CHAPTER 12- DOOR BELL

"May I have a glass of water, please".Prisoner said

"ofcourse, walton." Commissioner gestures his officer

"Okay sir".Walton said

The officer gave the prisoner a glass of water, "Thanks". Prisoner said

"Your story is good but it doesn't answer my questions. "

"Sir I want to tell you something,can I? Prisoner asked

" Say".

"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet."

"Even I also want to tell you something". Mr. Dwins said

" What sir? "

"If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of".

"I see, so after class, Robert and I went to the canteen. I was still thinking about that old man. Seeing the expression on my face, Robert asked me, "What happened to you?

" Nothing "I lied

"Something is bothering you, right. " he said

"Ya... But at the same time Priscilla and Jenny arrived.

" Hi"Priscilla said

"Hi" I said

"Robert I want to say you something" Jeny said

"Yes"robert's voice sounded like he was very excited

"We must go home now".jenny said while using the phone.

" What? "There was sadness in robert's voice

"Don't be sad it happens sometimes"I said to robert in a very low voice.

"What, our classes have just ended".Priscilla said

" So".Jeny said

"We can gossip".Priscilla said

Me and robert were just listening to them. "Sorry but i don't like timepass".Jeny said

"Jeny....but I can't complete my sentence because of Robert, he said that "I also think we should go home I am hungry".

"We're in canteen Robert".I said

" Oh aa..I have some important work at home, so we should go right ".Robert said

Priscilla was looking at me as if I would say something but I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Okay fine, bye" Priscilla said angrily

"Priscilla"I tried to stop her but she was gone.

"She probably felt bad, right".Jeny said

" No Jeny,It is her habit to get angry over small things."Robert said

I couldn't bear it anymore and said "yeah she felt bad, you shouldn't have said that".Robert was staring at me angrily

Jeny was looking at me like she didn't expect me to say that.Then she said "You're right, I shouldn't have said that.It has become my habit to talk like this."

"A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time,I hope you understand." I said

"I will try my best to change my habits" She said.

"Shall we go home now?"Robert said in a stern voice

"Ya let's go" I said

We reached home. When Robert and I arrived in our room, Robert told me "You shouldn't have said that today".

"What?" I said

"You shouldn't have behaved rudely with Jeny like that" Robert said

" Yes you are right, what i told her was wrong, and what she told priscilla was absolutely right that's what you want to say me Robert,seriously".I said

"No but... "

"But what, don't get so mad that you stop caring about others".

" Okay"Robert said in a lazy voice.

Then we heard the sound of the door opening outside.We heard someone's voice it was uncle Jonas.

*

One day we were all having dinner, At the same time Uncle Jonas's phone rings.After the call Uncle Jonas said "We need a cook".

"But why?"Auntie said

"Because your mother is sick and she called us to her and that's why we need a cook for them" he pointed to us.

I've only met aunt's mom once, she was a very angry lady.

"I need to talk to my boss for some period of leave" After saying this Uncle lefts the room. Auntie also went out of the kitchen. "I feel bad for your grandma,don't worry she will be fine by the way how old is she?".Jeny asked

"Around 80"Robert said

"Now I have a little doubt" I said.Hearing this, Jeny started laughing.

"What do you mean? " Robert said

The next morning uncle and the auntie left, the auntie had hired the neighbor's cook until she returned.That cook's name was Alan, he was very friendly with us. We also went to college as usual.Priscilla and Jeny were now good friends.

When we were on our way home from college,that's when Robert's phone rangs.The screen flashed 'Dad calling'.

"Ya dad" he said

He listened as Uncle spoke for a while.

"Oh.. ok dad tell grandma to get well soon, bye".

"What happened?" I asked

"It'll take a few more days for mom and dad to come back" Robert said

"Oh.. how's grandma's health?"Jeny asked

" Fine But the doctor has said that she need care, so mom and dad will have to stay there for a few more days."Robert said

We arrived home, Alen had already prepared the dinner.We had dinner and praised Alan because the dinner was really nice. Me and Robert decided to watch a movie because now there were no uncle and aunt who used to forbid us from watching movies till late night.

We decided to watch The Wolf of Wall Street movie but I could not find his DVD anywhere.

"You don't remember where you put it".

"I put all the DVDs together Robert, you know it".I said

" Ya"Robert said.

Then suddenly the door of our room opened. We both looked at the door Jeny was right there.

"What are you two doing?" She said

"We both are going to watch a movie".Robert said

" Nice, can I join? "Jeny said

"Ya, but I am not getting the DVD of the movie we want to watch."I said

"Is that The Wolf of Wall Street movie's DVD".she said

" Yes".

"That DVD is in my room, I mean in your room, wait." she said and lefts the room

After a while she came back to the room with the DVD.We watched the movie silently. After watching the movie Jeny asked me that " Leonardo DiCaprio is your favorite actor,right?"

"Ya I have seen all his movies." I said

"Mine too".she said

"Good".I said

"I enjoyed watching movie with you two".she said

"We too". Robert said

"Good night".She said

"Good night".

*

Now Jeny and we were good friends. We often used to watch movies or talk amongst ourselves after dinner. Jeny and Robert didn't talk much.

Jeny was more interested in talking to me. Maybe robert didn't like it, yet he used to pretend like he didn't care. One day our classes got over early so I, Priscilla, Jeny and Robert decided to watch a movie together.When we were coming out of college that's when I felt someone staring at me.

When I looked back, I found the same old man was staring at me,he stood a short distance from me.

I tried to reach him but due to the crowd of students, he managed to escape from there.

There was a white cloth where he was standing, I picked up that cloth but it was smelling very dirty, so I threw it back on the ground. Then someone calls my name from behind, it was Priscilla.

She came up to me and said "what are you doing here? "

"Nothing, where's robert and jeny? "I asked her

"They both went ahead".she said

"We should go too".I said

"Something is bothering you, right".she asked me calmly

" No, nothing".I lied because I didn't want to worry her.

"Ok aa..Ravi I want to tell you something." she said and blushed

"Ya say".

"Aa.. I will tell later".

"Ok we should go now, right".

"Ya".She said

We reached home.

Jeny and Robert had already reached home.

"Where were you two?" Robert asked

"We had some work in the collage".I said

"Oh".Robert said.At the same time there was a call on the home landline. Robert picked up the phone, uncle's voice came from there "Robert".

"Yes dad".

"There are two officers outside, they have a pakage in which there is an important evidence, you have to take that pakage from them and tomorrow another officer will come home and give that pakage to him,and one important thing, no one should touch whatever is in that package."

"Okay dad".

Robert went outside the house and brought a package in. He carefully put that package in the drawer. "Uncle should not keep such things at home"Jeny said

" Ya it could be dangerous".Priscilla

"Yes i agree with that too but dad is dad,so which movie did we going to watch".

"Let me think, Titanic".Priscilla said

"Good idea".Jeny said

" Okay ".I said

We started watching the movie.

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦,𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬 Rose said, suddenlyJeny holds my hand. I didn't say anything. Not a thing. I didn't withdraw my hands either. priscilla was staring at Jeny.

Now the movie was about to end,𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭

𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦.Jack was saying while dying. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰, 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬.Rose said

"Ravi, I wanted to tell you something, actually I was trying to say it for a long time but I was not able to say it."Jeny said

"What did you want to say to me?" I said

"Aa..I like you".She said blushing

Robert and Priscilla were staring at me now. Maybe I liked her too because I couldn't tell her no.

Then I said"Jeny actually I like you too."

Robert got up in anger and lefts the room. I knew something like this would happen. But i can't do anything about it.

"Really" Jeny said and hugged me.

Priscilla was staring at me.

"you wanted to tell me something? "I asked priscilla

"It's no use of telling you now"She had tears in her eyes "and congratulations, now you have a partner" she continued

"Thanks and old friends are old friends, Priscilla. Girlfriends and all are fine, but they never understand you like old friends can".I said

"Friends ha..you are right we are just friends".Now tears were running down her cheeks

" Priscilla "I said

"I must go home now, I'm late".

" Stop "but she left.I understood that what she wanted to say to me.

*

Next morning, Alan was serving our breakfast. Jeny was telling me something but I could not pay attention to her words because my attention was somewhere else"The food is very good, isn't it?"I asked Robert. But he did not say anything and left his food incomplete and went out of the kitchen.

"Without me,things wouldn't be so bad between the two of you"she said

"No, that's not true I guess".I said

Then the doorbell of the house rang. I opened the door, there was a police officer outside.

"Yes" I said

"I have been sent to collect a package from here".He said

"Oh I bring that package". I said

I brought that package out of the drawer and gave it to that officer.

"Well what's this evidence of?" I asked him

"Yesterday near the College of Eternity a boy tried to kill a small child, it is the handkerchief of the same person.It may contain that boy's fingerprints."

"I am a student of that college".

"Be careful"he left saying

*

"We should go out for a walk"Jeny said in the afternoon.

" Nice Idea "I said

Again the doorbell of the house rang.Robert opened the door. "Call Mr. Ravi now"someone shouted. I get there quickly. Four police officers were standing outside

"Ravi you are under arrest in the case of attempt to murder."An officer said

"What?"I said

jeny came out of the kitchen. Robert stood silently as if he didn't care what was happening.

"You have to come with us".

"But I did nothing".I said

"You can't take him like that, what proof do you have that he committed a crime?"Jeny said

"We have an arrest warrant miss".he pointed to a paper, "You come with us".They forcibly took me to the police station.

I was sitting in the investigation room when the door of the room opened and a bloodthirsty looking police officer came in.

"So naive"he stroked my hair and suddenly he grabbed my hairs and said"you tried to kill a child, why?"

" I did nothing sir, trust me I was with my friend that day".

𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱'.. he slapped me

"Say why you tried to kill the child".

𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱'.he slapped me again

"say?"

"I did nothing sir, trust me please".

"It's okay, don't tell the truth, when you will be in jail then you will know".he said and gestured an officer to take me. I was put in jail.

After a while one of the officer opened the jail door and told me "Sir have called you".I went quietly with him to the room. When I reached the room I saw There were Robert, Priscilla and Jenny standing. Jeny came up to me and said "you're fine".

"Miss this is not your home" An officer said

"Sorry".Jeny said

"So who was with you Mr. Ravi".Officer asked me

" Priscilla " I said

"Okay miss was this boy with you in the college yesterday".Priscilla didn't answer she was just looking at me." Yes or no ".

" No "she said

" What?"

"So you want to say that you were not in college with him, am I right".

" Yes, I met him on the way while coming Robert's house not in college".Priscilla said

The officer then turned to Jeny and said "Did Ravi come home late yesterday?"

"Yes but.... "

"That's all I wanted to know now you all can go".

"Priscilla you can't do that to me".I said

" Shut up ".The officer said angrily

"Priscilla please" I said from behind but they lefts.

After few days, uncle came to visit me in jail.

"you're fine"Uncle said

"Thank god you are here".

"You have been sentenced to two years".

" What,I did nothing."

"All the evidence is against you,your fingerprints are found on the evidence".

"I didn't do anything and you know it right".

"I raised you like my son from childhood and you did this,didn't expect this from you".

"But uncle... "

"Don't call me uncle and please forget you even had a family". he had tears in his eyes.

" Please "but he left

The child who was attacked did not remember anything about the incident.

Three months later, Jeny came to meet me.

" Hi"She said softly

"How are you".I said

" Fine".

"And Robert?"

"He is also fine, Ravi I want to tell you something".

"Yes".

"Come here he gestured someone".

Robert came up to jeny and jeny took his hand.

"Look Ravi don't feel bad aa.. we are in relationship now, and try to forget me, I am sorry".she said

" Jeny please don't leave me ,please".

"We must go now Jeny".Robert said

" I am sorry ".she said and left

At that time I came to know that no one supports you in your bad times.

"I had lost everything. But I didn't give up and today you can see where I am".

"Can prisoners study in jail,I mean"Jenifer asked

"Not only they are you allowed to study, but you are encouraged to do so. In most cases, inmates who do not have a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate must participate in the literacy program for a minimum of 240 hours or until they obtain their GED."I said

"You are a hero Ravi".Eve said

" It's true ".

" Do me a favor please leave me alone ".I said

"Ya we should leave him alone".Nirmalya said

"I want to give you an advice Ravi that we are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it, I hope you understand".Eve said

" Thanks".I said

"Take care".They said and left.

I was going to put that photo album back in the cupboard when the door bell of my house rang.

I opened the door and saw that Priscilla was standing outside.