After keeping the rosary safe inside my small knick knack treasure collecting box. I put the wooden treasure chest inside my table holder.

I sighed and leaned against the table pressing my palms on the sides of the table drooping my head down tiredly.

I slowly opened my eyes and caught the glimpse of the peacock feather ,which sat elegantly on my dressing table ,with illuminating sparkles radiating through the fringes of its feather.

I blinked my eyes and took in a sharp breath of utter dismay when I saw a tremor sprawling through the feather enhancing the glossy golden mystifying sparkles of the feather with an acquired elegance of its own yet receiving a teasing hue to its stance.

"I think I am imagining and seeing things" I mumbled glaring at the feather accusingly.

I took the feather in my hand pinching the stem of the feather ever so lightly as if it had a life of its own.I ran my fingers along the fringes of the thick peacock feather tenderly, musing every single detail of it.

Engrossed yet enchanted by its fascinating beauty I gazed at it intently and let my heart and soul submerge in a hypnotic trance.

From where I still have no idea, a sudden surge of sheer calmness washed over me with a soul purging effect. I stood gazing at the feather as if I am somewhat smitten by its charm. A beam broke out of the corner of my lips when I got to experience the enchanting charisma of my Krishna in a deep soulful way.

The feather shivered abruptly and hit my nose teasingly. It was a sudden and unexpected maneuver . I gasped in shock ,my eyes widened.

I was dragged out of my deep soulful trance when this unanticipated reception I got from the shenanigan feather.

I scowled at the feather in an authoritative way and grooved my eyebrows together.

I took a small marble box and crammed that peacock feather inside it grumbling a string of profanities in my own irritated way.

"Now stay in there and get acclimatized with whatever facility you have got there. You are becoming too showy and flashy in your 'ways' with me.Enough of hide and seek Krishna ! umph!"I muttered and mumbled pointing my left index finger at the box irately. I harrumphed scowling and narrowing my eyes at the marble box as if it will listen to my crazed up whims and fancies.

A deep clearing of throat floated past my ears making me jump a bit in shock clutching my chest in fear. I stared at the marble box in horror.

For a few seconds the atmosphere seemed calm and serene like nothing had ever happened.

"Krishna! Enthoru pareekshanama ithu kanna.( Oh Lord ! Krishna what kinda trail and tribulation you are casting me into all the time?) " I said like a plaintive wailing. I massaged my temples closing my eyes in fatigue.

Again the voice of clearing the throat came but this time with a bit difference like taunting or jeering at my horrified state

A bolt of shock flew through me rippling every single cell of mine. I didn't have the courage to turn around and view what is in store for my eyes to witness in all its magnifying shenanigan charm.

I held my breath and perked up my ears trying to gather any sound or hiss that float past me.

"Someone is busy having her own crazy mode of chiding radio on" A deep voice chimed in a taunting manner after what everything seemed like an eternity.

I felt like, a bird had flown out of my heart at the very instant ,when I listened to this conversation ,yet ,beautifully managed to pull back my composed stance pretty soon and huffed rolling my eyes when the realization ,of who that elegant person is ,began to patch up and register within my brain.

A sigh of deep relief passed out of me when I deciphered who that person was yet a creepy irritation rippled through my annoying cells which get infuriated at every possible circumstance.

I swiveled around swiftly, folding my arms across my chest and glaring pointedly at the person in front of me who held an annoying smirk plastered across his face and mirroring my stance yet in a 'high grade' way.

I craned up my neck and threw a bored look at him flexing up my eyebrows.

"My tongue! My thoughts! My words! My way of craziness! My room! My reign!Any problem? And who invited you here to have a free barging spree without my permission?"I snapped at him irately narrowing my eyes. And craning my neck to get a better view of his face.

Om stared down at me with a sly smile on his face.

Om appeared to be entertained by the way I chose to react to his indignant entry in my room.

As far as my home and elders are concerned girl's room was considered as a men prohibited area especially if that man happens to be an outsider.

I harrumphed rolling my eyes and threw a bored look at him like he is the last person I wanna deal with for all the chaos my mind and heart had received in a reveling manner.

" woah! My! Your temper fairies are acquiring a real glorious heights ,man! Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! when I first met you I never thought this simple,modest and polite looking girl could hold such a depth of volcanic fiery spirit within her without letting out even a spark of it to others vicinity."Om said in a mockingly surprised tone yet his blue ghost like smoky eyes held an evil glint of its own when they sized me up.

My anger rate was escalating in a surprising manner. Usually I am not that outrageous kinda person. But something about him always make me badly wanna snap and snarl at him.

I pressed my lips together and looked away not even wishing to see or check anything that might make blurt out something which might make me the complete moron and fool of this era, indignant of course to be added.

"Looks can be deceptive, Om! I am not the one whom I choose to exhibit before others. It is just a facade I put up before others.It is better you will never get to see the real volcano erupting from this girl. You will never live for another second if you happen to do so. So don't try to study what a hot searing lava of a lady I am through your indignant and jeering ways. Also stop keeping notes on my behaviour like old ladies. You will reach no where with that broken torn bits of my nature because the real me will always remain hidden within me unless I choose to open up. And I assure you that the real pearl won't be a pleasant or gracious sight for anyone who happens to witness me. So it is better stay away from me."I warned darkly casting a grave countenance of my own.

Om just peered at me calmly with a smile. A knowing and understanding smile to be precise.

" Will love to have a peek at that real lady someday or the other. And if I am lucky that day won't be far" Om said with an enigmatic smile.

I didn't like the tone of that. Somewhat like assertive,knowing and authoritative blend up one to be exact. I hate it when someone takes this much freedom towards me like they have known me forever but the real fact is that,they just have no idea who or what kinda girl I am.

"You will regret it Om, mind you. I am nothing like you presume me to be. I am far fetched from all the hypothetical theory you have about me. Just back off" I said warning him sternly.

"Really? You think like that? Who do you think you are, miss?Some language ?or literary work ?,to keep a tab and hypotheses of your creation and behaviour. Don't flaunt yourself that much, sweetheart." Om remarked sarcastically at me.

My mouth fell open at this candid declaration and I flustered a bit not getting hold on ample collection of words to weave a retort to his sarcasm.

"Okay, leave it. Then what are you doing here? May I know the reason for your Royal entry in my room at this time of the evening , Mister know it all?"I asked emphasising the last words with a waspish tint in my tone that jutted out pointedly through my acidic expression.

Om silently gazed at me for a moment before bursting out into a peel of rumbustious laughter.

It went on for some time before he decided to recoil to his normalcy and calmed his laughing spree.

"I should have knocked before entering. Sorry for that indignant act of not knocking. Also we are kinda friends so such formalities are not good for healthy friendship" Om said with an evil glint in his smoky ghost like blue eyes.

" Says who?" I countered with my one eyebrow flexed up

" Me! Who else?This is my law of friendship. Put the habit of Enduring it ,sweetheart. I guess you will. Because Tu Meri dost hain( You are my friend)"Om said in a sickeningly sweet voice and sung a Hindi song asserting his blunter point .

" ( Imposing much?) " I asked cocking my eyebrow up menacingly, well, at least for me.

Om let out a curt laugh when he heard me. He scratched his long nose before shooting a glare which can be hailed as the synonym of deathly, ghastly, lethal or anything around that line.

" Well, yeah,If by force then force it is ,my darling)" Om retorted his eyebrows flexing up dangerously and smiling wickedly at me like a possessed man.

A creepy feeling began engulf me when I had to witness this sick side of my oh so not so cool friend. For one second I felt that it is someone else than Om. I moved back keeping a safe distance from him.

" Om?" His name escaped my mouth like a pathetic wailing. Om blinked his eyes a few times like trying to clear his thoughts.

He cursed under his breath rubbing his eyes with his palms a and turning around. He shook his head and skimmed his fingers through his luscious hair.

He slowly turned around and faced me. I stood there waiting for him to recoil to his normal state.

" I didn't mean to hurt you ...um..pearl. Just those words slipped off my tongue." Om muttered those things more to himself than me. He looked perplexed like something uncanny stuff had happened.

"It is okay, Om. " I said quietly observing his transition of mood and flip flapping bahaviour.

"But, don't take my silence for an open invitation to exhibit whatever that comes to your mind. I am a girl who seek for respect and dignified behaviour. Just put the habit of behaving properly and sane when you are around me. That will suit us both and the way I have grown up."I said boldly staring straight up into his blue sparkling oceanic eyes.

Om looked taken aback for a moment. A tinge of remorse resurfaced on his features.

"I will be more careful in future. Just spare this one time." Om said sincerely feeling each and every word he uttered.

"Good for you. Also I need to clarify some points with you about your views on friendship thingy."I said seriously.

" Go ahead. I am bound to listen to my friend" Om said extending his right arm in a cordial manner.

I took in a deep breath before proceeding with a curt nod.

" Om, different people have different views on varying subject under the sun and par the sun. Likewise the views on friendship too get a tweak and fluff in concepts when it is handled by different people. Still,of course ,there will be a collective unified feeling and emotion about it .Imposing is not what friendship is all about. Universally friendship means a hand that grabs hold of you in every situation.Friendship doesn't come with rules laws and regulations, Om.And imposing your ideas on your friends don't look that gentlemanly an affair. It is utter tyranny,if you ask me. And where you demand conditions and pull out a list of rules and regulation there seldom friendship reigns, instead there will reign something unpleasant and suffocating."I retorted with a snort. I glared at him pointedly.

Om looked torn and hurt but he retrieved his normalcy.

" I didn't impose anything upon you,Pearl. I am being myself a bit more openly when you are around. And that is the comfort zone a real friendship gives. To be oneself to be original. With you as my friend I am discovering my original self. "Om said seriously and genuinely.

I bit my tongue and stared at him like an Owl.

"Also keep that operah show to yourself and use it in some other place who Will swallow that pill of swindling act without any reasoning or questioning. It actually doesn't work with me, you know." I made my point clear to him looking straight into his now fading eyes.

As if my words failed to touch or bother him he went on jabbing the iPhone he had in his hand.

"Lucian uncle" He muttered something under his breath.

"What?" I opened my mouth astonished by his callous attitude.

"Wait !" He raised his index finger and ordered without even caring to spare a glance at me.

I kept my mouth shut actually my lips got automatically zipped up when he whipped out his order in a rude tone.

Before I could respond Om dashed out of the room leaving a stunned Pearl, that is me to contemplate the weird operah show Om has presented before me.

I swished my hand in the air and threw up my hands shaking my head dismally.

"What kind of a man is he? He comes out of nowhere like a splash of water and vanishes in no time like those who witness all this are just fools to endure" I muttered more to myself whilst arranging the scattered pile of things in a neat array.

The more I thought about Om weirder and trickier every mystery knot got.

"He is just another headache for my overthinking and anxious mind to lose peace . Just forget that ( Root cause of all problem) and concentrate on the big bundle of trouble I have in stock in the corner of my mind. That is very much more than enough for me to rot in scourging hot hell for this life and for another five births that is in wait" I mumbled and muttered scrunching my teeth and huffing over my pathetic mind set.

I made the bed still mumbling and mulling over so many things that crossed my mind without co ordination or any arrayed order. Okay,my lips and voice were mouthing out so many scatter brained thoughts that flashed, soared in and out of my mind.

"Just pity you Puny Pearl" I sneered at myself and my touché behaviour which no one could help me out.

A chuckle made me snap out of my mumbling and muttering saga.Om stood before me with a smirk on his face.

"What?" I snapped at him irately.

Om shrugged simply taking a casual and leisurely stance.

" Why are you barging in and out of my room aevery now and then without any ample reason, Om. Don't you know my parents and elders are terribly against it?" I asked furiously fuming with anger.

Om glanced around and traced his neck coolly before resting his eyes on me.

"I see, so ,you have no trouble with such encounters, have you? It is just about satisfying your elders, isn't it?"Om mocked at me.

I scrunched my teeth and fisted my palm trying real hard to control my anger. No one ever dared to flex my words and use them against me. Om is exceeding his limits by doing so. He never leaves a chance to infuriate me and drag me to the hell of anger and fury.

Om wiggled his eyebrows at me playfully enjoying my furious entertaining state.

" You are not at all helping Om. "I huffed taking in sharp deep breaths and saddling my fury fairies to a chain.

" You are as cute as a bunny when you get all worked up and wired out" Om mused chuckling and stifling his booming laughter.

I had to scoff at this attitude.

"I don't know really what has gone wrong with you to talk such senseless creepy things. You and your way of flexing things to your own convenience. Leave it and Just say why you came here? " I inquired in a tired and bored tone.

Om smiled mischief painting patterns on his facial expression.

" you sound a lot like my mom. She too gives such looks and talks when she runs out of her verbose stock to retort. But you see she is like an elegant queen in this you seem like a baby at its fetter frenzy." Om laughed throwing up his head like savouring some delectable moments.

" Om?" I stamped my feet impatiently.

" okay, okay , cool guru , truce. Coming to the point, I just wanna update you something but when I was about knock the door. I heard some incoherent muttering ,which obviously came from you,I got really amused to see you mumbling and muttering on your own. Really ,it looked quite sweet and cute in its own way, trust me.If I say you are one cute bundle of craziness it won't sound an exaggeration "Om said with a teasing smile.

I scoffed at him.

"Well, thanks for letting me know the metre of my craziness. Well coming to the real point. What made you come here now which made you divert from the real point and flip around all the way checking and measuring my crankiness paramount?"I asked with a wry smile and faint glare shot to his direction.

Om smiled before his features were overtaken by a grave expression.