The Dead Flower

chapter 35

Walking towards the principal office from the parking area was a difficult task for both of them. Harish got disturbed by the stares Vaishu was getting from the boys standing on both sides of the way. While Vaishu because of the girls looking at her with envy.

"Do you want to get transferred to any women's college?" Vaishu looked at Harish with her wide opened eyes not knowing the reason for that sudden question.

"Wa..what...?...no!" She answered innocently not knowing the reason behind that sudden question from his side.

He nodded controlling himself from blabbering more and getting into an awkward conversation.

"Ha...Harish" Vaishu called him stopping on the midway.

"What?" He asked not looking at her because his eyes were busy roaming through the gangs of boys staring at her and passing their lovely gaze.

"We have reached the office," Vaishu said pointing her finger towards the office building.

"You wait here" he walked inside without Vaishu. She just stood there not knowing why he instructed her to wait outside.

While waiting there she looked around to see whether her classmates are there. Then only she realised that all the students standing inside the compound were gawking at her.

She felt disturbed being the center of attraction. She knew the reason for the looks on those girls' faces, it's because of Harish. 'but why these boys are looking at me?' she thought.

"Vaishu..." She turned back hearing Harish's voice.

"I have talked to the principal... you can go to your class..." he said to Vaishu who was looking at him unbelievably.

"But, didn't I need to meet her?"

"No need..." he said giving his ATM card to her "take this, you might need this" he added.

"what? No...I don't need this." Vaishu hesitated to take his card, it was too much for her. Without giving her any choice he placed the card in her hand and walked to the parking area not looking back. Vaishu stood there overwhelmed with all the things he was doing for her.

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Eric waited for Rishi at the Commissioner's Office along with Bala, he had something to convey to Rishi which he found with the help of Bala.

"What is it, Eric? Did you find anything?" Rishi came in asking him.

"Yes, Rishi...but I don't know whether it is relevant"

"First tell me what it is?" Rishi asked him impatiently.

"On the day of the meeting in which we asked Harish to act not well... Pridhvi, his personal secretary collected the CCTV footage of the meeting hall from our security and surveillance department..."

"Pridhvi..." Rishi repeated the name like remembering something, he then asked Eric to continue what he was saying.

"Getting some doubts about this sudden behaviour from him, I asked Bala to follow him... that day he went to the outskirts of our city taking his car... there he stopped his car in front of an old mechanic shop which was currently not in use... but Bala couldn't stay there for a long time because it may cause doubts" Eric informed everything he found with a hope that Rishi could find the truth.

Rishi leaned back on his seat with many thoughts running through his mind. After a few seconds of silence, he said "Don't tell Harish about this... I also have some doubts about Pridhvi, so I arranged shadow police to watch him...but we couldn't confirm anything."

"But Sir,... If we didn't inform Harish sir, about this... won't it became dangerous for him...?" Bala conveyed his doubt to Rishi.

"No,...but if Harish gets know about this... Even a slight change in his behavior towards Pridhvi might get him into trouble... If the person we are searching for is Pridhvi we shouldn't underestimate him."

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Vaishu sat on the second last bench, at her permanent seat with Midhuna.  She was getting a day like that after a long time, which she never thought she will get again.

After knowing everything from Vaishu, Midhuna was mad at her for not calling her or texting her about anything she was going through. Midhuna was sad that she couldn't help her best friend when she was facing soo many difficulties in her life. But Vaishu erased all her petty quarrels with her sweet innocent smile.

That day at college was very tiring for Vaishu as she was getting an infinite number of questions from her classmates about her long leave and her marriage with Harish. Midhuna was the one who saved her from all the others.

"Vaishu, how will you go? Do I need to drop you?" Midhuna asked Vaishu while walking out of the college.

"No Midhu,... he said he will send his driver to pick me."

"He...? who are you talking about...?" Midhuna asked her even though she knew who Vaishu was talking about.

"He...Uhmm...Harish..." Vaishu stammered at her friend. Her cheeks started to change its shade to red.

Midhuna walked towards her Scooty giving Vaishu a naughty smile. Vaishu waited outside the college compound for the car with a group of thoughts playing in her mind.

She thought about everything that happened that week, about how Harish cared for her. 'Is he doing everything because I'm his wife?... Or is it a compensation for destroying my life?...will he accept me as his wife?... Where will I go if he wants me to leave from his life?' she asked herself.

"Vaishu..." a strong familiar voice brought Vaishu back from her deep thoughts. Vaishu stood there frozen seeing the person standing in front of her with tears in his eyes.......