Yesterday, 01:17 AM
## Update 30: The Coin Toss and the Confession
The next day, I went to schoool. Today I felt marginally better than yesterday. The excitement of the previous day's discovery about Mona had injected a new distraction into my life. During class, I noticed Komal looking at me. When our eyes met, I was suddenly reminded that the boring math teacher would be back in two months and that Madam had left for good. I then remembered that Komal, my own cousin, genuinely needed my help with her studies. Neha Aunt might be the way she is, but Komal is my sister. I should help her, I resolved. I decided I would go to her house tomorrow.
It was the lunch break. I went to the schoool ground to play, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Mala was also sitting alone nearby. I was thinking about whether I should tell her what I overheard or not—it was a huge risk if Mona's brother found out, but the thought of protecting Mala felt right. I left the critical decision to fate.
I took a coin out of my pocket and tossed it into the air. When it landed, the decision was made. Maybe God also wanted this, I thought, taking it as a sign. I walked over to Mala.
"Hi, you're Mala, right?" I asked, feeling a little awkward initiating the conversation.
"Yes, and you're Avi," she said.
"You know me?" I asked, surprised that a girl two classes above me knew my name.
"We live in the same village, and you're famous for your studies. I can know that much," she said simply.
"But why are you asking me today? Did I do something?" she asked, a little suspicious of my sudden approach.
"I need to talk to you about something important," I said, leaning closer.
"Yes, say it. I'm listening," she said.
I hesitated, suddenly unsure how to break the news.
"What is it? You're scaring me," she asked, looking a little frightened.
"First, promise me that you'll listen to me completely and not get angry or interrupt," I said, seeking assurance.
She thought: Does he have feelings for me? He looks so intense.
"Yes, I promise. Now just say it, quickly," she said impatiently.
"I overheard your and Mona's conversation yesterday," I confessed, watching her face carefully.
"What?" she asked, her eyes going wide with shock and fear.
"Please listen to my whole story before you judge," I said.
Mala thought: So he knows everything. Is he here to take advantage of me now that he has my secret?
She said with a flash of anger, though she held her voice low, "Yes, say it, but get to the point."
"I also heard the conversation from a week ago, when you first talked about the storehouse," I admitted.
Mala thought: He heard that too. Then why didn't he tell me then? Maybe he's not entirely bad, or maybe it's something else he wants.
"Say clearly what you want to say, Avi," she demanded.
"Mona is not a good girl. Stay away from her," I warned her directly.
"Mona is my friend. I won't hear anything bad about her," she said, sounding instantly protective and defensive of her loyalty.
"After you both were talking last week and you went home, Mona said something to her brother," I said, revealing the cruel core of the plan.
"What did Mona say?" she asked, her curiosity now getting the better of her anger.
"She said that after showing you sex once, her brother would also have sex with you—that he intends to force you into it," I said, making the warning as blunt as possible.
"No, you're lying! Mona is my friend. She can't do that to me," she insisted, still desperately clinging to denial.
"Mona's brother wants to have sex with you. That's why he told Mona to convince you to come to the storehouse," I explained the true motive.
"I don't believe you," she said firmly, crossing her arms.
"Okay. She called you to meet at 6 p.m. today, right?" I asked.
"Yes," she admitted, hesitant now.
"We'll go before that, at 5 p.m., and listen to their conversation from the window. We’ll know the truth then," I suggested.
"We? You're coming with me to watch them?" she asked, her eyes suddenly accusing.
"No one ever goes to the storehouse, so it's the perfect place for them to talk openly. What if Mona's brother does force you, even if I'm wrong about Mona's intention? I'll be there, and I can step in if anything goes wrong," I argued, trying to be a good person and establish trust.
She thought for a while, weighing the risk of trusting me against the risk of going alone. "What if you're lying to me and are part of the plot?" she asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.
"Whatever punishment you give me, I'll accept it if I'm lying. And anyway, you're going at 6 p.m. anyway. Let's just go an hour earlier, at 5 p.m., instead of 6, and find out the truth harmlessly," I reasoned, using logic to counter her fear.
"Okay. I'm trusting you, Avi," she said, finally agreeing. "If you do anything wrong, if you try to take advantage of me or anyone else, remember my name is Mala, and I will ruin your life," she warned me, her voice now menacing.
"Okay. We have a deal. Let's meet at the ground near the storehouse. Come a little early. I think Mona will also come early to set things up. We need to be there before her. I'm leaving now. It's class time," I said, relieved the message was delivered.
"Bye," she said, watching me leave, her face a mixture of gratitude, fear, and lingering doubt.
The next day, I went to schoool. Today I felt marginally better than yesterday. The excitement of the previous day's discovery about Mona had injected a new distraction into my life. During class, I noticed Komal looking at me. When our eyes met, I was suddenly reminded that the boring math teacher would be back in two months and that Madam had left for good. I then remembered that Komal, my own cousin, genuinely needed my help with her studies. Neha Aunt might be the way she is, but Komal is my sister. I should help her, I resolved. I decided I would go to her house tomorrow.
It was the lunch break. I went to the schoool ground to play, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Mala was also sitting alone nearby. I was thinking about whether I should tell her what I overheard or not—it was a huge risk if Mona's brother found out, but the thought of protecting Mala felt right. I left the critical decision to fate.
I took a coin out of my pocket and tossed it into the air. When it landed, the decision was made. Maybe God also wanted this, I thought, taking it as a sign. I walked over to Mala.
"Hi, you're Mala, right?" I asked, feeling a little awkward initiating the conversation.
"Yes, and you're Avi," she said.
"You know me?" I asked, surprised that a girl two classes above me knew my name.
"We live in the same village, and you're famous for your studies. I can know that much," she said simply.
"But why are you asking me today? Did I do something?" she asked, a little suspicious of my sudden approach.
"I need to talk to you about something important," I said, leaning closer.
"Yes, say it. I'm listening," she said.
I hesitated, suddenly unsure how to break the news.
"What is it? You're scaring me," she asked, looking a little frightened.
"First, promise me that you'll listen to me completely and not get angry or interrupt," I said, seeking assurance.
She thought: Does he have feelings for me? He looks so intense.
"Yes, I promise. Now just say it, quickly," she said impatiently.
"I overheard your and Mona's conversation yesterday," I confessed, watching her face carefully.
"What?" she asked, her eyes going wide with shock and fear.
"Please listen to my whole story before you judge," I said.
Mala thought: So he knows everything. Is he here to take advantage of me now that he has my secret?
She said with a flash of anger, though she held her voice low, "Yes, say it, but get to the point."
"I also heard the conversation from a week ago, when you first talked about the storehouse," I admitted.
Mala thought: He heard that too. Then why didn't he tell me then? Maybe he's not entirely bad, or maybe it's something else he wants.
"Say clearly what you want to say, Avi," she demanded.
"Mona is not a good girl. Stay away from her," I warned her directly.
"Mona is my friend. I won't hear anything bad about her," she said, sounding instantly protective and defensive of her loyalty.
"After you both were talking last week and you went home, Mona said something to her brother," I said, revealing the cruel core of the plan.
"What did Mona say?" she asked, her curiosity now getting the better of her anger.
"She said that after showing you sex once, her brother would also have sex with you—that he intends to force you into it," I said, making the warning as blunt as possible.
"No, you're lying! Mona is my friend. She can't do that to me," she insisted, still desperately clinging to denial.
"Mona's brother wants to have sex with you. That's why he told Mona to convince you to come to the storehouse," I explained the true motive.
"I don't believe you," she said firmly, crossing her arms.
"Okay. She called you to meet at 6 p.m. today, right?" I asked.
"Yes," she admitted, hesitant now.
"We'll go before that, at 5 p.m., and listen to their conversation from the window. We’ll know the truth then," I suggested.
"We? You're coming with me to watch them?" she asked, her eyes suddenly accusing.
"No one ever goes to the storehouse, so it's the perfect place for them to talk openly. What if Mona's brother does force you, even if I'm wrong about Mona's intention? I'll be there, and I can step in if anything goes wrong," I argued, trying to be a good person and establish trust.
She thought for a while, weighing the risk of trusting me against the risk of going alone. "What if you're lying to me and are part of the plot?" she asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.
"Whatever punishment you give me, I'll accept it if I'm lying. And anyway, you're going at 6 p.m. anyway. Let's just go an hour earlier, at 5 p.m., instead of 6, and find out the truth harmlessly," I reasoned, using logic to counter her fear.
"Okay. I'm trusting you, Avi," she said, finally agreeing. "If you do anything wrong, if you try to take advantage of me or anyone else, remember my name is Mala, and I will ruin your life," she warned me, her voice now menacing.
"Okay. We have a deal. Let's meet at the ground near the storehouse. Come a little early. I think Mona will also come early to set things up. We need to be there before her. I'm leaving now. It's class time," I said, relieved the message was delivered.
"Bye," she said, watching me leave, her face a mixture of gratitude, fear, and lingering doubt.
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