Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The rest of the night was uneasy for Shravan. The worries for Suman had toned down tenfold. It was hours since he had been out of Sumo's house but what Dadu had conferred to him whilst leaving had still stayed with him. He tossed from side to side coming up with ideas to evade the newly baked situation that stared back blatantly at him. The mental and physical exhaustion took the best of him and he was asleep in the next few minutes.

The next morning seemed sprightly and Shravan pondered at the cheerfulness in the air. Nothing seemed worth celebrating for the sun to have dawned so delightfully that day. He unwillingly got changed into his school clothes; the previous day's laundry still lying in the laundry bag. But the fresh clothes could only hide what was bottling up inside him.

It was true he wished for Suman to be at the camp but not while she wasn't aware of the truth. Dadu's irritating company couldn't help either but that was last of things he was worried about. 

"Why would you speak in such high confidence last evening? Huh Shravan!" He glared at his reflection in the mirror. "You'll be done if Sumo gets to know that you were lying through gritted teeth yet again!"

His lies had been enough to fool Khuranna Sir into believing that he had a medical case but how was he going to fool Sumo? His phone kept ringing at the side table that showed six missed calls from his friend Bunty. But Shravan had already decided to tell the truth at school. He wasn't going to be surrounded by a help of lies anymore. "If only I were brave enough to see needles" was his parting thought before he dashed downstairs to grab some toast and juice.

"I heard you were going to donate blood today. Best luck", chuckled Avani who had appeared from nowhere and disappeared into the kitchen to grab her tiffin from Chachi. Shravan spit out his juice at the mere thought of the camp.

"At least finish what's on the plate beta. You'll be hungry before lunch!", Kavita called after her ladla who usually gulped down 3 whole parathas in a single sitting.

The bike was taken out and the helmet worn but he was interrupted by a strange sight outside his house ~ A jeep over-viewing the Tiwari residence. Suman decked up in her school uniform sat in the rear besides Kancha. A hoodie covered her school uniform's white shirt while its hood cozily fit the small of her head. Shravan could've sworn she looked as cute as a button in the bunny like grey attire. 

Dadu was in the front alongside Sanjay bhaiyya. He acknowledged Shravan's presence with the straightening of his military hat. Kanchan waved a hi and Suman sheepishly smiled.

"Suman's feeling really better today. We've taken permission for her to attend the camp with precautions", Kanchan called after Shravan who was yet to answer her hello.  Kancha suddenly retreated and after pausing for a while, questioned enthusiastically to her grandfather who remain seated in the front.

"Dadu, can Shravan ride with us?"

Shravan tried coming up with a quick excuse only to be defeated by Dadu once again. "Sure why not"

He was done.

"Ditch the bike and hope on", Dadu replied with much more meaning than he did on other days with Shravan. He didn't know whether it were the effects of his previous day's impressions at the Tiwari household or because of the fact that he was about to do a noble thing. Shravan concluded to be them both. 

He couldn't deny when Suman had lowered her hoodie to look somewhat intently at him. He parked his bike back at the place and hopped onto the jeep which was foreign as a school dropping vehicle to the three kids. Kanchan seemed happy with the change of the usual school bus while Suman looked happy just to be there. 

"I hope you've eaten well", was the only thing she spoke through the entire trip.

Sanjay dropped the four of them, Dadu, Suman, Shravan and Kanchan at the gate and went ahead. The school was dressed with blood donation signs all over the place. The venture itself was organised in all the ground floor classrooms; a horde of people both students and outsiders lining up to fill the bottles. Shravan gulped hard at the sight. 

"This is the moment of truth Shravan. It'll be now or never. Speak up the truth already", he braved himself. 

Suman and Kancha accompanied him while Dadu went on to have a word with his old friend Principal Bakshi. "I'll be back".

"Suman I want to tell you something" Shravan looked at her but she wasn't facing him.

Suman looked lost and forlorn at the sight of a nurse accompanying her classmate to a room. Her hoodie did nothing to hide her disappointed look. Shravan knew her far too well to have missed it. Her face screamed how badly wanted to be in his place.

"Shravan, Shravan", he was called over by Bhopali and Shravan yawned at his annoying interruption for yet another time.

He was beaming, then narrowed his forehead on seeing Shravan's swollen expressions. "I heard you withdrew yourself from the activity. Shouldn't you be happier now?"

Shravan explained the ruckus. Bhopali scratched his cap and instinctively whispered a Oh Teri ki when Shravan was done. He gave himself a moment to think and exclaimed when he saw the duo of Suman and Kanchan approaching.

"I have an idea. Just follow my lead".

Shravan was shown into the room where all beds were arranged for blood to be collected. Suman saw Shravan disappearing into the room along with Bhopali.

"How I wish I could've helped in some or the other way" Suman mumbled and Kancha rested an assuring arm around her shoulder.

"Maybe this wasn't the best time. You know all things happen for a reason".

"Reason? Kancha, there was no reason behind this. It was simply my rotten luck".

"Aww don't you say that behena", Kancha said pulling her sister's cheeks.

"Girls! There you are!", Khuranna gave a far out cry from behind which almost startled Kancha. He neared the duo and asked for Shravan's whereabouts.

"I had asked him to come early to help me out in other activities. Now that he has cut his name out, he could help I thought. And now there's no trace of the boy!", explained Khuranna.

"Umm Sir..." Suman replied hesitantly, then turned to question her sister in a whisper. "Hasn't Shravan gone to donate blood in the room?" Kanchan shrugged her shoulders.

A loud shriek disturbed the conversation, leaving from the very room Shravan had entered a few minutes ago.

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