This chapter is a continuation of the previous work Sattena Nenaindhadhu Nenjam: 2.
As always, there's a note at the end of the chapter .
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Sattena Nenaindhadhu Nenjam: 3
Sivaangi sat in the last lecture of the first day of her last semester but her mind was elsewhere. She was wondering if she'd have to go alone to the first day of her tuition or if Ashwin would be waiting outside. It had been almost a week since she saw him at the temple in Bodi. She had consciously avoided running the whole encounter in her head since the next day. She had let her mind wander off the entire night after she came back from the temple recounting every single encounter of theirs until she decided the next day that she'd rather not build sand castles. After all, he had said that he needed time to think and he couldn't arrive at a decision, didn't he?
Walking outside her college gate, she couldn't help but be a little disappointed when she didn't see him at his usual spot. As she started walking towards the bus stop, she heard him call her "Sivaangi". She saw a tired and frustrated looking Ashwin run towards her with a headphones around his neck. She had only seen the gadget in movies. Smiling she was about to ask if everything was alright since he looked tired and also about the device around his neck. But, before she could open her mouth Ashwin irritatedly asked "Wait panna maatiya?". Taken aback by his tone she cautiously replied, "Eppavum andha maram keezha dhaana wait pannuveenga?". "Pch, pasichuchu, anga kadaila tea kuduchitu irundhen" he replied still sounding a little frustrated.
Standing at the bus stop, he ran his hand through his hair for what felt like a hundred times to her, in anguish. She contemplated asking him what was wrong before he turned to her and said a little harshly for her liking "Inniku first day naala vandhu vidaren. Ennaala weekly thrice vara mudiyaadhu. Seriya? Thaniya poga pazhagiko". Before she could respond, their bus arrived and they had to get on the bus.
Getting down from the bus at the stop close to her tuition he said "seekram vaa Sivaangi, enaku unna vitutu velai onnu iruku". Quickening her pace she replied to his statement from earlier a little annoyed, "ungala naa onnum inniko illa vaarathula moonu thadavayo Enna tuition kootitu poga vara sollaliye?". "Good, then I won't come back when your tuition is done to drop you off at hostel" he muttered loud enough for her to hear.
When her hand accidentally brushed his when a rickshaw passed by too close to her and she shifted her body a little, he quickly folded his arms across his chest. Whether his action was a knee jerk reaction out of habit or if it was a conscious one, she felt offended by it. "Venam, neenga onnum vara venaam. Ennaya enna vandilaya drop panreenga? Rendu perum bus la poga porom" she nothing but spat out the words at him.
Taken aback, he stopped walking and called out "Fine. Works out great for me". She stopped a few feet away and looked at him confused. She wondered if she came across as this wall flower that needed him to even exist. She wanted to tell him that of all the things she thought she needed from him, his pity wasn't one of them. But before she could put the words together, he said "Bus pass vangiko, Periyar bus stand la. College students ku free dhaan. Weekdays use pannalam. Weekends panna mudiyadhu. Tuition ku use panniko". She was thrown off for a moment by his untimely advise. Was she supposed to thank him now, she thought for a minute before he followed it with an exasperated, "Periyar bus stand ku poga theriyuma illa naa varanuma?".
She was enraged. Is this what he thought of her? Someone who needed a savior? And here she thought he was her friend. "Enaku periyar bus stand ku epdi poganum nu theriyum. Enaku ippo tuition ku epdi poganum ngradhum theriyum. Apdiye theriyalenaalum kaettu poipen. Neenga onnum vara venam" she replied angrily and walked off. Taking a few steps, she turned back to see if he looked hurt like she wanted him to be, but all she saw was his back as he walked towards the bus stop they got down at.
