Chapter 1

After that night, the school year had ended and everyone had graduated from high school. It is said that time heals everything, but the relationship between the last batch students of St. Teresa did not heal. Five years went by. Abhi went on his own way. Working day and night towards his goal of becoming a investment banker. His brains and hard work got him to the top really fast. He achieved one milestone after another as his life spiralled upwards. He noticed the difference in people's attitude, especially his aunt who did not even want him to stay at their house when he came to join St. Teresa, asking him to come to their house for dinners. He however has multiple penthouses, mansions and apartments in so many different parts of the world that he will never again need to beg for a place to stay from anyone. As a thankful gift to his uncle who always loved him, he supports his every financial need and bought him new house and car.

Rohan too worked day and night, trying to get his album recorded. His father cut each and every corner trying to sabotage his only son. He even told the top recording companies that if they let his son record his album in their studio, he will break all ties with them. But last March, Rohan finally got a new studio to record his album. As it was new, it did not have any reputation to lose and had no bond with the leading tycoon either. It was a breakthrough for him. After that, teenage girls took over, with their undying love for this new, enigmatic, handsome and young singer, that other recording studio had to call him for their business. Ashok Nanda had no option but to accept that there is nothing he can do to stop his son's success now.

Shruti married a boy who she met on her first day in college and is pregnant at this time. Despite her tough act in high school, she ended up being a sweet, happy housewife, doing online work from home. Tanya entered a handful of reality shows and did modelling from time to time. She was always seen in parties, cozying to some rich, handsome guy. Sudo had a tough time burying his grandmother who was affected by alzheimer's and did not even recognise him during her last moments in her life. Dimpy pursued a career in stand up comedy and became quiet popular in youtube. Jeet carried off his father's family business.

And Shanaya. No one knew where she was really. Her mother said she had gone to abroad to study in New York University but that farce was soon uncovered as one of the St. Teresa student ended up going to the same college and could not find any proof of Shanaya there. Her step sisters said that she ran off and married a rich, arab guy and he was holding her hostage after having her passport seized. As soon as that gossip, hit Abhimanyu's ears he made calls to his acquaintances in the government sector and found out that Shanaya never left the country after her last trip to Bangkok during last year of high school.

Where did Shanaya disappear to?

"Hey! Stop!," Shanaya yelled as she saw the bus speed away. This was the third bus she missed today. Her work required her to travel and stay at Mumbai for 3 days and that's why she was here. She had been brought up in Mumbai and she went to school here too. But those days, she had cars and limousines to get around. She had chauffeurs driving her around, people to carry her shopping bags. Now, it is all different. In the small town of Dehradun, she has set up her new life working as an art museum. She has rent a modest apartment in a non colored, old three story building. Sometimes she hears people in the neighborhood gossip about her, wondering why a single, young girl was living alone without any friends or family. During holidays, they ask her if she is going to see her parents or if they are coming to see her. To this she always avoids eye contact and replies a terse no. Life has been hard living from paycheck to paycheck. The small salary she gets from the museum gets almost eaten up by the rent and grocery that there is almost nothing left for anything else. Sometimes it is even hard to cash out for grocery. Before her dining table used to have different cuisines on different days and now it is scarce that there is even meat on the table. Before she would go shopping every weekend, now she can't even remember the last time she bought something for herself that wasn't an absolute necessity. It would not have been that bad if she had her old clothes and shoes, and how many she had! But after the incident that happened, which she swore she would never repeat to a soul again because it hurts too much, the situation wasn't like she could take her belongings. She had to walk out empty handed.

Two days ago, she got the call from her lovely supervisor saying that it would be very helpful if she went to mumbai to do some legal paperwork in behalf of the museum for donation of a priceless art piece. The supervisor said that she was mortified to have asked her in such a short notice but the person who was supposed to go had a family emergency in the last moment. Shanaya didn't have the heart to tell her no and sadly as she has no family anymore, there was no one who would object to it. It's not like she had a real family before, she told herself. It has always been a farce by her mom to impress outsiders by throwing big parties and show off her extravagances.

Lost in thought, Shanaya didn't notice that there were water droplets on her head or that it even started raining until an elderly woman called out to her.

"You will get wet! Come stand under the shed!"

She quickly came and was trying to look for the bus in the oncoming traffic.

"Typical Mumbai, always raining," she said to herself. Normally she wouldn't worry so much but today she was wearing a saree. It was the red cotton saree that her supervisor, a lovely elderly woman had gifted to her. She did not have anything professional like white shirt and blazer and she could not buy also due to the financial hardship she faced. So, she decided to go traditional as that would be better than jeans.

Abhi got into his car that was waiting for him in front of his new tower where he had his meeting. He has done a lot of work today and was heading home now. He was sitting at the backseat as his chauffeur drove. His thoughts were occupied with several business tactics for his upcoming business deal. That is when he saw her. At first he had just seen the red stand out in the water flooded, muddy streets. Then he realized that it was a familiar face. It was Shanaya!