Guys, I haven't proof read it. I know, you all are very intelligent to catch any errors and rectify them in your minds. So, please do that.😆😳

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PART 29

Vardaan stormed out of the room and was walking towards the parking lot. A student approached him for something, and he screamed at him, "Not now!" The student got scared looking at his fury. He put the keys inside the provided slot on the bike. He saw a few long strands of hair entwined in between his fingers. He picked them and realized that it was Sanyukta's. He closed his eyes in shame thinking how brutally he had pulled her hair. It might have pained her so much. Disgusted and angry with himself he started the bike and left the campus. He had no idea, where he was driving to. At many times, he even was thinking of killing himself. He was recollecting what transpired between them a few minutes back. Just a few minutes back, everything changed between them. The damage was permanent. No amount of apologizing would change things. "I took advantage of her love, of her trust in me, of her weakness. She might be so broken. I not only forced myself on her but, I have forced her to break her trust on me. I have brutally broken her heart and crushed her soul into a million pieces. Her beautiful face had now had evidences of his assault on her. She felt so suffocated", he thought recollecting about the struggle she put forth to save her dignity. "The one person she loved the most, from the utmost bottom of her heart has given her pain of a lifetime, she would never forget. She might even be regretting falling in love with me", he thought. He ran his palms through his hair and was crying. He was driving at a break neck speed. He recollected all the good moments they spent with each other. Her million dollar soothing smile, which is so damn infectious. One glimpse of her smiling face and he would be ready to die a million deaths for her. The twinkle in her eyes which have now been converted into hatred for him. Her cute chubby cheeks, which he has pulled many times with affection. Everything lost because of his jealousy. He was too occupied with his thinking, he didn't even notice a car coming from the opposite direction. Needless to say, he collided with it and his bike rolled over and over many times before coming to a halt. He had not even worn a helmet.

People gathered around the accident spot. Slowly, they helped Vardaan get up. He had bruises on his hand and there was a huge cut on the side of the forehead. Blood was flowing from the cut. A man from the crowd offered to take him to the hospital. But, Vardaan refused. He tried to start his bike and fortunately it started after kicking it for several times. He again drove, god knows where. He drove near a cliff area and stopped his bike realizing it was a dead end. He got down from the bike and his legs gave away. He collapsed on his knees and shouted with pain, in his eyes, in his heart. "Why? Why? Yeh kya kar diya hai maine? Sab barbaad kar diya. Kaise main apne hosh kho baitha? Kitna dard hua hoga use? Kitna sehen kiya usne? Jisse beintehaa pyaar kiya, ussi ko zindagi ka sabse bada gham diya hai maine. Toot chuki hogi woh. Phoot phoot kar ro rahi hogi." He started hitting his fists in anger on the ground, for at least a hundred times. His forehead was already bleeding and his fists were bruised badly. He fell unconscious on the ground.

Sanyukta was crying sitting in that room with, flickering tubelight for some more time. Tears were falling down her face to the area near her lips, it irritated and pained her. She hissed in pain. She thought of going to her room and cleaning herself. She wiped her tears with her dupatta. The more she wiped, the more tears came from her eyes. She covered her face by her dupatta to cover the marks, if any were visible. Going by the burning sensation she was feeling, she was sure that were some deep cuts in that area. She tried to compose herself. She didn't want anybody to ask her if she was OK? Why? Even she didn't have the reply to that answer. Slowly, she peeped out of the room, looking left and right. There was nobody in the corridor. She walked slowly out of the fateful room to her room. She never walked from the lighted areas. In fact, she purposely selected the longer route, just because there was not enough lighting there. She reached her room. It was locked. She thanked god for this. She thought that her roomies may have gone for dinner. She didn't have any courage to face her friends and their million questions. She had an extra spare key with her. She opened the door, kept her books and bags and went and stood in front of the mirror. Slowly, she removed her dupatta from her face. She got dreaded by the sight. Blood was still oozing from her lips and the area near her lips was full of teeth marks. Her eyes shot open and she felt like the entire scene played on the mirror in the form of some movie. She got terrified looking at her reflection. Her hair and her dress was crumpled. Her eyes and her lips were swollen like balloons. She was in a most dishevelled state possible. She cried some more covering her face with her hands and falling on her knees. She looked at the time. It was around 9:30 PM. She thought that her room mates would be arriving from dinner anytime soon. She immediately grabbed a towel and her payjamas and stormed in the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her mouth thoroughly to remove any traces of him. She turned on the nob of the shower. She decided to bathe with cold water. Hot water would have irritated her already sore skin. She scrubbed herself like a manic to remove any traces of him, remembering all the good times, she had spent with him. There was a burning sensation somewhere else too. It was paining her like hell. She looked down at the source, on her foot. She was terrified looking at her foot. There were some deep scratches and it was swollen. She recollected that it was because of him standing on her foot, wearing those really heavy leather shoes. She hit her forehead and sat down. She now understood why she was walking really slowly in the corridor. She cried some more in the bathroom when she heard her room mates enter. Kasutuki knocked on the bathroom door and asked, "Sanyukta, are you inside?" All, Sanyukta could manage to blurt to say was, "Hmmm."

She came out the room trying to hide her face. Her friends were busy doing their chores.

Kaustuki: "Hey, have you seen my Valuation book? I am searching for it since a long time."

Sanyukta: "No."

Kaustuki: "Can I check it in your book shelf?"

Sanyukta: "Yes."

Kaustuki got her book in Sanyukta's shelf, but was surprised that the usual chatter box was silent.

Kaustuki: "Tu think hai, Sanyukta?"

Sanyukta: "Hmm."

She tried not to limp walking towards her bed. But, she was unsuccessful. Kaustuki observed her limping from the corner of her eyes. She turned towards her face and observed that she was hiding something.

Kaustuki: "Sanyukta, kuch chupa rahi hai kya?"

Before even Sanyukta could reply, Kaustuki went to her and turned Sanyukta to face her. She was shocked looking at her.

Kaustuki: "Oh my god, yeh kya hua? Kaise?"

Even, Vidhushi came towards them.

Sanyukta: "Wwoh, woh, woh, ...main seediyon se gir gayi."

Vidhushi: "Par, marble floor pe hi giri hogi, toh yeh cuts aur..."

Sanyukta: "Mmain ground floor ke seediyon se gitri, toh neeche... cement ki rough flooring thi. Mmuh ke bal giri, toh isiliye yeh cuts aa gaye. Aur pair bhi mud gaya, aur chot bhi lag gayi."

Vidhushi: "Aur, tumhari aankhein? Itni kyu soojhi hai?"

Kaustuki: "Obviosly, ab zor se koi girega toh rona toh aaega hi na. Wait, Sanyukta, mere pass first aid kit hai. Main abhi tumhe ointment laga deti hu."

Vidhushi went to sleep on her bed. Kaustuki got up to get the first aid kit and was applying it thoroughly. Tears fell from Sanyukta's eyes and she hugged Sanyukta crying. Kaustuki could make out that something was wrong. She looked at Vidhushi who was sleeping. She asked slowly, "Sanyu, kuch hua hai kya? Please tell me. May be I can help." Sanyukta nodded in negative. She had no answer as to why she was not telling anybody anything. Once complaint, and he'll be thrown out of this institute. She knew she's doing the wrong thing by shielding him. Still, she was doing it. God knows why.

Sanyukta: "Kaustuki, I am sleepy. Good night."

She rested on her bed, thinking about the dreadful incident. She was getting disturbed. "Why did he do that? Was that his form of expression of love? No, Sanyu. It can't be love. Love never hurts, at least not in this manner. It was jealousy, and nothing else. But, why? Only because, Randhir is my friend? It's so hard for me to believe this reason. Or did I actually cross my limit with Randhir? Do I and Randhir really look as a couple? Is it my mistake?...whaaat? No...never. It is not my mistake. Nothing justifies what he did to me? I've never thought he would hurt me so much. Did I fall for the wrong person? Was I so insane to trust him?" The questions in her mind were endless and no particular answer. She sat on her bed and cried the entire night. Sleep just evaded her. It was 7 AM, the time for her room mates to wake up. She quickly wiped her tears and slept on the bed, closing her eyes. Vidhushi called out to her,

Vidhushi: "Oye, Sanyukta. Why are you sleeping now? Chal, Vardaan Sir ka lecture hai."

Sanyukta shot open her eyes hearing his name. She didn't want to face him. Not now and never.

Sanyukta: "I have a bad body ache. You guys go. I won't be attending lectures today."

She tried to sleep. Her eyes had become heavy due to crying. Sleep came naturally to her in minutes.

Some people had witnessed Vardaan lying on the ground unconscious. They helped him and gave him water to drink. They offered to bandage his wounds, but he refused and went to his home. He opened the gates of his house, and saw the saplings that he and Sanyukta had planted together. They had grown to some extent now. He recollected how they had actually played holi with wet mud. She had completely rubbed her muddy hands on his face and clothes. A smile crept on his face now. He went inside. He recollected all the previous happy days he had spent with her in this same place. Her play station was still lying on the rack near the television. The first time she ordered him to make biryani and had eaten it with complete heart and soul. The first time, she tried to cook something. It was a disaster, yet he appreciated her. There were infinite memories of her in this place. He choked. He pulled the curtains of each and every window and even closed the door of the balcony. He didn't want even a single ray of light to enter in his once again dark world. The pain in his heart was killing him. He badly wanted to smoke. He recollected a promise made to her, that he would try and cut down his smoking. He searched all the cabinets for a packet of cigarettes. He luckily found one. He also found a bottle of whiskey. He recollected her words in Mall manager's cabin. "I have actually stealthily tasted whiskey, with my brother. It tasted yuck!" He smiled and cried at the same time. He quickly lighted one and stared smoking. He poured himself a glass of whiskey. And thus, he started a trial and error method of reducing the pain in his heart. He smoked the entire packet and finished the entire bottle. But, his eyes were open like an owl. Her crying images constantly in front of him. He felt like he was hallucinating. He felt a strong urge to talk to her. He dialled her number and her phone was still switched off. He threw his phone in a fit of rage.

Sanyukta woke up at around 11 AM. She took a bath and her body was still in pain. She came out of the bathroom and looked at her foot. It was swollen and paining too. There was very little improvement on her face too. She thought of going to a doctor. But, she stopped herself thinking that a doctor would immediately come to know what has happened with me. She picked her phone, if there any messages. She pressed some buttons, and she recollected that her phone was not working. "He might have tried to call me. Should I go to college? NO. He might be in college. And it is impossible for me to face him now", she thought. She tried to divert her attention towards her studies. Absentmindedly, she picked the book of his subject. He quickly closed the book and chose some other subject instead. She tried to study, but it was no use. Her mind was again and again throwing the same question. She put her head down and was again in tears. "Why did you do that to me? I truly loved you. But, did you ever love me for at least a moment? You destroyed my trust. You destroyed me!" She did not eat anything that day. In the evening, she requested Kaustuki to get her a crepe bandage for her swollen foot. Kaustuki got her one and even helped her tie it to her foot. While tying it, she observed Sanyukta's face. She slowly touched the area which had scratches and bruises. Sanyukta got conscious.

Kaustuki: "Tu sach mein seediyon se giri thi?"

Sanyukta: (Hesitantly) "Umm..haa. Kyun?"

Kaustuki: "Nahi yeh marks...kuch hua hai kya? Why are so silent since yesterday? I mean..tere aur vardaan Sir ke beech mein?"

Sanyukta was scared. She could not even share this shameful incident with her best friend. Though, she knew that being a woman, Kaustuki would have got a slight hint. She managed to bring a fake smile on her face.

Sanyukta: "Umm...nahi toh. Kuch bhi nahi. Everything's fine. Woh toh kal mujh se mile bhi nahi. I think, he's being really busy these days."

She turned around and wiped a drop of tear.

Kaustuki: "Really? Haa...may be. Tab hi toh aaj college bhi nahi aaye."

Sanyukta: "What, woh aaj college nahi aaye?"

Kaustuki: "Nope."

Kaustuki got up from the bed leaving Sanyukta thinking. They did their group study for some more time and headed off to bed, after dinner. Kaustuki switched off the table lamp, but Sanyukta requested her to keep it ON. She was again not able to sleep even today. She had never thought that life would be showing her such days. The more she was trying hard to erase that frightful incident from her mind, the more she was reminded of it. She felt that her brain would now blast into pieces. She was never a cry baby, but now tears upto the brim of her eyes twenty four hours. Her eyes fell on the wall clock. It was 6 AM. She badly wanted to sleep; if that would give her mind some rest. She took two sleeping pills and was in deep slumber within minutes. Kaustuki woke her up at 7 AM. But, she did not wake up. Kaustuki then reminded herself, that her leg might be in pain. She thought, that she won't be coming to college today also and they went to college.

Vardaan had passed out on the floor. When he got up, he found himself on the floor near the couch. "I need to see her. At least once", he thought. He quickly freshened up and head off to campus. He didn't want to take any lectures. He was hiding behind a bush, when he saw Kaustuki and Vidhushi coming down from the hostel building and moving towards the college. He waited for some thirty minutes more to let all the students, move to the college. Slowly, and stealthily, he walked towards the back of the hostel building. He mentally calculated where was Sanyukta's room's window, based on the room number she had once mentioned. He spotted her window, which was fortunately open. He looked and right and held a pipeline. He recalled all his scouts training sessions and slowly, started climbing the pipe. He stood on the slab outside below her window and knocked it. She did not come there. He peeped in and went inside. He witnessed the most heart wrenching sight. She was slept curled up like a baby. She looked really pale and lifeless. He went near her and collapsed on his knees besides her bed. Tears had dried up on her cheeks. He remembered that she used to smile even in sleep. But now, she had a terrified look on her face. He flicks fell on her face. He carefully put them behind without even touching her. He saw the teeth marks on and near her lips. He had given her those ugly marks. He looked down and up, crying silently. "What have I done? What have I made her into? I am really a very bad curse doomed to be lonely. Anybody who has come near me, have got hurt. I don't deserve to be loved. She deserves somebody better. Who will love her, respect her." His eyes fell on her foot which was bandaged. He stood up and touched her foot and caressed it. Few drops of tears fell on her foot. He picked up her blanket and opened it to cover her with. In the process, he saw that her t-shirt had gone up a lil bit from her waist near her curve. He carefully pulled her t-shirt down. He felt that he had seen something. He lifted her t-shirt up again, to see it. He saw, that her skin on that area had gone blue and green. There were a few finger prints there too. He covered his mouth in shock, remembering that night's incident again. "She has gone through so much pain, so much humiliation", he thought. A few drops of tears fell on her waist as well. He covered her with a blanket. He raised his hand to caress her head, but he stopped himself, reminding him once again, that he was an evil person. He rushed out of the room.