High School Romance Revisited

Chapter 28 - The Shock

My senses completely shut down for a few minutes. I didn't know when the elevator reached the terrace and Rai almost dragged me out. The party was in chaos. I got a glimpse of a half-conscious Mahen being carried towards the other exit by Karan, Manish, Koushik, Subir and Debdyut.

People were talking about what had happened but nothing registered in my head. I was feeling choked, it felt something was stuck in my throat. I couldn't gulp or speak. My hands pressed against my throat to clear what prevented me from finding my voice and simultaneously I also rubbed my chest to ease out my restlessness. There was sweat all over my forehead while my hands started to feel numb.

Gathering the strength I pushed myself from inside and as soon as I found my voice I cried trying to rush towards Mahen. Rai and Chitra grabbed my hands pulling me away.

"Calm down Deepa, Mahen is going to be fine. Koushik noticed at the last moment dragging him away. He didn't get any major injuries," Chitra informed.

"What –What happened?" I managed to ask.

"An ice installation was tampered and fell exactly when Mahen stood next to it. Koushik saw it and quickly dragged him away but by then a chunk brushed his left side. His forehead was bleeding and I think he has sprained his left shoulder as well." Chitra's words left me shaken but one thing I noticed that she had mentioned. I clearly heard her saying that the installation was tampered with.

"Chitra," I gulped, "You just said that the ice installation has been tampered with?"

"Yes. Koushik pointed out. We have called the police. Once they arrive they would be able to tell us better.

"Do you think that Shekhar?" I asked.

"I don't know Deepa. Cannot say that for sure."

"But I am sure," Rai added.

So was I.

"Can we – Can we go – go to the hospital?" I almost pleaded them to take me there.

"Yes, I'll take you," Rai offered. "Chitra, you wrap up here and join us quickly. And keep an eye on Shekhar."

I saw Vasundhara aunty throwing me angry glares. She always thought I was bad news for Mahen. However this time she was right. My adamant attitude towards dealing with Shekhar's issue backfired on me. I couldn't save Mahen, I failed to fight back.

It was because of Shekhar's obsession for me that led to Mahen's accident. If I had agreed to listen to him Mahen would have been safe.

Rai's mother was consoling Vasundhara aunty while Poroma aunty kept telling her that Mahen must be going through a bad phase, only a nice girl could bring back his luck.

"I swear I am going to slap this woman hard across her face!" Rai whispered staring at Poroma aunty.

"Let's just leave. I don't want to stay here!" I said. Rai nodded and we went towards the elevator.

Reaching downstairs as we came out of the elevator we heard voices from behind a pillar. "That's my father," I recognized one of the voices but who was the other person.

We tiptoed towards them and stood away behind the long drapes. "What the –" Rai lost her words while I too had the same reaction seeing the person my father was speaking to.

"Don't worry he will be safe, Mahen is a strong boy. But who could have done this?" my father asked Mahen's father. I can't believe what I was seeing.

As per my childhood memories, these two men were sworn enemies, and it was Mahen's father who got my father transferred then why were they suddenly behaving like old friends?