Vihaan turned on the wiper while driving ahead.

"Shucks! This rain ... wont stop soon it seems"

He murmured and drove.

Jwala heard that and kept mum. She was facing outside not knowing what to talk to him.

After few minutes of silence,

"Tell me the way to your home. I actually do not know it"

"Umm..okay. It's in Gandhi road"

"Fine"

Again silence for 2 minutes.

"Actually...im sorry for today morning... i thought it was amma..."

"Hmm..its okay"

"So.. What did you do your major in ?"  Vihaan asked.

"I did Masters in physics from IIT Madras"

"Ohh.... i was also graduated from IIT Madras. 1997 engineering batch"

"Okay. I joined there for Masters. Turn right from here"

"Hmm.. what are your parents doing?"

"Appa owns a company named "Jwala technologies" and amma is a housewife"

"Ohh nice...ive heard of that company"

Both of them felt comfortable talking.

"Seems like my amma got fond of you real quick"

She smiled lightly.

"Actually ma'am is so comfortable to be with like my own amma. She makes me feel at ease. I was really tensed when i joined college"

"She caused you an accident" He reminded her.

"Yes. That was an accident. And im fine"

A small smile came on the corner of his lips which suddenly disappeared.

Rest of the journey was silent.

"Stop here. We reached"

Vihaan stopped the car and looked at her home. It was pretty decent and big. Not as much as his.

She looked in bag searching something. Vihaan frowned.

"What's the matter ?"

"I had forgotten to take umbrella for home. I'll call appa to come"

"Wait"

He extended his arms to the backseat and took an umbrella and gave her.

"Here...take this. I usually keep one in the car"

Jwala thanked him and took it.

"Umm.. you coming to my home ?"

"No. Its raining cats and dogs. Amma is alone at home. I need to go"

"Then wait for few minutes I'll return back with the umbrella "

"Keep it with you and give to amma when she comes tomorrow"

She nodded, opened the gates and walked inside.

Vihaan watched her going.

She turned back when she reached infront of her home and saw his car still there.
Jwala smiled a little and went inside.

He started the car and drove back home once he saw her safe and sound.

Caring for someone, huh ?

"No. Amma asked her to drop safely. I dont wanna bring any bad name to amma"

Ohhh.. really ?

"Shut up heart. You are talking too much unnecessarily"
_____________________________________________

Vihaan drove back home, a small smile crept his lips unknowingly.

Jwala got inside her home surprising their parents.

"Hey sweethearts , drinking tea without me huh ?"

Shalini rushed to her daughter in happiness and hugged her.

"Amma.. i missed you too. She embraced her warmly"

"Then me ?" Prakash enquired cutely with a pout.

Jwala chuckled and pulled his cheeks.

"I missed you too appa"

He grinned.

"Btw.. how come early ?" Shalini asked giving a break to father- daughter moments.

"Her son came back early in morning. I wanted to tell you this matter but thought to surprise you both"

"Ohho" Both of them chuckled.

"Then why didnt you come early?"

"Appa, I wanted to come early, but principal ma'am insisted to stay there for some more time. And look what she gave us. These are some plants and what else ..."

She searched and found some chocolates too in it.

"Wow..." Jwala's eyes brightened.

"Offo this girl will get chocolates some or other way. I hope you wont get diabetes"

Her mother complained making her chuckle.

"These plants seem unique"

"Yes amma. These are. Actually they have a big beautiful garden with a wide variety of imported flowers. Her son loves gardening and he buys this. She herself gave me even when i said no"

"That's so sweet of her"

Her parents smiled along with Jwala.

"So you came back in a cab ?"

"No amma. Her son dropped me. I asked not to bother about me returning back. But ma'am was adamant to send me with her son"  She pouted.

"Thats good actually. Now you are safe and sound here. Why didnt you called him inside ?"

"I had called.. but he said that he have to return back home since ma'am was alone there"

"Okay. Make sure you call him next time"  Her amma said.

"Why would i meet him next time and why would i travel in his car ?"

"Who knows when we would meet people again ? I just told you the possibility"

"Hmm..ok.. i badly missed your tea amma.." 
She pouted.

Her mother served the tea for her.

They had tea and talked about her days happily.

She had also showed them the saree Ramya bought for her and they felt happy that their daughter is at ease.

_____________________________________________

Vihaan reached home and was going to his room to change his dress.

His feet came in contact with something hard. He stepped aside and saw a golden anklet with small ghungroos attached to it.

Vihaan took it in his palm.

"It must be hers"

He went to his room and sat onto his bed looking at it and rewinded their encounter in the morning till he dropped her at her home.

Vihaan carefully kept the anklet inside a box in his cupboard.

"Shall i pass it to her tomorrow ?"

"No no.. umm..some other day ?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Abruptly closing this cupboard , he found his amma at the door.

"Come vihu..have tea"

"Yes amma... im coming"

He went downstairs after changing his clothes and had his tea along with some snacks that was prepared earlier by Jwaala.

Ramya found her son relishing the snacks.

"Did you like it ?"

"Umm.. what?"

"The snack"

"Of course. Its tasty because my darling amma made it"

"No. Its not me. Jwaala made it"

"Ohh... its fine"

Ramya chuckled shaking her head.

Just then she got a call and the called id showed "Jwaala"

"Yes Jwala, everything fine ?"

"Actually amma..one of my anklet is missing. It might have dropped there somewhere..can you please check it ?"  She said worried.

"Yes. I'll check dear. You dont worry. I'll bring tmrw if i found it"

"Okay. Umm..Did Vi..Vihaan reach home ?"

"Yes he is here and drinking tea now"

She said while looking at her son smiling meanwhile he just raised his eyebrows..

"Okay amma...bye.."

"Bye dear"

"Anything important?" Vihaan asked.

"Yes. One of her anklet is missing. Seems like it was her favourite one"

Its with me. His mind said.

Dont tell your amma.

"I'll check here .. you too help me in finding"

"I'll..umm..try.. i have some works"

"Okay.. if you find it, then pass it to me"

"Alright.."

"Amma, why were you smiling at me during the call ?"

"Me, smiling ?"

"Yeah.."

"Ohh..she asked whether you returned back home"

"Ohhh... hmm.."

A quick smile came on his lips which got erased in milliseconds.

After finishing the tea, Ramya and Vihaan searched for the anklet. Inside, he felt bad for making her search wheh he had it... but something kept him from not telling it.

Ramya asked him to go do his work and she will continue the search. Vihaan nodded and went cursing himself in his mind.

After few minutes,

"Amma, dont worry if you didnt get it..you have been searching since long. We can buy a new one for her"

"Hmm that only seems the option left..i literally searched everywhere."

"Maybe she would have dropped it somewhere in her home"

"Maybe...i dont know"

"Ok you dont stress. Take her with you to a jewellery shop and buy her whatever she likes"

"She might not agree with buying a new one"

"Then her loss" Vihaan laughed casually with a sarcasm left behind.

"What kind of a behaviour is that vihu? Not every girls are like money minded...you also had one in your past right ? "

He went silent and pursed his lips tightly looking at the floor feeling anger rising in him.

"Its ok. I didnt mean to remind you that. Past is past and she was never meant to be yours. God must have written someone very special in your life"

She assured him and he felt light hearing it.

He returned back to his room and thought about the previous times.

I dont wanna continue in this relationship. You cheated me after all. My eyes wont lie what i saw behind my back.

I can explain baby...

Dare you call me that. And good bye forever.Vihaan shut the door of his car furiously and drove back home while rain was pouring heavily.

He looked at the cupboard.

"Maybe all girls are not same...but i wont trust anyone...
I simply believed one thinking she was true to me. But that was one mistake that happened in my life and i dont want to repeat it again"

He closed his eyes and layed on the bed while sleep consumed him fast as he was tired from all the journey.

____________________________________________

"It was one of my favourite anklet"

She made a cry face.

"Its okay kanna. Dont cry. She will check it no"

"What if she didnt find it ? Its costly and also gifted by my parents during my birthday"

"You dont worry about the price. We can buy a new one if you missed it"

"It was my mistake. I should have checked and tightened the hooks"

"You shouldn't blame yourself sweetheart. Mistakes can happen" Her appa consoled.

She returned back to her room gloomily and took off the other anklet and kept it inside a box safely.

My heart is saying that its there somewhere in that home.

____________________________________________

So how did you like their conversation ?

Which part did you like the most ?

Comment your views on this chapter.

Yours,
Aiswarya2018.