The girl too looked startled when she saw him, but she quickly composed herself and tried to ignore him. She was dressed like a working-class girl, thick kohl in her eyes, large earrings, and bright clothes. Yet on her face was that same old natural ease that stirred deep memories in Arjun's heart.
Arjun could never have forgotten that face, not even in his dreams. Seeing it so close now, there was no way he could have mistaken it. He knew that laughter well. It could never deceive him. He was absolutely certain, it was Shreya's laugh. She was trying to fool public with this new appearance. The only difference was that Shreya had a fair complexion, while this girl was dusky.
Arjun pretended to move on as though he had seen nothing. Then, suddenly, he stopped and instinctively called out, 'Shreya...' The moment she heard her name, the girl froze. She turned sharply to look at him. Hearing her name from his lips for the first time left her stunned.
In that very instant, Arjun turned to a passenger sitting nearby and asked casually, "Which station is this?"
The man replied indifferently, "Bardhaman."
As soon as she heard it, the girl panicked. She sprang to her feet and hurried toward the door to get off.
Arjun moved with lightning speed and caught her hand in a firm grip."You're not going anywhere," he said in a resolute voice.
The girl tried to wrench her hand free and snapped sharply, "You can't stop me. Let go of my hand, or I'll scream. People here will beat you black and blue for harassing a girl."
Arjun's grip only tightened. Calm but unyielding, he replied, "Even then, I won't let go. Call whoever you want. I'm not afraid of anyone."
She looked at him with mocking eyes. "So you won't listen like this? How stubborn you are. Think carefully, if someone records this and posts a reel, you'll end up in jail again."
There was not a trace of fear in Arjun's eyes. "Let them make a reel. I'm not afraid of anyone anymore. Since when has it become a crime for a man to hold his wife's hand?"
He lowered his voice to a whisper and added, "The whole world has known you as my wife. That fact cannot be denied anywhere."
"You know I'm not your wife," she shot back.
"That is the biggest truth."
"What does your denial matter?" he said. "In the eyes of the law, you are still my wife."
Suddenly, with all her strength, the girl sank her teeth into Arjun's hand. The sharp pain loosened his grip. He was stunned. He couldn't believe Shreya could do this to him, the same girl who once fought the entire class for him was now biting his hand so fiercely.
In that moment, she jumped into the crowd, stepped off the train, and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Arjun stood there, groaning in pain, watching her disappear. He quickly got down and looked around frantically, but Shreya was nowhere to be seen. Just then, the train's whistle blew. Helpless, Arjun had to board again.
As the train moved forward, his mind raced along with it. Was she merely an illusion, or had the past once again blocked his path in a new form?
He remained standing by the door as the train picked up speed. The platform slipped away behind them, taking with it that dusky face, that familiar laughter, and those startled eyes, all tangled now in his memories. His heart was still pounding, as if he had just emerged from a storm.
Slowly, he returned to his seat but couldn't sit. His mind had grown restless."This can't be a mere coincidence…" he muttered to himself.
How could Shreya's laughter and the sparkle in her eyes belong to someone else so perfectly?
The bite marks on his hand still burned. Yet the questions rising inside him hurt far more than the pain. If that girl wasn't Shreya, why did she flinch when he called her name?
And if she was Shreya, why did she disappear so quickly?
Arjun sat down by the window. Outside, fields, small stations, and passing people all looked the same. Inside his mind, only one scene kept replaying: Bardhaman station, the girl stepping off, and the unmistakable fear in her eyes.
Suddenly, he remembered, Shreya's family lived in Bardhaman. And it was from this very Bardhaman that some unknown girl had once tipped off the police.
A shiver ran through his body. "Was it her…?"
The question began to spread like poison in his mind.The train sped ahead on its journey, but Arjun felt as if he had been left behind on that platform, trapped with that unanswered question.It was becoming clear to him now: the chapter of Shreya was far from over.
Every time he closed his eyes, that dusky face appeared again. This time she wasn't running. She simply looked at him in silence, as if saying, You came so close to the truth… and yet remained so far.
Lost in these tangled thoughts, Arjun didn't even realize when the train reached its destination. He only came back to the present when he heard the calls of coolies outside and saw the growing hustle and bustle of the station through the window.
The sounds of people moving on the platform, the clatter of carts, and the announcements pulled him back to reality.
Inside the coach, fellow passengers were gathering their luggage. Some slung bags over their shoulders, others picked up bundles from the floor. Arjun was about to get up when his eyes fell on his hand. The clear imprint of teeth was still visible, the wound still stinging.
Arjun had barely stepped off the train when his phone rang. It was Kavya.
As soon as he answered, she asked anxiously, "Have you reached safely, Arjun?"
"I sent you several messages, but you never replied."
"I just got off the train," Arjun replied. "I'm still at the station and heading home now. Sorry... I fell asleep and didn't even realize when your messages arrived."
Kavya sighed softly. "Well, it's alright. Just take care of yourself. I was really worried when you didn't reply to my messages, so I decided to call you."
"Please don't forget me, Arjun. Keep talking to me every night, just like before."
After a brief pause, she continued, her voice filled with emotion. "You are not alone, Arjun. Remember this, I will come back for you someday."
"Miss you a lot."
Arjun smiled faintly and replied in a gentle voice, "I'm going to miss you a lot too, Kavya. Take care of yourself."
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