Lyrics Six

“...Viralodu vizhiyum vaadum

Viraiginra kaalam nogum

Irunthaalum varugiraen un madiyil naan thoonga

Enai vanthu urasum kaatre

Avalodu kanavil netre

Kaikorthu nerunginaen kan adithu nee yenga...”

Now

Took a shower, had lunch and left the house with Ahmed and Karthi. We spent the afternoon with tailor making sure my wedding dinner suit was perfect and ready for the day.

“Dey. Gimme the phone?” Ahmed grabbed the phone from me. “Hello Madam. Just 4 more days for the wedding, then he is all yours. Cant you wait for 10mins till he is done with the measurements?”

“Paavam da ava. He is the one who is keep on calling her.” Karthi did his part of pouring oil in the fire.

“Gimme the phone dude.” I was trying to pull it from him but he was out of reach and I couldn’t move as the tailor was taking measurements.

“Is everything done now? Can I have my phone back?”

“Polachu Po”

“Thank You”

I scrambled through the contacts, “R...R...R...R...R...Ya”

DIALLING.... CONNECTING....

“Honey... Sorry was a little busy down here and these guys...Oooof”

“Hmmmm... So where are you guys heading now?”

“Need to buy a shoe for the reception and sandals for the wedding. That’s all I guess.”

“Oh...hmmmmm.. I wanna see you. Cant wait till tomorrow.”

“Hmmmmm well. Can you come down to Boomarang? Nehru Stadium?”

6 yrs and 10days ago

“A Protein Blast for me” Divi answered spontaneously without even looking at the menu.

“For me, Black Forest Dream and a Banana Smoothie for him.” That was Karthi and the smoothie was for Ahmed.

“That’s all Sir?” the waiter was waiting for a confirmation.

“Dude!!” Karthi tried to get my attention.

“Dey” Divi shook me. I just woke up from deep sleep with my eyes open.

“Are you ok Rahul?” she knew I am not.

“Ya...ok..” It was her birthday and I didn’t want to disappoint her by saying a “No”. It had been 2 weeks since the college reopened, she hasn’t showed up. Divi was like “She’ll definitely come to college.”

The time has changed from “When’ll I propose to her” to “Will I see her at all?”

“Rahul, I think some serious issue is going on in her house da. Its better you come out of it.” Divi tried to convince me.

“After all these days, definitely she should have got some clue from you. If she has got that then definitely she would have contacted you.”

“Machan, its time for you to come out of it. You got placed, just get your degree and move on man.”

“Guys, it was her who helped me out for my placements. If it was not her I would not have worked during vacation and maybe chucked out of the project. Its her man, Ria.”

“Guyssss... Shall we move?” “Bill Please ” Ahmed put an end to the conversation.

“Sir, Can you give your Name and contact number? It’s for a lucky draw contest for Christmas and New year.”

“Christmas”, it just struck me.

_

“Its ridiculous man, in the middle of the night, climbing the hostel wall and roaming around the city. If I get caught am sure warden is going to call my dad.” Ahmed was really frustrated but he was behind my back, just for me.

“Relax man. We’ll just look around for her and...”

“And what?”

“If we find her..”

“Ok..what after we find her?”

“I’ll try to speak with her and...”

“There you go again. Its because of you she is gone now.” He almost yelled at me. Tears were the only the answer to his question.

“Oh shit. Sorry da. I didn’t mean to. Damn it” probably he saw me through the rear view mirror.

“Its ok man. You are right, it was me who dug my own grave.”

Next few kilometers passed in mere silence.

“Dey, do you know which church they would go?”

“Ya. I got it confirmed with Divi. Don’t worry.”

I thought it would be easy but once we saw the crowd we almost lost hope.

“I’ll sweep through from the entrance into the church. You try to look around the perimeter and call me if you see her.” saying this I entered through the front entrance, pushing through the crowd.

I moved myself into the left corner of the church so that I could get a clear view. I slowly moved along the side scanning each row. Once I reached the first row, I bent down and ran across the Altar trying not to block the view. But almost everyone’s head were following from left to right, even The Father lost his speech for a moment. I reached the other end and now scanned every row till I reached the rear wall. Suddenly my phone started to ring, there was a big sigh and a frustrated look on everyone’s face around me. It was Ahmed. I had to disconnect his call and came out.

Once I was out of the crowd and I called him back.

“Dey, enna da. Any signs of her or her parents?”

“Can you come little farther out, all I hear the chant. I am near the parking lot on the other side.”

I almost ran to the garden around the church, I didn’t want to walk all the way across to the parking lot thinking I might miss them. It was completely dark and I could hardly hear the voices from the church.

“Hello? Are you there?”

“Ya.. Any signs of her or her parents?”

“Man, I don’t know her parents dude. I mean I haven’t seen them ever. No, signs of her too.”

“Oh” that’s all I could say. I slowly walked down to the

“Ok. Just do a final check around the church then we..” That’s all I said and there was hard hit on my head. I dropped my phone and placed my hand on the back of my head. It was wet. I slowly turned when a man gave me a hard punch on my abdomen. I bent down in pain with my hands on my stomach when another blow on my head again made me lie flat on the flat on the ground, face down. It was dark and the heavy blows made my vision quiet distorted, all that I could make out was two or three guys around me. One of them had a small rod in his hand, probably made of steel. One of the guys came close to me and started yelling. After some nasty words,

“Enna hero nu nenepa?” “Am gonna kick the shit outta you?” “Leave her Alone”

I was lying in pain. Blood started to flow down my face. I tried to speak but couldn’t.

“Hoo..hoo....Who who?”

That’s all I could say and he gave a hard kick on my stomach again. The other guy gave another blow with the rod•