Monday, April 08, 2013

The Destination - Part 9

**********PART 9 *************



Seeing Kumar's surprised face, Navya feels sorry and just when she is about to say something - Kalyani's phone rings; She answers it and says that she needs to leave immediately as her parents were going out and wanted her to take the house key.

Navya says that she has to go out for 15 minutes and asks Preeti to accompany, but Kishore volunteers to take her and bring her back within 15 minutes so that they can all be together by the time Kalyani comes back. They leave together. Again, Preeti & Kumar are left alone.

Kumar: You think this is funny?

Preeti: What are you talking about?

Kumar: Why did you have to take that name and go around telling everyone you meet?

Preeti: It was not I who told her your name; I mean the name that Navya called you.

Kumar: Was it Kalyani then?

Preeti: I wouldn't know; although I do not think Kalyani told her too because I was with Navya all the time and Kalyani never told her anything about you.

Kumar believes her and keeps thinking about who would have revealed the name. He excuses himself to bring something to eat or drink for both of them and after he places the order, while waiting to be served he sees that a person comes around and greets Preeti. Kumar sees that Preeti felt a little awkward seeing him there. Kumar picks up the order, comes around to the table and Preeti introduces Kumar to the new guy as soon as he takes a seat...

Preeti: Kumar, meet Mahesh, he is my college mate. Mahesh, this is Kumar, my Boyfriend.

Kumar gapes at Preeti with open mouth, but looks at Mahesh before saying anything. He notices that Mahesh's face is blank. Mahesh & Kumar both try to act normal and Kumar wants to leave from that place. He does not understand why Preeti had to lie to a person about Kumar and Preeti's relationship (if at all there exists one). He completely forgets about Navya calling him "Kumbhakarna". He was also not sure how Preeti would manage to cover up the story. He was trying to think of a believable story to tell Mahesh how he and Preeti met, but before he could say anything; Mahesh said:

Mahesh: Okay, I got to go. I have some work to do and will leave you guys alone. I don't want to disturb you both.

Preeti has a fake smile on her face while Kumar tries to persuade him to sit with them. Finally Mahesh bids goodbye leaving Preeti & Kumar alone again for the third time. This time it was different for both of them. Kumar was uncomfortable sitting around with Preeti. Kumar and Preeti both try to talk about something else, but do not find a topic to converse. Kumar & Preeti quietly eat the snacks Kumar brought to the table and do not talk much.

Kalyani calls Preeti and asks her to come back as Kishore and Navya called her and asked her to come back to the house. Preeti and Kumar walk together without talking and reach home with Kalyani waiting outside.

Kalyani: Why are you guys so quiet?

"Endukila calm ga unnaru"?

Kumar and Preeti don't answer. They just look at Kalyani and say nothing. She asks again:

Kalyani: "Okay, where did Navya & Kishore Anna go?"

"Sare, Navya inka Kishore Anna ekkadaki vellaru?"

Kumar & Preeti still don't answer. Kalyani waits for a while and looks at Preeti, who ignores her. Kalyani looks at Kumar now and he tries to ignore her too, but she urges for an answer to which Kumar replies:

Kumar: "I don't know. Navya wanted to go somewhere and Kishore took her"

Kalyani: "Where did she have to go?"

Kumar: "I don't know, she is your friend. You should know. She had called you, you should have asked her"

Kalyani: "So what, Kishore Anna is your friend, did he not tell you where he was going?"

Silence followed for a little more time and Kalyani still looked at both of them and not talking to anyone. Kishore and Navya return and Kalyani asks them:

Kalyani: "Where did you both go?"

Kishore: "To buy tickets to Hyderabad."

Kalyani: "Why?"

Kishore: "Kumar wants to leave today as he has to be in office tomorrow. I have some work at Hyderabad so I thought I would accompany him."

Kalyani: "Why did you take Navya?"

Kishore: "I did not take her, she took me. I was there so I thought I will also buy tickets and we bought in the same bus for tonight."

Kalyani: (to Navya): "Where are you going?"

Navya: "I went to buy tickets to Hyderabad"

Kalyani: "Why are you going to Hyderabad?"

Navya: "I wanted to meet my parents - so, I am also going in the same bus tonight so that I have company."

Kalyani: "Why did you come back to Vizag if you wanted to go to Hyderabad; I am really confused."

By this time, Kumar almost forgot the questions he had in mind (how Navya knew the name Kumbhakarna and why Preeti introduced him as her boyfriend) to her college mate and just sat there listening to Kalyani & Navya's conversation. Kishore was listening intently too, but Preeti was a little off. She was thinking about something. The conversation continued:

Navya: "I wanted to meet my parents, but could not so I am going now, what's the confusion?"

Kalyani: (Sarcastically) "There is no confusion. All I understand is that you are going to Hyderabad to meet your parents whom you 'almost' met over the weekend and want to see them again, by taking off from work on weekdays and that you cannot wait for next weekend. Yes, it is all pretty clear."

Kumar & Kishore start smiling on hearing Kalyani's sarcasm. Kumar observes that Preeti was still lost in thoughts. Kishore interrupts:

Kishore: "Enough of this fight - let us all go. It is past 2pm. We need to have lunch now and pack for the evening. The bus leaves at 7pm."

They all agree. Kishore and Kumar go to their house. Kalyani goes to her house. Preeti & Navya take the stairs, but see that Mr.Rao (the same person who was in the train in Part 1 with Kumar) is sitting on the stairs waiting for them as the house is locked.

Navya greets him, opens the door and says that she would bring 'chilled water' from Kalyani's house and comes down. She goes into Kalyani's house who is all alone at home.

Kalyani: (angrily) "Yes, What do you want?"

"Emi kaavali?"

Navya: (smiling) "Why are you so angry?"

"Enduku antha kopam?"

Kalyani: "Why would I not be angry? You are not telling me the details. One day you say that you are going to Hyderabad and return the next day saying you went only half-way and now you say that you are going there again"

"Raada mari? Vishayam cheppakunda, Hyderabad veltunnanu antaavu, sagam dooramu nunchi vachesaanu antaavu, malli veltunnanu antaavu.."

Navya: "I will tell you all those details later, first give me chilled water. Preeti's uncle is here"

"Avanni taravata cheptaanu kaani, naaku oka bottle challa neellu ivvu. Preeti valla uncle vacharu"

Kalyani: "When did he come?"

"Aayana eppudu vacharu?"

Navya: "Don't know. He was waiting for us by the time we came. Give this to me soon"

"Emo. Memu vache time ki metlu meeda koorchunnaru. Tondaraga bottle ivvu."

Kalyani: "Wait, I will also come"

"Aagu, nenu vastanu."

Kalyani brings a bottle of chilled water and comes along with Navya. They both take the stairs quietly and hear the following conversation between Preeti and her uncle, Mr.Rao.

Mr.Rao: "Who is that guy?"

"Evaramma atanu?"

Preeti: "Who is it that you are asking about, uncle?

"Evaru Uncle?"

Mr.Rao: "The one who was at the Bakery."

"Bakery lo kalisade aa abbayi."

Preeti: "Kalyani, Navya & I went to the bakery. Kalyani's friends also came there"

"Kalyani, Navya, nenu vellamu uncle bakery ki. Kalyani friends kooda vacharu."

Mr.Rao: (soothingly) "Preeti, I saw you coming alone with a guy from the bakery. If you like someone, inform us now. We are searching for a suitable alliance for you, it is better that we do not create any problems.

"Choodamma, nenu ninnu maatrame oka abbayitho choosanu, Neeku evaranna ishtam unte cheppu. Neeku ippudu pelli sambandhalu choostunnamu; maaku ibbandulu teesukuravaddu."

Preeti: "Uncle, there is nothing of that sort. He was my classmate and had proposed to me when we were in college and then I had rejected. I was in the bakery with friends in the morning and he saw me and came up to meet me, that's it."

"Uncle, alaantidi emi ledu. Aa abbayi maa classmate, naaku memu college lo unnappdu propose chesadu. Nenu appudu 'No' cheppanu. Indaaka bakery lo nenu maa friends toh vellanu and tanu naaku by chance kalisadu anthe."

Mr.Rao: "But, I met him in the train and he told me that he was going to meet his girlfriend."

"Mari naaku train lo kalisinappudu girlfriend ni kalavadaaniki veltunnanu ani cheppadu!?"


Kalyani and Navya who were listening to all this from outside were not really sure why Preeti was saying that Kumar was her classmate.


Preeti was confused as she had told the truth. Preeti thought her uncle saw her with Mahesh as she did not realize the time she spent with Kumar alone. She thought she was always in a group when with Kumar. She was thinking how Mr.Rao met Mahesh in the train. Going to bakery was not something they had planned for; it was on-the-fly as Navya wanted to have some soft drinks and they left without even thinking about it. She was wondering how Mahesh would have known about them going to the bakery and how he could follow them there.

********* To be continued **************​

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