Chapter 23

Arjun sat on the steps in front of the dorms, his head in his hands, trying to keep his emotions in check. The sky was beginning to lighten, signalling the arrival of dawn, but there was still no sign of Banishree. He felt a deep, gnawing worry in the pit of his stomach. His mind raced with all the possibilities, but none of them made sense.

"Where could she have gone?" he muttered to himself, his voice thick with exhaustion and worry.

His friends—Lola, Chola, and Nikhil—had been with him throughout the night, searching every possible place she could have gone. They had combed through the railway station, checked every corner of the campus, asked anyone who might have seen her, but it was as if she had vanished into thin air.

The frustration was mounting inside him, mixing with fear. He was supposed to protect her, to be there for her, and now she was out there alone, vulnerable, and he had no idea where to find her.

Lola, who had been pacing nearby, stopped and looked at him, concern etched on his face. "We’ll find her, Arjun," he said quietly, though even he sounded unsure. "She can’t have gone far. We just need to keep looking.”

Arjun nodded, but his mind was far from convinced. He felt like he was losing grip on everything that mattered. The silence of the early morning, usually so peaceful, now felt suffocating.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand. "Let’s go again," he said, his voice resolute. "She has to be somewhere. We just… we just missed her.”

His friends exchanged glances, their own exhaustion evident, but they nodded, ready to continue the search. They knew how much Banishree meant to him, and they weren’t going to give up until they found her.

As they set out again, Arjun’s heart pounded with a mix of dread and determination. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Not like this. He had to find her, no matter what it took.

Banishree stepped off the train, her feet dragging as she made her way through the crowded platform. The sun was scorching, making her eyes squint as she glanced up at the sky. She had arrived in Patna, and it looked like it was well into the afternoon.

“Bhaiya, kya time ho raha hai?” (Brother, what time is it?) she asked a man passing by.

“2 baj rahe hai.” (It’s 2 o’clock.) he replied, barely stopping as he continued walking.

Banishree nodded, though she wasn’t sure what to do next. The heat and exhaustion were catching up to her, and she felt a wave of dizziness. She bought a cold water bottle from a vendor and found a bench under a neem tree, its shade offering some relief.

She sat down, her body aching from the long journey. Feeling nauseous and lightheaded, she quickly poured some of the cold water over her head and face. The coolness helped a little, but it didn’t do much to calm the storm of emotions inside her.

For a moment, she just sat there, trying to catch her breath. The noise of the busy station faded as she closed her eyes, overwhelmed by everything that had happened. She didn’t have a plan, no idea where to go next—only the need to keep moving.

But for now, she just needed a moment to rest and gather her thoughts.

"Eat something, dude," Chola said, pushing a sandwich toward Arjun.

Arjun just stared at it, his eyes hollow and lifeless. "How can I eat when I haven’t found her yet?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. The fear of never seeing Banishree again gripped his heart, making it hard to breathe.

They were sitting in the cafeteria, but it felt like the whole world had come to a standstill for Arjun. Around them, people were speaking in hushed tones, stealing glances at him. The news that Arjun’s wife was missing had spread quickly, turning their concern into quiet gossip.

Chola sighed, watching his friend unravel. “We’ll find her, Arjun. We will,” he said, trying to sound reassuring, though he wasn’t sure how much he believed his own words.

Arjun just nodded absentmindedly, his mind elsewhere.

Niharika, a second year dermatology pg resident, sat in the cafeteria, her lunch untouched. She glanced over at Arjun and his friends, huddled together in quiet desperation. The news of Banishree's disappearance had spread like wildfire, and everyone was talking about it in hushed tones. Niharika's heart pounded as she debated whether she should speak up.

She had overheard everything last night in the washroom—the cruel words Shreya had spoken to Banishree, the way she had shattered the young woman's spirit. But Shreya was her roommate, and snitching on her could ruin their relationship. Niharika had always tried to stay out of conflicts, but this was different. A woman was missing, and she felt partly responsible for keeping quiet.

She looked back at Arjun, his face drawn with worry, and felt a pang of guilt. Could she really stay silent knowing what she did?

She saw the despair in Arjun’s eyes, the way his shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was on them, and guilt gnawed at her. Could she really keep quiet, knowing something that might help him find his wife?

Niharika bit her lip, her heart pounding as she wrestled with the decision. She glanced at Shreya’s empty chair across the room, then back at Arjun. The truth was a dangerous thing, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to unleash it. But deep down, she knew what the right thing to do was—whether she had the courage to do it was another question entirely.

Finally gathering the courage, Niharika walked over to Arjun's table, her heart pounding. She hesitated for a moment before clearing her throat, trying to steady her voice. "I... I have something to tell you," she began, her eyes darting around nervously. "It's regarding your wife.”

At the mention of Banishree, Arjun immediately straightened up, his eyes locking onto Niharika with an intense focus. The table fell silent, everyone suddenly alert. "What do you mean? What about my wife?" Arjun asked, his voice strained with worry.

Niharika took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. "Last night, I was in the washroom when I overheard Shreya talking to Banishree. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but… I heard everything."

Arjun's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in closer, urging her to continue. "What did you hear, Niharika? Tell me.”

Niharika glanced around nervously, then back at Arjun. "Shreya... she was really cruel to Banishree. She said some awful things, made her feel like she didn’t belong here. She said Banishree wasn’t educated enough to be with you, that she’s just a typical village girl. And then she mentioned someone named Alia... she told Banishree that you would have married Alia if it hadn’t been for her. She basically blamed her for ruining your life.”

Arjun's expression darkened, his fists clenching on the table, knuckles white. Niharika could see the pain and anger boiling beneath his calm exterior, "Shreya said that? She mentioned Alia?" His voice was low, filled with restrained anger.

Niharika nodded, her voice trembling slightly. "Yes... Banishree was so upset. She didn’t know how to respond. I could see how much those words hurt her. I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner, but I was scared. Shreya is my roommate, and... I just didn’t know what to do.”

Arjun stared at her for a moment, the information sinking in. He could barely contain the fury building inside him. "Thank you, Niharika, for telling me this," he said, his voice tight. Without waiting for a response, he pushed back his chair and stood up abruptly, the sound of the chair scraping against the floor echoing in the cafeteria.

"I have to find her," Arjun muttered, more to himself than anyone else, before storming out of the cafeteria. His friends quickly followed.

*********************************

You know, there's a point in life where you really adore someone but they do something that hurts you so much that you can't look past it no matter how sorry the other person is for their actions or words. You can't look at them the same way anymore even though you still adore the time and moments you have had with them. What do you guys do in that situation?

Please vote and comment readers. It would really motivate and help me write better.

Radhe Radhe