Eighteen Minus (COMPLETED)

Chapter 37

VANSHIKA
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At times life isn't so cruel as much you are cruel to yourself. I wanted to end this beautiful gift by trying to take a very stupid step but then life hugged me back tightly in form of a bestie I had never found in my life truly.

I have made so many friends throughout my life. Some who were by my side when I was a school and college topper, some because I was a popular girl in my institution, some befriended me because my grandfather and father were rich bigshots, some even became my friends because they wanted my notes just before my exams and then there were people like Veer and his gang of boys who befriended me because they wanted to destroy my ego although their male chauvinist ego was on cloud nine.

But then came Karthik. And the first time I met him, I wanted to launch a police complaint against him but I couldn't!!! What would I say to the police? I was going to kill myself and he stopped me?
At that moment although I wanted to kill myself, I wanted to kill him first. I mean how can you simply throw some random stranger on your shoulder and carry along with you???

I kept screaming and shouting but no one was at the beach. He threw me into an old 90's sedan car. I was about to yell for help but my eyes widened when I saw Anitha aunty sitting on the drivers seat. My mouth parted and I couldn't say a thing. I was slightly embarrassed as I saw a huge disappointment in her eyes but then the moment I heard the guy sit next to her is when I was shocked again but my jaw almost hit the ground when he said

'Amma let's go!!!'

Amma??? And that's when I realised...he was the son Anitha aunty kept telling me about. I gulped as he adjusted the side mirror of the old sedan car manually where our eyes clashed. He raised an eyebrow rolling his eyes as Anitha aunty started driving back to our apartment.

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'I am telling you Amma...let's complain against her to the police. She stays alone... she's attempted it once, what if she repeats it? I mean we don't even know her!!!' I heard the guy arguing with his mother inside the kitchen while Anitha aunty hushed him and came out offering me a cup of coffee. I hesitantly accepted the cup with shaky hands as she slowly took a seat next to me on the old school sofa. This was the first time I went to her house. It reminded me of a 90's house. The wooden sofa with white sofa covers, the old school CRT monitor like television, the huge flower vase on the glass table with fake flowers. It suddenly felt like I was transported back to my childhood and a ghost of a smile appeared on my face.

'Vanshika...' Anitha aunty called me as I looked at her face. She asked me to sip upon the coffee and I did. It was really very good. She then cleared her throat saying

'You know what you tried to do today wasn't right and after that incident I can't leave you alone. Can I have your guardian's number please?' She said and I froze. I had already given a lot of pain to my family and I didn't want to hurt them more. My eyes fell upon the man who carried me like a gunny bag sitting in the room just beside the living area, probably his bedroom...on his desktop pretending to work. I knew he was listening to us. Idiot.

'Vanshika... number???' Anitha aunty called me again when I looked down saying

'Aunty please...I don't want you to inform anyone in my family...I....I know they will hate me more' I said as my eyes went misty and I slowly felt a hand engulfing my hands as I saw Anitha aunty sitting beside me and she nodded saying

'Then you know what you tried to do was wrong...so why attempt it? I saw you running like a mad girl on the road and Karthik found you by the beach side and saved you...what if we got late? It's tough to live and easier to die Vanshika!!!' Anitha aunty's words hit me hard and I couldn't help but break down into tears and she hugged me tightly. I cried like a child in her arms for I don't know how long. I needed that hug. I wanted a shoulder to cry upon and I wanted to confess about all these turmoil happening inside me. After a few minutes she wiped my tears and said