CHAPTER 17: Plannings; Revelations; and A Whack!

            Anirudh sighed tiredly, as he plopped onto the bed, and pulled up the covers. It had been an exhausting day. But today's incidents had disturbed his mind to a great extent. Had he been in the position of Mr. Chakraborty, he wouldn't have spared Debjit Dutta with just a warning and a punishment, that probably won't even be effective enough. 

           To which ominous direction, were today's young minds and youths headed? Were these the kind of things they were supposed to do? This was absolutely unacceptable. This wasn't even criticism or bullying. What Dutta did, was practically harassment. He physically hurt a fellow student.

           What effect would this incident have had on Bondita? She was an optimistic and thoughtful girl. But, her mind was still young. She might be mature, but even the strongest of people had a breaking point. And Bondita was just a teen. He hoped she could rise above it all.

           Anirudh snorted as he remembered about the moment when Dutta was asked to apologise to Bondita. Would an apology wash away every atrocity that he had inflicted upon her? 

           Although Bondita had said that she forgave him, and he must not repeat such a thing again, he could see it in her eyes, that she hadn't really forgiven him. With time, she might even be able to forgive. But he knew she would never be able to forget. Such things were never as easy as 'forgive and forget'.

           And he had seen it in Dutta's eyes, that he really didn't repent what he did. And if he didn't regret his mistake and feel guilty, what use was that apology? He knew Dutta never really meant those words of apology. 

           "Today's youth needs a change in their mindset", Anirudh muttered as he was finally overcome with sleep.

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           Usually, Bondita's mind was always focused on the day's lesson and the teacher's lectures. Today, however, in this particular class, her mind was elsewhere. Or at least, her eyes were. 

           She had surreptitiously been eyeing Shikshak Babu's mobile phone. She had a plan to accomplish! She somehow had to get his number and match it with Sakha Babu's phone number. But how?

           "Bondita! Can you answer my question?", Anirudh's voice interrupted her train of thoughts.

           "No", she automatically said.

           Anirudh looked at her, taken aback for a moment. His mouth fell open in surprise.

           Bondita's eyes widened as she realised what she had said. She mentally smacked herself for speaking without thinking. 

           Recovering, Anirudh looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and asked, "And why can you not answer my question?".

           "Err... I meant, I will try, sir", Bondita replied.

           "Hmm. You better do", he said, and was about to ask a question, when the bell rang, indicating that the class time was over. 

           Anirudh pinched the bridge of his nose, while Bondita let out a breath of relief. Not that she would have minded answering a question. She had studied everything thoroughly. But who didn't love such a dramatic rescue?

           Anirudh chuckled. "You got saved today. But I have noted it down in my diary, that you're going to answer a question in the next class".

           Bondita nodded and joined the flock of students filing out of the classroom. While going on her way, however, she threw a furtive glance around herself. No one was looking. Shikshak Babu was writing something in his diary, and was facing the other direction.

           Covertly, she grabbed his phone, and still looking around herself, and was about to bolt away, when a thought struck her, and she looked at his mobile screen for a second, before keeping it back on the table.

           With a defeated sigh, she went out of the classroom. Well, Bondita Das never accepted defeat so easily. She was going to find another way and confirm her suspicions, by hook or crook. 

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           "So, you mean that you did manage to get your hands on his mobile? Then why did you not bring it, Bondita? Are you stupid?!", David cried out in frustration at his friend's stupidity.

           When Bondita had told everything about her Sakha Babu and her suspicion about him and Shikshak Babu, to Mimi and David, they had been quite amazed. They were already rooting for her suspicion to be true. Mimi had said that if this was really the case, then it would be so cool.

           As of now though, David was questioning her failed attempt at obtaining the phone number. 

           "David! If I didn't check the number, it's because I couldn't!".

           "And why couldn't you?"

           "Because the phone was password protected!".

           That made David shut up. 

           "Well, didn't you already know that this plan was going to fail?", Mimi huffed. "Who doesn't set a password on their phone? Now, you have to change tactics".

           "Really? Then tell me, oh wise lady, what exactly, am I supposed to do?", Bondita asked raising her brows questioningly. 

           "Text your Sakha Babu and talk to ARC sir, simultaneously, at the same time. And then see, of he gets a notification. And if he replies, then that's even better!", she said, as if it was the simplest thing to do.

           Bondita gaped at her. "Uhh... I think I can do that. But...".

           Mimi cut her off, saying, "If you can, then just do it. We are going to help you. We'll think of something else, if this doesn't work".

           Hence, the next day, after classes, Bondita found herself asking her made-up doubts to Shikshak Babu. She threw occasional furtive glances at Mimi and David, who were around the corner, messaging Sakha Babu from her phone. She had left it up to the both of them to message him, and check whether Shikshak Babu responded or not. 

           Of course, she had made Mimi and David swear that they wouldn't check the previous chats and messages. And she trusted them. What went on between her and Sakha Babu, stayed between them.

           Soon enough, she even saw Shikshak Babu take out his phone on receiving a notification. Her eyes widened as she saw him smile and shortly type something. He put his phone back into his pocket, and turned to face her again. She looked at Mimi and David and found that they had similar expressions of surprise on their faces.

           As soon as she got the signal from David, she made a quick runaway from the classroom. 

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           "Can you imagine?!", Bondita exclaimed happily, for the fourth time, that day.

           "Bondita, can you stop gushing about it, now?", David asked briskly.

           "How can I?! Isn't it amazing? My Shikshak Babu is my Sakha Babu! They are the same!", she exclaimed in joy, slightly clapping her hands. 

           "But have you considered the possibility, that it might just be a coincidence?", Mimi asked.

           Bondita's smile dropped. But then she brightened again. "How can there be so many coincidences, at once, Mimi? I just know it. My mind says that it's true. And you yourself say, that the mind is never wrong. The voice from the deepest corner of my mind, is always right. And it says, that my suspicion is true!".

           Mimi smiled serenely, and nodded. "Well. That's true".

           "But, he still doesn't know all this! How am I going to tell him?", Bondita asked thoughtfully. 

           "Well, why not let his Sakhi ask him to meet her?", Mimi suggested, a glint in her eyes.

           "What?", Bondita gasped. "But- but how's it possible in the hostel?"

           Mimi rolled her eyes. "Ask your Sakha Babu to meet you in the canteen, outside. That's a common food court, isn't it? So anyone can come there!".

           "Well, now that you mention it... I'll do it!", Bondita replied confidently. 

           "That's like the confident Miss Das we love!", David cheered.

           "I love you both, too", Bondita smiled.

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           Sitting on the field ground, after a tiring game of football, Bondita waited for Mimi and David to come, so that they could visit the nearby stationary shop to buy a few necessary accessories for their project. While she waited, she read a book. A habit she most probably picked from Shikshak Babu. She would always see him with some or the other book in his hand. She had noticed that he loved reading books, and was certainly a bibliophile.

           If he had gained so much knowledge and understanding by reading books, then even she wanted that for herself. Even unknowingly, Anirudh had inspired her and veered her mind towards the direction of a good habit. 

           "Nice reading", came a familiar snide voice from behind her. 

           Inhaling sharply, Bondita stood up abruptly, and turned around to face him. She took a few steps back, and in a deathly calm voice, said, "Nothing of your concern, Dutta".

           "Sure, it isn't", he shrugged. "Just came to remind you of something".

           When Bondita didn't respond, and stared expressionlessly at him, he continued, "If you remember it right, then two days back, it was ME who apologized. Now, it's your turn".

           An eyebrow raised in challenge, she asked, "My turn to do what?".

           In an offhand tone, Dutta said, "Your turn to apologise".

           "Why?"

           "Because I asked you to!", Dutta burst out.

           "Why?", Bondita repeated.

           "Because you have to apologise to me. For a lot of things!".

           "Why?"

           "What why?!", Dutta asked with an expression, which clearly spoke of his annoyance.

           "Why?", Bondita asked, once again.

           "You have to apologise because, it was you, because of whom, my father was jailed! And it was you who put me in trouble and made me apologise!", Dutta gritted out.

           "Why?", Bondita asked yet again.

           "You're delirious. You've gone crazy", Dutta said wildly.

           "Why?", Bondita asked, tilting her head quzzically.

           "Arghh! Stop it!"

           "Why?"

           Infuriated, Dutta pointed a threatening finger at her. "You shut up, this instant, or I'm going to... do something!". With that, he took a few steps towards her.

           WHACK!!

           Before she could comprehend her own actions, Bondita's fist had crashed into his face. She had punched him right across the face, and Dutta staggered back with the force of the punch, holding his nose. He whirled around to look at her with shock.

           Bondita, however, wasn't even glancing at Dutta. Horrified, she was staring blankly at three approaching figures, who looked equally petrified.