Seventeen

Epilogue

(Four and half years later)

Farhan signed the register on the table in front of the chief officer.

"So... Go live a better life." The officer said.

"Thank you, sir," Farhan said.

"Will anyone come to receive you?" He asked.

"Hopefully," I said. "My parents and..." he hesitated for a second and added, "...and my friends."

"Good." The officer said.

Farhan's punishment period was over and he was to go out to the world that day. Honestly, he was a lot scared. It was easier inside these walls, perhaps. But once he was outside, the world may never accept him and will be called a 'murderer' for the rest of his life. It might be impossible to get back into society and live a normal life.

So he paused a bit on the threshold of the juvenile prison. Nervous, worried...

"When do you think he will be out? I mean, at what time..." Farhan could hear a familiar voice.

"It's about time, right?" Another familiar voice.

"What's taking him so long? I already miss him so much..." Another familiar voice.

"Shut up. You are just hungry. Aren't you?" Another familiar voice.

Farhan laughed... Those idiots. They were here already. He walked out. Farhan saw his parents. But before them, he felt the five of them jump on him in a tight hug. "Farhan..." They called in unison. He hugged them back. Ishan, Arjun, Jiggy, Adithi and Suhana...

Everything felt normal. When Farhan was home, even when a lot of neighbours were staring at him and whispering, there was no chance for him to get concerned over it as the other five was not leaving him to be unhappy. They were telling him stuff and showing him things eagerly. It felt like he came back from just a vacation or something.

"You don't know my misery now," Jiggy told him when they were just hanging out in Farhan's room. These two and these two," he pointed at Arjun-Suhana and Ishan-Adithi, "are in a relationship now... always in each other's arms. It feels so lonely for a single guy like me." He faked sobbing. "I am going too lonely..."

"Then you should get a girl too," Farhan said to him laughing. He laughed... But then, he looked a bit sad. Arjun lightly hit Farhan. Farhan looked at him. Was this a banned topic?

Jiggy was looking totally normal that Farhan could not know the reason...

"That girl...his ex-girlfriend got married to someone last month," Arjun hissed to Farhan in a low voice.

Farhan looked at Jiggy with sympathy.

Jiggy sat down and did not like the topic. He took out his mobile and looked at the photo on his mobile again. He had found Reva's wedding photo on FB a few days back. As some girls from his old class was invited to the wedding, and they were tagged in the photograph. He showed the photo to Farhan.

Jiggy looked like he was struggling hard to keep in his tears and keep the smile. But he was still smiling, in a sad way. But still...

"He looks like a nice guy," Jiggy said looking at Reva's groom. "Right?"

"You are saying that for the millionth time now, Jiggs," Adithi said.

"Good looking and looks rich." Jiggy continued. The NRI guy her parents wanted her to have. He did not want to fret about the fact that if the past with him cause any problem in Reva's married life. That would be too cruel to that girl. He did not want her to suffer from any sort of sadness ever. "I just hope she will be happy.... Always," he said, honestly.