Give Me All Your Pain

13. Had Enough

Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

- Buddha




Aanya

We all have a vivid picture inside our heads of what we want, but sometimes it's difficult to put into words, so we seek references. However, when those references fall short of our imagination, it's incredibly frustrating.

I pushed away a ridiculously written foreign author's book, utterly disappointed by its failure to meet my expectations. Leaning back in my chair, I let out a heavy sigh.

How on earth was I supposed to complete my project within a month if I couldn't even find the necessary data to support my ideas?

I glanced around at my fellow students in the library, their heads buried in books or their eyes fixed on laptop screens. The entire library was wrapped in silence, except for the soft murmurs emanating from the corners.

Everyone else appeared so focused and immersed in their studies, and here I was, drowning in stress and frustration.

This library was a four-story building with ample space for nearly all university students to study. But what good was it if they didn't have a single book to assist me with my project?

My creative passion and curiosity had driven me to this point, but now, as things didn't go as planned, I found myself growing increasingly angry and exasperated.

With a defeated expression, I closed my laptop and stuffed my papers back into my bag. I had to escape this suffocating atmosphere. Leaving the library, I pulled out my phone to call Nidhi, but then I noticed several missed calls from Professor.

We had just met yesterday, so why was he calling me again? Was it about the file he gave me? If that was the case, he'd be disappointed, as I hadn't had the chance to read it yet due to my exhaustion from the previous day.

Interrupting my chain of thoughts, I dialed his number. After three rings, he answered with a cheerful tone. "Hey there, Kiddo. Good morning," he greeted.

"Good morning, Professor. What's the reason for today's call?" I inquired.

"Abhinav is attending his session today, and I need to discuss something with both of you. Can you come over today?" he requested.

I had a lecture scheduled for 12:30 PM, and skipping it would affect my attendance and final grades. But... I found myself hesitating. "I'll be there in one hour. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that will be great," he said appreciatively.

.

.

.

As I arrived at Professor's house, sweat was dripping down my forehead, and my stomach was growling with hunger since I hadn't managed to grab breakfast in the morning, as usual. But Abhinav's situation was far more pressing, and I knew I could eat later.

For some reason, I felt an overwhelming sense of importance attached to his case. I had even skipped my lecture for him.

Ravi Ji, the caretaker, opened the door and welcomed me inside. In the living room, I found Satyam. I had last seen him two days ago when he dropped me back home.

That night had left a lasting impression on me, with Mr. Rude's puzzling behavior and his subsequent avoidance of me.

Satyam's expression turned into a frown as he noticed me. "What are you doing here?" His tone was not welcoming; instead, he seemed worried about my presence.