CHAPTER: 19
"Did you find it?", the younger person asked, a mocking tone under laced with it.
The older man as if breathing fire said nothing but clenched his teeth in anger.
The younger person spoke again, "And I am sure you won't find it anytime soon."
"Can you tell me what your problem is? For god damn just focus on your studies", the father not able to control his anger admonished.
"I would have! I would have been able to focus if you had let me study what I wanted to. I want to study and research history if only...if only you had let me", his son exclaimed.
"I know what is good for you. There is no future in this. Look at me son, just look at me!" the father cried out.
"You think so. I will have a future and stop playing the victim, you are doing fine and just watch when a twenty-two-year-old finds what you old and experienced folks are not able to then", the son looked at his father square in the eyes and continued, "there is no going back".
He shut the door loudly on his way out, then there was silence.
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Vrishti had not been able to sleep the entire night even after she had closed all her windows and locked the door. The silver piece laid on the mirror stand facing her bed.
When Naaz came to the room in the morning with a disheveled appearance in her pj set, Vrishti finally breathed in relief.
"Good Morning", Naaz greeted going toward the bathroom and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Good Morning", Vrishti said silently as she held onto the pillow in her lap.
In the morning, after that, they had silently gotten ready for the day. Naaz in her signature hijab and pastel-colored clothes while Vrishti decided to go with something simple and comfortable but effortless.
The stomach-dropping feeling was almost gone now when she started a light conversation about what they will do when they reach home and what the teacher assigned for today that she almost forgot about it.
She straightened the oversized graphic t-shirt which she had pulled over a basic light blue jeans. She did a messy knot with her hair and when she eyed down to put the brush down, her eyes fell on the silver piece from last night again.
She picked it up and put it in the small pocket at the side of her bag which she sometimes used to store keys or bubble gums.
"Ready?", Vrishti asked Naaz who was sitting on the bed and typing rapidly on her phone, a frown etched between her brows.
Hearing Vrishti she looked up and slowly a smile appeared on her face, she turned the screen off and nodded at her.
When they closed the door they saw Lee coming their way, he wore a black cotton shirt over a white t-shirt checking out his silver rings and glinting on his fingers in the low lights of the hallway.
When he looked up, there was a small smile on the corner of her lips. He came closer and greeted, "Hello Munchkins".
Both the women said their greetings and they descended the stairs together. Lee and Naaz before Vrishti when her eyes fell on Lee's shoes in passing, she noticed there was dried mud on his black boots but then she looked up where their other friends had been waiting for them.
After finishing their morning breakfast, they all got ready to board the bus. Today was the day they will be visiting the ruins.
Vrishti could feel the anxiety building up as she rubbed on her arms, the atmosphere was still cool in the morning after the spring showers the night before.
They were all standing in the line getting on the bus one by one when Gurnoor spoke up, "Why is there mud all over your shoes?", as he eyed Lee's shoes.
Lee looked down suddenly not realizing and rubbed at his sides with a sheepish smile and said, "Uh-this, I went for a smoke last night, must be from that".
Gurnoor just muttered something incoherent under his breath towards Lee and went on his way into the bus.
They all settled inside when Vrishti found herself beside Shayon.
"Hey", he greeted her as she sat down and nodded her head, and squeaked a 'hi'.
The morning sunlight came in through the window from the cleared sky and something glinted right at Vrishti's sight, she moved a little and looked at the source.
There it was in Shayon's breast pocket, a silver-bodied pen. Vrishti stared at it, "Shayon, can you please remove the pen. It's reflecting straight at my eyes", she requested.
Shayon listened to her and clamped at the pen with his right hand with an 'oh'. The way he held its one end made it difficult for her to look for what Vrishti had been searching for before he put it in his side bag and followed it with a smile.
Vrishti shook her head to relieve herself from the vines of paranoia clutched at her sides, she had a purpose to look forward to she couldn't lose herself in such trivial things.
She clutched her bag, the outline of the brown leather journal on her fingers calmed her. It was her only way, the key to all the secrets and the source of it all too.
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The crowd trickled inside the dilapidated Ruins through the main entrance, saving themselves from any rough and pointy edges on the way.
Vrishti eyed her friends, an eager smile bubbling at the corner of their lips. Naaz, Namrita, and Gurnoor discussed the King that ruled here silently to themselves while Vrishti listened as she walked along with them.
Lee and Shayon discussed the architecture of the Ruins like real anthropologists, Vrishti smiled to herself at the thought.
The head manager of the archaeologist team sent by the government here, had given them a speech about the Ruins' history and a little about the mahal and he also stressed the fact that it was quite old, they would report anything they find suspicious in the surroundings.
"Okay students, as you all must have known why our team is here so if any of you find anything or any clue regarding it make sure you inform us and I will especially ask the government to reward them".
Murmurs broke out in the crowd, some were excited, and some had blank expressions on their face as if they couldn't be bothered while Vrishti heard a scoff from her left, it was Lee.
He muttered under his breath," Now they are taking help from college students, why not give them their salary too".
Shayon was listening to him but instead of replying to Lee, he mumbled to himself, "That's quite smart".
Vrishti realized both of them had gotten quite close in these past days when her eyes fell on Gurnoor looking longingly at his best friend for a moment then he joined Naaz and Namrita's conversation again.
"Okay, students! That was all, now you are on your own. We will meet here again at one o'clock sharp", with this the crowd dissipated.
There was a newfound determination in the air and Vrishti realized now she was competing against a hundred more students and a team of archaeologists but she wasn't giving up because she had what others didn't, Vidhyut.
I have to find Varsha
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I hope you all are excited as I am