🏡 A New Beginning Under One Roof
When Friendship Never Fades-17-When Friendship Never Fades-17-Meera vacated her PG and came back home.
Meanwhile, Manya, who had been staying alone in the PG, found it difficult to stay without Meera.
Noticing this, Meera brought Manya along with her, asking her to stay in their house instead of the PG.
From that day onwards, Meera and Manya started going to college along with Nakul.
Pranav, however, continued coming from his own house as usual.
At the same time, Nidhi started coming to college with Chiru.
Gradually, Nidhi became very close to Chiru.
Observing this closeness, Meera felt that she should talk to Nidhi about it.Thus, the five of them spent the next two years together, studying well and eventually completing their BSc degree successfully.
After that, Pranav and Manya joined companies for work, while Meera, Nakul, and Nidhi decided to pursue higher education in Madikeri.
🎭 A Feeling of Being Watched
One day, Nakul dropped Meera in front of the college and said,
“I have some work. You go to class. Nidhi will come—talk to her. I’ll be back soon,” and he left.
“Hmm, okay,” Meera replied and started walking inside the college.
Suddenly, she felt as if someone was watching her from a distance.
She turned back immediately—but couldn’t find anyone.
She walked ahead again.
This time, she felt as if someone was following her.
Once again, she turned back quickly—but still, no one was there.
Trying not to overthink, she moved forward.
Just then—
“Meera!”
Hearing her name, she turned back in shock—it was Nidhi.
“Oh, it’s you…” Meera sighed in relief.
“Yes, it’s me! Why are you reacting like that?” Nidhi asked, surprised.
“Nothing, Nidhi… I feel like someone is watching me from a distance… like someone is following me,” Meera said uneasily.
💔 A Question of Love
“Really? Who would follow you other than your Nakul?” Nidhi teased.
“By the way, where is Nakul?”
“He left me here saying he had some work. Who did you come with?.“Who else? I came with Chiru,” she replied casually.
Hearing Chiru’s name, Meera’s expression slightly changed.“Nidhi… I don’t know whether I should ask this or not… but I want to ask something. Will you answer honestly?”
“Why all this formality, Meera? Just ask.”
After a pause, Meera asked,
“Do you… like Chiru?”
Nidhi wasn’t shocked at all. Instead, she smiled softly and said,
“If someone truly understands him, anyone would start liking him.”
“So… does that mean I don’t understand him?” Meera asked, slightly hurt.
“I don’t know how much you like him, Meera… but I feel you’ve only understood him from a distance. Try understanding him closely,” Nidhi advised gently.
Annoyed, Meera replied,
“I don’t need your advice. Just answer what I asked.”
“Alright, Madam,” Nidhi smiled.
“Yes… I like Chiranth. I really like him.”
“Then tell him,” Meera said.
“What’s the use, Meera? He won’t accept my love. Not just mine—he won’t accept anyone’s proposal.”
“At least tell him first. How will you know otherwise?”
“I’m 100% sure he won’t accept,” Nidhi said confidently.
“Even then… if you express your feelings, your heart will feel lighter. Tell him,” Meera insisted.
Nidhi thought for a moment.
“You’re right… If I don’t say it, I’ll regret it forever. Let me tell him.”
“Okay, Meera. I’ll tell him this evening,” she decided.
🌙 A Confession That Hurt
That evening, after college, Meera and Nakul returned home.
As usual, Chiru came to pick up Nidhi.
While sitting on the bike, Nidhi’s inner voice kept urging her—
“Tell him… tell him now…”
She asked him to stop the bike.
“Why here?” Chiru asked.
“I need to talk to you,” she said.
“We can talk at home…”
“No… I need to talk now,” she insisted and took him into a nearby park.
For a few minutes, she stood silently, unable to speak.
Finally, losing patience, Chiru asked,
“Nidhi, you said you wanted to talk. Why are you silent now?”
Still no response.
He held her shoulders and shook her gently—
“Nidhi!”
She turned suddenly and said—
“I love you, Chiru.”
Chiru was shocked.
“What?”
“I love you, Chiru,” she repeated.
“Nidhi… do you even know what you’re saying?”
“Yes. I know. I love you.”
“Have you gone mad? Why are you saying this?”
“Yes… I’ve gone mad in your love,” she replied emotionally.
“Nidhi… you know I can’t stay with you forever. You know everything. Why are you doing this?”
“I don’t need forever… Just say you love me. I’ll cherish those memories for my entire life,” she pleaded.
Chiru folded his hands and said,
“I don’t want to lie and hurt you. Please understand me.”
Nidhi hugged him tightly and said,
“It’s okay, Chiru. If I don’t understand you, who will? I just wanted to express my feelings. I won’t force you.”
With a faint smile, she said,
“Let’s go home.”
Though her lips smiled, her eyes carried silent pain.
⚠️ A Hidden Threat
Later, Nidhi told Chiru about Meera’s fear—
that someone might be following her.
Chiru immediately became serious.
“This isn’t just a doubt… it’s true. It must be Shivaram’s people.”
“Then what should we do?”
“I’ll keep following Meera and Nakul every day to ensure their safety,” he assured.
Days passed.
Years passed.
Nakul and Meera completed their MSc and got jobs in the same company in Bangalore.
Meanwhile, Nidhi decided not to work and instead planned to pursue her PhD abroad.
Chiru continued protecting Meera and Nakul silently from the shadows.
After three months, Prakash, Kusuma, and Mohan decided to get Meera and Nakul married and asked them to return to Madikeri.
However, Shivaram came to know about this.
He had a cruel plan—
to kill Meera and marry Nakul to his daughter, Tanu.
Though Chiru had been stopping his attempts, Shivaram was waiting patiently like a predator.
When he learned that Meera and Nakul were traveling to Madikeri, he saw it as the perfect opportunity.
Without wasting time, he hired goons to attack them on the way.
Unaware of this danger,
Meera and Nakul happily began their journey toward Madikeri…
When Friendship Never Fades-17 To be Continued……
You can also read this story When Friendship Never Fades-17 in Kannada.
You can also explore other posts on this page
When Friendship Never Fades-17
