Backstory of Tapasya Oberoi

11. New Friend

The first semester ended with flying colors for the trio of the class. They were celebrating and discussing the subject they have for next semester. This time, Tapasya is going to choose Economics for her optional subject as it will help her to grow as a businessperson too. Yaman and Mrinal were choosing bioinformatics, despite Yaman's protests about sharing the subject with Mrinal.

The classes started, and the first few weeks went smoothly for Tapasya as even in the new class as an outsider, no one was bothering her.

After a month of class, a big change was made. When Tapasya entered, the professor was already seated there, though she wasn't late. There were no students yet, she sat on her usual place, in the corner row in the middle just beside the window. She loved sitting there under the sun, no matter the season. Looking outside, she automatically tuned out the world around her, watching the tree nearby and the birds that were chirping and flying around.

A few minutes passed, and when she heard a knock at her desk. She looked at the person who saw a boy who was already seated at her desk, which surprised her as she usually sat alone.

"Hi," he greeted her, "Aviral Bora." He introduced himself. His rare sky-blue eyes were smiling at her. Her brows furrowed, and she did not ask him to sit beside her, and for some reason, his eyes were looking very familiar. "You probably didn't remember," he continued when he saw confusion in her eyes," it's because sitting arrangements are changed today, you were not in other classes but the professor decided to divide the class into half and pairing last alphabet with first. We happened to be sitting together."

He was right, Tapasya didn't remember an announcement like that, so did she cut the world off so deeply that she could not even remember what happened in the class, she wondered.

"Hi," she finally greeted, "Tapasya."

"I know, partner. Cool name, by the way." He replied coolly. There was something in his eyes that bothered her, and it was not the fact that these eye colors were very rare in this part of Asia.

"Partners?" she asked, not understanding the meaning.

"Girl, seriously, you need to pay more attention in this class. We are now partners in every assignment and project for the entire semester." He answered cheerfully. He has a very bubbly nature for a boy who looked more like Chris Evans.

Tapasya groaned internally. She knew about him through Yaman, who showed her his photos to compare him with her boyfriend, and here she was doing the same. Not even a year has passed she is already surrounded by these simple natured people. A new friend to add to the list.

*
Tabassum, the new warden, was a sly fox. She actually was involve in human trafficking and what's better than children who were innocent and orphaned. No one to ask about them and no one to remember them. They are God's gift to the world yet so weak that they can't help themselves.
The warden was in charge of the whole state, and everybody else worked under her. When she got hold of that orphanage, she started sending children to her boss one by one. Getting enough of Inayat's intelligent questions, she decided to send her next when the requirement came. At night, she gave her the mobile to watch the video and gain her trust gradually, and one fateful day, she drugged her food and parceled her with the lot.
When the sleeping drugs were worn off, Inayat woke up with a heavy headache, and shaking was making it more unbearable. When she realized she was shaking, she shot up and looked around but couldn't see anything. It seemed like she was moving in a close container. She started shouting frantically but was silenced by someone nearby. "Sush." They said. "We're are here too." By now, Ianyat's eye got adjusted to tiny rays of light coming from somewhere she could see there were more children all of different age group. She remained silent for the rest of the journey, and sleep engulfed her again.
When she woke up next everyone was forced to get out of the truck. She stood up and jumped out of the truck as well. They were in a forest, and her intuition told her that something was fishy. She, along with four more girls, were snet to different truck while all the other were being separated by their gender and age and being sent into different directions. Inayat and the group were the last one, they were blindfolded and were being loaded into different vehicle.
A few hours must have passed when the truck halted. By now, no one has the energy to move a single finger because they never gave the girls to eat anything on the entire journey. They were unceremoniously and forced to move into certain directions. The girls were tued in a rope into single files so no once could escape.
Once they were inside there blindfolds were removed. The sudden light forced Inayat to shut her eyes once again, and when she opened them next she a woman standing in front of them.
She was well built and looked more like a man. She had full make on.
"Welcome," the woman said," You've reached your destination." Her voice was manly and heavy with accent. "This is the place you will live until the boss wishes differently." She concluded and went to a different room.
"Hi, my name is Tanaya, yours?" Inayat looked at her right side. A very beautiful girl, slightly taller than hers with the brown orbs, smiling at her.
"Inayat," she smiled too in her direction, which didn't reach her eyes.
"What a beautiful name!" The girl Tanya exclaimed.
"Thanx, how old are you? How did you end up here? Are you also an orphan?" Inayat fired rapid questions.
Tanaya giggled and nodded," Yes, I am also an orphan. I am twelve years old and my parents died in a car accident two years ago, since then I have been living there, in Chandigarh. We were at outing when I lost and ended up here. You?" She asked.
"Tabassum. She mixed something in my dinner. At orphanage. Here I am. I am eleven. I did hair styling, but I decided to become a doctor when I grew up. You?" Inayat asked.
"I want to become a supermodel." Tanaya replied proudly. They both laughed while chatting like they were best friends and not just met.
The other girls remained silent, they were older than both of them and knew what exactly was happening and felt pity for these innocent girls but they didn't want to break the bubble these two little girls have.
There was someone else who was looking at them, especially Inayat, from the vicinity of the room who was going to not only break the happy bubble but also change their world upside down.

TO BE CONTINUED....