Nenjamellam kadhal

Chapter 27

I sat in the middle of the bus, taking his phone into my hands. Dialling my own number, I couldn't help but smile at the contact name he had saved for me. When I got the busy tone, I ended the call and patiently waited for her to call back or try again later. With a sense of boredom, I opened YouTube and started watching random videos suggested on his home screen.

Suddenly, after just a few minutes, a loud glass-shattering sound echoed from the back of the bus. Alarmed, when I quickly stood up to examine the source of the sound, a stone had smashed through the front windscreen, flying inside and striking my forehead as I stood directly in its path in front of the windscreen.

The blow from the stone had caused a cut on my forehead, and blood began to flow. Before I could fully understand what had happened, more stones were hurled from the sides and backside of the bus, targeting the glasses. I dropped to the floor, shielding myself with my hands and a dupatta, but a few glass fragments managed to pierce the skin on my back and hands. Pain radiated throughout my body, and the sensation of burning from the new glass injuries was intense.

Within moments, the onslaught stopped, and I cautiously raised my head to assess the situation. I noticed my hands were covered with tiny glass shards, a few of which caused bleeding. While inspecting my wounds, I overheard a conversation among a group of boys outside the bus, "Avanungaladha onnum panna mudila, ippo idhu podhum namma yaarunu kaata, aduthu yepovadhu sikamaya poiduvanunga, appo pathukulam. Ipodhiki idhu podhum vanga da polam."

Through the broken window, I saw the four boys leaving the area. As I moved slightly to look at them better, I winced in pain. I sensed a burning, moist sensation on my backside as well, indicating that I was also bleeding from the glass shards embedded there.

I decided to call from his phone to update someone about the situation. Ramya answered, and her voice carried a sense of urgency and anxiety when she heard my voice, "Enga pona nee? engellam theditrukom? Odaney Nee backstage va. Inga orey sanda, nee thania engaum iruka venam."

Tears welled up in my eyes, and my voice trembled as I replied, "I am on our college bus. Someone broke the windscreen glass and windows with stones. I was on the bus when they started to throw stones, and I couldn't get down. I think I am bleeding since glass pierced my back and hands."

"Stay on the line with me," Ramya instructed. I could hear her directing Sakthivel and Jithu to head towards the bus. Carefully, I made my way over the glass shards, exited the bus, and stood near the door.

Within a few minutes, Ramya, Anna, Jithu, and Sakthivel, accompanied by the professor, arrived. As Mukhil Anna and Jithu turned on their phone torches, Ramya assessed my injuries, and her anger was detectable as she asked me, "Nee en d inga vandha? En nee professor phone vachiruka?"

I glanced at the professor, who remained silent. "Professor dha kudutharu," I told her, extending his phone to him.

The professor took the phone and explained, "Nandha iva anga irundha ivala vachu sanda poduvanga nu inga kootitu vandhu ingaye iruka sonnen. Ungala bus ku poi avaloda irukka solla dha tirupi auditorium vandhen, ana anga vandhapo Arjun, Jithu aparam mathavanga ellam argue pannitu irukavum vera teacher ah kupda ponen ungala samalika sollitu na bus ku varalamnu, aana adhukulla ipdi aiduchu."

Ramya couldn't contain her anger and lashed out, "Neenga yaru avala inga kootitu vandhu okara vaika? avaloda sister na, idho ivan anna madri, ivan avan anni oda thambi, Sakthivel jatti matum potrundha kaalathula irundhu enga friend, engalukku paathuka theriadha avala? enga kuda irundhrundha ava bhatharama irundhrupa. Ippo pathingala epdi iruka nu?"