After taking down all notes from Amar, when I reached home it was already 7 pm i.e 3hours after departure.

As I stepped in Dada came running to me. Everyone was present in the hall itself and looked at me with a lot of hope. Dada held my both shoulder, "Bondita kaha hain?"

This question made me so puzzled. I replied to him, "Bondita? Mein to ek dost k sath tha, 3 ghante pehele hi chutti ho gaya tha".

Dada left me and backed off with a jerk. I was too confused to understand anything. I could see Dada's eyes turned teary and he rubbed his face in stress and worry.

"Batuk, Bondita ghar wapas nehi ayi abhitak" said Som dada. For me, these words were much hurtful. I looked at everyone in shock. Bondita is missing? How could this possibly happen?

"Akeli ladki, dekho kisi ladke ne kuch kar to nehi diya" Sampoorna maa spoke out of nowhere.

"Sampoorna!" Dada yelled at her and went towards her, "mujhe iskadar majboor maat karo ki mein ye bhul jau ki tum riste mein kya lagti ho".

I could see the pain in his eyes, in his voice, on his face. Was it just out of responsibility?

"Dekhiye ap, apka beta mujhse kis tarha se baat kar raha hain," Sampoorna maa complained baba but as usual he took her side, "Anirudh pagal ho gye ho kya? Kis tarha se baat kar rahe ho."

"Haa hu mein pagal, ho gaya hu mein pagal, meri Bondita mil nehi rahi aur apki patni anab shanab keh ja rahi hain" he screamed on top of his voice.

His words made me so shattered that day but I noticed a subtle smile on kaka's lips when he said that.

"Anirudh tu aur Som jaa uske dosto se puch jake, mein aur Binoy afsar(officers) o se baat karte hain" kaka suggested dada.

"Dada mein bhi jaunga" I requested him to take me but he asked me to stay at home and left for her search.

How could I sit idle when Bondita is missing. As soon as everyone left, I rushed outside too. I decided to ask some of my friends.

I went to Paras's house first but found no useful answer.

My world had already collided to the ground. Although I shouted at Sampoorna but somewhere her words had shaken my soul. That could also be possible but I wanted to think only positive.

We went to many houses. At first all were shocked to see their Chote malik in their house but when they came to know about it, they felt sorry for us.

I couldn't control myself further and broke down in front of Som. He simply hugged me and patted my head. It is already 9 pm and she wasn't with me, doing tark. I was only imagining that she would suddenly come running to me and hold my hand. After a while, we again resumed our search.

I came back to my senses and uttered the word pati babu first. I opened my eyes hoping to see him in front of me but that wasn't the case. I was still in that room. I was feeling extremely weak by now, almost dying out of thirst and hunger.

I still banged the door hard and cried out, "koi darwaza kholo" but no one opened the door.

I leaned to the door and pulled my knees to my feet, "koi to bahar nikalo mujhe" I wept bitterly.

10 pm and no clue of her. I was breaking from inside but still decided to stay strong. After interrogating a lot of friends, I finally went to Prakash's house. They were already asleep by then.

Seeing their chote zimindar, they woke up with a jerk. "Prakash, Bondita ko kahi dekha hain?" I asked him.

"Ha akhiri baar maine ussey school mein hi dekha tha" said Prakash.

A thought crept into my mind. What if she is still in school. I ran towards the school whereas Prakash followed me.

"Gate pe to taala hain" said Prakash.

I was so determined to find her that I climbed up the wall, "prakash tu jaake mere gharwalo ko bula la".

I entered the school, the huge, empty, dark building. "Bondita!" I called her name that echoed the empty corridors.

"Agar tum mujhe sun sakti ho to awaz do!" I called her again.

I heard footsteps and saw Dada, Som dada, kaka, baba along with principal sir and few other teachers and students came to the spot.

"Dada, Prakash ne Boudi ko akhri bar yaha dekha tha" I told him restlessly.

Dada was about to open his mouth to answer before we heard a cry, "pati babu!"

"Ye to store room se a rahi hain" said Principal sir and we rushed towards storeroom.

"Bondita tum yaha ho?" Dada asked restlessly.

"Pati babu mujhe bahar nikaliye na" we heard her cry.

"Bondita tu chinta maat kar" I assured her. "Mujhe bahar nikalo" she cried and banged the door.

"Anirudh, darwaza todna hoga" Baba told Dada.

"Bondita my child darwaze se thora dur hato" principal sir told her.

"Nehi mujhe pati babu k pass jana hain" she cried from inside.

"Ha bahu hum sab yaha hain beta, bas tum darwaze se thora dur hato warna hum darwaza torenge kaise?" kaka cried.

Bondita was so scared and stressed that she wasn't listening to anyone. All she wanted was Dada.

"Agar bacchi shant nehi hogi, darwa k samne se nehi hategi to darwaza kaise torenge?" said one of our teacher.

Dada pressed his forehead to the door and only cried and cried while she cried inside.

"Darwaza kholo koi" she cried and my heart broke into pieces. I wish I hadn't left her that day alone. "Pati babu mujhe bahar nikalo" she cried.

I am such a worthless person, a worthless friend. Now I know why Dada holds such a position in her life and I don't regardless of the age gap.

Dada now rubbed off his tears and gestured everyone to be silent. He sat on the floor, near the door, "Bondita mujhe sun sakti ho kya?" He asked her calmly.

"Mujhe yaha se nikalo Pati babu, mujhe apke pas ana hain" she cried from inside.

"Bondita dekho darwaze k niche, mera hath dikh raha hain kya?" He asked her while putting her hand inside through the narrow gap under the door.

"Hath pakro mera" he said calmly once again.

He realized she wasn't crying anymore.

I saw their hands meeting through the narrow space. As they touched each other, Bondita went quiet. I saw Dada closing his eyes and letting out a drop of tear, relief in his face was visible.

"Abh baat suno, darwaze se thora dur jao thik hain" Dada instructed her.

She went away from the door; Dada and Baba broke it open.

As soon as it opened, Dada rushed inside and she hugged him so did he. He cried she cried, both cried together making their embrace more firm and protective around each other.

I felt relief when she hugged me. Thank god she is absolutely fine but soon I realized she was unable to stand properly. What's the matter? I looked at her palm and was horrified by the red cut marks.

Her arms and legs had bluish bruised. When she hugged me, her body almost surrendered, she almost gave up all her energy and strength. I felt her energy draining out and she fell in my arms. I had to pick her up.

"Bahu ko kya huya, ye aisa kyu kar rahi hain?" Asked a tensed Kaka.

"Ye zaroor Raghav sir k punishment ka asar hain" Amal spoke out of the crowd, "sir hum sabko jhari se maate hain".

"Aur maine dekha tha sir Bondita k bag mein itt bhar k usey khara karke rakte the ghanto tak, hath upar karwake" Prakash said.

I saw Dada fuming in anger as he clutched his fist but for the time being, he controlled himself upon realising Bondita was in his arms and she was not in a state to stay there further.

"Oh god is kamre ko to dekho" exclaimed one of the teacher. We all looked around and found "Pati Babu" written on the walls and the floor. Probably that's how she was gathering strength all this time.

On seeing the room, dada looked at her with affection and patted the head of an unconscious Bondita.

All were gathered in her room, all classmates, teachers, family members. Bondita had gained consciousness but wasn't ready to leave Dada. Kaka sat beside her and tried to console her, "bahu dekho to ye nikamma Bihari kitna kamchor hain". Bihari made a silly face but she didn't even smile.

"Bondita mein tumhara saare mithai kha jaunga agar tumne baat nehi ki" I tried to cheer her up too but failed every attempt.

Dada sat silently and rubbed her forehead. She had lost all shine of her eyes, her smile everything.

"Dekho Bondita, tumhara pati babu firse gussa kar taha hain, sambhalo ge nehi usey" said Baba to which Dada gave out a painful chuckle.

"Ha ha humesha sher jaise dahar ta rehta hain Anirudh sab pe par humari bahu kam hain kya, Apne sher ki sherni" kaka tried to cheer her up too.

Koyli didi stepped inside, "bare malik bahurani ji ka school ki principal ne us masterji ko le aya, niche hain wo log".

Kaka got furious, "Batuk bahu k sath raho hum abhi aye" and all went downstairs. Koyli didi and I stayed with her.

It is all my fault. I was unable to keep my calm, how could I not know the pain she was going through? How could I not understand her?

I am such a worthless person, her worthless pati babu.

When I saw that masterji, my blood boiled but before I could burst out he had to face kaka's warth.

Kaka walked like a lion towards him. That teacher joined his hand, "mujhe maaf kar dijiye zamindar babu".

"Maaf? Arrey Roy Chowdhury o ke bahu pe hath uthane ki himmat kaise hui" he shouted so loudly seemed like whole Tulsipur could hear him.

"Mujhse galti ho gyi, mein bhul gaya tha ki wo bandh hain kamre mein"

"Bhul gye the?" I questioned him, "ek bacchi ko andhere kamre mein bandh karke bhul gye ap? Aur ap to guru hain, aise atyachar karte hain lya chote baccho pe? Iska saza mein apko dilwake rahunga" I burst out my anger on him, "is tarha se parhaya nehi jaata baccho ko, khawf paida karke".

"Anirudh my child, inke taraf se mein maafi mangta hu, agey se aisa na ho iska khyal mein rakhunga" principal sir joined his hands too.

"Dada!" Batuk called from upstairs, "Boudi ro rahi hain".

We all ran upstairs again. Bondita was shivering in fear and trauma. I sat beside her in order to comfort her but she hugged me instead.

I stared at a sleeping Bondita. I couldn't see her in pain. My heart ached much but today I realized my heart ached more when I saw her with Dada. Why is it so? Isn't it natural for them to be together? but still, I felt so bad.

Am I developing feelings for her?

I feel for her, she feels for Dada but Dada doesn't feel for her. I don't know what shape this relation would take place in future.