Rithick noticed Neethu gazing at him. His heart fluttered and he felt as if he was flying without wings. He hid his emotions in his half-smile and seemed to be casual. He shook his head, trying to express the question, "Why are you looking at me?" 

Neethu was stunned by his unexpected expression and shook her head, saying, "Nothing." 

He gestured her to continue her lunch. She showed him her cute smile.

Neethu sighed. It's a shame, Neethu. Don't look into his eyes. He is doing some magic. Please, Neethu... try your best to look away from his eyes. I can't even have food, his brown orbs have captured my soul. I know he is looking at me, but how can he quicklytake his eyes off when I look at him? Maybe it's my wrong perception? He seems to be a gentle guy. Am I wrong?" 
Neethu's inner voice replied,  "Why this confusion, Neethu? Look at him one more time and seek confirmation,"

"Are you playing me? I can't look at him," she replied to her mind's voice.

She bent her neck towards her lunch and moved her eyeballs slowly towards him. She was shocked to see Rithick. He was looking at her with fixed eyes.

She sat straightly looking into his eyes,  her mind voice raised again, "Why, Rithick? You are always looking at me with these fixed eyes. Do you want to say something?"
 

Rithick felt shy to see her as he was locked by her dark 9. He was unable to escape from her. He could perceive the words through her eyes. He took a long breath and said to himself, What beautiful eyes you have! Also, an additional beauty is added to them when you apply eyeliner along your eyelids. Oh girl! It's killing me. I can't look you anymore. You made my heart to jump inside. Please, Neethu. Don't gaze at me like this. I have no guts to face your eyes. He closed his eyes with his palm and moved back to his seat.

Everyone finished their lunch and had a fun time together. Neethu and Rithick tried to control their eyes from contacting each other's. 

The students rushed to their respective classes. Everyone had their respective seats and were looking forward to know about their college facilities. Everyone had a fun day and seemed to be satisfied with the college.

Rithick and Rahul had their respective seats next to Neethu. Rithick pretended to talk to Rahul so that he could see Neethu. Neethu was talking to Mithila.

Rahul asked, "Hey, Rithick. Are you mad?"

Rithick tried to hide his feelings by saying, "Why, man?"

"I could hear only your murmurings. Your eyes were not looking straight at me. I think your eyes took an acute angle to see your lovely Neethu. Am I right, Rithick?" Rahul grinned. 

Rithick had no other option but to smile and he tried to hide himself. "Nothing, Rahul. You are always doubting me, man. See my eyes. They are focused in your direction, Rahul."

Rahul laughed. "Hello, Mr. Rithick. Listen to me. I know you better than what you know about yourself. We are together since we were four. I still remember my naughty Rithick. So please don't try to hide, my dear Rithick."

Rithick confessed to Rahul, "Did I hide anything from you, Rahul? Why are you saying such big words? Yeah, I looked at Neethu."

Rahul smiled and said, "That's my Rithick. Do you want to know what Neethu said to me while you were on a call with Sanjay uncle?"

"What? Did Neethu talk about me?" Rithick asked with widened eyes. 

Rahul nodded and said, "Yup! She was longing for your words, Rithick. Please talk to her. She is thinking that you are avoiding her as you don't talk to her."

Rithick's dark eyes lit up. "Wow! Really? I can't believe what is happening around me,  Rahul? She could like me, right?"

Rahul said, "Of course, man. I could perceive her affection for you. Talk to her, Rithick"

"The moment I met her, everything has changed. Did I look at any girls before? Did I chat with anyone before? I don't know how to talk to her, Rahul. I am getting struck at once after seeing her but I will try this time, Rahul. I don't want her longing for my words."

Rahul patted Rithick's arm. "That's great, Rithick. Let me call her now. Will you talk?"

Rithick smiled and said, "Yeah, I will try, Rahul."

Rahul called out, "Neethu, did you enjoy today?"

Neethu replied, "Oh yes, brother. I liked it very much. What about you and Rithick?"

Rahul smiled at Rithick and said to Neethu, "It's a good environment with lovely friends. I love this college, Neethu."

"Rithick, talk to her. She was asking about you," Rahul whispered to Rithick. 

Rithick cleared his throat and tried to speak. He looked at Neethu and she glanced at him. His throat became dry and he searched for words. He admired her beauty. She looked more beautiful with her natural face and slightly oily skin. He was spellbound by her look and couldn't utter a word.

Rithick groaned. "I'm speechless, Rahul. I'm a mere damned man. It's not my mistake, I have grown up in such an environment. I wasn't able to speak."

"No issues, Rithick. Don't worry. Don't keep your face like this. I can't be able to see you like this. I want my Rithick to be happy always. She is yours that I can say now."

Rithick blushed and covered it up with a smile. "She is mine... I hope I can say that to her."

"Neethu seems to be a lovely girl," Rahul commented. 

"Why are using my name often, brother? I could hear it." Neethu tapped her foot, demanding an answer from him. 

Rahul blinked, at a loss for word. "You are my new sister. Don't I have any rights to use your name?"

Neethu replied with a dense voice, "Nothing like that brother, but Rithick doesn't like me. So, you better don't use my name... he will be irritated."

Rithick couldn't stop smiling and turned his face towards the window.

Neethu noticed Rithick was looking outside and her voice cracked. "Well, I said it already. Now, see Rithick, he doesn't even want to face me. He is looking outside."

Rahul turned his neck to see Rithick. He decided to bring the situation to a normal state. 

Rahul added a cheerful tone to his voice. "Neethu... Rithick loves nature. You are talking to me only not with Rithick. May be he is bored! I think so."

Neethu sighed. "He is bored... I got it."

She didn't lose hope and called Rithick's name. "Are you feeling lonely?" she asked him lightly.

Rithick nodded his head. He was at a loss for words.

Neethu's almost black eyes held tons of doubts. "Why you are not mingling with me? Am I bad?"

Rithick shook his head and said, "Rahul, I am unable to reply to her. Tell her she is good and I am wrong."

Neethu let out an irritated sigh. "I am asking you, Rithick! You are replying to Rahul. Atleast think of me as your classmate. Your reply seems to be mere insulting. Look at me, Rithick! What's wrong in you? Tell me."

Rithick replied to Neethu for the very first time, "I can't face you. Don't ask me anything else. That's all." Neethu couldn't get the meaning of his words. She felt very much happy by hearing the words from her dumb Rithick though. She was longing for his words and now this at moment she couldn't believe her own sense organs.

Rahul could understand the emotions going on in Rithick's mind. He couldn't believe that the words were from his cousin. He held Rithick's hands emotionally. Both were waiting for Neethus reply. Both were wondering what Neethu would reply.

Neethu remained speechless and couldn't get back to normal. She paused for a minute and then replied to Rithick with a cheerful tone, "Thanks, Rithick."

"What? Thanks?" Rithick and Rahul blinked at each other.

Rahul moved closer to Rithick and said, "Maybe she is in love with you, Rithick. Enjoy, man."

Rithick glanced at Neethu and she smiled at him. Both were gazing each other often. Time passed on, the day came to an end.

Neethu said, "Bye!" to Rithick and Rahul.

Rithick looked at her with his fixed eyes and shook his head. He stared at Neethu until she disappeared from his sight. Then, Rahul dragged him from that place.

*********

Neethu reached the hostel with Mithila. The hostel seemed to be like a palace, glittering with lights. She met all her friends there and they were discussing about the their first day.

"What a college this is! It's like a dream, really." Neethu smiled.

Neethu's classmate Heera said, "Yes, you are right. Our class seems to be prettier though. One more thing, Neethu..."

Neethu and Mithila asked excitedly, "What is it, Heera?"

"Rithick seems to be the most handsome guy in our class, right?" Heera asked.

Neethu licked her lips. "What? Rithick? He was not that handsome as you have said. He was looking like a normal guy."

"What a voice he had! No chance. He is a dashing guy with a masculine figure. Nearly all the girls are murmuring his name in the classroom. Who will be the luckiest girl to capture his heart? Even I have a crush on him, Neethu," Heera said.

Neethu, for the first time, stood dumbstruck and didn't like the thoughts the other girls had about him. "Nothing like that. He is a normal guy. Did you notice his face closely? It seems to be the worst. Actually, he is a bad looking guy. I don't know how you girls got attracted to him."

Mithila could understand the meaning behind the words Neethu had uttered. She could perceive her affection and possessiveness towards Rithick.

"Neethu! Stop talking like a damn fool. Please get your eyes checked."

"He is my friend. I found his gentle character better than his beauty."

Heera was shocked. "What? Rithick is your friend? Let me spread this news."

Neethu asked anxiously, "What's wrong in that? Why are you behaving like this?"

Heera yelled, "Girls! Everyone, listen here. Please hereafter don't describe the nature of Mr. Rithick because he is a friend of Miss Neethu's. She won't like the description about him."

The girls rushed forward. Someone screamed, "Who is that damn girl, Neethu?"

Heera pulled Neethu's hand up and introduced her to the hostelmates. "She is Neethu, the lover of nature and now, she says Rithick is her friend."

All the girls started teasing Neethu. They clapped their hands, laughed at her, and some whistled.

Neethu stood unblinkingly. She was the happiest girl in her hometown but here the situation got reversed. She felt ashamed to be standing in front of the these girls. She hid her face behind her hands.

Shantra, a tall girl with fair texture came forward. She framed a big gang in first day itself. The royal Loyal girls got attached with her. Shantra was one of Neethu's classmate laughed at her. "Hi, Neethu. Rithick may be your friend but he is going to be my love."

Neethu didn't utter a word to anyone. Her eyes turned misty. Her heart ached at the scene in front of her. Tears rolled out from her eyes, which drenched her cheeks in no time...Neethu's cheerful face had drowned out. The tears drenched her face.

Mithila wiped Neethu's cheeks and said, "Don't worry, Neethu. Let's go to our room. Come on."
Neethu didn't look at anyone as she followed Mithila with downcast eyes. 

The door was already open. Shanu and Rishwana had a fun time together. They noticed Mithila and Neethu entering into the room. They both seemed to be exhausted.
Shanu asked, "Hey, what happened? Why do you both look so dull?"

Mithila explained the incident which had happened earlier in the hostel. Neethu's tears rolled down her cheeks. Her friends couldn't endure it. They felt awful after seeing the most charming and energetic girl with a lifeless face.

Her friend tried a lot to console her. They gave the hope that they will be with her in all times. Neethu felt lucky to get her friends...
********