A continuation to the fan fiction on Vibharth - A Tale of Two Students... Previous chapters as per below:
Index:
Chapters 1-4: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/warrior-high/4427634/vibharth-ff-a-tale-of-two-students-ch4-pg5
Chapter 5: Below
Chapter 6: Page 3, https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/warrior-high/4430706/vibharth-ff-a-tale-of-two-students-ch6-pg3?pn=3
Chapter 5
The Impending Boxing Match
The boxing room was abuzz with students and teachers alike. Students had changed back into regular clothes and waiting for the match to start. In came Rahul from one side, greeted by many cheers and diverse sounds of sonorous clapping. He looked at the crowd and waved and smiled almost as if he was a celebrity. Parth's entry from the other side was completely the opposite, as you could possibly imagine. No one clapped apart from Samir and he did not even look up at anyone. Samir was the guy who had been involved in the fight in the train, and Parth had tried to save him. But any effort he made to befriend Parth would go wasted, as Parth would be as cold to him, as he was with Vibha, and everyone else. But as he entered the ring where Rahul was already waiting, Samir increased his intensity of claps, which made Parth look up at him and gently nodded his head to vaguely acknowledge his support. Not that he needed any, but he was subconsciously learning to appreciate and acknowledge other's efforts, as he'd been told once, by a certain someone.
The sports teacher blew the whistle and they started landing punches at one another. Most of them went into the air as one punched and the other correctly guessed the direction and swiftly moved away. This happened with both Rahul and Parth in action. Rahul wanted to win desperately, and he was calculating Parth's each move very carefully. Parth was more composed, and looked determined, this could have given him an advantage, but Rahul's erratic moves and surprise punches seemed to be distracting his mind. Or was it the constant cheer pouring in for Rahul. Every time he managed to hit him, there was silence and a few 'boo's', but every time Rahul hit his face, there was an uproar. It almost felt like everyone there apart from Samir wanted him to lose. And as a punch landed on his face yet again, he got knocked onto the side, and as his face hung on the rope, he saw Vibha, she was smiling and cheering for Rahul. This sparked something in him. Something about her happy face, or something about her energy for Rahul, or something about the way she just didn't care for him? He lifted himself and turned around with eyes filled with fury and a new found rage. He threw four successive punches on Rahul's face. And as the only person clapping there was Samir, he turned around to look at a shocked Vibha. She was concerned about Rahul. Rahul's friends tried to motivate him and lift his spirits so that he could get up and fight back. He called his friends and asked for some water. His friends brought back two, one of which Rahul took and signalled to pass the other to Samir. Samir thanked them and handed the bottle to Parth. He refused at first but Samir insisted, and seeing that Samir was the only guy on his side, he took it and turned around. But then he turned back at him and said Thanks'. Samir smiled back at him as he saw a faint sign of warmness in his heart.
The match resumed and just as Parth tried to fight back, his vision started to get fuzzy and he started missing Rahul's face. Each time, Rahul hit him back, with ever increasing force. After a few punches, Parth was on the floor. His head was spinning beyond control. He held his head and tried to get up, but he couldn't. Everyone started cheering for Rahul and Vibha looked at Parth, surprised. Of course she had wanted Rahul to win, but she didn't expect Parth to lose so easily. She tried to reach out her hand to him, but then withdrew it, back to herself, thinking she wasn't really supporting him. A really worried Samir hopped inside the ring just as the sports teacher announced that Rahul had won and the match was over. Not that winning mattered in absolute terms in reality, as this was just the last round of the talent display. It was the question of ego for both of them. Rahul rejoiced as Parth lay unconscious on the ring floor. The sports teacher and Samir lifted him up and took him to the medical room. They thought he had passed out due to exhaustion and intense physical strain. Vibha went to congratulate Rahul as his friends were telling him how he cleverly used his ploy to win.
'Ploy?' Vibha thought in her head. She as she tried to listen what his friends were talking about. Raul mentioned it didn't matter how he won, but the fact that he won at the end. 'What?' She thought. Had he won by unfair means? She thought of going to him and asking him what he was telling his friends and if it was true that he cheated. But she stopped herself from rushing into it. When had Rahul ever accepted his mistakes? Never! She remembered how they used to play pranks on other kids and adults alike when they were younger, and he had always shifted the blame on her. Granted some of them were masterminded but her, but most of them were all him. And as she stood there thinking Parth had unjustly lost, Rahul noticed her. 'Hey Vibha, won't you congratulate me?' Came his question to her. She really didn't want to congratulate him, but he walked towards her and she just smiled and walked away.
She was thinking about what Rahul could have done, how he could have cheated, everyone was watching both of them. But Parth got knocked into unconsciousness. As the thoughts were racing in her head, she walked past the medical room and saw Parth lying on the bed. She went in to see how he was. He was fast asleep, but she could see drops of perspiration on his forehead. He clearly was hot. She turned the fan towards his face. Samir noticed this and smiled. At least there was one more person who cared about Parth in the school. It was reassuring that he wasn't the only crazy one trying to befriend Parth. Just then the sports teacher came back with the doctor and he examined him. And after a brief check up, he says Parth is fine. He diagnosed that Parth didn't pass out due to exhaustion, or he would have been up by now. But possibly due to something else, perhaps something he consumed or some other underlying symptom. He asked to monitor him and see if he gained conciousness within the next couple of hours. Otherwise he would come visit again. Vibha realized that Rahul had mixed something in Parth's water and she quickly left to confront him.
Vibha: Rahul!
Rahul: Vibha, so finally, you've come to congratulate me?
Vibha: Stop it Rahul!
Rahul: Stop what?
Vibha: I know you cheated.
Rahul: (fumbled a bit) What are you saying?
Vibha: Yes Rahul, mere saath smart banne ki koshih mat karna. Mujhe pata hai ki tumhi ne Parth ke drink main kuch milaya tha.
Rahul: Yeah so?
Vibha: So? He's lying unconscious, do you even realize what you've done? Just to win a boxing match?
Rahul: Relax Vibha, they were just some strong sleeping pills to knock him down, he will be awake in no time!
Vibha was relieved that they were just sleeping pills and she walked away showing a blatant disgusted face to Rahul. She rushed to the medical room and saw Samir sitting next to Parth. She walked up to him slowly.
Vibha: Samir, ab kaisa hai?
Samir: Pata nahi, abhi tak to nahi utha hai.
Vibha: Don't worry, he will be okay.
Samir: Arey, kaise he will be okay? Tumne suna na, doctor ne kya kaha?
Vibha: Ha, mujhe pata hai, main yahi thi. But we will both look after Parth, okay? He will be fine.
Samir was reassured that Vibha would be there with him. He went to the washroom and asked Vibha to not leave Parth's side in case he wakes up and needs anything.
Vibha: Ha Samir, main yahi rahungi. Don't worry. Tum jao.
Samir left and it was soon time for dinner. He came back looking rather glum as he wanted to go for dinner. He walked in and told Vibha to go have dinner.
Vibha: Mujhe bhukh nahi hai, main yahi hu, tum jao.
Samir: Sach, mujhe bahut zoron se bhukh lagi hai!
Vibha: Yes, I'm sure, you go. I'll be here.
She looked at Parth, who still hadn't woken up. Samir left and she carried on reading her book. An hour later, Parth was screaming as he couldn't move and he saw himself being badly punched, repeatedly. He woke up as a big boxing glove came straight onto his face, and as he sat upright on the bed, he looked around. Vibha had been wiping his forehead with a tissue and she stopped as he got up. But her hand was still in the air with the tissue and Parth saw her. He stared at her, looking rather sweaty and confused. She tried to come close and put her hand on his shoulder, but he angrily whisked it away. She was surprised.
Vibha: Parth...
Parth looked away as he remembered how she'd been cheering for Rahul. Vibha looked confused as she didn't know why Parth was angry. Perhaps he was feeling dejected as he lost the match. But she couldn't tell him what the truth was as she didn't want Rahul to get into trouble. She poured a glass of water and thought it would calm him down. She held it out to him, but he kept looking away.
Vibha: Parth, lo, pani pee lo. You will feel better.
Parth, still didn't look at her. She put her hand again on his shoulder to grab his attention, and he looked at her angrily, swinging his arm to remove her hand, and it startled her. The glass slipped from her hand and broke into pieces as it hit the ground. He looked at her with burning red eyes and she looked down at the shattered diamond like pieces on the floor. Her eyes became watery and she looked up at him to give a sad stare. All she wanted to do was help. He saw the pain that reflected in her eyes and got confused. Why was she showing concern for him when she had clearly not shown any support for him in the boxing ring? Why had she so all of a sudden become interested in his well-being? But before he could say anything to her, which he wanted to, she left. And all he could do was stare at the doors as they shut behind her. He flinched his eyebrows and stared at his bed in confusion. Had she brought him here? But she wasn't strong enough.
As if the million questions running through his head weren't enough, Vibha barged in again and started collecting the bigger glass pieces from the floor. And then as she was sweeping them to a side, Parth looked at her, with more confusion than ever before. He wondered if he should say anything to her. She bent down again to pick up a big piece with her hand, and it cut her.
Vibha: Ouch!
She looked at the tiny cut, as she dropped the piece of glass on the floor and bit her lips. Parth looked at her as she was trying to pick that piece up again. He instantaneously got out of his bed and and held her hand, without thinking once that he was annoyed with her. He looked at her cut, and looked into her eyes. She was surprised just as much as he was, that he was holding her hand. As she looked into his eyes, this time her with a confused look, he gently let go of her hand and went away, which led her to think that he was weird again. But he came back with a tape in his hand. She was starting to sweep the floor again and he held her shoulders with both his hands, and made her sit on his bed. He then took her hand and put the bandaid on her finger. And as he wrapped it around, he looked into her eyes, while she continued to look down at her hand that he was holding so carefully. She hurriedly took her hand away from his grasp and before she got back to cleaning up the floor, Parth took the broom and gently nodded at her, signalling that he would clean the mess up, as he'd created it in the first place. She didn't resist and looked at her finger again.
Vihba: Thank you!
She looked up at his face for one last time and before he could nod to accept her gratitude, she stormed off. She was still reeling from the fact that he'd been so rude to her. Despite her showing genuine concern for him. She had just wanted to undo some of the wrong done by Rahul, she wanted to make sure he was completely fine, before she could go back to herself. But in some way, him being angry and weird again was a sign that he was back to normalcy. She kept walking towards her room, wiping her tears and taking deep breaths to calm herself down. 'Why am I crying, and that too for such an emotionless person?' she thought to herself.
Meanwhile, Parth kept the broom aside after picking up the pieces and only images of Vibha being hurt were flashing in front of her eyes. But what about the boxing match? What happened inside that boxing ring? And how did he end up in this room from that ring? His mind was still full of these questions! Soon enough, Samir came to visit him and was surprised to see Parth was standing near the window. He went upto him and asked him he was okay.
Samir: Parth, bro, tu theek hai?
Parth: Ha.
Samir: Tujhe aaram karna chahiye. Aur Vibha kaha hai?
Parth: Mujhe nahi pata.
Samir: Arey, woh toh yahi par thi...
Parth: Maine kaha na nahi pata!
Samir: Arey, theek hai, gussa mat kar, yaha baith ja, main Sir ko bula kar lata hu.
Parth: Sir ko kyun? Main to theek hu.
Samir: Ha, lekin woh doctor ne kaha tha, isiliye.
Parth: Doctor?
Samir: Ha, unhone tumhe monitor karne ke liye kaha tha, aur Vibha aur main...
Parth: Vibha?
Samir: Ha, mere alawa use bhi teri fikr hai...
Parth: Kya?
Samir: Arey, tu baith yaha pe, main aake samjhata hu!
Samir left a rather befuddled looking Parth and went to inform the sports teacher that Parth had regained consciousness. Parth meanwhile reminisced how Vibha had tried to help him, and how he'd unleashed his anger on her. Whatever the reason may have been for her to not support him, she had been there while he lay on that bed unconscious. And he'd been rude to her. Whatever happened in the boxing ring didn't seem so relevant in his mind anymore. But how could he go to and meet Vibha now? He was feeling terribly guilty and wanted to apologize for being so nasty to her, but it was getting late, and he couldn't go to the girls dorms to find her. He closed his eyes to bring his mind some peace and decided he would try and look for her first thing in the morning the next day.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Indian Mythology
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
