Chapter 18
It was the morning, Advait was standing in his room and the three culprits were standing in front of him with their heads hanging low.
They were dressed in their school uniforms. Advait was throwing daggers at them through his eyes.
He was waiting for them to break the silence but after getting exhausted from lack of response he decided to break the silence.
"Koi kuch bolega?" Advait snapped.
Still Silence.
"Kiska idea tha movie dekhne ka aage aao?" He asked.
Aditya and Arush looked at each other and cautiously took a step back together and now only Abhishek was standing in front. Abhishek was looking down all the time and was oblivious.
Advait firmly gripped his ear and twisted it, "Ahh bhaiya... choriye please." Abhishek was dancing due to his tight grip.
Aditya and Arush gulped looking at him.
"Maine bola tha na jaldi sone ko phir bhi movie dekhne ka idea diya ha." He twisted his ear more.
"Bhaiya, mera idea nahi tha sachhi." Abhishek said, his face scrunched up in pain.
"To phir aage kyu aaya?" Advait asked leaving his ear.
Abhishek furrowed his brows and looked back at his brothers who just betrayed him.
"In dono ka idea tha, bhaiya." Abhishek said making them gasped.
"Bhai, jhoot mat bolo." Arush immediately said.
Abhishek glared at him, "Acha mai jhoot bol raha hu?" Arush avoided looking at him.
"Bhaiya, aap kaka se puch lein mera idea nahi tha maine to inhe mana bhi kiya tha par in dono ne meri suni nahi." Abhishek said in one breath.
Advait glared at them, "Koi kam nahi hai tum me se, ek se badh kar ek ho teeno."
"No T.V. for a month." He ordered.
"Par meri kya galti hai bhaiya." Abhishek whined.
"Inka sath dene ki galti." Advait replied and walked out of the room.
Abhishek looked behind at both of them, "tum logo ki wajah se subah subah daant pad gayi."
"Haww bhai isme humari kya galti." Aditya said dramatically.
"Sahi bol raha hai galti to meri hai jo maine tumhari baat maani." He replied.
"Exactly!" Aditya and Arush said at the same time.
~_______________________________________~
Abhishek was sitting in his class with his friend, Akash. The teacher was writing something on the white board. Abhishek's focus was fixed on the board when Akash nudged him.
He looked at him, "Kya hai?" Abhishek whispered.
"Tune permission li?" Akash whispered back.
Abhishek properly looked at him and replied, "Nahi yaar time hi nahi mila raat me bhaiya late aaye the aur aaj subah unka mood acha nahi tha islie maine nahi pucha."
Akash shot him an unimpressed look.
"But don't worry aaj jese hi unka mood acha hoga mai unse puch lunga bas permission mil jaye." He added.
"Mil jayegi, bro." Akash replied.
"Hope so." Abhishek answered.
The loud sound boomed in the class, "Focus." They both looked at front and the teacher was already glaring at them.
They both muttered an apology and sat straight.
In the lunchtime, Aditya was in his classroom. He was sitting lonely with a sad look on his face, "You cheated me, vanu. Tune chutti kar li aur mujhe ek baar bataya bhi nahi." He muttered to himself.
Vanya was absent and he was sulking from the morning. He didn't even concentrated in his class. He was sitting alone on the desk, one of his classmate wanted to sat with him but he didn't let him as the seat was only reserved for his Vanya.
A boy around his age who was his classmate came to him, "Kya hua, Aditya. Akele kyu betha hai?" He asked.
"To kya baraat lekar bethu?" Aditya snapped.
"Calm down bro gussa kyu ho raha hai." His classmate said.
Aditya scoffed.
"Mai to bas ye puchne aaya tha ki tujhe bunk par chalna hai?" He asked.
"Bunk?" Aditya raised his brow in curiosity.
The boy nodded, "Mai daksh aur harshit jaa rahe hain tujhe chalna hai to bata?"
Aditya thought for a moment, "Waise bhi yaha akela beth kar bore hi ho raha hoon isse acha inke sath chala jata hoon at least ye boring class to nahi leni padegi." He thought to himself.
"Chal chalte hai." Aditya said.
The boy grinned and he picked up his bag. They left for the washroom cautiously hiding his bag between both of them. "Hum bunk karke yaha aaye hain?" Aditya glared at him.
"Aree nahi bro, lunch time tak hum yaha rahenge uske baad chupke se playground me jayenge aur waha se piche wali wall cross karke school ke bahar." Daksh replied with excitement.
"Aur school ke bahar jane ke baad kaha?" Aditya further asked.
They four looked at each other and started thinking.
"Maybe mall?" Harshit said.
All of them nodded their heads with excitement and thriller. Soon the lunchtime ended and the corridor that was bustling with students and teachers now emptied.
They four sneakingly went to the playground and climbed the wall and jumped over it one by one. They high fived with each other when they were finally out of the school.
They made their way to the near by mall which was only ten minutes away from the school.
They went to the mall and roamed around in it for a few hours. They lost track of time in enjoying themselves. They roamed and did some window shopping.
Aditya was enjoying himself his mood was upset before but now he was feeling better. He was walking when suddenly someone from behind grabbed his arm and turned him around.
Aditya was about to yell at the person but he froze looking at the person in front of him, "Aa.. Aap yahan?"
"Ye question mujhe tumse puchna chahiye?" The person narrowed her eyes. It was Shreya and she came with her friend to watch a movie in the mall. Her friend left in the middle of the movie due to an emergency.
"Wo... wo di... Actually na wo." Aditya stuttered, his face was pale and he was only hoping that Shreya will not inform Advait about it.
"Boliye mini malhotra." Shreya glared at him.
"Di please bhaiya ko mat batana." Aditya pleaded before she could say something.
Her glare intensified, "School bunk karke aaye ho na?" She asked.
Aditya scaredly nodded, she was about to scold him when Aditya's classmates looked up to him.
They saw Aditya with Shreya from a distance and understood the situation.
They waved off to Aditya and quickly left the place.
Aditya cursed them in his mind and immediately regretted his decision to bunk with them.
Shreya looked at them and then again at Aditya, she snapped her fingers in front of his eyes to get his attention.
"Dekha jin logo ke sath tum yaha bunk karke aaye the wo tumhare pakde jane par tumhe chor kar bhaag gaye." She said and he looked down.
"Tum kisi ko bina bataye school bunk karke yaha aaye ho agar tumhe kuch ho jata to tumhare ye dost to isi tarah tumhe chor kar bhaag jate." She added.
"Bohot galat baat hai ye, Adi. Chalo ab school me chutti ka time ho gaya hai tumhare bhai tumhe dundh rahe honge." She said.
"Nahi di please mai school chala jaunga par aap bhaiya ko mat batana please please please." He pleaded, he never pleaded to anyone before but only the thought of his brother knowing about this incident sent a shiver to his body.
"Batana to padega Adi unka janna jaruri hai ki unka bhai school jane ke naam par kya kar raha hai." She scolded.
"Di, please." Aditya held her hand and pleaded, his eyes were verge on crying.
Shreya noticed it and sighed, she gently squeezed his shoulders to calm him down, "Okay fine, calm down mai unhe khud se kuch nahi bataungi par pehle tum mere sath school chalo."
He looked at her but didn't move from his place, his legs were glued to the place. He was not afraid of anything but Advait. He was scolding himself to agree with their plan but now he can't do anything.
Shreya nudged him and took him with her, they walked to the school as it was only ten minutes away.
~________________________________________~
Meanwhile, Advait was in his office. He was in the conference room and attending a meeting. His face was focused and calm. His presence was demanding the authority he carried.
Suddenly the door of the cabin opened and his secretary, miss tia entered the cabin. Her face was radiating tension as she came up to Advait. She quietly handed him his phone muttering, "Sir, it's urgent."
Advait looked at her and sensed the tension as Tia was only allowed to disturb him when it was something related to his family.
He immediately picked up the phone and his driver's voice cut through the phone, "Sir, Aditya sir is missing."
"What?" Advait stood up horrified, he didn't wasted a single moment and stormed out of the office in urgency.
He drove to the school and found Abhishek and Arush were standing there in worry.
"Adi kaha h, Abhi?" Advait asked.
"Pata nahi bhaiya maine poora school check kar liya wo kahi nahi hai uske ek classmate se pucha to usne bataya recess ke baad Adi apni class me hi nahi aaya." Abhishek informed.
"Aur vani? Usse pucha? Usey jarur pata hoga Adi kaha hai." Advait asked, his expression was worried.
"Vani didi aaj school nahi aayi." Arush informed.
Advait wiped his hands on his face in tension and waved his fingers in hair.
"Bhaiya wo..." Abhishek hesitated.
Advait asked, "Bata Abhi kya baat hai?"
"Bhaiya wo umm Adi ke classmates keh rahe the ki Adi aur uske kuch friends bunk par gaye hai." Abhishek nervously said. He didn't want to put Aditya in trouble but it was necessary to inform Advait about it.
Advait gaze hardened, Abhishek instantly added, "Kya pata wo aise hi jhoot bol rahe ho unhone bas assume kiya hai."
Advait closed his eyes in frustration and took a deep breath to calm himself. He very well knew his brother that if Vanya was absent then probably Aditya was on the bunk because he wasn't interested in studies at all, he only studied so that he could be with Vanya in the next class also.
He looked at the driver and instructed him to take the Abhishek and Arush to home.
Abhishek and Arush denied before but agreed when Advait snapped at them in irritation.
They went home with the driver and Advait went inside the school in anger.
He straight barged into the Principal office and banged his table hard. Principal stood up looking at Advait and flashed him a nervous smile.
"Hello, Mr. Malhotra."
"Do hell with your hello." Advait gritted.
Principal quickly masked his grin and asked, "What's the matter Mr. Malhotra?"
"You're asking me Principal? Aapke school se bachhe gayab ho jate hai aur apko pata bhi nahi chalta great." Advait dangerously said.
"Konse bachhe kon gayab ho gaya sir?" Principal concerned.
"Ye to mujhe aap bataiye mera beta kaha hai?" Advait looked at him with fury.
"Apke school building se wo gayab ho jata hai aur apko pata hi nahi hai, CCTV room kaha hai?" Advait yelled at him.
Principal gulped and instantly showed him the way to the CCTV room where all the footage of the cameras playing on the screen.
Advait immediately checked the lunchtime footage of the Aditya's classroom. He followed him through the screen but Aditya was only last seen in the direction of going to the playground because there was not any camera in the playground.
Advait rubbed his forehead with his fingers and exited the room but not before shooting glare at the Principal.
He came out the school and stood there leaning against the car, he was in extreme anger he understood Aditya was on the bunk and now he was fuming in anger.
His face was red and jaw clenched in annoyance.
He left his important meeting in the middle just because of this chaos.
He waved his hands through his hair. The veins on his forehead was clearly visible making him more scary.
He took out his phone from the pocket and about to call someone when he saw Shreya was coming to his side and she was not alone, Aditya was with her.
She stopped in front of him and Aditya was hiding behind her. He looked up at Advait and a shiver ran down his spine looking at his red eyes filled with dangerous anger. He instantly looked down and hid more behind Shreya.
~________________________________________~