The last bell echoed through the tall corridors of the medical college, its chime swallowed quickly by the rising chatter of students gathering their notes, slinging bags over their shoulders, and stretching after a long day of lectures.
Thabal packed up her bag, while listening to Shreya's unending rant.
"yaar!! Itne sare assignments kon deta hai. Yeh professor log humko insaan nahi samajhte kya? Aggh! Mera night plan ruin kardiya" She groaned dramatically, earning a chuckle from Thabal.
"Aur, kya hai tumhara night plan?" She asked.
"Aur kya. Soke phone chalayega" Shreya shrugged, as if it's the most obvious thing. Making the other two shake their heads at her antics.
"Attention everyone. Please maintain silence for few seconds" Professor Menon suddenly said, making all the students froze in their place. They looked at each other with a confusing gaze.
"Aab issko kya huwa?" Meera whispered, earning an elbow from Thabal, silently hinting her to stay quiet.
"Thabal, Ransh and Anika, I need you three to stay back. Some internal assessment need reviewing. Won't take long. Just few hours" Proff Menon announced. Thabal just quietly nodded, even if she wanted to oppose.
"Kya matlab few hours. Itna samme kon leta hai" Shreya frowned as student started to move out of the class. Meera came near Thabal and hugged her briefly.
"Text karna baad mein" she whispered with a pat on her shoulder and pulled away. Thabal nodded and bid a bye to the two.
She sighed and picked up her bag. Looking up she was met with a smiling Ransh who was waiting for her at the door. She sighed again, internally smacking her head. Kaha fhas gayi.
🦋🦋🦋---------------
Outside the campus gates, Vikram sat in his usual spot. The late afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, scattering golden patterns across the jeep's windshield. The engine was off, and a soft tune played on his lips, his fingers tapped on the steering wheel with the rhythm of the tune.
It has been a day he hasn't seen her due to sunday. Now finally he was going to meet her after a day. His back straightened as the crowd began to pour out of the building. His dark sunglasses hid the eagerness in his eyes as he scanned each passing face. The bouquet of sunflower, with little daises in between rested quietly on the passenger seat, where she always sat, its scent mixing gently with the late afternoon breeze. He had picked it up earlier, unsure if she would like it or not.
Then the gates opened wider. He felt his nervousness rise more as more students walked oit. Hundreds of students walked past in small groups, some laughing, some sleepy, some scrolling through their phones.
But no Thabal. He frowned slightly. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel again, more slowly now.
A few minutes later, he spotted Meera and Shreya among the exiting students, both in animated conversation. When their eyes met his, Shreya tapped Meera's arm, and they walked over to the jeep. Vikram saw them approaching towards him, but this time without Thabal. His worry grew more with the passing time.
"Sir actually Thabal ko professor ne class ke baad rokh liya. Assignment ka kuch issue tha. Late ho jaayegi thoda. Don't worry baki do aur student bhi hai uske saath" Meera informed, earning a knowing nod from him.
"Kab khatam hoga any idea?" He asked to which Shreya let out a scoff.
"Professor Menon ne rokh ke rakha hai. Aur usne rokha hai toh 3 4 ghanta toh surely rakhega. 6:30 ke around shayad se khatam hojayega" she said. He gave a small smile, nodded in thanks, and watched them walk away, his gaze returning to the college gate.
So 6:30 pm. Hmmm.
🦋🦋🦋-----------------
The clock ticked to 6:00 p.m.
"Thabal, shall we pack up? Waise bhi sab toh khatam ho hi gaya hai. Kafi der bhi hogayi hai" Anika suggested, stretching her stiff limbs, producing a crack.
"Haan, mein bhi soch rahi thi" Thabal nodded in agreement and kept her books inside her bag. She swung it over her shoulder and started walking along with Ransh and Anika.
Her steps were a bit tired and face slightly drawn from the long day. As they exited the gate, Ransh stopped her.
"Thabal? Raat bhi hogayi hai. Mein drop kardu?" He asked with a smile. Thabal shook her head with a polite smile.
"No thanks. I will manage" she denied. No way she will take lift from a random man whom she didn't know. Well, Vikram is an exception.
"Aare but mein hoon na. Please let me drop you. We can know each other in between" Ransh suggested again. Thabal let out a sigh at his continuous protest.
"No thanks Ransh. I don't want to repeat again. Please you can go. I am fine by myself" she tried to sound as respectful as possible. Why was he nagging so much at the first place?
"Achaa Thabal mein chalti hoon haan. Waise bhi mera ghar dur hai. Ek hi bus aa raha hai. Yeh miss hogaya toh i don't know mein kab ghar pohochungi" Anika smiled at her apologetically. Thabal nodded with a smile, and waved at her.
Ransh left with his bike too, leaving her standing alone. The sky had darkened. A few stars peeked from the indigo horizon. She turned towards the usual waiting seat, waiting for an auto. But one after another, the drivers refused. Some autos were packed with people, others just waved her away without stopping.
She sighed and checked her phone. Blank screen. Switch off. Her heart sank.
"Eigi daw sidi bo. Itni fhutti" she muttered to herself in frustration.
(Damn my luck!)
She looked at the road then at her sandals. A sigh of frustration escaped her lips. It would be too tiring to go by foot till her hostel. Also the sandals she wore wasn't comfortable enough for long walks.
"Aghhh" she groaned lowly.
"Waise toh kabhi bhi auto mil jata hai. Eie sumaina ethanta oibasigatani sigumba mathong maram chadaba oidoise" she clenched her teeth, trying her best to not cuss out loud.
(This type of shitty things happens only when I am alone)
Left with little choice, she turned toward a shortcut she'd never used alone before, a narrow alleyway that connected the college road to the back market street. It was shorter, yes, but less lit. Less crowded. Especially at this hour.
She hesitated at the entrance, glancing behind her. Then clutched her bag tighter and stepped in. As her footsteps echoed against the cracked pavement, she was heard with nothing but silence. The type of silence which will bring jumpscare after seconds.
She gulped a bit, her steps not pausing at all. Then suddenly she heard something that made her spine straightened up immediately. A faint sound emerged from somewhere but she couldn't understand from which direction. It was a burst of laughter, loud and slurred. Men's voices. The unmistakable tone of drunkenness.
Her heart began to beat faster. Drunk men are never good. Never. She tried to walk faster, but the laughter grew louder. It felt like the more she walked, the more she was approaching towards them. One voice shouted something, followed by more laughter. She couldn't make out the words and didn't want to. Her breath turned into shallow gasps.
She pulled out her phone again, frantically pressing the power button. Still nothing. The screen stayed black.
"Fuck it!" she whispered, her throat dry. She closed her eyes in pure irritation. She touched her forehead to see sweat dripping. She tried to calm herself , just keep walking. Her hands clutched tightly on the strap of her bag. No doubt she knows self defense and have a pepper spray and a blade for safety. But a man and a woman's strength can't be compared. No matter how misogynist it sounded, but in terms of physical strength, men are quite stronger.
She just prayed internally to escaped from this horror area quickly. But then a bottle rolled across the path in front of her. Empty. Its clink sharp against the silence. She froze. The alley suddenly felt darker. The voices, closer.
Her feet refused to move. Her eyes welled up , she didn't know whether from fear, frustration, or both. She felt small. Lost. She didn't know why but it felt like her steps almost got stuck. Suddenly she felt like she didn't knew how to walk at all.
Then, a sudden beam of light cut through the dark, headlights. She flinched visibly, but couldn't turned around, her body shook in fear. She felt her soul left her body when she heard the door clicked open. She gripped her bag tightly. Opening the zip slowly, she clutched the pepper spray and placed the blade in a place where she could easily get her hands on.
She closed her breathe and took a deep breathe. If he comes behind her, that would be his last day. But then.
"Thabal" and thats when she snapped her eyes open. She couldn't mistaken that voice at all. She quickly turned back . And there he was. Vikram stepped out, his tall figure framed by the soft yellow glow of the jeep's light.
A worried look written all over his face. She stood still for a moment, stunned , unsure if it was real. Then, her eyes brimmed over. Without a word, she ran. She ran towards him. She reached him in a few quick steps and stopped just in front of him. Her hands reached out on their own and clutched the sleeve of his shirt tightly.
Both of them didn't said anything, just taking a breathe out of relief.
"I- I was scared" she whispered, her voice trembling. Vikram felt something inside him twist, an ache, a protectiveness, a silent fury toward whatever had frightened her.
He raised a hand slowly, gently raking it over her hair, his touch calm, steady. Seeing her trembling and scared form was the last thing he wanted to see.
"I know" he said softly, his voice low.
"It's okay, you are okay now" he continued, brushing her hair slowly. Thabal looked up, tears threatening to fall off.
"U-udhar se awaj aa raha tha. Kuch aadmi ka. Nashe mein the" she complained to him, telling him the reason for her scared form. Vikram said nothing for a moment, just leaned down a bit and ran a thumb against the corner of her eyes, wiping her unshed tears.
"Shh! It's fine. Koi nahi hai waha. Kahi dur honge woh log. Idhar pe awaj jor se sunai deta hai" he informed her, trying to soothe her softly. Earning a soft nod from her.
"Chalo aawo" he guided her to the jeep, opened the passenger door, and helped her in like she was made of glass. He reached over to belt her in, letting his fingers linger for just a second longer, making sure she was safe.
He climbed in from the other side, started the engine. The engine hummed quietly as the jeep rolled forward, headlights illuminating the winding road ahead. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The city buzzed softly in the distance, a dog barked, a cycle bell rang, but inside the vehicle, there was a strange kind of calm. Like silence wrapped in safety.
"You okay?" Vikram asked, keeping his voice soft, without looking at her.
She nodded, then paused.
"Haan" her voice came out slow, as if traumatized by the incident back there.
"That alley, it's not safe after dark. Udhar kyu gayi tum?" He asked her, glancing at her then at the road. Thabal let out a small sigh, hearing him. She played with her fingers before answering.
"Auto nahi mil raha tha. Phone bhi off hogaya. I thought it would be quicker. Par kise pata tha asa hojayega" she whispered at last. Vikram looked at her and sighed.
"Aagli baar se nahi jana thik hai? I will come. I will always do. Der hone se udhar hi wait karna, logo ke bich. Aakele nahi" he told her. Thabal didn't said anything, just kept looking down. After a moment of silence, she asked.
"Aapko kaise pata mein udhar thi?" She muttered softly.
"Tumhari dost ne bataya. Mujhe aane mein thoda late hogaya. Mujhe 6:30 bola tha par lagta hai tum usse pehle nikal gayi. Gate ke guard se pucha toh bola tum toh kabka chali gayi. Usne bola tum short cut wale raaste pe gayi ho. Toh mein bhi udhar hi chala gaya, tumhe dhundhte huwe" he explained. Thabal looked at him in silence. Vikram glanced at her, meeting her eyes then looked back at the road.
She looked away, putting her chin on the window. Her eyes brimmed in tears. Her lips trembling to cry out. She quickly wipe her tears before it could fall. Yet it didn't help, it continued to flow down. Her heart felt full. Too much. She was feeling too overwhelming. From his care. Her heart ache, in a way which was craving for a tight warm hug. Just from a specific someone.
Vikram turned to her and couldn't help but felt his lips twitched upwards. He let out a slow chuckle.
"Mujhe nahi pata tha meri doctor itni emotional hai" he whispered teasingly, but loud enough for her to hear.
"M-mein nahi ro r-rahi" she replied in a trembling voice, her voice breaking in between. Vikram chuckled hearing her.
"Haan haan. I believe you" he smiled and grabbed two tissues from his bonnet. Extending it to her.
"Lo, ro toh nahi rahi so pasina aagaya hoga. Poch lo" without looking at him, she snatched the tissues from him, wiping her face with a pout.
Vikram drove the way, a smile on his face constant. He glanced back towards the bouquet, resting safely. He leaned back and grabbed it.
"Thabal" he called but got no answer.
"See, I got you something" she didn't turned around quickly, slowly she turned to face him. Eyes puffy, lips red, face red. Vikram pressed his lips, trying to stiffle the chuckle that was threatening to come out.
"I didn't know what you would like. So mujhe jo aacha laga i brought it" he said, handling her the bouquet. Thabal took the bouquet carefully and caressed the flowers gently. A small, faint smile on her face.
"It's beautiful. Thank you" she spoke slowly, taking a gentle sniff of the flowers.
"Which flower do you love?" He asked, glancing at her. Thabal looked up hearing him.
"Marigold" she answered. Vikram looked away with a smile.
"Waise uss din meine galat bola tha" he said, making her look at him in confusion.
"Kya chiz??" She asked. Vikram looked at her with a smirk, teasing one.
"Ki tum sundar lag rahi ho uss earrings ke saath" as soon as he said it, Thabal's face dropped. She didn't know what to respond. Her throat dried down. But his next sentence stunned her.
"Kyuki tum rote huwe aur pyaari lagti ho"
"A-aap. Baat mat karo aap" She stumbled upon her words. Her face flushed more. She looked away in shyness, her hands still clutched the bouquet carefully. Vikram let out a laugh hearing her.
Thabal just smiled, while looking outside. The late evening wind fanning over her face. His melodic laugh still resonating in her ears. She stole a glance of him. Looking at his happy face. He looked more good happy. It made him more lively and human. Not just a strict officer.
The jeep slowed as they neared the college hostel, the golden hue of the street lamps casting long, dappled shadows across the road. The buzz of the outside world returned slowly , distant honks, someone playing a radio from a chai stall, the occasional shout of students calling to each other from their windows.
Vikram pulled up quietly beside the hostel gate, parking the jeep without a word. For a few moments, neither moved.
Thabal's fingers still toyed with the bouquet in her lap. She could feel the warmth of his presence beside her, calm, constant, protective. It felt like something she wasn't quite ready to leave behind.
"We are here" Vikram said softly, looking at her. She nodded, but didn't reach for the door handle.
Her eyes stayed fixed ahead watching the street where girls were laughing somewhere nearby, someone was playing music faintly on a phone. She knew she should go in. Knew the evening was over. But she didn't move.
Vikram noticed. He glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
"Andar nahi jaana?"
She hesitated, then whispered.
"Jaana hai" Vikram stared at her for a few seconds before leaning near her and opening the door for her.
"Jaw" he whispered, his breathe fanning over her. Thabal looked at him for a moment before climbing down the jeep carefully. Catching the bouquet safely.
But instead of walking she just stood infront of him, looking at him with that eyes that just plays with his mind.
"Jaw Thabal" he again said, this time his voice soft, with something unrecognisable. Thabal looked at him, gulping a little. As if wanted to say something but something block it.
"Asa lag raha hai jawungi toh kuch reh jayega" Her voice cracked slightly, barely audible but loud enough for him hear.
Vikram didn't answer right away. Instead, he watched her. The way she looked at him. Her eyes looked at him as if saying her to stop and never to go. Her hands, clutching the bouquet gently but firmly.
He leaned in just a little ,close enough that his words wouldn't have to travel far.
"Agar abhi nahi gayi toh hamesha ke liye jane nahi dunga. Apne pass hi rakh lunga" he whispered hoarsely, the intensity of his voice rose her goosebumps.
Her lips parted slightly but no words came out. It seemed the world around them quietened, everything else blurred. She looked at him, her eyes soft, searching his. And there it was again. That unspoken something.
"Aakhri baar keh raha hoon Thabal. Jaw. Warna agli baar jane ko keh nahi pawunga" he said gently, his eyes staring at her with unknown emotions filled.
"Kal aawoge?" She asked him softly, looking at her in the eyes. Earning a slow, genuine smile from him.
"Roj aawunga" he answered, with the faintest smirk. And that was all she needed. She smiled, a full blown, cheeks coloring with quiet warmth.
She turned back and walked a few steps toward the gate, then stopped, glanced back over her shoulder. He hadn't started the engine. He was still watching her. And this time, she didn't blush or look away. She just smiled.
And then disappeared into the glowing yellow of the hostel building.
_____________☁️___________
Hope you liked it
Stay safe sweeties 🫂☃️
Write a comment ...