“Sir, he is innocent. Let him go. You can’t punish him. It hurts”, Nisha raised her voice as he dragged Alok and left the room.
“Nisha, I can’t understand what happened. I didn’t do this…”, denied Alok, with a soft tone, at Nisha, as she chased them along. Nisha nodded.
She patted his shoulder, guaranteeing, “I know that you can’t even do it even in your dreams. I will prove it and save you before dusk. Be brave, saar.”
“No Nisha, I didn’t do it. I didn’t…”, he grumbled.
All eyes were on the three rushing along the corridor of the first floor; some students, some lecturers, and some servants as well.
The master laughed, contradicting, “Every accused utters the very same dialogue. Hahaha! Your acting won’t work with me.”
Nisha tightened her fists. She raised her eyebrows and breathed hard. She rolled her eyeballs hither and thither at everyone else pointing at Alok and bitching about him.
“Alok saar hasn’t done anything wrong. I will expose the true culprits very soon. I trust you. I will save you, Alok saar. Whoever has done this to you can’t escape and will see the dirty side of my hands”, she promised to herself. A drop of tear fell on her right hand as she lifted it up and looked at it.
A while later, the very evening, around five, as the director entered his cabin, the disciplinary staff pushed Alok in.
“Sir, this guy was found getting cigarettes in college. He ought to be suspended”, conveyed him, folding his hands at the back and standing erect.
The director shrank his eyes at the poor Alok on the floor.
“Sir, I didn’t do anything. Trust me. I don’t know how cigarette packets were found in my college bag…”, Alok shook his head as the director took his seat.
May it be a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a couple of years, or even throughout one's life, relishing the most beautiful feeling on Earth-the love, it still matters.
While most couples are almost near the silver jubilee of their wedding anniversary, Alok and Nisha are just about to begin their love life!
Love at any age is love. Why not a middle-aged love story?!
“Lies, lies, and lies. How much will you lie, idiot?”, the master screwed, hitting Alok’s back.
“Truth, truth, and only truth”, argued Nisha, smiling at them from the window.
“Who are you? Come in”, said the director. She nodded. She sat opposite his chair. She relaxed, leaning behind and placing her right leg on the left. She grinned widely at the disciplinary staff.
“Hey, how could you come and sit in like a chief guest? Get up. It's not your house. It's our director’s cabin. Note it…”, the staff frowned.
She hissed. She closed her eyes and displayed her palm. She got up from the chair, folded her hands, and headed toward him. She tilted her head. She turned back at the white-haired elderly gentleman in the cabin.
“Are the disciplinary actions applicable to anyone? Or is it only for the students?”, she questioned.
“No, it's for anyone who carries cigarette, lighter, beer or any such prohibited item within the university’s premises”, clarified he.
She nodded, stepped backward, and turned behind. She bent and grabbed the packet of cigarettes from Alok’s bag that the staff carried. She let her hand inside the staff’s right pocket.
“Done!”, she exclaimed. She headed back towards the table.
“Sir, I accuse Naitik sir of carrying cigarettes to college. Would you agree?”
“What? How is this possible? Are you mad?...”, the staff argued.
“Simple!”, she interrupted, as the director shook his head.
“Sir, I condemn the accusation on Alok Sharma. Have a look at his academic records. Look at this file for your quick reference”, said she, placing a stick file of black and white printouts on the table.
The director nodded and smiled at Alok. “Wow! A hundred percent in Engineering Mathematics? Great!”, he praised.
“Yes sir, he is an amazing student. Clearly, there are bad guys in every class jealous of the topper guy. Just the way I demonstrated to you, someone has framed my friend. There is more to dig in, to find the true culprit.”
She turned at the staff, mentioning, “And I believe the disciplinary club should investigate further. A shred of better evidence would be like catching someone smoking at secret spots such as the terrace or the parking lot.”
As the staff bulged his eyes and rolled his eyeballs hither and thither, she smiled, continuing, “I know you don’t know, sir. It's fine. I have been observing for the past few days. There thrive your culprits and not in the study room.”
“True. You must examine it there, sir. I need the updates within two days. Hurry up”, ordered the director, flipping the last page of the file. He smiled at Alok whose heart still beats with panic. “Leave Alok. He isn’t supposed to be guilty of it. You may leave now!”
As the master nodded and left, the director called Alok. He uttered, “I am jealous of you, my dear student.”
“Sir, I didn’t…”, began Alok, shrinking his meek and hesitant eyes.
“Hey! Leave the cigarette matter, man”, reassured him. “I was talking about how this girl…wait, what's your name?”
“I am Nisha, sir-Nisha Verma.”
“Yes, I was referring to Nisha’s concerns for you, Alok. I’m jealous of you for having such a sweet and smart friend. In fact, if she hadn’t highlighted the trick behind the confiscation, I am afraid I wouldn’t have given it a thought either.”
As he stood up, handing the file to Alok, “Keep up your academic records. Forget this day as a bad dream and get back to your preparations. I’m sure you will be a great academician in the future.”
“Thank you sir”, thanked Alok, in his soft and gentle voice. The director smiled and nodded. Nisha blushed at Alok. The latter bent and was engrossed in swallowing his fear.
“Man, she almost saved you from suspension. Thank her!”, said the director, heading towards the door. As the three stepped out of the cabin, Alok nodded at Nisha.
“I’m sorry I was blank. I forgot. Thank you very much, Nisha medam. I wouldn’t be standing here peacefully without your help. I was speechless when you entered…”
“It's okay, saar. Come on, no formalities in friendship. Am I a stranger to you? Why do you think I will expect the vote of thanks?”, whispered her, chuckling along. She blushed and gestured for him to smile. He chuckled.
The director was already a few steps ahead. “Also, Alok, I want to add a point to you”, began he, turning back at his students. Alok and Nisha nodded.
“Never let her go from your life”, advised the director, smiling and walking away. Alok’s light brown eyes then turned to Nisha. He smiled at her beautiful dimples.
Presently, Dr.Alok sighed, pitying himself, ”I, a foolish master, shooed my horse which pleaded with me to ride as a king on its back. Instead, I, a stupid guy, chose a donkey and rode it like mad. I realized that none other than Nisha was my right life partner. But, I realized my love too late. How dumb I was!”
“No, it's not a problem. Feelings can’t be forced. I’m glad your heart beats with her name at least now”, Sandhya reassured him. She massaged his head. “Remember that it's never too late to love but remember to choose the right woman.”
He nodded, promising, “Nisha is not my responsibility. She is my soul. I will shower her with unbearable love that neither her ruthless dad nor her cunning enemy will disturb our joys anymore.”
“I know you are a responsible man. Nishoo was, perhaps, unlucky at first but she is, now, lucky enough to have you love her, at last. In fact, I didn’t want to advise you like a counselor. I wanted to share a couple of things I’m sure you must have been unaware of…I know that none other than you can keep Nishoo happier”, concluded Sandhya.
“I will help you wash, aunty”, suggested Dr.Alok, accompanying her to the kitchen.
“Oye! What is this? How can I get work done by my son-in-law? Absolutely, not fair…”
“No, I drank a cup of tea. Why can’t I wash my own cup?...”
Sandhya chuckled, dumping the cups in the sink. “Such a smart son-in-law I have! Huh? Your parents must have been here. They would have sued Nishoo and me. What a family! Look at how they are treating their son-in-law too much as a son ....”
As she washed the cup, his face shrank like a blowable pillow releasing all its air.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean..”, she began.
He faked a smile and shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Nisha medam. You are not only a lovely human but also a sweet mother. In contrast, I was a very bad father. How could I do it?”, he grieved, hugging the bars of the window in the utility room. He closed his eyes. The scene of his little son giggling and jumping on the spongy bed flashed within him.
“Ayushmanbhava! Come to your daddy soon, beta”, whispered him, sighing hard.
Will the sinful father ever find his son?
Dear readers,
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