Today, 12:53 AM
(This post was last modified: 2 hours ago by lee.jae.han. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
## Update 33: A New Alliance and a Narrow Escape
As I came out of the class for the final bell, Mala intercepted me. She looked much calmer now, but her eyes held a deep sincerity.
"Thank you, Avi," she said simply.
"Thank you for what?" I asked, pretending the whole event was just a trivial matter.
"If you hadn't helped me, they would have..." she said, her voice trailing off as the horrifying implication of the previous night's crude conversation became real.
"Forget it. Don't ruin your life thinking about it or feeling scared. Forget it like a bad dream," I advised her, adopting a mature, protective tone. "And stay away from that Mona, no matter what she says."
"I'll teach that Mona a lesson she won't forget," Mala said, her face hardening with anger and the desire for revenge.
"No, don't do that. Otherwise, she'll find out that I helped you by telling you their plan. Then I'll be in serious trouble with her brother," I said, worry about my own safety resurfacing immediately.
"Okay. I won't say anything to her. I promise," she assured me, recognizing the danger I faced.
"Stay with Mona, pretend everything is normal, but keep your distance—don't ever go to that storehouse," I instructed her, suggesting a strategy of careful evasion.
"Okay," she agreed.
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of the schoool day.
"Bye, Mala," I said.
"Bye, Avi, see you tomorrow," she said, giving me a final look of gratitude.
I went back to class to pack my bag, my thoughts already racing. Until yesterday, no girl in schoool besides Komal ever talked to me, but today, two girls—Mala and Komal—had sought me out. The attention felt like a new kind of power, a direct result of my recent "education."
schoool was over, and on the way home, my anxiety returned. I was deeply scared of Meena Chachi , wondering if she had told the other chachis or if she was waiting to confront me about the bathroom incident.
When I got home, I found out that Meena Chachi and Suman Chachi had gone out together to Mangla Kaki's house. Hearing this, I felt a deep wave of relief—my confrontation was temporarily delayed. I started eating dinner with Seema Chachi, the other aunt. Seeing Seema Chachi acting perfectly normal, I felt reassured that Meena Chachi hadn't told anyone about what happened in the bathroom.
Then I went to sleep, the exhaustion from the stressful day taking over. Around 4 p.m., I woke up, refreshed and ready for my evening plan. I got cleaned up and went to Neha Bua's house with my schoool bag.
On the way, I unexpectedly met Suman Chachi and Meena Chachi walking back from the market. Seeing me with my schoool bag, they stopped and asked me where I was going.
"Chachi, I'm going to Neha bua's house," I said.
"But why are you carrying a bag? You just came home from schoool," Meena Chachi asked, her suspicious nature surfacing.
I was incredibly happy to see my chachi acting completely normal, her voice lacking any hint of the shock or disgust I expected. She was acting as if nothing had happened in the bathroom that morning. I thought: Whatever her reason, I'm safe now, at least from public exposure.
"I'm going to study with Komal," I explained, holding up the bag. "Komal needs my help with her math."
"Komal is better than you in studies, Avi," Meena Chachi countered, still sounding suspicious, likely testing my excuse.
"No, she's weak in math. And Madam is also gone, and there's no sir to teach math in schoool yet," I patiently explained, my story solid.
"Okay. Help her well. If Komal gets good marks in math, your Neha bua will talk to you nicely," Meena Chachi said, the mention of Neha Bua and her approval being the key motivation in her mind.
"I'll help Komal completely," I promised sincerely.
Suman Chachi, who was looking tired, said, "Meena, let's go home. I'm exhausted from walking."
"Yes, let's go. You go too, Avi," Meena Chachi said to me, dismissing me with a wave.
I turned and started walking toward Bua's house, my thoughts now fully focused on Komal. The incident with Meena Chachi was compartmentalized, the immediate danger averted, and I was now on my way to helping my cousin, a mission that felt both noble and strategically convenient.
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As I came out of the class for the final bell, Mala intercepted me. She looked much calmer now, but her eyes held a deep sincerity.
"Thank you, Avi," she said simply.
"Thank you for what?" I asked, pretending the whole event was just a trivial matter.
"If you hadn't helped me, they would have..." she said, her voice trailing off as the horrifying implication of the previous night's crude conversation became real.
"Forget it. Don't ruin your life thinking about it or feeling scared. Forget it like a bad dream," I advised her, adopting a mature, protective tone. "And stay away from that Mona, no matter what she says."
"I'll teach that Mona a lesson she won't forget," Mala said, her face hardening with anger and the desire for revenge.
"No, don't do that. Otherwise, she'll find out that I helped you by telling you their plan. Then I'll be in serious trouble with her brother," I said, worry about my own safety resurfacing immediately.
"Okay. I won't say anything to her. I promise," she assured me, recognizing the danger I faced.
"Stay with Mona, pretend everything is normal, but keep your distance—don't ever go to that storehouse," I instructed her, suggesting a strategy of careful evasion.
"Okay," she agreed.
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of the schoool day.
"Bye, Mala," I said.
"Bye, Avi, see you tomorrow," she said, giving me a final look of gratitude.
I went back to class to pack my bag, my thoughts already racing. Until yesterday, no girl in schoool besides Komal ever talked to me, but today, two girls—Mala and Komal—had sought me out. The attention felt like a new kind of power, a direct result of my recent "education."
schoool was over, and on the way home, my anxiety returned. I was deeply scared of Meena Chachi , wondering if she had told the other chachis or if she was waiting to confront me about the bathroom incident.
When I got home, I found out that Meena Chachi and Suman Chachi had gone out together to Mangla Kaki's house. Hearing this, I felt a deep wave of relief—my confrontation was temporarily delayed. I started eating dinner with Seema Chachi, the other aunt. Seeing Seema Chachi acting perfectly normal, I felt reassured that Meena Chachi hadn't told anyone about what happened in the bathroom.
Then I went to sleep, the exhaustion from the stressful day taking over. Around 4 p.m., I woke up, refreshed and ready for my evening plan. I got cleaned up and went to Neha Bua's house with my schoool bag.
On the way, I unexpectedly met Suman Chachi and Meena Chachi walking back from the market. Seeing me with my schoool bag, they stopped and asked me where I was going.
"Chachi, I'm going to Neha bua's house," I said.
"But why are you carrying a bag? You just came home from schoool," Meena Chachi asked, her suspicious nature surfacing.
I was incredibly happy to see my chachi acting completely normal, her voice lacking any hint of the shock or disgust I expected. She was acting as if nothing had happened in the bathroom that morning. I thought: Whatever her reason, I'm safe now, at least from public exposure.
"I'm going to study with Komal," I explained, holding up the bag. "Komal needs my help with her math."
"Komal is better than you in studies, Avi," Meena Chachi countered, still sounding suspicious, likely testing my excuse.
"No, she's weak in math. And Madam is also gone, and there's no sir to teach math in schoool yet," I patiently explained, my story solid.
"Okay. Help her well. If Komal gets good marks in math, your Neha bua will talk to you nicely," Meena Chachi said, the mention of Neha Bua and her approval being the key motivation in her mind.
"I'll help Komal completely," I promised sincerely.
Suman Chachi, who was looking tired, said, "Meena, let's go home. I'm exhausted from walking."
"Yes, let's go. You go too, Avi," Meena Chachi said to me, dismissing me with a wave.
I turned and started walking toward Bua's house, my thoughts now fully focused on Komal. The incident with Meena Chachi was compartmentalized, the immediate danger averted, and I was now on my way to helping my cousin, a mission that felt both noble and strategically convenient.
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