" Come on, eat something atleast!" Vijay heard his mother but shook his head adjusting his collar looking in mirror.

"It takes more time ma. Pack it, I will eat when I am-" "here, here. Let me feed." She said feeding one morsel of dosa dipped in tomato chutney.

"You shouldn't leave empty stomach like this. Don't get habituated to all these things. Food at morning gives you strength and energy for the rest of the day . So no skipping breakfasts" she said sternly and he nodded his head.

After that he packed his bag and went outside near his cycle, unknown to hin his gaze landed on their neighbour's building.

He caught her roaming and the house and shook his head when he found himself getting lost in thoughts.

Sighing he removed the cycle stand and tied his bag on the back of the cycle using a rope. After making sure the bag won't fall off he attached his lunch bag to the handle.

By the time Vasudha is out too and they both got out of the home taking their things. She bid him bye and he sat on his cycle and was about to move when he saw Prerana on her father's bike.

He started his journey and soon after fifteen minutes he parked his cycle in the cycle stand infront of the school where every child parks their cycle. He took his bag and saw Prerana too leaving with her father on her side.

He silently entered inside and saw his friend Vivek standing near gate waiting for him and smiled at him.

"Good morning." Vijay said and Vivek replied with his one.

Vivek is a good looking boy compared to Vijay but in academics Vijay tops all the other four sections. He even plays sports very well.

As soon as they reached their class, his eyes fixed on the girl with braided hair. She sat in the first bench and he opted for last bench. Not for some mischief like that, but he loved not getting much attention. The never ending problems of introverts.

The day passed like that talking, introducing and taking notes for Prerana where as Vijay has cored himself in his shell.

One thing Prerana noticed about her neighbour is that he is very shy and doesn't talk much.

The final bell rang and Students emptied the classroom. Vijay stopped to leave last cause he doesn't like to push nor to get pushed. Being in crowd or getting pushed pissed him off.

After taking his lunch bag he exited the class and went to the cycle stand and noticed his friends talking there. Bidding them bye he is leaving and saw Prerana too leaving with her father.

The evenings of their town are always pretty. The fresh air as he cycled to his home has always been his favourite.

When he and his brother were younger their mother used to accompany them.

The long yet short way to home by walk are the memorable one's they always cherish.

While going home, their mother occassionally on somedays used to stop near a small shop and buy them snacks.

Those are the days that never come back and can never forgotten!

As soon as Vijay reached his neighbourhood he slowed down the cycle. He was passing through Prerana's home when her mother called him.

He stopped the cycle and balancing it on stand he went to her.

"Vijay, where do you go for tution?" Her mother asked.

"Actually aunty I don't go to tution but my mom is a tutor, she can teach from sixth to inter second year" Vijay completed and she nodded with a smile.

" I will talk to your mother." She said.

When he reached home he was quite surprised to see his aunt's daughter Tanya who is also happened to be his age in home eating his mother's ear. She is his dad's sister's daughter.

"Hi Bava" (a term used in telugu to a cousin who is mother's brother's or father's sister's son who is elder than you) Tanya said and from corner of his eye he saw his aunt sitting in the couch acting like she is the queen of the home. How much he hate this vile woman?

"Hi Tanya" he replied and held his bag in his hands and walked past them to the kitchen.

He took his lunch box and washed it before keeping it the already washed and yet drying big alluminium utensils with grills that helps the water go.

He entered his room and took a nice shower.

By the time he is out he heard Prerana's mother's words and sighed.

He took his books and took his reading spects and adjusted them on his eyes before taking rough and started writing and learning.

Just then the door opened by Tanya and Prerana.

"Bava! I am going to stay here only from now on, in your school in your class!" His cousin screamed and he gave her a small smile.

"Your uncle is transferred to the next state and since it is her last year so your aunt don't want her certificates to have some disturbances due to this and.." his mother trailed off and can look at his son disinterest in his eyes she know he is disappointed.

"Prerana will be reading with you. And teach Tanya too." His mother said the last bit like a little order and the elders left room.

He kept his stuff down from his study table and motioned them to sit.

"I am so excited to be with you Bava." Tanya chirped opening her new textbook so did Prerana.

Prerana took a glance Vijay's torn books.

"Okay so Prerana you know we have an oral test tomorrow so let's prepare for that. Tanya, here copy this notes." He instructed them and gave Tanya his notebooks.

They studied biology, Hindi, Social and we're practising some math when Tanya's mother came to ask her to spend some time with them before they leave so she left with her leaving Vijay and Prerana.

"She is too chatty. I hope you don't mind." Vijay said looking at Prerana.

"I don't mind chatty people but she goes on telling about her wealth and all the things she had done in her old school and I assume even you don't like her " Prerana mumbled chuckling.

"If I have chance I do rather pack her with her family but I can't! She is so clingy and over for her age. She rubs people off with her oh not so irritating character and thinks she is the goddess. Just like my aunt!" Vijay said with a huff.

"I am sorry I became too chatty." He mumbled after realising he blurted out too much.

"I don't mind. I have same relatives too. Too nosy to mind their own business and my aunt! She is a nuisance. She wants me to marry her son who is my bava! He is just too much. A rascal too. Every time she comes home, she keeps on nagging my father about it. I am afraid one day because of her nagging she will get what she wants."

"I wonder why these relatives are so nosy and stupid to mind their own business." Vijay said with a sigh.

"I know right!"

The chat continued until Vijay is called since his aunt and her family are leaving. Prerana to bid bye since it was eight thirty by then.

They both shared a look before she collected her books and he accompanied her outside.

Prerana took a look back to see Tanya holding Vijay's hand and she looked at how uncomfortable Vijay is. Nodding her head with a sad smile she entered inside her home with the thought of having a genuinely friend she has made.

This story is slow, with no major drama. A simple classic one. So don't say the boat is moving slow.

I hope you all liked the chapter.

Love-Anya ❤️