And the fun begins.....

BETWEEN THEM
Part 30

It was Hemanth.

And a small slim girl, with a pretty face.... who looked younger than herself.... carrying an overstuffed suitcase....

"This is Preetha.... Remember I told you about her?....", Hemant gushed....

"Get in first... And Welcome...", Shradha smiled at the girl..

Hemanth went straight upto the couch and flopped down....

Shradha gave him a stare and then led the girl to the sofa...

Hemanth hurriedly took off his shoes before he could be the subject of yet another of "the stare"....

Shradha smiled inwardly and sat opposite the girl....


"Hi Preetha... Am afraid Hemanth can be real lousy with manners... He forgot to introduce us.... I am Shradha... Call me that "

Hemanth gave a kiddish scowl....

Shradha smiled without realizing and continued, "Hemanth has been telling me a lot about you.... Looks like you did yourself well getting recruited straight from college in GE"

Preetha blushed..."That's what my family feel.... But am actually scared... Yet nice to be around people like Hemanth... I will miss this place.... Grew really accustomed with this crowd while training.... Would have liked to stay in Chennai.... "

"Will you be staying by yourself in Bangalore?.... Hemanth told me that you are posted there..."

"No.... Will be staying with my sister at her in-laws place.... Felt really awkward at first... But as usual Aarthy got the last word..... That's my sister...", she added....

"Oh...."

"And Shradha... My brother in law was a student of the same school that you studied in..."

"Really?"

"Yes... Hemanth used to tell us all a lot about you.... I came to know that way...."

Shradha cast a pleasant look at Hemanth... He pretented to be busy studying the pattern on their wall paper....

"Aakash must have been your senior"

"Aakash? Your brother in law?"

"Yup"

A tingle went down Shradha's back.... No, it can't be.....

"Even his brother studied there... He might have been your batch... Krish...."

Shradha was quiet....

Then...

"I know him... I think"

"He must have been famous..... He is a real smart guy... and intelligent too....," Preetha laughed and then added on a serious note,"In fact Aarthy wants me to marry him.... What plots elder sisters plan!"

Maybe it was good that Hemanth broke that pause from Shradha....

"Will you girls sometime note that I have hardly had a word in?"

"Sorry Hemanth... Meeting Shradha was like meeting an old pal... I just lobbed on...."

"Maybe you girls can talk better over some snack.... And that way I will have something to concentrate on..."

Shradha gave a forced laugh and went in to whip up something...

She did not concentrate much on the rest of the afternoon, just looked after the cooking and was a good host....

And in the evening when Hemanth offered to drop Preetha at the airport, Shradha did not accompany them....


She was talking to herself.... Was Shriya going to come out of all this alright?