“You can become an ‘escort.’
Enraged Gauri slapped Kanika and burst out crying. “So all those rumors are true! That is how you earn your money. Shame on you! I’ll never stoop to your level.”
“Well if it’s shame on me, it’s shame on you too! Remember, that the money that has been funding your extravagant purchases has been given to you by me! ”
Gauri was speechless. She felt violated and ashamed. She wished that she’d heeded her other class-mates’ warnings to steer clear of Kanika. Now she was trapped. She desperately wanted to find some way to extricate herself from the web of deceit that Kanika had so cunningly woven around her. Her debt-trap could very well prove to be her death-trap. Well, short of committing suicide, she couldn’t think of anything else! She deserved it! Oh, why did she have to hanker after a flashy lifestyle! The attractive lights and ambience of shopping malls had blinded her to life’s reality all these days. Yes, money didn’t grow on trees. It had to be earned! Had she ever wondered about the source of income of her middle-class room-mate? If she had, she’d have realized that the source was dubious. But she had just got carried away!
“I’ll return all your money in a week’s time. I swear! Please give some time. After all, you’re my friend,” Gauri pleaded again. “I’m sorry that I hit you. I’m really sorry,” she sobbed piteously.
“Well then, I forgive you. But five days and no more, remember!” Kanika said nastily, brushing back the fringe on her forehead with her well-manicured hand. She looked so contemptuously at Gauri that she cringed. Then she swept out of the room for going on her ‘date.’
Gauri was at her wits’ end. She racked her brains for a plausible excuse to give her Mom for asking her to send so much money urgently. Her Mom, being shrewd and wise would instantly know that something was amiss. Besides she would bombard her with numerous unwanted questions and demand satisfactory answers. Asking her father for finances was out of the question. He was an astute businessman. He knew that all the yearly expenses had been already paid for her education, in advance and hence the question of giving her such a lump sum didn’t arise at all! Gauri too felt guilty about expecting her parents to pay for her unwarranted ‘shopping binges.’ Still, since ‘beggars cannot be choosers,’ she steeled herself for the confrontation and called up her Mom on her cell-phone.
At first her Mom was pleased to hear her voice. She had missed her! “How are you ‘beti’? Enjoying your college-life? Are you eating well? Don’t eat junk food! Sharvari (Gauri’s sister) has got an A-grade in all her subjects. She remembers you a lot!”
“Mom, everything’s fine here. Please listen to me. I don’t have much balance in my cell-phone. I need Rs.10,000/- urgently for a trip that we friends are going to! Please don’t tell daddy. He’ll be wild with me. He has already warned me that I’m not supposed to go on over-night trips which will include both boys and girls. Don’t even mention the amount to him!”
To be continued...
This story was published in Woman's Era magazine in its second issue of August 2012.
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