07:00 pm
Randhir Singh Shekhawat, a 4th year student of FITE, Roorkee was on the terrace of the campus leaning against the railing. He stood there witnessing the sun's last struggle against death. The world had begun to dye red.
Red..,,color of blood..,,.death..,,
He felt his heart ache at those words. He closed his eyes as his thoughts made their way to his memory lane, to that fateful day
~~
"Umrrr bhar ka saath de jo, Kyun WAHI pyaar ho! Kyuuun...na mit ke jo fanaa ho, Woh BHI pyaar ho~~!"Sanyukta sung in her drunken state as she swung along with the lyrics. But instead she stumbled. Before she could fall, a pair arms held her.
"Theek se chalna toh aata nahi hai aur chali dance karne" Randhir spoke while helping her stand straight.
"Isse pehle ki tum kisi aur problem mai pado mai tumhe tumhaare room tak chorne jaaunga..." Randhir spoke but stopped when he found her looking at him.
"Umm...m.." he fumbled.
"...Agar kisi ne tumhe aisi halat mai dekha toh puri dream team suspend ho jaayegi" Randhir said not meeting her eyes.
Both in their drunken state headed towards the staff quarter assuming it to be the girl's hostel.
"Mera dorm kahan hai?" Sanyukta said checking the rooms.
"Main tumhe boys hostel leke nahi aaya"
"I trust you Randhir"
Randhir stopped moving and looked up to see her surprised by her sudden confession. She was standing in front of one of the rooms which were supposedly Professor Vardhaan's. She pushed the door open but the site in front of her caused her Goosebumps. Her facial expressions changed from confusion to shock to fear in a matter of seconds.
But her thoughts were interrupted by Randhir's voice.
"I love you Sanyukta" Randhir spoke in a trance.
He heard a gunshot from the room Sanyukta was peeping in. In a split second, Sanyukta pushed Randhir causing him to stumble and then fall on the floor! Randhir heard another gunshot and then found Sanyukta lying upon him bleeding uncontrollably.
"Sanyukta..." was all he could whisper.
She moved her shaking hands behind his back with utmost difficulty and dug her nails in his back. He winced in pain by her sudden act. He was shocked to why she was doing it. Suddenly, his pain lessened and the surroundings seemed to quite a bit. It was then he realized her grip had loosened.
"Sanyukta...Sanyukta..." He caught hold of her shoulder and pushed her gently so as to lay her down on the floor. His shirt was tainted with red tears of her body.
"San..." Randhir started but was cut off by Sanyukta.
"Ta..ta..ke..care...o..of...yo...your..yourself..." Sanyukta spoke with all her energy. Her last words to him. She wanted to see him happy even when she was not with him.
A lone tear rolled down her right cheek as she went into a deep slumber for eternity!
He panicked on seeing her close her eyes. He patted her cheeks to wake her trying his best to ignore the obvious.
"Sanyukta...Sanyukta wake up...talk to me"
"Sanyuktaaa..." He shrieked engulfing her in a hug begging her to open her eyes.
~~
His thoughts were interrupted by the persistent ringing of his phone. His mobile flashed Parth. He picked up the phone.
"Randhir! Sanyukta aur Vardhaan sir ko aaj insaaf mila hai. Dean ne apna crime confess kar liya hai. Us raat dean..." Parth narrated whatever Dean confessed in the court.
~~
I ran from the jail to take revenge from Vardhaan. I lost everything all thanks to him. I entered his room through the window careful not to make any noise.
I entered the room and found Vardhaan working on his table. I took out a pistol and pointed on his head. Vardhaan turned and was shocked to see me there. I told him the reason I was there. I told him I was there to kill him. He moved backwards. I thought he was afraid imagining what was coming up. But he attacked me with a vase. I never realized when he managed to get hold of the vase. Before he could play smart I shot him dead.
I heard a gasp from the door. I saw Sanyukta peeping inside the room. She panicked on seeing that I noticed her. I rushed towards the door. She was horrified and tried to run away. I couldn't let her go. She was an eye-witness. If she told anybody about what I did, I could be hanged right away. I raised my gun to shoot her and clicked the trigger.
But she was already out of my sight. I pushed the door ajar to kill her if she was alive by any chance.
I came outside the room and turned to my right. There lay Sanyukta and Randhir in a pool of blood. Randhir shrieked in pain while Sanyukta laid there as if someone suck life out of her. Of course, it was none other than me.
When I wished to kill Vardhaan , I was in rage. I couldn't think beyond that. But I killed the two poor souls just for my greed. I am an evil. I should be killed.
~~
Parth choked with his words. His voice cracked. Not able to say more he hung up the call. He was unable to narrate his best friend's DEATH incidence. He used to talk to her rudely in her last days. How he wished to reverse her death. If only he could change what he had done. He craved for her friendship..,,.for her.
"I couldn't bring Arpitaa back. But Sanyukta was with me. I could have enjoyed those moments. But I let go of her even without listening to her. I hurt her, ignored her...,.I made her go through a lot. I don't deserve anybody." Parth cried. He mourned for her bestie's death.
~~
"She spend her last minutes in saving my life...For a person who have always tortured you.,.for a person who gave you nothing except problems...you had a big heart Sanyukta...I wish to come to you right away but I know you would be upset on seeing me...You were a fighter and I know you want me to fight too...You wanted me to live a happy life ...But I am not so strong Sanyukta...life without you is miserable...but I wish to see that smile of yours...that smile, which could even force a dead flower to blossom again...I am ready to fight for you...just for your happiness...just for you and your friendship."
He stood up and wiped off his tears. He closed his eyes absorbing the dark around him as his thoughts again drifted to THAT day!
"Umrrr bhar ka saath de jo, Kyun WAHI pyaar ho! Kyuuun...na mit ke jo fanaa ho, Woh BHI pyaar ho~~!"Sanyukta sung in her drunken state.
It was then he knew it wasn't friendship. It was more. More than what he thought. More than what she assumed.
"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."
- Unknown