SHE'S ONE OF US -CHAPTER 09

Unfelt Love bloomed!

Days went by. Sai became a very close friend of Shree.They discussed lot of things and topics. Shree started discussing each and everything that happened daily to her.
They became best friends. Shree asked Sai "How is your love ?". Sai said Shree "The lady who accompanied the girl was her aunt and she talked to me that the girl likes me so much and if I am also interested ,she said she will talk to the elders in their home and make necessary arrangments in future, But she said I have to wait for 5 years. Shree said " Oh .Five years .Thats fine if you really love her. It is worth waiting ". And continued "Tell me about her .you know her name ? What she is doing?". Sai smiled and said "Her name is Latha. But still don't know what she is doing .Soon will get to know. I got her landline number and will call her today to know about her more". Shree smiled and said "I am waiting to know " . Sai  left that day.

That day ,Akhila came home happy with a smile holding a small kit. Mom asked "What is that?". Akhila asked "Where is Shree?". Mom said "She 
is in upstairs taking tuition". Akhila ran upstairs and in an enthusiastic tone "Shree. Can u come down for a minute". Akhila never called  Shree like this before.
Though she was eager ,Shree shrunk her eyebrows and said "I am busy . Not now..". Akhila said "Hey Don't do too much.Come down". Shree smiled and came down. Shree asked "What ?" and saw the small kit. Shree anxiously asked Akhila "Hey What is it?". Mom too was so eager and asked "Akhila! What is this?". Akhila looked them both, opening the parcel said "Wait ...".
Shree's and Mom's eyes were fixed on the kit. Akhila opened the kit. Shree screamed out of happiness "oooooh Ahhhhhh." 
Akhila was so happy to see Shree jumping and screaming out of joy. The reason for her joy was a Mobile phone which is the basic model of Nokia. Mom was happy. Akhila said "Now a days, 
it is a basic requirement to have a Mobile phone". Shree exclaimed  "OH my god... I used to see people sharing their mobile numbers in the college. When they ask my number. 
I will reply that I don't own a phone . People will look  me differently and hereafter me too can give my number . Oooh yayyy ". Akhila inserted a sim and put the  
mobile in charge. Shree looked at the mobile phone smiling and asked "Akhila , Whom did we call first?". Akhila said "Sai .. Let it be charged first". Shree said 
"Okay. Wait till my tuition get over. Hey Don't make a call without me". Akhila smiled and said "Okay". After tution, they dialed Sai's number. Sai attended the call.
Akhila turned on the speaker. Sai said "Who is this?". Shree got ready . Akhila in a lower tone said "One ..two three". Both of them shouted "We got a new phone" .
Sai understood it was Shree and Akhila. Sai was so happy and said "Superb . Tommorrow , I will come and see the phone". Shree said playfully
"If you need to contact Shree, the Great , Call me this number". Sai smiled and said "Hey Chatter box, If you keep on talking, Akhila won't recharge the phone."
Shree pretended to be annoyed and handed the phone to Akhila. Akhila said "Sai, see you tommorrow , Bye Good night". Shree's father reached home.
Akhila and Shree showed the phone. Dad asked "Akhila How much is this?".Akhila said "Appa !Two thousand Rupees". Shree was shocked and said "Two thousand Rupees. Such a huge amount".
Mom asked "So , Akhila , The salary you give this month will be two thousand rupees less and how will I manage". 
Akhila said"No worries. It is my savings and Shree too saved her pocket money and gave me when I asked her". Shree said Akhila "But you didn't tell a word that you are going to buy a mobile phone" . Akhila smiled. Mom and Dad was so happy. 

"Shree's family decided to move to a  little better home as the current home was too small and Shree could not manage the tuitions as the 
number of students were thiry now. Next day , Sai came and saw the phone. Sai said "Amma!  phone is too good" . 
Mom smiled and said Sai "This weekend we are going to shift our home". Sai asked "Amma . Where?". Mom explained him and 
added "Sai , It is good if you can also help us". Sai said "Sure Amma" and left the home.The house was half a kilometer 
from the current home. Shree's family did not have enough money to book a tempo
for moving the articles ,So they decided to rent a  six wheeler cart to move the articles  which need to be pulled by people.
They should make about twelve trips in the cart to move the entire home .That week , Akhila went out of town due to some emergency for her friend.
Shree called Sai for help. Sai arrived in fifteen minutes after the call. Sai was very tired but still he managed to make three trips.
He was not well and he had a slight fever. Without minding it, Sai started helping with the things and arranging in the cart. Shree and Sai pushed the cart together.
They talked and laughed while pushing the cart. Meanwhile Shree's mom and Dad were arranging for the next trip in the current home.
Two trips completed and that was the third trip. Sai was still more tired as  his temperature raised.
They both were arranging the things in the new home and Sai stood on a stool and kept the things in the loft and Shree rendered the things from 
down. At one point Sai realised that he could not manage and he felt giddy. While Shree saw something was wrong when he struggled to get down from the stool.
She just got him around his shoulders and it was a mere accident. She became nervous for two reasons. One, Sai was not well and the next ,  for the first time 
she was holding a guy in her arms. There was a "BOOM" in her heart. The Love bloomed without her knowledge. Still she didn't realise that it was "LOVE".
Sai thanked her and  hurried home. The next two days she expected him, but he didn't turn up.

The Dignity!!

The third day Sai arrived .Shree asked him "How are you now. Are you Okay?".He said that he was affected by viral fever and was alright now.
Shree had stories to talk about three days. She started telling all the stories and incidents happened those three days and how she felt when he 
didn't arrive for the past two days. Sai was asusual silent and listened her.Time paced at a very high speed when he was by her side.
Shree don't want him to leave. Shree became so attached to him to the extent that she couldn't survive without seeing or talking to him. Shree asked Sai "Did you call Latha?" . Sai with no expression said "No ". Shree understood that he was not interested to talk about that and said "okay ,after you call her ,let me know"
When he about to leave her home, She would beg him to stay for five more minutes and so she could make him to stay in her eyes for extra five minutes.
The affection multiplied day by day. Still the "Love" not been revealed by both of their hearts to them. The next day she went to college and returned home asusual.
That evening there came a slight headache for Shree in her tuition. A Girl from a very rich family doing her 10th standard came with her father to join her tuition 
and that was the headache. The father of the girl heard about Shree through their friend and he wanted her daughter to join the tuition. Shree talked in the
same way as she talked to others.The man just looked around her home and his face changed. He asked her "How many students are here". She said politely 
"Sir, it is around thirty students" and added "I have divided the students in groups and so that i can concentrate  on each and every student".
The Man was not happy with that environment. He told Shree "Don't mistake me. I want my daughter to be concentrated individually and give her a special attention".
Shree said politely  "Don't worry Sir,each and every student studying in my tuition is very important to me and they are all treated in a same way".
The Man was not happy with the answer . He said "How much you earn for these thirty students". Shree's face changed slightly. But the man didn't expect an answer 
from Shree. He continued "I will give you double the money and one more thing is , I don't want 
my daughter to come here and I want you to come to my home". Shree had a strong feeling of annoyance. But still she smiled and said politely "Sorry.This is my tuition and 
I have struggled to make the tution to bring up to this level" She added "Sir,You Don't mistake me. It is only worth when we go behind Education and Arts. It won't come 
behind us, even if it comes it is not worth at all. Hope you understand". The man glanced at her for a few seconds and he stood up and said "You should learn to live".
She smiled and  said "Okay ,So what have you decided?". The girl came forward and said "I want to join the tuition". The man had no other option.
Shree smiled at the girl and asked her to come from the next day.
The students were listening the conversation. They got afraid that Shree would accept that offer. Once the man and the girl left. There was a big applause from the students as an appreciation. Shree put her index finger on her lips and said playfully "Sshhhh. No noise ". The students were so happy.

 
Shree turning Nineteen!

That day was Shree's birthday. Shree was upset that nobody bothered about her birthday. She turned Nineteen. Akhila bought a new dress for Shree. Akhila said "I got
 a packet of chocolates too. Enjoy your day". Shree exclaimed "Hurrah ! You are awesome. But you could have told  this yesterday. Atleast I would not have worried 
and  also dreamt about the new dress and sweets" and sparkled her eyes. Akhila said "Because of the suspense I can see double happiness on your face and thats what I want. Happy birthday".
. Shree smiled and said "Thank you Akhila". Mom and Dad said "Happy birthday Shree" . 
She  got blessing from both of them and got ready for the college with new dress and sweets. She had a very good  time in college.
That evening, Shree's mother and Father had a news. In home, Mom and Dad and a strange person was sitting and discussing something. 
Shree arrived from College. She was surprised to see her Dad and Akhila in home that time. Shree saw Akhila standing with sad face. 
She saw Shree and went inside the kitchen. Shree was confused about the  strange person  whom she had never met. She was also bewildered of the sad face of Akhila. 
The discussion continued. Shree watched them closely. After hearing the conversation 
Shree ran inside the kitchen and whispered "Akhila , You know what they are talking about?" . Akhila in a sad tone "I know. It is about the marraige proposal of mine".
Shree smiled "Hey , It is a good news , But I'm wondering why are you sad". Akhila kept silent. Shree said "Wait , I will go and hear what they talk".
Through the conversation, First thing Shree came to know the family is wealthy.They are highly educated and modern. Shree was happy that Akhila's life going to be
happy. Still confused why Akhila was unhappy.The boy was 27 years old. Shree said to herself "Age is fine". He is the district collector. Shree was overjoyed. She
jumped inside the kitchen and hugged Akhila "Hey your are going to be Collector's wife. I will say proudly to my friends that my sister got married to an IAS officer"
Still Akhila was sad . Shree asked "Are you mad? Why are you sad?". Akhila stood silent. Shree again went to the living room. Finally the news about the boy made her 
stunned and speechless. Shree came with the sad face and saw Akhila. Tears came out from her eyes. Akhila asked "Are you mad to be happy that I get married to IAS 
officer. Don't you have a common sense. Don't you think why the IAS officer guy like to marry a girl from a poor family like us.". 
Shree said innocently "Why ??? Will IAS Officer marry only a rich girl ?". Akhila couldn't talk anymore. Shree said "But how could this happen. The man is a widower
and I heard the  strange person saying the guy lost his wife six months back in an accident and have a seven months Baby girl and they are searching a girl who is kind
and responsible". Being a poor family , Mom and Dad convinced Akhila to accept this. Atleast they can see one of their daughter well settled. The Poverty made them to
decide this. Shree came near Akhila "Break your silence and Speak up". Akhila said Shree wiping her tears "I don't like this proposal , not because the bride groom 
is a widower and has a girl baby. I don't like to get married now. I have lot of dreams." Shree with eyes full of tears fixed her glance on Akhila. 
Akhila added "As an elder daughter, It's my duty to bring our family to a high position and but not like this". Shree believed Akhila was extremely talented and 
She could definitely acheive what she said. Shree said "You could have told this to Amma and Appa". Akhila said "It is already decided . They have given their words
 to that family. Nothing can be done". The stranger left. Everyone in the family including Shree were in the living room. Mom said "Tommorrow the family is arriving. Get ready". Mom 
gave instructions for everyone. Shree interrupted and in a bold voice "I will marry him and not Akhila". 
Everybody was shocked including Akhila. Akhila said "Are you mad ?".
Mom and Dad was  confused. Shree said Akhila "I am not"  and looked at her Mom and said " Amma! If you want to settle one of your daughters. Let that be me".
and added "Akhila got dreams. She is very important to our family than me. Disappointments and failures are not new for me. Though Akhila struggles, 
She always get what she wants. She should not be disappointed. I learnt to go with whatever I get in my life. I am fully aware about the proposal and I am not afraid 
of anything. I accept this proposal with my full heart and I am not sad " and twinkled her eyes seeing Akhila and said "Hurrah ! I am going to marry an IAS officer". Though Mom and Dad hesitated ,Shree convinced them to accept. Akhila stood silent and she was totally down.
Shree went inside the room and stood infront of Raghavendra swamy and her eyes filled with tears. He was smiling asusual. Shree had nothing to order or command him. She went to her bed.

And now I can hear you saying  "Chella ! You are making us sad and cry. When will be the happiest part in the story  come?". Not only you, Me too waiting to write the happy episode.
Suspense this time , The gist is Sai going to be disappointed for some reason. Will Shree get married to the IAS officer ?
I have only a word to say and It is "Patience"  not till Next Friday but the next next Friday. Lets always hope for the best.