Love Tales

NENJAM MARAPATHILAI -1

Prashanth POV:

It was the first day of college and everyone was busy looking for their classes and meeting new friends. I spend the whole day yesterday coming in early to have a campus tour. Since I live around 20 mins away from the campus, It wasn't necessary for me to live on campus.

"YO!! Prashanth... what's up man? Found your classes?" I turned around and waved at Kavin, my close friend from highschool.

"Usuraye Tholaichen unakulla..." A song was being played.

"A tamil song at an American University?" I asked surprised.

"Yeahh...people actually play Tamil music around here. So many tamils here and there is even a sangam." Kavin said.

"Let's go see who's playing this." He said as we sped to the music station.

I saw a girl facing the other side sitting there with her phone connected to the device. She had curly black hair that ran down her waist and was wearing a sweater with jeans. She was laughing at a joke another girl was saying to her and when we walked up to them they turned around.

"Hey Kavin." She said with a wide smile.

The first thing I noticed was her Om pendant written in tamil. She was on the darker side when it comes to skin tone but looked as if she could pull off some fashion show.

"Who do we have here?" She asked looking up at me.

"This is Prashanth." Kavin said.

"Hellooo Prashanth...I am Nila." She said.

"Heyy...was it you that played this song?" I asked.

"Yeah....huge fan of Stephen Zechariah" She said.

"Me too." I said.

"Nila.."one of the girls called her and showed her something on her phone

"Enna Priya?" (What?)

She looked at something on the phone and the smile on her face vanished.

"Guys...I gotta get going.." She said as she picked up her things to leave.

"What happened?" Kavin asked.

"You're Partha's brother?" Priya asked.

"Yeahhh... Y'all know my brother?" I asked pretty surprised.

"Yeahh... we used to be friends." She said.

"But Nila and him were pretty close." She added

Nila? The girl that just left? My brother was close with her? He would barely even have female friends but I do remember seeing this name pop up on his phone a few times. But now he graduated and has a girlfriend. I don't understand what he found in that girl, but he does bring her home a few times.

Did she leave cause I was his brother? Are they not in good terms?

"Nila!! Hey..." I called her as I saw her sitting alone in the Dining hall, eating alone.

"Hey Kid... What's up?" She said excited.

"I'm not a kid. I'm in college." I said with a pouting face.

"Seriii...ok... KID" She stressed the "kid" part more and decided to roll my eyes.

"What's with you and Partha?" I asked.

"Who?" She was a bit shocked to hear his name.

"I'm Partha's brother. The girl was telling me you used to be best friends." I said. 

"Oh really?" She gave me a soft smile but it wasn't anything like the smile she greeted me with. 

This had me wondering if they were dating and then broke up. I can't just ask her that right now. we just met. 

"Are you still in touch with him?" I asked. 

"Uhmmm been a while" She said.

"Oh ok." I said. 

After all my classes ended, I went back home to find my brother sitting in his room making out with Riya. I know that's none of my business but why with the doors opened. 

As soon as he realized I was there, He pushed her away. There was no love in his eyes and it looked more like pain. Why have I never noticed this? 

"Bro... I met your friends today." I said. 

"Who'd you meet?" He asked.

"Some girls and also this girl name Nila. The other girls told me she was your best friend." I said watching his reaction but he kept an expressionless face as he turned to Riya. 

"I got work to do. You should leave." He told her as she just left with no argument. Their relationship was strained. I've never seen love in my brother's eyes for her and they knew both knew it. 

"Prashanth." Partha called behind me as I turned to leave. 

"How's Nila doing?" He asked.

"She's alright. She must be in her final year." I said. What else was I supposed to say? That she got up and left when she realized I was his brother or that fact that her wide smile disappeared hearing his name? 

He sighed and walked out of his room. I left soon after to my own room. Though the beginning of college was exciting, the whole Nila/Partha issue was disturbing me. 

First I had to find out if they actually were dating and if that's the case, I have to somehow get them to meet.