Chapter - 16 (Another Shocker For Jishnu) 

The few months after Chandra's death were the most excruciatingly torturous months for Jishnu. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that the girl, who was no more than a classmate, had held HIM responsible for the suicide! 

The interrogation at the Police Station, the shame of being a suspect, lleft him completely worn out at the end of the investigation. Let alone concentrating on studies, he hardly had the will to live through this disgraceful period of his lfe. 

It was mainly thanks to his father, his sister that he recovered soon enough from the shock of the conspiracy hatched by Chandra, to be able to focus on the Board Exam again. He came to know later from the newpapers that Chandra had an affair with a close relative and tried to use Jishnu to come out clean of the incestuous affair. 

His brilliant result in the ICSE Examination opened up new avenues for him. Akash, the Coaching Centre he had been studying at for the ICSE, offered him hundred percent free scholarship if he wanted to continue studying there for the ISC. His photo was there at the top of the photos of rankers on the souvenir brought out by Akash for celebrating the outstanding performance of its students at various examinations. 

If Chandra was a nightmarish memory, Rabina went a few notches above! She was a looker with that gorgeous figure of hers and a face that could turn anyone's head. She was a new comer in XI and got admitted due to her excellent result in the ICSE from Odissa. What Jishnu found out about her, quite late when she was into some kind of relationship with Niraj, a friend - was that the girl was very physical.

She dropped in at their residence near Philip's on a day when CPS was closed, asking for the notes given by Mrs. Roy, the English Teacher. 

Since Snigdha was yet to be back from her friend's, Jishnu asked Rabina to have a seat and went up to his room for the notes. No sooner had he gone up than he was surprised to see the girl entering into his room. Jishnu was stunned and speechless. He remembered having told the girl clearly before coming up to his room, to wait down there for the notes. He felt extremely discomfitured, uneasy. How could such a decent-looking girl come up to his room when there was none at home? 

He had begun to say something when Rabina slithed up to him. Her beautiful face looked even more beautiful from close quarters. The glimmer in her eyes coupled with the luscious, red lips, looked out of the world. 

Her face was inches away from hers as she held Jishnu's face in her hands. 

"I'm not a bad girl, Jishnu, inspite of whatever you may feel about me. I have also heard about Chandra," She told him as  Jishnu's head was caught in a whirlpool. Who could have told her about Chandra? 

"Truth is, I find you simply irresistible. I've thought about you 24x7 from the day my eyes rested on you. I want you to be my boy, Jishnu, Will you be mine?" She pleaded as Jishnu couldn't make head or tail of what she was talking about? Why this was happening to him? 

Then before he could push her away from him, taking his silence to be a sort of acceptance, Rabina pulled his face closer to hers and the next moment their lips were locked in a vicious liplock. Jishnu tried to use his force but the sweetness on his lips was a sensation completely alien and unfamiliar. He could feel the girl's grip tightening on his shoulders and the weakness in his knees as the girl pushed him towards the bed.

"Oh, Jishnu, " he heard her whispering breathlessly."I've waited for this for so long. I have never been kissed before, " she contined with her eyes closed. And then he could hear the familiar voice saying, "Oh, I'm sorry."

It was his sister, Snigdha, who had come all the way up to admonish her brother for keeping the main door unlatched. 

Jishnu was back to his senses in a flash then and forced Rabina away from the bed with all his might. He felt ashamed finding the stupifying look his sister's face. Oh, God! Why do these things always happen to me? he thought to himself. 

"It's not like what you might think. Rabina, the girl.. she..is just a friend… . " he started stammering at his sister, who had always looked upon Jishnu as nothing sort of a hero.

"Is she? Then why is she here? What is she doing in your room, Bro?" she asked with a look of utter bewilderment on her face. Before Jishnu could explain things to her, she was gone, banging the door shut from outside. 

Rabina obviously did not come for the notes. She was standing in front of Jishnu like he was all hers, without the least bit of shame! After she had left, Jishnu stayed in his room for long to collect his thoughts. Once he felt ready, he went down to his sister's. Her door was open. She was expecting him, possibly. Jishnu walked up to her and holding her by the hand, led her to the bed behind. He made her sit, while he kept standing. There was so much going on in his mind right then. Ma at her death bed in Peerless Hospital. Her face looking pale and drained. Her last request to him to fulfil his dream (which was more of hers actually), and to be a big support to his sister and father….… . 

"Sis..I don't know how to explain myself, my conduct to you right now. All I can say is it is not like what you may think. Sometimes what you see with your eyes, isn't the whole truth. I hardly know that girl…" But the strange look in her eyes stopped him as she asked :

"Bro Jishnu, I always wanted to ask you. What is the truth about Chandradi? Did you ditch her? Was she your girlfriend?"

Jishnu was not ready for this and shook his head slowly before replying :

" Believe me, my sister, when I tell you I hardly knew that girl either. It's good you have asked me this question. You could have asked dad as well. I shared all this with him on the night I got bailed out of jail." Jishnu paused here remembering the bitter experience. Then he went on.. 

"If Chandra was a mere classmate, this girl Rabina is a total stranger! A Complete Stranger!" Jishnu stressed the last three words exasperatedly. "I don't know how she got my address, how she knew that I'd be alone at home at that time, and all that but never stop believing in your bro, Sis. I'd rather die than betray the trust dad and you have in me. I'll always be the brother to be proud of," Jishnu stopped, his voice breaking. 

He sounded so much like the pet of their late mom he had always been before her death that Snigdha had tears streaming down her cheeks. She threw her arms around her brother and replied, the glitter and happiness back in her eyes again :

"I know you will, Bro," Sneha replied, smiling through the tears in her eyes. "And bro Jishnu, I'm sorry if I hurt you asking silly questions."

"That's the best way to clear misunderstandings. I mean by asking questions, and by the way, you rarely ask silly questions, Sis." Jishnu patted his sister before stepping out of her room. 

He had been working hard every single day since then, trying to keep himself away from any kind of amorous relationships. He had something more important than Love to keep himself busy with, he thought to himself while turning on the opposite side yawningly. 

The early rays of the sun were streaming in through the open window. It was going to be a very hectic Sunday, was the last thought in his mind as he finally closed his eyes.