Damodhar ran with his stick behind them. They reach the huge compound wall. He entangles his fingers and makes a strong base for her to step and jump over the other side of the huge compound. She quickly steps on his hand and climbs up, while she sat on the edge, she forwards her hand for him to hold as a support to climb up.

He looks as Damodhar had already approached near. If he gave her the hand, they both would get caught by Damodhar, so he doesn't.

"Just Goooo!!!", he screams at her.

She nods in disagreement. Her fair face was red, partly because of running and partly because of crying. Her eyes were red as tears were flowing out.

"I said Goooo, Now!!", Louder then earlier.

This time she jumps on the other side with scared yet teary eyes. Damodhar catches him and canes him on his botox.

"Ouch!! Sorry, Kaka!! Please, This was the last time. Please Uncle. Please!!!", He cries.

"You Rat, Everytime I catch hold of you, you say its the last time. Today, I won't spare you!", yells Damodhar.

"No, this is really the last time. Aayi Sappat!! {I swear on my mom} Our final exams are starting from next week. After that, we will go to college.", he informs.

Damodhar drops his cane on the ground. His anger vanished and his eyes were teary already. It's been 5 years, since he knows this two lovely kids who came to steal Raw Mangoes and Chickoo from his orchard. Though, he showed anger, but he loved them a lot.

It had been his routine excercise to run behind these two brats and once caught he would punish them but it wouldn't be too harsh that they wouldn't return again. The cane he used to hit him were not so harsh as well.

Damodhar kneels on the ground looking at him by holding his both arms. "Is it true?", Damodhar asked.

"Yes Kaka, Next week onwards is study holidays and then exams." He tells him.

"Call her", Damodhar speaks.

"She must be gone." He claims.

"Don't fool me, I know she would not leave you alone here. Call her, I won't harm you both. I just want to see you both one last time. Please!" Damodhar pleaded.

Sidharth Bhosle, age 16 years, Studies at SVK High School, 10th Standard. Son of Mr. Ananth Bhosle and Prema Bhosle.

Ananth is a Civil engineer by profession whereas Prema has a small cloth botique of her own. They have one more son apart from Sidharth. Shivam Bhosle 2 years elder to Sidharth, studies in 12th Standard.

Sana Ghokle, age 16 years, Studies at SVK High School, 10th Standard. Daughter of Mr. Ramnath Ghokle and Vani Ghokle.

Ramnath is a business man dealing with Sweets and Savouries. Vani is a private maths tutor. Sana's brother Amol Ghokle is a classmate and a very good friend of Shivam.

Ghokle's and Bhosle's are neighbours and shared a cordial relationship since many years. Shivam also happens to be Vani's student as he took tuition from her.

"Sanaaa Sanaaa", Sidharth called her out loudly.

She heard his voice as she stood with her ears glued to the compound walls as her heart pounded with fear.

"Haaa.. aa.. Siddu, Aaa..are you fine?", She said sobbing as her breast heaved up and down due to heavy breathing.

"Yes! You know I am a Lion, nothing will happen to me. Come here!!" He said with a confident voice.

Damodhar looked at the Lion who cried and got canned like a rat few minutes back. He knew he was very protective about her. He never ever let her get caught, even if he got canned. She cared for him equally because she always stood on the other side of the huge wall for him to return whenever he got caught.

"Hmm.. But the wall is too high for me to climb alone", She said.

"Arey Gaadhvaa, {Fool/Dumb as donkey} Come in through the gate", He said with annoyed tone.

Damodhar smiled listening to the way he addressed her.

"Tu Gaadhav" {you are Donkey}, She said as she walked to enter from the gate.

She gulped as she saw Damodhar standing with Sidharth and lowered her pace with fear, but she didn't turn back as Sidharth was still there.

Damodhar looked at the chubby little girl having a fair complexion and naturally pink lips, who wore a blue knee length pinafore on top of a white blouse, with two long plaits folded and tucked neatly with blue ribbons forming a beautiful bow near it's origin. He always saw her back as she ran with Sidharth. This was the first time he was getting to look at her properly. She was adorable young lady. He connected to her instantly with a fatherly love.

"Laukar ye go {Come Quickly}, Don't walk like a bride", Sidharth said with frustration bringing back Damodhar from the trance.

Sana raced quickly and Damodhar held Sidharth's ears and twisted.

"Makada {Monkey}, why are you troubling her, she is already scared", Damodhar said gritting his teeth.

"Aaa.. Kaka, leave it, it hurts. You are insulting me infront of her. Please don't spoil my reputation. She will tease me entire life for this. Please", he pleaded.

"Alright, Don't act like a Drama Queen", he smiled as he left his ears.

Sana stood near them with her head lowered in shame as she was caught stealing today.

"Kaka, sorry!! Please don't tell our parents. We will never do this again in our life", she apologized folding her hand.

Sana looked up as she heard Damodhar laugh. She looked at Sidharth perplexed and Sidharth lifted his eyebrows raising his collar to show a bossy attitude. Damodhar laughed louder looking at Sidharth.

After a few seconds of laughing, Damodhar became sad.

"Aren't y'all going to come and visit this Kaka again? I am so habituated running behind you two. My heart aches as I hear that this is your last time that I could see y'all.", His voice choked as he spoke with a heavy voice.

Both Sana and Sidharth's face hung as they saw a fierce man melting like a butter. They hugged him from both sides.

"We will miss you too, Kaka. I don't know whether we should be sorry for what we did all this year as we stole the fruits from your orchard or be happy that we made a place in your heart which cries for us.", She said.

"Don't worry, Kaka. Will come sometime in future again.", Said Sidharth.

Damodhar hugged them back and gave them the best fruits from his orchard as they bid adieu to him.

The duo cycled home. Sidharth paddled very slowly while Sana, stopped for him as she had gone ahead of him.

Sana: Siddu, you call yourself lion and act like a snail. So slow?

Sidharth: Firstly, don't call me Siddu. Either call me Sidharth or Sid. Siddu gives me a feel as if I am watchman or house helper. Secondly, I am a lion, I hunt only when need arise. I walk in pride, I mean ride in pride!!

Sana: (Teases with her tongue out) Pride?? Huhh!! And Aunty also calls you Siddu only.

Sidharth: I can't help it. I can't exchange my mom you know! But mind it, I can exchange you with a sexy classmate when I am in college.

Sana: Huh!! As if I care!! Go on!! If you leave me then what are your chances of reaching college? Remember you need this not so sexy friend to copy during exams!

Sidharth: Stop blackmailing me!!

Sana smiles as she paddles and surpasses him again. Sidharth looks at her from back and smiles.

How do I tell you, why I paddle slow? Even though we are neighbours, I find it so difficult to stay away from you. I just want to see you and feel your presence every single second. How do I tell you, why I copy from you during exam? Even though I know all the answers, I just want to talk to you during that 3 long hours of dead silence in the examination hall. I feel like I am in a graveyard, until I see you and talk to you. How do I tell you, no matter how many girls I see or meet in future, my eyes will always follow only you! I love being with you, fighting with you, I love the way you care for me and I know you love me too.

They reached home and Sidharth looked at her as she rode her cycle inside the gate and disappeared. The smile on his face fadded.

Vani: Sana, why are you so late today?

Sana: Mumma, you forgot that it was the last day of school today. Tomorrow is our farewell so I stayed back with friends for a little longer.

Vani: Okay, go freshen up and eat something. Don't waste your time, your exams are approaching in another week, so concentrate on your studies. Shivam will be here in another 15 minutes for his tuition. Even his and Amol's exams starts 2 weeks later, so I have to assist them a bit longer. So you can sit with us and ask me for any help whenever you want.

Sana's heart skipped a beat hearing Shivam's name.

Control yourself Sana! If mumma hears your loud heartbeats, you will be gone! The stars are in my favor today. I don't want to miss the opportunity to be around Shivam.

Ha ha ha.. You are talking as if you are going on a date with him. You shiver like a dry leave, to speak even a word infront of him.

No, I don't! I am just scared of Amol bhaiyya. They both are so close. What if Mumma and Papa comes to know about my feelings towards Shivam. Not that they are strict or bad but only because of my age. I am just waiting to be 21, when I will complete my graduation. I will tell them everything.

Vani: Sana! Why are you standing like a statue? Go!

Sana was brought back from her trance and she went inside her room. She washed her face and stood in front of her wardrobe looking at what to wear. After spending 10 minutes tossing her clothes from left to right and right to left for about 15 times, she picked up a yellow t-shirt and jeans. She put on her jeans and as she slipped her t-shirt, Sidharth barged in.

Sana: Siddu!! What are you doing here?

Sidharth: Sid!! Vani aunty called me to do a combined study with you.

Sana: Study? Do you really need it? Ultimately, you will copy my answers.

Sidharth: Shut up! Don't underestimate me!

Sana: Leave that and tell me how do I look?

Sidharth: Hmm!! (Goes around her) You look the same as you looked 15 minutes ago in that school uniform.

Sana frowned and hit him on his shoulder and he laughs. She walks to her mirror and looks into it making cute pout lost in her own thoughts and Sidharth helplessly gawks at her!

Yellow is my favourite colour and you look absolutely gorgeous in it! But I have no courage to speak or express my feelings! Huh!! Lion!! I don't want to lose my friendship. We are too young for anything serious! Will wait until I'm 21.
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Leave you valuable comments and support!

I'm using a bit of Marathi in between with translation in {parentheses} since both the characters are from Maharashtra here!!

Note: there will be leaps in years wherever needed in coming chapters. 🙏🏻

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