"Parth! If you don't want to tell me, fine. I'm calling Dad and getting ready to go back. There are plenty of good colleges in India for archaeology. Once we're home, you can explain everything to Dad," Parthavi said angrily.
This time, Parth screamed furiously, "If you want to leave, go ahead. But I'm not going anywhere from here."
For a moment, Parthavi was stunned. The Parth who had never raised his voice in front of her, who had always stayed quiet, was now arguing with her.
As she stood there trying to process it, Parth spoke again, his voice trembling with emotion:
"Di, all my life I've followed you and Dad's decisions. Whatever you both wanted, you did with me, and I, like a fool, kept silently agreeing. Neither of you ever tried to understand my feelings. You both only cared about money. But if you try to force me again, you'll be going home with my dead body. And for your kind information, yes, I joined this university deliberately, because I found out Vedanshi is here. I will take her with me from here, no matter what. I will get her back.
And if you try to interfere, you'll have to face my death first."
He said it all in one breath and stormed out of the room, seething with rage.
Parthavi stood there, completely stunned. No matter what had happened, she had always loved her brother deeply. Even if she was rude or arrogant at times, her love for Parth was unwavering. But today, his words had shaken her. She pulled out her phone and opened her father's contact. Just as she was about to call, she paused, thought for a moment, then switched off the phone and rushed into the bathroom. Her anger toward Vedanshi was still simmering.
"Vedanshi, when will you stop chasing my brother?" Parthavi muttered to herself and turned on the shower.
Meanwhile, Parth was sitting on a large rock by the riverside. He had already smoked around ten cigarettes. Every moment he had spent with Vedanshi was flashing before his eyes.
"I won't let you go away from me again, Vedanshi. I've come to take you back. Be as angry as you want, but just come back to me. I will bring you back into my life. Whatever mistake I made, I will make it right."
Parth sat by the river, lost in his thoughts.
The next morning, it was 10 a.m., and chaos had erupted among the seniors. The anthropology seniors were also involved. They didn't get along with the history students, so none of their work was ever done together. All the seniors were busy organizing the party. It was scheduled to be held in a large hall on the third floor.
In one corner of the hall, a large table was set up with soft drinks, an essential touch given the summer heat. In the opposite corner, a wide variety of food items had been arranged.
Right next to the stage, a music system had been placed. The seniors had also made complete arrangements for microphones and other equipment.
Although the party was expected to have only 25 to 30 attendees, the seniors had organized everything quite well. Directly in front of the stage, large, expensive sofas, belonging to the department, had been placed, reflecting the college's well-managed facilities. These sofas were reserved for the professors, while chairs were arranged behind them for the students.
Gradually, all the juniors had arrived and were now standing outside the museum downstairs. It had been decided that everyone would go together. The anthropology juniors were also with them, and since this was probably the first time everyone was meeting, they were introducing themselves to one another.
Parth was also chatting with a few anthropology students, but his eyes remained fixed on the gate. Everyone had dressed up nicely for the occasion. Among them, Parth looked the most handsome. His hair was tousled across his forehead, and he wore an expensive watch on his wrist.
Akshay wasn't looking any less impressive either. His thick, black hair was neatly styled, and he wore a pair of dark sunglasses that suited him perfectly. He looked quite dashing.
The anthropology girls had all worn sarees and looked stunning. Sarees were the official theme for all the girls at the party. But Parthavi had chosen a black top paired with blue jeans. She wore a smart watch on her wrist, and her overall style clearly reflected her affluent background. She was the only one not in a saree, while all the other girls, including the seniors, had followed the theme.
As Vedanshi entered through the gate, every eye turned toward her in awe. She wore a white saree adorned with small blue flowers, paired with a sleeveless blue blouse. A watch graced one wrist, while the other remained bare. Her hair was tied up in a bun, with soft strands fluttering in the breeze. A tiny black bindi on her forehead added a delicate charm. She wore the same small diamond studs she always did, ones she never took off. Vedanshi joined the group, and Akshay couldn't help but comment,
"Hey, beauty! You're slaying today. So, who's the lucky one you're planning to strike with lightning?"
Vedanshi didn't respond, she simply greeted everyone with a polite "hi." She chatted with the anthropology students and stood with the girls, never once glancing at Parth or Parthavi. But Parth couldn't take his eyes off her, and a faint, wistful smile appeared on his face.
Just then, Sagar's phone rang. He answered the call, spoke briefly, then turned to the group and said, "We've been called upstairs. Let's go, everyone."
Everyone began heading up. Parth and Parthavi were at the back, walking with an anthropology student, deep in discussion.
As everyone was climbing the stairs, Akshay held Vedanshi's hand to help her manage her saree. Behind them, other girls were also being assisted by their friends, as they too were struggling with their sarees.
Everyone had reached the door of the hall. As they arrived, Nikhil exclaimed,
"Wow! The seniors have done an amazing job with the arrangements. They've really put in a lot of effort." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Now we should start thinking about their farewell party too," said Sagar. To which everyone responded in unison, "Yes, you're absolutely right."
While they were still standing, the professors arrived from behind. All the students stepped aside to let the teachers enter first. But Pawan Sir said, "Hey, you all are the guests today! Come on, let's go in together."
He was accompanied by Nayan Sir, Dhyani Sir, and Mithil Sir.
Mithil Sir and Nayan Sir were very close friends. They had studied together since childhood and even completed their PhDs under the same professor at this very college. In short, they were always together, commuting to college and back home on the same bike or car. Occasionally they might come separately, but most of the time, they were inseparable.
Behind them, some museum staff had also arrived, although the anthropology professors hadn't come yet. Still, almost everyone else was present.
Nayan's eyes were fixed on Vedanshi.
Now everyone took their seats. Up front, Ayansh and Seema from the senior batch were hosting the event. All the juniors had been given a task: along with their introduction, they had to showcase a talent, whatever they were good at. And even if they weren't confident, they still had to come forward and present something.
Sagar was great at poetry, so he recited two or three shayaris. Akshay, who enjoyed debating, initiated a discussion, during which a few questions came from the professors as well. He answered them quite impressively. His debate was on drug rackets in colleges and schools, and he also spoke about several solutions to tackle the issue. Meanwhile, Nikhil sang a song.
Parth had brought his guitar and performed a song too but his eyes remained fixed on Vedanshi the entire time. Vedanshi's friends and Nayan noticed this clearly. Nayan was visibly angry, though he didn't show it outwardly. Parthavi, apart from her introduction, didn't say anything, and no one insisted.
Then it was Vedanshi's turn. She was feeling quite uncomfortable, especially because Parth hadn't taken his eyes off her. Still, she gathered her courage. She wrote poetry, so she recited a poem from her personal diary, one she had written during her difficult days. She also sang a song, with lyrics that went something like:
"That new courtyard of dreams,
Mirror, tell me where childhood lies.
Where life was simple and pure,
Mirror, tell me where childhood hides."
One by one, everyone came forward and shared something. After that, soft drinks were served to all, and some people began eating. Once the refreshments were over, all the senior professors left, saying, "You all enjoy yourselves." Only Nayan, Mithil, and Meera Ma'am from the History department stayed behind. Meera also shared a close bond with Nayan and Mithil.
Just then, a bit of juice spilled on Vedanshi's saree, so she headed toward the washroom. She cleaned the stain from her saree. She was already feeling quite uncomfortable because of Parth, and also wanted to be alone for a while, so going to the bathroom felt like the right decision. She leaned both hands against the sink and tried to compose herself.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the waist and pinned her against the wall. Vedanshi was instantly terrified. She shut her eyes tightly, her breathing grew heavy. She was just about to scream when another hand covered her mouth. Her eyes remained squeezed shut in panic. Then Parth spoke up,
"Sorry, Vedanshi. I know you don't want to talk to me, but I need to talk to you. Why are you ignoring me? I came back for you, Vedanshi. Please forgive me and talk to me. I can't stand that you're ignoring me. You know how much I love you. I beg you, Vedanshi, just listen to me."
Vedanshi tried to push Parth's hand away, but he pressed his hand harder over her mouth and pinned her even more forcefully against the wall. Vedanshi began to feel suffocated. And how could she speak?
She let out muffled sounds,"Mm-mm", but instead of letting go, Parth pulled her into a tight embrace. Though he didn't intend to hurt Vedanshi and truly loved her, he was forcing himself on her rather than trying to understand her. He continued, "I'm sorry, Vedanshi. I came back for you. I came to take you with me. Come with me. I'll never let you go."
Just then, someone forcefully pulled Parth back, slamming him against the wall. Vedanshi gasped for air, as if her breath had just returned. She began breathing heavily, placing both hands on her knees and taking long, deep breaths.