Chapter 17: Storm Clouds

                                    

                                          

The days that followed were a mix of progress and unease. The community centre thrived under Kaveri's leadership, with new projects and activities bringing joy to children and hope to the locals. Vijay continued to help, but the shadow of his past loomed larger with each passing day.

At first, it was subtle—strangers lingering near the centre, watching Vijay from a distance. But soon, the warnings grew more direct.


One evening, as Vijay was locking up the centre, he noticed a note pinned to the door. The words were scrawled hastily: "Stay in your lane, or else."

Vijay crumpled the paper, his jaw tightening. He knew exactly who had sent it, but he also knew that confronting Surya or his associates would only escalate the situation.

"Ennathu athu?" Kaveri's voice cut through his thoughts. She stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, watching him closely.

"Nothing important," Vijay said, stuffing the note into his pocket.

Kaveri frowned. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

"It's better if you don't know," Vijay said, his voice firm.

Kaveri stepped closer, her eyes blazing. "This is my community centre, Vijay. If there's a threat, I need to know about it."

"It's not your fight," Vijay insisted.

"It became my fight the moment you got involved," Kaveri shot back. "Now tell me the truth."

Vijay hesitated before finally relenting. "It's a warning. From people I used to associate with."

Kaveri's expression hardened. "And they think they can scare you into leaving?"

"They're not just targeting me," Vijay said quietly. "They'll come after anyone close to me. That includes you."


The weight of his words hung in the air, but Kaveri refused to back down. "We're not going to let them win," she said firmly.

Vijay stared at her, both awed and frustrated by her courage. "You don't understand what these people are capable of."

"And you don't understand what I'm capable of," Kaveri retorted. "I've faced worse, Vijay. I'm not afraid of them."

Her words struck a chord in Vijay, igniting a spark of hope he hadn't felt in years. "You're unbelievable," he said, shaking his head.

"Thank you," Kaveri replied with a faint smile. "Now, what's our next move?"


The next day, Vijay met with Bala and a few other trusted volunteers to discuss security measures for the centre.