"Our deepest fears we utter them out loud but our darkest moments we lock them in the confines of our hearts."

Canberra Airport

Yuvraj was sitting in his seat maintaining proper Covid guidelines when he heard air hostesses were announcing their regular safety guidelines. He closed his eyes to remember what happened when he reached the airport but he found his phone is vibrating, he opened his eyes checked the name of the caller and gave a evil smile while saying

"Jitna Call karna hain kar lo di. Ab toh yeh phone ki ring bhi sunne ko naseeb nahi hogi aapko."

He switched off his cell phone and again got lost in his reverie.

Flashback starts

He came out of the washroom in a complete new look, wearing a turban, beard and a specs, properly buttoned cotton shirt which gave a new identity to him. After moving towards a secluded corner he gestured someone and put a bundle of note in his backpack and again gestured him to leave not before ordering him to go underground after reaching Berlin. He then checked his surrounding and called someone..

"Keep an eye on Sheena. No one should know when and where i am going. Is it clear?"

After getting a favourable reply he cut the call when he heard someone announcing

"Mr. Amarinder Gill travelling to Sydney please complete your boarding. I again repeat Mr. Amarinder Gill travelling to Sydney please complete your boarding."

He checked his new passport with the name Amarinder gill and taking out a folded paper he kissed it and while tracing the paper he said

"Amarinder gill, chalo yeh bhi sahi. Aapke liye to jaan bhi hazir hain, toh naam change karna ho ya phir kisi aur ke pehene huye kapde hi kyun na pehan ne pade,aapke liye sab manjur hain. Chalo sydney chalte hain. Wahan se kuala lumpur aur phir India its a long way to go."

He came back from his reverie when an air hostess came and asked

"Would you like to have anything sir?"

He checked the watch and said

"Just a glass of wine and a magazine".

The air hostess nodded her head with a smile and moved further to complete his order.

Next day in Hindu College

Its a new day for everyone in Hindu College ,as the day passed and afternoon sun shined brightly Naina, Pooja and Neeksha's fatigue took a toll on them because of all the shopping they did a day before as not only they shopped but decorated their room too at the night itself and they called it a night at 2a.m.

Before they could collapse in their classroom itself their teacher called Naina and said

"Naina , please collect all the assignments and give it to me in the faculty room. Ok?"

She immediately nodded her head and started collecting everyone's assignment and left the classroom followed by Neeksha and Pooja when Neeksha said

"Tu akeli chali jayegi na? Ya phir main chalu tere saath? Akele kaise sambhalegi tu itne sare assignments, us floor tak aur bahut thaki hui bhi lag rahi hain tu,to laa mujhe de main adhe le leti hu , help hi ho jayegi teri."

When Naina replied with a smile

"Arey! nahi yaar neekshu theek hain, main manage kar lungi koi dikkat nahi hain,mujhse jyada to tum dono thake huye lag rahe ho, main to phir bhi tum logo se thoda jyada sogayi thi,mujhse jyada to tum logo ko rest ki jarurat hain, to tum dono room me jaao, main yeh kaam jaldi se khatam karke tum dono ko room me hi milti hu."

With that she moved towards faculty room and Neeksha and pooja retired to their room.

Naina took a shortcut to reach faculty room quickly when she saw store room 1's door is open for the first time since she arrived. But curiousity always killed the cat, being a curious kid from childhood she went inside the room to see why this room always remains locked. But as soon she entered the room to check she heard the door became locked.

"Yeh achanak se door kaise lock hogaya, abhi to khula hua tha?Yeh sab kitna bhutiya lag raha hain yaar,Naina bewakoofi me agar koi medal hota na paka se tujh hi ko milta,phas gayi na ,ab kya karu yaar?"

But unknown to the fact that she got trapped by her seniors with whom she fought a night before. While she tried to open the door, her seniors who were standing outside whispered among themselves..

"Hahahaha, ho gaya kaam badi ayi thi humein sabak sikhane wali ab samjh ayega isko ki humse panga legi to iske saath kya kya ho sakata hain, yeh to bas shuruwaat hain Naina Singh Ahluwalia, aage aage dekho tum hum kya kya karnge tumhare sath,tumhari wajah se jo har baar humein insult jhelni padi woh bhi pure college ke saamne, socha tha chod denge thoda maja leke per nahin aaj subah jo tumhari wajah se humne jhela aur jo ab tak jhelte aye hain bachogi nahi tum."

While one commented this others got lost in how they got suspended by dean today itself.....                                                               

Flashback starts

Dean called all the seniors who were involved in ragging to his office. When they entered his office, he without asking any clarification said

"Tumhe kya lagta hain tum logo ki family influential hain,powerful hain to tum logo ke jo jee me ayega tum log kar sakte ho? Bhulo mat, being a dean of this prestigious college main tum logo ko is college ka nam miti me milane dunga?kabhi nahi. Bahut baar tum log bach chuke ho, pichli baar hi tum sabko last warning di thi maine , pani ab sir ke uper jaa chuka hain tum log suspended ho for a month atleast aur agar yeh aage bhi chalata raha then get ready to be completely rusticated from this college get it, now get lost from here ise pehle ki main apna mood change karu aur tumhare ghar walo ko call karke keh dun tum logo ke karname .Get out."

Flashback End

When Naina does not got any reply from the other end she took her phone out and messaged Neeksha when she saw her phone's battery is 2%. She immediately chided herself and said

"Wow! great, Miss. Naina Singh Ahluwalia yahi hona baki tha, bas isiliye bhai paa aur baki sab kehte hain phone ko charged rakho aur pass me rakho kabhi bhi emergency pad sakti hain but main itni asani se kisi ki baat sun lu, aisa kabhi ho sakta hain?Koi hain?please! main yahan phas gayi hun, is old store room me please darwaza kholo koi."

"Oh God! mera phone off hone wala hain,kya karu main?Aur yahan se koi bhi help milna ab impossible  sa lag raha hain. Idea, Jaldi se neekshu ko message kar deti hu ki main yahan phas gayi hun woh aake door khulwaye. 

Gadhi hai tu ek number ki naina pehle kyu nahi socha yeh idea, jaldi karr "Neekshu main" yahan old ground floor store room me fas gayi hun, please yaha aake yeh door khulwa i am waiting for you. finally message kar di off bhi hogya  yeh phone hope so neekshu ko mera measage jaldi se mil jaye.

But oblivious to the fact that only half of her message reached.

Room no 17, Girls hostel

Neeksha who just came to her room after taking a bath making tea for herself and Pooja while blabbering

"Yeh Naina kahan reh gayi hain? Ab tak toh aajana chahiye tha use. Ekbaar me sabki chai bana leti,ab uske ate ate thandi ho jayegi phir garam karo. Ek kaam karti hu call karke puch leti hu kab tak aayegi,atak kahan gayi hai yeh ladki?"

She took her phone from her table when Pooja entered the room drying her hair with her towel and said

"Niks,yeh tujhe kya hota jaa raha hain din b din, tu kab se aise din me khuli ankhon se, khyalo me gote maar maar ke badbadane lagi .Yeh naina ka rog tujhko kab lag gya meri behan, khud hi khud ka bheja chat jane ka."

Neeksha who was busy in putting password in her phone looked towards her and said

"Khud se nahi badbada rahi hun yaar. Yeh Naina, naa jane kahan reh gayi hain? Kitni der hogayi hain , gaye huye ab tak nahi aayi hain .Hum dono aake naha bhi liye par iska koi pata nahi. Wahi check kar rahi thi kahan atak gayi hain yeh ladki?"

Pooja  also find this thing weired so without disturbing her moved towards her bed when she heard Neeksha saying

"Pooja, naina ka message aaya hain. But, yeh kya hain? Sirf ek line. NEEKSHA MAIN. Ab iska kya matlab nikale. Pooja kahi woh kisi musibat me toh nahi hogi na?"

Pooja who was equally tensed said

"Aisa kuch nahi hain niks, woh theek hi hogi, tu shant ho jaa. Chal, hum ekbaar faculty room mein jaake dekh lete hain. Agar waha se nikal gayi hogi ,toh raste me hi mil jayegi aur agar kisi wajah se atak gayi hogi to ander mil jayegi. Yahan pe baith ke sochne se kuch nahi milega humein. Kya bolti hain?"

Neeksha immediately agreed with Pooja and both locked their room and moved to search Naina.Before they could move towards the faculty room Sameera along with Alekh who came to drop her met them and sameera asked seeing them so anxious.

"Dono sawariya kidhar ko nikali, woh bhi aise belagaam hoke? Aur  teesri wali kidhar hain? So rahi hain kya? Main aur Alekh tum logo ke paas hi aa rahe the, mujhe na naina se ek book leni thi aur uske notes bhi chaiye the sath me, is baar ke concept ko samjhane ke liye pichle wala bhi jaruri hain na.So, tell me where is she?Aur tum log aise bhoot bankar kyu khade ho?"

Pooja  who was worried as well as tired too said

"Yeh jo do N naam ki ladkiyan hain na,kasam se dono na hum sabko pagal karke rakh denge ,hum sabko. Kabhi yeh devi ji gayab ho jaati hain, to kabhi woh devi ji,ab samajh nahi aa raha hain ki konse book store pe jake dhunde madam ko? Hogi kahin books me apni khoyi hui ,apne hi khyalo me."

Sameera smiled hearing her reply and said

"Joke tha? but sorry yaar Pooja P.J ban gaya , pagal dono, now tell me, Pakka se phone switch off hoga,right?"

Neeksha who was already at the verge of her emotion said

"Aur nahi toh kya, Phone rakhti kyun hain yeh ladki? Kab gayi thi faculty room ab tak nahi aayi hain waha se, kitni baar isko samjhaya hain humne ki apne phone ko pass me rakha kar yahan wahan kahin bhi patak ke chali jati hain,bhul jati hain aur agar jyada hua to madam charge karna bhul jati hain.Fayda kya hain phone hone ka?

Alekh who was silent till now suddenly said

"Kahin seniors ne toh kuch...."

Sameera immediately cut him and said

Nahi nahi...aisa nahi ho sakta. Ek minute ruko, main abhi Harshu ko bulati hun sab saath milke dhundenge to jaldi milegi."

She immediately called Harshad oblivious to the fact that Harshad went to washroom keeping his phone in his room where Rajveer was doing his regular course of Pushup.

Hearing the sound Rajveer  received the call but before he could say anything Sameera bombarded him with the infos

"Harshu jaldi aaja ,Naina nahi mil rahi hain. Alekh keh raha hain,ki yeh shayad seniors ka kaam hain, tu jaldi se aaja."

And she cut the call leaving a shocked Rajveer on the other side.

Rajveer who was stunned with the news immediately moved towards the gate to meet Sameera. He met Harshad who was coming back to his room but when he saw Rajveer running towards the girls hostel he followed him.

After reaching their room Rajveer without noticing anyone's presence hold Sameera's shoulder and shouted

"What do you mean by Naina mil nahi rahi hain? Insaan hain woh koi hawa nahi. Ab rone ke bajay batayegi bhi ki hua kya hain?"

Alekh hold Rajveer's arm when his focus shifted to Pooja and Neeksha who were shocked with his sudden outburst heard Alekh saying

"Bhai shant ho jaa pehle tu. Abhi chillane ka waqt nahi hain. Naina ko dhundna jyada jaruri hain. Yahan sab bahut pareshan hain,Ise pehle ki kuch ho jaye,Chal jaldi."

Harshad supported him and all of them started finding Naina in every nooks and corner.

Where on the other side Naina who was waiting for Neeksha to save her from this closed room thought to drink water as she can't breathe properly staying for so long in a closed room but her bottle was empty, she frustratedly throw her bottle and started moving in the room when suddenly she felt whole world is spinning and she hold the nearby rack for support when a file fall on ground.

To divert her mind from her suffocation, she took that file from ground after feeling a little bit better,and started seeing through pages with this thought that she might find some notable alumni about whom she can talk to her friend in hometown and with this she can easily distract herself from her claustrophobia.

She checked every page of the file written in bold BATCH OF 1975. She immediately remembered what Sameera told them somedays before. With great enthusiasm she started flipping the pages when she found a half torn page with a half damaged picture stating ABHAY MAHESHWARI.

Here after not finding Naina anywhere Neeksha who was already on her edge of emotion shouted at the top of her voice

"Kahan chali gayi hain tu Naina? Kahan dhundu main ab tujhe? Maa durga please help me."

And drops of water started wetting her cheeks as her eyes started raining showing her helplessness when she heard Sameera screaming on Rajveer

"Main bol rahi hun na store room 1 mein dekhte hain chal ke pehle. Tujhe kya lagta hain Rajveer mujhe fikar nahi hain uski? Tujhse jyada darr mujhe lag raha hain. Please for once listen to me and move towards store room 1 warna puri zindagi pachtate rehna."

But Rajveer who was already perturbed shouted back at her

"Aur agar woh basement me hui,tab kya karegi tu Sam? Maaf kar payegi,khud ko, Bol? Ya tab bhi apne gut feel ki duhai degi,Bol na?Agar usko kuch bhi hua wahan, tu janti hai basement...."

Neeksha who was thinking of a way out to find Naina yelled back at them and said

"Waah! 3 claps tum Dono ke liye. You both continue with your kaun sahi hain aur kaun galat. Is baar agar Naina ko kuch bhi hua na tum dono ki wajah se ,chodungi nhi kisiko. Chahe woh khud Rajveer Singh Shekhawat hi kyun naa ho."

Before the fight could turn more ugly Harshad intervened and said

"Neeksha lets move towards basement. Agar wahan nahi mili then store room 1 me dekhenge now move fast, pooja tum wahan kya akele khade gulabjamun gin rahi ho jaldi chalo,in do ka chalega abhi."

With this when 4 of them started running towards the basement ,Rajveer and Sameera also joined them to search Naina still arguing with the point that they should check store room first .

After 15minutes of proper search when they found no clue of Naina Sameera again shouted on Rajveer

"Mil gayi tasalli? kar li apne man ki?Hogaya dekhna? Kahan tha store room se awaz aayi thi mujhe, pakka woh wahi hogi. Par nahi the Great Rajveer Singh Shekhawat kahan kabhi kisiki sunte hain?"

Neeksha who was now on the verge of breakdown sat on the floor of basement holding her head whereas Pooja who was getting more and more befuddled cannot decide what to say and what not so started praying for Naina's well-being as she can feel she is not at all safe wherever she is.

Harshad who was running out of ideas where they can find Naina started getting paranoid as the one they are believing to be involved in this case was not at all safe for Naina. Alekh at the same time trying to put some brain in Rajveer and Sameera  who can at anytime say any wrong words in front of others which might turn bad for them.

After which felt like an eternity finally they ran towards the store room where Naina who was thinking about the name she saw on the form but she felt her head again started spinning, before she could lose her sense, she kept that form in her bag and sat down,when she felt everything became black in front of her eyes.

Neeksha, Rajveer and others when reached in front of the store room they found it to be locked but Rajveer could again argue, she almost pushed Rajveer and took out a hairpin she put in her bun when they came out from their room and put in the keyhole. After twisting and turning finally opened the locked and pushed hard to open the door when all of them,shouted together

"Nainaaaaaaaaaa."

As Naina lay on the floor, senseless, sweating profusely.

Neeksha immediately kept her head on her lap and started patting her cheeks while saying

"Naina uth na. Kya hua hain tujhe? Pooja dekha na isko,tu bol na uthne ko ise. Naina meri jaan dekh main aagayi hu. Mujhe mil gaya tera message. Aankhein khol na Naina,dekh sab yaha hain tere pass me, tujhe bachane kitne sare log aye hain."

Pooja hugged Neeksha tightly, slowly caressed Naina's head with her another hand and said

"Nainu ko kuch nahi hua hain Niks. Woh bas thak gayi hain na to isliye thakan ke mare so gayi hain bas, wo theek hain tu dar mat."

Sameera who was still in shock turned towards Rajveer and said

"Ab khade khade aise shakal leke mooh kya dekh raha hain? Utha aur leke chal room me, naina ko, jaldi. Aur haan,dhyaan rahe , khabardaar agar Princi tak yeh baat gayi toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga. Ab utha."

Rajveer immediately picked her up in his arms in delicate way as if a small pressure will hurt her and started running towards their hostel when they heard her whispering

"ABHAAAAAAY."

--------------------------------

Heyy everyone

We are back with another update

Do tell us hows it

See you all in Mehr-o-mah world on friday

Love
Rainnie

Xoxo♥️♥️