The real Killer

Five

Arnav opened the sixth box. In it were diaries. From the year she was five to the year she was twenty five. All were very neatly arranged. He looked at her handwriting. She had good handwriting..

He bagan from the childhood one..

There were many things written in them.From her daily experience to her small stories she had penned down. She was a rebellious child. She did what she wished to. Sometimes cutting her long hair short to wearing boy's clothes,she did everything. And her mother and father supported her fully. She was different in her own way..

Her education began with her parents then home tutor. Then she walked through school. She had questions that sometimes even her teachers had no answers..

Anand Gupta,the eldest child of Guptas,who had worked as their cook,from generation was her first friend. Then she met Dev Raichand. They both came from similar background. And both became best friends. Dev was charming,handsome,kind,generous. Both were going to get married when they grew up. The Raichands parents and Raizadas were very happy. Dev had a younger sister,Sanjana..The four,Sristi,Anand,Dev and Sanjana were a group. They spend their childhood together. They grew up together..

All the first few diaries were filled with sweet memories of them. There were times she would complain about how Sanjana was trying to take her Anand away. Soemtimes she was so possesive about Anand Gupta,that Arnav laughed. Soemwhere he could see,her fallen for Anand Gupta. Anand Gupta was a painter. He liked to paint. She would often aske him to paint her,and he would tease her, telling her she was ugly..
And Sristi would silently leave..

Anand had painted his parents,Dev,Sanjana and everyone else. Yet he never painted Sristi. And she would sometimes nag him and they would fight playfully..

Arnav laughed reading those moments. How innocent childhood is..

They were growing up. Suddenly a storm hit Sristi's life. Her father's untimely demise. He was healthy and good. Yet suddenly he left. The Raizada empire was crumbling. And she had to stand tall to shoulder her responsibility. Her brothers were young. Arnav's dad was only three and his uncle was new born..

The distance between friends grew. Dev and Sanjana left for higher studies. She only had Anand by her side. He was busy with his paintings too. Yet they still found time to be there..

"Dear me,I have turned eighteen. Anand has turned twenty two. Dev and Sanjana sometimes send letters. They are happy in England eating bread toasts. We are happy too.. Arvind had grown up a little. Yet he and Amar both are little wicked. I donot know where they are learning things from. But yesterday Arvind asked me to stop going to office as I was a girl. It was rightfully his. Maa laughed it off. Yet I could see the seriousness in his eyes..Maa jokingly said to wait for few days . As soon as Dev returns,she will send me to my in laws..
Dear me. I donot love Dev. I admire Dev for his personality. I wish Dev would be happy in his life. Yet love,no. We are far from it. Infact I may not understand what love is. I know Maa. The moment she would hear I donot love Dev,she would immediately fix our marriage..Still this heart is not a toy. It longs for someone to call mine. To live a simple life..May be like Anand's.."
Arnav read those lines.. So she had a soft corner for Anand yet she dare not address it..She wished to live a simple life.

"Today Dev and Sanjana came. They returned home. Dev has grown up. Sanjana is so beautiful. Her bubbly nature made her a friend with Arvind and Amar instantly. Dev too likes them both. They are playing some games. According to them I am an workoholic. Thank God Anand is different. He sat with me sketching something. We didnot talk much. Actually we both are not much talking type. But we understand each other. He knows when I cried,after Maa scolded me,for I slapped Arvind. Maa always does that. Pampering her sons. Children are like plants. If we donot guide them,they would wither or they would dry..Maa does not understand that. Comparison doesnot make one great person. She was comparing Dev's grades with Anand and mine. Now she is doing the same,comparing me with my brothers. It has created a veil between us. They think I am egoistic because I scored well. It would only poison their mind further..Siblings,family are like beads stringed together to make a beautiful ornament. Only when there is harmony in family,can peace exist. But after Baba,it feels like Maa has become obsessed with my brothers. She feels insecure. May be it's because I am a daughter,and I would have my life in future,she wishes to create distance between us..But life is not like that..Leave it. At least I have him,my silent companion. He hears everything I say,yet remains quite. I will break that silence of his one day,I swear. And then he would look for me,to hear me,yet would not find me.."
Arnav smiled reading her.Anand was so important to her that he was almost in every page of her diary..Yet both never confessed..