Hi all...

Here is the next part...

I dedicate this part to my friend Sar_Van99 for voting first on the previous part...

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Vindhya's POV:

I began walking fastly scolding myself for forgetting about the lunch. Thanking MEO madam once again, I reached Karthik's office by a cab. MEO madam said that I can go through the records again if required.

" Akka! You're so late." Sid exclaimed when he saw me.

I saw Karthik typing on his laptop and chatting with Sid when I came here. Karthik knows how to skip meals but Sid is uncontrollabe with his hunger.

" Thank God, you came Vindhya. Sid has been eating my brain." Karthik said closing his laptop I sheepishly smiled and we ordered food in the restaurant which is 10 minutes far from his office.

While we are having our food, Sid said that he will order some more as he is still hungry. Just then his phone rang and he said he has to talk in a silent place and went somewhere.

Karthik spoke " I'm sorry Vindhya, I shouldn't have been that harsh while speaking."

" It's okay." I said.

" Did you really mean that apology on the phone?" He asked.

" No." I said smiling.

" I knew it." He muttered but I heard it.

" Why the sudden lunch plan then?" He asked.

" I wanted to eat with Sid." I said and he said " Is Sid the only person you're having lunch with? Am I an invisible one then?" He asked me.

" Yes you are invisible." I smiled teasingly.

" Okay, let's see if I'm invisible to everyone else." He had an annoying smirk plastered on his face.

I didn't understand what he meant by that.

He began smiling like a handsome hulk and I for a second thought that he had gone mad as he is smiling for no reason.

Out of nowhere, a girl approached our table. She is elegant in her blue colored off shoulder frock and she directly walked to the side of the table where Karthik sat.

" Hey handsome, mind if I join you?" She said trying to hold his hand which is on the table.

" Sure milady, it would be my pleasure if you join." Karthik said giving space to her so that she can sit beside him.

The nerve of this man to allow her sit here and she sat in Sid's place. Can't she see Sid's plate over there?

" Hi, my name is Karthik." He smiled sweetly at her and it showed off his cute dimples. Wow, did Karthik have dimples?

" My name is Mrudula." She said in a voice trying to mimic a royal person and I can't help but roll my eyes.

" Excuse me, that's my place." Sid said glaring at Mrudula when he came back.

" So what? Sit beside that ugly girl. A beautiful girl like me deserves the place beside a handsome man." She said in her irritating voice.

I know Sid isn't going to stay calm after listening a bad comment about me from a stranger. I held his hand as a sign to stay calm. I heard the sound of a spoon dropped onto the table and a chair pulled back and I saw Karthik standing up.

" What happened Karthik? I asked him to sit there." Mrudula said.

" Leave. I don't appreciate the way you spoke with him. No one can misbehave with my close people, understand?" Karthik barked in an intimidating voice and Mrudula literally ran away from our table.

" What the hell was that? How dare she say that you're ugly when she is like an ugly chimpanzee" Sid huffed and sat in his place.

" Manners Sid." I glared at him.

Karthik was still standing so me and Sid called him " Karthik."

Karthik glared at me and I glared at him.

" All of this happened because of you." He said still glaring at me.

" So be it. She called you handsome and me ugly. Aren't you happy?" I remarked and Karthik stormed off somewhere.

" Why do you irritate him Akka?" Sid asked after Karthik left. I myself don't know the answer.

" Sid, I think that you don't love me as you did before." I faked a hurt expression trying to divert his attention.

" No Akka. I love you more than anyone else." Sid said panicking and I had to control my laughter.

I kept the neutral expression and asked him " Why didn't you say anything to that girl when she said that I'm ugly?"

" Had it not been your hold on my hand, I would have answered back to her comment. I very well know what it means to go against your warning." He said and I smiled seeing that my brother understands me too well. And about what Sid meant was that I complained to dad once that he commented a girl and Sid was grounded for a week. All that girl did was she voiced out 'You are a stupid' to me.

" Whatever Sid, I'm going back to college." I said and stood up.

" Akka wait till Karthik comes." Sid said.

" Karthik is too angry now Sid. I'll come back again to meet both of you." I said and started walking out of the restaurant after kissing Sid on his cheek.

Just near the exit, I saw Karthik and he is not alone. Mrudula stood beside him. It looked like they are having a good conversation, I wished this restaurant has another exit. I looked around but realised that this is the only way to leave the restaurant.

Sighing I walked near them, only then I noticed a scowl on Karthik's face.

" Why did you call her ugly? Go and apologise." He said to her.

" Why will I apologise?" Mrudula looked pissed off.

" She is definitely more beautiful than you and you hurt her feelings. Apologise." Karthik again said.

" Go to hell." Mrudula said and exited the restaurant.

Karthik sighed in defeat and turned around.  He is shocked to see me there.

" I'm heading to the college Karthik. Thanks for the lunch." I said but I felt happy because Karthik thought that I'm beautiful. I don't know why but this gave me a sort of satisfaction.

" Sorry about what she spoke. I didn't know that I'll turn out like this." Karthik said.

" It's okay Karthik." I said moving past him.

" Please don't go." Karthik said holding onto my wrist.The way he said it made me stop instantaneously.

" Haven't we already completed the lunch?" I asked.

" Let's go to icecream parlour now." He said and I couldn't deny for some strange reason.

When Karthik and I walked back to the table I saw Sid eating happily.

" Akka, didn't you go?" He asked me after he sae me for a moment and continued eating.

" No, are you even a bit worried that Karthik and I aren't here? You are enjoying the lunch without any worry." I said.

" I'm hungry Akka." Sid smiled sheepishly.

" Karthik, eat your lunch. You didn't eat much." I said after seeing his plate.

" I'm not hungry now. I'm thinking to eat an icecream." Karthik said and Sid exclaimed " Yayy! Icecream" like a kid.

We went to an icecream parlour round the corner. I ordered Belgium dark chocolate cone while they both ordered Butterscotch ones. We spoke happily without any interruptions and at the end Sid took a selfie. I am not lying but I enjoyed the time with Karthik and Sid. Karthik can be nice whenever he wants to be.

After saying bye to them, I went to a local library to know the places in this city. Ofcourse I could have used mobile but some books in the library contain the information which isn't available on the internet. For example, the hideout of the local bandits isn't availabe on the internet. You would be thinking why she needs that, right? Places like these have been abandoned for years and decades, they provide the best stage to remain alone and do secretive things. I collected a few addresses of such places.

Seeing that the time is 4pm, I went back to the campus. Tara isn't in the room yet. Unlocking my phone I saw a text from her saying that she is going to a movie with Ashish who came to surprise her.

( For those who are wondering who Ashish is, he is Tara's boyfriend.)

After resting for a while, I called Appa and told him about my day excluding the meeting with Sheela. I mentioned about our lunch and the trip to icecream parlor.

" Beta, don't eat icecreams more. You will catch cold." He warned me and my heart bubbled up in happiness seeing his care.

He mentioned about his day in office and then later he gave the phone to mom. I spoke with mom for a long time and she told me all the precautions I should take as I'm staying here alone.

I mentioned the strange happenings in Jerry (my diary) about Sheela and Mrs.Sirisha.

All my friends of Team Ten did a video call when they gathered together. I felt happy seeing them again. It is Deepak's idea and I am glad that he knows what will make me happy.

Eventhough the case filed by Sheela has some things to be clarified, I decided to start another new case. Anyways the missing person is found and there are many other pending cases which need to be solved as soon as possible.  To my dismay, our website isn't opening in my laptop. It says incorrect password.

This can mean only thing..

Deepak!!! You're so dead!!

" Why the hell did you change my password?" I shouted when he answered the call.

" Because you have worked enough for today. You need rest baby doll." He said in a very calm tone.

" I'll beat you up when we meet the next time." I said angrily.

" Let's see who will beat whom." He spoke confidently and I could imagine him smirking.

" Deepika....., please tell the password." I asked in the sweetest tone I could utter.

" I will text you" He said and I'm about to thank him when he continued saying " Tomorrow morning."

" I'll tell Meghana how evil you are." I said and he chuckled. How come the 'all time saving threat' didn't work???

" Aren't you afraid?" I asked him and he said " She's also listening to this call baby doll. We both came to the beach. We were listening to songs using the headphones."

I am embarrassed.

" Hi Meghana." I squeaked out.

" Hi vindhya." She said laughing and she added " You are really funny just as Deepak said."

Smoke started to come out of my ears now.

" Meghana do you know what Deepak did in our 10th class school annual day?" I said and an evil smile began to form on my face. The phone got disconnected. I huffed and dropped my phone onto the table.

Having no other work to do, I decided to do my favourite work which is laying down on the bed and imagining a fairy tale and A Prince charming.

A phone call interrupted my fairy tale and it's Karthik.

Wondering why he called at this time, I answered, " Hello."

" Hi akka. I'm unable to find my phone. I think I've kept it in the bag. I wanted to wish you goodnight." Sid spoke.

" Are you sure that you didn't lose it?" I asked him.

" Yes. I had it with me when we came to the guest house. I'll search for it later. Listen, Karthik also wants to say Goodnight." Sid said.

" Goodnight Vindhya." Karthik said in his normal voice and I found it very soothing.

" Goodnight Karthik." I replied and dozed off.

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That's it for now friends...

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I'll dedicate the next part to the one who votes first on this part.