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“Dhaa...!" Dhatri looked back startled.  Disha was broadly smiling at her.  Didi... She turned back.  The tall person had gone.  Disha came around and occupied his vacant seat.  Dhatri was happy.  Her Didi was with her.  She didn’t bother to know where that person went. 

“You look beautiful..!” Disha complemented and Dhaa blushed.

“How was it in the morning?” Disha asked.  Dhatri went into thinking mode for a while and then said...

“It was ok.  80% I didn’t understand, 20% was not worth understanding...!” Disha burst out in laughter.  Dhatri looked around startled.

“Dhaa...!” Disha squeezed her shoulder.  Dhatri continued...

“Dr. Koite gave a monotonous, boring lecture for two hours with the help of slides... Then some Q and A and then M’am...!” she gazed dreamily thinking about her Maria M’am’s lecture.

“She was very good.  Very crisp and precise, short..!”  Dhatri said praying, that her First Rank Disha Didi should not ask further about the contents.  Dhaa had not understood anything at all.  Fortunately Disha didn’t probe deeper.  Dhatri had the accent problem, plus the botanical terms were all bouncers, plus she was busy devouring the titbits circulated in between. But both the professors had taken her name quite a few times, praising her for knowing the area inside out and helping them with the local names of the plants...!  Dr. Koite has spent almost five minutes in talking about the youngest team member, Dhatri Dixit.  Dhatri had hidden herself far away at the back in the dark corner.  The huge Student Union Building of Boise State University and the State of the Art Conference Facility was bustling with students, professors, guests and awardees..!

Dhatri had found herself lost in that bustle, in the morning.  Her team was with her but she felt alien in their American talks.  There was nothing of her interest.  She waited for the Morning Session to start.  And it did with three boring lectures, break in between, some titbits, drinks and an array of Q and A sessions.  She dozed off in between hiding herself.  “Why am I here?” she kept asking herself.  She heard her name and wished be vanished from there.  She was alone at the back occupying a chair at the small round table, looking at the big screens and the slides displayed, trying hard to make out of what was going on.  The students asking questions, the speaker answering, the other people taking part in the discussion, their mild humour; she watched them all with beady eyes.  Her team was somewhere at the front.  She saw Ravi raising his hand for a question and gaped at his flawless speech. “He is not that bad..!” she listened to him with rapt attention.  The Questions he asked were appreciated and his views about faulty methods of re-forestation were applauded.  Dhatri too clapped hard grinning with pride.  Her team mate had made an impression, after all!

But her changed opinion about this ABCD was short lived.  She soon opined, he was the same wicked person, when he dragged her against her will and pushed her on stage declaring her name.  Soon she was surrounded by a crowd to her dismay and she felt weak and pale.  She gaped stupidly at the people and Soumya had come to her rescue, answering all the questions smartly and saving Dhatri.  Dhatri felt indebted to Soumya.  “Thank you..!” she whispered gratefully holding her hand, when they assembled for lunch.  Ravi was smirking wickedly at her poor show.  She couldn’t even say “Thank you!” without stuttering, on the stage.  But Jim sympathized with her standing by her side distracting the inquisitive students with his wit and humour. Soon she went into the background and Jim and Soumya were the center of attraction. 

“Sir..!” She held Indorneel’s hand when she saw him with a glass, alone for a brief period of time.  “Dhatri...!” He smiled patting on her head. 

“You had promised me..!” she accused.  He grinned. “That was on Airport..!” he said winking and added... “Dhaa, this is a big opportunity, talk to other students out here.  Tell them what you do.  Ask about them...!” he placed his hand on her shoulder.  She jerked away... “Is is doing it on purpose.  He knows, I can’t talk!” She turned her back on him.  Indroneel gaped at her. Any other person would have grabbed this opportunity to impress people.  But Dhatri had hidden herself.

“Hey, Dhatri..!” Ravi had come up with a glass.  “This is nice!” he held out the glass for her.  She had a bad taste in her mouth, seeing him in front.  He was the real culprit to push her on to the stage.  She turned and started walking away.  He didn’t follow her but looked at her seriously.  “What’s her problem?” he bemused looking at her figure moving away.  She had no one.  She clutched her plate not wanting to talk to anyone in the crowd.  She sat on a chair away from everyone.  Jim came over.

“Dhatri..! How is the food?” he asked her brightly.  She just nodded.  He took the next seat.  She shrunk.  He sat there with her without a word for a while.  She felt better. 

“H..How are you?” She asked stuttering and he looked at her in surprise.  “You asking me now? We met two days back, Dhatri..!” he said and she smiled sheepishly.  “Anyway, I am good!” he answered her question and then asked touching her shoulder, “How are you?” she looked at him and then said “Not good!” he faked shock.  “Why?” he asked. 

“This is a crowded place!” she said looking down and he smiled.  “Humm...! Right!” he looked at her seriously.  “Come I will take you out of this crowd..!” he said holding her hand.  She kept the plate aside and went with him out of that hall into the vast lobby.  The place looked peaceful with very few relaxing in the lounge.  Dhatri walked with Jim and they settled in a corner.  Soon she was giggling and talking with ease.  He transported her to their expedition in India and the tribals and Bijoy and their Dance and Mahua...! She kept giggling and tossing her head back laughing loudly.  Her nervousness had vanished she was back to normal. 

“Chaalo..!” Jim grinned gesturing inside and she grinned back.  “Chalo!” she said feeling relieved.  He smiled and putting his hand around her shoulder moved inside.  She didn’t mind...! They came in to find Soumya and Ray talking to a group of students and Dr. Maria busy with some delegates.  She headed towards the vacant seats and settled herself seeing Jim surrounded by another group.  “Huh...!” she sighed looking down. 

   

“Dhaa...” Disha nudged her hearing her name announced for the award.  The team had received Young Achievers’ Student Award for their contribution to the Research on Deciduous forests.  Dhatri got up struggling, scared to the core.  Her stage fright surfaced.  Ravi gripped her arm and guided her to the stage.  Soumya had already reached followed by Jim and Ravi took Dhatri alone.  All the four were decorated with a medal, a scroll of merit and a memento of a model of Boice Peak with desert at the foothills and dense green forest at the peak.  Dhatri accepted with shaky hands and just said “Thank you” when others spoke about their experiences.  Disha couldn’t see clearly with hazy vision, tears brimming her lashes.  Her little sister was honoured. Bhanu too wrapped his arm around Disha feeling proud and elated.  Dhatri got down and came to Disha thrusting the memento and scroll of merit.  She tried to remove the medal from her around her neck but Disha stopped her.  “No..!Let it be! It’s your achievement Dhaa...!” she hugged her. 

******  *********

“Dhaa?” Disha looked around for her.  Dhatri had never left her hand.  Disha was proud to be with Dhatri that evening.  Many congratulated Dhatri.  She only smiled shyly.  Disha spoke with ease to everyone.  Dhatri was relieved. 

“Dhaa...” Indroneel pulled her closer.  Dhatri jerked away.  His behaviour in the morning had irked her.  She glared at him.

“Come..!” he said enthusiastically.  She shook her head.  “I am not coming..!” she sulked. 

“I want to introduce you to someone... very important..!” He dragged her.  She stood her ground.  “I am not coming..!” she turned her back and vanished in the crowd.  Indroneel shook his head hopelessly and went away. 

“Hello...!” Dhatri said pleasantly.  The tall man turned.  “Aray Wah, Dhatri.. Congratulations..!” he held her hand.  “Dhanyavaad!” she said smiling.  He looked around for vacant chairs and soon they engrossed themselves in chatting. 

******  ********

“Where is Dhatri?” Disha looked around.  “She went with Dr. Ghosh.” Bhanu replied and Disha continued with her discussion with the group, feeling relaxed. 

“Hey, Disha.. where is she?” Indroneel asked coming to Disha with a couple of other delegates.  Disha looked puzzled.  “She went with you..!” She said and Indroneel said, ”No! She didn’t come with me!” Disha looked at Bhanu.  He too looked around.

“Hi.. Where is Dhatri?” Ravi with his father came up to Disha and Indroneel.  The crowd was thinning out.  They searched for her.

“She was with me for some time... Then a group of students came and she went somewhere suddenly..” Ravi’s father said gravely.  Ravi went in search of Jim.  Soumya had already left with her husband.

Maria came to them.  “Hello!” she said pleasantly.  “Where is Dhatri?” Ravi and Jim asked impatiently. Maria looked confused.  “Must be around!” she said casually.  But then her face changed color.  People had filed out.  She took out her phone to call Dr. Koite. 

Three hours after the evening function, late in the night, all of them... Jim, Ravi, his father, Disha, Bhanu, Dr. Koite, and Dr. Maria were at the security office of the Boise State University, filing a missing report... for Dhatri Salil Dixit, recipient of the Travellers’ award...!