บท 45: Karthik's goal....

"Kruthika you've got many messages and calls from your friends in Bangalore on that day. I forgot to inform you", Manasa said.

"Oh! Thanks for reminding me Manasa, I almost forgot that I've to inform them and take their advice about my next step regarding examinations", Kruthika said.

"I'll call them after I reach home. Now I've to call dad to pick me up", Kruthika said as she dialled number.

"Why didn't you bring the bike Kruthika? You always ride yourself here!", Manasa questioned as they stepped out from her room.

"Mom and dad are very afraid of me, I mean they fear that I shouldn't die in early age like Karthik. They always wanted me to be daring and brave, now look at them they are dropping me and not allowing me to ride", Kruthika said, her eyes reflected her grief.

After few minutes Madhusudan came to pick her. She bid bye to her friend and went to her home.

Kruthika called her friends from Bangalore to inform about her situation and to ask what further steps she has to take in order to complete the examinations.

She thought of Varshini first, since she didn't recieve the call she called Navneet, who was her second person who could she think of getting instant help.

K:Hello Navneet. It's me Kruthika

N:I know, you know what my phone has a special feature of displaying the name of person who called me. (Sarcastically chuckled). Yeah may I know the reason for you to leave the examination before it started?

K: My brother Karthik demise.(In low voice controlling her voice from breaking).

N: What! But how?(In shock).

K: Electric shock. (Voice completely breaking now she couldn't control it)

N: I'm really sorry Kruthika. I'm really sorry!!

K: Never mind. Will you please inform others also, I'm really not in a mood to discuss it again with anyone. It literally breaks my heart when I think about it, I hope you'll do it for me. (Crying and wiping her tears).

N: Of course I will. There's no need to plead me, I'll do it for sure.

He would do anything for her that doesnt hurt her as she was his crush afterall.

K: Thanks alot Navneet. Do you know how should I give the rest of my exams?

N: Why don't you contact any one of the lecturers! I think they'll inform you.

K: Okay. I need to go Navneet I'll talk with you once I reach Bangalore.

N: Yeah it's only fifteen days more. Okay bye. Take care Kruthika. I'll be always there for you.

K: Did you really sing the friends theme song or did you say it like you mean it?

Navneet thought for a while, he didn't want to express his feelings now, so he thought covering up with first option was better.

N:I said in both ways. Bye.

He ended the phone call, he didn't want anymore to slip out of his tongue.

Kruthika didn't take it seriously, since she thought him only as a friend. And moreover, she wasn't interested in love, and that she was gay or something. She wanted it to be genuine from both sides, and she had high expectations from her future husband, which no man on earth can complete.

Kruthika just went to her room which one belonged to her and Karthik, but now it's only her's. Thinking about this thought made her spine get a chill.

She sat on the bed, none of them in the family wanted to socialise, even with each other.

Madhusudan sat alone in his room, Madhavi in kitchen and Kruthika in room.

As her heart ached with pain from losing Karthik, her brain rewinded the time she cherished with him.

All their childhood mischievous things (at which she smiled), the way he cared her, school days, college days and festive days. Finally the day when she saw him for the last time, his corpse lying on the floor in drawing room.

She remembered about the letter, how it fell due to wind from the shelf.

"Are there many more such letters, which I didn't see and he didn't send to me" Kruthika wondered. She found two more letters there.

"I'm sure that it wasn't present before his death, someone placed it here. Ofcourse it can't be Karthik, he asked someone to place it here. Who it might be? May be they placed it here in that day itself when he died, when every relative and friend came to visit home. One couldn't have got much easier option than that", she thought.

She opened the first letter which was again not stamped as the previous one addressing her.

'Kruthika,

I always wanted to share you about my dream which I eventually converted it to my goal.

I had a dream of playing with two kids in a big ancient home. I woke up and swore to myself that I'll fulfill it. I want to adopt two from the orphanage and give them a very good environment for their overall development.

Achieving it my only wish in my life. Will you fulfill it? Please'

As she read it, she cried hardly much more than before.

"Kruthika what happened to you dear?", Madhavi and Madhusudan asked her as they approached the room.

Listening it she quickly hid the letters within the books and took Karthik's photo.

"Please dear, calm yourself", her parents said caressing her shoulders.

"Why did this happen to him mom? Just why? It could have happen to me instead", Kruthika cried repeating the same question but to different people.

"What do you think, can we stay happily after losing you? You both are like eyes to us, we can't stay happily if we lose any one of you both. You understand it", Madhavi yelled the last sentence at her.

All of them hugged each other in pain.

They would never forget Karthik and stay happy. It was impossible for them . It's like losing a hand and working with only one without noticing the absence of the other.

Kruthika swore to herself that Karthik's goal would be hers from now.