(Avinash + Shalini = ??? ~ Can you guys come up with a good ship name)
A thousand things ran inside Shalini and Avi's mind. The fact of what happened minutes ago terrified Shalini, if there was one thing she didn't want at that time was a relationship, that too with someone whom she wanted to be just friends with. She always forgot her worries around him and now being with him had suddenly turned a worry. She wanted to go back in the past and erase that moment. She did not want to be awkward around him. She was contemplating on how to approach him when she recieved a text,
'PA madam late aagudhu, kelamblama??'.
'Ex ah paaka avalo arvama?' she texted back.
'😑😑' The reply arrived.
With better hopes that he would pretend that everything was normal between them, she walked downstairs and he did exactly that. He just smiled and asked her to get onto his new Rolls-Royce Phantom. "She is gorgeous." Shalini commented, breaking the silence. "Not more than my 'azhagana wife'." He joked. "Adhu terinja vishayam dhana?" She asked with a superior attitude making both of them chuckle. The joke wasn't funny, it was just an excuse to get rid of any awkwardness between them.
The phantom then stopped near a marriage hall, causing Avi to wear his mask. "Aama mask potalum ungla avanga recognise pannuvanga la?" She asked and he glared at her. "Aaru varushama love pannirkom, ivalo kooda kandu pudika maatala?" He questioned. "Adhey dhan naanum kekren, kandu pudipangala maatangla?" She asked making him sigh. "Adhellam pannuva ma!!" He whined. "Appo okay." She told and got down making him follow.
She quickly hooked her arms around his. "Ulla polama da purusha?" She teased hopping forward, unknowingly fluttering him. He just smiled under the mask, the smile visible in his eyes. She pulled him to the stage immediately, them waiting in line with a bouquet. Avi's heartbeat was high, so was Aruna and her family's as Avi walked into the stage. "Congratulations Dr.Aruna Sathish." He greeted gritting his teeth as he passed it to her, his eyes in battle with hers. "Hello bro." Avi then greeted her fiance. "Hello bro." "Hello Anna." Shalini greeted. "Hello, neenga PA dhana?" Aruna questioned to Shalini. "Yes, but also my wife." Avi told pulling Shalini close by her waist.
"Naa venum nu clear headed ah descion eduthu, she got married to me." He told and Aruna etched a fake smile on her face. "Congratulations." She voiced out. "Same to you!!" Shalini told smiling. Avi didn't remove his hand from her bare waist as the photo was clicked. "Bro saaputu dhan poganum." Varun told. "Definitely, anyways happy married life." Avi told, somehow, a heavy feeling in his heart felt dropped. Avi's eyes then roamed around the hall. "Yaaru ah thedringa?" Shalini questioned. "Avaluku nalla Bahubali maari bulk ah oru cousin irrundhan, engagement appo oru sambavam pannan, adhuku revenge edukanum, adhuku dhan avana thedren." He told. "Neenga thedunga, andha gap la poi naa icecream sapudren." She told.
Avi's ears involuntarily fell on a few boys lewd comments on a girl. He shrugged it off until the words black saree hit him. He quickly turned his field of vision to find the boys eyes on HER. It was enough to make him angry. He walked to her and pulled her closer by the waist such that she crashed mildly on him. He breathed on her earlobe, fluttering her. "Car la poi wait pannu, naa varen." He told. "Innum sapadala, perusa revenge um edukla! Yen adhukulla?" She asked and he sighed. His grip on her bare waist increased. "Purushan sonna kekanum Shalini, kelambu!! Poi car la wait pannu." He told and left her. "P-p- poren." She told, somewhat fluttered by his gesture.
His eyes still searched the cousin while she walked back to the car.
A small kid then asked Avi to bend down. "Enna ma?" He asked. "Uncle, Akka ungla koopdranga," She told. "Endha akka?" He questioned but the kid ran away. He strode a bit forward to find a space with literally no crowd, he was astonished on how silent the place was . "Yaaru adhu?" He asked finding a silhouette. "Naan dhan Avi koopten." He heard Aruna's voice. "Oh!! Kalyana ponnu oru irrutu room la ex kooda enna panranga? Ponga poi stage la nillunga." He advised. "Avinash ennaku indha kalyanam suthama pudikala." She confessed. "Oh!! Congratulations" He told sarcastically and turned back.
"Avinash naa innum unna dhan da love panren!!" She exclaimed and hugged him from behind, shedding tears. "Indha kalyanam ennaku venam nu naa ellar munnadiyum solla ready." She told.Avinash was stunned. "I want you back." She told, hugging him tighter.
Logically, he should have accepted her. His heart should have wanted him to hug her back, but that was not what was happening, his thoughts kept drifting to Shalini. His body didn't like her touch anymore. "Aruna enna vidu." He told seriously. "Avi, I love you!!" She confessed and before he could push her off, they heard footsteps approaching.
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Shalini was back to the parking, she greeted the driver and got in. "Seri, paatu aavudhu kepom." She told and picked her earphones and searched for her phone. She checked her bag properly, then the car. "Anna yen phone ku oru call tharingla?" She asked the driver and tried to hear her ringtone. "Anna, naa poi phone thedren, Avinash vandha avarta sollirunga." She told and left, making him nod.
"Icecream saptapo mobile kaila irrundhucha?" She asked herself walking upstairs. She searched for it everywhere until she spotted it next to the icecream counter. She turned to leave when she saw the kids who were playing catch drop their ball into an empty dark corridor, too afraid to go get it. The kids rushed to her and tugged her pallu. "Akka, Akka, ball eduthu kudukringla?" They asked. She pretended to think. "Enna kiss kudutha eduthu tharen." She told making the kids smooch her cheeks one by one, making her chuckle. "Seri chamatha ingaye wait pannanum okay va?" She asked and they nodded.
She walked into the corridor, but heard a few voices, making her move a bit forward. But the sight of Aruna and Avinash sharing a hug made her breathing abnormal. She felt a pang of pain in her heart as she dropped the ball in her hand. Her eyes got moist, Avinash wasn't any better. Aruna pulled back while Avi similarly felt a pang of chest pain. "Shalini?!!" He called out but she herself didn't know what went through her as she quickly strode away. Avinash suddenly felt the urge to prove himself clean. "Avinash?" Aruna asked misty eyed while his consciousness was barely listening to her.
"Akka ball?" The kids asked, but noone of her senses worked as her legs as if having a mind on their own, took her to the car.
