Sarangi wiped her tears and walked toward the classroom. She was a bit late, so all the seats were already taken—except the one next to the boy she had met earlier. The boy was engrossed in his own world and hadn't noticed her approaching.
As Sarangi reached his side, he looked up and asked with his eyes, "What is it?"
Sarangi clutched her bag tightly and softly asked, "Can I sit here?"
The boy looked around the classroom and realized there was no other seat. He muttered to himself, "Of course this crybaby had to sit next to me…" Then he looked at her and said,"Sure, my dad didn't buy this seat or anything—go ahead."
Sarangi sat down, all curled up, and the boy internally smacked his head: "What a weirdo!" He shifted slightly so she'd feel more comfortable.
After the first class, there was a break, and the boy quickly walked out. Sarangi finally started to feel a little at ease—just sitting next to him had made her breath hitch.
She pulled out her phone and saw a message from Vairagya:"Grab something from the canteen, wifey… otherwise, I'll have to take you straight to the hospital after college."
"You're really mean, Mr. Rajvansh…" she typed and threw the phone aside. A moment later, her phone buzzed again.
"I know, jaan... Tell me something new. That line's getting old."
Sarangi clenched her jaw in frustration.
"Hello, madam…" the boy had returned.
Sarangi looked up.
"Only five minutes till the next class… Aren't you going anywhere?"
"What?" Sarangi was startled.
"Hmm... If you are, then go…" he sprawled back in his seat.
Sarangi stood up and sat down again.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I want to go to the canteen…"
"Then go… Sitting here won't bring the canteen to you," he said, annoyed.
"But I don't know the way…" Sarangi murmured."Never mind. I'll go during the next break," she said, turning her attention back to her books. She was hungry, but it was impossible to find the canteen and eat in five minutes.
The boy stood up and asked, "Will a sandwich do?"
"Leave it, I—" Sarangi tried to stop him, but he left before she could finish.
Moments later, he returned with a packet and said, "Eat quickly… the professor's running late."
Sarangi thanked him and started eating the sandwich.
"You don't want to study, do you?" the boy asked.
"Hmm…" Sarangi nodded.
"Your dad forced you into it?" he asked again. Sarangi didn't respond.
"Honestly, you're lucky that your parents want to educate you and make you capable. There are still so many girls in India who aren't even allowed to dream beyond the kitchen... Thousands of girls yearn to study. So if you've been given this chance, don't waste it. Become someone your parents can be proud of."
Sarangi stopped eating and looked at him. He turned his face away.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Yatharth Rana," he replied.
Sarangi didn't ask anything more.
A little while later, the professor arrived and they got back to studying.
After attending all the lectures, Sarangi stepped out of the college. A driver from home had come to pick her up. She sat down in the car and looked outside. Yatharth's words had started to make sense. Vairagya had nothing to gain from her education, yet he insisted on it—and there she was, cursing him.
"Uncle, can we go to the mall, please…" Sarangi requested, and the driver turned the car toward the mall.
Sarangi got out and walked into the mall. She went to a bookstore and started picking out a few books. On her way out, she also bought a shirt for Vairagya—and walked out smiling.
Meanwhile, in ShimlaRajveer and Rudraksh were standing outside Shikha's college. They had asked to meet her, but Shikha had outright refused to recognize them. The college staff threw them out, leaving Rudraksh quite irritated.
"Raj, how long are we going to stand here?" Rudraksh asked in frustration.
"Till night…" Rajveer replied.
"What?" Rudraksh was shocked.
"Yes… All night. Tonight, we're sneaking into Shikha di's hostel room. That's why we're planning everything now," Rajveer said with determination.
"And what if we get caught…? We'll get beaten to a pulp…" Rudraksh said, worried.
"I don't care…" Rajveer said, his eyes filled with fierce resolve.
Shikha was sitting in her room, crying. Her phone kept lighting up with messages—Ajit was sending her her own photos and videos again and again. She was under intense stress. She had already taken so much money from her parents and given it to Ajit, and now she had nothing left—nor the courage to ask her parents again. She had sold all her valuable accessories, even the diamond necklace she had stolen from Sarangi, but Ajit's demands never stopped.
Shikha was pulling at her hair, drowning in panic:What if those photos go viral tomorrow? Or what if they reach her parents? What will she say to them…? They won't even believe her… They've always misunderstood her. Why would they believe her now? Society won't let her live… Everyone will hate her… No one will ever understand… never…
In desperation, she began banging her head against the wall. Fear had taken such a strong hold over her that she had lost all sense of reason. She was acting like someone who had completely broken down. Because of her father's influence, she had a single room, so no one had any clue about her condition.
Besides, she had stopped talking to people lately. All her so-called friends were only interested in her money and gossip. Once that stopped, they distanced themselves too. Only Sarangi kept messaging her—every day—whether Shikha replied or not, she always did.
Night had deepened, and the cold had grown harsher, but Rajveer and Rudraksh were still standing outside the hostel, shivering. Rudraksh was clearly irritated—first, they were thrown out so disgracefully, and now Rajveer seemed determined to freeze him into a popsicle.
"Shall we go…?" Rajveer asked.
"Where…?" Rudraksh looked at him in confusion, but Rajveer ignored him and started walking ahead.
"You've seriously lost your mind, Raj… We're trying to sneak into a girls' hostel! If someone sees us, we'll land in jail, man!"
"If you don't want to come, you can go back," Rajveer said flatly as he began climbing the hostel boundary wall.
Why is he suddenly sounding like Vairagya bhaiya? This puny guy... Rudraksh clenched his teeth and followed him.
Both of them had now crossed over the boundary and were slowly making their way toward Shikha's room. They had already bribed a girl earlier to get the room number.
"Room number 275... Yes, this is it," Rajveer whispered and lightly knocked on the door, making sure not to draw attention.
There was no response from inside.
"Shikha di…" he called softly.
"She's not opening the door…" Rudraksh whispered. "We can't stand here for too long. If the warden comes around, we're dead…"
"I'm not leaving without seeing her," Rajveer said stubbornly.
Rudraksh slapped his own forehead in frustration.
"Let's try the back balcony…" Rajveer suggested.
"Are you mad?! We're on the fifth floor. You think climbing up one balcony at a time is a joke?" Rudraksh half-screamed in disbelief.
"You got any other ideas?" Rajveer snapped back.
Rudraksh had no answer.
"Alright, let's go…" Rajveer said, and Rudraksh begrudgingly followed him.
They climbed back down and began their ascent using the drainage pipes to reach the balconies above.
As they reached the first floor, they heard some girls giggling from nearby windows. Rudraksh got startled and lost his grip.
Rajveer caught his hand just in time.
"What are you doing, Rudr?! We almost fell!" Rajveer hissed sharply.
"I'm scared, bro…" Rudraksh said, trembling.
"Hey, don't worry. I'm here," Rajveer tried to reassure him.
"That's exactly why I am scared, you idiot…" Rudraksh muttered.
"Keep your voice down—someone might hear us…" Rajveer warned him.
Momma, I want to go back home… Rudraksh cried silently in his heart.
Somehow, they managed to reach the third floor.
Panting, Rudraksh groaned, "Bro, I'm done. This is my dead end. I can't do this anymore…"
"Only two floors left, come on…" Rajveer encouraged him.
"Two floors, not two steps, bro!" Rudraksh snapped.
Rajveer gave him a push. "Please, man, let's just finish this… I'm exhausted too…"
Rudraksh took a deep breath and started climbing again.
Finally, they reached Shikha's balcony. Rudraksh collapsed in a heap while Rajveer gently knocked on the glass door and called out for Shikha, but there was no response. The room was pitch dark.
Rajveer pulled a small knife from his pocket and started working on the lock.
"What are you doing?! If someone catches us, we're going to jail!" Rudraksh panicked.
"We've already come this far… Might as well go a little further," Rajveer said as he quickly worked the blade through the lock.