AADAT ~ Kshiteej Kabra

CHAPTER 1

"Kavya...Kya hua Kavya ko?" I spoke, giving an incensed at her statement.

"Bol, Kya hua Kavya ko? Arre Bol na....? I shouted at my room-mate, who had just rushed to our room, saying that Kavya is no longer with us.

She spoke - "Kavya jumped from...." She was so scared that she could not even complete her statement and cried.

I, along with some of my mates, rushed towards the central open area, just below the highest terrace of the most prestigious institute of management.

"Kavyaaaa" we could see her body surrounded by people, while the hostel warden rushed to call the ambulance.

I ran towards her, tried to turn her body, completely covered in blood. Her hair - which used to be the softest - the one she always flaunted - were all in red and I could not even imagine the picture.

"Koi ambulance bulao, koi doctor ko bulao...jaldi bulao yaar"

There was complete chaos, when suddenly one of the girls spoke - "Abhi...Abhimanyu...jaldi phone kar...Abhimanyu ko phone laga"

"Abhimanyuuuuuuuuu"

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"Kavyaaaaaaaaa" he woke up all of a sudden, his sleeve-less t-shirt, fully in sweat, with his long deep breaths as if he is suffering from asthma, completely startled as he got up, from the worst dream of his life, which he was experiencing from the last 4 years.

"Abhi, tu thik hain?" his mom rushed in his room, just when she heard him, giving that loud shout.

Composing into his original self, he got up from the bed, walked towards the mirror, with his dreary eyes, he stared at his reflection - a typical masculine body, no longer interested to impress someone.

"Haan Maa, main thik hoon." Without turning back, he just answered in the air, loud enough for his mom to be audible.

"Koi baat nahi beta. Woh sirf ek sapna tha." His mom spoke to him.

"Keeping her hand on his shoulder, his mom spoke - "Chal beta, tayaar hoja, 6 baj chuke hain. Aaj tera woh award function hain na.

Jaa!"

She composed her son, and left the room.

In the next 20 minutes, he got ready.

I always wondered - his fascinating habit of getting dressed in the most classy way possible - looking just the perfect man - in his masculine body - with accurate matching accessories - just like the cherry on the cake.

His colleagues and people might get impressed, but that was never his intention because from the last 4 years - no one was successful to impress - the very-impressive ABHIMANYU MANTRI.

That day, for the 25th Annual Gathering of his company, of which - he was a part from the last 4 years - he was all dressed in an impeccably-crisp black 3 piece suit.

He went downstairs, touched his mother's feet before leaving and got into his black Chevrolet Cruize LTZ, to flaunt in the busy streets of the commercial capital of India - MUMBAI.

Sharp at 7pm, just the way he was always punctual - he parked his car, and entered the main building of one of the biggest offices of the capital city - INFOSYS Pvt. Ltd.

Right on the 15th floor, he was definitely one of the first employee, shaking hands with his Boss and joining them at the panel.

I still remember the instant - he shook hands with our boss - Shekhar Sir and our eyes struck for the first time - and yes, to be frank - IT WAS MY INFATUATION.