31. Blossoming Spring days

Shantra stretched her hand towards Rithick but he didn't give her any response. He looked at Neethu, they communicated through their eyes. After that, Rithick became cool and refused to give his hand by insulting her in front of everyone. Clashes aroused between them. Rithick never minded about Shantra.

Rithick never consulted anything with Shantra before taking a decision. He did what was right to him. Shantra didn't like this at all.

A month passed by.

Neethu's POV

Rithick was very much affectionate towards me. He was the most caring person. He protected me from everyone but in the hostel, Shantra tortured me. That couldn't be expressed in words. I never told anything to Rithick. He knew only my smile but my tears were hidden inside.

Mithila came by my side. "Neethu. Don't worry. Tell everything about Shantra to Rithick."

"No, Mithila. If he came to know, he will feel bad. I am happy in college, I don't want to spoil that," I said and started crying like a child.

"Don't cry, Neethu," she tried to console me. I laid my head on her shoulder.

"Do you know that I am a pet girl in my village? My family members are too caring and they never scold me for anything but now, see my fate. What did I do to Shantra? Why is she always scolding and insulting me in front of others? I can't bear it, Mithila"  I said with tears in my eyes.

"Neethu! Where is that bloody girl?" I could hear Shantra's scolding me from outside.

I was terrified. If I didn't meet her, she would show me the hell today. To reduce the punishment, I should obey her.

"Shantra, I am here. Tell me what to do," I said.

"How dare you tell my name? Call me Madam. I will offer you a punishment for calling me by my name," she threatened me.

"Okay Madam," I said

"Wash all my clothes and iron them neatly. You should do it before evening," she said and went away.

Mithila stopped me but I didn't listen to her. I went to Shantra's room and washed all her clothes with my hands. I became so tired as I couldn't iron her dress. I sat on the couch after sighing deeply.

"Bloody hell! Who gave you the rights to sit on my couch?" Shantra held my hair tightly.

"Ahhh!" I screamed due to pain.

"You deserve this punishment. Can't you do the work assigned by me properly?" Her friends laughed at me. I cupped my face and cried.

"Don't cry in front of me. I will kill you if you shed a tear. Go and iron my clothes," she ordered.

I took her clothes and ironed them one by one. Unfortunately, one of her dress tore. I was so scared of her. I started crying due to fear.

After some time, she came to me. I informed her that I had torn her dress by mistake. She slapped me. My cheeks felt warm. If I cried, she would punish me more. So, I didn't show her my tears.

She scratched all the neatly ironed dresses and asked me to iron once again. I did it as per her order. I was so tired and couldn't walk properly. I completed all the works assigned by her and was ready to return my room.

"Where are you going, baby?" she asked gently.

"I am going to my room, madam." I stressed the word 'madam'.

"You are from a poor family. We are from a rich family. Who gave you a seat to study here? Don't they have the common sense to keep people in their place?" She cursed me with words, which I hated. I stood there without replying.

She brought some drinks. I had never seen them before. She and her friends had them She sat on the couch and stretched her leg. She ordered me to sit down.

"You poor baby, massage my leg." She giggled I didn't respond. She said it again but I didn't touch her leg. She slapped me hard. I screamed due to pain. Her friends also didn't tell anything. I cried as I couldn't bear it. She was insulting me and my self-respect.

I needed some water. I asked her to give me the water to wet my throat. She refused. My vision blurred. My head felt light.

Finally, she asked me to open my mouth and poured some drink in my mouth. After a while, my head started spinning and I felt my body ache was reduced a bit. I was lying on the floor and was about to stand but couldn't. My legs didn't support me. I could hear the laughing sounds of Shantra and her friends. I cursed my fate for pushing me in such a situation. I started forgetting everyone and an image flashed in front of my eyes. It was Rithick. I cried and cried. Then darkness crept my vision.

Someone sprinkled water drops on my face. I tried hard to open my eyelids. Mithila was sitting beside me and I was lying on the bed. My body was not aching like before. I felt relaxed. I cried at once. I got up from the bed and hugged her.

"Mithila, what happened to me? How did I come to our room?" I asked.

"Don't ask me, Neethu. Take a rest." She patted my shoulder.

"Tell me, Mithila, please." I sobbed.

She cried and hugged me back. "You are a poor and innocent girl. I will inform everything to Rithick," she said.

"Please, Mithila. Rithick shouldn't know about this. Tell me what happened to me last night?" I asked.

"How could I tell that?" she said and cried.

I held her hand tightly. Her tears weakened me. I looked at her and wiped her tears.

"You were drunk yesterday..." she paused.

"What?" I was shocked.

"Yes, Neethu. I came at about 8:00 PM. Rithick had called. You were lying on the floor, blabbering something. Those stupid girls enjoyed your act and clicked photos and videos. I was shocked and scolded them severely. I tried hard to take you to our room. I couldn't inform anyone as they would mistake you like a drunkard," she said with tears in her eyes.

I cupped my face with my palm and sobbed like a child.

My phone rang, it was Rithick. I refused to pick it up as he could found out something was wrong from my voice. He called me repeatedly. Finally, I picked it up.

"Neethu, I won't speak with you hereafter," he said.

"Why?" I didn't ask more.

"How many times have I phoned you yesterday? If you don't like to talk to me, please inform me, Neethu. I will never disturb you hereafter," he said and hung up the call without hearing anything from my side. Also, I was not in a position to convey more to him.

His words gave more pain as I believed he was my only relief. Immediately, I took my phone and found out that he had called me 123 times. By seeing his love for me, I cried more, cursing my destiny.

Shantra insulted me and played with my self-respect. Was it my sin that I belonged to a middle-class family? I never felt bad for that at any time. My parents gave me whatever I wished for. They let me grow as a little princess. My village friends treated me like a queen. I was the happiest person in my hometown.

I had hurt Rithick unknowingly, otherwise, he would never behave like this to me. I had noticed his missed calls just now. How could I make him understand the situation? What if he came to know that I was drunk yesterday? What if he came to know about Shantra's torture? How would I reveal it to him? If Rithick asked me anything, I couldn't hide anything. I wanted to hug him and will reveal everything to him.

After an hour, I was getting ready for college. As there was a water problem in our room, I went to the washroom to take a bath. I took my clothes and went there. I took a bath and searched for the towel to dry my hair. I was shocked that my dress was missing. I opened the door slightly and searched for my friends but no one was in sight. Shantra stood at a distance and I closed the door.

"Bloody Neethu! How dare you close the door seeing me?" she shouted. My body shook at the moment when I heard her voice. I was scared that she would do something. If I called her using her name she would hurt me.

"Madam, I missed my clothes in the way.

Please pass them to me," I begged.

"Very Good. Come on, Neethu. We are waiting for you." She giggled and so did her friends.

I didn't know what to do at that moment. I couldn't go out half-dressed. I decided to stand there until my friends came. I was sure Mithila would come searching for me.

Fortunately, I heard her voice.

I yelled, "Mithila, please help me." She understood the situation and picked up the dress that was with Shantra and gave it to me. I cried. I wore the dress immediately and came out. Everyone laughed at me. I felt ashamed to look at them. I came running to my room. Mithila consoled me and after an hour, we went to college..