1 Chapter 1: Inception

'Bon- di- ta...

... Bon- di- taaa...'

A soft swishing voice echoed in a resounding reverberation, drifting further in a dreamlike state as the gentle breeze from the open casement ruffled her silky brown tresses. A faint fragrance of an unknown ether tantalised her senses, diverging her further from the reality to a psychedelic surrealism.

It was misty... hazy... as with her closed eyes she saw a masculine silhouette dallying towards her, captivating her in his compelling magnetism.

She saw him raising his artistic hands towards her, amidst the shrouded ethereal haze, as she tried to move her hand up to reach his...

But, there was something that struck an odd resonance, something that didn't match, as a shrill noise tattered the mist, tearing away the hypnotic shadow of the alluring man.

"Vidhi! Vidhita Sengupta! Wake up!"

The unpleasant noise was now painfully ringing in her ears, announcing the end of her last Biology lesson. She languidly drew her eyes open as the misty outline of Miss Romila's face become prominent, promising her an unmelodious raspy reality.

"I can't believe you slept through the entire lecture Vidhi!" Miss Romila expressed her displeasure sharply as she gathered her files, preparing to leave the classroom.

Vidhi stood up.

"I... I'm sorry Miss. I didn't intend to... It's just that I didn't get any sleep last night."

Miss Romila furrowed her eyebrows, as a cloud of concern reflected on her calm countenance.

"Please come to my office in next five minutes." Miss Romila spoke softly, before walking out of the classroom as Vidhi stood there transfixed.

"Yaar Vidhi... Again?"

A familiar friendly voice broke the chain of her thoughts as she turned around to look her her best friend, and the only one who probably understands her.

"Siri... It's the same dream..."

Vidhi murmured.

"This is now edging Vids. Five times in fifteen days? We should be seeing a shrink." Siri blurted out the words without judging out a consequences. Her heart wretched as she realised the effects of her words on her. Vidhi's father was a shrink. A psychiatrist in formal words, who died two years ago on a terrible car accident. Vidhi's mother, Mrs. Sengupta hasn't been the same since then. She mourned her husband's death for whole one year, forgetting Vidhi and the entire world. But, by the next year when she finally emerged out from her sorrows, she was a completely different person. Blame it on her coping mechanism or the loneliness, Mrs Sengupta entered into a series of short term relationships, resulting in more depression every time.

Her current live in boyfriend is a lead guitarist in a local band, whom she probably found in a nightclub, and since then she had known nobody but her new love. As for Vidhi, life took a 180 degree turn after father's demise as it was not just her father, but she had lost her mother too! For the last two years she has been living her life on her own, not living exactly... but, surviving. And, the only hope was that she'll soon be 18... It would mean a world to her... It means she'll be able to find a job, she'll not have to stay with her mother and her series of abusive boyfriends. She'd have to start from the scratch, but that's alright as one thing that Vidhi had learnt from all these was never to give up.

Siri looked at her forlorn expression.

"Sorry yaar Vidhi... I meant this dream of yours is going on in a loop and... "

"It was different this time Siri." Vidhi interjected. "I saw that man, but not his face... It was all so misty... But, I could feel him near me, you know."

Siri noticed a sharp excitement in her friend's voice as she spoke about her strange dream. She nodded her head in attention as she heard Vidhi speak again.

"So, this man... He has this strange fragrance... It makes me feel so weak... It feels like I'm drawn towards him and I don't have any power over my senses anymore. And,..." Vidhi paused. "And he called me Bondita."

Vidhi swallowed hard as she stopped to look at her friend's expression.

"Bondita? Or, could it be 'bonita'?" Siri asked placing a comforting hand on Vidhi's shoulder.

"Bonita is Spanish means pretty girl. You remember what Miss Irene used to call you? Do you think he too, called you that?"

"I know what bonita means in Spanish Siri, we took Spanish lessons together. But, I think I heard Bondita."

Siri didn't object. In these two years she learnt how to comfort her friend, and when to confront her. This was not the time for any confrontation. Vidhi needed time, her heart and mind needed time to heal and Siri was there for her.

After all 'a friend in need is a friend indeed', and they had sworn to be each other's best friend since kindergarten, when they had learnt this lesson for the first time.

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

"Come in Vidhita." Miss Romila looked up as she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Please take a seat."

Vidhi sat down as Miss Romila examined her expression with her expert eyes.

"Tell me what happened Vidhi. Is it your mother again?"

Vidhi nodded slowly.

"Miss... I'm sorry I slept in class. There was a lot of screaming and shouting in the house last night and I couldn't sleep." She paused. "This won't happen again ma'am."

"Vidhi, today is the last day before your finals begin. The next two weeks would be your study leave. So, I would suggest you to find a peaceful corner in your house and study." Miss Romila paused, taking a deep breath as she started to speak again.

"Vidhi, I understand what you are going through. You are a good student, and I'm confident you'd do very well in the exams, and then you can get a job and live your life in your own terms girl. I'm there Vidhi... You can always tell me if you need anything. "

Vidhi didn't speak. Of late, she doesn't speak much. She just nodded her head slowly as she excused herself from the teacher's cabin.

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

The evening sun had casted long shadows on the concrete ground leading outside the sprawling school campus.

The slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange tinge to the sky, bathing the buildings in a soft glow. Although in Kolkata, but, this part of the city is a little secluded with scanty pedestrians on the road and a calm ambience. Only, the occasional barking of faraway dogs broke the silence of the evening.

It was a Friday evening, after school as Vidhi walked leisurely down the lane, stalling her way home. She held her backpack loosely, dragging it along as her steps fell un-rhythmically on the road.

'Why the name 'Bondita'? Doesn't make sense...  Could it be 'bonita' as Siri said? Could it be that her mind is mixing up everything... Vidhita and bonita became Bondita!'

Vidhi bit her lower lips playfully as she smiled on her own. It feels good to smile at time... Once in a while.

"The Vidhita Sengupta!"

A sharp masculine voice reverberated through the atmosphere as Vidhi turned around, looking at the 'vroom vroom' of the motorcycle that had crossed her path.

"Vidhita Sengupta... The one and only who had the balls to ditch me on Valentine's Day!" The voice scroffed as two other motorcycles encircled her in a slow motion.

"Unlike you... At least I've got balls!"

Vidhi muttered in a low voice, audible enough for the boy to grab her hand tightly at once.

"What did you say? Say it again..." The boy roared.

"Leave my hand Nishant... I said..."

Vidhi shrieked as her words were interjected by Nishant's loud annoying laughter.

"Or what Vids? Will you call your mother?" He looked at the other boys on the motorcycles and spoke out loud.

"Guys, the little lamb says she'll call her mother... "

The boys joined him in his mockery as a loud whirl of wild laughter echoed through the air, deafening Vidhi, as she suddenly started to feel dizzy.

The grip on her hand had become tighter as she heard Nishant's muffled voice scroffing at her.

"Let me show you who daddy is...!"

Vidhi felt her eyelids becoming heavy and her head reeling in a spiral whirlpool as her body slowly began to feel lightweight, collapsing on Nishant's firm hands that had held her.

And, the last thing she remembered was the same old enchanting fragnance that she had inhaled in her dream as she heard that strong yet familiar alluring voice ringing in her ears...

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

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