Either you may like this OS or you may really find it pretty boring. Plus, its too long so don't snooze off in between 😆
***
She couldn't figure anything out. Her mind was clustered with too many things for her to think straight. Her father's voice reverberated in her ears again and again. She clutched her hands tight wishing for the pain to subside. She had to focus on the machine in front of her.
The Dream Machine Part 2.
She knew she could do it. She had to make it through this. She couldn't just lose hope now. She had to just this machine work anyhow. It was her last chance, to stay in FITE, to keep her dreams alive. She had to win this scholarship.
Another twenty minutes passed as she glanced at the clock in the lab. It was midnight. How in the world would she be able to complete this by 8 am? She would not be able to win this time. And that meant not being able to pay the fees. She glanced at her opponent's machine at her side. It was probably on its verge of completion. Her heart sank. She wished her mother was there, she was dying to speak to her. As if answering her thoughts, her cell phone rang.
Overjoyed, she picked up her phone in anticipation. It was from her home. She trembled as she answered.
"Hello?", she said.
But she could only hear whispers from the other side. She understood it was her mother.
"Sanyu beta.. Just...I know you can...",Sanyukta heard her mom whispering into the mouth piece. But she could only make out a few words. But just listening to her voice made her calm.
Suddenly she heard a loud bump, as if someone had thrown something.
"Hello? Hello? Maa? Hello?", she said.
She heard someone yelling and she knew exactly who it was, as the person snatched the phone from her mother's hand.
"Papa", she said in a whisper.
"Don't you dare call me that!", her father shouted. His voice was full of despise and hatred for his daughter. Sanyukta tried to silence her sobs as her father continued.
"I told you this morning that this was all over. Don't you dare call here. No one here wants to see even your face. You are a shame to us. We are dead for you".
Before she could react she heard the line was cut.
Her phone slipped from her hands and fell down on the floor. She could barely stand as she held onto the table for support. Every moment was tormenting her, torturing her. Her father's voice hovered around her.
"Tum jaisi aulad hone se acha tha.. hume aulad hi nahi hota!"
She felt her heart would burst with pain any moment. What wrong had she done? All she wanted was to chase her dreams. She had faced all the trials and tribulations in her life with a brave face. But today, she had indeed lost.
"You are a shame to all of us!"
She was agonized. She shut her eyes in misery.
"We are all dead for you now!"
She covered her ears, unable to bear it any longer. The voices subsided as she thought of her mother. She knew her mother would be in even greater pain than she was. But she was disappointed with her. Her mother was oppressed and suppressed by her father. She couldn't take her own stand. Even now she didn't. Her mother was scared of her father. Yes, Sanyukta was disappointed with her.
She looked at the machine in front of her, her life, her dreams everything depended on it. She had lost them all, in a second.
No! She couldn't let that happen!
She took her tongs and got to work.
...
Her few moments of peace and tranquillity didn't last for long as she heard a small laugh behind her. She didn't need to look behind to know who it was. She was in no position to argue with him. She disregarded all his attempts to mess with her. But he didn't stop.
Randhir walked beside her and looked at her machine, his laugh pricking her ears as she tried her best to be ignorant towards him.
"So this is all what you could do in 2 days Miss Engineer? You didn't even make the machine, let alone get it to work!", he derided her.
Getting no response from her, he walked up to his table. He looked at his machine proudly and smirked.
"If you want I can help you. Mine is almost done", Randhir said, sarcastically.
Sanyukta sighed.
"I don't need any help from you. I'll manage", she managed to say, her anger camouflaging the pain she was in.
"Oh really?", he laughed evilly,"you think you can win this competition by this khataara machine you haven't even completed till now?", Randhir pointed out.
Sanyukta could not take more. She tried to swallow her anger. Somewhere she knew he was right. She will never be able to manage to complete this thing by morning.
"If your machine is complete why are you even here? Just go!", she said, almost shouting.
But she never looked at him. All her attention was solely on her work.
He was disappointed. This was not going the way he wanted to. Where was the tigress in her?
"Just had to give some finishing touches you know. Why are YOU here? Even you know that your machine is never going to work. You should have gone back to your home with your dad. You girls are just meant to...", he stopped as he saw her throwing the tongs in anger.
She looked down, breathing heavily, trying to control her anger.
"Tumhaari bas ki nahi hai engineering. Ghar jaake roti banao", Randhir completed, smirking at her.
That was it. She walked up to him so quickly that he almost took a step backwards.
"Look! Mr Randhir Singh Shekhawat! You have no right to judge me or my aspirations. But alas! That's all you can do! I have to win this scholarship at any cost. So let me work! I have enough problems in my life already. Don't create more! Got it?", Sanyukta screamed, snapping her fingers at him.
He was flabbergasted. He had never seen her so angry. How dare she shout on him like that! Nobody.. Nobody talked to him like that.
"What wrong did I say haan! You are better off in your kitchen. Do you seriously think you can win with this?", Randhir asked, pointing at her machine.
"Your brother was right. Tum kisi kaam ki nahi ho. You should have gone back with your father. You should have gone back to your home", he said.
Her home? She didn't have one now.
She glanced at her machine. It didn't matter however hard she denied that fact, but she knew he was right. She turned to look at Randhir, her eyes dangerously filled with tears, waiting to fall down any moment.
The look she gave him, stunned him. She was not enraged. He could see in her eyes that she was anguished.
"You know what? You are right", she said, her voice trembling, "I will never be able to do this".
She couldn't stop the tears flowing down her eyes now.
"Sanyukta..? Are you okay?", he asked, suddenly concerned.
She couldn't take it anymore. She broke down in front of him. She never realised when her head rested on his chest as her tears made a small patch on his shirt.
"Sanyukta?", Randhir whispered but her sobs never seemed to subside. His fingers invariably stroke her head, trying to calm her down.
The moment she heard her name from his mouth, she opened her eyes, realising her position. She quickly pushed him away, enraged.
"You must be happy! Finally what you wanted is coming true!" she said in a painful voice.
Randhir was clueless.
"What do you mean?", he asked, taking two steps towards her.
"Don't.", she said, "Don't come near me. Why are you getting so worked up? Its party time Mr Shekhawat! Finally your enemy is going to be thrown out of this college!", she screamed.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked. Her reactions were disturbing him oddly.
"This is just a competition!", Randhir said.
Sanyukta glared at him.
"This is just a competition for you! Not me. This is the question of my life", she said, she was close to tears again, "Without this scholarship, I'll not be able to stay in this college any longer. So congratulations! Your Mission Accomplished!", she said, giving a thumbs up sign to him.
She didn't want to break down in front of him again. Her problems were meant to be delitescent. She could not be weak, especially not in front of the man she loathed.
"What do you mean? You can't pay the fees? Your parents.."?, he tried to ask.
"They have disowned me", she said in a small voice.
She turned to look at him.
"My parents have disowned me. My mother wants to meet me but she is not even allowed to speak to me! I can't even..", she could speak no more, as her tears gave in.
She swallowed the lump in her throat with much difficulty, as she took her bag from the table and turned to go.
"Wait", she heard him say behind her.
She turned towards him.
"You know what. I wish I never came to this college. Because then, I wouldn't have to see you every day. I would never have met you. That's the only regret I have about coming here", she said, the anger in her eyes pricking his soul.
He saw her walk away, her fingers wiping the tears that never ceased to flow. He saw her shadow disappearing down the hallway and somehow he felt miserable. He didn't know why but he couldn't bear to see her in so much pain...
...
"Sanyu! Don't worry. We'll figure something out", Kaustuki said, trying to boost her friend up.
But all her efforts were futile as Sanyukta didn't even smile. They both stood outside the mechanical lab, waiting for the trustees and Vardhaan Sir who would be arriving any moment for the final inspection. She didn't know where she would get all the money for her fees from. She thought of applying for a loan but it was impossible to get one without having a job. Her hopes had almost died when she saw the trustees and Vardhaan Sir coming down the hallway. She followed them inside the lab, along with Kaustuki and the rest of the class who came in as spectators.
"Without wasting any more time, Sanyukta and Randhir, stand by your machines", Vardhan ordered.
She quietly obeyed. But her opponent's side was empty. She looked around but he was nowhere.
"May I come in Sir?", she heard his voice from behind. She looked at him, surprised. He was in a terrible shape, with ruffled hair, sweat on his forehead, as if he was running all the way from his hostel.
"You are late. Come in", Vardhan said, as he walked towards his table.
"Sorry sir", Randhir said, trying to stop panting.
Randhir quickly set his machine up and switched it on. It worked perfectly fine.
"Impressive. 600% output. Good Job Randhir", Vardhan said, as Randhir nodded with a smile.
All this while, Sanyukta's heart was beating at a dangerous rate. Her only hope of winning had also died down. Randhir's machine worked perfectly fine. She stood there as Vardhan signalled her to set her machine up. And she obeyed.
She anticipated his disappointment. She never wanted to shatter the hopes his teacher had from her. This was the end. She took a deep breath as she switched it on.
She looked in horror as the machine came to life, the pumping voice triggering life back into her again. She was amazed as well as shocked. How the hell did this work!, she thought. She hadn't even put all the parts even. It was impossible!
Vardhan had a proud smile on his face. He looked at Sanyukta and patted her back.
"800% output. Incredible!", he said.
The room filled with amazed sighs and shocked faces as everyone stared at Sanyukta. She couldn't digest it. What was happening?
She looked at Randhir. To her surprise, he didn't look disappointed. He just stood there expressionless.
"So guys! Here is our winner. Miss Sanyukta Aggarwal. Sanyukta, you have won the scholarship and also 5 lakh rupees as prize money. Congratulations", Vardhan announced as Sanyukta took a deep breath.
She had no time to digest the fact as a crowd surrounded her, shaking her hand, congratulating her. But her eyes were fixed just on one person.
Randhir.
She noticed the dark bags under his eyes, his ruffled hair as if he didn't sleep at all last night. He suddenly looked at her as their eyes met. He just stood there, his arms crossed.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she realised he stayed up all night to get her machine to work. His lips curved into an understanding smile. She couldn't believe he lost for her. She remembered the night he saved her from a pervert when she was drunk. She realised he helped her every time, without complaints or demands.
He was not her hero.
He was not her saviour.
He was her silent guardian.
She mouthed a 'Thank You' with her lips as he nodded in return.
He didn't know why he did it. He didn't want to know either. He was allergic to the whole spectrum of human emotion. All he knew was that he felt good that she won, that it was the first time losing didn't irk him. His heart smiled seeing her overjoyed. Yes, he cared for her. He didn't want to name this feeling, but deep inside his heart, he knew what it was as he quietly walked out of the room.
***
Itna lamba OS kabhi nahi likha maine 😆
Don't I deserve a comment? 😆😳
Please feel free to criticize.
My other Sandhir works can be found here
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/sadda-haq-season-2/3881901/my-sandhir-writing-index
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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