The sun have set by now. It was 5:10 pm. The streets were busy with traffic. But Vikram's bungalow was eerily quiet. The only sound was the buzzing of the hairdryer.
In the bedroom, Thabal sat on the bed with Vikram behind her. He adjusted her hair and dried it. Just minutes ago, he washed her up and bathed her till she was clean and tidy. Thabal had her eyes closed, enjoying the care after a hectic day.
After few minutes, Vikram turned off the hairdryer and pulled off it's plug from the socket. He took an ointment from the desk's drawer and applied it on her cheek.
"Unhmm" Thabal flinched at the touch. Her cheek was sore and the sudden coldness of the ointment made her winch.
"Pet dard kar raha hai?" Vikam asked and gently spreaded the medicine on her cheek.
"Hmm. Thoda sa" she whispered. Vikram didn't said anything, he just continued applying the medicine.
He took her right hand in his and applied the ointment on her knuckles.
"You beated them?" He asked, to which she nodded, looking at him. Vikram couldn't hold back the smirk.
"Kitna mara?" He asked.
"Thoda bohot. I pulled Akansha's hair. Bohot jor se. Fhir uske muh pe bohot mara bhi. And then I gave headbutt to one of the girls. Tab dard nahi ho raha tha because flow-flow mein hogaya. Abhi ho raha hai" she muttered and pouted slightly. Vikram let out a chuckle at it.
He gently caressed her forehead and placed few kisses on the spot.
"I am so proud of you baby" he praised and patted her head. Thabal blushed and looked at him timidly.
"Really?" She asked, earning a hum from him.
"You aren't angry?"she asked, with slight nervousness. Vikram cupped her cheeks and placed a kiss on her lips.
"Why will I be angry baby? I am proud you fought back and didn't let them overpower you. Even if you murder and come to me, I will handle it" he assured lovingly, while caressing her unbruised cheek.
"I thought you will be angry that I created a mess" she sighed softly, looking away from his intense eye.
Vikram smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.
"I am there to clean up every mess you make. Tumhe uski chinta karne ki jarurat nahi. Tumhara ek hi chinta hona chahiye. Woh hai padhai. Just focus on your studies, don't let any other things distract you" his voice was like a balm to her. It soothed all the pain of the day.
"Take rest for few more days. You don't need to go to university right now. Study from home. Thik hai?" Vikram instructed, making her nod in return.
Just then a phone call interrupted their moment. It was Thabal's phone which was ringing. As she looked at the screen, her heart stopped. She quickly looked at Vikram which eyes were already fixed on the caller ID.
It was the University's dean.
Vikram held her hand in his and squeezed it gently, as if providing silent comfort.
"It's okay. Pick it up. Mein hoon na?" He assured. After a second of thinking, Thabal hesitantly picked the call up and put it on speaker.
"Hello. This is Mohit Rao, the dean of MUHS. Am I speaking to Thabal Chanu?" Thabal gulped and looked at Vikram who nodded in return.
"Y-yes sir. Good evening" she stammered in nervousness. The dean took a deep breath in before speaking.
"Thabal. You must have known why I called you. Have you checked your social media?" He asked calmly. Thabal muttered a small no.
"Well, the fight between you people have been captured by almost all the students. They have uploaded it and it has gone uproar. Some are criticising, some are supporting. It's a chaos" Thabal remained silent, not knowing what to say.
"Things have got too serious. We need to take it in our hands now. I need you and all the students involving in this fight to come in my officer tomorrow morning. Sharp 10 am" he demanded. Thabal gulped and could only mutter a yes.
Before anyone of them could say anything, Vikram unexpectedly spoke.
"Good evening Mr. Rao. It's Vikram Sharma. Superintendent of police. I am Thabal's guardian. Well as you can see in the video, Thabal got hurt too. Her condition is fragile. Hence, i will like to come to meet you on her behalf. Also, I have things to discuss with you too" Vikram spoke smoothly. Thabal widened her eyes and pinched his arm.
"Why did you say that!!" She whispered furiously. Vikram just shrugged in return.
"But we need to talk to her about the whole situation" the dean reasoned out.
"You can talk to her right now in the phone" Vikram fired back. Thabal slapped her forehead by now. The dean paused for a moment, not expecting the straight forwardness.
"Uh, may I ask you what relationship do you share with my student?" The dean asked. Vikram paused for a moment and looked at Thabal who was biting her knuckles in nervousness. He smirked at her and answered.
"I am her husband" and that's it. Thabal felt her soul living her body.
"Huh? Thabal is married?" The dean muttered in shock. Vikram smiled and caressed her cheek with tenderness.
"Yeah. We had a small and simple court marriage" he answered.
"Oh. Okay. Uh- I mean considering her condition. I guess it will be fine if you come Mr. Sharma" the dean murmured, not able to grasp the news.
"By the way. What about her family? I know you are husband. But her family must be informed about this too. All the students are required to bring their parents" Thabal froze at it. Vikram looked at her staggered reaction and clenched his jaw.
"I am her family" and it made her head turned to him quick, so quick that it might even snap.
"Mein aa raha hoon kafi hai. I am her only family" he murmured and ended the call. The room was quiet now. The only sound was of the cricket outside the window. They held eye contact for a moment.
Thabal was the first to break it. She looked away, slight redness covering her ears.
"Aapne kyu jhuth bola dean ko?" She asked, still looking away. Vikram smiled and inched near her, till there was no gap between them.
"Jhuth kaha hai? Ek na ek din toh hona hi haina. Meine toh advance pe bola bas" he murmured near her, his breath fanning on her face. Thabal widened her eyes and looked at him to find his face too close to her.
"Kya? Won't you marry me? Hm?" He asked and gently caressed her cheek. Thabal momentarily closed her eyes and leaned against his touch.
"S-still. Asa nahi bolna haina. Abhi toh we aren't married. Toh aapko jhuth nahi bolna chahiye tha" she huffed softly and looked away. Vikram chuckled and kissed on the tip of her nose.
"Toh sach karna hai tumhe? Kaho toh let's get married now" he smiled teasingly. Thabal felt her breath hitched. What the helllll! How can he speak such topics so causually.
Her cheeks reddened furiously hearing him. Vikram let out a laugh seeing her state. And then she realised. He was pulling her legs. She clenched her fist in irritation and hit on his biceps repeatedly.
"Ow ow ow! Calm down woman. It hurts" Vikram tried to block her fist, although he couldn't still stop laughing.
"Kuch hurt wart nahi hota aapko. Pata hai mujhe sab" she glared at him and gave him a last punch. Vikram chuckled and pulled her to him, causing her chest to crashed against him.
"Eehh" Thabal shrieked and clutched on his shoulders for support.
"I was teasing you baby. No need to take it seriously. Marriage is far away for now. Pehle tum aache se apni padhai complete karo. Doctor ban jao. Fhir we will marry" he placed a kiss on her cheek, making her heart flutter.
Without any warning, she hugged him and clung on him. Vikram smiled and hugged her tighter but in a careful manner, in order to not hurt her.
"Is it still paining?" He murmured and caressed her stomach. Thabal shook her head, which was buried in the crook of his neck.
"Thoda" her muffled voice came.
"I will bring water bag for you. Usse dard kam hoga" he muttered. Thabal didn't said anything, just hugged him tightly.
Vikram stayed like that for a few minutes, letting her soak in the silence and the safety of his arms. He could feel her heart rhythm slowly syncing with his own, the tension of the day finally coming to ease.
Gently, he pulled back just enough to look at her. Her eyes were droopy, the exhaustion clearly visible. He caressed her face gently before making her lay on the bed softly.
"Rest chand. I will be back with the water bag. Take a nap. You are tired" he tucked the duvet around her shoulders, and leaned down to place a tender kiss on her forehead. Thabal smiled slightly and closed her eyes.
As soon as her eyes shut, he let the 'good, soft boyfriend' mask drop, replaced by the calculating, cold intensity. He clenched his fist and stared at the photo frame above the bed. The photo of the two of them.
Something was cooking in his head. But it was impossible to predict what.
🦋🦋🦋----------------
The clock on the wall of the Dean's office ticked toward 10:00 AM. The air inside was thick with tension, smelling of old paper and the expensive, cologne of Mr. Kadam, Akansha's father. He sat with his arms crossed, his chest puffed out, radiating arrogance.
Akansha sat beside him, her face partially hidden by oversized sunglasses to mask the bruise. Opposite them sat Meera and Shreya, their backs straight. Few steps away from them sat, Srinas Varma, Rakul Nagar and Sneha Mishra.
Their parents were brought along, except Meera and Shreya's, as they live in hostel.
And then the door opened, grabbing everyone's attention. The one entering was Vikram, the awaited one. None of them, except the two and the dean expected his presence. Everyone was taken aback.
He wore his uniform, with his cap in his hand. Vikram took his seat infront of the dean, ignoring Mr. Kadam's presence.
"Good morning sir. Happy to see you here" the dean greeted. Vikram looked at him briefly and nodded.
"Good morning" he roughly murmured.
"So. I have seen the CCTV footage. It was clear Akansha Kadam was trying to bully Thabal Chanu. Do you want to say something here?" The dean turned to Akansha.
Akansha gulped and gripped her dress tightly. What do she even answer now? She looked at her father, pleading for a miracle. Her father glanced at her and blinked, as if saying her to go on.
"I-I was just joking. It was just a prank. We didn't think she would get so aggressive. She was the one who slapped me first!" She retorted in defense.
"A prank? Drenching someone in mud and freezing water from a balcony is a prank? Calling her a whore, slut and Chinese outsider is a prank? You four trapped her like animals!" Shreya interjected, her voice sharp as a blade.
"Watch your tongue, girl!" Mr. Kadam roared. He turned to the dean.
"My daughter is the victim here. Look at her face! This tribal girl has no manners. And who is this officer? Why is the police meddling in a university matter? Mr. Rao, I am the MLA's right-hand man. I suggest you remember that before you let just someone dictate your discipline" he gritted his teeth.
"Oh please. Aap apni yeh so called power kahi aur dikhana. Don't try to overpower us. We won't allow you. Shreya ne jo bola, sahi bola. Your precious daughter has character assassinated our friend, discriminate her race and bullied her-"
"Meine nahi kiya kuch. Jhuth bol rahi hai" Akansha quickly interrupted, eyes widening in rage at Meera's revelation.
"Shut up" Shreya scoffed.
"You are jealous and have always been jealous of Thabal's bright future. She has been always good in studies so tum usse hamesha jali ho. Sir if you don't believe my words you can ask anyone in the class, even the professors. They know well" Shreya shrugged, hiting her point.
Akansha clenched her fist and looked at her friends, signalling them to say something in her defence.
"N-no sir. They are lying. Akansha tried to befriend Thabal. But that girl, uska alag hi attitude hai. She behaves like she is above all. She even slapped Akansha yesterday morning before going to the class" Sneha spoke.
"Aye! Nautanki kahiki. You people were criticising her race. Making fun of her. Tum log ka aur bhi bara gang haina. You all planned this so called prank on her right?" Meera raised her brow.
"What! No! What the hell are you even saying. Sir yeh baatein bana rahi hai. Asa kuch nahi hai. She is making up things and playing with us. None of those are true" Rakul gritted her teeth and fought, although fear gripped her.
"No sir! It's true. They are part of a gang. Illegally yeh log bohot kuch karte hai. They even tried to-" Shreya was interrupted harshly by Akansha who finally bursted out.
"What the fuck! Dimag kharab hogaya hai tumhara? Uss ladki ne jo thappad mara tha isliye humne woh sab kiya tha. What shit are you even saying about any gangs and shit. It was just revenge for what that shitty girl did. Uski himmat bhi kaise huwi mujhe har lagane ki. Kya galat kaha meine usko. She fucking belongs to China. Shakal dekha hai uska-" and the realisation hit her and she stopped. But it was too late. The room fell into pin drop silence.
Akansha went with the flow and couldn't stop herself. The way those two were lying and trying to frame her, got her enraged and she couldn't hold herself back. Now she was to face the consequences. All eyes were on her, except one.
Vikram looked ahead and smiled slyly at himself. Intersting.
"So you do accept that you did it out of revenge and you discriminated Thabal Chanu for her looks and language?" The dean raised his brow in amusement. Akansha's father closed his eyes and fisted his palm in frustration.
"They are all planning against her. This is-" before Mr. Kadam could complete, Vikram interrupted in between.
"I guess you have chosen the wrong occupation Mr. Kadam. Aapko politics ki jagah law padhna chahiye tha. Kyuki aap abhi apni beti ki hifhajat bohot aache se kar rahe hai. You are being her lawyer and saying on her behalf everytime" Vikram taunted him with a mocking smile. Mr. Kadam clenched his jaw but couldn't utter anything.
"S-sir i swear i didn't do anything. Meine kuch nahi kiya. Yeh log jhuth bol rahe hai" Akansha tried to say in her defense but couldn't find the words. Sneha, Rakul and Srinas too couldn't say anything as Akansha has already revealed everything by her own.
"Sir, we were made to go away by them. They fooled us by lying about sir Govind calling us through a senior boy and in that meanwhile they bullied and made fun of Thabal. You can interrogate the senior strictly sir. And he will reveal on it's own in fear" Meera boldly revealed. Vikram who was been quiet spoke up too.
"Well. I brought along some proofs and eye witnesses too. But i guess you won't be needing it much as the culprit itself have revealed everything by her own. I hope you go through it" he said and pushed a pendrive on the desk, towards the dean.
The four girls and their parents immediately tensed up seeing all these. Akansha and her friends sat on their chair with their jaw dropped. They couldn't believe anything happening.
"What the hell is all these officer. My daughter and her friends are well mannered girls from respectable families. That girl is the one with the temper. You heard them, she slapped Akansha first! That's assault. If anyone should be arrested, it's her" Mr. Kadam fired back.
"And who the hell are you. Why are you fighting for that girl. Why isn't she coming? Wasn't everyone supposed to be present?" He tried to dominate the situation.
"I am her guardian. And she needed rest after what your daughter and her friends did to her" Vikram said in a cold and straight forward face, but his words were full of taunt.
"How dare you" Mr. Kadam gritted his teeth. No one has insulted him like Vikram was doing. He has been indirectly mocking him continuously.
"Do you know who I am? I am the MLA's right hand man. Tumhari yeh akkad haina usko todh sakta hoon mein. Mere ek bolne mein tumhara badge bhi hat jayega jiska tumhe itna ghamand hai" he warned in a dangerous tone.
The room was suffocating and serious now. No one could utter anything. The dean was too scared to interrupt in between. Akansha was smirking, assuming that she will win because of her father's power now.
"Haaa" Vikram exhaled and leaned against his chair, in a relaxing position.
"You know Kadam. I absolutely hate it when people say that dialogue 'tumhe pata hai mein kaun hoon, mera baap kon hai' bla bla and shit. And you have been repeating it twice. I pitied you and socha nahi bolte hai. But you brought it yourself" he tched in a pitying tone. Mr. Kadam frown, not understanding anything.
Now it was the turn of Shreya and Meera to smirk. They look at each other and suppressed their laughter. They didn't know what Vikram was going to say, but whatever he was planning would shut all of their mouth.
"Meine tumhari life ki kitab aaj subah kholke dekhi. Rishi Kadam, right? Owner of a not so big hotel. The right hand man of the MLA. Political assistant hoke mein soch raha tha, tumhare pass Mumbai mein jo 5 crore ki jameen hai, woh aayi kaise. Itna paisa toh aana nahi chahiye tha tumhare pass" Vikram tched, and placed his finger on his jaw, as if thinking deeply.
Rishi was dumbfounded. How the heck did he find out such deeply. No one was aware about it. He made sure of that.
"W-what are you even saying? Nonsense. Woh meri purkho ki jameen hai. Mere dada pardada ki diye huwe jameen hai" he stuttered.
Vikram let out a sharp, mocking bark of a laugh that echoed against the four walls of the Dean's office.
"Dada-pardada? Fascinating. Because according to the land registry records I saw, that 'ancestral' plot was purchased only 3 years ago. And the money? Yeh tumhara koi dada pardada ne nahi. Tumhe jo fund diye gaye hai. Udhar se tumne 80 lakh churaye hai. Jisse baad pe declare kiya gaya ki very mysteriously, it got stolen by a thief" Vikram whispered at last, his voice dangerously smooth.
Rishi's face went from red to a ghostly grey. The sweat on his forehead wasn't from the heat anymore, it was from fear and absolute nervousness. This man was revealing such things which he never meant for others to see.
"And that thief was you, haina Mr. Kadam?" Rishi immediately stood up at it. His eyes blazing with anger and fear.
"What the hell are you saying. How dare you put such baseless and disgusting allegations on me. Do you even have any proof? Iske liye mein tumhe kaha-kaha ghashit ke leke jaa sakta hoon tumhe pata bhi hai?" He roared. Vikram just smirked and sat on his chair comfortably.
"Tch tch. Rishi. Why are you so naive. Why do you keep hitting your head with the hammer. Khud ke liye kyu gaddha khod rahe ho" he sighed in a pitiful manner. Before Rishi could understand what exactly he was speaking, Vikram continued further.
"You want proof? I have single one of them. Tumhare pas 2 luxury cars kaha se aaye uska bhi proof hai. Sahu patty pe road jab ban raha tha udhar 3 lakh kam padh gaye the. I have the proof where the money has gone. MLA ke party program pe jitna invest karna tha paisa, utna nahi huwa. Paisa kam padh gaya, although it was more than enough. I know and have the proof ki woh paisa gaya kidhar" he smirked. And the air left Rishi's lungs. He felt breathless and speechless. He was just stunned.
"Aur sunna hai? Ya kafi hai? If you wanna listen you can say. Because I have many more left to say" Vikram raised his brow in a mocking manner. Rishi couldn't say anything. Because he had no words too. He was dumbfounded right now.
How did this man even managed to open up all his doings which were known to non. That too in the morning. Probably in between 2 or 3 hours.
"You know, mein ek phone call karu and you will be fhewwww. You want that?" Vikram winked and snapped his fingers. Rishi didn't said anything, he just kept his eyes lowered down.
"Kneel" was all Vikram said. Rishi felt his heart stopped for a moment. Him? He gulped and looked at Vikram to see his eyes fixed on Akansha and her friends.
Akansha froze, the humiliation was beyond anything. She was a pampered kid. Always loved by her parents and spoilt by family. Now this situation wasn't helping her in anyway.
"I-i. Papa" she looked for help towards her father, who has his eyes casted down in surrender. Akansha was stunned. Her always proud and arrogant father has his lowered down today? This was beyond her thoughts.
She looked behind her to see her friends already kneeling. She clenched her fist in shame and hesitantly stood up from her chair. Taking a moment with her shaky legs she finally let her knees touched the floor.
Vikram didn't said anything for a moment. He took out his phone and called. It was a video call. The person on the other side picked up quickly.
"Haan hello. Kya huwa" Thabal's sweet and soft voice came from the other side. Vikram looked at her with a soft smile. And looking at it, the Dean was flabbergasted. What the! This man was just killing with his eyes minutes ago. And now he was smiling with heart in his eyes like a teenage lover boy.
"See Chand. I have something for you" Vikram said and turned the phone screen towards the girls kneeling infront of him.
Thabal widened her eyes seeing the scene. Her lips parted in shock. What the hell was happening. He just went to talk right? But what was this scene infront of her?
"Vikram,w-what is happening?" Thabal's voice was a soft, disbelieving breath over the speaker. Vikram leaned forward, holding the phone steady so she could see every detail of their humiliation.
" Well, yeh log bohot udd rahe the kal. Kon kidhar belong karta hai and nahi. Toh socha let them taste their own medicine" he shrugged casually.
Akansha's face was a shade of crimson. Tears of pure shame spilled from under her sunglasses. To be forced to kneel was one already the biggest humiliation, but to have it broadcasted to the very girl she had tried to destroy was a soul crushing defeat.
"Speak up " Vikram demanded to the girls.
"I'm sorry" Akansha choked out, her voice barely a whisper.
"My network is not that good. She won't be able to hear" Vikram prompted, his voice dropping into that dangerous, smooth silk.
"I am sorry, Thabal! Please, tell him to stop. I am sorry for everything I said" Akansha sobbed, her forehead almost touching the floor.
Srinas, Sneha, and Rakul followed suit, their voices a jagged chorus of apologies. On the screen, Thabal's expression shifted from shock to a quiet, somber pity. They deserved it yet seeing their state made her feel bad for them.
"Vikram, it's enough. Itna jyada bhi mat karo. Hogaya" she whispered.
Vikram's expression softened instantly at her voice. He turned the phone to himself and looked at her sullen face.
"Don't be sad, chand. They deserved it. For now rest, i will be home soon" He ended the call and tucked the phone into his pocket, the warmth leaving his face as he turned back to them.
"Mr. Rao" Vikram said, standing up. All of them immediately stood up as he did.
" I want the entire medical department in the auditorium. Now" he demanded. The dean nodded quickly and went to his work.
15 minutes later, the MUHS Auditorium was packed. A thousand students sat, chit chatting and whispering to each other. They were suddenly announced by the dean to be present in the auditorium, even the professors. It was kind of rare and shocking.
The most amusing and talk of the topic was the presence of the four girls on the stage. The popular girls of 1st year batch.
The whispers and chatters immediately stopped when heavy footsteps echoed in the large auditorium. It was pinned drop silence.
As the figure entered through the door. It revealed to be Vikram, eyes cold as ice. Figure as bulky as a lion. His presence itself screams dominance and discipline. Behind him followed the dean.
Some students who knew him, looked at him in fear and nervousness. The others just looked at him with prying interest with a hint of tension.
Vikram walked towards the stage and climbed on it. The only sound was the 'tak tak' of his boots. He stood infront of the podium and looked at everyone. His face stoic and void of any expression.
He tapped on the microphone lightly and cleared his throat. The deep sound rumbling on the speaker. All eyes were on him. They watched him curiously, and somehow in nervousness too. His aura was too strong.
"Good morning everyone, to each students and the professors present here. I might be known to some of you. While many of you might not know me. Hence i will like to introduce myself" he started.
"I am S.P Vikram Sharma. I was transferred here almost 5 or more months ago. As my position calls, it's my duty to look after Nashik. Each and every corner. This district is under me and i control it. No matter how small or big the matter is" his voice came in the speaker, loud and clear.
"A crime is a crime. No matter how small or big. Even stealing an amount as small as a 10 rupee note is a crime. As you know ragging and bullying between students are quite common. Some take it seriously but some doesn't" Vikram took a pause for a second.
"But it needs to be taken seriously. You all are here to study and become something in your life. Not to ruin someone else's life. You don't realise when ordering a junior to do your homework turns into forcing them to suicide" his voice boomed, echoing off the high ceilings. The students shudder slightly, his voice sending chills on their spines.
" Yesterday, sharp 2:30 pm. A crime was committed in this campus. Not just a student fight. But bullying and discriminating a person's race. These four students. Akansha Kadam, Srinas Varma, Rakul Nagar and Sneha Mishra bullied a student from Manipur for her different language, different looks and different tribe. They shamed her and assassinated her character. A crime. Under the Anti-Ragging Act and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act" the murmurs started again. Shock and nervously, they whispered among each other.
"As punishment for their crime. They will be charged with criminal conspiracy, physical assault, and inciting racial hatred. They are looking at two years of rigorous imprisonment and a heavy fine. Also their medical license would be snatched" Vikram stated coldly. A collective gasp rippled through the hall.
The girls cried behind him. They fall on their knees and sobbed quietly. They were shaking in fear and regret. The consequences were severe.
"You all have come here to heal people and save lives. Not to ruin them. If you think you can use someone's race, their home, or their appearance to feel superior, you have no business being a doctor. Let this be your only warning and a lesson. I am watching this campus. If you touch one of your peers with hate, I will ensure your career ends before it begins" The silence that followed was heavy. Broken only by the hitching sobs of the four girls on the stage.
"Maya, take them" Vikram called out, his voice cutting through the tension. From the side of the stage, Maya and three other uniformed female constables stepped forward. The metallic click-click of handcuffs resonated in the silent auditorium.
As the constables led the weeping girls off the stage, the students watched them in absolute horror and fear. The other victims felt peace. They finally felt that justice do come. And the bullies were left in fear.
Vikram stepped away from the podium, his face as unreadable as ever. He caught the Dean's eyes briefly before walking away from the stage.
_________🌸__________
Hope you enjoyed it
Stay safe sweeties🐻🦋💗
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