"Mitali..open the door..."
Avni knocked the mitali's room door for the upteenth time.
"For God sake please open.. Mitali... mitali..." Avni raised her voice maximum. Many students who were passing by stopped and threw their glances at Avni. She continued to knock. Slowly the door slid open and Avni entered.
"What's wrong with u? What were you doing here?"
A tensed mitali wiped sweat beeds which were formed on her forehead. She didn't utter a word and showed Avni something. It was a pregnancy detection kit with 2 lines. Which indicates that whoever has done the test is pregnant!
Avni looked Mitali and the kit. She snatched it from Mitali and examined carefully to make sure what she deciphered is real or not.
"Mitali..." shock and anger was dripping from Avni's voice. Without any time lag Mitali hugged Avni.
"Avni...please dont get angry. I am sorry. Please dont tell anyone...please"
Mitali cried and fainted.
***
"Mitali is alright now. Dont worry. She fainted because of stress and dehydration. You should take good care of her."
Doctor told Avni. Mitali was in the hospital.
Avni: Doctor... how is her baby?
Doctor: baby is alright. Where is her husband? I need to talk to him
Avni gulped. He... he is out of station. I will inform him...
Doctor nodded and walked away leaving Avni behind.
Avni stood in that deserted corridor for a long time. Without knowing what to do. She needed to gain courage before facing Mitali.
***
"Have a little more.. dear..." Avni was feeding poha to Mitali.
"I want to die Avni...I dont want to live.."
"Mitali, please stop behaving like that. Now you have to take care of not only your self but also your baby"
" I am so scared Avni... how will I face my family, friends... this society... They will torture me.. blame me..I dont want to live"
Avni caressed her hair. "Mitali... calm yourself. We will find some way. But for that I need to know one thing: who is the father of your child?"
A hung headed Mitali silently shed tears.
Avni:" You have to say it dear. Otherwise how will I let him know that you are carrying his child in your womb.
Mitali: Vidyut..
Avni: Vidyut? The one you met in film festival?
Mitali noded affirmative.
Avni: " I didn't know that you were dating him... when did you become this close to him? Are you in love with him? Does he love you back?"
***
"Ragini Pandit"
Avni read the name board on the gate and tried to open the gate but immediately stopped by a security. "Kon h? Kya chahiye?"
"Mein Vidyut Pandit se milne ayi hu"
"Sir ji yaha nahi h."
"Kab tak aenge?"
"Pata nahi."
"Please mujhe unse ek urgent kam h. Unka phone no. De sakte h?"
"Aap kon h?"
"I am his friend"
"Friend h to phone no. Aapke pass hongi na? Kaisi ladki h.. sir se milne itna utawla kyu ho rahi h?"
" Dekho meri pass jo number h wo switched off araha h.."

"KYA TAMASHA HO RAHE H YAHA PE"
A rigid and harsh voice of a woman echoed there. The voice had a commanding power. Avni looked at the direction to see a lady sitting on a garden swing. She was clad in a purple colour silk saree and yellow blouse which give a contrast to her dark complexion. She was wearing heavy gold ornaments with stones embeded on it. There were two people on her sides seemed to be her attendees moreover a Rottweiler dog was sitting near her feet. It seems that she was feeding it. Her overall appearance suggested that she belongs to a rich tradional family.
"This must be Mrs. Ragini Pandit, mother of Vidyut. She looks like a typical arrogant lady with extra-ordinary aura" Avni thought.
"Madam.. ek ladki Vidyut sir ki number puch rahi h.." Security answered humbly to Ragini. Ragini smirked a little.
" Kamal h... aaj kal ki ladkiyon mei Sharam naam ki cheez bhi nahi h. Amir ladkon ke piche bagte rehte h. Kuch to sharam karo.. haye... mein bhi ye kis se keh rehi hoon? Aisi ladkiyon ko ye bhi nahi pata hoga ki sharam naam ki koi cheez bhi h... durgga... durggaa.." she laughed heavily making her ornaments make clinking sounds. Avni felt that even that lady's ornaments are making fun of her. "Oye.. idhar aao" Ragini said clapping her hands. Avni stood rooted to her place. " Daro mat. Mein tumhe kuch nahi karoongi.. Aakhir meri bhi ek standard hoti h. Mein dushmani bhi hamari takkar ki logon se karti hu" She again laughed this time her attendees and securities also. Avni clenched her fist. She wanted to retaliate for each word uttered by that embodiment of richness. But she tried her best to calm herself.
"Tum kon ho? Mere Vidyut ko kyu milna chahti ho?" Ragini asked in a calm voice.
"Vidyut aur meri friend ek dusre se pyar karte h. Aur ab..." Avni could not complete.
"Ha..ha..ha... tho tum story k heroine nahi... heroine koi aur h. Aur tumhe lagta h wo dono pyar karte h." Suddenly Ragini' smiled with contempt. "Oye ladki.. mera beta kisise pyar vyar nahi karta. Tumhari saheli jhut bol rahi h."
"Ji nahi. Wo sach bol rahi h aur hamare pass saboot bhi h jo aap dekhna chahenge?" Avni shows a picture of Mitali with Vidyut.
Ragini: ye kaisa proof h? Aaj kal kisko bhi kisi ke sath photo logwa sakta h. Tum mera aur apna time barbad kar rahi ho. Jao yaha se.
Avni: ja rahi hu par apne bete ko zara boldo agar wo meri friend aur un dono ke honewala bacha ko accept nahi kiya to bahut pachatayega.
Ragini: waah... pehle pyar ab bacha.... mein tumse tameez se baat kar rahi hu iska ye matlab nahi tum mere bete k baare mein kuch bhi bolu aur mein sunti rahu. Mata kharab tera? Suno... mera beta kisise pyar nahi karta. Wo ladki idhar udhar ghoomke kuch hogaya tho uska bhoj mere bete k uper kyu daal rahi ho? Tum chaho to kuch paisa waisa de dungi. Balu...
Avni: Mein yaha bhig mangne nahi aayi h. Meri friend ki haq k liye ayi h. Tum log kya soch rahe ho paisa hi sab kuch h? Tum log ameer h issliye humare bare mein kuch bhi bol sakte h? Dekho... Vidyut jitni jaldi Mitali ko apnaye isme uska bhala h. Warna...
Ragini: Chup... ek dum chup. Hamare aangan mei khade hoke hame dhamki derahi h? Balu... isse apna jagah dikhao..
Balu moves forward to hold Avni. "Dont dare to touch me" Avni shouted.
Suddenly someone came in between Avni and Balu. Not only Avni, everyone present there was awestuck seeing the person. It was none other than Vidyut. His expression was tough. Eyes were throwing daggers at Balu which made him withdraw.
" Ye mujhse milne aayi he na? Mein baat karunga usse. " Vidyut told in a firm voice. Ragini raised her eye brows. "Mamuni... chinta mat kariye"
Ragini gestured everyone to go inside and glared Avni. Then she also left. Now, there were only Vidyut and Avni in that garden. Vidyut turned towards Avni. She felt that Vidyut's eyes are softened now. "Avni..
Am I right? "
To be continued.