Warning: This episode contains references to attempted murder. The author advises her readers not to take notes and plan a murder based on it. Mentally imagining or wishing someone's death is normal, but carrying it out is not. Such actions have legal consequences. Please read this for the sake of understanding the plot.
By the time I finished the food, I realised that I hadn't paid my share of the food to Kriti or even at the restaurant. I felt like an idiot. I turned to Kriti, who had just returned after washing her hands at the washroom.
"I didn't pay for the meal. That's not right. I should pay for my part. How much was it?" I asked her.
"Hmm," Kriti looked into the bill and said, "The noodles were for 120 INR each and the manchurian was for 60 INR[1]."
I took out my phone and asked, "QR code?"
Kriti showed her QR code, and I made the bank transfer of 150 INR.
"Sent. Check your transactions." I advised.
She glanced and checked her messages. "Come on, let's leave," Kriti said.
Feeling more sober and sane, I wore the helmet and sat on her bike. She revved up her bike and zoomed past the traffic. We reached the PG before 10 pm. I got off the bike and opened the gate of the building. She drove the bike to her parking spot, and I walked up to her to return the helmet.
"Thanks for the ride." I gave her the helmet.
"No problem. I can always spare some time for you." Kriti said with a smile.
A female voice reached your ears, "All you youngsters do is come late after some drinking party. Semester end, drinking party. Beginning of the semester, drinking party. End of exam or grade analysis, drinking party. Someone's birthday, drinking party. Each one of you will suffer from liver failure in future, when you reach my age."
Our landlady came out with a stick to switch on the lights in the parking space.
"Good evening, Chinnadevi Akka[2]. Had your dinner?" I folded my palms together and greeted her.
Chinnadevi Akka was a seventy-two-year-old woman who owned three buildings and rented them out a PG rooms for university students. She never married and spent her time teaching underprivileged students maths in the local state government-funded school. Later, she retired and continued teaching students by making online videos with taking help of her tenants. She even asked us at times to help clarify her students' doubts on subjects other than maths. All of her tenants respect her a lot.
"I had, dear. Where did you all go today?" Chinnadevi Akka asked curiously.
"Church Street," Kriti said.
"Hmm, looks like I have to ask Thapa to stay awake and look out for the other kids. Traffic these days. Come on, get back to your rooms and have a good night's sleep. You have college tomorrow." Chinnadevi Akka took her stick and went to Thapa's room to inform him.
Thapa's wife was sitting on the staircase, watching her daily Indian soap operas. Their kids were sleeping, and she didn't want to disturb them with the sounds of the dialogue. She stood up as soon as we entered the staircase. She smiled at us and we smiled back. We went up the staircase and reached my room. Kriti's room is the one above Jason's.
"We reached my flat." I took out the keys and unlocked it.
"Do you want to come in?" I asked, looking into her eyes.
"Do you want me to?" Kriti said, "I want you to be comfortable with me."
"You're like an exception. I can feel it." I admitted.
Kriti entered the tiny flat and closed the door. I had installed a dim yellow bulb months ago, which was always switched on at the entrance for safety purposes.
And right now, it was the only source of light.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Jaya was sitting in the hospital's public resting area with her earphones on. Looking at Siddharth's face made her relax from the tense situation she was in at the moment. That's what she loved about Siddharth. She could always feel at peace around him and had the confidence to do things she would find impossible when alone.
All of her female cousins left the hospital, as most were either married and had kids or had early meetings with clients. Her male cousins became her de facto protectors. But even protectors need a break, and so they went to the cafeteria to eat something. Lost in her thoughts and mental turmoil, she was starting to panic when, by some supernatural power, she got Siddharth's video call.
"Did you finally learn something? Got intel?" Jaya asked with caution. She was used to having bread crumbs and ambiguity regarding Jasmine's problem. She and Siddharth had been looking for information regarding Jasmine's fishy behaviour around Manaav.
"The summary of the events. Not all the details." Siddharth said.
"Spill," Jaya said.
"So, that guy was tasked to date one of his year's girls. He, with his friends, hit on every girl until our Jasmine said yes after 5 months of him trying." Siddharth started reencountering the situation.
"She always had a soft spot for love bombing. Continue." Jaya crossed her arms.
"One day in the library, she got to know that the whole thing was a bet and they were betting on how low she would go for Manaav and whether she would ever give him a chance to have s**. She learnt about it and tried to leave when he grabbed her hand and sexually assaulted her by forcing himself on her." Siddharth was gritting his teeth.
"Should I prepare a sythe[3]? My grandmother has a very sharp one. It's meant for cutting coconuts, but a head shouldn't be a problem," Jaya said.
"Let's not have murder as our first choice, Ollie." Sidhharth stopped her.
Jaya became annoyed with the logical reasoning and said, "Fine, but we have to do something."
[1] Indian Rupees
[2] In Dravidian languages like Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu, "akka" means "elder sister". It's a term of respect and affection used to address or refer to an older female sibling.
Additionally, "akka" can be used as a term of endearment or respect for older women in general, similar to calling someone "sister" in English. In some contexts, particularly in Kannada, it can also be used as a suffix in women's names.
[3] It's a common affair to keep a sythe in Bengali households. It's normally kept for coconuts or for use in religious purposes.