NEETHU POV

Neethu felt very close to the young man, who sat near her in the flight. He was very special to her because he was her first friend outside home. She didn't know anything about him, not even his name. Hopefully, he might be an entrepreneur or businessman. Apart from trusting him, How could she find him without knowing any details about him?

She had never behaved like this before with outsiders as usually she will be with her parents whenever they were moving out. She did the schooling, college in her home town itself. He was too different from others. His gentle behaviour and his eyes captured her. His eyes meant to say something and that was clearly visible.

Pushing her thoughts away, This place was not familiar to her. She had visited this place twice with her dad to complete all the procedures regarding her career. She forget to inform her parents that she had reached safely. Her phone rang at the same time. It was from her dad. while talking with her parents and sister, she reached college hostel entrance. After signing her entry, She stepped inside the college Hostel.

The college hostel was admired for its beautiful infrastructure, painting works, gigantic pillars etc The college could be viewed clearly from it. The students were roaming here and there. They seemed to be that they belong to the Royal family.

Neethu completed all the formalities and the hostel in-charge gave her a token, where she found the room number 25. Her mind flashed back about the number in the flight and the time spent in the flight.

Her room was on the first floor. She refused to take the lift and used the staircase. Girls were seeing her differently. She reached her room and noticed the door was wide open. Silence followed.

"Hey, friends." Neethu smiled. The three girls sitting there returned the smile. She placed her bag in the cabin and sat down on the couch. "Well, friends. Let's break this silence. Do introduce yourself" she said.

They talked well with Neethu amd now she had three new friends: Shanu, Mithila, and Rishwana. Each of them were from different states. They became very close on the very first day. They shared their dreams, expectations about college, and fears.

Neethu was excited but she couldn't find her complete happiness. It was missed somewhere, the young man in the flight came to her thinking often. She felt that there was an idle place in her heart for him. Her eyes were longing to see him at least once.

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Rithick's dad, Sanjay had arranged to pick up his son from the airport. His driver took him to the guest house.

Usually, Rithick and his parents spent their memorable moments in this guest house. He was amazed upon seeing so many new arrangements in the house. The beautiful flowers at the front of his house and an artificial waterfall at the back makes the guest house more beautiful. He knew that it was his dad's surprise for him. "Love you, dad. Thank you" he whispered.

He searched for the keys in his baggage and he was shocked to see that the door was unlocked. He pushed the door and the door opened. He dropped his bag on a nearby couch. He sensed that someone was there.

"Who is hiding inside?" he shouted. There was nothing except silence.

"Can't you hear me, man? Stand in front of me, coward."

He found a paper near the staircase. he read these sentence "Hey, man, If you are daring enough, come to the balcony."

Rithick climbed to the balcony, he noticed two men had serious conversation standing at the edge of the balcony. Their faces were covered with masks.

He stepped closer and tightened their hands behind their back. He took off the mask and was dismayed. One of them was his uncle, Rudhra (Sanjay's brother). He was the famous detective and the other was his uncle's son, Rahul. Rahul was charming and he crossed 27.

"Hey, Rahul! You scared me, damn it!" They hugged each other.

"Dear, Rithick. You are brave! I wanted to see it again. Missed you so badly," Rahul said with a sad smile.

"Hey son. Give me a glance too," his uncle said with a smile.

"Sorry, uncle. How are you? Dad didn't say anything about your arrival." said Rithick.

"I am good, my son. This was a planned surprise for you, my brave kid," said Rudhra.

Then their happy conversation between them turned serious. Rithick's phone rang, his father was in the line.

"Dad, I am here with uncle and Rahul. How are you and mom doing? I am amazed by all your surprises." Rithick said cheerfully.

"Love you my son. Of course, Ruthra and Rahul are affectionate towards you so I have requested them to be there. Another big surprise, they will be staying with you. Hope Rahul didn't open it. He is going to study along with you. Hope you will going to enjoy your college life. Take care, son, will call you later." His father ended the call.

"Rahul! I am very happy to continue my studies with you after schoolings. I know you will be there for me. No one can replace you, man." said Rithick with pride.

"Sanjay! " Rudra pressed the phone in his ear after moving away from Rithick and Rahul.

He continued "Hello, Sanjay. I am here to take care of Rithick. Don't worry about him."

Sanjay replied. "I am relieved, Ruthra that my son will be safe there I can't bear if anything happened to him. Our plan should be a secret and Rithick shouldn't know about this. I want my son safe, Rudhra. I think Bengaluru will be safe for him. Take care of him."

Rudhra assured, "Ok, Sanjay, don't worry. I will always be with Rithick. Rahul is there to take care of him as well. Bye, brother." Rudhra hung up.

Rithick and Rahul talked about their lives in the past two years. In between the talk itself, Rahul felt that something was disturbing Rithick. His face seemed dull often and had a dry smile that was not from his heart.

"Are you okay, Rithick?" Rahul asked caringly.

"Of course, I am alright," replied him.

"I know you, man. Something is there, don't try to hide it." Rahul said hopefully.

Rithick was not in the mood to explicate about the journey--about Neethu. "Nothing to worry about, I am good."

Rahul prodded further, "How was the journey? Did anything bad happen?"

Rithick was unable to hide anything from Rahul because they knew each other well. There were no secrets between them.

Rithick sighed.," Yes... Neethu."

Rahul, frowned " Who? Neethu? Did you shout at her?"

"No, I didn't shout at her, I just looked at her for an hour and a half," Rithick said with a small smile.

Rahul laughed. "Impossible! Are you kidding me?" He was aware of Rithick's history with girls. "Do you remember Suhana?"

Rithick yelled, "Shut up. I will kill you if you say her name again."

"What's wrong in that? How can you forget her? How hard she arranged for you to fall in her love... But you... man." Rahul continued, "You didn't even look at her once. You shouted at her in front of others,"

"Stop it! I said stop it, Rahul. Don't make me furious. You know about Suhana and Jeevitha, they loved my money more than me."

"Okay, okay, calm down," Rahul paused for a second and asked gently, "Well, who is Neethu?"

"Neethuuuuu..." Rithick stretched her name with a humble smile on his lips.

"Have you ever seen a young girl who doesn't care about anything around her for the sake of making others happy? Have you ever seen a girl who talks without stopping? Have you ever seen a girl who is an innocent by heart?"

Rahul was astonished. "Are you Rithick? I can't believe my own eyes. What's happening here, man?"

Rithick, "What magnetic eyes she had! I was unable to look away. They sparkled like 1000-Watt bulbs. I felt breathless near her. Each and every word of her made me open the door of my heart and she is safe inside now."

"Wow! I'm so happy for you, Rithick." Rahul patted his cheeks. "Did you convey your feelings?"

"I didn't know even how to start the converse... I looked at her silently. She finalized that I was dumb. What a girl she was!"

Rahul grinned. "Dumb?" He burst out laughing.

Rithick smiled shyly. When she left me I felt like everything was being snatched away from me. Rithick's voice held an intense emotion.

"Rithick, don't worry. She will be yours."

"I don't know anything about her. Where would she be staying? She said that she was here to pursue her dreams," Rithick sighed.

'Well, if she is here to study, she has to be here for at least two years," Rahul said.

Rahul's words made Rithick feel much better and gave him confidence. "I will find her... I want to love her madly."

Rahul smiled. "I can't believe my own ears. I can realize how much she has influenced you. I am eager to see my sister-in-law. Get her soon, man!"

"Hope so. Do you know? She presented me with a gift."

Rahul raised his eyebrows. "That's superb. What is it?"

"I have not yet seen it." Rithick took the gift out from his bag. It was a small, neatly packed gift.

It was a key chain with two birds facing each other. The words: 'Blossoming spring days' were embossed on them.

Rithick was ecstatic and hugged Rahul.

Rudhra entered the room. "Let's go for dinner, son."

"Oh yes, uncle. Give me some minutes," Rithick said before moving out of the room.

"I have arranged escorts around the guest house and in dubious places across the city to give enough protection to Rithick," Rudhra whispered to Rahul.

"It's a good plan, dad. I will take care of him in college. Don't worry about him."

Rudhra requested it to be kept as a top-secret. Rahul promised the same.

Rudhra drove towards the restaurant. A smooth conversation followed in the car. They had their dinner and Rithick anticipated the next day--the reopening of the college.