CHUNDARI PENNE (FINALE) - A SHORT STORY ABOUT LOVE

(If this is the first time you have come across this short story about love, we would recommend you start reading from PART 1 first at - http://goo.gl/lWmL7X. In case, you missed out on PART 11, you can find that at - http://goo.gl/XCbkGI. But if you have already read everything else, then please continue)

"Hello," said Karthik picking up the call. It was Preet who had called him.

"Hi. I was just wondering, did you end up seeing Charlie?" Preet asked him.

"You know it won a lot of awards here. But I couldn't get myself to watch it," he confessed.

"Good," she said.

"What good? I so wanted to.... Preet, wait a second, the bell just rang. Let me see who it is," he said getting up to open the door.

Karthik opened it to see Preet standing in front with a DVD in hand. "I thought, we could watch it together with subtitles," she said.

"What a surprise," he said with a big smile on his face and a tight hug.

An hour later, she had settled in comfortably.

"Not bad for a bachelor pad. I mean it is huge and neat. I am impressed. How are you managing all alone with your jaundice?"

"Special dabba service, a housemaid to help, friends. I manage alright as you just said. We can put a tiffin service for you as well. Unless, you want to cook yourself?"

"I am on a holiday, my Makhna. Dabba service sounds good for me," she said parking herself on the sofa besides him.

"Makhna! Is that a bad word?" he asked looking confused at her.

"Yup, means pain in the ass," she chuckled and he laughed.

"Okay, I deserve it," he admitted.

"You know some guy came up with a song called Chundari Penne. You can credit that song for me sitting here, in front of you," she said.

"That's the song from Charlie! Where do you think I got the idea to call you Chundari Penne?"

"Get out of here! No wonder it kept following me everywhere. Let's watch the movie then," she said getting up to get her laptop from her bag.

She dimmed the lights and started the movie. With the laptop on her leg, Karthik had to sit really close to Preet to watch the movie comfortably.

At the start of the song, she pressed the pause button and looked at him, "What does it mean?"

"Wait a few seconds. They subtitle the songs as well," he pressed the start button.

Again she paused it and said, "No, I want you to tell me it's meaning".

"Beautiful girl. That's what it means. You, that's you. My Chundari Penne," he confessed looking into her eyes.

Tears rolled down her eyes. She immediately picked up the laptop and placed it on the table. "I am so sorry, Karthik for never trusting your feelings for me. I was so certain that I would get hurt, I ran. But, ultimately, I ended up causing both of us a lot of pain. And despite all that, you have forgiven me," she apologised.

"I haven't spoken about your behaviour, but get this straight, I haven't forgiven you yet. I plan to take my revenge in full once I am better," he winked at her and slowly wiped her tears.

"When you asked me where we were headed. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't. But now I am not afraid to admit it. I love you, Karthik".

"I have always loved you, Preet and always will," he said and kissed her on the forehead. Then continuing he said, "Can we watch the movie? I have waited too long to see it"

Preet nodded and picked up the laptop to keep it back over her leg. This time, he sat with his hand over her shoulder. She started the movie again. While one could hear the song being belled out, she asked, "We still have a long way to go don't we?"

"A long long way together, my dear Chundari Penne".