Akhil began to panic and hurriedly explained.
“It’s not like that.
She just asked me to show her around the campus for the investigation.”
But his words did not sound convincing to his friends.
They stared at him skeptically.
After a moment of silence, Sanjay spoke with the resignation of someone who had already seen his future.
“We’re definitely going to end up in jail.”
Mukhi’s brows furrowed slightly.
He spoke slowly,
“It’s definitely not good.”
Akhil spoke, his tone carrying helplessness as he had no idea how to solve the situation.
“I think you are misunderstanding something.”
“She just asked me to show her around the campus.
It’s not a big deal.”
“So, let’s leave this matter aside, okay?”
At the end of his sentence, his voice carried a hint of pleading, as though begging them to stop escalating the matter.
Rajesh spoke this time, and his voice filled with certainty.
“Okay.
Let’s say we believe that you are just accompanying her.”
“But why did she have to ask you?
It’s not like there are no other students in the college.”
He continued, but this time his voice softened with concern.
“Just think about it.
She just met us today.
Also, the impression you have left this morning would make any woman avoid making contact with you.”
“But she’s asking you to show her around the campus.
The reason she called you doesn’t make any sense.
She’s not in love with you.
That makes her even more dangerous.
You should avoid her in the future.
I’m saying because, as you friend, I’m worried that something might happen to you.”
He continued, his fist clenching.
“If you end up falling for whatever scheme she had planned.
I can’t help you.
Neither can Sanjay or Mukhi.”
“Our backgrounds are decent.
But we can’t do anything against the police.”
He stepped forward and placed a hand on Akhil’s shoulder.
“Don’t go near her in the future.
Okay.”
It’s true that their living condition were decent.
But when it comes to the police, they couldn’t do anything.
They were helpless.
Akhil nodded.
He had just realized that something was off.
He hadn’t thought much about it before, but after hearing this, he couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong.
Sanjay and Mukhi, who had started this whole thing, were only now realizing the seriousness of the situation.
Their face hardened.
His thoughts started to run wild.
“Why did she approach me when she could ask other students?”
“But from my perspective, she didn’t seem like a bad person.”
“Even if she’s scheming something, I don’t know why she would target me.”
“Maybe she’s just curious about me.”
“What Rajesh said is also true.
It could also be false.”
“Whatever”.
“I can just avoid her.
The chances of meeting her again are slim.”
With that, he put those thoughts aside.
He reassured his friends lest they worry endlessly.
He couldn’t help but think inwardly,
“How fortunate I am.”
With that, the class resumed as usual.
A few hours later, the bell rang, loud and clear.
The middle-aged man in his fifties wore a plain formal blue shirt that was tucked neatly into his black pants.
He spoke, “All right, students!
That’s all for today.
The students assigned to give a seminar tomorrow, make sure you come prepared.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Came the chorus of voices from the class.
Outside the college,
Akhil, Sanjay, Mukhi and Rajesh all bid their farewell to each other.
Akhil walked slowly, his eyes drifting over the buildings and restaurants that lined the streets.
The sun dipped below the horizon, its golden-orange rays illuminating the surrounding streets.
By the time he reached home, the sky had already began to darken.
He stepped inside his house as the door behind him creaked opened.
He announced,
“I’m home.”
The ceiling lamp cast bright and clear light across the room, illuminating every corner with warmth.
He stepped inside the hall and saw his mother watching TV.
When Rhea saw Akhil, she greeted him warmly.
“Akhil.
How was your day?”
Akhil replied casually.
“It same as usual.”
His mother asked a series of questions.
“Did you eat your lunch properly without wasting it?”
“How was it?”
“Come sit here.
Tell me everything that happened today.”
As she spoke, she gestured for him to sit beside her.
The mother and son had a casual conversation.
Akhil spoke about how he was forced to join the hackathon competition.
He also spoke about his friends, complaining how they treated him poorly.
Rhea watched as her son vividly explained what had happened at college that day.
Her face lit up with a gentle smile as she listened to him.
Her heart felt happy seeing how lively her son seemed.
This was one of their usual routines.
She gently patted his head and spoke softly.
“Go and change your clothes.
Mom made savory rice porridge today.”
“Okay.”
He replied as he stood up from his seat and walked over to his room.
Inside his room, he dropped his bag and changed his clothes to something light.
He lay on his bed and watched the ceiling fan rotate with a steady rhythm.
His thoughts drifted to the police women.
He did not mention anything about her to his mom.
It would only make his mom worry endlessly.
He himself was not sure about her intentions.
There was nothing about him that should make her curious.
Normally, his days were quite simple.
Spending time with his friends, sleeping in classes whenever he felt too lazy to listen.
Simple.
Normal.
But today, some unknown variable had entered his life.
He could only hope that he did not cross paths with it.
He closed his eyes for a moment and got up from his bed.
He stepped into the hall to keep his mother company.
What he did not know was that the unknown variable had already entered his life and would never let him go.
At the same time, Divya reached her house.
She removed her shoes and stepped into the hall.
She turned on the lights, and the dark house brightened instantly.
She lay on the sofa, her eyes dazed and unfocused.
She thought she would return to normal after leaving the college.
But…
She can’t.
Whenever she tries to do anything, the image of the handsome young man kept flashing through her mind.
The memories of them strolling through the campus kept replaying in her mind, the way that young man walked, his calm face, and his sturdy frame.
The thoughts inside her head grew dark and sinister.
But she quickly suppressed those thoughts, and snapped out of her stupor.
She pulled the hairpin from her hair.
Her hair cascaded down like a waterfall that reached her back, framing her face with new softness.
She looked absolutely stunning now that her hair was let loose.
She walked toward the bathroom while unbuttoning her shirt.
In the bathroom, she removed her dress and placed them into a small bucket.
She turned on the shower, and the cool water poured over her forehead and body.
Her curves, damp hair, ample chest and stunning face were a sight to behold.
Unfortunately, there was no one there to see her.
While taking a bath, her thoughts once again drifted toward the young man.
This time her thought gradually turning darker and colder.
As she imagined herself pressing the young man beneath her, he let out a helpless sound mixed with resentment and resignation.
She smirked coldly and kissed him wildly.
Slowly, her hand slid down her abdomen and went further in …
After ten minutes, she gasped, her chest heaving up and down.
When she realized what she had done, her face burned with shame and embarrassment.
She let out a scream filled with self-blame and guilty.
“Ahhh”.
“What have I done?”
“What the fuck is wrong with me?”
“Is there something wrong with me?”
She wondered.
“Should I go see a psychiatrist?”
The moment the thought crossed her mind, she quickly made up her mind.
She had to be cured of this illness.
No matter what.