Vote please. 🥺 Looking forward to your comments too. 

Enjoy!

-- 

After Surabhi left, Batuk was nervously lingering around the main entrance, waiting for Vikram to drop Bondita home. 

It had been way too long now, and he was getting worried about her. 

He tried to call Bipin, and Bipin's dad had answered the phone. When he asked for Bipin, his dad said that Bipin was sleeping already. 

Why was Bipin back at home, but Vikram and Bondita not? It was a possibility, that they were still at Mallika's residence, but Batuk had no way to know for sure. 

Sampoorna Maa kept waking up from time to time to check up on Anirudh, but when she came down, Batuk hid. She would just worry if he told her and wouldn't be able to do anything, and she wasn't questioning it because she thought that Anirudh was okay with Bondita being wherever she was. And Anirudh, as it was, was sick. He didn't want to trouble his Dada in this state, when he wasn't even sure if there was a real problem. 

Finally, it was 2 AM, and Batuk couldn't handle it anymore.

He decided to wake Anirudh up. 

Just as he was about to go to the study, the front door opened and Trilochan Roy Choudhary walked in with Binoy, finally back from their travel. Both of them looked very tired. 

"Da, I'll go and sleep," Binoy just said, and was about to head upstairs, when Batuk came out of the shadows. "Batuk, what are you doing awake at this hour?" 

Trilochan looked at Batuk with shock. What was his youngest nephew up to?

Batuk gulped and said, "Baba... Kaka... there's a... problem..."

"Problem? What problem could you possibly have at this hour?" Trilochan asked, brushing it off and taking steps towards Batuk. "Batuk, is this the time of night to be wandering around?" 

Binoy just laughed, not taking Batuk's problem seriously. 

"Batuk, what kind of problem could you possibly have at your age? Did Anirudh scold you?" Binoy asked, laughing. "I guess that would be your biggest problem." 

Batuk looked down and said, "No Baba..." 

"Binoy you go to sleep, I'll handle it," Trilochan just said. "Sampoorna Bahu must be waiting for you too."

Binoy nodded and went upstairs, leaving Batuk alone with Trilochan. 

Trilochan just glanced at Batuk and shook his head, looking exhausted, walking down the hall and passing the open doors of the study. He didn't believe that Batuk could have any serious problem at his age!

He stopped in his tracks because he saw something from the corner of his eye in the study, and upon closer inspection, it made his eyes widen with shock. 

Anirudh was sleeping there! 

"Why is Anirudh sleeping here? Where is Bahu?" Trilochan demanded, and Batuk rushed over to his Kaka nervously. 

"That's what... I was..." he started, but Trilochan rushed inside. 

Kaka noticed that there was lots of sweat on Anirudh. He placed a hand on his nephew's forehead, and realized that he had a fever. 

"What is this?" Kaka demanded, sounding angry. "Anirudh is sick, and Bahu allowed him to sleep here, all alone in the study? Why isn't she here, taking care of him as his wife? This is her DUTY!"

Batuk gulped and he said, "That was what I was trying to tell you Kaka. Boudi isn't... here." 

Trilochan dropped his cane with shock. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE ISN'T HERE?" Kaka bellowed, causing Anirudh to stir on the sofa. 

Kaka bent down to pick his cane back up. 

"She's not at... home... she didn't come... back..." Batuk confessed. 

Anirudh's eyes finally opened, and he tried to process his surroundings. 

The last thing he remembered clearly, was Sampoorna Maa feeding him soup. He still didn't understand what she was upto when she called him her son, but he didn't have much energy to ponder upon that right now. 

"Kaka..." Anirudh moaned from the sofa, "Where's Bondita? Is she in the bedroom?" 

She had to be here somewhere. He remembered the figure in a school dress approaching his lips. That had to be his Bondita!

Kaka turned to glare at Batuk, as Batuk nervously looked down. 

"It's good... she's away from me... or she might get sick too..." Anirudh decided, "She did the right thing." 

"ANIRUDH, BAHU IS NOT HERE!" Kaka yelled. "SHE ISN'T AT HOME!"

A rush of adrenaline hit Anirudh and he sat up on the bed, his eyes widening. 

"What?" he asked, "What time is it?" 

He turned his head and noticed a clock in the study show that it was nearly 3 AM. 

Bondita still wasn't home?

How was that possible? He had seen a girl approach him. He couldn't remember, but that girl had probably kissed him, and that was obviously his Bondita! 

Was he dreaming? But it seemed too real to be a dream. 

"I'm sure she came Kaka," Anirudh said firmly. 

"N... no Dada," Batuk mumbled. "She never came home f - from school." 

Forgetting all about what happened earlier with the girl in the school dress, Anirudh's heart started to beat harder. 

His Bondita never came home from school? 

What happened to her? Was she okay?

"AND YOU'RE TELLING ME NOW?" Anirudh bellowed, throwing the quilt off his body and standing up with a start. He nearly fell again because he was so dizzy, but he grabbed on to Batuk's arm for support. 

"WHERE IS BAHU?" Kaka demanded, panicking as well. "WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG TO TELL US BATUK?" 

Batuk shuddered, facing the wraths of two people at once. 

"Sorry Dada... Kaka... we... we were..." he gulped. "Boudi and Vikram and I wanted to find Mallika's address..." 

"AND?" Anirudh yelled. 

"Boudi and Vikram probably went to Mallika's house... because she hasn't come to school for three days..." Batuk confessed. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN PROBABLY?" Anirudh yelled, making Batuk shiver. 

Trilochan yelled as well, "WHY DID BAHU HAVE TO GO TO THAT MALLIKA'S HOUSE? ALL THESE SCHOOL GOING GIRLS ARE NO GOOD! FIRST THAT SURABHI WHO WEARS SHORT CLOTHES, AND NOW THIS MALLIKA WHO IS LURING OUR BAHU OUT OF OUR HOUSE!" 

Batuk shuddered again, as Kaka took Surabhi's name. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced that memory out of his mind. This was not the time. 

If Anirudh wasn't so worried about Bondita right now, he would give Kaka a piece of his mind for saying such stuff against those girls who went to school. 

"We just wanted to m - make sure Mallika's okay. But it's been so long, and Boudi and Vikram haven't come home," Batuk admitted. 

Anirudh glared at Batuk extremely fiercely, as Kaka stomped his cane on the ground, infuriated by this sheer irresponsibility!

"Anirudh, I've told you over and over again, that educating Bahu will only lead to her going out of control!" Kaka hissed. 

"KAKA, THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF EDUCATION, AND SHE IS NOT SOMEONE WHO NEEDS TO BE CONTROLLED," Anirudh bellowed, "AND RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO ARGUE ABOUT THIS. I NEED TO FIND MY BONDITA!"

Then Anirudh's voice cracked, and he asked, starting to shake, "What if something happened to her? What if my Bondita is in danger?" 

No, he had learned from his Bondita not to fall weak! He had to be strong and find her. He didn't have time to dwell on fears!

Anirudh started to storm out of the study, as Batuk and Kaka ran after him. 

"Where does Mallika live?" Anirudh demanded. 

"I... don't know..." Batuk confessed. 

"THEN?" Anirudh asked. 

"Vikram and Boudi were going to get it from the principal..." Batuk made up, deciding to leave the sneaking in part out of it. 

He knew for sure, they'd be done for if he confessed that. And he was sure that Vikram and Bondita had already left the office after all, since Bipin had reached home and was sleeping. They definitely had to be somewhere outside the school!

"The principal," Anirudh said with gritted teeth and ran to the phone. 

Batuk gulped, his eyes widening, clearly not thinking this through. 

Kaka followed Anirudh, as he took the phone and dialled the principal's home number. Kaka leaned close to Anirudh, listening to the conversation along with him. 

"Hello?" a groggy sounding principal answered. 

"Principal sir, I need to know where Mallika lives. Right now," Anirudh said, "Or if she has a phone number, I need that." 

"Mallika?" the principal asked, completely surprised by the sudden request. "Why do you need that Barrister Babu?" 

"Didn't you give her address to Bondita?" Anirudh asked. 

"No... why would I do such a thing?" the principal asked, "A students job is to study, and as teachers we should facilitate only that. Why would we encourage social activities by giving addresses of other students?" 

Anirudh glared hard at Batuk. It meant that Batuk was lying. 

Batuk's eyes widened with fear, as he saw his Dada's wrath once again. 

"Principal sir, my wife somehow got Mallika's address, and is probably at her house. I need to know where she lives. Right now," Anirudh said into the phone. 

The principal said, "I have to go to my office and check the record for that." 

"I don't want to trouble you, but I need it now!" Anirudh said urgently into the phone. "Please sir!"  

"Very well, meet me at the school. I'll come right away," the principal said, and then he hung up the phone. 

After Anirudh put the receiver down, he stormed towards Batuk. Batuk took steps back, looking afraid. 

"YOU LIED TO ME BATUK!" Anirudh yelled, and grabbed his collar, looking dangerously angry. Batuk shivered as he witnessed this shade of his Dada -- the side that one wouldn't want to mess with under any circumstances, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU AND YOUR BOUDI ARE UP TO THIS TIME, BUT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO HER, I WON'T SPARE ANYONE!" 

Batuk looked up at his Dada fearfully. 

A part of him wondered how his Dada could blame this on Bondita but also be so protective of her in the same sentence!

Trilochan watched the scene, also very angry at his Bondita Bahu! 

"Where is my Bondita?" Anirudh whimpered finally, looking very anxious, like he could go crazy at any moment. "Bondita, where are you? Where did you go, leaving your Pati Babu behind?" He thought he could break down and cry. 

"Dada, sorry..." Batuk just apologized. 

"ENOUGH!" Anirudh screamed again. "KAKA, LET'S GO." 

Trilochan and Anirudh were still in their day clothes, and Batuk still hadn't changed out of his school clothes. 

"Anirudh, why don't you stay back and rest? You aren't feeling well. Batuk and I will look for Bondita Bahu," Trilochan suggested. 

"KAKA, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY BONDITA, I WILL SET THIS WORLD ON FIRE! I WILL BURN EVERYTHING DOWN!" Anirudh screamed with an intense look, "AND ME? I'M JUST A SPECK HERE IN THIS WORLD, BUT THIS SPECK WILL BE FIERCE ENOUGH TO TURN OVER THE STATE OF THE WORLD, I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS. UNTIL I GET MY BONDITA BACK, I WILL NOT REST! SO GIVE ME MY BONDITA FIRST!" 

Kaka looked at Anirudh, like he had gone crazy, but he nodded. 

Who knew his fitoori nephew more than himself? And he knew Anirudh's fitoor for Bondita Bahu was just as strong as his fitoor for changing society, and that was precisely one reason he was always so heartbroken that Anirudh refused to give her the wifely rights that she deserved! 

It was clear that Anirudh would leave no stone unturned for Bondita, ever! 

"Let's go then," he said, because finding his Bahu was the most important issue at this time. 

Yes, it was because he cared for his Bahu, but it was also because Anirudh's mental state would not get any better unless they found her. He would make their lives a living hell if she so much as even got a scratch! 

The three of them then rushed towards the school to meet up with the principal. 

They met the principal at the gate, where there was a man guarding the premises, like he always did. 

"Was there anything unusual happening here?" the principal asked the guard, as Anirudh restlessly looked around. 

"No sir, everything is normal," the guard answered. 

They all then headed inside, leaving the guard by the school gates.

"Hurry sir, please," Anirudh was begging, pushing the principal to go faster. "What if she's in trouble?" 

-- 

Inside the principal's office that night, Vikram said, "I'm so sorry I can't make this place more comfortable for you Bondita." 

"It's okay Vikram, I'm fine," she told him reassuringly. 

"I remember when we stayed at your Thakumaa's shack last time, your Pati Babu made us bring so many things for you! Even heated rice packs for your cramps!" Vikram said. "Batuk even brought you romance novels! But me? I can't do anything for you in your time of need!" 

Bondita grinned, finding him incredibly sweet and considerate. She said, "Don't be silly Vikram! Pati Babu brought my friends, who made me feel the best! And today I also have my best friend with me, so I am completely fine and happy!" 

Vikram looked at her, his eyes lighting up, and he said, "You're so sweet Bondita." 

"Not more than you," she teased. 

Vikram just laughed as Bondita laid down on the ground. Vikram also laid down next to her. The two of them had found open spots in front of the principal's desk, close by to the door. 

Vikram said to her, "If we sleep, then maybe the time will go by faster." 

"Yes," Bondita said, with a smile, "And we also won't feel as hungry!" 

"Let's just hope that tomorrow won't be our last day here," Vikram said, like a joke, but the joke was a scary possibility. 

The only suitable punishment for breaking and entering into the principal's office like this would be expulsion. If they couldn't talk their way out of it, that was. 

"We will get out of it. I'm sure we will," Bondita said reassuringly.

Sleep had somehow hit them soon enough, and they were only awoken to the sound of footsteps approaching the door. 

Vikram's eyes sprung open first. 

"Bondita!" he said in a hushed tone. 

He looked at Bondita, whose head was gently brushing against his arm. 

"Wake up Bondita!" Vikram said, and her eyes slowly opened. "There are people outside!" 

Bondita sat up, rubbing her eyes, her braids messy. 

"Should we ask them to help us?" Vikram asked. 

His question was answered quickly enough though, because the footsteps stopped right outside the principal's office, and they could hear keys chiming. 

"They're about to unlock the door!" Bondita gasped, and stood up, flattening her dress. 

"Wait, you have a stain..." Vikram said, and reached to unbutton his waistcoat. "Wear this." 

The boys had two sets of uniforms, one with suspenders, and one with a blue waistcoat. The previous day, they were wearing the one with the blue waistcoat. 

Bondita touched Vikram's hand to stop him as he started to unbutton his waistcoat. 

"It's okay Vikram, what's there to be ashamed of?" Bondita asked. 

It was true that she found it embarrassing to have others see a stain like this, but it was only a natural thing! 

If she had a stain, then she didn't want to treat it like something she needed to hide, at the cost of Vikram removing his waistcoat. It would be another thing if she a shawl or something of her own to cover it, but she didn't want to inconvenience Vikram for this! 

Plus, it would probably look quite wrong if she was wearing his waistcoat! 

"Bondita, I'm not saying you should be ashamed of it, but whoever is there will probably mock you more," Vikram urged, as the person at the door started to turn the key. "That's just how men think around here!"  

"It's okay --" she started to say, but the door had swung open. 

The principal walked in, followed by Kaka, Batuk, and Anirudh. 

Trilochan Roy Choudhary's eyes descended on his Bahu, who had her hand on top of Vikram's, on his chest. Some of the buttons on his waistcoat were unbuttoned. 

'Chhee,' Kaka thought, turning his face away with disgust, seeing such a sight. 'How could my Bahu... and Bikram... be in such a position?' 

But regardless of what he thought, he knew better than to make a scene in public. Their whole reputation was at stake here! 

Batuk just watched quietly, relieved that Vikram and Bondita were safe, but afraid about what was going to happen now. He had another question on his mind too -- how did Bipin get back home, but these two were in here? 

Anirudh's eyes landed on Bondita, and a look of relief appeared on his face, his heart finally feeling like it could rest. 

"Bondita!" Anirudh said breathlessly. 

Bondita smiled widely when she saw her Pati Babu, and she let go of Vikram's hand immediately. 

"Pati Babu!" she said, just as breathlessly.

This was a far better possibility than she could imagine!  

Tears sprung in her eyes, and Anirudh's as well, as if they were long lost lovers, who were meeting after an eternity apart. 

The two of them ran towards each other, without care for anything else, and Anirudh cupped Bondita's cheeks lovingly. 

"You're okay," he said, sounding relieved, "Thank God, you're okay." 

Happy tears slid down her cheeks, and she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. 

The fact that Bondita was holding Vikram's hand just now was something that had twisted his heart slightly, but Anirudh knew that it was such a petty thought to have! He knew their relationship very well, and his jealousy was very mild in this matter too. He would never stop her from being with her friends.

Right now, the most important thing was that his Bondita was safe and sound in his arms. 

"You found me Pati Babu," she said, happily, pressing her face into his chest, feeling like she had the protection of the whole universe. 

Now everything would be alright!

"Bondita," Anirudh whimpered, feeling like he could cry. He wanted to break the embrace and kiss her so hard, but he refrained himself because he was sick. 

What if he got her sick too? 

Bondita broke the embrace and looked up at him lovingly. She was here to kiss him though, even if he didn't want to kiss her! So she stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips closer to his face, pressing her lips to his cheek. 

Anirudh's heart fluttered with happiness when he felt her kiss. 

That was when Bondita felt the warmth of his face on her lips, and it wasn't the blushing kind of warmth. 

She gasped, and she touched his forehead. 

"Pati Babu, you're sick!" she said. 

"I'm okay Bon --" he started, but was interrupted. 

"SICK?" Trilochan finally bellowed from behind them, "NOW YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT ANIRUDH'S SICKNESS? ALL THIS TIME, YOU DIDN'T CARE BAHU?" 

He was already used to seeing Bondita and Anirudh's public affection for each other (which he considered fake, and as a show), so the fact that she kissed Anirudh's cheek couldn't shake him in the slightest. 

Bondita looked at her Kakasasurji nervously. She had expected him to go ballistic on her. This was not something a man like him could tolerate. 

Batuk and Vikram exchanged nervous glances as well. 

"The biggest question is, what were these two students doing in MY office?" the principal finally spoke, sounding very angry. 

Everyone went silent, and Bondita took a step back to stand next to Vikram. 

"We were looking for Mallika's address," she confessed, "We were worried about her, because she didn't come to school for three days." 

She was about to confess to Bipin locking them in here, when the Principal interjected and demanded, "But you two were here ALL night? What am I supposed to take from this?" 

Trilochan turned his face away, a look of utter disgust on his features, knowing exactly what the principal was insinuating.  

"Bikram, I trusted you," he said, "And these are the kinds of things you do? With the Roy Choudhary Bahu? Chhee..."

Anirudh pressed his hand on his head, knowing that there was going to be a big drama that would start. But he needed answers too! What exactly was going on in here? How did they land up in this situation?

"We didn't mean to get locked in here," Vikram just said innocently, "It wasn't our fault!"

Vikram was clearly not understanding the way that the principal and Kaka took this matter in! 

"Yes, Bipin did it!" Bondita said, and even Batuk gasped when he heard this. "He locked us in here on purpose principal sir! He was the one who brought us here in the first place!" 

"B - Bipin?" the principal spluttered. 

-- 

Precap: 

Bipin was called to the school, and a big drama ensued, where Bipin denied the allegations.

Tears were in Bondita's eyes, and she said, "It wasn't Vikram's fault. It's all my fault. I forced him to come here with me. Principal sir, if you want to expel someone, then expel me. Don't punish Vikram please." 

Trilochan watched with utter shock and disappointment, wondering where his Anirudh had gone wrong, that Bondita was defending another man as if he were her lover. 

Should he blame her, or should he blame his nephew? Wasn't it Anirudh's fault for never giving her the rights that he should have given her a long time ago? 

Vikram shook his head and said, "No! It's all my fault Principal sir. Don't punish Bondita, please. She can't have this on her record! She has to be a big barrister someday! I'll manage somehow, but it's already very hard for her as a girl, and if she gets expelled now, then people will take it a lot worse than if you were to expel me! Please just end this by expelling me! Let Bondita continue!" 

Anirudh watched from Bondita to Vikram, a very angry look on his features. He turned to face the principal, and he yelled, "ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!" 

What was going to happen now? 

-- 

I'm SO excited for the next part. It's a major climax of this track. Well there's another major part of it coming afterwards, which will be the outcome of this track. You will get the next part very soon if you upvote this chapter and post your comments fast! 

It seems like I left my readers behind after my spree, and I don't want to leave you too far behind. So PLEASE press star, if you have read it. Then I can comfortably post the next part. I can see who stars each chapter, and I am not getting stars from some regular readers. Again, I know some may not have time, but this is for those who are reading but aren't voting (and I know some of you are in this category, so please please hit the star button and support your author)! 

What do you think will happen now? Where is this track heading?

Love you all! ❤️