It was the PT period ...

I was in my annual day dance rehearsals... When I was on my way to the class after the practice , there was a chaos around the corridor...

Did you call his parents ...?

He is staying in his relative's house it seems...!!!

So much of blood...!!! Poor child...!

I heard the pity voices while crossing the little crowd...

Out of curiosity, I just peeped inside the crowd..

The next instance , I pierced the crowd to reach him...

He was sitting on the bench , leaning over my teacher..

His head was bleeding heavily where my teacher was trying to control the gush of blood by pressing it with a cloth... His knees were bruising .. His knuckles were badly scratched ,again it started to ooze..

" Shravan.... What happened...?"

I inquired , worriedly noticing his teary eyes..

He saw me in such a way that he was injured badly.. His eyes started to pour down and his soft sob turned to a mere cry...

" Don't cry shravan..."

Involuntarily , I wiped of his tears. For no reason , my throat chocked..my eyes sprung up with tears in a wink...

I sat near him and started to blow the air over his knees softly...

" Is it paining badly ...?"

I began to sob as he nod - yes...

As some one had brought the first aid kit , my teacher began to dress up the wounds..

I grasped his hands in a mere support ... Once he was settled down , the teacher made him to sleep in the sick room..

" Now ...who will be with shravan to take care of him until his guardian comes.. "

My teacher asked overlooking our class students...

" I can ... I will take care of him ma'am .."

I said before anyone else...

My teacher saw me in disbelief..

" Suman... ?! Are you sure?"

She wanted to know it for sure as she knew my cold war with Shravan..

I nodded firm...

With a little smile ,she went to meet the principal..

Already the office attendant was sent to Divya akka ' s house to intimate about Shravan...Soon someone would come to pick him up...

I saw Shravan' s face that reminded me a harmless baby...He was sleeping quietly .. I took off his spectacles and was feeling bad to see his swollen eyes.. The tear that ran down his cheeks had made a mark as it got dried.. His blood soaked uniform had created a melancholy in me...

Suman... How bad you were to him.. ?! look at him ... He's not less than an innocent child.. after all , his parents are not going good for some reason and he's staying away from them... Think off his mind.. he is of your age who needs the parents love and warmth..

And , what you have done to him... You have treated him like a poor creature.. still , he never complained about you to anyone... He's trying to fix everything with you...

Shame on you girl... !!!

My mind questioned me that made me to feel guilty...

Shravan... We are friends... Best friends...!!!!!

I determined .....

While I was waiting for Divya akka , shravan woke up...

He tried to get up...

" No ... You are not well...lie down Shravan.. "

I insisted...

His eyes adorned the scare to see me there...

Yes...! That much I had troubled him...!!

I went through a sudden surge of unhappiness to witness him suffering...

Immediately I smiled to bring him up...

" Shravan.. friends?!"

I extended my little finger to him... He was unsure and was blinking as he could hardly believe my words..

I grasped his little finger with mine and pressed it...

" Friends.. " I stated with a pleasant grin...

He nodded with a smile... His smile assured me that I had corrected my mistake...

" Now... Tell me shravan.. who made you to hurt like this?"

He mumbled... " Leave it Suman... It's all my fate.. "

" Sollu shravan.. " I stated in Tamil where he blinked to understand..

I clucked...

" Shravan. Tell me , I said..."

He saw me nervous...

" Suman.. promise me that you won't create a problem... Aron pushed me down in PT ground... "

"Was it intentional ?"

I demanded...

" Kind of.... He teased me something in Tamil.. I think he made fun of me pointing my spectacles.. "

He disclosed it and by the time Divya akka had come..

Shravan had left with akka to home... I turned to the corridor to Aron's classroom ..

Aron... !!! You're going to see the real suman today...!!

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The rehearsals are going on without a break as all of us get engrossed... At times , I notice Shravan who's sitting at the first row while dancing.. He is really enjoying the performance... Then , I concentrate on my dance , forgetting everything..

By this time tomorrow ,this auditorium will be overloaded with the audience as this is one of the prestigious events of Kalakshetra fest which is a week celebration for the NRI... People from various states of India will show case their art and culture and evey year the celebration will be a hit like festival...

As we are rehearsing , the other arrangements are going on simultaneously... Maintenance people arrange the auditorium and the technicians are checking out the spot lights and sound system...

"

( The mind contemplates the great ganapathy - God )

( Worshiped by sages vasishta , vamadeva and others) "

I twirl my self to the rhythm as the song goes to the highest notes towards the end.. I move forward , joining the beat to kneel down and to remain in a classical dance posture as the song is going to end soon.. The others are at a distance from me as per the plan..

Now , I have to see Shravan , face to face as he is sitting quite near the stage.. He is completely lost to see the dance and is looking at me without a wink..

Holding my knees , I sit in the stage to gather my breath.. I gasp for breath as my chest go up and down beyond my control...

Shravan shows his upward thumb to me ... Grinning wide , I nod...

The next second ,his face adorns a terrific grimace , noticing something at the ceiling...

I look up to see what he's looking at...

A cluster of giant spot light comes down quickly just above my head..

I am not moving , though I see the heavy lights come straight to me. It took time to fathom the situation..It is some sort of brain freeze moment..

The technicians shout at me to move but I am not...

While others are going away from me I see Shravan runs towards me . From the floor , he pulls me to him in a wink. I land in his arms where he holds me safely.. He moves aside with me , calling my name in scare...

" Sam... Are you okay...?"

I am not replying . Rather , I cling to him , clenching my eyes.. I grasp his shirt tight ...

He understands my shock.. He makes me to sit in the chair . Seeing my dreadful face and trembling stature , he asks...

" Sam... Talk to me... you're alright... Nothing happened.. "

I nod slowly to reply him...

He holds my cold hands and rubs...I feel like retrieving to normal in slow pace..

Mean while , others gather around me to console...

Noticing everyone , Shravan steps away from me. Closing his eyes , he gestures me to smile...

By the time , the technicians begin to fix the problem... Shravan joins them in helping... He is there till everything gets fixed...

Slowly , one by one my batch mates begin to leave..

To be precise , the auditorium seems as though nothing has happened there. Everyone reacts quite normal except me.. I am sitting in aloof as I have experienced the terror first handedly...

Shravan must be understanding my view I guess.. Wherever he is ,his eyes are on me to check whether I am alright...

Eventually , I get up to leave..

Anyways , nothing happened to me. I can perform tomorrow and I am okay ...

Gathering my mind to the positive side , I walk to the exit..

Again ,it is cold outside..

..if it's the other time I will love to walk , listening to my favorite playlist...

I am too fragile to walk alone now...

Rubbing my arms together I wait for the taxi...

" Sam..."

Shravan walks to me ..

" How do you feel now?"

I press my lips to his query...

My lips quiver to recall the fraction of the second...

" Sam... You're okay now"

He whispers , covering me with his coat..

" No... It's okay..." I refuse his offer...

He covers me again.. " Sam... It's not good to pretend always... You're feeling cold...and , if you don't want the coat ,then I will start the Desi dialogue..."

I laugh out loud to his threaten..

" Yaar...you are really weird..."

He joins my laugh and stops the taxi that passes by...

I know that he's a clingy person and he's not going to miss the chance to be with me...

But , he fails my idea totally...

He waves bye to me...

I wonder with his attitude but somewhere in my mind I want him to be with me ...

The moment the taxi ride begins , I see my mobile rings...

Shravan.. !!!

I pick up the call and turn to the window shield to see him...

He raises his brows to talk through the phone...

" Shravan..."

" Sam... Don't disconnect the call until you reach home... Speak with me... I know I shouldn't send you alone at this night.. still , being from a conservative family you won't like it... Moreover , you're strong enough to handle you... That's why.. ! "

I really surprise to witness his other side...a matured man...!!!

He speaks so much randomly until I reach my home...

When he hears that I reach home safely , he states firmly...

" Sam... Tomorrow is your day... Sleep tight.. I will be there to see your performance... Good night..."

" Shravan..."

I stop him before he cuts the call..

" Tell me sam..."

" Who are you Shravan ? " I ask as a lone tear drop roll down my cheeks..

If he's not there ,I would have lost my legs ... Who knows, I would be at critical state too...

This thought made me really to admire him and there has been a soft corner for him in my heart...

There is a short pace of silence..

Then , he replies...

" I am your friend ..."

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