Loose Ends

Chapter 1
In the main space of an abandoned factory, a 24 year old woman was lying in a pool of coal tar, without any bodily movement.  Footsteps approached her surroundings and a 21 year old man tried to wake her up by tapping on her face as he addressed her as his sister. He picked her up in his arms and left the factory.
A month later the 21 year old is standing in a docket opposite to a local MLA, Balavanth. The judge pronounced the verdict, ‘We have examined the circumstantial evidence and information and based on the examination, the court pronounces Shrey, not guilty.
Ten minutes later, outside the court, Balavanth met Shrey and said, ‘You killed my son and his friends and spun a story that they killed each other. Teenagers tend to have some fun. In that process, they kidnapped your sister and were about to send her immediately after they have done their job. You killed my son without even letting him have some fun. I am not going to take this lightly. I will avenge my son’s death for sure, whenever I get a chance.’ Shrey didn’t say a word. Balavanth left in his convoy and Shrey left with his sister.
The next day, Shrey and his sister were at the departure terminal in Delhi airport. Shrey’s sister complained, ‘Why do you have to send me abroad to my friends all of a sudden? I have everything I need here.’
‘Sister, I have no choice. Balavanth is very powerful. For the time being, you should go there. If possible, find a guy for yourself because I may not be able to do it.’
Shrey’s sister blushed and said sarcastically, ‘Yeah, yeah, that’s the only thing left for me to do. You should find a girl first.’
Shrey smile and said, ‘With Balavanth behind my back, no girl will dare to hold my hand. I won’t even get a job. He won’t let it happen.’
‘Shrey’s sister said reassuringly, ‘don’t be so pessimistic. Open up your mind a bit. Take care Shrey and I will keep calling you whenever I get time.’ Shrey nodded and his sister went into the terminal.

Chapter 2
6 months later, Shrey seated himself by a corner table towards the wall in a canteen at IIT-Delhi. As he sat staring at his empty plate, he heard a chair being pulled. He lifted his head towards his right side and saw a woman sitting beside him. She smiled and waved her hand at him. Shrey asked, ‘What brought you to me?’
‘I told you what I thought about you. It has been 6 months. Don’t you think that it’s time you tell me what you are thinking about me.’
‘I hope you heard the rumours about me by now. I can and I will have to live with them. I didn’t even get a job, thanks to Balavanth. I have an idea but I am not sure whether it would work out. I have nothing in my hand right now. You still have a year and a half to go in college and a bright future ahead. I do like you but I wouldn’t say yes. It is better if you, WHOA!’ The twenty year old woman held him by his shirt collar and pulled him near to her as he turned his head towards her. She kissed him briefly on his lips.
She sat silently for a while. The people in the canteen stared at them for a while and went back into their own businesses. She spoke softly, ‘I don’t know whether or not you did it. If you did it, you did it to save your sister. I didn’t find anything wrong in that.’
Shrey held her left hand with both his hands and said, ‘Thank you, this means a lot to me. I Love you Shreya.’
Shreya smiled at him for a while and said, ‘What idea do you have, by the way?’
‘I am writing an operating system. I named it Uboc.’
‘Do your friends tease you with my name, Shreya?’
Shreya smiled, ‘They keep pulling my leg until my whole face turns red.’

Chapter 3
Five years later, Shreya was working in her cubicle by her desktop computer in her workplace. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up. ‘Shrey, is it urgent, honey?’
The voice on the phone said, ‘Don’t go with your friends. Come to my house.’
‘Okay.’
After finishing her work, Shreya reached Shrey’s individual house in the outskirts of the city in the evening. She opened the door went into the living room. She asked him curiously, ‘What is it?’
‘You know that there weren’t much sales of Uboc for about 5 years. The sales went very well since a month. Now I have crore and a half in my bank account.’
Shreya smiled mischievously and said, ‘So this is why you weren’t meeting me as much as you did usually.’ She hugged him and asked, ‘Where’s the party?’
Two months later, Shrey was sitting in front of Shreya’s father. Shreya and her mother were sitting by the dining table nearby overhearing the conversation. Her father spoke, ‘Look dear, I have had enough of this. This girlfriend of yours had a brother who is very protective about his friends. He said he would put his life on the line for them. Sadly, one day he did it.’ Her father sighed and stayed calm for a while. He continued, ‘You might have forgotten but what about Balavanth. He will surely come for you one day. I don’t want my daughter to go through all of that. I am denying you for her. You can take her away if both of you wish. She won’t come back here after that.’
Shreya’s mother intervened, ‘Why do you have to bring my son’s topic every time? Didn’t your father die at the border?’
Her father didn’t respond. Shreya stood up and went into her room. Her mother frantically followed her. She packed her things as her mother asked, ‘Don’t you think you should ask him again?’
‘Mom, what’s there to ask now? Shrey had been asking him since two years. He didn’t say yes. A month ago he got me engaged forcibly. The marriage is due in a week. If I don’t move out now, I will die with regret later.’
Her mom said calmly, ‘I think this is meant to happen. You are determined, just like my mother. If you think what you are doing is right, you should do it.’
Shreya packed her belongings. She hugged her mom for a while and said, ‘Take care of him, mom. Call me if you need me for any help. Don’t hesitate about what he would think.’
Shreya and Shrey left with her belongings.