ARJUN | REDDY
It was a Sunday. Nanna called Varun and I to his study. We both seated in front of him.
“A boy is coming to see Anjali.” Nanna said. I and Varun looked at each other.
“When?” I asked.
“They are coming today. Tell your amma,too.”
“Mamayya,what about her studies?” Varun asked.
“Only two months left to complete her graduation. And she is not going to work in any channel by the way.” Nanna said. We both didn’t say anything.
I told amma about the boy and his family coming. Anjali wasn’t happy for Nanna’s decision. It was Nanna’s decision. No one could break it.
I want to be like Nanna. He was strong and passionate. Everyone obey him.
“Arjun?” Nanna came to my room. I was working on my laptop.
“Our new projuct work.” Nanna gave me a red file.
“The shopping mall project?” I asked.
“Yes. There is an old building near the land. If we get that land,too we could make the parking area there. Tell subham to meet the owner.”
“Sure,Nanna.”
I called subham and asked him to come home. I decided to go with him to the sight.
—————–
I parked the car near the old building. It was a two storey building. A cafe was running in downstairs.
“Ask someone who is the owner of the cafe.” I ordered. Subham went to inquire about the owner. My phone started ringing. It was from an unknown number. I put the phone against my ear.
“Arjun Reddy?” The person asked from the other side.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“Hai.I am vivan.”
“Hey,hai..
” can we talk on video call?” Vivan asked.
“Sure.”
In few second vivan came online. I gave him shoukat Ali’s basic information.
“Don’t worry,Arjun. I will give all his where abouts in one week. ”
“Thank you so much ,vivan.”
“My pleasure. ”
We hung the phone up.
SIMRAN | SHEIKH
I was helping naani in our cafe. I help her in holidays. Samar was waiting for Hamdan to take him for his practice. He got selection in school cricket team. I got a message from Anjali saying that a boy was coming to see her. I was replying her. I felt someone in my back. The guy snatched my mobile from me.
“Hamdan,give it back to me.” I said without turning around.
“How do you know it’s me?” He asked placing the phone in my hand.
“Because I know you.” I said poking his nose.
“Hamdan bhai, let’s go..” Samar was already on Hamdan’s bike.
“Bye..I will be back..bye naani.” Hamdan waved his hand. Naani nodded her head.
“Simi,the corner table.” Naani said giving me the orders.
When I was serving to the customers someone approached naani. Naani took him to a corner table where no one could see them. I found naani talking very seriously with that man. The man left angrily from there. Naani looked frustrated. I decided to ask her about it at night.
“Excuse me?” A man came to me.
“How can I help you,Sir?”
“Who is the owner of this cafe?”
“My naani Nafeesa Sheikh. She is over there.” I pointed to the cash counter where naani was.
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
Who is this man,now?
I got back to my work. In half hour Hamdan joined me. We closed the cafe in afternoon. The cafe only runs in morning in Sundays. The afternoons are for my stud time. No. Hamdan tutoring time. I was a lazy in the matter of study but Hamdan didn’t give up on me. He always pushed me to study. He started tutoring me when my marks went down.
“You can take a leave today?” I said to Hamdan. It was more like asking.
“No,thanks.” He said climbing the stairs after me.
“Why don’t you leave me to take a nap?” I asked.
“Because you sleep in classes a lot.”
“I hate you.” I said shutting my room’s door behind me but Hamdan stopped the door with his hand.
“Love you,too.” He said entering to my room. I knitted my eyebrows together.
“You are continuing your training in TV9 channel. Right?” Hamdan asked looking at my to do list. TV9 was a Telugu news channel. The last semester of our course was working under a channel as a trainee. I ,Maya,Anjali and Hamdan were in TV9 as trainees.
“Yeah..its necessary na..” I made a sad face.
“Don’t you want to help naani?”
“Of course I want to help her.”
“Then you have to do this,simi.”
“Hmm..”
“Tomorrow we have to take an interview of some business man.”
“Who?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Boss will tell tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s practice. I will be the most famous business man and you will be the reporter.”
“Can we change the position?”
“No.” He rolled his eyes.
We started practicing our interview. Naani came to see our interview. And she became the judge of our show.
ARJUN | REDDY
Subham came back from the cafe. He said that the building ownered by an old woman who was living with her two grandchildren.
“Sir, I saw shoukat Ali coming from the cafe.” Subham informed
“What was he doing there?”
“May be he is also trying to buy the place.”
“We have to buy that land at any cost.”
“Sure,sir.”
My phone again started ringing. It was from Varun.
“They boy and his family are here.” Varun said before I could say anything.
“I am coming.”
I drove off to my home. As I entered to the house, I saw Anjali coming with tea. She was wearing a yellow sari. I looked at the boy. He was young and handsome. He looked educated.
“This is my son, Arjun.” Nanna introduced me to them.
“Arjun,this is my friend Vikram Rao ,his wife Revathi and their son Akash.
”Hai.” I and Akash shook our hands.
“They can talk in private. Right,vishwam?” Vikram Rao asked.
“Sure,sure…Varun,Arjun, take Anjali and Akash to the garden.
We took Anjali and Akash to the garden. Anjali wasn’t releasing my hand. Akash looked at us.
“Actually it is first time and she is nervous.”
“Its okay.” Akash said.
“By the way,Arjun, I like your sister. She is beautiful and I think innocent, too.” Akash said frankly.
“Butidontwantmarryyou.” Anjali said in one go.
“What?” I and Varun started laughing. Akash was puzzled.
“I want to complete my course.” Anjali said slowly.
“You said something else.” Akash asked.
“I don’t want to marry you.”
“Why? Am I not handsome like your brother? Am I not educated?” I giggled at Akash reaction.
“It’s not that. You are handsome and educated but I want to complete my study first.”
“It’s not a big deal,by the way. We are not getting married in next day.”
“Say yes,Anju. I think he really likes you.” Varun said in anjali’s ear.
“If you let me complete my study I will marry you.” Anjali said looking at the ground.
“Done.” Akash said with a wide smile.
We went back to the living room. Everyone were happy in hearing that Akash and Anjali liked each other. The fathers decided a day for Anjali’s engagement.
||••••••••••••••••||