The Girl With No Surname

Part 6 - Time to face the truth

Shaurya watched Anokhi, as she paced up and down the room, fuming. At first, he did not tell her anything but after some minutes, he changed his mind.

'Anokhi baith jao. It's okay. Ye sab hota rehta hai. This was just a prelim exam.'

Anokhi stopped. Turning at Shaurya, she said, 'Ye aab keh rahe ho Mr. Saberwal? Aap khud ek lawyer hoke ye sab bol rahe ho? Aapko pata hai ki maine kitni mehnat ki thi. Par usne cheating karke mere se zyaada marks lekar aa gaya! Maine khud dekha hai usko cheating karte huye.'

Shaurya stood up, a little irritated, 'Anokhi tum overreact kar rahe ho. I am telling you that final exam mein ye karna possible nahi hoga. The security will be tighter then. Yahan wo ladka trustee ka beta hai, uska ek alag jagah hai. Koi use kuch nhi bolega. Samajh rahi ho? This is corruption and it's quite normal here.'

Anokhi was not to be put down that easily, 'Normal? Ye normal hai? Just because he has the Mehra surname, he can do anything right? Aur yehi ladka jake desh ka bada lawyer banega. Khud ek criminal hokar bhi. Aur main, jiske naam ke aage Mehra to kya koi bhi surname nhi hai, main mehnat karke bhi wahan nhi pahuch paungi. Aur aap keh rahe ho ki ye NORMAL hai. Shyah!'

She twisted her face in anger. Shaurya sighed. He knew that she could be quite adamant sometimes, especially in the case of injustice. But here, she didn't have anything to do. What could she do? Noone would listen to her. Instead, the guy might mark her for trying to defame him in college, and his father too might join hands to make her life a living hell. He knew how far these people could go to fulfil their malicious intentions.

He came towards her and put his hands on her shoulders, gently pressing them a little.

'Anokhi, Anokhi, pehle shant ho jao. Thande dimag se socho. Tum abhi impulsively kuch karne jaogi to ye log tumhare peeche pad jayenge. Wait karo thoda. Final exam aane do. Main khud baat karunga tumhare principal se.'

Anokhi shoved his hand away, 'Aap kyu baat karenge? Kyu baat karenge aap? Guardian ho aap mere? Kya ho kya aap?'

Shaurya was stunned at her reaction. She had never been so rude with him before. A simple reply escaped his lips,

'Dost hu main tumhara. Mentor bhi. At least I thought so.'

Anokhi showed him a hand, 'Bas kijiye aap. Bas kijiye. Aap agar mere dost hote to iswaqt mujhe chup rehne ki nahi, balki kuch karne ki salah dete. Nhi ho aap dost mere.'

She walked up to him and poked at his chest with her finger, 'Aap ek buzdil insaan ho. Aapko pata hai na kitni mehnat karke mujhe yahan admission mili hai? Main hostel mein padh nhi pati hu thik se isiliye yahan aa jati hu. College ki library chota hai, aur bada koi library ki fees nhi bhar sakti isiliye aapki library se reference books lena padhta hai. Itna favors leke, itni mehnat karke main padhne ki koshish kar rahi hu aur ye log, bas kuch cheats bana lete hai aur top kar jate hai? Aapko to pta hai na Mr. Saberwal, ki agar main top nhi kar payi to apna scholarship kho dungi higher studies ke liye? Aur aap mujhe chup rehne ko bol rahe ho? You may be a coward, but I am not. Main principal ko aur bki sab ko sab sach sach bol dungi.'

With that she was about to leave but Shaurya stopped her by grabbing her hand. She had hit a raw nerve. He pulled her so hard that she crashed against him, her hands accidentally holding onto the lapel of his blazer for support.

Shaurya shook her hard, 'Coward hu main? Darta hu? Haan darta hu main. Darta hu par apne liye nahi.'

He cupped her face with his hands and said, 'Main tumhare liye darta hu Anokhi. Ki wo log tumhe koi nuksaan na pahuchaye. Tumhe pareshan na kare. Main janta hu aise logon ko. Mera pala pada hai inse Anokhi, tumhara nhi. Lawyer hoke bhi kuch nhi kar paya tha main. Mera reputation....mera....mera career....meri zindagi kharap kar di......Anokhi.....'