The things in Mishra household was running smoothly. The lives of three new comers have found the rythm in the new place. It did take them few problems to overcome,but like they say, the time taught everything.
Radha continued her job as a teacher in one of the respected school with the help of Raghuveer. Maithil was adjusting well in her new school and the fact her brother Gola is there, helped her a lot.
But the same thing could not be said for Niyati.
"Maa... I'm on my way to your school so relax." Sitting in the auto, Niyati says. Today, her ever so upright mother forgot to bring some important file and was going berserk about it.
Niyati tries to calm her but it was to no avail. "Yeah yeah..it's raining outside so please look out for yourself. Understood."
"Yes mam."
Niyati has already been to Radha's school once or two times before. It was a government school where the variety of students one will see, could be, astonishing. Stopping the auto in front of the gate, Niyati pays and enter the school.
The rain was coming,hard. The school ground flooded was with water so Niyati has to take extra care where to put her foot next. Reaching the main building Niyati closes the umbrella and hook it outside.
"Uhmm... Hello. I'm here to meet Radha Mishra. Can you call her?" She says to the middle-aged lady who was sitting on the old looking chair. The lady did a through out inspection of her like her eyes has x-rays and will tell her universal truth.
Niyati at this point has gotten used to it. When she first came and anyone give her or her family one of those long stares, she would get irritated. Thinks,what's so weird about them that make everyone turn their head back?
"It's because we are new here. You see Niyati, the community we are living in is such a small tight knitted group that everyone know everyone. And we being the newcomers stick out like a sore thumb. It's because they're curious that they do this." Her mother has told her.
But Niyati think it's only because these people has too much free time in their hands and they don't know what to do anything good with it that they do one thing they have many tropies in ; poking their nose where it's not needed.
"Who are you, Madam? " The lady ask. And Niyati cringes. Why the hell everyone in this goddamn place is addicted to tobacco.
"I'm her daughter. Now will you please call her? I'm in hurry."
The lady roams her eyes up and down on the girl, Radha madam's daughter. Huh! This is supposed to be know by everyone that Radha madam's daughter look like a tv serial heroine.
In light blue coloured suit, hair done in a simple plaits and beautiful set of eyes and a decent face cut. The Mishras' are blessed with good looks it seems, the lady thought.
The lady says "Please wait near the staff room." and left. Niyati walk in the direction the lady told her the staff room will be. Her phone rings and she take it out of the purse to see who's calling.
"Hello.. Shivu dii. Yes-uhmm..no I haven't- yeah will start today, I'll send you material- okay-hm-. Talking on her phone Niyati didn't realises she walked further than needed and was now standing infront of the principal office.
Putting her phone down, she roll her eyes at her own foolishness. But just as she was about to turn back her foot slipped and she stumbled if not for someone hold her forearms and steady her.
"Careful," A deep voice says. "The floor is slippery." And left.
In the meantime Niyati gains her balance and could say her thankyou, the man left. Niyati look at his backside as well as two other men who were following him with riffles in their hands.
Her eyes follow him the farther they can, without moving from her place. Through the windows she saw one of the guard -that's what they must be- holding an umbrella above the man's head as they walked in the direction of a white Scorpio.
Other guard open the door gate, the man sat down and the Scorpio got lost in the rain. Niyati was simply standing there in awe, what she saw? When she felt tap on her shoulder "I was looking for you near the staff room. What you doing here?"Niyati walk along with Radha who take her to the staff room she in first place was supposed to be.
"Oh..I forgot. " Niyati lies quickly. "Here. I'll get going."
Taking the file from her hands, Radha put it on the table. She walked Niyati to the door "take the auto and go home. No roaming around." Rolling her eyes, Niyati walked away.
_
Two months passed to the incident, the face of the man wiped away from Niyati's mind. A thin layer of dust covering the memory of the strange encounter.
_
The college Niyati attend was celebrating 'Peace day' today. Some culture event to celebrate the college completing it's silver jubilee.
"All the students must be present in white traditional clothes. The students who have participated in cultural activities must be present in the auditorium before ten." The teacher has announced.
And that is how, Niyati was here doing this.
How, as in white churidar and long hair in simple open hairstyle, here, as in auditorium, doing this, means putting rangoli infront of the auditorium gate.
Craning her neck side by side, Niyati stand-up from her position. Smiling in formality to passerby who complimented her rangoli,then made her way to the front to tell Priya Mam that her work is done.
The inside of the auditorium was filled with excited students. For a second, Niyati felt she entered the heavens as wherever she looked at was pure white. She located Priya Mam in the green room where she was busy in fixing some senior girl's saree.
The chief guest is supposed to be some big shot people and to welcome them final year's Students will be summoned on the front gate. Shivangi dii was one of those student.
Informing Priya Mam, Niyati goes straight to Shivangi who look like a fairy in her white saree with red embroidery, bangles in one both hand, hair beautifully parted in half and left open from behind and simple makeup.
She say as much as to Shivangi and the girl blushes. Because of Shivangi's Milky white complexion the soft red spots on her face only added to her charm.
"You are not looking any less yourself, Amu." Shivangi complimented back.
They chit-chat for a while as Shivangi adjusted some of the leftover gajra in Niyati's hair "girls, hurry up. The chief guest is here." And Shivangi leave as Niyati mouthed good luck to her.
_
Niyati's friends has to be the most excited people in the college. Because the way they have dragged her in the first row seat just to see the chief guest can only mean two things ; they have gone mad or they are already mad but forget to take the medicine to tone it down.
"Told you it would be Choudharys." Asha, the girl with braces squeal.
"Everyone already knew it Asha. The question is which Chaudhary?" Niyati blinks her eyes in confusion as she whisper in Richa's ear "Chaudhary? As in Gayatri Chaudhary's family." Richa nods her head in conformation.
"What's grand about them? I mean what's the hype around the Chaudharys?" Asha gasped at her question while Richa shakes her head. "sometimes I forgot, you have only been with us for only four months."
Pouting at her friends Niyati look at them and ask "tell me na."
"Okay..okay. Uhmm..where to start. Yeah okay so, the Choudharys are equivalent in Begusarai as the Gods. The deity who walk on the earth. And the Bahubali Phoolan Choudhary, is the head of the family and is a sort of like a King of this place." And then shushing her voice low "you are aware about the Mafia Raaj in Begusarai, the Chaudharys are the one who leads it."
"In other words, the Chaudharys rules Begusarai. Even the leaf here doesn't move without Phoolan Choudhary's will."
What? Is what's she hearing right? Why it is sounding like a opening of one of those dark novels. Richa's description of made the Chaudharys sounds like monarchy. Even leaf won't move without his will what he is? Wind god. And the Mafia Raaj, she's aware the Begusarai is not a very safe City but surely the government would have done something if things are that extreme here. Right?
She choose to not say these things infront of her overexcited friends and kept her mouth shut for a while.
The audience applauded, Niyati has no idea why but she follow their cue. "There they are." She hear and turn.
"Since you don't know them, I'll tell you who is who." Niyati only nods at her friend's excitement. She do not have the heart to tell Asha that this thing doesn't excite her as much as it's doing to her.
The principal and board members follows a regal looking man, he was in white dhoti and kurta, an angavastra on his left side of shoulder. He was tall and has a strong built for a man who has to be in his mind sixties. His hands were fold behind his back as he take long stride to walk in the front of the stage.
"He is Bahubali Phoolan Choudhary. He is the man who raises the Choudhary empire single-handedly on his back. One of the most powerful and influential man in the whole Bihar. The man behind him.. "
A slightly short man with a menacing looking face follows Phoolan Choudhary closely "he is Lokesh Choudhary. The military commander of the Choudharys. Twenty eight murder cases has been registered on his name till this date. "
Eyes as big as saucer Niyati shockingly turns in Asha's direction. "What?" She mouthed. Her friend only nod at her in confirmation. "And the man after him, the stockier bulky looking guy with an unapproachable face is Mithilesh Chaudhary. Phoolan Choudhary's elder son. He shoot first and think later."
"And the one following after him.. the long hair guy, he is Vijay Chaudhary. Lokesh Chaudhary's only child. He helps bade Malik -" at Niyati's confused face Richa explain "- Mithilesh Chaudhary, that is what people call him."
Brushing her friend's aside Asha continues "- yeah him. All the black work; extortion, murder, assult is done by him. He is also the biggest drunkard of the family, and just few months before was found lying in someone's field completely passed out." sharing the gossip.
"Wao." Niyati huffs. "It really feels like I'm in some b-grade action film. Here I was thinking, if these men have such large following then they must be good people but hearing you- just wao! They all are bloody crimimals."
"Shh..don't be such a spoil sport- "
"- I'm not being anything but realist. You realise half of things you just said are illegal. "
"Shh..shh..keep your trap shut for few seconds. If my source are true, our real deal hasn't even graces us. "
Distracted Niyati ask "you have source? What? Do I even want to know ?"
"Gossip. She meant gossip." Richa deadpan. "And no you don't want to."
Several people gasp including Asha. Niyati didn't bother to turn this time, busy making fun of her friend's antic with Richa "look..you two, stop and look."
Forcefully yanking Richa and Niyati together, Asha make them see.
Niyati take one look and eyes widen comically. Is the universe playing joke on her? What- just what?
The man whose silhouette haunted her for days was now walking infront of her, with his same confident steps,hotty face and beautiful smile.
"He is Achintya Choudhury. Younger son of Phoolan Choudhary. Which shouldn't have to be said, considering the fact his face already announces it to the world. "
Niyati could see that. This man, Achintya's height and physique was quite similar to the first man she saw. Even their appearance and facial features matches to some extent. He also was quite handsome, -every Chaudhary was-. But he has the kind, gentle aura around him that make him seems friendly. A gentleman.
Niyati wonders how a man like him can be associated with that criminal family. He look like a scholar or professor rather than some psychopath.
Right at that moment Richa burst her bubble "Don't let look deceive Asha. "
"What you mean by that?" Niyati ask.
"See..he even made you curious about him. Huh..! That's his charm."
"Shut up."
"It meant what I said. Don't let his handsome face deceive you. You cannot forget whose blood is running in his veins. Rumor says, he has the genuine glint of madness in his eyes."
Before niyati could ask more, the welcome song starts drowning her voice but not her questions. She has lots of them. Running marathon in her mind. What could be dangerous about him? Surely a bad companionship affect even the best one. But don't they say how the sandals remain unaffected even when the snakes keep clinging to it.
Different acts follows the welcome songs as the culture program reaches its end. There was also arrangements of food and drink for the students and guest after that.
It was in early evening when the function end. Shivangi was waiting for Niyati to come who was bidding bye to her two friends. When she come both of the girls hops the rikshaw from the main road to their home.
To their whole way, they excitedly talk about the function. Going through every act and what they like and dislike about it. The criticism and praises monologue of different groups.
"-and then Asha started her Chaudhary Puran which basically sounds to me like a bad script some drunk writer wrote. I mean-" Niyati was in middle of telling Shivangi the bullshit she heard today, when she feels Shivangi's hand above her own for a second but a look at her side face, she found it neutral.
Usually, they both take the rickshaw all the way to their homes. "Bhaiya... stop here." Shivangi also ignores a bewildered Niyati but hold her forearms to make her move.
"Don't say their name Amu."
"Is that why- why- You stopped the rickshaw miles away from home just to say this. This. Wao..!"
Puzzled at her angry expression, Shivangi utters "No,no. Ofcourse not. " She glares at the smug expression of the youngest realising Niyati is teasing her "- silly girl. And it's five minutes away from our home not miles away."
"But seriously dii, why you are so naive? and how you always fall in my trap."
"It's because you are an idiot." And then Shivangi's eye smile dim and a serious expression cover her face and Niyati sigh.
Here comes another lecture on what to do and what not to do in Begusarai.
She's sure one of those thing will surely include some rule of not badmouthing Chaudhary. "Don't go around uttering Chaudhary's name anywhere."
Dang. See. Bullseye.
Giving a deadpan expression to Shivangi Niyati groans "don't you people have some other topic to talk about rather than Cha- fine. The dark lord. Is that okay? I'm real tired of keep hearing about them."
"You bought it."
"No I didn't. I was just telling you about my day but you- you actually stopped the rickshaw just to talk about this,
oops- " Walking side by side on the road, Niyati kick the pebble with her feet which hit a large man who turn around to see the culprit but found none.
The two girls get away, tiptoeing without getting noticed.
"Don't do that. I had a hard time in controlling my expression and announcing us."
"Sounds like your problem to me." Laughing together just as they were about to reach the street of their home Shivangi turns Niyati face to face " I know you will make fun of me again but seriously-"
"Fine. Fine. I won't, ever say their name in public. I won't even take you-know-who's name even in confine of my room." Sulking Niyati says " you have warned me enough times dii, just let it go. You are acting like I actually said something heinous about them."
"It could be Amu. Ten mouths, ten things." Looking at the uninterested expression on her face Shivangi blinks her eyes in frustration. Niyati is one stubborn creature.
"I'm just saying, whatever you do, don't associat yourself with anyone outside of our world.
"What are they, aliens?"
Without missing a beat"For us, yes. The life of middle class people are far different from those of upper class. You're not understanding the depth of things here, Begusarai is not what you think is. It is not Indore Amu. Someone could kill anyone in broad daylight in the middle of a market and no one could do anything about it. " Shivangi says.
A flabbergasted Niyati gasp, not knowing whether to find this cool or idiotic. "I know the city is not very safe in some aspect. The crime rates are roof touching and for whatever reason the government ain't doing anything about it- "
They both had reached Shivangi's home first, the shop was closed considering the fact Raghuveer went outside to a house inauguration of his friend. Giving one final look to Niyati, Shivangi open the gate.
"It's not the government can't do anything about it Amu. But, they won't do anything about it. Afterall, one do not leave in Rome and fight with the pope. Begusarai belongs to the Chaudhary. No but no and only the end."
She waves a bye and left leaving a bewildered Niyati behind.
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Author's note.
Bahubali:- someone who can change the course of politics through his sheer manpower. It's a famous title used manly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to honour someone who has the large following and is powerful.
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Also, one of the character's name is my bestfriend's name. Hush⊙﹏⊙