"Here comes my dream boy."

She heard her friend, Samantha. Arunai ignored her and continued scribbling her notes. But could not ignore the way Professor Rai was shouting at Hemanth.

"Bring your father tomorrow, or else I would not let you enter my class."

She raised her head, only to see his reaction to the yelling. But all she could find was Ignorance.

"Why boys are so ignorant?" She asked to herself, but could not guess the answer.

Hemanth sat behind the studious Arunai's bench, beside his friend Vishnu. Now she was feeling little, actually very, conscious of herself.

"Oh My God! He sat just behind us." Exclaimed over-dramatic Samantha.

"He doesn't know that your empty brain has enough space for him to sit." She tried to sound funny, which she failed.

"His place is in my heart, not my brain," Samantha stated dramatically.

"Just say, you don't have a brain." Samantha made a face at Arunai's comment.

"Excuse me." Both the girls heard him and felt goosebumps in their bodies. Samantha turned around.

"Yes please." With a sweet yet silly smile.

"Can you please give me an extra pen?"

Samantha excitedly nodded but didn't have one so she took Arunai's and gave it to him.

"Thanks."

"Your most welcome."

Arunai glared at Samantha.
"Aru, a pen is more precious to you than your best friend?" With a fake hurt expression.

"Sam, to be honest, a pen is more useful than you."

Samantha didn't mind it at all, because she had heard such comments millions of times from her bookworm friend. She focused more on the person who was sitting behind her. While Arunai engrossed herself in her studies. That's a different thing, a little part of her big brain was side by side focusing on Hemanth too.

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

Arunai was reading "Hamlet" while eating potato chips in the canteen. Samantha was sitting beside her and staring at Hemanth, who was sitting a few feet away with his friend, Vishnu.

"He is so hot."

"And you are so dumb."

Samantha looked at Arunai.

"I am not dumb. I am mad, for him."

"Sam, you are mad since your birth. Don't blame him."

"Aru, I am seriously serious."

"Good for you."

"Please help me."

"Do your assignments yourself."

"Dumbo, I am not talking about assignments. I am talking about him."

"Am I his mother, who will fix your marriage with him?"

"No, but you are a friend who should support me."

"Sam, I supported you in night-outs. I supported you in drinking beer. I supported you in watching those mature movies. But I am not gonna support you here."

"I knew you are not my true friend."

"Stop your melodrama, or else I am gonna call Maria aunty right now and then you have to go back to your home."

Samantha got quiet, but not before singing few lines of,

"Dost dost naa raha.
Pyar bhi pyar naa raha."

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

"Aru, please help me to impress him." Since the previous day, Arunai was bearing Samantha's stupid pleadings. She was continuously asking her to stop, but hitting your head on a wall will only hurt your head, not the wall.

At the blackboard, Professor Rai was giving his lecture, which worked as a lullaby for most of the students.

Hemanth entered the class.

"Look, who is here? Our brilliant student Hemanth Kannan."

Hemanth rolled his eyes.

"Mr. Kannan, where is your father?"

"At his office."

A few students were about to laugh, but Professor's angry look stopped them from doing so.

"Get out of my class!"

Hemanth exited with irritation and anger evident on his face.

"I am gonna kill this old folk. He insulted the apple of my eye."

Samantha continued blabbering colorful words for the professor in the whole lecture.

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

Finally, the lecture ended. Professor Rai went for the next lecture. The students who were sleeping silently at the last benches woke up. Bored atmosphere overturned into a relieved one.

Arunai and Samantha exited the classroom.
"He must be very sad for the way the professor insulted him."

Samantha was not the one who would leave any topic easily, especially when it was related to Hemanth.

"Excuse me."
Both the girls heard him and turned around. Hemanth was standing there with Arunai's pen, which Samantha gave him, in his hand.

"Your pen, Thanks." He handed it to Samantha.

"Oh come on. It was just a mere pen."

"It is not a mere pen. It costs whole twenty rupees." Arunai protested.

"Oh My God! Does it cost twenty rupees? We could have bought the Taj Mahal at this price. Am I right, Aru?"

Samantha said in a funny tone. Arunai frowned but kept quiet.

Hemanth was amused at these girls' drama and left with a smile plastered on his face.

"Aru, can I keep this pen?"

"Why?"

"Because he used it."

And now it was the boiling point of an acid called Arunai Reddy.

"Just go to hell, you, your Hemanth, and this pen."

"My Hemanth! It sounds so romantic."

But the one in front of her was the Queen of bases, this acid could not affect her.

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

Samantha's obsession for Hemanth was increasing day by day. And she was eating out Arunai's mind with her hopelessly romantic yet stupid talks.

"Why don't you just propose him?"
Arunai spoke in frustration and left the canteen. Samantha too followed her.

"But what if he refused?"

"Whatever it will be, but it will be better than your unrequited love."

Samantha thought about it. And now she was practicing for a long speech of proposal which she copied from the Internet.

"Sam, you are seriously planning to propose him?"
Arunai entered her hostel room, which she shared with Samantha.

"Yes, as you said it will be better than my unrequited love. And you know what, I am even imagining me and him dancing on "A Thousand Years" at the eve of Valentine's day."

"Sam, you are impossible."

"Impossible is my middle name, buddy."

"I am well aware of that."

**********

It was the evening of Valentine's day. All the students were dressed in black and red. Arunai and Samantha, the beauties in red, we're sitting in a corner and observing everyone.

"Where is he?" Samantha asked.

"Maybe at mars."

"Come on, Aru. I am going to propose him tonight."

"That I know."

"And for that, I need to know where he is."

At the same time, Hemanth appeared in a crowd of rolling bodies at the dance floor, just silently standing there among his other friends.

"There he is." Arunai pointed in his direction.

Samantha looked at him.
"Should I go?"

"Of course."

Samantha walked to the dance floor. Her eyes were glued to him. Finally, she was going to propose to her crush for the last two years.

She was about to call his name when someone tapped at her shoulder. She turned around and the very next moment Vishnu bent on his one knee in front of her, a small box in his hand and a nervous smile on his face.

"Miss Samantha D'cruz, I am in love with the girl whom you see every day in the mirror. I am in love with the girl whom you call "yourself". I am in love with the girl who shares the same soul as yours. I am in love with you. Will you accept me, not as a lover, but as an admirer of yours?"

Samantha just forgot everything. The way Vishnu described his feelings, directly reached her heart. However, she was not ready to accept this proposal. But Vishnu's eyes were reflecting endless love for her. Her answer was neither a "Yes" nor a "No", it was fifty-fifty.

Everyone was shouting,
"SAY YES!"

Arunai was like "Oh My God!"

She was wondering what would be Samantha's answer. Even Hemanth was shouting in the crowd to accept his best friend's proposal.

"What about Flirtationship?"

Everyone, including Vishnu, had a big question mark on their faces.

"What is this?" He asked out of confusion.

"More than friendship, less than love."

"You mean something like Half-girlfriend?"

"You can say that."

Vishnu was confused, and still on his knee.

"I am ready!" He grinned and took out a beautiful ring from the small box he was holding. And slid the ring in her finger.

Just a few minutes ago, Samantha was about to propose to Hemanth and now she happily accepted his best friend's proposal.

***********

Arunai was laughing like a hyena back to their hostel. Samantha was getting offended but her shouts were only increasing her laughs. Even the weird looks from people did not affect Arunai.

Finally, they entered their room.
"Aru, stop laughing at me."

"I am not laughing at you, I am laughing at destiny. And what was that? Flirtationship?"

Samantha, annoyed by her friend's laughter, went to change into her nightsuit. When she came out after good fifteen minutes, Arunai was lying at her single bed, still in the red dress. Samantha laid on the other single bed.

"Sam, what about Hemanth now?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was just a mere crush, nothing else."

"Finally you understood."

"Life is so weird, yaar."

"Not more than you." And her laughing session re-continued.

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

Arunai was upset that day. She was dressed in a white Kurti.

"Sam, I will come back by the evening. Don't get worried if I don't reach you on time. I am going to a town four hours away from the city."

"Oh, tonight I am going on a date with Vishnu."

"That's nice."

"But your sad mood has saddened me as well."

"I am not sad, the only thing is just that this day reminds me of what I had suffered and how God saved me at the last moment."

For the second time in her life, Samantha got emotional. The first time was a year ago when she got to know that Arunai had heart disease in her teenage.

Arunai was grateful but in grief. And that grief could not vanish.

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

She finally reached "her" home for commemoration. Everyone was wearing white clothes. All of them were sad, no one could forget her.

She entered the hall, where a big portrait of that lady was placed. She bent down on her knees, joined her hands, and thanked her for what "she" did for her.

Then she went to meet her family. Her husband, who was of Arunai's father's age. Her daughter, who would be a few years elder than Arunai. Her mother-in-law, who was like Arunai's own granny.

But suddenly Hemanth appeared with her family.
Her husband introduced him.
"He is my and Chitra's son Hemanth."

Arunai was surprised, the same was Hemanth. But they held their curiosity, it was not the time to make connections.

After the Puja, the Kannan family went to distribute food to the poor, for donation in orphanages and old age homes. Arunai accompanied them everywhere and helped them in work too. Because it was her duty towards the lady who was the reason she was still alive.

By the evening everything was done.
"Beta, how will you go back?"

"Uncle, I will take a bus."

"No, it is unsafe. Hemanth is also going to the city, he will drop you at your place."

Like that Hemanth and Arunai started their four-hour-long journey to the city. The car was filled with an awkward silence for the first half an hour. But then Hemanth decided to end this silence.

"So your full name is Arunai Reddy?" He asked although it was very clear.

She nodded.

"I could not even imagine you would have survived a heart disease at such young age, that too for a whole five-year-long period."

She smiled sadly.
"I don't even remember if I ever had heart disease. I only remember that a kind-hearted lady saved my life."

"Amma was just like that. Even during her last breathes she donated her heart to save you. I am proud of her."

"Me too. Chitra aunty was an angel."

He looked at her.
"Do you know, your presence makes me feel like Amma is present near me. Now I understood why it happens. Because you have her heart."

"Why our path did not cross at your home in the last two years?"

"Two years ago I fainted due to trauma. And last year I had locked myself in my room."

"You were very attached to her?"

"Of course, she was my mother. I could not imagine my life without her. Only I know how I am living without her for the last two years."

"But you said that my presence reminds you of her?"

"But you are not always present closer to me. When I sit behind your bench, I feel like Amma is sitting in front of me. But when you exit the classroom, I feel like I lost my will to live."

Arunai did not have a reply. They kept quiet for the rest of the journey.

When she reached her hostel, it was midnight. Samantha was sleeping with a smile playing on her lips, of course, it was her date on that evening.

Arunai took a quick shower and laid down on her bed. But sleep was miles away from her eyes. She was thinking about him, his pain.

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

The next morning, like every normal day Hemanth was late for Prof. Rai's class.

"Mr. Kannan, why did you even come to my class? You are not even a bit serious about studies."

That day Prof. Rai let him sit in the class. He knew he was not going to be affected by his harsh words.

When Hemanth moved to his seat, he was quite surprised. Vishnu was sitting with Samantha, and Arunai was sitting behind them, where he and Vishnu used to sit regularly. He sat down beside her and was happy to be exact.

Arunai and Hemanth took a glance at each other.

"Thanks for sitting with me."

Arunai blushed at his words unknowingly.

"You look cute when you blush." He complimented her.

"Not more than you." She tried to say that he was also blushing, which he understood.

It was a bit awkward. Because both of them knew, what was blooming, was something more than just an attraction. Not love, but "almost" love.

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

It's been a year, something has changed. Hemanth was now more serious about his studies, career, and future. Shockingly, he was now Prof. Rai's favorite student. It happened because he found what he longed for. He found a companion, Arunai was her companion. And he was going to propose to her on the evening of Valentine's day.

Exactly a year ago, Samantha was going to propose Hemanth, but before she could do so, Vishnu proposed to her. Now Samantha and Vishnu were damn serious about their relationship.

Let's just hope the same doesn't happen with Hemanth.

Hemanth was excited yet nervous. He took a deep breath and walked to her, who was standing in a dim corner. He was about to call her name but someone else called her.

Arunai looked at the guy who called her name and the very next moment he was bent on his knee and had a rose in his hand.

"Will you be my Valentine, for the rest of my life?"

Hemanth boiled up with anger. He had a deadly look on his face and his eyes turned murderous.

Arunai was silent, it was complicated for her to reject someone's proposal in front of hundreds of people. She did not want to insult that guy.

Her silence fuelled the fire inside Hemanth. He forcefully held her wrist and took her outside for a serious talk.

"Hemanth, leave me."

"Never."

"I was going to reject his proposal." She knew the reason behind his anger.

"Then why you were silent for so long?"

"Because it's hard to reject someone in front of a crowd."

"I don't care. You just......... go to hell!" He handed her a small box and went away.

She was upset with his reaction. She knew he had feelings for her, but his outburst was unexpected.

She opened that box and there was a beautiful ring inside it, with the initials A&H embedded on it.

"He was going to propose me." Realization dawned upon her.

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

"Sam, please help me. I want to meet him right now."

"But Aru, girls are not allowed to enter in the boys' hostel. And it's midnight."

"I don't care, I will meet him tonight."

Samantha had to do something, or else Arunai would not let her sleep peacefully for many nights.

Both the girls went to the backyard of the boys' hostel after climbing from the wall. Samantha arranged a ladder by giving money to the watchman of the girls' hostel. With the help of the ladder,, Arunai climbed to the small balcony of Hemanth's room.

The balcony was separated from the room by a single curtain. She entered inside to find him lying on the floor in an uncomfortable position.

She shook his shoulder to wake him up.
"Hemanth, Hemanth."

"Hmm?" He opened his eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
He shifted into a sitting position.

"First you tell me why are you sleeping on the floor?"

"I was..... crying and slept on the floor unknowingly. Now tell me why are you here?"

A shy smile made its way to her face. She showed him her hand, she was wearing that ring on her finger.

He looked at it with adoration. He held her both hands and his eyes directly looked into her heart through her eyes.

"Arunai, I am terrible at expressing my feelings to others. But with you, it's the opposite. My feelings are like an open book to you. You know what is going on in my heart. So I am not going to speak those boring "Shah Rukh Khan" dialogues."

She chuckled at his words.

"I love you because you are the girl who has my Amma's heart. I love you because after my Amma only you could reach my heart and soul. I love you because you are what I need and long for."

He cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears. She hugged him, putting her head on his heart.

"You are my heart and with you I am HEARTLESS." These lines were spoken from bottom of her heart.

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

Just like that, a new journey began. Their life was not happily-ever-after. There will be obstacles that will make their bond stronger.

He was in love with the girl who had his mother's heart.

He was her heart and without him she was HEARTLESS.

THE END