Chapter 9 : What’s the plan?

Akanksha went to Anu with a sad face. She pretended, “Anu, what happened? I saw tears in Tani’s eyes. And you both could be heard screaming, from outside, so I came running.

Anu said in anger, “She was talking bad things about you and Rohan. So I said some bad things to her.”

“Hey, she’s your best friend, she’s concerned about you, so she might have told you.”, Akanksha said.

Anu said angrily, “So, she can say whatever she wants! Who gave her the right to interfere in my life?”

“Alright, calm down. Cool down. I’m right here by your side.”, said Akanksha. But in mind, Akanksha was well pleased.

--××--

Tani’s heart was completely broken. Tani is now walking on the sidewalk. She is so heartbroken that tears do not stop flowing from her eyes. Anu’s words are echoing in her ears again and again. To Tani, Anu is not only her best friend but also holds a bigger place in her heart. What that bigger place is, she still doesn’t know. But she understands that Anu is very special one to her.

As she walked, she didn’t notice when she reached the main road from the footpath. The car is moving on the road, she is walking in the middle of it. A car honks in the distance but Tani hears nothing.

An older man standing on the sidewalk was calling out to her as the car was approaching near her, but she didn’t notice that either. A boy standing on the crossing area, pulled Tani away from the front of the car.

Tani now regained consciousness and kept looking around. The boy said, “You are a careless person, since when is everyone calling you! The car would have hit you. Be careful next time.”

Tani thanked him and left for home. She fixed herself before reaching home, so that her mother would not understand anything.

After a while her mother opened the door as the bell rang.

“You came early today? Is the class over so early today?” Tani’s mother asked.

“Yes, class is over early.” Tani replied.

“Okay, freshen up, I’ll bring you something to eat.”, mother said.

“No I won’t eat, I’ve eaten. I’m going upstairs.”, she said and went upstairs to her room.

“Arehh, oho this girl..”, she said in an annoyed tone.

Tani went to her room and locked the door. Leaving the bag on the table, went to the bed, took the pillow and buried her face in it and started shouting loudly. So that no noise goes outside. Tani burst into tears again.

After a while she tried to calm down. She went to the washroom and watered her eyes, got fresh, changed her clothes and sat on the chair.

Tani looked in the mirror and noticed that her eyes were red and swollen. She realized that her head was also hurting. She applied balm and started massaging her forehead. After some time when the headache subsided a little, she started to piece together all the incidents from the beginning. Trouble with Pritam. Rohan’s sudden arrival on the scene. Most surprising, Akanksha also met them that day. Everything is as if someone has arranged it in advance.

She was thinking all this when suddenly her phone rang. She pulled out the phone from her jeans and saw Sayani calling her. (Sayani is Tani and Anu’s college friend. Tani shares everything with her. She is a good friend of Tani.)

Tani picked up the call. On the other side Sayani said, “Tani where are you? I couldn’t find you in the college so I called you.”

Tani said, “I am at home. I was feeling sick so I left. Why, do you need anything?”

Sayani said, “Yes, I need to talk to you. I am coming to your house.” Saying this she hung up the call.

After an hour Sayani came to Tani’s place. Her mother will open the door. And Tani knew that if her mother asked Sayani about the class or college, she would be caught lying. So hearing the bell she ran out of her room and stood at the bottom of the stairs.

Tani’s mother opened the door and saw Sayani and said with a smile, ‘Hey Sayani, after how many days have you come. How are you beta?”

Sayani bowed to her with a smile and said, “I’m fine. How are you aunty?”

“I’m all good beta. Are you coming from college?”, Tani’s mother asked the expected question as Tani was thinking earlier.

Sayani was about to answer the question, when Tani came quickly and held Sayani’s hand a little tighter and answered, “No, she went to her aunt’s house, we came back from college together. Some time ago, she was telling me about the problem with today’s notes. So, I said ‘come home’, we can solve it together.”

“Alright alright. You guys go upstairs, I’ll get the snacks.” Saying this, Tani’s mother went to the kitchen. Tani hurriedly took Sayani upstairs to her room.

“Why did you lie to aunty?”, Sayani asked.

“Nothing, you don’t know how mom is like! Otherwise she will keep asking you a thousand questions, so, I did.”, Tani replied.

Tani sat on the bed, Sayani put her bag on Tani’s table and said, “Why didn’t you do the rest of the classes?”

“I said no, I felt sick so I left.”, Tani said.

Meanwhile, Tani’s mother comes with snacks. Tani took the tray of snacks from her mother.

Tani’s mother said, “If you need anything else, tell me.”

Tani said, “Okay, I will.”

To check if Tani’s mother had gone downstairs, she stood in front of the door, took a look, and closed the door.

Sayani and Tani eat snacks quickly. Now Tani asked Sayani, “What are you saying?”

Sayani said, “Why didn’t you do the rest of the classes? Don’t lie to me again.”

Tani bows her head after hearing this. Sayani sat next to Tani and tried to comfort her by putting her hand on her shoulder. Tani couldn’t contain herself anymore and hugged Sayani and started crying hard. Sayani keeps silent for a few moments and caresses Tani. Tears came to Sayani’s eyes also.

Sayani composed herself and told Tani, “I know what happened in college today. That’s why I came to talk to you.” Tani started crying more.

Sayani said, “Tani, please don’t cry like this, you will get sick now. Look, look at me.” After a while, Tani released Sayani from the embrace and sat up.

Sayani wiped Tani’s eyes, holding Tani’s hands and said, “I know how much you are suffering, but you don’t want to see the end of this? You don’t want to punish those who created this distance between you two?”

Tani with her wet eyes, nodded and said, “Yes, I want to.”

Sayani said, “I wasn’t there during your fight, but Rishita saw Akanksha and Rohan standing outside the common room window, laughing at your fight, and discussing something between themselves. I called you as soon as she told me.”

Hearing this, Tani wiped her eyes and sat straight. “Did Rishita hear something, what were they talking about?”, asked Tani.

“Yes they were saying they are planning something that will happen very soon,” Sayani said.

After hearing this, she was in deep thought. “I will not leave those bastards. If they hurt Anu, no one will be worse than me.”, Tani told Sayani.

“We’re all with you. You just try to figure out their plan.” Sayani said.

“Hold on I’m calling Rishita. I need to know details.”, said Tani.

Tani talks with Rishita, but the plan is still unclear. Tani tells Risita, “You tell Akash to talk to me tomorrow.” (Akash is Rishita’s boyfriend. He has some familiarity with Rohan’s gang.)

“I’m sure we’ll have get some news tomorrow. Don’t worry it’ll be all right.” Sayani told her.

“Hmm”, Tani said.

Sayani hugged Tani and said, “Now I should go, otherwise it will be late to go home. And don’t worry, we are here."

Tani smiles and says goodbye to Sayani.