Chapter 16: 15. Chasing Thoughts
Arjun''s PoV
Remember I have partnered with my friend in his concern? I am now going to Coimbatore to see him.
There is a function and he wants me to attend it every year without fail. I agree to this because I like to
see theughs of young people there who don''t even know what life holds for them in future. Their
laughter is something I envy. It is more pure like a baby''sughter.
"Arjun, wee." My friend Shravan came to my car.
Shravan and I studied in the same college and he is a son of a minister. That central minister is my
dad''s friend and that is how we were made friends. When he came to me looking for a financial partner
in his new concern, I readily agreed to him because I like looking at the fresh faces. Though I don''t visit
here often, I never miss this time of the year to attend this function.
"Hi Shravan, How are you da?"
"I am good, da. Everything is ready, we shall start in another half hour. You go and refresh yourself." he
said to me while walking to his room.
"I am good da. I need some cold water." I told him.
"I will ask them to bring it to you. You make yourselffortable. I have something to take care of. I will
be back in a few minutes." he told me and left me in his room. I sat back rxing myself.
"May Ie in, Sir?" I heard a girl knocking on the door.
"Yes!" I said and she came in with a ss of water.
I could see shock evident in her face. It''s been almost a month, Ist saw her. I never expected to see
her here. She must havepleted her studies and gone out for work. What is she doing here?
"How are you, Anika? How is your dad?" I asked her.
"We are good. My dad is doing fine." she said without even looking at me. She made it look like she is
more concentrated on the water ss than on my question.
"What happened to your interviews?" I asked her.
"That is none of your business. How can you be so mean?" she blurted out, anger evident in her face.
"What did I do? No one has ever talked to me like you do. I don''t stand disrespect." I told her. I am
done with her silly anger and baseless usations.
"Do you need anything else, Sir?" She asked me as if her work in this room was done. I could see her
pale face, she was frightened of my sudden warning.
"Nothing from you." I showed her the door. She calls me mean for my care towards her and her family?
I don''t have to put up with her idiocy.
I saw her eyes which were ready to shed anytime. Those teary eyes again. Those teary eyes that
disturbed my sleep for almost a week after we returned from Tiruppur. I still remember the time I met
her here. It was almost two years ago. Just when Anamika disappeared. I refused to go anywhere but
when Shravan called me for the award distribution in his college where I am one of the chairmen, I
decided to show up here as I thought seeing young people will divert my mind. She was there at the
reception desk. She gave me a flower bouquet and weed me in. She looked so beautiful in the
saree and I felt a gentle breeze in my heart seeing her innocent smile. It is true that looks are
deceiving. I thought her to be as innocent as she looks but her tongue is like a bee sting! She doesn''t
know what politeness means. Arrogant girl to be precise. I decided to no longer feel for her teary eyes,
but my heart feels a bit odd on that decision. So I altered my decision to find out why she is still here
and why the hell she brought me water?
After a little while, Shravan came in to fetch me and we proceeded to the auditorium. It is Graduation
day in college. It is this function I wouldn''t miss. I saw her, here and there helping the staff members
and arranging the certificates and medals backstage. She was the one who came to the stage with
them when the students'' names were called upon. Why is she doing all these things here? What
happened to her interviews?
After the award distribution was done, I took leave from Shravan and went to my car. I called
Sivaprakasam uncle to get her address. I know this is too much but I am going to do this anyway.
"Hello, uncle. How are you?" I asked him.
"We are ok, Maappii. How are you?"
"I am fine, uncle. How is athai?"
"She is just the same. She doesn''t want me to perform thest rights to our daughter. She still thinks
that she might be alive somewhere. To top it off, a fortune teller said that Anamika is alive and will
come to us soon. We are holding on to whatever little we get." he said. I really feel sorry for them.
"um... sorry, uncle. I called you to get some details."
"About what, mappi?"
"Remember your rtive who got a stroke? I am in Coimbatore only, uncle. I just want to visit them.
Can you send me their address?"
"Oh sure, Maapii. Last I heard, he is doing better." he said.
Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.
I disconnected the call and waited for the address. My phone pinged immediately and I drove the car
towards the address. She is still here and that is a good thing. I am not ready to talk to her arrogant-
self.
I parked the car in front of the house. This house is much smaller than my grandparents'' home in
Tirupur. I am now hesitant to go inside. These people are just strangers to me and I have no grounds to
come to their home. This wont work, I decided to go away just when I saw her mothere running to
me.
"Come,e Sir. Come in. Just now Prakasam anna(brother) called to inform me about your arrival.
Please,e in." Excitement evident in her face, I had no choice but to go in with her.
"Please sit down, sir. I will bring some water." she ran in even before I could say anything.
"Here sir, let me go and bring my husband. He was the one that wanted to see you very much." she ran
in again giving me a ss of water.
"How are you, sir?" I asked him. He looked pathetic. She brought him in a wheelchair and his physical
condition is still poor.
"He is doing better everyday, sir! All thanks to you." she said.
"Please don''t mention it. And please don''t call me Sir. Just call me Arjun." I told her.
"Then you can call me aunty. That would be the right rtionship between us if Anamika was still here."
she said. Oh, I truly don''t like to talk about her.
"Fine, aunty." I said, not liking to continue the talk about her. I rolled my eyes around the house and
saw all the flowers and gands scattered everywhere.
"I am good at making gands. It is wedding season, so I have got many orders." she said.
"Oh nice. If you don''t mind me asking, are you working somewhere besides this seasonal ie?" I
asked her with so much hesitation.
"Oh, I don''t mind. Nope, I am not working anywhere. I am not a graduate. We have had some savings
that we took for his hospital expenses and for this month''s expenses. I have got quite a good number
of orders this month, so next month will be fine. Anu is working in her college as ab assistant. Advay
just finished his school. He wants to join an Engineering college. We have to make arrangements for
his college fees. We have no idea!" she spilled everything with a deep breath, like it was waiting inside
of her to burst out.
"I am sorry, what happened to your daughter''s interviews?" I asked her.
"She didn''t get any email from thepanies she was selected in. Many of her seniors say that they
still didn''t get the call letter from the samepany. Looks like it is a waste of time to wait for them.
They are a scam!" she said.
"Oh, I thought she would be ced in apany by now. That is ok, I can..." I was cut off and damn
that arrogant idiot hase.
"Oh, you havee to my home tough at us? Yes, I didn''t get the job I thought I would. Is there a
problem for you? I have already told you that we don''t want your charity!" Anika came in and shouted at
me with her eyes ready to shed. I don''t understand why she is making such a drama. With her eyes, I
can tell that she is deeply hurt. But I am sure I didn''t do anything to hurt her.
Truly, this is none of my business. I shouldn''t havee all the way here and spoil my respect! But this
is the third time she disrespects me and she will pay for this misdeed.