Meeting

Chapter 1: 'Mars, Venus and Jupiter?'
Chapter 2: 'A Date?'
Chapter 3: 'Football'
Chapter 4: 'Friends!'
Chapter 5: 'A Night'

Chapter 6: Meeting

May 6th 2009, 2:43 PM
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Vinayak was beginning to get worried about Rahul. Ever since the news of the murder broke out to public there had been panic around in the campus. Rahul was way too disturbed, didn't have his lunch and was heard murmuring something unknown to anybody. Vinayak was getting uncomfortable and he decides to do this.

Vinayak took his mobile out of his pocket, and silently slipped out of his room where Rahul was sleeping. He went to the veranda and was still undecided about doing this. As many times as he had tried to answer his questions, there was only one answer: "What are your other options?".
Tired of fighting himself, he dialed a number. He had this number for a long time now, two years infact, but he never called at all. He never had a reason to, now it was all different.

"Tring Tring....Tring Tring....Tring Tring...... beep! The person you are calling is not accepting any calls at this moment, please try again later." An automated response replied.
"Go to hell." said vinayak and he dialed again.

He tried 4 more times, before he decided to giveup. But just then he thought he should try once more and he did.

"Tring Tring...Tring Tring.... Helloo" a voice replied. It was Madhu's voice.
Vinayak: "Hi. I am vinayak, Rahul's friend. Remember ?" he asked curiously.
Madhu: "Of course, I do."
Vinayak: "hmm.. How are you?" he said in a very low tone and continued "With the situation in the campus I hope you are doing better than how Rahul is ..." he said firmly.
Madhu: "What happened to him? Is he okay?" she questioned with authority. "He hasn't been talking to me well since evening yesterday, and I know no reason. And today, this shit happens and he doesn't even take my calls today." she said sadly lying low.
Vinayak: "Actually, he is very disturbed with this incident. He isn't able to come out of it. He feels he is connected somewhere." he put it straight.
Madhu: "What ? Did he do something wrong?", she was worried.
Vinayak: "We must meet. Can you comeover to coffee corner, now?"
Madhu: "Yeah, I am in hostel, I can come. See you there in 5 mins." she said and hung the fone.

Vinayak was relieved, though Rahul was not doing pretty well at least Madhu was fine. Moreover, Vinayak had a crush on Madhu for a long time now and he never expressed it to anybody. So this meeting was an important one for sure, but was also a one-sided date for him. He got ready and went there.


Coffee Corner, 3:02 PM
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Vinayak was waiting at the coffee shop, sitting in the same chair that he sat on 4th when he and Rahul were having mango juice, and where they first saw Janni. He was desperately waiting, he had a lot to talk about. By now, he had realized that Rahul is in this current mood not just because of the murder, but something else might have happened between Madhu and him too. But those were his thoughts, he was waiting for Madhu and waiting for reality to unfold.

He could see madhu from a distance, she was at about half way through the sidelines of the basketball court. "Gorgeous" he thought. She was looking wonderful, though she wasn't the most beautiful woman he had seen. He liked it, the way her hair fell on her face and the way she pulls it to plug into a much heavier bunch over her head. He was still mesmerized thinking about here before he realized that she was very close to him now, in physical distance that is.

She waved a "Hi!" to him and so did he. He asked her to take a seat right in front of him. Both sat down and started the conversation slowly.

Vinayak: "So, are you okay?" Vinayak said. He actually wanted to say "You are beautiful baby!" but this wasn't the right time.
Madhu: "I'm fine. What about Rahul?" she asked immediately.

Vinayak wasn't surprised. She hardly knew vinayak, all she cared about was Rahul.

Vinayak: "He is fine, I put him to sleep. He doesn't know it but I put him on sedatives."
Madhu: "Was he okay before that ?" she worried and said "He didn't talk to me yesterday evening. We were supposed to go out but then suddenly he dissappreared without even talking to me."
Vinayak seemed interested, "was it their date?" he thought.
Vinayak: "What exactly happened?"
Madhu: "We... we were supposed to go out last night for dinner, which was postponed from the day before when you both went out for dinner." She seemed to be complaining.
Madhu continued "He was waiting for me here at the coffee corner from 7.30 or so, and as usual it took time for me to come over. By the time I had come here he was already leaving, I followed him begging him to pardon me for the delay he didn't listen. He wasn't in the right nerve at all. It was as if he didn't listen to me at all. He didn't even look at me or didn't even notice me, actually. He seemed disturbed."
Vinayak: "And then ? You called him back ? Did you meet him later?"
Madhu: "hmm.. He never took my call. He was very angry I guess, but I donno why he should be. He should understand right, 15-20 min delay while a girl gets ready is okay, right?" she said in low voice so that no one else would hear.
Vinayak: "So.. this is all the information we have.."
Madhu: "No!" She interupted "This was what I had thought it was. But then..." she continued slowly "I went over to the coffee corner again, and met seenu there."
Vinayak: "Oh, you mean Seenu, the owner of the coffee corner?" he wondered.
Madhu: "Yes. And he told me that there was a small discussion between Janni and Rahul after which Rahul left from the place. I could still see Prashanti, Janni and Megha fighting over something there. So I didn't ask them anything about Rahul and I left to hostel. And ..."
Vinayak: "And ?" he said in a surprised tone, "is there more" he thought.
Madhu: "And today we see Janni nomore, and Rahul in his current state. I don't know whats happening."
Vinayak consoled "Its okay.. I think I can understand what happened there."

Vinayak explained what he knew, and speculated a bit.

Vinayak: "So when he was there at that time, he must have hit on to some argument with Janni and probably got insulted by him. That is why he was disturbed yesterday and now with Janni's murder he isn't able to take it anymore." He said and then added "Probably!".

Vinayak: "Okay thanks for the information, I must go now. Rahul is alone in room, he would be alarmed if wakes up and finds himself alone. I haven't even got my phone here."
Madhu: "Take care Vinayak, and take care of Rahul. He means a lot to me." she said in a low voice and almost crying as a few drops fell of her eyes.
Vinayak said "Don't worry. He is my friend, I'l take care of him. You be careful and take rest. We will all meet after he wakes up in the evening, okay? Bye."
Madhu looked at her watch that read "4.13 PM", nodded and said "Bye".

Vinayak left the place happily. He was sensing a feeling of accomplishment. May be because he understood the situation a bit more, or may be because he got to talk to Madhu, at last.
Madhu meanwhile was wondering if Janni's murder had anything to do with Rahul, she has been hoping not.


Chapter 7 here