Young Love

"Mmmm... Hey stop" said Prakruth. Punya had embraced him in her arms and was trying to bite his ears now.

He held her away and asked "Are you an animal?"

"Nope, but around you, I become one!" she said in a seducing tone.

Prakruth chuckled "Your grandparents might be around, watch out before you get close".

"They're busy getting a physiotherapy in the hospital, they won't come here for two hours. No maid too, so" said Punya.

"OK" said Prakruth.

"Why are you so unromantic?" asked Punya.

He chuckled again, "I'm not...I know we have whole life to do these things Punya"

"Things?? they're feelings not things...My friends keep asking me a constant question, for which I need an answer today" said Punya moving further close to him.

"What's the question?" whispered Prakruth.

Punya rubbed his lower lip with her fingers and looked straight into his eyes, "Why haven't you kissed me on my lips?"

Prakruth burst out laughing which angered Punya, she stood away from him.

"Hey come on, I didn't mean to hurt you. Look I'm sorry" apologized Prakruth trying to hold her shoulders, she shrugged.

"Do you really want to know why I didn't do that?" he asked softly.

She scowled at him and nodded a yes.

He turned her towards him and said "It is because....". Punya's cell phone started ringing "Just a moment, it is Amma" she said and answered the phone.

"Hello Amma, how are you?"

"I'm Fine, how are you Punya?" asked Narmada on the other side.

"Fine. Even grandparents are doing good" said Punya. Prakruth embraced her waist from behind and kissed her neck on the side.

"Shhhshh" she signaled silence.

"Punya, I want you to hear carefully. Don't panic" said Narmada.

"Yes Amma, tell me" said Punya.

"Rishi came early from school today, he is under some shock. He's crying continuously. He says he wants to see you immediately, so please come home with Prakruth. Don't tell anything to grandparents. They'll be stressed."

"Will you?" asked Narmada over the phone. Prakruth took over the phone and said "We'll be there as soon as possible Aunty. Don't worry".

"OK, will wait" she hung up. Punya's eyes welled up.

"Punya, he must be bullied at school, we'll go and check. Come"

"He's a young boy, who has scared him?" asked Punya.

"We'll know only if we go there"said Prakruth and took his car keys. Both of them boarded the car, "Prasad, tell grandparents that we've gone to market, we'll be back soon" Prakruth instructed Prasad who was in the lawn.

"Ok saab" he saluted.

When Prakruth and Punya came home, Varun and Pavan were sitting in the hall. Varun approached her immediately in panic.

"Punya, he isn't talking to us. He wants to see you first...come" said Varun.

"Where's he Appa?" asked Punya.

"He has shut himself in your room, he says he wants to save you, you're in trouble etc etc. I didn't understand a single word" said Varun.

"I will check Appa, don't worry" said Punya and walked to her room door, "Rishi, it is me Punya. Open the door brother" she said in a sweet tone.

He opened the door, pulled her inside and locked the door behind her.

Varun was shocked by this gesture. Prakruth went close to him and said "Uncle"

"Thanks Prakruth for bringing Punya on time" said Varun and went towards Pavan.

Prakruth just smiled as a response. He asked Narmada "Aunty can I go in?"

"If he opens the door...Yes but he didn't let Pavan uncle enter the room too" said Narmada.

Prakruth was impatient to stand outside, he was completely worried about Rishi's temper.

Inside the room, Rishi cried, screamed for 15-20 minutes. He said "Forget him, he isn't human" some 100 times. Punya failed to understand what he uttered. Finally Punya could manage to calm him down. She had embraced her younger brother in her arms tightly. He was still sobbing. Her 30 minutes of tricky questioning was in vain.

"I will not understand anything, if you don't tell me properly" said Punya frustrated.

He slept on her l.a.p and held her tightly. She rubbed his hair and asked again "What happened?"

Prakruth knocked at the door "Rishi, can I come in?"

Rishi panicked, all the effort of bringing him to normal was wasted. He started crying and screaming again as earlier. "NO, Don't come in. Akka don't let him in. You demon!!! go away" he yelled throwing a vase against the closed door. Punya was startled by his behavior.

Prakruth was shaken by the noise of the broken vase. "Punya are you fine?" asked Prakruth from outside the door.

"Yeah I'm Fine...please wait. Let me talk to him" she said past the door.

"Tell him to get out of our house. I don't want him to stay here" screamed Rishi.

"I'll tell him but why?"

"Will you tell him or shall I call police?" asked Rishi.

"He hasn't done anything to call police" said Punya.

"I don't want explanation, I want him out of my house" yelled Rishi.

"But...."

"Will you send him out or shall I pierce myself?" he held a sharp pencil close to his eyes.

"Are you mad Rishi? Why are you playing?"

"Don't come close, ask him to leave ... Now" he ordered.

Punya was still thinking what to do.... "I said right now.... NOW" he yelled again pointing pencil close to his eyes.

"OK, Fine I will" she walked close to the door, opened the door and said "Prakruth you leave now, we'll talk later about this. He needs me only, not you"

Prakruth had heard everything so he just nodded and left in silence.

Varun called "Prakruth". He didn't respond, he boarded his car and drove away.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Pavan.

"I don't know. Today everyone is acting strange" said Varun.

"Relax, everything will be OK" said Pavan patting on Varun's shoulders.

"Hope so.... come let's see how's Rishi" said Varun.

"No, let Punya handle. He clearly stated he wanted to speak to her and not to anyone of us" said Pavan.

Varun sighed deeply.