I sat in the middle of the bus, taking his phone into my hands. Dialling my own number, I couldn't help but smile at the contact name he had saved for me. When I got the busy tone, I ended the call and patiently waited for her to call back or try again later. With a sense of boredom, I opened YouTube and started watching random videos suggested on his home screen.
Suddenly, after just a few minutes, a loud glass-shattering sound echoed from the back of the bus. Alarmed, when I quickly stood up to examine the source of the sound, a stone had smashed through the front windscreen, flying inside and striking my forehead as I stood directly in its path in front of the windscreen.
The blow from the stone had caused a cut on my forehead, and blood began to flow. Before I could fully understand what had happened, more stones were hurled from the sides and backside of the bus, targeting the glasses. I dropped to the floor, shielding myself with my hands and a dupatta, but a few glass fragments managed to pierce the skin on my back and hands. Pain radiated throughout my body, and the sensation of burning from the new glass injuries was intense.
Within moments, the onslaught stopped, and I cautiously raised my head to assess the situation. I noticed my hands were covered with tiny glass shards, a few of which caused bleeding. While inspecting my wounds, I overheard a conversation among a group of boys outside the bus, "Avanungaladha onnum panna mudila, ippo idhu podhum namma yaarunu kaata, aduthu yepovadhu sikamaya poiduvanunga, appo pathukulam. Ipodhiki idhu podhum vanga da polam."
Through the broken window, I saw the four boys leaving the area. As I moved slightly to look at them better, I winced in pain. I sensed a burning, moist sensation on my backside as well, indicating that I was also bleeding from the glass shards embedded there.
I decided to call from his phone to update someone about the situation. Ramya answered, and her voice carried a sense of urgency and anxiety when she heard my voice, "Enga pona nee? engellam theditrukom? Odaney Nee backstage va. Inga orey sanda, nee thania engaum iruka venam."
Tears welled up in my eyes, and my voice trembled as I replied, "I am on our college bus. Someone broke the windscreen glass and windows with stones. I was on the bus when they started to throw stones, and I couldn't get down. I think I am bleeding since glass pierced my back and hands."
"Stay on the line with me," Ramya instructed. I could hear her directing Sakthivel and Jithu to head towards the bus. Carefully, I made my way over the glass shards, exited the bus, and stood near the door.
Within a few minutes, Ramya, Anna, Jithu, and Sakthivel, accompanied by the professor, arrived. As Mukhil Anna and Jithu turned on their phone torches, Ramya assessed my injuries, and her anger was detectable as she asked me, "Nee en d inga vandha? En nee professor phone vachiruka?"
I glanced at the professor, who remained silent. "Professor dha kudutharu," I told her, extending his phone to him.
The professor took the phone and explained, "Nandha iva anga irundha ivala vachu sanda poduvanga nu inga kootitu vandhu ingaye iruka sonnen. Ungala bus ku poi avaloda irukka solla dha tirupi auditorium vandhen, ana anga vandhapo Arjun, Jithu aparam mathavanga ellam argue pannitu irukavum vera teacher ah kupda ponen ungala samalika sollitu na bus ku varalamnu, aana adhukulla ipdi aiduchu."
Ramya couldn't contain her anger and lashed out, "Neenga yaru avala inga kootitu vandhu okara vaika? avaloda sister na, idho ivan anna madri, ivan avan anni oda thambi, Sakthivel jatti matum potrundha kaalathula irundhu enga friend, engalukku paathuka theriadha avala? enga kuda irundhrundha ava bhatharama irundhrupa. Ippo pathingala epdi iruka nu?"
While Ramya confronted the professor, Mukhil Anna cleaned my forehead and began removing the larger glass shards that were still embedded in my skin. The pain was excruciating, and I couldn't help but cry out. Ramya turned her gaze to the professor in anger when she saw me in pain. I tried to calm her down by holding her hand, but she chided me," Sakthi summa iru konja neram. Veetla na poi enna solradhu? Engala nambhidha unna anupuranga, ivara nambi illa. Ivaru yaaru, en unna bus la iruka sonnaru, avaru sonna nee en bus la irundha, nanga en unna thania vittom nu 1000 kelvi kepanga, appo enna d solradhu?" I kept silent.
In anger, she went on to say to the professor, "Bus ku avala neengaley unga kuda batharama kootitu poningala avata yarum prechana pannama iruka? Kandipa yaarukum theriama dhaney vara sollirupinga? Illa unga thangachi ta sollli vara sonninga dhaney? Thania vandhapo yaradhu vambhu pannirundha enna panirupinga? Inniki decide pannunga, neenga avaluku yaarunu. Inimey avata pesuradhunalum thitradhunalum engayadhu kupradhunalum neenga avalukku yarunu decide pannitu dha pannanum. Your actions are leading and stringing her along.
Neenga inimey idhey madri panna, na kandipa ava veetla elartaum solluven ungala pathi. Neenga thitradhu, avala control panna try panradhu therinja avlodha, theva llama ungalukku prechana venam nu dha ivlo naal summa irundhen aana ini apdi iruka mudiadhu. Na enna solrenu avalukku kandipa puriadhu aana unagaluku nallavey purium nu enaku therium. Ini oru decision edukama avala pathi yoschu kuda paathuradhinga."
After venting her rage at the professor, she disregarded him, examined my wounds again, and told Jithu, "Jithu car ah edu naama direct ah hospital kootitu poidalam. Na veetla elartaum sollikiren. Ivala ivlo valila pathavey enaku bayama iruku inium late panna venam."
Jithu went to fetch his car while we waited near the bus. By the time he returned, all the students and teachers of our college had gathered around, along with some other college students and staff. Arjun approached us, and I spotted the boys who had thrown stones at the bus behind the crowd.
Arjun walked near us and said, "Sakthi enakum idhukum sammandham illa, nejama enaku idhupathi edhum theriadhu d. Therinjirundha kandipa ipdi nadaka vitrukamaten."
Ramya shot him a piercing glare, silencing him. "Just shut up. Ava kita varadha. Naney adipen ini avata nee pesuna."
Jithu parked the car nearby, stepped out of the car, and scowled at Arjun. "Podhuma ippo?"
Arjun caught his wrist, "Enaku idha pathi edhum theriadhu da, nambhu, please. Ava inga bus la irundhadhu, ipdi pannadhu, yaar pannadhu, idhu edhumey enaku theriadhu. Pasangala vena kelu enakum idhukum endha sammandhamum illa da, na unkudavey dhaney irundhen."
Jithu cut him off with a glare and growled in anger, "Ippo unaku theriuma theriadha, umela thappu iruka illayanu pesuradhu mukiama, illa avala hospital kootitu poradhu mukiama?" Hearing him, Arjun fell silent.
"The glass fragments have punctured your entire back," Jithu said softly as he drew closer to me. Sakthi, you have to lie on your front in the back seat because you can not sit or rest your back because the glasses will pierce your skin more deeply. Nadaka mudidha? illata thookikiren va. Or if you can't lay down, we can call an ambulance."
I replied, "It is okay; I can walk."
After accompanying me to the car and assisting me in lying down as he suggested, we headed to the hospital. On the way, Ramya informed my father, and I asked her to call Dada as well. I was immediately taken to the emergency room upon our arrival at the hospital. I was given a sedative, as it was a better option than administering local anaesthesia to my back and hands.
When I woke up, I found myself in a private room. My mom and Dada were deep in serious discussion, speaking in hushed tones. I sat up, catching their attention. They both rushed near me, and my mom said, "Enna muthey venum? en endricha? Enna pannudhu?"
I replied, "Susu poganum ma."
She helped me get up and took me to the bathroom. Afterwards, I went back to bed and fell asleep. The next day, I woke up in the mid-afternoon, and my room was filled with familiar faces: Rakesh, Sakthivel, Ramya, Mukhil Anna, and Jithu. They asked about how I was doing, and I went to freshen up. Upon my return, they handed me some food, which I began to eat.
Even now, Jithu couldn't resist a little teasing me: "Thakkali ah nethu nalla odachitangaley glass vachu, appo ini nee thakkali ah illa odanja thakkali ah?" I shot him a glare in response.
Ramya warned him not to tease me: "Muthey, rendu college pasangalukku nadula prechana, so bus glass odachitanga, apdi dha sollirukom. Nee en bus ku pona nu ellarum ketanga, edho eduka pona nu soliten. Professor sollidha pona nu ellam na solala. Arjun vishayam and kindal pannadhu edhum na solala ipodhaiki. After you are discharged, I have to speak to you, but ini enta sollama nee professor ta pesa kudadhu. Aparama veetla enna sollalam, solla kudadhunu decide panalam nee discharge anadhum. Anyway, unga thatha, and Dada ku sikiram ellam therinjidum epdium, appo avangala nee pesi samalichiko. I can hold on to saying everything to your parents, but only for a short time."
With a nod, "Avangalukku therium, I have a crush on him. Idhula maraika enna iruku?"
She let out a snort and asked, "Crush nu therium ana avaru unna thitradhu, ipdi pannu apdi pannu, idha pannadha adha pannadha nu solli control panradhu ellam theriuma ?"I shook my head negatively.
She suggested, " Appo na solradhu pesama kelu, unaku na aparama puria vaikiren en na ipdi solrenu."
After spending around an hour with me, they all left the hospital, and Dada stayed the night with me. The next afternoon, I was discharged from the hospital as all of my wounds had started healing well. I was instructed to change the dressing on the stitches on my forehead every day until they were ready to be removed. They prescribed medication and antiseptics and recommended consulting a dermatologist for scarring treatment once the wounds had fully healed.
I took leave from college and informed my class coordinator. A day had passed since my hospital discharge, and I was making progress. Surprisingly, my parents and dada didn't pry into what happened until now. With my parents at a previously scheduled office meeting, I was alone at home. I reached out to Dada to come, but he also had prior plans and promised me that he would spend the next day with me. After taking the medication, I fell asleep.
It was already late in the evening when I woke up. When I checked my smartphone, I saw that Arjun and a few of my friends had left me messages asking how I was doing. The day was his birthday. He has messaged me a couple of times, wanting to know how I am doing and if I could call him to wish him a happy birthday. I never responded to him and deleted it after reading it.
I was browsing Netflix, trying to choose a show or movie to watch, when I received a call from Janani Akka.
Her voice was frail and distressed. "Sakthi, could you please help me? I'm at Arjun's place. I attended his party, but I accidentally consumed something, and now I feel strange and tipsy. I suspect I unknowingly consumed some drugs. Sudheer has passed out from consuming excessive alcohol. Please, Sakthi, yaarta kekuradhu nu therila, and others will judge me and think I'm a bad person. Enna konjam, pick up panni, veetla drop panria please, Sakthi."
I hesitated. "Akka veetla therinja thituvanga, na velia vara mudiadhu. Adhum illama ippo veetla yaarum illa enna anga kootitu varadhuku."
She pleaded, "Please, Sakthi. I don't know whom to call."
Before I could refuse again, she went silent, and I couldn't get any response from her, even though she was still on the line. I was uncertain about what to do next. My wounds were still hurting and were just starting to heal. I could not go now by myself. My siblings had gone out as well. Ramya and Rakesh were at his place since his mom asked him to bring her home for the first time after knowing about them, so she was out of the question. However, with my cousin and family unavailable, I made a call to Sakthivel.
I told him about the call I had received from Janani Akka, and after explaining the situation, I asked him to come home when he answered. He relented after I persuaded him that we could not leave a girl alone when she was in need. About 30 minutes later, he arrived, surprising me by bringing Jithu along. They took us to Arjun's house.
As we entered the living room of the house, we were met with a chaotic scene. The room was a mess, filled with boys in various states of drunkenness, engaged in chats, card games, smoking, and engaging in drug-related activities. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and alcohol, which was suffocating for me. I dialled Janani Akka, but she didn't answer. We made our way inside, navigating through scattered beer bottles, cigarette butts and whatnot, searching for her room by room.
After checking several rooms, we found her emerging from a bathroom in the room we investigated. Upon seeing us, she rushed forward and hugged me, her eyes still reflecting the effects of the drugs. She started sobbing. "Thanks, Sakthi. I didn't think you'd come. They mixed some drugs in the cake or brownies, I think. I got tipsy after eating. Theriama inga vandhu maatikiten."
I consoled her, "Sari aladhinga, vanga pogalam."
"Sakthi en bag and phone pakathu room la iruku, can you please grab them? ennala nadaka mudiala, thala suthudhu." She requested.
I nodded and asked Sakthivel to accompany her to the car and Jithu to wait for me. I opened the room she had pointed to, and it was filled with smoke. Jithu kept the door open and stood on the doorstep, waiting for me. I began to cough as I entered. Through the haze, I saw two guys lying on the bed, with her bag on the bedside table. I picked it up and checked for her phone. As I turned to leave, one of the guys on the bed grabbed my wrist, causing me to startle in fear. It was Arjun. Jithu came to the rescue and managed to free my hand from his grip, and we took a step towards the door. However, Arjun caught the edge of my kurta top and pulled it to stop me. In his frantic attempt to halt me, my top tore at the stitches on my side, exposing my side up until my bra. Realising what he had done, he immediately let go of my top. Panicked, I called Jithu, and he rushed towards us and pushed Arjun away when he tried to approach me again. Arjun fell back onto the bed, still in no condition to do anything.
All this commotion was happening upstairs in the house, and we were oblivious to what was occurring downstairs at that time.