HALF WAY IN LOVE (CHAPTER 6)

Chapter 6

"I am sorry dad, I can't continue there".

Dev, narrated his dad the whole story leaving out the slaps he got. He didn't want to make his father sad, by telling him about the slaps.

Sundaram listened to everything silently. He possibly just got up from his sleep, to get ready in time for the night duty.

"Never mind Dev. Leave it. You need not go there. After all those insults". He got up and patted Dev's shoulder.

And his hands moved to Dev's cheeks, in concern.

"Did it hurt?"

His eyes were moist. And he walked away to the common bathroom.

Dev stood shocked. He looked in the direction of kitchen. Sarada, his mother was wiping away her tears with palloo of her sari.

"How you people knew about it mom?" He asked her.

"Sukanya came here Dev. She left just few minutes before. She is very fond of your dad, Dev. He only used to take her to school. She came on her scooty. She told us everything that had happened."

Sarada, continued now in jittery voice.

"Don't go to that damn place dear. I have not brought you up for getting hit by that scoundrel. We share whatever half bread your father brings. That is enough. At least, for the time being."

He now hugged his mom tightly.

"You need not worry mom. I will do something. I don't know what, but I will definitely do something. "

He said, turning his face away from her and letting himself loose from her hug.

Dev sat on the makeshift cot. Sarada came to sit with him.

She lifted his face and looked into his eyes.

She was proud of her son. Tall, handsome, and hints of a fine moustache above the upper lips.

He was the talk among the neighbouring girls ever since he landed from Kerala. Fair skin got instant approval among the locals. And Dev, went after his mom. He was very fair.

He looked out of place in Tirupur with his dashing good looks.

" Sukanya came here for something else Dev. She is a real princess. After her mom. She didn't like the way Sakthi treated you. She said, she wants to help you. "

"She wants to help me? How old is she? fifteen?"

Dev couldn't hide his surprise.

"She is almost your age Dev. Got into first year Engineering. She eats very less. May be that is why she still looks like a small girl."

Sarada continued, thrusting a piece of paper into his hand.

"She told me to give you this."

With that, she took one long look at her son and withdrew herself to kitchen. Sambar, in preparation, was already giving out inviting smell from the kitchen.

He opened the paper.

"Hi... Be there at the entrance of Old bus stand tomorrow at sharp eleven in the morning. Come at any cost. I am bunking class just for this. And this is important.

See you Dev.

Sukanya"

Dev now looked up from the piece of paper.

"I am not going anywhere". Dev shouted out to his mom in kitchen. He secretly wanted his mother's opinion on meeting Sukanya.

Sarada couldn't hide her smile.

"You can go. My son will be safe with her. She wants to take you somewhere. Go wearing that new dress you occasionally wear."

Dev was not sure even now.

Still, he decided he will go. There was something in the tone of her message.

Next day, at ten in the morning, he took the bus from Weavers colony bus stop to Old bus stand. Hits of SP Balasubramaniam and Ilayaraja, the maestro musician of Kollywood, played loudly through speakers. Speakers which seemed to exist all over the bus!

Tamils love everything loud.

Forty five minutes past ten, Dev positioned himself studiously at the entrance of the Old bus stand.

He looked handsome, in his regulation blue jeans and white shirt. A group of girls standing few meters away from him were pointing at him and giggling rather too loudly and unnecessarily. They were being artificially articulate.

Dev stood silently and waited with patience.

11.00 AM.

A scooty slid from behind and stopped near him sleekly.

Sukanya.

His head turned and he felt weak in stomach.

She was wearing sunglasses. Clad in a jeans and a t shirt with quotes, she looked very pretty and neat.

"Hi Dev, get on the scooty."

She said and indicated to the vacant pillion space.

"Never mind the girls", she added, as she saw the group of girls now eyeing them with suspicion.

"You will have tough time living in Tirupur, Mr. Aravind Samy"

She giggled.

Aravind Samy, a leading Tamil actor, was the comparison tamils used for any fair and handsome guy. He was their reference value.

Dev sneaked on the pillion space, at a safe distance behind Sukanya. She was off in a second towards the busy main road.

"You will fall down Dev. You can hold on to me".

Sukanya shouted to him, without looking back. Somehow, she looked happy.

Dev's hands were trembling now.

He now placed his trembling hands, on her shoulder. It felt like rose petals.

He felt a slight shiver, from her body, on his first touch.

She made it up with a sudden increase in throttle.

Dev was sweating now.

He prayed she would soon reach, where ever she was taking him now.

And next two minutes, scooty stopped in the parking space of the State Bank.

Dev, now reluctant to let go of the rose petals, sat still for fraction of a second.

"Get down hero. We need to make it quick. Can't hang around with you for ever."

She laughed beautifully.

Dev slid out, with a shy smile.

"Thank god, you smiled. Come now. We are going to see the Branch Manager.”

And she started walking beautifully towards the entrance.

With mixed emotions, Dev followed her, into the banking hall.

Cont ... chapter 7 on 19/04/2024.

novel by Vijay Nair .