Kuch Keh Na Sakein || DROPPED

Aagaaz

Anirudh was encircled by a group of students, as Kartik, the bully, demanded him to speak. "Ayee man, why so silent huh? Speak up! said Kartik.

Kartik was a former basketball captain, armed with an air of dominance. Known as the infamous school bully, his popularity among girls was rooted not only in his athletic skills but also in his heart-throbbing looks. Hailing from a wealthy family, Kartik enjoyed a life where every desire was fulfilled— a classic case of a kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He regularly targeted weaker classmates.

When Anirudh remained silent, Kartik lost it, delivering a sharp blow to the poor victim. "Abey Kartik yaar! You know he can't speak what the heck are you-" His friend tried to stop him but Kartik just pushed him away.

"Roy, you can't speak, right? Let's settle this physically." Kartik taunted as he grabbed Anirudh by the collar, asserting dominance with aggression. Summoning every ounce of strength, he pushed Kartik away. However, this only intensified Kartik's anger. Fuming with fury, he reciprocated with a hard punch that landed squarely on Anirudh's nose.

Anirudh staggered backward. His eyes welled up, not just from the physical assault but also from the frustration of being unable to defend himself with words. Gripping his nose, he winced as he felt the warm flow of blood. A cruel smirk etched on Kartik's face as he reveled in the power he held over someone he saw as weaker.

Despite witnessing the cruel act, none of the other students dared to speak up and defend Anirudh against the attack. A newly transferred girl saw all the chaos going on and felt an urge to help the guy. However, the student who was showing her around stopped her, telling her that it was a personal matter that they should not interfere with.

"What do you m-m-mean by p-personal matter? You can clearly s-see that those boys are torturing that poor th-thing. Where the hell are the t-teachers?" Shruti hissed, her eyes narrowed in disappointment, her words punctuated by the whistles and tics.

"Shruti, let them be... You don't know them, and trust me, you don't wanna get involved with them. he replied, his tone carrying a sense of worry.

"Fine!" she took a deep breath, attempting to clear her mind, and headed to her class After some time, when her bench mate returned to the classroom, Shruti noticed the familiarity in his face. He was the same guy who was getting bullied.

Shruti tried to start a conversation with Anirudh, but she immediately noticed that he was anxious. His shoulders were tensed, a delicate response to the approach, he seemed momentarily unsure of how to react.

Anirudh's eyes, usually expressive, now revealed a mixture of curiosity. They skim briefly to the ground, avoiding direct eye contact. His fingers, tracing invisible patterns in the air.

He avoided making eye contact with her and responded only through sign language. Shruti could sense that he was hesitant to communicate.

To break the ice, Shruti introduced herself and asked for his name. Anirudh looked confused, not sure how to reply, but quickly grabbed his notebook and pen and began to write. Anirudh's hands trembled slightly as he grasped the pen, the nerves of pouring his heart onto paper. The notepad, held tightly but with a delicate touch, showed the fragility of the moment. The pauses between sentences became pregnant with silent tension. The unsteady rhythm of his pen mirrored the jarring beats of his heart.

He wrote, "Hello Shruti, I am Anirudh Roy. It's a pleasure to meet you! I hope your time in this school will be filled with wonderful experiences. I'm happy to have you as my benchmate. I hope as time flows, we can become not just benchmates but great companions" As they continued, Anirudh revealed that he was born mute and could not speak. He explained that this was a barrier for him sometimes when it came to communicating with people or expressing his thoughts.

As they both continued to communicate, Shruti found her tics annoying because it made her words cut. But Anirudh never minded that, he kind of found solace in those tics and whistles. 

After the final bell rang through the corridors, Anirudh made his way to the locker room to gather his stuff. Amid the shuffle of students and buzz of chatters, he noticed an unexpected letter on top of his books.

The letter was scented by a captivating fragrance. The delicate scent hinted at a feminine touch, most probably belonging to a girl. "What could this be?" he wondered, his fingers tracing the edges of the letter. Anirudh hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened the envelope.

Dear Anirudh,

As I'm writing down these words, there's a mix of excitement and trepidation. You may not be familiar with me, but I've been waiting for the right moment to confess what has lingered in my heart. Now, the time has come to reveal this secret.

Would you consider of us becoming the prom couple? A night in the soft glow of twinkling lights and the enchantment of music seems like the perfect date night. Perhaps, between the dance, cupid's arrow might find its way to our hearts.

My intention is genuine, the anonymity behind these words is a canvas on which we can paint the fine beautiful strokes of our story.

Love,
Anonymous.