Kalyani's POV
The results of CAT exam were declared.
When Malhar came to Kalyani after checking his result in a cyber cafe, she said, "Come, Malharji, let's celebrate your not getting into an Elite B-school. Now you won't leave this town."
He simply replied, looking for someone else, "W...when did I s...say anything about m...me not get...getting into a go...go...good B-school?"
"This means, you..."
A tall, beautiful girl in Salwar Suit came running towards Nicky, and screamed, "Congo Malhar! You made it into the 99+ percentile bracket. Now you'll get called by all premium B schools- IIM A BC, FMS... Everything will change...I too will study harder and get into IIM next year.
"But, Malharji is not leaving this city without me," Kalyani said.
Malhar said, "Who tol...told you I won't l...leave this town to join IIM? I'm not go...go...going to leave such a great opportunity..."
"What's that?" The tall girl aka Simran asked, pointing the greeting card Kalyani made to cheer up Malhar after the results. She looked better with Malhar's height than me who was just 5'1" tall.
"A gift for someone I used to know," Kalyani left the place.
And since then, the mention of Simran was in every talk of Malhar. One day Kalyani saw Simran and Malhar sharing a plate of noodle in a stall near the college.
One day, in a family wedding, Kalyani was ignored as if she didn't even exist and her cousin was glorified to lengths just because she cracked Medical Entrance exam. Why don't you learn something from your cousin?- An aunt asked Kalyani- She lives in a village where there's not even proper coaching centre whereas your father had got you admitted to the most prestigious coaching centre, still you are wasting your parents' money. Kalyani bottled all her tears, only to break down at night when she was alone.
Kalyani called Malhar. He would understand her, but when she told him the case, he replied, "So w...what was wr...wr...wrong in your aunt's words? She was merely sta...stating the truth. You procras...pro...tinate everything, act la...la...lazy, run away from hard work, and yet f...f...feel you're entitled to suc...success. I mean j...just because you're b...born to a r...rich family."
"My father is just a government official, and we are not Tata Birla. We could afford our Maruti 800 just this year, Malharji," Kalyani said softly.
"But you are more privileged than many others. And add to it, you have to act jealous to Simran. She's succeeding because she's worked hard for it? What have you done besides cribbing and being jealous?"
Malhar's POV
The phone was disconnected. Hell! What had gotten into him? Kalyani felt so alone and he just made her feel even worse. He was getting frustrated at how Kalyani was not hustling as much as was needed and he didn't want Kalyani to lose her dream of becoming a software engineer. And to be honest, Kalyani couldn't handle being an average person. She always wanted to be the topper otherwise she lost her joy and cheerful attitude. And Malhar couldn't see his Kallu like that. But at least he should've behaved like a friend when she needed him. Malhar thought of calling her, but she didn't pick up the phone. Next day was Sunday, so in the morning itself, Malhar took my bicycle and went towards Kalyani's house.
But his path was blocked by Atharv and gang.
"N...not t...today," Malhar told them firmly.
They kicked at his bicycle and Deepak and one other boy held his hands and Atharv gagged a cloth inside my mouth. They took him to a dark godown. Malhar was sweating so much. It reminded him of the dark night his parents had dies. It felt as if there was a rock lodged in his throat.
Atharv brought a cigarette near him and lit it with a lighter.
"No," Malhar wanted to scream but his voice wouldn't come.
They each took turns in burning him with cigarette one by one at his face, arms, shins, knuckles, everywhere one could think of. Then Atharv lifted a rock and crushed Malhar's legs below it.
....
After three months
Malhar's legs still had plaster on them and he had missed three months of studies in college. Everyone knew what had happened but Atharv and Deepak were suspended only for a week and were making lewd signs at me. Malhar had hoped Kalyani would ask him how he was but to his surprise, Kallu entered the bus, without looking at him, she went straight to Atharv and kissed him on the chin.
Kalyani's POV
It was not as if Kalyani didn't know what Atharv had done to Malhar but she was so broken after the day she called Malhar, she got her first panic attack. Each day was so difficult for her and nights were full of terror. And it was all because of Malhar. If he liked Simran, Kalyani too didn't have any place for him inside her heart. The day Kalyani called him, next day was his birthday for which she had planned a surprise for him but he said she was jealous of Simran. He dared say those words to Kalyani who was always there for him when he was bullied. Kalyani now hated Malhar with her everything and was ready to go to every extent to hurt him. So she proposed to Atharv even after knowing what he did to Malhar.
When she kissed Atharv, there was no expression on Malhar's face. So it didn't mean anything to him whether Kalyani was with Atharv. He was so deep in love with Simran.
Malhar held Kalyani's hand when she was passing near his seat, hissing, "What do you think you're doing, Kallu? Atharv will only hurt you. Don't you look at yourself at what you're doing?"
"Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror, Malharji? You would get spooked yourself on realizing how ugly you look. Your teeth with braces, that champu oiled hairstyle, your thick glasses and your crybaby face! And add to it, your absolutely bland personality. Always acting like a damsel in distress. You should be thankful to me because you only survived the higher secondary as I protected you. You know how everyone in school makes fun of me for being friends with a loser like you! You deserve everything you get, Malharji! You are and will always be a loser! I must have kept mind in a dustbin for four years that's why I helped a good-for-nothing person like you at each step. Get out and don't you dare cross my path again!"
"Thanks for everything you've done for me," Malhar said and left the place.
And it was the last time Kalyani saw him.
What do you think of this chapter? Who's more wrong here- Kalyani or Malhar? What do you think Atharv deserve now that Malhar is the CEO and he had to work under him?
Hindi TV Shows
Kumkum Bhagya
Cricket
