16 Chapter 16

I was way back to my home, there were lots of question that needed to be answered by Bondita for lying me and keeping in dark about her fatal lies, my parents were keen to take her responsibilities but, now I don't think they have any reason to do so, She played a wicked game with my trust and emotions, but how could she be so confident about her faked drama, was she planning to easily slip inside the family of Adhiraj, by claiming to be pregnant by him, that's the lowest of her to think like that, Even she fooled my innocent parents, they too became the victim of her blind games, I didn't even know how to deal with all this mess, I was driving my scooter like a mad woman who was in the verge of destroying herself, speedy roads of highways were sprinting fast from my sight, there was no turning back, I felt like as if some thunderbolt had struck on my chest, my chest was paining, it was burning out of betrayal, I wanted to reach home as soon as I could, I increased my speed, and drove and drove like a maniac from gearing up to running over a traffic line, passing the railway signals , stop signs, and finally crashing with a tree near the road, to save the passing cattle, I crashed my scooty with the tree, and I thrusted away from a sudden halt, My head was smashed, as I could feel the blood tickling all over my face, I tried to move my legs, but By the time, they were broken, my left leg was bleeding and my clothes were torn, my face was bloodied,

I could hear the faint voices of people running towards me, but till then, I lost my consciousness, I could only hear the words, " Ambulance, Help! Call', and then I fell into a slumber darkness, with the one word, ' Betrayal',

And in next time, I saw myself entering inside a dark room, the voices were bared to me, I couldn't hear those voices, now I was all alone to myself, I don't want to live here in this blackout, I wanted to free myself, but then a vicious smiling face came in front of me, she was a female, her smiling seemed taunting to me, And now the pitch of that smiling voice grew louder and clear, I did recognised this laughter, It feels familiar, but I couldn't get the memory of this voice, but I knew she was familiar, and when her face emerged out of the darkness, I immediately got the clue, She was my best friend, ' Bondita ', She was laughing at me, laughing at my foolishness and stupidity, taunting me, how reckless I was, acting without thinking, and then I saw an another shadow, He was Adhiraj, He was passing his mean comments on me, like how silly and halfwit I was, ' She played on you, and you got trapped by her bait! " His voice was multiplying its audacity and my mind can't take it anymore ... Her laughter  and his traumatizing comments were getting inside my head....

" No! Please stop both of you, I am not an idiot! " I yelled at both of them, and opened my eyes, after blinking for two to three times, I found that the darkness was gone and was replaced by a lighting room, And my body was on a bed, but, why can't I move, I looked at my either sides, there were lots of machines attached to my body, I tried to move out of my bed, but these machines weren't allowing me to move, and then it strike my mind, it was an hospital, so! I was in hospital, my clothes were being changes into those of hospital patient uniform, My mom came hurrying towards me while my father had a serious and pathetic look on his ever green face, they were worried because me, I was responsible for their conditions,

" How are you feeling sriju! " My mom said in her almost crying voice, placing her hands on my head,

" We heard you yelling louder, We were afraid, if something happened to you, are you okay? I must informed the doctor, about you being woke up! " My father ran towards the door to call doctor, still I wasn't getting my brain to function all together, my head pains a lot, and then I touched my head, there was a bandage over my head, and when I touch my forehead, a sharp pain shoots inside my mind, And then I got everything fitted inside my mind, the club, and then the over speeding drive of mine, and then that cattle coming in front and then the crash,

" Since how long, I had been sleeping ma? " I hold the hands of my mother, and asked for my unconscious conditions,

" You were asleep for two days, sriju, I and your father were terrified, we didn't knew what to do, when we got a call from the hospital, about your accident, my half self was paralysed, at that time, my whole body seemed freezed, I was numb, we rushed to hospital, then we got know that you were lying lifelessly near the Mala road, at 2 AM, what were doing outside in that late hours, do you even have any idea, what would be happened to us, if something more bad had been done with you, My life was all stuck inside my throat! And your father! Do you think, how he would have been survived without you! I thanked to maa Durga , that by her blessings, you are alive and survived through that fatal incident! " My mom prayed to Goddess, and I was quiet, I know, it was my fault, this hospital bed is the witness of my deeds , my hands were wrapped up in a lots of bandages, making me look like a walking dead mummies, like they are shown in movies, my face had some stitches and I was caught up all inside my miseries,

This hospital room was larger than my own room, a more spacious with faded green paint and a brisk effervescent smell flowing inside, with a large clock hanging over the opposite wall to my bed, and a big photo of Jesus Christ was put on the wall next to left hand, there were lots of medicines and equipments occupying one corner, I had never ever been to hospital since I was ten years old, I hate hospitals, because they always brings sadness to one's life, they gave me a negative aura, destroying my faith and profundity at same time, they slammed the constant fear of death and the end of life, I can't connect with them, if I want to,

Soon, A doctor came to my sight, he was having a serene approach, no hurries, no tensions and that blanching face, But his face shows a genuine concern about my conditions except those medical staffs who are always been targeted as an insensitive and hard towards the patients,

" Hello, Srijita how are you doing? " Doctor greeted me in his soothing voice,

" Hello doctor, I'm fine, just I couldn't move my legs! " I tried to get up from my bed, but it seems like my ned didn't want me to leave,

" Yes, your left limb is broken and it would take a time of months to be fully recovered, you are advised to take bed rest and also to take medicines and healthy foods, After one week, we will be discharging you, and you would have to come for your routine check ups, okay, " Doctor 's assuring smile was enough to brought my broken confidence in me, after checking my status and health, he noted down some medicines and gave it back to my dad,

" Is there anything worrying about something, Doctor? " My fathers asked being helpless, his tension lines were appearing across his aging forehead,

" Nothing particular, just be careful with her medicines and diets, she will be discharged by this weekend! " Doctor comforts my parents after leaving some prescribed medicines to me,

" Where have you been gone that late  , Sriju! When we asked Bondita about this, she even didn't told us clearly! Then we came across your note saying you were at shekhawat mansion, but calling there, we got an answer from nilay that you were never been there, so now tell us , where have you been that whole night ? "  My father sauntered beside my bed and his eyes we're teary, my mom was filling orange juice for me from the bottle,

" I... Actually I went to Adhiraj's farm house and then.... " I told them the whole story about the situation saving the part about Adhiraj's impotency and a major shock was evident from their faces,

" How could she throw such a big lie to us , I can't believe this! " My mom shook her head in disbelief, and I nodded my head,

" She must be in dilemma! " My father tried to protect her vulnerable being, I totally disapproved of him by this time, I couldn't digest my father's way of taking side of her,

" While, speaking of her, where she's been? " I inquired about her and the thing that came next was shocking,

" She left our home, saying , from now she will be staying with one of her aunts living in howrah and we also didn't pressurized her , because she was too adamant to live away, " My mom explained me and now everything was crystal clear, her sending me away and then running away from us,

" She made a fool of us, she used our home for her temporary residence, and then after her plan was successful, she cleverly cooked up a story to fed us with her bullshits and then leaving us in belief that she was all helpless and weak, such a cunning girl! Dad! " I tried to put some sense inside my dad's mind, she has been tricking us since long time,

" Yes, a boy had came to take her luggage,  and she told us that he was her cousin  brother, we didn't disapproved much and let him grab her belongings and items! " My mom told me in a quick fit,

" She was capping about her cousin, he was not her cousin, he must be that boy, by whom she was pregnant and he had came to take her back, so this way she could ran away from us, this was her solid plan to be safe and under our protection, Frederick uncle was right, she didn't need any sympathy ! " I said in a total dissatisfaction, I couldn't belief this anymore, all was a fib, a falsehood to

use our generosity, From now onwards, I won't trust anybody in return to be just get used by them, they are all fake and rest of the world is selfish for selfless like us,

As it seems, we had been totally used and bluffed by bondita, my times spent with lots of harshness inside the hospital environment, these following days, I was slowly trying to get up by my own, I was put on to do some morning and evening walk and to consume the corn and cereal soups with some bitter juice to be drank, I can't eat any fast food, and was bound to eat the medicines prescribed to me , nurses were keeping a sharp eye on my routine and then, I was again put back to bed, by this time, I had developed a reading habit, now I was learning more about economy and political news of our country,

Following this days, many visitors came to see me , my friends from my school and my neighbours, some did brought a get well soon bouquet and cards, it was very nice of them, and some gave me chocolate and a basket of fruits, even my uncle nad aunt from Bangalore had come to see me,

" When are you getting discharge from the hospital? " My aunt asked me while, I was readying for my dressing,

" A day after tomorrow, I would be finally getting back to home, aunt! " I answered and started removing my old bandages, they were being dirty and needed to be disposed as soon as possible,

" Hey! Srijita, why don't you pursue your college from bangalore, it's quite a clean and healthy environment there, your mind would be freshen up and you could easily hunt for an adequate job? " My aunt suggest me for applying to the colleges at bangalore and somehow, it hit my mind, it was a good idea, I could really give it a second thought,

" Thanks aunt, I would discuss it with my parents, and would give it a thought , " I had told my aunt at that time, I didn't new that my plan at that time would be that real, would blow up my mind for setting down there for my entire life, but kolkata had my childhood, I talked to my parents about it, and they kind of approved of it but only after, I was fully recovered and was fit again for continuing with my career and works,

Nilay and kirti got the news and they too paid me a visit along with Baldev uncle , 

" Why you have to be superheroine for that slut? " Kirti scolded me in very blood rising manner, I spill all the incidents in front of them, while again saving the Adhiraj's sweet little secret,

" She must have been inspired by that Wonder woman, to go all righteous for the helpless bitches like Bondita! " Nilay replied calmly, while munching on a fresh apple picked up from one of the baskets given to me from my visitors,

" I didn't knew about Bondita's intentions, I thought that, I mean... " And here I was feeling guilty for accusing Adhiraj this time, and then I learnt a lesson from this incident that, " what you got heard is not always true to be believed upon",

" You thought that like all the times, Dada ( in bengali language brother) was the one who had been wrong, and you will expose his sins in front of everybody, I mean! Come on, Adhiraj dada is a little bit flirt, but.... " Kirti defended Adhiraj while I and nilay gave her a questioning look,

" A little flirt, ? " Nilay was now eating a banana, after eating two apples in a row,

" Okay, more than a little flirt, but our whole school knows, that Bondita is a straight slut who goes opening her legs for any rich guy, but you know Adhiraj dada is one step ahead than her, he didn't gave a shit to her fake mourning and pleas! " Kirti put her points, although she was very close to Adhiraj but her point wasn't false, she did have taken all the things in account,

" And you were hiding this all events from us, like, how could you do this? " Nilay interrupted the conversation and raised a look at my direction,

" I was told to seal my mouth! " I immediately blurted out, crossing my fingers , and they disapproved of it, " I swear, Adhiraj has told me to stay quiet and not to disclose this all to even both of you! "

" Kirti, are you seeing our sriju, now betraying us for her childhood crush! " Nilay eyed with kirti and they both gave me a teasing look,

" Yes, I could see it very well, Nilay dada, our srijita has been changed since this all bondita scam, " Kirti gave a wink towards me , Nilay and kirti bursts out in a fit of laughter,

" He is not my crush okay, you all are talking bullshit, all crap ! " I cried at the top of my lung,

" What scam? " A voice came ahead from the door of my room, and we found a standing Adhiraj at the doorstep, with a black sunglasses put on his eyes, hiding his eyes from any direct contact, he was all analysing with his self thing, a dangerous aura swepting all across the room, and everything fell into a deep silent, a black retro leather jacket was paired inside with his black t shirt, and a roadster grey jeans and a leather boot, while a sonata watch was shining on his left hand,

Slowly approaching with his strides he started cornering our gossips and talking while the three of us had left with no room to excuses,

" What scam, you two were talking about? " His deep authorised voice echoed inside the room, his face becoming clear to my vision,

" Nothing... Nothing Dada!  We were just, I mean... Nothing just some side talks! " Kirti was the first to reply, while nilay left his eating and grabbing the wrist of kirti he murmured something inaudible to kirti's ear , which I didn't get to listen,

" Actually, Dad was calling both of us for some chores, we should come later, you must take rest srijita! " Nilay gave me a pleading look and by excusing me and his monstrous brother, scurried away with kirti,

" What were they talking about? " Adhiraj gave me a dubious look,

I tried to get up from the bed to which he forbids me to do so,

" I didn't know, may be they were talking about some school stuffs ! " I shrugged my shoulders and started playing with my fingers,

And for a minute, neither of us spoke, he was hiding his emotions behind his sunglasses, while I notice a big cut on his left cheek,

" What happened to your face? " I asked while pointing my finger towards his bruise,

" It's none of your business! " His cold voice came down as a warning sign,

" It must be an ugly school fight, or a gang war! " I smirked and he averted his face,

" So what did Bondita said, is she okay? " Adhiraj changed the topic and I was at loss of words, anger and bitterness took up inside my mind due to mention of her name,

" Don't talk about her, She was betraying me and my family, she is such a bitch! " I tried to control my raising anger,

" Just calm down, but I knew it from the beginning that she was playing the victim card only to get attention and to trap you in her bait, but how did you got in an accident? " Adhiraj moved on to same topic, which I wanted to avoid but I knew it would be coming,

" I drove recklessly while coming back to home and got myself into an accident! " I responded in very ignored manner, as I was looking like a fool and I don't want Adhiraj to mock up at me for being careless, but what amazed me the most was that he neither mocked at me nor did he passed any mean comments,

" I get it, you were mad about the whole situation and wanted to lease out all your frustration out to something, and all of the above, you wanted to have a valid explanation from bondita about all of this ..... And then out of anger and all your trauma, you did got crashed yourself! " He cocked his sharp eyebrows and gestured towards me, as if something was caught between me and him,

" You are so weird! Don't you think you act bipolar sometimes! " His behaviours sometimes compels me to think otherwise, like he is so genuine and he doesn't violate any laws and limitations, he was a true gentlemen, but here we are talking about The Adhiraj Singh Shekhawat , the one with a big size ego, and a charismatic personality, his presence can't be sidelined or ignored,

" You don't know me, so shut up! I'm incomprehensible, like those three hundred years old unsolved mathematic problems by Einstein, so don't try your silly brain to understand me, we both are out of each other's league... " He gazed me with one of his serious deadly looks, and started fishing for something inside his pocket of his leather jacket, and finally his hands stopped moving and I think he came across the thing, which he wanted to find,

" What's inside your pocket, are you bringing up a knife to silt my throat, ? " I faked my fears to which he showed me a middle finger, and handed me a big packet of dark cinnamon chocolate from my favorite brand,

" I really wish, if this damn chocolate must turned into a butcher's cleaver, so that I could chopped you into pieces, but unfortunately, it's a piece of chocolate which was resting inside my cupboard for unknown ages, so I thought that instead of killing you with a cleaver and dirtying my hand with your rotten blood, why don't I gave you a condemned death from food poisoning, by bringing you your favorite Dark Chocolate from Nestly, whose expiry date is already outdated, So here it is! " He gave me a uptight crooked smile and I gave him a fuck off look, not before snatching a big packet of my all time favorite dark chocolate from his hands and tearing apart it's wrapper, I started munching on it,

" So... Yummm..... I can't tell, how much I was craving for this,  so yummy! I can't stop myself from moaning! " My mouth was filled with all chocolate bites while sideways pouring the chocolatey saliva of mine,

" But I was serious for the expiry date jokes, it is really expired ....! "

His intervening voice actually did scared me, and I stopped eating my favorite Nestly chocolates ,

" Say it that you're capping, I don't believe on you, bloody liar, well! How did you knew about me liking The dark chocolate! " I started eating again while giving him a dubious look,

" If you can't understand my personality and my true self , doesn't meant that I can't use my brain to understand you.... So better shut your small mind and enjoy your feast! " And I could imagine him rolling his eyes, while his eyes were still behind the sunglasses, but my eyes trailed to something dropped over the floor, it was a paper, I tried to get it and in this process, I bent and grabbed that small piece of paper which was folded, it seemed like it was some kind of a bill, after opening that paper, I found it from a bakery shop, Delicious Bakery near Park street, it reads :

One Dark Chocolate (Nestly)  INR 20

Date - 12 March 2014

And he started looking either sides, he was caught red handed,

" So you had bought me a fresh non expiry product and also it would not kill me from food poisoning, why did you pretend to be that person, which you are not! " I eyed him from top to bottom, while he was gripping hard to his hair roots,

" Just keep your mouth closed, okay! Don't ask your irritating questions! " He said through his gritted teeth, while still wearing his sun glasses, he was looking like some mafia don at that point,

Again a slumber silence fell between us I was trying to process the ongoing things between us, him being angry and I was trying to decipher his hidden self, why he always wore such hard exterior to hide himself between those shields of him,

" I ....I...told the...I mean...I... told them...whole incidents to kirti and Nilay... " I blurted out in a single line and prayed silently for my life,

But his expression were neutral, no screaming no cussing, he sat near my bed post, so calm and collective, his former anger was vaporized,

" I kinda got a clue about that when I entered the room. " He simply stated while having no grudges towards me,

Very weird, so strange why it was a locked explanation with a missing key whenever I was out to deal with him,

" Aren't.... You were supposed to be angry   on me, and here you are acting all saint and like a sage? " I was taken aback at his saint like gesture,

" Because, I don't care about what they think or anybody when I was right, it doesn't matter to me.... " He snarled at me while taking off his back sunglasses and revealing his twinkling black eyes to me, whoah!! His eyes were mesmerizing me, so beautiful and glossy... But what I also noticed was that he had a big large cut marks below his left eye, and also his eyes we're swollen, he must have been in a big fight.... For sure... Also his lips were busted, which I just noticed, when he neared his face to me..

" How... How did you got these bruises? " I tried to touch his face but he immediately caught my hand....

" Don't! " His rebuking voice stopped me from touching him.

" Why did you even paid me a visit, when you don't let me see your wounded face... What's your problem Adhiraj? " I shouts at the top of my lungs.

" It's our last time, may be the last time meeting for our entire life, because I am moving to London to pursue my college... So you won't be getting much irritated or pestered by me, because you won't be seeing me further, it is the end of our whatever shit thing, that was exclusively between us... " And he stared at me which felt like an ages,

" You are looking like some crooked criminal! " I said in my trembling voice, I could feel his heartbeat against my ears, he was that much closed to my face...

" What the fuck!  Are you for real? " With this he stepped back and put on his sunglasses back on his bloodied face and once again hide his face from any injury,

" Well, I just said, what I feel! " And I shrugged my shoulders,

" Well criminals aren't supposed to be Handsome, " With this he turned back and stormed out of the room, but I felt bereft, why I was feeling this way, it was very peculiar that I was feeling sad instead of feeling happy, my heart was clenching, but why I should be feeling like this, The devil was going away from my life, but why it seemed like I want the devil to possess my soul.....