Pelli chupulu - Matchmaking interview where a prospective groom's family are invited to visit a prospective bride's family to get to know each other. The boy and the girl are given a chance to talk to each other in private for a few minutes.

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"I don't want to go." Vennela clung to Amar's arm.

"Only for a month Vennu." Amar consoled her.

"Why did you agree?"

"You wanted to marry me again. This is how marriages happen. Bride and groom are supposed to stay away till they get married" said Amar. Narayana asked Amar to send Vennela to his mansion where she would stay till the wedding. Amar agreed despite knowing that he won't be able to stay away from her for that long.

"I just wanted a simple ceremony in our living room this weekend. I didn't ask for a grand wedding." Vennela pouted.

"Simple ceremony? Our families will never let anything be simple." Amar smiled. "I will come and meet you whenever you ask me to. Moreover, we work in the same floor now. You can see me more often."

Vennela nodded. She embraced him and slept. The next morning, she left for her grandfather's mansion. "Take care of Amar attayya garu. Don't let him eat ice creams." She told Shambhavi before leaving.

Amar missed her very badly. They met in office, several times. He roamed around in office wishing good morning, good afternoon and good evening to all the members of his team, just to get a glimpse of her. He had to command every bit of self-control, to stop himself from pulling her into a hug. His only consolation was that they were going to meet that Saturday for pelli chupulu.

As instructed by Shambhavi, he reached home by 5.30 pm that Friday. Archana applied homemade face pack to his face. He felt bored. He had dinner by 8 pm and waited for Vennela's call. But she messaged him that she was busy with the preparations. He felt disappointed.

"Missing her?" asked Bharat.

"It's written on his face" said Anirudh.

"Why don't you go and meet her?" Bharat suggested.

"She's busy helping her family" Amar answered.

"Then meet her in her balcony once everyone in her family sleeps" said Bharat. "That is how I used to meet Shambhavi."

"No you didn't. You are lying" said Anirudh.

"Of course not. We didn't have mobile phones back then. The only way to talk to her is to climb to her balcony using a ladder. You know what? I met her thrice in the girls hostel. That's where we had our first ki--"

"Stop! You are my parents. I should't hear this" Anirudh closed his ears. Amar clapped his hands.

"Your uncle is brave enough to meet his girlfriend in girls hostel. Prove that you share my blood. Go, meet your wife." Bharat encouraged Amar.

"Come with us." Anirudh asked Bharat.

"I'm tired. Besides, your mother will be waiting for me. It has been many days since we have had--"

"No! Not again" Anirudh closed his ears again.

"I was going to say small talk." Bharat gave Anirudh an amused look, while Amar whistled.

"Shall we?" asked Amar.

Anirudh reluctantly agreed. They started the bike. "Why do you need to meet her now? You are going to see her tomorrow."

"Prakash uncle will arrive tomorrow and stay till the wedding. I won't get this chance again. Her grandparents will be asleep by now in the ground floor." Amar explained emphasizing the last part.

"How are we going to get into her room? Where can we find a ladder?" asked Anirudh.

"Who needs a ladder when you have keys to the backdoor?" Amar took out the keys with a smirk.

"You are rocking anna" Anirudh was impressed. They entered the house and climbed the stairs carefully. Just when they congratulated themselves for getting to first floor without getting noticed, they heard a voice. "Caught you."

They turned around to see the twins. "Hello Rishikesh. Hello Rajat. What are you doing here?"

"I believe we are the ones who need to ask this question" said Raj.

"We missed you guys. We love you so much" said Anirudh.

"Really? Then let's go for a long drive" said Rishi.

"Sure" Anirudh spoke before Amar could say no. He glared at Anirudh. Rishi-Raj looked at them and laughed until they had tears in their eyes.

"Okay. She is in the last room to the right. We will stand guard here." Raj told Amar.

"If you see someone coming, sing Twinkle Twinkle little star." Amar and Anirudh left. Amar reached her room. He went inside while Anirudh stood outside. He closed the door.

Vennela was looking at Amar's childhood pictures. "Why look at pictures, when you can look at the person?" said Amar.

Vennela gasped. "Amar, what are you doing here?" She whisper yelled.

"I'm here to flirt with your neighbor" said Amar.

Vennela hugged him. "I missed you. I can't sleep. I missed your warm embrace."

"As far as I remember, Vennela garu can't sleep with a man lying next to her."

"That was several months ago. Now I can't sleep without holding your hand. Look what you have done to me. You have changed me completely." Vennela complained.

"I intend to do a lot more things if you allow" Amar spoke in a husky voice.

"Like what?" asked Vennela.

"Like making a little Vennela." Amar winked at her.

Vennela punched his arm and buried her face into his chest. "Bad boy."

"Keep your voice down. Rudy is standing on the other side of the door" said Amar.

"Really? Let me go and meet him" Vennela stood up.

Amar pulled her. "We are having our special moments. Let him have his, with his special someone." Vennela giggled.

Anirudh was checking his watch every two minutes. He prayed that no one should see him. "Anirudh?" He heard Shruthi's voice.

He turned around and waved at her. "Hi Shruthi. I didn't want to come. He forced me to. He is inside talking to vadina. Please don't tell anyone. Please."

"Relax, I won't. I'm glad you are here."

"You are?"

"Yes. I didn't get a chance to talk to you since the short play. Thank you for being my Prince Charming" She smiled at him.

"I missed you too. Thank you for being a wonderful dance partner." Anirudh smiled. "This is weird. But, I would like to ask you something. I was just wondering if you..."

"Of course. I would love to." Shruthi jumped with joy. She held his hands.

Anirudh smiled awkwardly. He couldn't understand why she was blushing. "Okay. Go. Get it then."

"What?"

"French fries" He said.

"You were talking about French fries?" Shruthi's smile vanished. She blinked away tears.

"Why are you crying? Okay. You don't have to share your fries. Please don't cry." Anirudh pleaded.

"Please tell me Rudy is adopted" said Amar, looking at Vennela. Anirudh was startled to hear his voice.

"You really don't know why she is crying? Isn't it obvious? How can you be so dumb?" Amar punched him.

"Anna, I--"

"Just ask her." Amar ordered him.

Anirudh turned to Shruthi. "I'm sorry. I was a total jerk to you. If I don't tell this now, I won't be able to tell this ever. I really like you Shruthi. Maybe it is more than just liking. You fill my heart with happiness and excitement. Your smile makes my world beautiful. I don't know what this feeling is called. But I don't want to be separated from you. I want to be with you forever. Will you be my girlfriend and let me be your man?"

Shruthi closed her eyes while Vennela gasped. "Come on Shru. Say yes."

They could hear Twinkle Twinkle little star being sung at a distance. All four of them rushed to Vennela's room. Amar and Anirudh hid under the bed. Gayatri came inside to put Vennela's charger in her room. The girls pretended to be asleep. She caressed their hands.

Anirudh sneezed. 'We are goners' thought Amar. Just then, they heard another sneezing noise. Vennela pretended to sneeze.

"You have got cold?" asked Gayatri.

"Yes. I will be better if I sleep." Vennela answered.

"Yes yes. I won't disturb you. Sleep." Gayatri left.

"I have lied to grandma because of you. Now say yes quickly." Vennela tapped Shruthi.

Shruthi bent her head down and looked at Anirudh who was still hiding. "I would love to be your girlfriend. But now, you both need to leave."

"That's the most peculiar way of saying yes" said Anirudh. They left for home with Amar teasing his little brother.

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The pelli chupulu ritual started. Amar waited for Vennela to come and meet him. Shambhavi gave Lasya a disgusting look. Lasya returned the favour. Prakash was throwing angry looks at Shambhavi and Bharat every now and then. Bharat ignored him and kept the conversation going with Narayana.

A few minutes later Amar was asked to go and meet Vennela. He went inside. She was sitting inside waiting for him. He remembered the first time he was sent to talk to her. The situation was so similar, yet so different. He cleared his throat to announce his arrival.

"Vennela garu, this is unfair. How can you expect me to control my feelings when you look so beautiful?" He pulled her closer.

"Who asked you to control, Amar garu?" She was lost in his deep brown eyes.

He bent closer. So close, that there was not an inch of gap between them.

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"Is that lip gloss on your lips?" Anirudh asked Amar. "Boys don't wear lip gloss."

"Oh!" Amar faked innocence. "I told Archana I wasn't interested in makeup. But she insisted."

Vennela was removing her ornaments, sitting in front of the mirror with a sweet smile on her face.

"Oh God! You ate your lipstick again. I hate this habit of yours." Shruthi complained. Vennela's smile widened as she remembered what happened.

She went for shopping that evening. So, she didn't get time to call him. She unlocked her phone after dinner to see a message from Amar. 'Nobody loves me.'

'How did you know that my name is Nobody?' She replied to his message.

'Good one. But I am still angry.' Amar texted her again.

'Hello...it's me who should be angry after what you did this morning.' Vennela replied.

'Yeah? You didn't like it? Then return everything. Come on. Give them back. I want them back.' Amar's text made Vennela go pink in the cheeks.

'Naughty kid. Time to sleep. Goodnight.' She ended the conversation.

She heard her phone beep after a few seconds. 'Don't ignore me. I'm warning you.'

'Oh! I'm scared. Is my husband going to punish me for my crimes?' She sent a text mocking him.

'If you keep ignoring me, then I will find a new girlfriend.' Amar replied.

'Good luck with that.' She replied and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning she was reading the newspaper when the twins yelled. "Akka, look what bava has done. He brought someone to meet you."

Vennela rushed to the spot to see a smirking Amar. "Sorry Vennu darling. I'm in love with this beauty."

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