Main Tenu Fir Milangi

Chapter 12

Raam was still a lot awkward around me but seems like I couldn't catch a break because as soon as I entered the house, Raj called me and said something which added more pain to my pounding headache.

"Okay Vaidehi, don't panic but I've got a bad news." He said.

"Well, this day is getting better and better. What's the beautiful news you got for me?" I asked him, getting irritated already.

Raam raised his eyebrow after catching my sarcasm. 

"Well, someone messed with your locker. I noticed it just now, when I went to the locker room. The locker is completely thrashed." He said cautiously, trying to judge my reaction.

I could hear blood pounding in my ears.

"How?" That was all I could manage to whisper.

"We don't know, but we are trying to find out. I just called to ask if you know that something like this was about to happen?" He enquired and that brought me out of my reverie.

"What do you mean? How would I know that something like this was bound to happen?" I almost yelled at him, getting frustrated with each passing minute.

Now this had Raam's attention. He leaned to the kitchen door while keeping an eye on me, trying to figure out my next move. 

"The things, the reports and your private investigation about the incident two years back, it's all gone. There is nothing left about it. I am sorry. I know you have tried a lot to collect all the clues, but it's all gone now. In one line, every report in your locker has been burned to ashes. I tried but nothing could be saved." Raj tried to explain me in soft voice.

But nothing could calm the raging fire in my mind. I was beyond the point where I could restrain my anger.

"Raj, I'll call you tomorrow. Until then, don't call or message me. Don't try to contact me and don't worry about me." And I hung up.

I went to my room and threw the lamp on the floor, shattering it into pieces. I threw everything that I could get ahold of. Soon, my room was a mess, but still I was unsatisfied. So, I screamed. I screamed at the top of my lungs. My feet were bleeding because I stepped on the shards of the glass but I paid no attention. All my efforts, all my findings were gone. My only clue that could help me to find those ******** was gone now. 

My vision was blurred with angry tears that I didn't notice someone caging me in their arms. 

"Vaidehi.... stop. Calm down." Raghav tried to stop me but I kept trying to free myself from his hold. So, he tightened his grip on me. He tried to restrain me and hence I became more agitated and screamed again for him to let me go. But he just kept tightening his grip until I was fully exhausted. 

I was breathing really heavily and was feeling really drained. So, I just sat down with the support of my bed. Raam too, sat beside me, still keeping his arms around me just in case, I again tried to do something. 

"Calm down. What happened? What's wrong?" Raam tried to ask me but my mind was still not in my control. I could not think straight.

"Vaidehi, please. I am trying here, okay. I may not understand everything that's going on here, but I do trust Manish Sir. That's why, I am trying to make it right." Raam said.

I understood what he meant. But I was tired of hiding. So damn tired of everything. It was suffocating me. So, I got up and went towards my cupboard. 

Raam too got up to support me and navigate me through the mess in the room. I was thankful for it right now. I pulled out a box and sat down on the bed. I opened the box which always gave me bittersweet memories. I took a shuddering breath as I looked at its contents. For years, I have tried to open and look at it but always failed. But somehow, today, with this man sitting next to me, I finally gathered the courage to revisit my memories.

I sat silent for god knows how long, until Raam gently pulled me back to reality.

"Who is this girl?" He asked in a gentle voice as looked at the picture in my hand.

"That's Ritu." I said in a meek voice and immediately my eyes were filled with tears, once again. I couldn't go on, so I closed the box and took a deep breath to calm myself.

"What happened? What's bothering you so much?" Raam asked as he got up to bring the first aid box. He cleaned my wounds while I tried to find right words.

"Three years back, there was an attack in the university. 12 students died while more than 30 were injured. Ritu was one of them." I said shakily.

"I... I am so sorry..." Raam said in an unsure voice, as if he wasn't expecting something like this.

"They kept the people hostage before killing them off, after they were satisfied. I was one of the hostages. I know that these people are dead, but police said they are missing. They freaking said that these young college students went missing and even stopped searching for them after a few weeks. Their parents are waiting for them, Raam. They are waiting for their children to come back home... they are....." I broke down remembering the look on Ritu's mother's face. 

She was angry, helpless, broken and even mad for the fact that I survived. I don't exactly blame her.

"I was the only one who survived out of their killing, Raam. So, they used everything in their power to prove me crazy. They kept asking me for proves. And the parents, they kept asking me how the hell I survived when their children didn't. I..... I.... couldn't answer them... They even... even said... that... maybe... maybe I did something to please them... so that they left me alive." I couldn't say anything further as it disgusted me to the core. They were not wrong, though. How can I smile and live freely when my friends died in front of my eyes.

"Stop it. Stop blaming yourself. It isn't your fault. It is the fault of those, who did all this and the fault of our system which failed to drag them to hell." Raam said as he held my face in his palms.

"I tried so hard.... so hard to collect.. all those evidences.... I even had some big clues... but someone burned them all.... someone destroyed it all.... everything's gone, Raam. I was a foolish to think that I could beat them. I lost. I lost everything Raam. I failed them all. I...." Before I could finish, Raam pulled me to his chest.

"No... shhhh... you didn't fail Vaidehi. How could you? I never knew that you were so strong. We can do this. We'll do this. I promise you. Not just for you, but for all these young kids. For all those parents who are waiting for their children. They deserve the truth. They deserve justice. They deserve the closure. And we'll give it to them. I may not remember my past, but this.... this all feels so.... so personal to me.... that I can not ignore these things. I'll help with all that I can." Raam said while staring deep into my soul. 

And me being the idiot who once fell in love with those eyes, again found myself getting lost in the warmth of his soul.

HEY EVERYONE. SO, IT HAS BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME SINCE I UPDATED. I WAS STUCK WITH ASSIGNMENTS AND PRACTICALS. BUT HERE IT IS NOW. VAIDEHI TOLD RAAM THE TRUTH. BUT DID SHE TELL HIM EVERYTHING? OR ARE THERE MORE TRUTHS HIDDEN BENEATH. STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT. TILL THEN, BYE BYE. TAKE CARE. AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT. ❤️