Chapter 8

It was class 12. We were having the time of our lives, studying and at the same time having fun. It was that time of the year when we used to go to loads of culturals, have fun everywhere, and it was a life of a kind. We were in Maitri, CV's cultural fest, augrably the city's biggest culfest for school kids. People were having fun in their own ways. Avantika, Shreyas, Rohit, Navneet, Sonali and I were having a few juices near the stalls and chatting. That was when the Light Music event began. Sonali and I were yet to finish our juices, and so we asked the others to go and have fun and we'd join them. The others went in. It was then Sonali asked me something. The first time someone asked me that.

"Velu, I want to ask you something."

"Temme di. Wassup?"

"Nothing da. Hope you don't feel different."

"Yeah, carry on!!"

"Hey, I'm in love with you. Just thought I'd propose to you."

I did feel different!! But, I had lost my heart to Avantika. I needed to reason to get this out of her mind.

"Hey, I'm very sorry but I have decided not to accept any proposals till I finish my studies. That is schooling plus college life. If there is something on even after that, come back to me. Till then, we'll just be friends."

I said that and walked back into the hall for the light music show. But, as much as I could remember, Sonali never returned to the show. She never returned to meet us either. That night, she met with a fatal accident. She was hit led by a speeding lorry while crossing the road. I felt very bad for have given her such a bad last day in her life, and never shared the incident with anyone after that. Not even Shreyas!

But why did her father have to do this to us? I always knew Ramesh uncle as a very nice, soft person who helped us in all our times of need. I could not believe he was the person orchestrating the entire kidnap drama. 

"Why are you doing this uncle?"

"Why did you do that to my daughter? Why did you instigate her death? Why did you reject her?"

I was aghast. Sonali did tell her dad about my rejection of her proposal.

"I was not responsible for her death!!"

"You were, you fool. You instigated her to commit suicide!!"

That sent me reeling. Shreyas and Avantika did not understand a thing. 

"Sonali did die of her own will. She ran out of home that night without telling me, and got herself jammed into a lorry. You killed my daughter. I wanted to kill everyone dear to you. I tried to kill Avantika, but Shalini drank the milk kept for her. I diverted your attention to Shreyas and let my guys kidnap Avantika. Now, I have brought all the three of you here. You will all die, right here, right now. Saying this he placed two guns on Shreyas' and my heads respectively.