From, to you to for you (unedited but completed)

CHAPTER 16 : NOW THE WEAK SIDE

Karthik's point of view

I know she wasn't going to go down. So I picked up an umbrella and went towards her house. I entered through the gate and went up the stairs which led to the terrace. They had stairs from inside and outside too. So I was able to go up. By the time I reached up there, she was standing in the middle of the terrace getting drenched. Her eyes were close and she didn't notice my presence. " Chandu ". She looked a little shocked by my sudden presence. " What are you doing here ? " I didn't want to answer her question. So I held her elbow and started taking her down the stairs which led to the inside of her house. Even though it was not a heavy rain, it was enough to drench a person if we stand there for quite some time. And god knows since when she was standing there. She didn't say anything when I took her down the stairs. She was just looking at me the whole time. When I noticed her face, her eyes were red. I didn't know if it was because of the rain or she cried. It looked her eyes still had some tears too. But she has to get changed first. So I took her to her room, opened the door and brought her inside it. 

" Go and change your dress. Dry your hair too ". With that I turned around and left the room closing the door behind me. I went downstairs to notice that there was no one in the house. I put the umbrella aside and was just pacing around the room. There were a few pictures of her and her younger sister. Some were with her parents and some were with a little older people; maybe her grandparents. She then came down in another dress and her hair wrapped in towel. She came and sat on the sofa in front of me. I only gave her a pointed look. " Why did you do that ? What would have happened if I didn't show up ? Would you just stand there and get drenched like that the whole day ? What if you got sick ? And that too when no one is home ". My voice was coming a little louder than I expected it to be. She was just sitting there without answering me. She didn't even raise her head. 

I bent down and sat on my knees to her eye level. I noticed that there were tears rolling down her cheeks. My eyes went wide looking at her like that. I have never seen her like that. She looked weak in her state right now. My heart ached to look at her in this kind of state. I only saw a strong girl but not this side of her. " Hey. Don't cry. I am sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you. I am really sorry ". " No. I am fine ". She said rubbing her eyes and wiping her tears. I sat beside her and hugged her. She hugged me back and I could feel a few more tears roll down her cheeks. After some time she removed her hands from around me and wiped her tears. " Thank you for coming ". " Anytime ". I held her face in my hands and made her look in my eyes. " Please don't cry ". She nodded at me and then I released her face. She sat back and removed the towel and dried her hair with it. She then put her hair in a bun. It stopped raining too. 

The door bell rang and she went to open it. She then came back with some packets in her hands. " Want to have some ? " " What is it ? " " Manchurian ". " Yeah sure. But will it be enough for two people ? " " Yeah it will be. I generally order two portions whenever I do ". " Why so ? And also why are you alone ? " " My parents went to visit my grandparents. Since it is only me I order it more so that I can have some for dinner ". " Then why didn't you go ? And will it be fine if I eat it then ? " " It is fine. Please have it. I will cook something else. I really didn't feel like going. And I only go when I have more holidays, so that I can stay for more days ". " Oh ". We then ate in silence and once we were done I said that I wanted to leave. " I need to go back otherwise my mom will start worrying. I came here in a hurry without even telling her ". " Then what will you tell her when you go back ? " " Not the truth. That is for sure " . I didn't really think of a lie but I will make up something before I enter my house. " See you then ". I turned towards the door and before leaving I had something to say, so I turned back again. " Please don't cry again. It hurts to see you crying like that. And you are not going to get drenched again. Got it ? " She nodded. 

Then I did something I thought I never thought of till I did it. I kissed her on her forehead. She looked surprised by it but didn't push me away. My lips lingered for a second and then I pulled away. " Bye ". With that I opened the door and the cool air hit my face. I was surprised by my actions as well. I don't know what came over me to do something like that, but at that moment I wanted to take her in my arms and protect her and tell her that she is safe in my arms. I walked away without even looking back. I didn't know my heart could beat that fast. But I didn't know the reason for her breakdown. She might have told me if she wanted to. So I will let her open up when she wanted to. 

I was happy that she was fine being with me at times like this and she felt even closer to me than before. But she is always a mystery to me. She is as distant to me as she is close to me. I know a lot about her. But still I feel I know nothing about her. I was happy as long as she is. It felt nice that she let me in without pushing me away. Why am I caring so much about her ? Is it just friendship that is making me do all these ? Or it something more than that ? With all these confusing thoughts I entered my house to be faced with my worried mother. I made up some lie and went up to my room. I could see the door of her room from mine and thoughts made its way into my mind again. I tried pushing them away and study for the upcoming exams. 

                                                                   -MG