AN UNEXPECTED EVIL

CH-8

The following night, Santosh also saw the beasty side of Harshvardhan.

A month later

Schools had started. Raj and Saavi were getting back to their regular routine. 

"Will you be okay?", Santosh asked Raj. "I will! My studies will help me to take my mind off that.", he said, assuring her.

At school

GOOD MORNING, MA'AM

Everyone in class greeted the teacher. The teacher motioned her hands and they all sat. Then they all handed the holiday homework to the teacher. Raj was still thinking about her mother.       "Class, I think the best homework was done by Raj. He has prepared the best project! Plus, Sonia has done pretty beautiful project too!", the teacher declared. Sonia flushed and Raj smiled slightly.

It was the break time now. The day was dull for Raj. He sat in a corner with his lunch box. Sonia approached him. "Hi Raj!", she greeted him; a smile on her face. The sunlight was falling on her face, making it look radiant. Her smile was the best in the whole world as it made her look more beautiful and made her look kind. 

"Hello Sonia!", Raj greeted back and looked down at his lunchbox and began to eat. Sonia knew that he was not feeling happy. "Er...", she spoke out, thinking about what to speak. "Yes?", Raj looked puzzled. "Raj, how's Saavi?", she asked. "She is good. Her school has started too.", he said. 

Sonia! Come here!

Some girls of Sonia's basketball team called her. "I'll be right back. Take care.", she said to Raj.

Meanwhile, there was a boy sitting near him. He had not noticed his presence, but now, he actually did. "Hello Chandan!', he greeted. "Hi!", he greeted back, uninterestingly. Chandan Raichand was an intelligent guy of Raj's class. But, no one liked him. Everyone ignored him, including Sonia. But Raj didn't. 

Chandan was smoking. "Chandan! What are you doing!!?", Raj said. "I am smoking, of course!", he replied. "But......", Raj began to speak. "That's not right. That's what you wanted to say.", Chandan interrupted. "Yes. You can't smoke. You are underage.", Raj said. "So? That's just a lame excuse for restricting me from smoking.", he replied. "No! It will affect your respiratory system negatively. It can cause cancer too. It can lead to death.", Raj explained. Chandan still continued smoking and ignored Raj.

 "Do you want to live or not?", Raj asked furiously

"That depends on the type of life I live. Stressing can kill you and smoking kills my stress.", he said. "You can meditate to get out of stress.", Raj said, now getting tired. "That's another stupid activity they do and pretend that they are happy. That's dumb.", he said. "Everything...everyone, is dumb for you... Okay! Continue with your smoking and destroy your life. I don't know what kind of stress you have in life. But smoking won't end your stress. That's just an obsession.", Raj said very furiously. 

"For someone who hasn't been through any rough days, it's very easy to talk about relieving stress.", Chandan said in a sarcastic way referencing Raj. "So. What's your problem?", Raj finally asked him. 

"Rapists. Rape.", he replied. "What? Do you rape?", Raj said, laughing. "Rape is no joke you jackass!", he shouted at him, his eyes showing anger. "Alright. Alright. I am sorry.", Raj apologized. Chandan continued. "Actually, an year ago, I was in a hotel with my friends and cousins and my young sister. She was thirteen. She went to the washroom and never returned back. I went to check. There I saw her on the floor, in pain, she was bleeding. We took her to hospital and...", he paused. He was feeling suffocated. Then he continued. "The doctor told that my sister got raped. After a week, my sister did a suicide.", he explained. His face was full of tears now.

"Now that you know the reason of my stress, would you like to have a ciggarette?", he added. 

Raj shook his head and tried to act friendly with him. He was still thinking about his mother, the simpleton who was quiet since ages.

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