"Neeshi? Did you talk to the Dean?"
"Yes Arjun. He agreed to fund the function."
"As if he would have refused..."
"Technically, he could have refused Arjun. Because this is not the official function. But since our batch's collection accounts for almost 60% of the funding, we are getting the balance amount quite easily." Umang replied in a dry voice.
Arjun and Kanika looked at him once and shook their head. Umang was lost in his studies most of the times. And when he wasn't studying, he was busy reading newspapers, articles, business related news, surfing net and...and... of course...spending time on quizzing.
Umang's grip on general knowledge and the happenings around the world, especially in the business world was too strong. IT was just not possible that you ask a question and Umang did not know the answer. The guy read every damn newspaper and every available magazine in the library. Added to it, he had so many subscriptions that it was a wonder he ever got time to read them.
But read them he did, and also managed to juggle his studies with equal ease, always bagging the top spot in college. Not for nothing was he the best quizzer, whose reputation preceded him both at the inter and intra collegiate level as well as in corporate levels.
And his partner in crime was the great Varun - who hardly said one word extra than what was necessary. Theirs was a formidable team and no one had ever been able to defeat these two.
Right now, Umang was busy typing away on his laptop...and knowing him it would be some quiz rounds. Arjun felt like banging his head. Umang was supposed to talk to the hotel.
As if reading his mind, Umang quipped from his position on the bed without lifting his eyes from the laptop screen, "And before you ask me whether I have talked with the hotel or not, yes... I have already talked with them, outlined our theme, and have even paid 20% of the total amount as advance. They would send for us 5 days before the function so that we can go through their arrangements and suggest any changes that we need."
Arjun...gaped at his friend... There was no other word for it. How in the name of seven hells had Umang managed to read his mind?
"Kindly close your mouth, Arjun. It's highly unhygienic. You will attract the germs and we don't want you contracting some disease just before the inaugurals." he smirked.
Arjun closed his mouth with a snap and picking up a cushion, threw it with full force in Umang's direction.
Umang did not look up from his job, did not even so much as turn his head. He simply raised his left hand and caught the cushion deftly in his palm and had it sailing across the room back at Arjun who was hit squarely in his face.
The girls burst out laughing at this display.
~ ~ ~ ~
The night was dark and damp... almost too much for her liking. She had never been fond of these rains and she certainly had no idea why people loved monsoon so much... especially the girls. Well, she herself was a girl and she hated it... hated getting wet, the constant dampness, the shiver of cold, the wet clothes... they irritated her.
And yet, she was walking in this damp night, the roads newly washed with rain. The streets looked freshly cleaned and there was no water logging anywhere. that was the advantage of hill stations... the roads did not allow water to remain in a particular place. She was thankful for that.
But it was getting really late. And she wanted to be at her place before it was past her out time.
The stillness of the night was broken by footsteps... she jerked back at the first hint of it. The road behind her was empty, bereft of any human presence. Still, a frisson of fear ran down her spine. What if someone was...!!! Oh no... it was not possible. Still when she turned back and began to walk, her footsteps had sped up.
The sky had cleared to a large extent. AEven the moon had come out of her hiding place from behind the thick veil of clouds and was shining merrily, bathing the Earth and its inhabitants in a soft, white glow. It was a scene straight out of a picture, or from a poet's imagination. She however had no looks to spare for this beauty of nature.
The sound of the footsteps echoed behind her... they were hurried, as if they were following her. Time and again she turned to look back, but the road was empty. Her heart was beating frantically against the rib cage. She did not try to walk any further, she simply broke into a run. The sweat poured down her face profusely, wetting the high neck of her jumper.
But she couldn't escape from them. The shadows were catching up on her. She could feel them advancing with every passing second, closing up, surrounding her from every side. She felt as if she was in a death trap, she could see no one but dark, black shadows.
Raw panic swept through her and found expression in the form of a soul shattering cry.
Neeshi awoke with a start, drenched in sweat and shaken to the very core of her being...!!! What in the name of all that was holy had she just dreamed of???
*@*@*@*
Umang awoke with a start. What was that he had heard? And where was he? It took him only seconds to take stock of his surroundings. Oh yes.. they had been working on the group project. And while Arjun and Ishaan had crashed in his room, Neeshi was all alone since Kanika had gone to visit her aunt.
Neeshi...!! The thought spurred him into action. he had been friends with her for so long that it did not take him even a second to realize what could have happened. He did not bother to talk to Arjun and Ishaan who were sitting up on the bed and asking him the reason for the commotion. He just threw a mumbled Neeshi over his shoulders and hurried out of the room knowing fully well that Arjun atleast would follow him.
Neeshi and her dreams...!!! Heavens!!!
He burst inside her room unceremoniously with a perfunctory knock knowing fully well from his experience that she would be too shaken to respond to him. Indeed, true to his prediction, he found her sitting on the bed under the folds of the blanket shivering inspite of the moderate temperature.
SHe had folded her knees and tucked them up under her chin with her arms around them as she rocked backed and forth in dread. He had crossed the room in two steps and was now sitting beside her on the bed. Without a single thought for the propriety of his actions, he had pulled his shivering friend into a warm and comforting hug. He was the only person who could do this to her, calm her when she was in this situation. He could feel the curiosity of his friends, but it was not the time to explain the situation to them. He knew from experience that it would take him almost half an hour for Neeshi to calm down. If she slipped into a sleep after her scare, well and good. If however she stayed awake, then she would be cranky for the rest of the day.
His luck held. She dozed off with her head on his shoulders. Carefully, he eased her back on to the bed and tucked the covers around her.
And then he spoke. "You can ask your question now, Ishaan."
For once, Ishaan's voice was worried. "What just happened here?"
"Nightmares." was his short reply.
"God... it must have been some dream."
"That is for her to tell."
"Do you plan to sit here and keep a watch on her?"
"Kind of. I will sit in the drawing room. That way I can hear if she wakes up." And switching off the light, Umang and his friends came out of the room.
Arjun hesitated for a second before he said, "Umang... don't mind my words but..."
"But...?"
"... but you need rest. You have been up and working non-stop for the last 48 hours. And you at least should look presentable tomorrow for this project presentation."
"I will manage, Arjun." he smiled.
"No offense, mate... but you look like you could use some rest. Kindly go and snatch the remaining few hours of sleep. Ishaan and I will take turns to keep a watch."
Umang wanted to argue, but then he realized this was a perfect moment to let Arjun understand
what he was getting into if he ever decided to take a step further with Neeshi. So with a small smile and a short good night he went back to the comfort of his bed. He was asleep within minutes.
~ ~ ~ ~
"Hey there girl...wait." A loud voice rang out over the din in the canteen. As if someone had turned off a switch, the entire canteen fell silent, quietly staring and very eager to witness the scene unfolding in front of them.
Devyanshi sighed in frustration and gritted her teeth. Trying hard to control her temper at the insolent voice, she turned to face the group of boys.
All throughout these past few weeks, she had been subjected to question and answer sessions and ocassionally a few small tasks, but this was the first time she was hearing such a rude voice.
Her first impression of the group leader was that of an escaped convict. Unruly, black hair , dry as a desert reached upto his collarbone. Did this guy never wash his hair? She had a tough time keeping her mouth shut.
Somehow she stood there, waiting for the group to approach her. The boy sauntered up to her, his sidekicks behind him. She looked at him in his eyes, waiting to see what he would do.
"Look down, girl. There is a task for you."
"And what is it?" she didn't avert her eyes though.
"Sit down on the floor... At my feet. And polish my shoes." The silence was deafening.
"Oh really?? And why should I?"
Someone gasped, a few people moaned. A chair scrapped somewhere in the background. Devyanshi was deaf to the outer world. Her eyes were blazing fire as she looked at the specimen in front of her.
His eyes popped out of his sockets. Had this girl just answered back?
"Do you know who am I?"
"Does it look like that I care?"
"If you don't, you will be very sorry by the end of this day." his laugh was pure evil.
"You bloody..." He raised his arm to slap her, but she was faster, and caught his wrist in a firm grip.
"Don't you dare raise your hands on me." he eyes spit fire as she locked her rage filled gaze with him. "I am letting you go as this is your first mistake. I won't tolerate a second time." with that she pushed him back.
The guy took a step forward and suddenly Devyanshi felt herself being pushed back behind a solid, masculine human shield.
"Yes?" The voice was insolence manifested. " Do you have a problem...? Or do you want us to register a complaint against you with the Academics section?"
She stared in shock at the scene unfolding in front of him. It was Neel who had jumped to her defense. that was natural, but what surprised her was that standing along with Neel, issuing threat on her behalf was Aniket... Aniket Singh Rathod.
Seeing Neelesh and Aniket in front of them, the other guys too joined in and soon the batch of seniors was forced to retreat. While the other students were angry over the treatment meted out to them, Neel and Aniket led her back to the safety of a corner seat.
"You okay?" She heard the concern in his voice. Aniket and concerned, she had never even imagined it.
"Thanks." she smiled at him.
He smiled back."Don't mention... It was.. " he shrugged.
Just then Neel returned with her plate of lunch. "Come on. Eat this. And no, no bahanas Dev. I am not going to listen to a word of what you have to say."
She looked at him with grateful eyes. "Neel... I just don't... Thank you. Thank you very much."
He smiled at her. It was soft and heartfelt. But she could see that though he was projecting a calm exterior he was seething inside. His anger was pulsing inside him like the interior of a volcano, ready to burst out any moment. It was evident in the way he was holding himself in check... by the tight set of his jaws, by the fire burning in his eyes. Devyanshi had no idea he would be so concerned for her. She knew that this situation had to be diffused, and that too quickly.
ANiket understood it too, and was about to say something when his phone rang. he disconnected the call without even looking at it and laid a palm on Neel's shoulder. "Bhai.. sun meri baat."
He couldn't go any further, his cell rang once again. The ringtone seemed to have an effect on Neel. She watched in concealed worry as he visibly pulled himself together and turned towards ANiket.
"It must be Apoorva... why don't you pick it up?"
TO his credit, ANiket looked torn. "You sure you will be fine for a few minutes?"
It was Devyanshi who assured him. "I will handle. Go on."
He nodded once and said, "Don't leave without me." and hurried away to attend his call.
Once he had left, Devyanshi was left with a quietly seething Neel and a plateful of food. She had no idea how to deal with both. Deciding that probably a direct approach would be better, she laid down the spoon on the plate and fixed him with a steely gaze. "What is wrong with you? Care to control yourself?"
"I feel like punching that idiot in the gut?"
"But why are you so angry?"
"How dare he raise his hands on you? How dare he speak with you like that? Besides. he has no right to misbehave with anyone."
"I know that, Neel. And I could have handled him." she pointed out.
"I Know. Trust me I am well aware of that. But it was Aniket who stepped out first."
"Aniket???" She could not have been more shocked.
"Yes, he already is suffering because of them. he did not want a second casualty."
"What has happened?" her curiosity piqued she fixed her gaze on him.
"Actually, it's ANiket's birthday today. And somehow Anudeep and his cohorts came to know about it."
"So that rascal is called ANudeep..." she mused.
"Yes. and they stay just near the boys hostel. SO at 12 o' clock they barged into the hostel, with loads of drinks, a cake and then roused him and the other guys and had a big celebration. They created so much ruckus that the neighbours sent for the police. The police arrested the entire lot and they all had to spend about two three hours in lockup."
"Including ANiket?" she was horrified.
"Yes, so it seems." Neel acknowledged.
'How did you know about this?" she asked. "You don't stay in hostel."
"Aniket called me up last night. I somehow managed to pull a few strings."
"You could have told me, Neel." she said.
He looked at her in shock. "Can you do something? Can you and most importantly will you help Aniket?"
"I will help even my worst enemy if he is innocent and you know that Neel." her voice was stern.
ANd Neel smiled. "I know, forgive me for insinuating that you wouldn't help Aniket. That was not what I meant. It just came out like that."
SHe nodded once and let the anger go. "So what is the scene now?"
"Aniket still has a case pending against him. He is accused of being the organiser of the party."
"And who accused him?" she wanted to know though she had a fair idea of who might be the culprit.
"Anudeep."
"And how does he hold this much of sway over the police.?"
"His uncle is a senior level police inspector." Neel acknowledged ruefully.
Devyanshi smiled, the enigmatic, beautiful smile which had Neel reminding of the famous painting Monalisa. How could girls hide so much mystery in a single smile?
"DOn't worry. I will handle this matter. but say nothing about it to Aniket. Just... organize a surprise birthday party for him." she smirked.
Neel was intrigued but know better than to push. If Devyanshi had said that she would handle it, then she definitely would. Just like he had his secrets, she had hers and it was for her to keep. SO instead he focused on another topic. "Party? But where?"
"In Hotel Presidency located just two lanes down the college." came a different voice.
Both of them turned to see a very serious Umang standing there with Neeshi at his elbows.
DOne for the day... Please read and review...!!!
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Aami Daakini
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