Letting It Go

xxiii.

16th April 2020

Slowly walking, I again reached the main reception. It was huge. . . but then again, I wasn't paying attention to it. My interaction with her parents had left me— shaken to the core.

There was a big stand kept there, indicating which tent was allowed to whom. Just like how it is done in restaurants and hotels, to indicate the day's events.

I quickly scanned the list, finding Kartavya's tent.

There were almost five hundred tents with three-four people in each tent.

After almost going through some thirty pages, I found him.

Tent 243.

*

Sighing, I started walking towards the main reception. A lady was sitting there behind the desk. I really don't remember— my mind was blocked and hazy, so all I remember was asking where tent 243 was.

Since me and Kartavya didn't even share the main dining hall, and all our activities were different, I had no idea where to find him.

Wait.

Wait—

If Kartavya met Sanjhana on her last day that meant Sanjhana either knew where he was living in this huge, huge place. And she found him during night— assuming without getting lost— then, what if; what if she knew this place around? Because from what the lady described Kartavya's tent was really far— AND as far as I remember, it took me almost thirty minutes, after getting lost three times.

××

Anika jumps out of her chair. Something new, finally she finds something new; something she kept on overlooking every time she went through the event— trying to find where she went wrong. What she left, lacked that she wasn't able to solve who killed her, but just ended up in destroying whatever relationships she had.

She needs to call Adeela. Now. Not Radhika, she reminds herself. She would be super mad. Yes, Adeela it is. They need to talk, she thinks, and maybe bridge their differences. She drops her pen and runs out of the room. Frantically, she goes through her messy room— clothes covering every inch of space, papers and books scattered across, some webs dancing across edges of her walls, mirrors covered with paper thin dust— she searches for her phone.

Switching it on, she stares at its bright light dumb folded. Too many missed calls and texts stare at her. She ignores them, and proceeds to call Adeela. But before she can click it, she starts having second doubts. What if Adeela won't hear her out? What if she asks her for more proof? What if she doesn't even want to hear her out? What if she doesn't even pick up, seeing her name?

Maybe, she should complete writing this entry before calling her. Yeah, she should. Then call Adeela. Also, she had promised herself that she would complete one entry a day. She sighs and drops the phone onto her bed. Running her hand through her extremely fuzzy and unkempt hair, she walks out of the room and back to the writing room. Without doing anything else, she picks up the pen, and starts writing again.

×

Come to think of it, I knew Kartavya way before this camp thing started. Kartavya was my class— well, we were even friends, once. As far I knew, he seemed like a good kid. Perfect grades, good impression, and was okay-looking.

I found Kartavya, after struggling in this maze-like thing for 30 minutes.

He was standing near his tent, his back facing the tent. It was at the other corner of the camp, the trees, the air, the students — everything different. Or maybe, I thought so. I ignore the look other students kept passing me, after all I wasn't from that area. And also, because Kartavya was smoking.

And I thought he was a good kid.

I clear my thoughts and tap his shoulders. He turned around, smoke blowing in front of my eyes. I coughed, my nose itching. Shrugging my annoyance, I come straight to the point, "Hi! Did you meet Sanjhana the day she died?" Weird, but then again, I didn't come there for small talk.

He nodded. His shoulders stiffened, and his tugged his shirt straight. His eyes bore in mine, an unknown emotion bubbling in his eyes. 

Radhika was right. She was right as usual.

I again tried, "When did you see her?"

He sighed, and gruffly said, blowing out another puff of smoke, "Why do you need to know?"

I blurted, "I wanted to know if she said anything suspicious or not. . ."

Way to go Anika Trivedi.

I blink, waiting for his answer. He blew another puff of smoke, making me re-consider my decision of even coming here.

Finally, he said, "No—" Pause. Sighing, he repeated, his eyes still staring, "No."

He turned around, which meant I wasn't getting any more answers from him. I turned around and left, not asking twice if— if he could tell me anything.

It was a disappointing day.

××

That's it, Anika jumps up again. She finally— finally found the answer. If not an answer, then even just a potential lead. It is a good day, she thinks. Kartavya was smoking when she went to find him— and legally speaking he was an underage person who was drinking cigarette.

And as far she remembers in a camp full of elders, how the hell did no one notice him? No one stopped him. Students roamed by without giving an air to it.

She rushes out of the room, back to her old messy room. Quickly grabbing her phone, she calls Adeela. No, no—she doesn't have time for second thoughts. After months, she found something.

She can her the ringing. Her heartbeat increases in anticipation. She almost starts taping her foot with impatience as the caller tune keeps on playing a loop of staying safe during Covid-19.

It seems like forever.

It is still ringing.

By now, she is pacing down her room, unable to stand still with all that anxiety. Her heartbeat is louder. Her hands are cold and clammy. She starts pacing faster.

Pick up. Please pick up, she prays.

She doesn't. At least, not yet. Anika doesn't give a damn. She actually does, so she calls her second time. Taking another breath, she calls her. Under all that anxiety and adrenaline rush, she doesn't think twice. She is still pacing, waiting for her to pick up.

She picks it up. Adeela's voice fills up the room, "Hello?"

×××

Okay, so this chapter includes both dairy concept and Anika's point of view.

Thoughts?