-NINE-
1581 Words
Two months flew by and Tuhin and Miloni grew closer. He fell in love with her deeply and became so devoted to her that he was prepared to even change his academic stream to be with her. Tuhin was extremely happy with the way his life was moving. Only thing that bothered him though was the mystery in the quarry. After watching the recorded video, he had visited the place once more but it had rained so heavily that he hadn’t been able to find his way to the crater like cavity. He had then given up on exploring it further.
As the days to the farewell event got closer, Tuhin became unusually tense. He could not pinpoint the reason but something beyond his comprehension made him anxious. He put it down to the consideration that Miloni might change her mind at the last moment about going to the farewell with him. He was aware of Karan stalking her. He didn’t think Miloni knew about Karan however he had seen the i***t following Miloni home.
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Arko and Bani broke up. It was a sensational news in the campus. The details were not known but every one awaited eagerly for Arko to pick his date for the event.
Arko and Bani remained friends although Bani fell into depression. Arko’s ex-girlfriends never disliked him even after break-ups. They continued to be friends with him and tried their best to keep in touch with him. Arko did not spend much time in academics but he had his own ambitions. Although he came from a powerful family, Arko never abused his power. Some misunderstood his attitude for arrogance but most of the juniors worshipped him.
His sister Riya was arriving in a week with a bunch of her friends and they planned to tour the country for a fortnight before returning to Milan. Riya would then come back home and prepare for her wedding.
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Miloni liked Tuhin a lot and she grew closer to him. She shared her future plans with him and her wish to work and live in a bigger city. They met almost every evening after school. Her brothers teased her often and her mother warned her about opportunistic boys. One morning when Miloni and her friends waited for classes to begin, Karan approached them, “Hey Miloni, how are you?”
“Good! What are you doing here?” Miloni asked curiously.
“I wanted to ask you something Miloni. Can you come with me to the canteen?”
The girls looked at each other with interest.
“Whatever you want to say, say it here Karan,” Miloni retorted.
“Ok! Miloni, will you be my date for the farewell event?” he asked awkwardly, his face turning red.
“Sorry Karan. I am going with someone else.”
“Who?” he asked frowning.
Sherry replied, “She is going with Tuhin. Any problem?”
“No, it is ok but Miloni you can do much better than that bore.”
Miloni’s eyebrows went a notch higher and she demanded, “Bore?”
“Yes Miloni, he is a geek and a girl like you deserves a much smarter guy,” Karan asserted.
While Miloni was astounded by Karan’s impudence, Sherry asked bitingly, “I suppose someone smarter like you?”
Well-versed with Sherry’s sarcasm, Nithya and Ajitha smirked. Darting a furious glance at Sherry, Karan replied, “You don’t have to be saucy. I know my limits.”
He stalked away in anger. Miloni shook her head in bafflement, “I never thought he was interested in going out with me.”
“He has been giving you looks in the class. Haven’t you noticed?” Sherry said thoughtfully.
“Has he?” Miloni pondered aloud.
When Miloni met Tuhin that evening, she told him about Karan.
“Oh, I expected it. He has been trailing you since his birthday.”
“What? I didn’t know Tuhin. Sherry also told me the same.”
“She is right. He, even followed you home one evening.”
“Oh dear!”
“Yes, I hope you told him that you are going with me,” Tuhin stated.
Nodding, Miloni sipped the cherry juice from her glass. She was surprised that Karan was stalking her. She and Karan had known each other since kinder garden and their parents were family friends. She had always considered him a decent friend.
Tuhin was unusually quiet that evening and Miloni noticed that he was preoccupied.
“What is the matter? You seem lost Tuhin,” Miloni observed aloud.
“Nothing, it is just that something about this town has been bothering me,” Tuhin replied hesitatingly.
“What about this town?”
“Miloni, you have been here since many years, isn’t it?”
“Yes, since kinder garden. I know the town very well. What do you want to know about this town?”
“It is about the quarry Miloni.”
“The quarry has been here since long. It is an important part of Kymore. It is because of the mining that the town developed from a village to this big.”
“I know but there is something in there that is not right Miloni,” Tuhin’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“What Tuhin? You are scaring me.”
“I am not certain but I am exploring and when I find something concrete, I will tell you.”
“Tuhin, did you inspect the place alone?”
“Yes, I have been there twice or thrice but I haven’t found anything yet.”
“What do you think you will find there?”
“Don’t know Miloni but I am sure that there is something eerie going on there.”
Miloni grimaced at his words, “Tuhin, if you feel something is not right there, why do you go there alone?”
“Next time, I will take you,” he teased and Miloni agreed laughingly.
When they left the restaurant, they were not aware of being watched or followed.
After Tuhin left Miloni at her house, he drove back home in the car that he had borrowed from his father. When he parked the car in the driveway, he got an uncanny feeling of being watched. His eyes wandered around the area but other than neighbours, he found no one suspicious on that dusky evening. Sighing, he sauntered back to his room. His father was having coffee in the living room and he caught sight of his son.
“Tuhin,”
“Yes dad!”
“Only few days left for your finals. Are you preparing for your exams?”
Tuhin nodded, pouring himself a cup of coffee from the jug. He dropped on the couch opposite his father.
“And what about the farewell party? Are you taking a date?”
“Yes dad, I am…”
“Who?”
“Miloni!”
“Who? The instructor’s daughter?”
“Yep, that is her father.”
“Hmm, be careful. Do not repeat the mistake that you made with your brother.”
Tuhin went still at his father’s words. His mother shouted from the kitchen, “Oh be quiet! Leave the boy alone. If he wants to enjoy the school event, let him. Why are you reminding him of the past?”
“So that he does not repeat the mistake,” his father answered and Tuhin, setting aside the cup on the centre table, marched away to his room. Throwing the bag on the bed, he slumped on the bed, covering his face with his hands, he let the pain ease slowly. Someone knocked and he looked up. It was his mother.
“I am sorry Tuhin,” his mother said apologetically, taking a seat beside him on the bed. She slid an arm around his shoulder and murmured, “He can be really insensitive sometimes. I know you won’t do anything like he mentioned.”
“Why wouldn’t he leave it alone mom? Why does he keep taunting me about Sahil?”
Sighing, his mother answered his question, “He means well Tuhin. He keeps taunting you so that you don’t forget your responsibilities. He does not realize that he is hurting you by taunting like that. Don’t worry son. I will talk to him. You enjoy your big date evening.”
After his mother left him, Tuhin dug out an old album from the cupboard and leafed through its pages. There were many pictures of the family, including his brother Sahil. He looked at the picture of the boys smiling at the camera with their dog. There was another photo with their mother, clicked in a faraway resort and there was one where Tuhin was sitting on the floor and Sahil standing behind him with one hand on Tuhin’s shoulder.
Tuhin recalled the tragic day when he had lost his brother. The family of four had gone on a holiday to a sea side resort for a weekend. Tuhin had been eight years of age and Sahil had been three. Their parents had left them alone in the suit for a dinner with other guests of the resort.
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- Writer
