Hearts And Puzzles

CHAPTER 4

Echo of the past- 4

AVANI'S POV

After some research, we found a good college by the Manglore shores of Karnataka. It had good dorms and getting a seat there with our percentage was not at all a difficult thing. Moreover, we got the seats because of our scholarships.

Hiral was really focused on continuing her education but we, mainly followed her to escape the torture of our houses.

We soon shifted ourselves to Manglore collage of Arts, Karnataka. We all did really well in college; it was our final year when life threw hurdles at all of us.

______

Ridhi fell in love with a boy who worked for a small gang of thugs. And soon she too became a part of the gang. But that wasn't much of a trouble. They were really loyal to each other and it was when Ridhi started to trust other people except us.

Hiral too started seeing a boy who was our senior in the college, Kunal, I guess was his name. He was overly possessive about her and after six months they broke up. But what truly sad was that she started to get abused by her boyfriend and his friends for breaking up.

When Ridhi tired to stop Kunal, Hiral told Ridhi to not to interfere and then they fought about it. And worst of all was that she was diagnosed pregnant two weeks after break up.

Days were the toughest for her and she eventually started to break down. We consoled her all we could. But for a girl who never saw any harshness or cruelty in her life, this was surely too much.

_____

One evening, Ridhi was in the first aid room as she got some hurt in her left elbow and I had been out to fetch us something to munch.

Ridhi and I were happy as we had some good news for Hiral. We had collected money for her abortion. In India, we could never lose virginity before our marriage or that's what we had been following since all these years. Therefore it was impossible to stay in a society, bearing a kid before the wedlock.

I soon got into the dorm and threw open the door only to find Hiral not present in the room.

It was drizzling out. As I searched around the next rooms, I heard loud murmurs of people outside the building from an open window. I bent down the window and saw a huge crowd standing down, whispering to themselves.

I rushed down to see what happened. As I got near the crowd, I asked a random person standing there and, "what happened?". "A girl... Actually..." he stumbled with his words. I ignored his slow talk and went to see for myself as I pushed myself through the crowd and as I reached forward.....

.... I was speechless, startled and tearful. I fell on my two knees as I stared at the ambulance people who took Hiral in a stretcher who had committed suicide by jumping off the terrace.

I immediately tried to call Ridhi with my shaky hands, and as she picked up, I screamed my voice out, "RIDHI!!! HIRAL....
.... HIRAL...HOSPITAL... " I couldn't talk from the shock, my voice trembling as I weeped and sobbed and shrieked.

Ridhi who was actually in her way back ran towards our building and saw the whole scene. She quickly ran behind the ambulance as I kneeled down in front of the crowd with my hands and legs trembling.

The hospital was not far and Ridhi managed to get there. As she ran, the clouds in the sky got darker and denser, it started to rain intensely.

At the hospital, Ridhi was informed that the doctors could not save her. With the help of my other friends, I got to the hospital a little late while Ridhi called Hiral's parents to inform them the news.
They did not start their journey to see their daughter for the last time but instead disowned her completely.

Police followed us as it was a suicide and ordered the autopsy. Therefore, we could not get the body back to look at her for one last time.

Ridhi was strong enough not to cry but held everything inside her and finished all the formalities while I sat in the hospital reception still weeping, both of us drenched from the pouring rain.

Ridhi went back first to the college to finish off rest of the formalities, while I got late to get back from the hospital as I was still trying to calm down.

It was pretty late when I got off the hospital. I started to walk back to the college. I walked down the silent street, forgetting all my senses and trying to push myself into the hard really that Hiral was gone.

It was damp everywhere due to the rain and suddenly two hands grabbed my mouth and my waist from the back and someone lifted me of the ground and threw me into a van.

I shouldn't recall that. If I have a panic attack again, I may crash the car.

I teared up as I remembered the past and stepped on the accelerator and raced across the roads.

Those memories kept popping into my mind, I remembered after that day, for the next one month that is until our graduation, I was depressed. My marks fell to the bottom from the First Class. I refrained from socializing and cried during the nights. I did not talk to anyone. The scar on my chest which is covered said it all. Each time I changed my clothes I saw the scar and each time I saw it I broke down.

Ridhi too had seen it and by now she had surely got the hint that something happened except Hiral's incident. She kept on asking me but I, denied answering everytime. She got scared thinking even I would commit suicide and never left me for a second.

Luckily at the campus placement, I got a job a despite my low grades. When they asked me the reason, I just said that my mom had expired. I got an internship that I could start to weeks after my graduation. I didn't tell anyone about this even Ridhi did not come to know as she was busy getting interviewed herself that day. The job was in Udupi.

It was soon The Graduation Day and that afternoon, after all the celebration was over, I saw the parents hug their children with wide smiles. Ridhi saw my face and quickly understood my expression. She took my hand and told, "You yet have me". But, it didn't move me.

Ridhi went to bring our luggages from the dorms as I waited seated in a corner of our campus, not daring to look up to any human except Ridhi. There was a lot of luggage so Ridhi brought my luggage first and went again to bring hers and Hiral's leftover stuffs .

I saw Ridhi's boyfriend pass across and with great effort I called him, "Prajwal" I said. "Take good care of Ridhi" I said stammering as I put my hand on my luggage's handle.

"Are you leaving somewhere?" He questioned me. "I might not come back, stay happily with her. Ask her not to worry about me and not waste her time on searching me". I said as I ran to the gate with my luggage. I stopped for a second at the gate and turned back and saw Ridhi approaching to her boyfriend. I could read her lips, "Did you see Hiya?".

As I realized she was going to follow me out, I ran out and fetched a taxi and got into it quickly.

As I got into the taxi, I turned back to see Ridhi who just ran out into the busy street, searching for me like a crazy girl. "Stay blessed", I said, my vision blurred with unshed tears, as I saw her shouting my name looking around and weeping all through the back glass of my taxi.

After that day, we never saw each other and now, it has been Seven years.

I had managed to get some money from my parents which I had kept in secret from everyone. Ridhi and I split up Hiral's abortion fee which was not used between ourselves. Therefore I had enough money.

I settled myself in the coasts of Padukere beach with that money and soon with my internship starting, I earned my money from home itself. I also received psychological therapies for depression and PTSDs soon now I have lived in the very same house that lies near the beach for seven years.
_______________________________________________

Thank you so much for 138 reads and 21 votes for our story.
Keep supporting us the same way.
Ily guys❤️