Unknown Intentions..

            "Oh Jeez, I 'm so very excited about the party." It was Pradeeta telling me the nth time. 

             "What do you think, will he be there tonight?" I asked her again nervously.

             "Don't worry babes, he will come I have a gut feeling." she assured me.

It was the last day of college before the winter break. We were having a Christmas party that night. 

             The college canteen was beautifully transformed into a disco. It was only 7pm and the house was yet to get packed. The disco lights were making it difficult to locate the gang. 

             "Hey come in the well" I didn't have to adjust my pupils to know who it was. This had to be Arjun! 

             "Thank God I found you. Where are the others?" I asked him.

             "There everyone is" he said pointing to the corner table. I could see Redhanded (she prefered that name!), Sourav,Vinati, Chirag, Sadana, Anshul from a distance. I turned back to call Pradeeta but she was nowhere to be seen.

             "Did you see Pradeeta?"

             "I just saw you" Arjun replied.

  Before  I could join the gang I had to track her. I found her leaning on the desk in one of the classrooms with her hands on her forehead.

             "Hey what happened?"

            "Nothing.. I m just not feeling right. Something is going wrong. I can feel it."

            "Come on, it must be just the disco lights and dj getting to you. "

            "Maybe. Can we just wait outside for sometime? I need some fresh air. "

            "Sure dear."

We sat on the bench for sometime in the lawn. She was feeling better and at ease. I was relieved. I was waiting for him to come...

            I saw Mridu coming with his girlfriend Polly. The fact that they two turned up together at the party meant they were at peace! His hand entwined her waist possessively and she held on to him gently. They looked so much in love.. 

           "Wow two female guards for the party" he commented.

           "Isko toh ladkiya hi dikhti hai" chirped Polly.

   We all talked for sometime and then they proceeded inside. It was then that I saw a something lurking behind the bushes. A dark shadow. I tried to have a closer look without alerting Pradeeta but there was nothing. 

           "I think we should now go inside." Pradeeta was now back to her excited self.

            "Uh.. yeah .. Let's go" I said still looking intently at the bush.. 

"There you are! Where have you both been leaving me?" Redhanded blasted at us.

"Leave that. Why aren't you dancing?" asked Pradeeta.

"Who should I dance with? Anoop?" she asked making a funny face.

"Anoop came to the party?" I gave my 'OMG' expression.

"Hehe didn't you know ? See there!" she directed where Anoop was sitting.

The three of us burst out laughing. Anoop was reading "Catcher in the rye" sitting at the farthest corner. 

"This is a record! Isn't this the first time Anoop has attended any college event?" Arjun asked. He was listening to our conversation.

'Exactly" I and Pradeeta crooned at a time.

"Hey see that idiot Re on the dancefloor" Arjun said hinting about Re.

Re was doing some stupid snake dance to the tunes of "Tan dole mera man dole" :P

"Aaj ye thappad khayega.. mark my words." Mridu said. 

"Guys I think we should start dancing now." Polly suggested.

"Right away babes." Mridu took her to the dance floor.

Anshul and Sourav were animatedly discussing something with Vinati. Chirag and Sadana joined us. 

Re was trying to get into any group that would take him in. Apparently no one did. He then targeted the solo dancers. Having no luck there also he tried to meddle between Mridu and Polly.

We were dancing to glory.. I had my eyes on the entrance waiting for him... 

Suddenly the lights went off.. The music stopped and came a sharp high pitch shriek...

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" 

Within a split second the lights were turned on again and the music started. We stopped the dj and switched on the main lights. 

Polly was hysterical. Then we saw...

Someone had cut of her hair in most ruthless fashion....

(to be continued)