Chapter 11 Muted Hopes: Siddharth's Painful Decision"

• She responded, "I don't have a personal phone, but you can call me at the school." She then wrote down the school's phone number and handed it to him.
• With his hands in his pocket, Vikram lay down, using his arm as a pillow. To his surprise, Maitri joined him, and he gently cupped her forehead, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
• Expressing his feelings, he said, "The moments with you are unforgettable. From the river, fireflies, and moonlight yesterday to this treehouse and brownies today, I feel so light being with you. I think I'm going to miss you a lot if I go back to Bangalore."
• with innocence in her eyes, said, "Who knows, maybe God is listening to our wishes. If he grants the wish that we can be together as best friends for a lifetime."
• Vikram whispered, "I truly wish that too." Their hopeful words echoed in the peaceful atmosphere of the treehouse, as the river gently flowed alongside. Both fell silent for a moment, neither of them spoke.
• Breaking the silence, she asked, "Have you ever gotten into a boat while it's floating?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
• "No," he replied.
• "Come with me. We'll go to the river. There's Sailor Babu's boat-it's mostly tied up, but part of it extends into the water. We can go there and play with paper boats," she suggested.
• He smiled, his eyes reflecting the shared excitement, and said, "Let's go."
• ★★★
• With a collection of papers in their hands and the puppy secured in the bicycle's basket, they ran excitedly to the riverbank. Pushing the boat further into the water, they climbed aboard, using the extended edge of the tied boat for support, with a stone placed on it to prevent it from floating away.
• Engaged in crafting paper boats and launching them into the water, they reveled in the simple joy of the moment. However, unaware that the stone supporting the boat had shifted slightly, they continued their playful activity.
• When she was about to skip to the next boat, he held her hand, made her sit, and said, "Be careful." Little did they know that the stone supporting the boat had moved a bit forward.
• Sitting beside her, Vikram gently took the chain he had made her wear. His eyes were drawn to the enchanting rose gold book-shaped locket around her neck, and he couldn't help but express, "It's incredibly beautiful."
• She responded with a warm smile.
• Vikram, feeling a connection, then asked, "I've given you my chain; why not share yours?"
• Her expression shifted to sadness as she carefully took off the chain he had given her, uttering, "I'm sorry; I can't give you this."
• As he stood, the boat swayed slightly, and he questioned, "Is this your final decision?"
• She also stood, pleading, "Vikram, please listen to me just once."
• He pressed, "Is this chain more important than me?" Her silence spoke volumes.
• Frustrated, he stepped off the boat, unintentionally dislodging a stone that released the rope. The boat drifted away slowly as he walked farther, leaving her sitting and crying. Only when he was at a distance did she open her eyes in shock, realizing the boat was now floating in the middle of the river.
• The boat flipped, plunging into the water, and the puppy's barking caught Sailor Babu's attention. Rushing over, he observed the overturned boat drifting in the middle of the river. Noticing the puppy and scattered paper boats, he immediately surmised that Maitri had fallen.
• Sailor Babu shouted for help, his voice echoing, and waded into the river, fervently swinging his arms in search of her. People from the surrounding area gathered, joining the rescue effort as they started scanning the water for any sign of Maitri.
• The news swiftly spread throughout the entire village, prompting a frantic rush towards the river. Tears flowed freely as the little girl Maitri held a special place in everyone's hearts.
• From the guest house, Siddharth Varma observed the commotion, witnessing people running towards the river. Curious and concerned, he approached Sailor Babu, who emerged from the river where, being an old man, he couldn't actively participate in the search conducted by the younger members of the community.
• Siddharth inquired, "What happened?"
• Angrily, Sailor Babu looked at him and said, "This happened because of your son. I saw them playing from my home. Your son is responsible for that little girl falling into the water."
• Shocked, Siddharth pleaded, "Please don't say this to anyone! I promise to do everything in my power to bring that girl back safely."
• Silently crying, Sailor Babu remained silent, his emotions evident.
• Siddharth, carrying the weight of the situation, walked back to the guest house. He instructed the driver to ready the caravan and, with a heavy heart, urged his family to leave Rampuri swiftly.
• ★★★
• In Varma's Mansion in Bangalore, after two days....
• Why did Siddharth cancel the trip and send us back to the mansion? And where did he go? He hasn't answered any of our calls," Siddharth's mother, Devi, questioned.
• Meanwhile, Vikram pondered about the girl whose name he didn't know but had affectionately nicknamed "Angel." Reflecting on their friendship, he thought, "For you, a chain became more important than our friendship. I admit I was wrong. At least, you could have called me. I've phoned the school many times, but nobody answered. Did you give me the wrong number? I feel like a fool for blindly trusting a girl who is a stranger, who is nothing to me, she is not an angel anymore, she is a devil".
• Siddharth stormed into the room, shouting Vikram's name. Vikram, seemingly unfazed, approached with a smile, asking, "How are you, Dad?"
• Siddharth gripped Vikram's hand and said, "Come with me; I want to talk to you personally."
• His mother and wife, curious, inquired, "What happened?"
• Attempting to mask the seriousness, Siddharth smiled and replied, "Nothing, it's just boys'
• talk."
• Priya chuckled, commenting, "Both father and son are so weird,"