*09*

~♤~

Turning the tap off in the bathroom, I wiped my hands and face on the towel that was hung up on the wall and looked at myself in the mirror.

A purplish bruise was about to form on my left cheek right under my left eye. The orbital bone as the doctor said was clearly took the blow of that punch.

"At least tell me what actually happened Suman?!" Sam's exasperated cry broke my chain of thought.

"Nothing Sam." I almost shouted out of irritation. My mind was still reeling with the fact, what actually had happened an hour ago, "I am fine. Don't worry." I mumbled again, but my mind told me the opposite.

"Of course I can see that...you have come back with a bruise on your face and mud on your clothes, you are definitely fine."

I chuckled, and opened the door of the bathroom, "Well that's one way to put it."

"What had happened Suman, please tell me. Where were you and how did that" she pointed at my cheek "happen?"

"Thanks to Shravan." I shoved past her to my study table, where my assignment was put wide open.

"He hit you?" She mumbled, "I...I mean..."

"What are you saying Sam! Of course not..."

"Then pray tell what actually happened to your face!"

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The least we expect the more it happens. Apparently we didn't expect Shekhar to be there standing in front of us.

"Finally! So Shravan and Suman indeed are together." Shekhar clapped his hands dramatically, "So in louveee!"

"And do you have any problem with that Shekhar?" Shravan was as cool as ever though I fought the urge to tell him that we are not at all so in louveee, I kept quiet. Me and mouth, well, we were never a best friends.

"So you are agreeing? Wow! Our little birdy has told the truth." he took a very calculated step towards us. Or at least it looked like one.

In between Shravan whose arms were at his back removed his ring from his forefinger.

"Exactly what you are planning to do Shravan?!" I whispered. Of course Shravan turned a deaf ear, to which I again whispered, "we can always run you know."

Again no response.

"Suman..." Shekhar took a step forward, and Shravan repositioned himself between him and me, "what whispering sweet nothings?"

"Shekhar come straight to the point." there was a threat in Shravan's voice, even Shekhar gulped down whatever he was going to say next but he managed to resurface soon.

"The point is...what if I go to the principal and complaint against you two. I mean it's already half past eight. Aren't you two supposed to be in your hostel? Isn't this romantic escapade against 'the' law that everyone should be in their room before eight?" He tilted his head as if trying to intimidate us. But one thing he might had forgotten he was talking to Shravan who actually gave a throaty laugh looking at him leaving me and Shekhar both surprised.

Yeh pakka pagal ho gaya hai.

"Don't you think it's not the time to laugh. Do something. Or better yet, we should leave." I whispered again.

Slowly...very slowly Shravan turned to face me and I took a step back involuntarily. If Shekhar was someone who creeped the hell out of me then this Shravan looked more like a devil out of my nightmare.

He was fine just a minute ago. I opened my mouth but stopped midway as I saw his eyes narrowed infinitesimally making sure I would not say or do something stupid.

"Oho...ankhon hi ankhon mein baatein...I must say I am truly truly impre..." and there was a big whoosh of air followed by a very much swearing Shekhar who was covering his face with both of his hands.

Shekhar peeked through his fingers which were still covering his face, "You a**h*** what do you think of yourself!" He roared, but the way he sounded it reminded me of Jerry the mouse from Tom and Jerry cartoons. That blow must have caused a broken nose, I laughed.

"Oh...what so funny Suman?!" Shekhar jumped on his feet, as he removed his hand from his face, oh how badly he was bleeding. "and the way you are clinging to Shravan...I must say, bahut gehri dosti hai."

I opened my mouth to retort but all I could see, Shravan grabbed him by his collar then burying punches, over and over again on his face.

And there I stood like a complete idiot, I wanted to call him, but I couldn't muster the courage, I could feel my hands had become clammy, I could hear my heartbeat, there was something so dangerous yet powerful in Shravan that I was scared of him beyond my imagination.

I need to do something...I need to do something...he is going to kill him...

As if listening to my own thoughts, my hands moved towards Shravan, "Shravan..." I almost whispered, not sure whether he heard that or not but he stopped and turned towards me, and taking the opportunity Shekhar lunged... and all I could see was, Shravan ducked and very slowly a punch landed on my left cheek.

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"My goodness..." Sam sighed, "This is...This is..."

"Like a movie...ain't it?"

She laughed, "pretty much...then what happened?"

"Shravan took me to a doctor, the doctor said my left orbital bone took the blew though nothing to worry about and here I am with a black eye."

"And what happened to that creep?"

"Don't know..." I sighed.

"I must say, Shravan is truly a hero haan?! Like wow, he literally fought with that ullu...." she laughed, impressed by Shravan's so called heroism.

But I...I wasn't impressed. The way he was punching Shekhar, there was something so...so scary...so abnormal...his anger, his outburst, his eyes filled with rage, this was not the Shravan I knew, it was like a beast that was shackled inside him, was ready to resurface...

~♤~

Peon of our college came to our class and whispered something in professor's ear.

"Shravan Malhotra and Suman Tiwari...go to the principal's office now." he declared in his bored voice.

The little journey through the corridor was quiet. Shravan didn't utter a word, as usual his face was devoid of any emotion.

"Come in." the principal said. We stood in front of him for almost a minute, then we heard the hinges of the door made quite an eerie noise, while someone cleared their throat loudly.

"Aah Shekhar...so everyone is here I guess." Principal clasped his hands together, "So coming straight to the point, we have a complaint here against Shravan that yesterday he had punched Shekhar brutally and because of that Shekhar has a broken nose, and with that bruises all over his upper body." he stopped looking at Shravan who was standing just like a statue, his eyes shifted on me, "And Suman, I guess you were there too." he stopped again, and instantly I knew something bad was going to happen. "And it was already 9 when Shravan and Suman came back to their hostel rooms when clearly we all know that students should retire to their rooms before eight in the evening." he sighed, as if bored as hell, "So what do you guys want to say about this?"

"They were there Sir and I didn't do anything as I was just passing by, but this Shravan he has never really liked me, he called me and suddenly started the fight...I tried to stop him but..."

"He is lying."

"I am not lying. And why would I lie, when I am already rusticated and I have nothing to lose."

I didn't know whether it was the bandage over his nose or bruises on his face, the way Shekhar sounded, he almost had me believing that lie.

"Suman...you tell me, did Shravan punch Shekhar?" Principal suddenly asked me.

"But sir, it's all because of this Shekhar..."

"That was not my question, I asked whether Shravan punched Shekhar or not?" he raised his voice.

"But sir because Shekhar said..."

"Yes I did." Shravan spoke for the first time since we came into this room. "And Suman has nothing to do with it. I was the one who took her there, she didn't want to go. It was not her fault."

"What are you saying?" I whisper-yelled, "Shravan why are you even lying?"

"That's enough. Shekhar and Suman you two can go. I am going to have a one to one talk with Shravan." Principal dismissed us with a nod.

Shravan was suspended for a month. And he himself welcomed it. His parents were called, and all we knew they couldn't come as they had some prior commitments to attend and his father had sent an apology letter saying he was ashamed and Shravan should not be treated as Mr Ramnath Malhotra's son.

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"Mujhe yeh ladka kabhi samajh nahin ayega." We pushed through the door of the canteen, aroma of greasy snacks hit our nostrils.

Sam laughed, while we went to stand in the line, "The great Shravan Malhotra took the blame upon him just to ensure his lady love doesn't have to bear the consequences of their romantic 'escapade'." She emphasized the word 'escapade' as I told her that was what Shekhar had said that day.

"Sam!"

"What Sam? Tujhe kab samajh ayega meri chulbuli that guy is madly in love with you."

"Shut up. I guess i need to talk to him. He is suspended then he can't really go out from his hostel room. Right?"

"Well the rule says so...But then I don't know much about him."

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"He isn't picking up my call." I whined when Sam eyed me curiously.

"He must be busy."

"Raat ke 10 baje?" it took me quite some time to gather my courage and call Shravan. After that day, I was actually scared of him.

"Redial."

Ring...Ring...Ring...

Click...a sound that put my world into silence.

"Hello..."

"Hmm." he said.

"Why aren't you talking to me? Messages, calls you are not replying to any."

"What do you want to talk about?" his reply was harsh enough to blew up my all mustered courage.

I mumbled, "Are you Okay?"

"Hmm mujhe kya hoga?"

"Shravan why did you lie? You could have..."

A minute or two of silence, I had to check whether he was still there.

"Shekhar had bigger plans Suman." he said quietly.

"Bigger plans?"

"You were there and he wanted to do the same what I did to him. We were together Suman and it was already eight, he could have easily..."

"Played that against me..."

"Hmm..."

I blinked fast, realising my vision was getting hazed, "But Shravan what about you?! I mean...your parents and more over your career?!"

Another minute of unbearable silence...

"Shravan..."

He sighed, "You are more important Suman."

~♤~