17 |Jai Hanuman

~~~~~~~~~~Neeraja~~~~~~~~~

He dropped me with a loud thud on the floor immediately after entering our house.

"ammaaa.." I shouted in pain.

"Dei..." Aunt's warning came immediately.

"ena da anna public ah romance pandra?" Vichu teased him.(what is this romance in the public place)

"yaaru ivan.. apdiye romance panitalum" Aunt teased him.

( as if he would romance)

After discussing Aunt helped us use the bike from the neighborhood girl.

At last, we got the scooty. He hopped on to the bike and I behind him. He drove to a quite broader road where not much vehicles would be present.

He made me sit in the front and he sat behind her. Clutching the accelerator he taught me the basics. I drove clutching the hand bar as if my entire life is depended on it.

"loosen it a bit. why do you want girp it so hard?" he says catching my hands above mine.

"hmm.. switch on the indicator before you make a turn. it is an indication to the person coming opposite to you" he spoke so close to my ears.

He was dangerously close to me. His cologne made its way up to my nostrils and did not keep me in tact. I might loose my sense soon. And this bike riding is a difficult thing in the whole world to think about.

"Vicky.. move back and sit" I spoke hesitantly.

"oh Madam..do you think just like that you can start driving without me holding the bike? patience. Now concentrate"

"sss.. paduthriye da enna" (you are torturing me)

He gave so many instructions, look in the mirror, put the indicator, signal the horn, apply brakes, so many. Thinking of all that, I felt like booking a cab or auto or even better option taking a public transport than riding our own vehicle. So many things to take care off. kadavule (oh god)

"pcch.. sit straight Neeru.. why do you go slanting to the sideways?" he caught my hip and made me sit straight. He caught hold of my shoulders again correcting my sitting posture.

His touch gave me a tingling sensation. I was riding the bike in a zig zag manner. I felt this is the toughest thing one can do in the whole world.

"Neeru.. go straight.. why does your hand shake like that" he caught hold of my hand in the handle bar again and directed the bike to go straight. For two rounds I rode it correctly for which he appreciated. For the next round, he made me ride without his guard on the handle bar. Few meters I rode it straight.

I was nearing the end of the road. I am supposed to stop even before that but I went straight.

"hmm.. slow down.. slow down, slow down Neeraja.. apply brake slightly there is a speed breaker aheadddd..." he spoke hurriedly near my ears.

The way he spoke warning me , made me shiver. And in hurry, instead of decreasing the speed, I did the opposite. This time, when I got over the speed break at higher speed, his lips almost touched my cheeks erupting goosebumps in my body. I can not call it as a kiss, it's just a touch. A touch which was trying to awake my love hormones.

"ei... Brake.. brake.. Neeru apply brake" he shouted. I was too much affected by the touch of his lips. Hearing his shout, I panicked and triggered the accelerator instead of the brake.

I now witnessed that I have come to the end part of the road which has path on left and right.

There was a car parked straight to me. I heard him instructing me to apply brakes. But I was affected by the touch of his lips, caught in the fear of dashing the car.

Everything happened altogether at once in a matter of second. His lips touching my cheeks, me nearing the car, accelerating the speed rather than applying brakes. All at once that Vicky did not have enough time to forbid me from doing anything. Before he could take control of the situation , I got panic and took my hands of the bike and closed my face.

He caught the handle bar and applied the brakes.

Few seconds later, I found myself and Vicky lying on the ground with the bike over us. Vicky managed to get up and kept the bike straight. He somehow applied the brake and stopped at a very close inch away from the car from dashing it but we fell down , despite of his efforts.

Seeing us , few people who were walking on the road gathered.

"Can't you teach her properly?"

" Why would you leave her to drive alone in the turning area? "

"you should still have your hand on the handle bar until she gets to know it well"

People around us started accusing Vicky for not teaching properly. They all then left after getting affirmation that we did not acquire any injuries.

"sorry..." I apologized.

"when you have brake why do you want to worry? You could just apply it. Use your left hand brake. And what is this? closing your eyes in the middle of the road taking hands off the bike? who will do this haan?" He shouted at me.

"Vicky this is all so difficult for me."

"how do you apply brakes in cycle, the same way as in cycle you ride a bike, just that we will use accelerator"

"I don't even know to ride cycle Vicky"

He stood there astonished at what I told. "Once I tried and fell on the road getting hurt severely. From then on I never rode cycle fearing I might fall again" I said with a pout.

"sss... Narayaannnnaaaa...." Vicky screamed.

"yes.. it is Narayanan my Father who advised me to not ride cycle fearing I would fall again. What if I break my hands? No one will marry me la.. So I too refrained."

He gave a look from which I could not decipher anything. He then examined the bike to see if it has got any damage. Thankfully it did not have any.

"Hop on" He said.

"I will drive properly this time" I said

"Don't touch. I will ride it . You first learn to ride cycle then we can start with bike" He bet me slightly on my arms and hopped on to the bike, and I sat behind him.

"All because of you.. if you have not touched me this all would not have happened" I murmured in low voice.

"what? what did you say?"

"Nothing"

We reached home. Again Vicky was back in teasing me for falling from the bike.

"Neeru manni.. ivan romba overah pandran.. oru payasam potrulama ivanuku?" asked Vikram

(Neeru manni.. he is doing too much, shall we finish him?)

"Dei.. don't call her as Neeru.. Say Neeraja .. Neeraja manni" Vicky warned.

"Neeru manniiiii" Vikram teased.

"Neeru.. can you please chop these vegetables for the sambhar?" Heard Aunt's voice.

"Maa.. its Neeraja.. not Neeru" he spoke with irritation turning to her. I left smilingly to the kitchen.

"Dei.. we call everyone with nick names.. like wise we call her as Neeru.. so what?" Aunt replied.

"No..you all call her as Neeraja. That's it. No more discussion" he stood stubborn.

"Neeru.. is this your earring? I saw it outside near the bike" came Uncle's voice, who came from the supermarket with groceries bag.

"sss.. appppaaa.. Neeraja.. Its Neeraja.. not Neeru ok" Vignesh shouted, which no one cared. We all went to do our own work laughing.

"Hey all.. I am saying it again.. Its Neeraja not Neeru ok? Only I would call her that way" he shouted standing alone in the living room. Me and Aunt just laughed out loud hearing him shout.

(Vicky : Dear Readers including the Author.. its Neeraja not Neeru for you all understand? )

Days passed beautifully. Nowadays , Vicky got accustomed to sleep with lights on. Though he felt it difficult initially, he would cover himself with blanket fully and sleep. There had been times when I admired him while he was asleep.

I would giggle at my act. Sometimes I would feel like pinching his lips hard for talking too much. For teasing me too much.

When it is working day, he would be busy with office and gets back to serious mode. Still he never misses a chance to tease me or put me in a confused situation, a situation making my hormones rise at his act.

Once Vicky had a tired sleep and woke up little late the next day. As he was very late to office, he was doing things hurriedly. I was about to go take bath. Suddenly he caught my waist from behind and lifted me. I was astonished. Letting me down aside, he rushed inside to take bath.

Argghh.. he casually touches me which actually erupts butterflies in me. Why can't this buddhu understand it?

The other day, I was arranging the clothes in our cupboard, when he suddenly 'boo'ed me.. from behind. His close proximity deeply affects me. Which he never notices.

I don't think he would start anything romantic and it is me who has to initiate. I wanted to go do some flirting, which I don't know to do . Still I decided to give it a try.

The subtle hints I gave he did not understand. I was little afraid to make any bold moves. So I prayed to Lord Hanuman to give me courage. Praying sincerely, I came out of the pooja room with a determination to implant my first kiss.

Going forward no giving hints, direct action is what I thought. When I came out, I saw Vicky go inside the pooja room and praying sincerely. I too stood outside and prayed to Lord again to hit his head and give him senses.

When he came back, we both walked to our room. Him at the front and me behind him. I walked fast along with him and bolted the door.

I caught hold of his hand making him turn towards me. Just like how they show in movies I wanted to kiss him first and fast the moment he turns to me. I came with full force near him but stopped few inches away from his face, hearing the word that came from his mouth.

"Sri Rama Jayam"

I abruptly stopped. My legs which were tiptoed suddenly hit the ground and I left his hands which I was clutching. I managed to not make it more embarrassing. He did not seem to notice me coming to give him a kiss. So I tried really hard to hide my embarrassing stunt.

"What??" I asked perplexingly.

"Just now I remembered Neeru.. I prayed that I would write Sri Rama Jayam and make a garland out of it to get my Visa cleared without any issues. I was half way through it . Still we have few more.. Only now I remembered it"

"oh.. ok..ok" I sighed dejectedly with disappointment.

"I will go start with it immediately right now.. My Visa is getting delayed as well. I don't want any issues in my Visa clearance. No matter what happens, I will finish it by today. Even if it meant me staying awake." he replied and opened the drawer which contained the Sri Rama Jayam paper cuttings.

I came out of the room and sat on the sofa. "Anjaneyaaaa....." I shouted little with gritted teeth at the realization that my plan did not work out.

"Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar ,Jai Kapis tihun lok ujagar" I heard Vichu singing Hanuman chalisa.

"why do you sing that now?" I asked little irritated. I am not against Hanuman. But right now I felt like Hanuman ji is not in favor of me.

"oh that's because.. I just heard Vicky singing it and the tune got me. So I was just singing along"

I sat there silently.

"Hey manni.. have you watched Hanu - Man movie ? it's really nice. We should try watching it " Vichu suggested.

"kadavuleeeeeyyyyyy..." I screamed ( Oh God)

"what happened manni? are you alright?" Vichu asked me with concern.

"Nothing.. Nothing.. I am perfectly alright. hmm. Vichu.. Is your brother Hanuman Devotee?" I queried.

"yes.. Very ardent devotee of Jai Hanuman. why do you ask?"

"I guess I would also become like Hanuman..in future.. " I mumbled.

"what??"

"Jai Hanumantha Jai Jai Ram..Jai Hanumantha Jai Jai Ram" I sang.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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