77

“Chalo naa, picture Chalte hain...!” Ragini pulled Dhaa’s hand.  Now that everything was settled, everyone breathed relief.  Dhatri still was sulking.  Suresh grinned happily.

“Dhaa... your ticket is on me!” he said winking at Ragini.  Purva had already taken out her mobile to call her boyfriend.  Dhatri looked at Ragini.

“Ok fine... Dahi Bhalla from me!” Ragini said flaring up her nose.  Dhatri had a broad smile.

“Purva will take care of bus tickets..!” She declared getting up to get ready. 

“What? No...!” Purva protested.  “Ok. Then... you carry on.  I am not coming...!” Dhatri said sitting back on the chair.

“Stop this Blackmail, Dhaa... !” Purva said angrily looking at others for support.  They were helpless. 

“Ok. TTMM (Tera Tu, Mera Main) Kharcha... Expenses...!” Ragini found out via media.

“TTMM only for transport.... !” Dhatri raised her finger.  “Yeah ok. Agreed...! “ Suresh restored the peace. 

“Dhaa... give me your compiler notes in the evening... I have to finish first two chapters...!” Purva said and Dhatri flared up.

“TTMM...!” she said paying it back with interest.  Purva gaped.  “I am not giving you my notes...!” Purva looked away in frustration. 

“Lomady... you conning fox...!” Purva raised her hand to hit Dhatri and Ragini intervened.

“Stop fighting, you two...! Purva you pay for bus tickets and Dhaa, give her your notes...!” she said authoritatively.  Both nodded reluctantly. 

Dhatri’s phone rang.  “Hii...!” she said excitedly going away from her group. 

“Dhaa...!” Vinit spoke for a long time and Dhatri listened grinning...!

“Don’t worry Free Vini, I will manage!” she said, for the first time willing to take up some responsibility.

“You know what? Vinit’s parents are coming next weekend....!” She declared to her friends....

......................

“Mamma... !” Dharini called out dialling her home.

“Hello Beta! Reached?” Mamma asked looking at Disha.

“Yes... I mean... No... I mean...!” Dharini didn’t know what to say.

“Ok. I asked, did you reach Vinit’s house?” Mamma made it clear grinning at Disha.

“Mamma....!” Dharini was overwhelmed.

“Are you ok, there?” asked her Mamma in a concerned tone and “Yes!” came an immediate answer.  Mamma breathed relief.  Disha snatched the phone...

“Rini...When are they coming?” she asked eagerly and Dharini was surprised.  “They all knew....!” she concluded.

“Disha Didi...!” she spoke guiltily for not telling them herself.

“We know... !” Disha understood.  Mamma snatched the phone from her.

“Rini.... Tell us when they are coming.... You know? Disha has extended her stay.  She will meet his parents and then go...! I am so relieved...!” Nilima said excitedly.  Dharini wiped her eyes. 

“Rini... I am so happy for you.... Vinit is a perfect match...! You know? First he asked Mamma – Papa before taking you to his place... I am happy Rini.... He is just like you... Mature and loving...!” Disha said happily.  “Thank you Didi...!” Dharini said in a heavy tone. 

“Rini... don’t worry about anything... I will manage everything...!” Disha was all set to make it a success.  “You know, Dhaa is also coming...!” Disha said to Rini’s relief. 

“Disha Didi...!” Rini started off gravely.  “Rini... No... Not now.  We know, you didn’t tell us.... And we are ready to punish you for that... But that is later... First Mission Vinit..!!” Disha released Rini’s Tension and took away the guilt. 

“Here, talk to Mamma....!” Disha handed over the phone to Nilima and went out wiping her tears of happiness. 

“Mamma?” Dharini couldn’t understand.

“When I told her about you and Vinit... She decided to stay back... I am relieved, Rini... She is managing everything....!” Nilima said happily. 

...............

After a heated argument, a lot of discussion and blackmailing sessions, they had finally decided on the movie... The tree of life..! by drawing a chit...! Dhatri was thoroughly bored and had dozed off in the AC theatre.  She wanted “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara... or Bodyguard” and her friends wanted an English movie.  So they chose between Pirates of the Caribbeans, X-Men First Class and Transformers, and The tree of life....!

The movie was a thorough bore.... Everyone sat through only because they had paid for it.  The theatre was half empty....!

“Dhaa... Wake up...!” Ragini pulled her up in panic.  The chaos and the smoke suffocated Dhatri...!

“Explosion...! Bomb Explotion...!” Ragini shouted dragging Dhatri out the theatre.  She didn’t know where Purva and Suresh ran.  She brought Dhatri out.  Everything looked devastated.  The stampede had caused more damage. 

“What? What is all this?” Dhatri gaped at the disaster.  “Dhaa... Run...!” Ragini dragged her with all her might.  But Dhatri was rooted to the ground.  “People are not well....!” her eyes rolled up.  There was blood everywhere with broken and exploded human limbs everywhere. 

She sat down running her fingers on an unconscious body.  She was losing it... The warmth entered the body....

“No! Dhatri Come on... let us go...!” Ragini tried in vain.  Dhatri didn’t move.  A fresh flood of people dragged Ragini away from Dhatri.  Dhatri was caught in the stampede.  Ragini was thrown in the crowd.  The mayhem took away her breath.  She ran with the crowd for a long time, saving herself from the Stampede. 

All the shops were closed.  Police had cordoned off the area... people were searched... ambulances’ siren echoed everywhere.  Ragini stopped to catch up with her breath. 

“Dhaa...! Where is she?” Ragini looked around the chaos.  “Dhaa... I should find her out...!” she started moving against the crowd.   The newly installed barricades stopped her.  Her phone buzzed.  She took out her phone... “Hello.... Ragini... where are you?” Suresh gasped. 

“Suresh... Are you ok? Where is Purva..?” she asked screaming at the top of her voice.

“Yeah... ok.  We are at Char Imli...!” He gave his location.  She looked around to locate herself and she saw the board “Arera Colony...” She yelled. 

“Ok. Ragini Come here... we will wait...!” Said Suresh... and Ragini panicked.

“Suresh... Dhaa.....!” She lost her breath.

“Dhaa.... She is with us...! Not well...!” Suresh said and Ragini broke into a run...!

Suresh and Purva were running away for their dear life and they saw a glimpse of Ragini and Dhatri running ahead of them.  Dhaa.... suresh had called out but the crowd swept them away. 

“Look.... she is down....!” Purva ran towards Dhatri who had passed out... the injured person beside her was helping her ....

“Dhaa...!” Suresh and Purva dragged her motionless body at the edge of the road.  “Huh...!” she groaned.  They dragged her holding her shoulders, almost lifting her.  She had no energy even to open her eyes.  Her fever was beyond control.  They couldn’t carry her longer and stopped at the steps of a closed shop.  Suresh took out his phone to call Ragini....Dhatri was bleeding.... injuring her knees... someone had trampled on her hand.   

They waited for Ragini.  There was a bomb explosion in the Market and the mayhem caused more damage.  Everyone was running aimlessly trying to save his own life not caring for others.  The shops were immediately closed.  The public transport  was called off the road  immediately.  They didn’t know what to do.  Suresh and Purva waited for Ragini....

"Stop... stop...!" A person from the car yelled and the driver pulled over.  

"She.... She is the one...!" He pointed at Dhatri supported by Suresh and Purva.  Purva and Suresh tried to hide Dhatri in vain.  A heavily built person and a pale old man got down from the Car...!"