#18--- SIDDHU'S PRESENCE FELT...

[ARJUN'S MOBILE RANG JUST THEN. HE WAS CONFUSED AND WAS STARING AT THE NUMBER AND FINALLY TOOK THE CALL.THE VOICE FROM THE OTHER END SAID " I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ASAP, JUST GO TO A PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO ONE TO HEAR YOU"
ARJUN WAS SHOCKED ON HEARING THE VOICE...]

{HE CAME TO SECLUDED PLACE SO THAT NO ONE COULD HEAR HIM}

"Ya tell me. Who the hell are you? Where are you calling from?", asked Arjun

"I'm John, calling from the CIA located in New Jersey. We would like to know a few personal details about you and your friend Siddhartha who has been booked in a case for illegal possession of narcotics.

[ARJUN WAS STUNNED. HE COULDN'T UTTER A SINGLE WORD AFTER HEARING WHAT WAS SAID. HE PAUSED FOR A WHILE AND SUDDENLY A BURST OF LAUGHTER CAME OUT FROM THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE.
 THEN ARJUN UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS PRANK AND HE SUCCUMBED TO SIDDHU'S PLAN.]

"Idiot! You scared the hell out of me. How come your voice changed you bloody bugger.", Arjun was literally cussing siddhu in his mind.

"This is what Siddhu can do, so please be careful with me. Anyways how are you man? I've been waiting for your call, since I haven't got it from you, I wanted to try my luck", said Siddhu.

"I'm good bro. Life's taking new turns for me in all aspects except two. How's your's over there? Having fun??", asked Arjun

"Taking new turns, that's something I would love to know about. My ship is steady for now don't know what may happen in the future. Leave the shit about me, talk to me about your story. Did she accept your proposal?"

"I'm not Hrithik Roshan to seduce a girl to love me in such a short span. I need some time. I'm more like the heroes in the yesteryear movies who take months sometimes years to express their love to the beloved one. I don't believe in today's FAST FROWARD LOVE STORIES.", replied Arjun.

"What are the problems you're facing dude? Anything in particular?", asked Siddhu.

" Problems in the sense, bro there's nothing particular. My life has started to feel colours more frequently now. The girl, I have a crush on is now talking to me and we became very close. The thing that bothers me is that my studies are going to get completed in an year or so, what about the future?", a very quizzed Arjun asked Siddhu.

The elder one in the conversation started " Dude, I was in the same position as you are right now. You don't bother to worry about the future, its not in your hands. Try doing what you do best in the present. I've not called to hear your sad fears about your future and all. 

I just wanted to make you sure  that whatever problem may arise you can always look up to me , without a sense of hesitation this elder brother of yours is just like your own sibling born from an other mother. No matter what may happen, I can assure you that I am always at the back of you supporting what you do."

"Thanks bro, I've never received a Raksha Bandhan special treat from a brother. You are and would be my role model in every aspect possible.

 I guess, we are getting a bit more melodramatic than we should be. The readers are gonna suffer if they feel like they're watching their daily soap operas on this blog page. 

So yeah lets cut the crap. How are the chicks at New Jersey anything special or the usual stuff?", questioned Arjun.

{SOMEONE INTERVENED SIDDHU AND HE WAS ASKED TO GO ELSEWHERE, HE HAD TO CUT THE CALL}

oK, then . Bye dude. Thanks for calling me and take care of your health and studies and your life more importantly.

"Sure, Arjun. I will be damned if you don't propose her In a month or two", warned Siddhu.

Arjun yelled "go to hell" and cut the call .


{HE WAS SHOCKED TO SEE 21 UNREAD MESSAGES IN HIS MESSENGER APPLICATION AND EVERY MESSAGE BELONGED TO THE SAME PERSON.

IT WAS ...



{TO BE CONTINUED...}

#17--- A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED...

{MONDAY@ARJUN'S COLLEGE; LUNCH BREAK]

"Oh! hello sir, thank you for your extraordinary surprise", Nihal snorted.

"I didn't mean to, Nihal. It all happened in a matter of seconds and I couldn't control the situation", Arjun gives a lazy excuse to his mistake.

"Enough. I'd feel great if you stop your act right now", blared Nihal attracting enough attention of the others in the surroundings.

"So sorry brother, I can't say anything more than this.
Fine, leave it.
 What happened that evening?"

[ARJUN KNEW HOW TO TACKLE SITUATIONS LIKE THESE, HE QUICKLY CHANGED THE TOPIC BEFORE MATTERS GOT WORSE]

"That day was awesome except for the anticlimax you had planned for me"

"Dude, I said sorry , it was my mistake. How can I be forgiven for my blunder", pleaded Arjun.

"Leave it. But you know what, That was the most wonderful night I had ever experienced and I thank you for playing your part on that day. Thanks for accepting my request to get on to Aashritha's vehicle, that very gesture from you triggered my luck on that day."

"Is it? Thankyou, Can I now assure that I am forgiven?", asked Arjun

"Yes, You are. I took her to the lighthouse ,in the glow of my bike's headlights, I kneeled in front of her and proposed. She wasn't that amused on the act, she might have anticipated because of my cheesy talk that day"

"So, you proposed? What did she say?"

"What else than 'I too love you', Nihal's eyes were revealing his happiness and the satisfaction that incident brought to him.

"Arjun smiled pleasantly for a while and then said, " Nihal, I got to say something. The reason Neeraja wasn't amused to your proposal was that because it had happened as exactly as it was planned. Sorry for the late announcement of the truth, but I'm sure you'd have got a wonderful feeling and sense of satisfaction as you have finally blurted out the most dramatic 3 words anyone would want to say in their life."

"The plan and the opportunity to let you open up was done the previous day itself just like you and Aashritha had planned up. I knew Neeraja right from my school days, so we became even the more close when I told her that I was interested in Aashritha. "

"She told me that she would give you chance to take her out only if I got onto Aashritha's scooter, which was also a huge bonus for me to get onto my crush's vehicle and you know dude, that was one heck of a ride and I enjoyed it thoroughly, even though there weren't much words, the feel that was carried through out the ride was exquisite. I thank you for this and the rest of the story is known to you", revealed Arjun.

"I knew there was something wrong, but I didn't expect that my bestest friend would be the sole reason for the acceptance of my love-proposal. Thankyou, you would have told everything by now about me?

"no, I did not. Its for you two to get to know about each other now. And I promise you that its gonna be the best phase in your love story and those are the incidents you are going to tell your children about. So don't miss them.", said Arjun.

[ARJUN'S MOBILE RANG JUST THEN. HE WAS CONFUSED AND WAS STARING AT THE NUMBER AND FINALLY TOOK THE CALL.

THE VOICE FROM THE OTHER END SAID " I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ASAP, JUST GO TO A PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO ONE TO HEAR YOU"

ARJUN WAS SHOCKED ON HEARING THE VOICE...]

{TO BE CONTINUED...}

#16--- OVER EXCITEMENT LEADS TO PROBLEMS...

{..." WOULD YOU MIND IF I GIVE YOU COMPANY ON YOUR WAY HOME???", READ THE MESSAGE.

ARJUN HAD A HUGE BEAMING SMILE ON HIS FACE ON SEEING THE MESSAGE. HE REPLIED "NO, I DON'T MIND". AND THEN STARTED  THE NEXT LEVEL OF A RELATIONSHIP i.e., GETTING TO KNOW ABOUT EACH OTHER. THE MOST INTERESTING AND ENGAGING PART WHILE IN A RELATIONSHIP. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN A BIT OF FLIRTING FROM BOTH THE SIDES IS TRIED AND TESTED. LOVE STARTS TO BLOSSOM IN BOTH THE PERSONS' HEARTS. 

'I CALL IT INTERESTING AND ENGAGING PHASE BECAUSE DURING THIS PHASE THERE CAN NEVER BE ANY CHANCE OF A CONFLICT OR A FIGHT OR WHATEVER THAT IS NEGATIVE OR WHICH RETARDS PEOPLE INTO GETTING INTO A RELATIONSHIP.'
[ARJUN REACHED HOME AND WAS IN A JUBILANT MOOD. PEOPLE AT HOME DIDN'T KNOW THE REASON FOR HIS HAPPINESS. HE QUICKLY GOT INTO HIS ROOM, SLAMMED THE DOOR BEHIND HIM AND WAS IN A CONFUSED MOOD.

HE SAT IN FRONT OF HIS DESKTOP, SWITCHED ON THE SYSTEM AND WAITED FOR A WHILE FOR THE SYSTEM TO GET BOOTED. JUST THEN, HE REMEMBERED THE FACT THAT HIS OPERATING SYSTEM  HAD CRASHED AND IT COULD NOT BE USED AT THAT MOMENT.

HE BECAME RESTLESS, SWITCHED OFF HIS DESKTOP AND PULLED OUT HIS LAPTOP. THE SIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM ADDED MORE  FIRE TO HIS AGONY. HIS LAPTOP WOULDN'T JUST GET SWITCHED ON AND HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE REASON.THIS IS WHAT TENSION DOES TO PEOPLE. ARJUN COULDN'T RETAIN HIS MEMORY OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS THE ONE WHO REMOVED THE LAPTOP'S BATTERY FOR CLEANING AND DID NOT RESTORE IT TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION.

HE TOOK OUT HIS PHONE, UNLOCKED THE SCREEN AND FELT A BIT HAPPY AS HIS PHONE STILL HAD CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CHARGE LEFT IN ITS BATTERY. 

ARJUN STARTED GETTING IMPATIENT, DASHED OUT OF HIS HOUSE IN A FLASH, WITHOUT ANY INTIMATION TO HIS FAMILY MEMBERS. HE STOMPED PAST HIS GATE INTO THE ROAD IN THE OPPOSITE STREET. THERE HE STOOD IN FRONT OF A NEATLY CARVED DOOR, WHICH WAS A VERY ATTRACTIVE HOUSE EVEN THOUGH VERY SIMPLY-BUILT.

DOORS OPEN:

"Hello aunty! Can I use the computer for once, I have an important application to fill for an upcoming examination", requested Arjun to Nihal's mother.

She said,"Sure, Arjun. Everything bought for Nihal is yours too. You need not take permission for that"

"That's so nice of you, Sridevi aunty. Hope your son too feels like that. ha haha... just kidding aunty", said Arjun very humorously.

[ARJUN STARTED HIS QUEST TO FIND AASHRITHA ON FACEBOOK  AND WAS ADAMANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER ON THAT DAY ITSELF. HIS WORK BECAME TOUGH AS AASHRITHA DID NOT DISCLOSE HER FB-ID TO ARJUN AND WANTED HIM TO FIND HER AND JUST GAVE HIM A CLUE ABOUT HER PROFILE NAME.

ARJUN BEING THE STORY WILL ANYHOW GET TO KNOW ABOUT AASHRITHA'S PROFILE NAME. HE STARTS CHATTING WITH HER ONLINE.]

{JUST THEN SRIDEVI AUNTY COMES TO NIHAL'S ROOM AND ASKS ARJUN ABOUT NIHAL

ARJUN VERY MUCH INDULGED IN THE CONVERSATION WITH AASHRITHA FORGETS ABOUT THE FACT THAT NIHAL'S PARENTS DON'T KNOW ABOUT HIS WHEREABOUTS.

"Oh! He did not tell you right? He's busy roaming with a girl and has taken her to a secluded place so that they can both be comfortable.", blurted out Arjun.

Nihal's mother was very much surprised about what she heard.She asked," Oh! he's now roaming with girls? uhum.... Let him return. I need to talk to him. So, what's the girl's name?"

Arjun gets back to his senses and then realizes his mistake. "oh!!! shit !! what have I done? Such a blunder like this.... MY GOD... Nihal sucks out all of my blood till I become pale white, if he gets to know about this.", he thinks to himself.

"Nothing aunty, I was just joking. He went to Mahesh's house for software that he wants to install in his computer", Arjun wanted to cover up but that was too late, Nihal's mother was already suspicious and Arjun's covering became the icing on the cake for her to believe what he said earlier.

[ARJUN UNDERSTOOD THAT  THINGS HAVE GONE VERY BAD AND HE CONTEMPLATED THAT THINGS MIGHT GET EVEN WORSE. HE LEFT THE PLACE AND WAS WONDERING ABOUT NIHAL'S SITUATION WHILE ON HIS WAY BACK HOME]

{MEANWHILE AT NIHAL'S PLACE: NIHAL ENTERS HOME...}

Sridevi asked "Where have you been, my son?"

"I went to Mahesh's house for group study, mom. Why what's the problem?" replied Nihal. 

"Nothing son, Arjun just left our house just a few minutes back and he told me that you were busy roaming with a girl in a secluded place. That's the reason why I'm asking you. Is that true?"

NIHAL STARTED SWEARING ARJUN AND THOUGHT THAT HE WAS TAKING HIS REVENGE NOW BUT HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE TRUE REASON THAT ARJUN WAS IN A CONFUSED STATE AND THE WORDS GOT OUT OF HIS MOUTH SUBCONSCIOUSLY.NIHAL'S MOTHER STARTED THE 'USUAL INDIAN MOTHER'S CLASS'-

"We're working day and night just to provide you with all the necessary things ,your fees for your college, your clothes, phone bills and all the stuff related to you. Why don't you understand our problems too? What are we asking you? You can't fulfill our simple wish of studying well and getting a job and make your parents feel proud of you. Is that thing too much for You? .....blah. ...blah... .blah./...."

{to be continued...}