The Bet

Prachi was ecstatic. And why not? After all it was such a moment that called for celebration. Finally she had accepted her feelings for Ranbir. She could no longer deny her love for him and decided, albeit with some promptings from both Sahana and Aryan, that she didn't want to.

Hence, she had decided to confess her feelings to Ranbir and she was confident and elated as she was secure in the knowledge that her feelings were reciprocated.

Inhaling the fresh air, she made her way towards the college grounds. She knew beforehand that he would be practising there alone that evening, thanks to Aryan.

There was a tangible aura of happiness around her. However, despite her knowledge about his feelings for her there was a strange sense of anticipation. Her hands were clammy as she was experiencing a strange nervousness.

The path that led to the grounds was flanked by trees on both sides and was dimly lit. As Prachi advanced further down that path, an eerie feeling of being stalked from a distance crept up on her.

She came to an abrupt halt and whirling around, scanned the area very carefully but could find no evidence of any stalker as far as her eyes could see.

She shrugged off the weird feeling, thinking it to be a consequence of the nervousness she had been experiencing and trotted off towards her destination.

As she neared the ground, her eyes sought the reason for her arrival. There he was, in the middle of the ground. Her lips curved into a soft, tender smile without her being conscious of it.

However, soon the smile faltered as she registered that the love of her life was engrossed in a conversation with someone and that he appeared to be agitated.

Till that moment Prachi was lost in her own dreamland and hadn't seen much beside the man of her dreams. She looked at the person in front of him. An ominous feeling began to take root in her mind. The other person was none other than Rhea Mehra.

Why was Rhea there? And what were they talking about that was making Ranbir so agitated?

Concern for Ranbir made Prachi quicken her steps. Determined not to let Rhea go Scot free if she was being her usual rude self to Ranbir, Prachi stopped under the shadow caste by a tree a few feet away from the spot where Ranbir and Rhea were standing.

"Ranbir! When are you going to fulfill the bet? So much time had passed already. I heard that you are very close to its completion. Then why are you wasting time? Why don't you get it over with as soon as possible?" Rhea huffed impatiently.

Bet? What bet? Ranbir had made some bet with Rhea? About what?

Prachi frowned. Now getting utterly confused, she inched closer.

"Rhea, please listen to me. I want to say something." Ranbir tried to reason with the obstinate girl in front of him.

"No. I don't want to hear anything till you have fulfilled the bet." Rhea pouted childishly.

"But I...." Ranbir again tried but was interrupted by Rhea.

"You what? Didn't you propose to me? Ask me to be your girlfriend? Didn't you accept my challenge to make Prachi fall for you and then break her heart?" Rhea placed her hands on her hips.

"Yes. I did all that. But..." Ranbir sighed

A chill ran down Prachi's spine, making her shiver even in the summer evening.

"But what? Ranbir, are you telling me that The Ranbir Kohli, the most handsome and charming guy of this college over whom all girls go gaga, can't make a geek fall for him? Oh come on Ranbir! I know how much you hate that boring nerd but we can't lose after coming so close. You love me right? Then just get it over with. And we'll be together forever." Rhea smiled her best persuasive smile.

The chill was now spreading through every vein of her body, making Prachi go numb. Her eyes still dry and her face set in stone, she quietly turned to her heels and walked away before the blessed numbness wore off and she shattered into pieces in front of people who didn't think twice before shattering others' hearts, dreams and life into millions of tiny pieces just to satiate their own selfish interests.

Rhea glanced over Ranbir's shoulder at Prachi's retreating form with eyes glinting with malice and smirked. She recalled the moment a while back when Dimpy and Saina called to inform her that Prachi was going to meet Ranbir alone on the ground.

They had eavesdropped on Prachi's conversation with Aryan and could only hear her asking Aryan about Ranbir's whereabouts.

Rhea was certain that Prachi was going to confess her feelings to Ranbir. Knowing Ranbir's feelings for Prachi, she was also certain that it was the correct time to nip the growing relationship in the bud.

Her chain of thoughts were broken by Ranbir's voice.

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Prachi was walking through an isolated alley that led to the highway from their college campus. The blessed cover of numbness still safeguarding her from the onslaught of emotions that she knew would wash over her eventually. But for the moment, her numbness was being her protector.

As she reached the middle of the desolate alley, her legs gave away and she collapsed onto her knees. She clutched her middle as a pain began to unfurl within her as the cover of numbness began to slide off.

She closed her eyes as tears began to cascade down her cheeks and whimpered in excruciating agony. Soon, painful sobs were wracking her body and she was sobbing as if her heart was breaking into two. 

"Why? Why?"

This was the only question that left her battered self. 

"Why did you do this with me, God? I haven't knowingly hurt anyone or behaved badly with those who didn't warrant it. I have never wished bad for anyone. Then why the worst happened with me? Ma says you don't let any trauma befall those who don't wish bad for anyone. Then why have you proved her wrong in her own daughter's case? Oh God! The pain of heartbreak is too much. How am I going to bear it?" Prachi looked up to the sky above with accusatory eyes.

Then, still sobbing, she looked back to road she had left behind with fierce and agonized eyes.

"Ranbir! I thought of you as a true friend, a genuinely good human being and my true love. Thank you a ton for shattering every single one of my illusions. You are just as much of a spoilt brat with no heed for anyone else's emotions as Rhea. You both belong to the same category of emotionless monsters. Every beautiful moment that I had cherished and preserved in my heart as a wondrous picture of bliss was just another lie. What wrong have I done to you? Why have you shattered my heart into pieces? I loved you and in return, I received only betrayal from you. But if you think, I will let you get away with this then you don't know me at all. I am not as magnanimous as my mother to forgive those who have wronged me. I, Prachi Arora, will expose and punish both you, Ranbir Kohli, and your beloved, Rhea Mehra, in front of your entire family and that is a promise." Prachi wiped off her tears, a vengeful fire burning in her eyes , along with the pain gifted by Ranbir's one callous decision.

She got to her feet and with a new determination shining in her eyes, walked into the darkness, finding solace in it for her heart was shrouded with darkness at that moment.

1300 words

Finally managed to write this as I got some free time today. This one is for Yashu's contest. Hope you all like it. The next update will be after 8th march.