LOVE BEYOND BORDERS

First Meet and the misunderstandings

When he turned back he found a girl wearing niqaab revealing only her eyes, nose qnd rosy lips picking up his phone.

Ammu feeling guilty and with trembling hands put forward the phone to Lin and said "Iam Sorry"

Wang Lin furiously shouted at her "Are you blind", and he snatched the phone from her ruthlessly and staighten towards Fuzhi's room. "

Ammu stunned from his behaviour and she checked around to confirm that nobody heard him shouting at her. She walked to the elevator feeling embarrassed.

In the room, Lin yelled and scolded Fuzhi for being careless and strictly warned him saying" Fuzhi, it's good to keep away from trouble making friends of yours and don't indulge in any new overseas friendship. "He stressed the last three words indicating Ammu.

Fuzhi remained silent and did not dare to try his brother's patience .After few minutes when Lin had finally vent his anger and worries on his brother ,he got back to his work on phone.

Fuzhi used this opportunity and insisted to get discharged today as he was feeling bored laying idle in the bed. With doctor's consent they left the hospital.

Lin wanted to sent Fuzhi back to X city but since he had to have his review check up after few days he had to stay in Dubai for one week. Their mother asked Lin to accompany Fuzhi until he is safe to travel back home.

Yong assured that once the accounting records are obtained from Dubai office he will return back to China to restore the same so that Lin can stay with his brother. Other official matters he can handle online from anywhere .

Since it was a Friday the company was closed for the weekend and hence they planned to visit the office next day. Lin thought he will have some rest after taking a bath.

Fuzhi feeling bored scrolled through his phone and suddenly thought about Aamu and he made a call to her. After along ring the call was answered with a sweet voice "hello who is this? "

Fuzhi : Hey, its me Fuzhi, didn't you save my number?

Ammu : Oh, sorry I think it didn't get saved.

Ammu purposely didn't save his number as she thought it is not necessary.

Aamu : So, what's up.... How are you now. Hope your are happy that your brother came.

Fuzhi : hmm.. Yaah somewhat.....

Ammu :Somewhat?

Fuzhi : Iam bored to hell..... So what's your plan to spend your off day....

Aamu : My roommates wanted me to go with them to the Jumeirah beach but I refused so they went after quarrelling with me. Now I feel bad for them so getting ready to give them a surprise.

Fuzhi : Okay then carry on, enjoy your evening. Bye...

Later ,he also wanted to go to beach and walk through the shore to relax or may be he wanted to spend some time with his saviour, so he immediately got dressed. His injury has healed much better and only a gauze bandage dressing has been done on his forehead. On the way down he just send a message to Lin that he is going to the beach.

At 5pm Fuzhi reached the beach and he walked along the shore as he couldn't get into the sea cause his injury may get wet. After 15 minutes Ammu arrived the beach but she couldn't find her friends. She made a call to them and came to. Know that they have changed their plan and went to Dubai mall.

Ammu cursed herself being sorry for them and coming here, she stood their looking into the horizon and lost in her thoughts until distracted by a hand that waved close to her face. When she saw Fuzhi a smile crested on her rosy lips as she was happy to see a familiar face in her loneliness.

Fuzhi : Alone.. Where are your friends?

Ammu : I didn't know that they changed the plan and went to Dubai mall, Iam going back to room now.

Fuzhi : Then Can we have a walk for sometime Angel.

Ammu : (frowns) Angel...

Fuzhi : Yes if you didn't find me on right time, I won't be alive now.

Ammu : hey, you are thinking too much.

Both of them walked along the shore talking and waves passed through their feet.

Fuzhi : Ammu, why did you get to the sixth floor of the hotel, didn't you know it was under renovation.

Ammu sighed and hesitated to answer. She became gloomy and her eyes moist. Fuzhi thought it was inappropriate to ask further so they both walked in silence. Later when she eased her emotions..

Ammu : Fuzhi, I was really hurt that day, I found my fiance Arun Varma cheating on my back.And I was so devastated by his behaviour and I got to sixth floor to hide from them,as I didn't want them to know that I have seen him in awkward situation. Our marriage was fixed in our teenage. Actually I denied the proposal as I consider him as my brother but he persuaded me for the sake of our parents. And I finally agreed to him but he, he was betraying me from the beginning.

Fuzhi : Oh Iam Sorry Ammu, how you guyz met.

Ammu : He is my father's elder sister's son. We have such culture, if willing we can marry our aunty's son or uncle's (mother's brother) son. This culture was very common in earlier days but nowadays it's rare.Even I personally doesn't like this system but I agreed as our parents insisted.

Fuzhi : Oh, so you are relatives. What is he ?

Ammu : He is working as a senior IT manager in a renowned company here.

Fuzhi : Iam sorry Ammu ,I can understand how upset you would be being cheated by your lover.

Ammu : Lover !,no ,never had I treated him as my lover ,I agreed to the proposal only to keep my parents words. Iam not sad because that he had betrayed me. But the person with whom he is having relationship is one of my cousin sister Anitha Varma, she is my father's elder brother's daughter. If he wished he could have told our grandpa that he doesn't want to marry me, even I don't have any problem with that, instead in front of others he pretended to be a gentleman who is much concerned about me and wanted to take care of me. Iam worried for his double face behaviour.I don't know what to do now, our engagement has been fixed for next month.

Fuzhi : What do you mean by taking care of you, you are educated and will get a good job too,then why should you depend on him. Why do you need his concern and caring.

Ammu : Fuzhi, I told you at hospital that Iam much like an orphan now. And I didn't want to create much problems for my grandparents.

Fuzhi : Yes, I forgot.. Actually If you don't mind can you tell me what happened to your parents.

Ammu : I lost my parents in a car accident when we were going to my maternal home at Trichur( District in Kerala) I was in my 12th grade that time. My parents were Woking in Dubai so its my grandparents who took care of me from my childhood .It was when they came for vacation we met with the accident and evertuing about my life changed.

Fuzhi felt how blessed he is, until 25 years of his life he had never faced any grievance. He pitied Ammu and wanted to support her in his life. He had never felt such feelings towards any girl, he always considered them only as an enjoyment tool. He was never serious in any of his relationships, he had changed a lot of girlfriends in a year, he was very carefree and never considered their feelings. He never felt a true love to anybody as he was well aware that the most of the girls who approached him was either for his wealth or for his fame. Nowadays it is difficult to find girls who needs pure love.

Both of them sat in the shore talking and whoever watched that scene need no reason to believe that they were couples.

Fuzhi : It's okay, Ammu atleast you found his betrayal before marriage and you both are not even officially engaged, so you should be relieved right .

Ammu : It's not like what you think Fuzhi, this engagement ceremony is just for namesake. All our relatives, family friends and the whole locality knows that we are to be married. He compelled me to love him, I denied as I suspected him and everybody else who had approached me with proposal, as I very well know with such a face(Fuzhi frowns) there is no chance for them to like me. But for him I made an exception and took the courage to believe him as I thought he may be concerned only of my character as we knows from our childhood. But he broke my trust.

Fuzhi frowned at her mentioning about the face,he thought to himself what she is upto.

Fuzhi : hello, what is it with your face. Who told you don't look good.

Ammu : (smiling) Fuzhi, I have got a scar on my right cheek, that's why Iam wearing a niqaab to veil it. Actually Iam a Hindu by religion but I wear this niqaab to veil my scar. That's why for articleship I chose firm that insists staffs to wear burka and niqaab. Though in Dubai there is no dress restriction but there are companies and firms that are very strict with dress code.

Fuzhi listened to her without responding and both sat there in silence watching the sun setting into the deep horizon. The lights were dim and they saw a shadow over them. They turned back to see Lin who was standing behind them with his arms crossed to his chest.

We both stood up and I remember he was the same person who shouted at me in the hospital.I don't know why ,I was not able look into those staring eyes .While I was thinking about him

Fuzhi started talking to him

Fuzhi : Oh. Second brother, why are you here.

Lin : Of course looking for you, can't you take rest for sometime , you have been just discharged from hospital and you immediately started roaming around with your new girlfriend.

Though he was talking to Fuzhi he was giving me cold look. I think he is still angry with me for the phone.

Fuzhi :(turning towards Aamu) : Ammu, this is my brother Wang Lin, you left when he came to hospital.

Its then I knew he was Fuzhi's brother and not the other person. I smiled and said hello to him, but he didn't show the manners to reply. He continued to talk to Fuzhi mqkong me embarrassed again.So I just excused myself to give them privacy and left.

After sometime a car stopped near me and saw Fuzhi getting down from it

Fuzhi : Sorry Ammu, my brother spoke like that because he misunderstood us.

Ammu blinked at him and asked" what did your brother say"

Fuzhi : (embarrassingly) you heard him right, Iam Sorry for that.

Ammu : (smiled)Fuzhi , I don't understand Chinese language.

Fuzhi felt relieved and replied "well, can you join us for dinner tonight"

I hesitated as I don't go out with boys or even with my girl freinds during night. Though how much we are developed, in Kerala still people considers it as inappropriate for girls or be woman wandering the streets or mall at night other than with their family. Even the educated people are so narrow minded in this aspect. Most of us are comfortable with this restriction as we are used to it and brought up with such customs and culture .

I declined excusing that I need to reach room as it is getting late.

Fuzhi insisted and assured me that there is nothing to worry they will drop me at my apartment and he requested me a lot.

I finally had to accept the invitation and got into the car along with him. In the car I saw Lin ,he didn't look towards me and was seriously looking into his phone. So I too ignored him.

We reached a five star hotel and ordered the dishes. Fuzhi asked me what I need and I told him to order anything other than non veg as Iam a vegetarian.

Lin looked at me with suspicion, I thought he had caught me red handed. Though we are vegetarian by custom since I have friends who eat non veg had once made me to taste it. My parents knew but to my grandparents it was a big secret, they will never tolerate such behavior. So it is a lie that I have never had non veg, but I personally prefer and comfortable with veg dish.

From Lin's expression I was sure that though he seems to be on his phone he was listening and observing me.

I just behaved normally avoiding Lin's staring and chatted with Fuzhi.

Later Fuzhi went to washroom and we both were left in the table. I just played with my phone till the dishes were served. We both were waiting for Fuzhi to come to start the dinner.

Lin thought to himself, what is it with this girl she is least interested even to look at me. Look at her attitude, I have been always admired by most of the girls and people always finds a chance to talk to me though how much indifference I show to them. She is really an exception. Is she real or pretending to be so.

Breaking the silence Lin asked, "you are from which part of India ",in his Chinese language .

Ammu didn't raise her head and remained looking into her phone . Lin tapped the table and asked again. Ammu raised her brows and murmured "hmm" as questioning.

Lin (anger in his tone ): Are you deaf.

Ammu : what?, I didn't get you. I don't speak Chinese.

Lin: who told you I spoke to you in Chinese.

Ammu : (embarrassingly) "sorry I didn't understand the language you spoke now.

Lin repeated the question in English.

Ammu(smiled) : Iam from Kerala, a South Indian state.

Lin : hmm, and your name, what is it? (as if he is speaking of some disgusted thing)

Ammu : Iam Simi Varma.

Lin : Fuzhi is calling you something else.

Ammu(smiling) : "that's my nick name"

she didn't tell him the nickname purposely to remain formal with him.

Lin : when did you both met?

Ammu : the day on which he got injured.

Lin : hmm, and?

Ammu(frowning,spreading her right hand): and what to do you expect?

Lin : Ms Simi I just want a straight answer, what is your relationship with my brother. Are you both dating.

Ammu (feels irritated): what dating, are you out of your mind.

Angrily Ammu stood up and was about to go from there . Lin held her hand to stop her. He just wanted to provoke her as he was irritated by her indifference to him and also to confirm about their relationship.

Ammu got stunned and she tried to pull his hand off from her, suddenly....

"Ammu, why are you here at this late time and who is this guy with you" Arun her fiance asked frowning . He stared at their hands held each other.

Ammu stood their holing Lin's hand staring at Arun without answering. Her anger became fury when she saw Arun.

Lin didn't understand what they were saying as they spoke in their mother tongue Malayalam.

Ammu looked Lin and his hand which was still holding her's. She didn't want to struggle in front of Arun so she stood their holding his hand and replied..

Can't you see we are about to have dinner and sat on the chair beside Lin gently pulling off her hand from his hold.

Arun :Who is he?

Ammu(in an indifferent tone) : He is my freind.

Arun observed Ammu's behaviour ,she didn't panic nor she seems to be worried about him seeing her with another man. Instead she boldly mentioned him as her freind. He knows Ammu very well she doesn't like to go out during late evenings other than with her family. She had never accompanied Arun to anywhere alone other than to temple, even if their parents permits. She is so uncomfortable and avoids such evening outings.

Arun suspected her and also felt bit inferior to the person sitting with her. His physical structure was eye catching, He was a tall handsome and had a good facial features with a broad nose, heavy and straight eyebrows, thin and long lips and the Adam's apple provides him a more prominent look. Apart from that he saw them holding hands. Being her fiance he was never allowed to hold even her finger tip in public, even if he holds she shook off his hand away.

Anitha told him that her roommates mentioned a Chinese guy as her lover and she often visit him in the hospital. Arun thought that Anitha was lying as Ammu is her rival, but now it seems to be true.Arun mistook Lin as Fuzhi and he thought it is Lin , her suspected lover.

Arun : Ammu I don't like to see you wandering with your male friends in the late night anymore. There is a boundary for every relationship or your so called friendship.

Ammu : what is that boundary, I can't see, you tell me Arun brother so that I can follow next time (she scoffed)

Arun : don't worry grandpa will let you know the boundary. Bye and carry on with your dinner.

Ammu's face became pale on mentioning about grandpa,She remained silent and Lin noticed the sudden change in her expression.

Fuzhi returned and apologized for being late as he was on phone with his mother and also confessed to Lin's cold glare that he took few puffs of cigarette too.

Lin rebuked Fuzhi for not calling his mother to console her .Fuzhi made a guilty face and said that mother called him to enquire about his health and she is relaxed now as he convinced her that he is perfectlyalright now.

And Ammu watched their expressions and made her own script and assumptions of their conversation....