Chapter 5

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Total words:- 983
______________________________________

When the quandary
separated you,
But your destiny has
Another plans…….
｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡

Jaipur (Rajisthan)

“Vanii! Get up, bachaa. You have to go to college!”
Mom’s voice echoed, from the kitchen.

A moment later she came into my bedroom and started shaking me.

“Kumbhkaran ki aulaad! Uth bhi ja. College nahi jana kya? Aur haan…pass mein chai rakhi hai. Pee lena. Agar thandi ho gayi na toh maar padegi!”

(Kumbhkaran’s daughter, wake up! Don’t you have to go to college? There’s tea next to you  if it gets cold, you’ll get a beating.)

I groaned into my pillow. “I hate getting up early. Why the hell are my classes so early? But if I don’t go, Mata will skin me alive,” I mumbled.

Eventually, I rolled out of bed, sipped my tea, freshened up, and dragged myself downstairs.

“Uthi maharani ya nahi?” Mom called.

“Haan haan, uthi badi maharani,” I shot back, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

(The queen has woken up, yes.)

“You’ll definitely be late on your first day of college,” she said.

“Bro. It’s not my first day. It’s my third year. My actual first day was the day I got admission into that cursed college,” I muttered.

“First, I’m not your ‘bro.’ I’m your mother. Second, it is one of the best and most prestigious colleges in India. Third, it is your first day of third year. Don’t argue or I’ll break your legs,” she snapped.

“Okay okay, Lady Boss, got it. Don’t get angry. Otherwise you’ll get wrinkles,” I teased, grabbing a sandwich and running out the door.

“Gir mat jana! Is ladki ka kya karoon, samajh nahi aata… Hey Mahadev, meri beti ko hamesha khush rakhna,” I heard her sigh behind me.

(Don’t fall. I don’t know what to do with this girl. Mahadev, always keep my daughter happy.)

✧

I drove myself, of course. Drivers are boring.
My sleek black Gini,  my love, my vibe, my personality
Bold. Confident. Perfect.

I turned on music
Until I actually reached the university.

“Where are your IDs? We won’t let you enter…” security began their daily drama. I waved them off by showing my I’d.

Juniors were everywhere, buzzing around, making groups, pretending to be BFFs for life. Hah. They didn’t know yet that the same friends would stab them in the back by semester end.
Snakes. All of them. I experienced

As I headed to class, some innocent-looking girl, too innocent, approached me “Hi!” she chirped.

I ignored her. Why waste my breath?
I didn’t do ‘friends.’ Books were better. At least they didn’t fake things.

After class, though, I noticed the same girl again. And this time, she was cornered by a group of seniors, boys and girls, who were clearly bullying her.

Oh. Drama.

At first I thought: Not my problem. Let her stand up for herself.

But then I heard her crying.
And something in me… snapped.

“Ughhh, why me?!” I muttered, already marching back toward the circle of people around her.
The crowd parted when they saw me. IT kids. My juniors.

“What’s happening here?” I asked.

“NOYB,” a girl scoffed. (None of your business.)

“Wow,” I said flatly. “You saved a whole second by saying NOYB. But no babe, you still don’t sound cool.”

“Hey babe, mind your own business. No one asked for your opinion,” a boy sneered.

“Ohhh, ameer baap ki bigdi aulaad,” I shot back.

(Oh, spoiled brat of a rich daddy.)

“If you want to jump around, do it on your own merit, why dance on daddy’s money? And FYI, ragging is banned. One call to 100 and the police will come running. Then it won’t matter if your dad’s the home minister or you himself.”

“You threatening me?” he growled.

“No, babe. Just advice. Because if you mess with me, I’ll show you your aukaat. Receptfully “

One girl even tried to slap me. Big mistake.
I caught her wrist mid-air, twisted it behind her back.

“Don’t. You. Mess. With. Me,” I hissed before shoving her away.

Another girl appeared suddenly, whispered something to them, and their entire attitude changed.

“Oh god, you… you’re Vani Rathore?!”

Then she slapped the girl who had tried to slap me.

“How dare you even try to touch her? Do you even know who she is?!”

Of course. The magic of my name. Thoda sa family ko credit.. sara hi dedo yaar…

“Bhen… tu toh girgit se bhi tez nikli. Itni jaldi voh bhi rang nahi badalta jitni jaldi tune badla,” I muttered. (Sis, you change colors faster than a chameleon.)

“Now that you know who I am… fuck off,” I said coolly.

The crowd evaporated.
Show over.

I turned to the girl still standing there, crying.
“Are you a total idiot? Stand up for yourself. If I hadn’t shown up, you’d have been killed by now.”

“Nahi… mujhe mere Mahadev pe bharosa tha ki voh mere sath kuch nahi hone denge,” she sniffled.
(No… I trusted Mahadev would protect me.)

“Mahadev helps those who help themselves. Not those who sit around crying.”

Then, muttering to myself:

“Kya bigaada maine tera, bhagwaan? Kyon bhej dete ho mujhe har baar in gadho ke paas?”

(What did I ever do to you, god? Why do you keep sending me to deal with these donkeys?)

She tried to say something, and fainted.

“Oh fabulous. More drama. Why are people like this?!”

I carried her to the dispensary and left. Enough babysitting for one day.

Why i seem to think she is familiar?
Have we met?