

"Amma nethu thaa inga sutham pannen" my mom said.

I just nodded looking around and unpacking my luggage.

"Enna intha vaati sanda ethuvum illa pola?" My moms looks between the door and me.

"Sanda ya?" I frown at her.

"Ama illa na eppo inga vanthalum avan kooda oru sanda potu thane varuva?"

Oh yes. All the times we have came here, Ajay and I remain the same how we are. We don't talk to each other like how we used to be. My parents and others misunderstood that we were on a fight and when my mom asked me, I said that we had a silly fight and we would be okay when we go back.

"Sanda ellam podala" I said picking a comfortable dress from the bag.

"Hmm"

Ajay enters the room with the other suitcase and smile at my mom. She smiles back at him and exits the room. Ajay locked the door and plopped on the bed sighing. I removed the hair clip and let my hair flow before combing it with my fingers collecting all the falling hair. Ajay props on his elbow and smiles at me. I faked a smile again.

All about this house and my mom is not giving a good feeling for me. I was peaceful back at Chennai without any dramas but not here! It has not even been less than an hour since I reached here, but the environment here is already affecting my peace. Ajay frowns  yet again and sits up slowly examining my face. I turn around to the mirror and roll my hair into a bun.

"Devi ennachu? Yen oru maari irukka?" He asks getting up from the bed and walking towards the mirror attached to the almirah.

"Nalla thane iruken" I try to sound good but my voice showed how awful I was.

He leaned his shoulder on the almirah and crossed his arms against his chest pressing his lips into a thin giving a 'I know you are lying look'.

I sighed.

"Ajay.... I am fine... Just tired ah iruken.. Nee nalla thoongita... Naa thaan thoongave illa"

"Hmm" he nods "Apo rest edu.. Naa keezha poren" he tries to walk away but I caught his wrist.

"Parava illa ingaye irunga..." I said and his eyes softened. A mild smile crept his face. He moved a bit closer to me.

"Illa ma nee thoongu..Naa disturb pannala"

"Neeyu thoongu" I don't know why I am pestering him to stay with me.

"Seri poyi change pannit vaa" he looks down at my attire.

I nod my head and pick up the clothes and towel and walk to the bathroom attached to my room.

I strip off and stand under the shower letting the fresh water flow down my body.

"You are everything devi. In my eyes, you are the only person who is everything and who deserves everything"

A blush crept my face reminscing his words. Although all my crush feelings I had for him died deep down in my heart, his words did warmed my heart making all those animals erupt from under my stomach.

I am not sure if he said all that so that I wont overthink that he is still in love with that girl or if he is feeling the same way I do. But if he doesn't feel the same, I don't want to feel it either because I am tired of having feelings for someone who doesn't reciprocate it.

I don't want it to be me always.

I scrub my body with the soap and wash it off. I wipe my body with the towel and put on my clothes. I feel so refreshed and now I should get some sleep. I walk out of the bathroom and find Ajay scrolling his mobile phone. He smiles at me, closes his phone, grabs a towel and walk towards me.

"Nee thoongu naa fresh aagit varen" he says and disappeared inside the bathroom. This is probably the first time he is using the same washroom that I used. It used to be different washroom always even if we slept in the same room.

I laid on the bed and tried to sleep but my mom's words kept ringing in my ears.

Enak nallave theriyu Devi unnoda pidivathathunala thaa unak innum kozhantha undagala nu

I don't understand why my mom always find fault in me. She thinks for some or the other reason, I am the one who is denying to have a child while Ajay is yearning for it. If only they knew that we haven't even started our life yet. We have never cared about it though.

Never cared about having sex precisely. To be frank, we aren't that horny. Sex is not the ultimate thing we want in our life. We had other things to do in our life.

My eyes are closed but I couldn't sleep. I  wanted to sleep so that I could forget her words and my worries about the five days I am going to be here but sleep doesn't want me it seems. Maybe my overthinking mind got possessive over me and might have chased sleep away just like how Ajay want to chase John sir.

The space behind me sinks and I realise Ajay has laid beside me. His breath hit my cheeks as he peeks to check if I am sleeping. I open my eyes and tilt my head slightly. He moves back giving space between our faces and smile at me.

"Thoongu Devi ma" he whispers and lay on the bed on his back. He covers us with a quilt.

I smile to myself and decide to sleep. These five days would really be hard for me. It is just a start I know. Everybody except my dad is going to hurt me stating this. I should be more strong to deal all these as I really dont want to breakdown. Atleast not infront of Ajay. I don't want to show him how weak I am.

I don't want him to look at me with digust as I am not a strong person unlike I appear.

-

Hey guys,

Don't worry about Sreedevi, I will take care of her

Or Maybe Ajay would🤷🏻‍♀️