It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

33

If ever given a choice between educating you...or...I would choose to give up your education."

The words kept ringing.

Bondita sat on her bed rocking to and fro, her knees close to her chest. What would she do now ? Till this time she thought it was just an incident she had to disclose to her Pati Babu. He would be hurt, devastated...but that would end there.
She never thought about the concequences. And now she was scared for herself. What would become of her ? She was too young to be a mother. The fear of the known griped her. Pati Babu told her that was body was not yet ready. What if she ends up getting hurt ?

And her studies. How will she continue her studies with a baby ?

She had never been this frightened before in her life. Frightened of sharing her pain with her Pati Babu. She could feel sweat forming on her forehead and her breathing got rapid and shallow.

What was happening to her ?

Aniruddh decided to go to bed early. He had been feeling restless shortly. Like something was not right. And the first thing he ever did whenever he felt off was going to Bondita. Looking at her, talking to her made half of his worries go away. He hoped she was not asleep early.

Bondita heard the knock on the door and his voice.

" Bondita...?"

She didn't know what to feel. Happy that he was here or scared of him seeing her like this. Should she hide ?

She hurriedly wipped her sweat and tried to calm her breathing. It was not very effective.

Aniruddh pushed the door open when he didn't get the response. He had assumed that she was awake as it was still not her bed time and the lights were on when he knocked but maybe she was not. He peeked in like every day expecting to see her asleep. But she was just sitting on her bed. As soon as she noticed him she jumped down the bed. The sudden moment made her wince and she brought her hand to her lower abdomen instantly.

" Bondita...?! Are you ok ?!" He barged in walking towards her.

Bondita was getting worried about this pain. Yes it was not as bad now, but the she still felt soar there. She had understood where the blood on sheets that day had come from but she didn't understand how. Was it normal ? Did it cause this much pain to every woman ? Should she consult someone ? The thoughts of her being pregnant was rasing her worry about her own health. She should have not made the sudden move.

He was waiting for her answer with worried eyes, bent to her eye level.

" I am alright Pati Babu." She was now. It pained for only a moment on sudden action.

" You don't look alright. Why are you sweating ? And is your stomach hurting ?"

" It's alright Pati Babu. It could be just..." What should she tell him ? the truth ? "my periods." She saw Aniruddh's lips form an 'o'.
She was not lying. Her cycles were around the corner, three to four days away.

" Are you in pain ?" Aniruddh asked her softly. " And just sit down first." He held her shoulders and made her sit on the bed. She was not meeting his eyes.
" Can I do something for you Bondita...?"

How could someone be so sensitive to other's pain ? What if she got pregnant ? How would it hurt him to see her like that when he could not see her go through something as normal as menstruation without getting worried.

" I am fine Pati Babu."

Bondita was spewing lies infront of her Pati Babu. She could feel her heart sink. But she just couldn't bring herself to tell him. She herself didn't know why she was sweating this much, feared this much. She could tell her Pati Babu anything then why ? It was as if she was enveloping herself in sadness and grief and fear. She had not felt like that ever before. Was she alright ?