Me Before You

5

5

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Buzzing of familiar music disturbed Ashwin when he was sprawled in bed in deep sleep. With eyes still closed, he took his phone and spoke, "Amma, 5 minutes. Endiruchiten. Breakfast ku vandaren."

(Give me 5 minutes, mom. I am awake. I will be down for breakfast.)

He was sure that it was his mother who follows the most unwelcome trick of calling his phone when she wants to wake him up from sleep. Ashwin was about to cut the call, when the giggle from the other side of the phone caught him by surprise.

"Shivangi ma?"

The answer to that was a louder chuckle. The remnants of sleep were gone and he was fully awake. He didn't need to check the caller ID to assure that it was her. He just knew.

"Shooting polaya?"

(Don't you have to be shooting for movie?)

"Shooting cancel aaiduchu, Ashwineey. Siva anna Chennai la irundu varala."

(Shooting was called off as the hero didn't make it on time.)

"Apo unga appa?"

(What about your dad?)

"Avaruku teriyadu. Avaru kaalaila seekirame kelambitaru."

(Dad doesn't know about it. He left to Chennai early morning.)

"Apo taniya irukaya ma?" he asked suddenly worried. He was not sure if she was used to being alone. Even when she is on the sets or in events she is either with her parents or with her plethora of 'annas' who also dub as her dedicated bodyguards.

(Are you alone?)

"Ama."

(Yes)

"Oru 20 minutes naan ready aaitu vandarren."

(Give me 20 minutes I will be there)

Ashwin barely registered showering, sprinting to his car giving absurd excuse to his mother for leaving so early and driving to the hotel where she was all alone.

When Shivangi opened the door of her room after a text and three frantic knocks by him, she had no clue that Ashwin rivalled Flash in the speed he took up to reach her side today. He was panting heavily with all the adrenaline as he entered the room. He pulled out the chair and sat there. Took long breathes to calm himself down before he raised his head to look at her. All the while she was sitting on the bed cross legged looking at him bemused.

"Unga veetla irundu oodiya vandeenga?" She asked sincerely

(Did you jog from your home here?)

Ashwin chuckled before taking the water bottle she offered and gulped down the water. When he regained his composure finally, he shifted his gaze to her.

"Yen ma apdi paakura?"

(Why are you staring at me?)

"Ennala ungala purinjukave mudiyala, Ashwineey."

(It is not easy to understand you, Ashwin.)

Join the club, Ashwin thought. She was not the only one who finds it hard to understand him. His mother, his sister, his father and importantly he himself are seeing a different Ashwin.

This woman who was stranger to him five months ago has already bought out shades of him that even he wasn't aware of. The naughty side, the confident side, the goofy side, the impulsive side and most recently the reckless side.