Chapter - 53

Life is all about facing new things everyday and I think too much smoothness in one's life can be boring. One's life should be like a roller coaster ride one but too much of it can be exhausting too.

What will you do if you face a new challenge everyday? Does it excite you or it seems to be boring?

.....

Next day in the morning while having breakfast with my whole family, aunt initiated the conversation because of which everyone started looking at me but too my surprise my flow energy from yesterday, doesn't let me fall nervous.

Aunt: What's the matter Siya, I have been seeing you from last two to three days, you are more happy, enthusiastic and energetic. Is everything alright?

Me: (Lie like a professional) Nothing happened, I guess I am having some good sleep.

Mind: (Laughing like a mad person) Hahaha wow you and good sleep (start clapping sarcastically).

Aunt: (While drinking her milk) Hmmm I agree, having a good sleep is always good as the next morning become more peaceful and good.

Me: Hmmm.

Mind: (Sarcastic) I don't know how long I haven't had a good sleep and on top of that, these scary dreams keep haunting me.

Me: Yeah right but you are forgetting just few days before only you had a good sleep, at Vihaa's home.

Mind: (Whining) Yeah I know but it was just a one time thing, I want to have that moment more.

Me: Same her but let see when that day will come next.

After completing my breakfast I leave the house, to reach university on time. While travelling I start thinking about what and Aunt and Asher is saying i.e. I am looking happy, energetic and enthusiastic...

does just a idea of doing something wrong or creating a fake drama, is the main reason of my happiness or my changed behaviour? how can such changes happen? doing something like this, I mean faking, is it a good thing or a bad one? well, I don't considered it to be wrong but why does I have a little bit of uneasiness inside me?

The concept of good sleep sounds alien to me, how can someone sleep deeply all the time? I mean look at me I don't even remember exactly, when I slept properly and peacefully at night? Though, sleeping in Vihaa's house was a good night sleep but, one night is not enough for me. This is the only reason I feel this sleep thing feel alien too me but I don't think everyone will understand it.

While I thinking all this, I reached university and walk towards the room where I am going to attend my first lecture. Reaching inside the room I found Asher sitting there, I guess sensing me there she look up at me smiling brightly and don't know why and how but I look at her and give a bright smile too her. I walk towards her, sit beside her and soon Carissa, Savannah too joined us but something happened in the next moment shocked and surprised me plus Asher too...

In the next moment Michiko enter inside the room, walk towards us with a box in her hand which I guess has cake in it. She walk towards us (especially me and Asher) then passed us a cat like grin and then walk towards the last bench where she usually sits. Seeing this, me and Asher look at each other for a brief second then she raise her eyebrows and I just shrug off my shoulders.

Soon lecturer also enter inside the class, after taking attendance she started teaching us but rather than studying we started with our paper conversation...

Asher: What was that?

Me: I don't know but I guess there was cake in the box

Asher: Yeah I thought same too. I think she has gone mad.

Me: I think she.... 

Lecturer: (Sternly) Asher and Siya the university counsellor is calling you both in her cabin right now.

Hearing her voice we got startle, then only I notice that a random student who is not from our batch is standing near the lecturer and looking towards us. I look at the lecturer, got up from my seat and Asher do the same too, then we start moving outside the room but not before saying 'okay' to the lecturer.

The moment we finally step outside of the room, Asher start speaking...

Asher: What happened? Why she is calling us? 

Me: How would I know, I am just with you only right? 

Asher: Yeah right. But still what others will think about us?

Me: Who cares what they think, chill don't think too much. All we have to is to got counsellor ma'am and know what actually happened.

Asher: Yeah right.

While talking about all this we reach outside her room, I knock on the door and from inside we heard a low 'come in' voice. I open the door wide enough for me and Asher to enter inside, first I let her walk inside then I followed her steps. The counsellor looked us with a genuine smile on her face, then start speaking....

Counsellor: Come and sit down on the seat girls, we have something to serious talk about.

We both just nod our heads in approval, then do what she asked us to do. The moment we settled down, she took a deep breath then start speaking....

Counsellor: How much friendly are you girls with the words sexual harassment or abuse?

Asher/me: Not exactly/quite friendly.

Counsellor: Okay Asher you speak about if first.

Asher: I have never experienced it but I have read or heard about it, in the news, newspapers and books.

Counsellor: Hmmm okay and what about you Siya?

Me: (Pretended to be strong and confident but I can feel my legs shaking, sudden temperature change in my body. I can feel heating, I am angry but may be I am about to cry) I had a close experience with it, in my past.

Counsellor: Its okay no need to continue.

Me: Okay and thank you.

Honestly, I didn't want to share it with anyone because I am afraid, what if they don't understand it? what if they thought its my fault of being there at wrong time, with wrong dress or doing something which is not right?

Mind: Bro, you were just wearing jeans and t-shirt, which I don't think is a improper dress and you were just drinking the water in the vehicle. So, what just a little of it drop on your t-shirt, it doesn't give any kind of right to that uncle to touch you in anyway.

Me: Please, just stop talking about it.

Mind: (Rolling his eyes at me) Whatever but not sharing pain will not give you any sort of relief to you, remember what Vihaa used to say.

Counsellor: Well, I called you here to talk about Michiko, have any of you ever noticed her daily behaviour in the lectures or lunch breaks?

Hearing, this me & Asher both got surprised because never in once we have imagined we will be here because of Michiko. We look at each other first for some brief second then we decided to speak truth.

Asher: Not exactly but I guess she is bit tom boy girl, keep her focus in her studies only don't like to waste her time in any kind of nonsense matter.

Me: I can feel she is in some kind of pain, which I don't know for now and I have also seen her doing self muttering may times.

Counsellor: Hmmm okay, let me tell you what I come to know okay?

Me & Asher: Okay.

Counsellor: So, I come to know she is having panic attacks which is quite frequent, she had a experience too of sexual abuse and harassment, she talk to herself like a split personality. And whatever I am able to understand till now I think this a case of port traumatic stress disorder.

We both listened to her carefully, when she finished her side of story, we got surprised and shocked. The flow of energy changed from, confusion to surprised to shock and finally sadness, I felt it all don't know why and how but I felt those changes around me. Well, keeping it aside I start speaking...

Me: Ma'am how come you got to know this? Who told you about all this? and how we come into this whole scenario?

Asher: Yes ma'am please tell us.

Counsellor: One of Michiko's friend come to me with her, when she was having panic attacks and from there I come to know all this plus I also learned how close friends are you three used to be.

Asher: Ohhh ma'am we are still friends.

Me: Yes

This time it comes directly from my heart, don't know why but hearing this story changed something in me, I really wanted to be with Michiko and help her to get healed. I don't want her to suffer alone. It seems like something awakened in me, though, I am afraid of getting used again but something told me not to take a step back this time and do anything wrong which will hurt Michiko more.

Counsellor: I want you guys to be with her and notice if things goes out of control.

Asher/Me: Okay

Though, from inside I well aware that I am not going to report anything to ma'am because I will keep it to myself because it is about Michiko and not me. So, things happening with her will be kept as a secret from my side.

Counsellor: Good, now you both can go and attend you third lecture directly and don't worry about the attendance of the second lecture. I will make sure you have it.

Asher/Me: Okay thank you ma'am.

Together, we move out of the room, closing the door behind us and while doing so, Asher start speaking...

Asher: (Low and concerned tone) Never in my wildest guess ever I could think that she is going through that much.

Me: (Understanding tone) Same here but I also had doubts from the very first day I saw her.

Asher: We are going to help and be with her but not going to update about it to ma'am, right?

Me: Yes right but I guess first thing that we have to do it is, we need to confront Michiko somehow because without knowing the real situation I don't think so we can be with her and help her.

Asher: But this can't happen in a day we need more time for it.

Me: I know, we will think about it together and then work accordingly and we will also have to manage our time.

Asher: Yeah we have to kept sometime spare only for Michiko.

Me: Yes, lets talk about it when all of the lectures got over, in the library okay?

Asher: Okay.

Soon we enter inside the room, to attend our third lecture and as usual we see two seats vacant which are beside Carissa and Savannah but this time together we look at Michiko who is sitting on the last bench seat, this time alone. We start walking towards her but our steps halted hearing Carissa calling us and we unwantedly come back and sit with them.

Seeing my bag there, I thought to thanks them but Asher say it, before me...

Asher: Thank you for bringing our bags with you.

After few minutes lecturer also come inside the room and start teaching us, the whole day in university just liked this. We tired to spend our time with Michiko but somehow it got clashed with Carissa and Savannah's time and when our lecture got ended and when we decided to be in the library for sometime to talk, then Asher got called from her home asking her to come as soon as possible.

After reaching home, once I finished getting fresh then with cup of milk in my hand I tried to call Asher multiple times but no matter how many times I tried to call her, 'it always said the number you are trying to reach is switched off'. Out of frustration I literally throw my phone on the bed and try to focus on my studies but I unable to do so.

In the end I thought to read one of my novel and by time it got finished its already eleven in the night so, picking up my phone, earphones and water bottle I walk towards granny's room. Around one in the morning I fall asleep with a thought in my mind.....

how I am going to help Michiko and be with her......