WITNESS

WITNESS Chapter One — Her Delhi mornings in winter carried a cold of their own. The pale light had not yet fully reached the school grounds. The last traces of the night clung to the tips of the grass, tiny beads of dew catching what little sunlight had begun to appear. Somewhere in the trees, birds were slowly waking to the day. The school field, as usual, was alive with voices. Morning assembly was only a few minutes away. And yet, Ruhi Verma seemed to have no intention of being quiet. “Ruhi. Enough.” Ananya stood beside her, trying not to laugh. “Assembly is about to start.” Ruhi straightened the ID card hanging around her neck. “What did I do?” “You’ve been talking to three different people for the last ten minutes.” “So?” “Was that really just talking?” Ruhi widened her eyes in mock innocence. “Of course. I was being friendly.” “Really?” “Yes.” She smiled. “Is being friendly to everyone a crime?” “With you, sometimes it is.” Ruhi burst out laughing. “Shut up.” Just then, a boy walked past them. Ruhi called out. “Good morning, Rahul.” “Good morning.” “Did you do the chemistry homework yesterday?” “No.” “I knew it.” He laughed. “How?” Ruhi studied his face for a moment. “It’s written all over your face.” “You pay that much attention to my face?” A faint smile appeared on Ruhi’s lips. “Don’t flatter yourself.” Her friends laughed. Rahul shook his head and continued walking. Ananya looked at Ruhi. “See?” “See what?” “This. This is exactly what I was talking about.” Ruhi shrugged. “I talk to everyone. That’s all.” She smiled again. There was something about her laughter that seemed to linger a second longer than the noise around her. --- “Good morning, ma’am!” Ruhi immediately straightened when she saw a teacher approaching through the corridor. “Good morning, Ruhi.” “Good morning, ma’am.” She stepped aside respectfully. Once the teacher had passed, the familiar smile returned to Ruhi’s face. That was Ruhi. She never needed a reason to talk to people. She spoke to boys without hesitation and to girls with the same effortless ease. She smiled at juniors. She greeted teachers respectfully. Even the school staff received a cheerful “Good morning” from her. She noticed people. But she never crossed their boundaries. She knew how to laugh without making someone feel small. She knew how to notice even the slightest hurt she might have caused. Perhaps that was why— so many people liked her. --- “Students, attention please!” The Principal’s voice travelled across the field through the microphone. The laughter and movement slowly faded. Everyone fell silent. “Today, I have an announcement to make.” Ruhi stood with her hands clasped behind her back. “Next week, our Class 12 students will be going on an educational trip to Karnataka.” For one brief second, there was silence. Then the entire field erupted. “Really?” “Four days?” “Are we going by train?” Ananya, standing behind Ruhi, grabbed her hand. “Karnataka!” Ruhi laughed. “Calm down.” The Principal continued. “Since this is a school trip, all students are expected to follow the instructions of the teachers and the student leaders.” Ananya and a few others immediately turned towards Ruhi. “Leader madam.” Ruhi lifted her chin proudly. “Please behave.” “You should behave first.” “Impossible.” More laughter. That was how it always was around her. Noise. Laughter. Life. --- After assembly, one of the teachers called her. “Ruhi.” “Yes, ma’am?” “Since you’re the school leader, I want you to help coordinate the students during the trip.” Ruhi didn’t hesitate. “Sure, ma’am.” “Make sure everyone follows the rules.” Ruhi immediately gave a playful salute. “Yes, Captain.” The teacher laughed. “Don’t make me regret choosing you.” “Never, ma’am.” Ruhi turned to leave. “Ruhi.” She looked back. “Seriously. Be responsible.” A small smile touched Ruhi’s lips. “I’m always responsible.” The teacher studied her for a moment. “That’s exactly what worries me.” Ruhi burst out laughing. --- By lunchtime, the canteen was as chaotic as ever. The smell of food, the laughter of students, the clatter of steel plates—all of it blended into a world of its own. Ruhi was sitting with her friends when a small voice reached her. “Didi…” Ruhi looked up. A junior girl stood in front of her. “What happened?” “I can’t find my ID card.” “Where did you last see it?” “In my classroom.” Ruhi stood up. “Come on. Let’s look for it.” “But your lunch—” “It’s not going anywhere.” She followed the girl to her classroom. A few minutes later, they found the missing ID card beneath a desk. The girl’s face immediately lit up. “Found it!” “Good.” “Thank you, Didi.” “It’s okay.” The girl stared at her for a moment. “Do you always have time to help everyone?” Ruhi smiled. “It’s not about having time.” She placed the ID card back around the girl’s neck. “You make time.” Something resembling admiration appeared in the girl’s eyes. “You’re a good leader.” Ruhi gently tapped her head. “Just don’t lose your ID card again.” “Okay!” The girl ran away. Ruhi watched her for a moment. Then she quietly turned and walked back. --- That was when a sound from the other end of the corridor caught her attention. A group of students stood around a younger boy. Laughter. But there was something wrong with it. Ruhi stopped. The smile disappeared from her face. She walked towards them. “What’s going on?” “Nothing.” “We were just joking.” Ruhi looked at the boy. His eyes were wet. She turned towards the others. “If he isn’t laughing, it isn’t a joke.” No one answered. “Apologize.” “Ruhi—” “Apologize.” They eventually did. Ruhi looked at the younger boy. “Go to your class.” He nodded and walked away. Ruhi turned to leave. Ananya followed her. “You’re scary when you get serious.” Ruhi smiled again. “What? I’m a good girl.” Ananya stared at her. “Do you actually believe that?” “Absolutely.” She laughed. Within seconds, the seriousness had disappeared from her face. But there was something in her eyes during those few moments— a quiet hardness that very few people ever noticed. --- Evening came. The school gates were slowly emptying. One by one, students disappeared through them. Ruhi stood near the gate. “Bye!” “Bye, Ruhi!” “Do your homework!” “Okay!” “Don’t be late tomorrow!” “Okay, leader!” She said goodbye to each of them with the same bright smile. A teacher walked past her. “Good evening, ma’am.” “Good evening, Ruhi.” “Take care.” “Bye, ma’am.” Ruhi turned back towards the gate. Eventually, the last student left. The sounds of the school faded one by one. Only the wind remained. Ruhi stood there for a few moments without moving. Her school ID hung from her neck. Her bag rested on her shoulder. And her familiar smile remained on her face. Ruhi Verma. Eighteen years old. To the people who knew her, she was many things. To her friends— the reason behind countless laughs. To some girls— a friend they could trust. To some boys— a quiet, carefully hidden crush. To her teachers— a responsible school leader. To the juniors— an older sister who remembered their names. Everyone knew Ruhi Verma. Or at least— everyone thought they did. No one ever asked too many questions. Where did she live? Who waited for her at home? Where were her parents? Where did she go after school? Who did she speak to at night? What did she dream about when no one was listening? There were no questions. Or perhaps— no one had ever tried hard enough to ask. And Ruhi never volunteered the answers. She was like a door. From the outside, she always seemed open. Warm. Welcoming. Easy to approach. But no one was ever allowed to step inside. That evening, as Ruhi walked away from the school gates alone, the smile slowly faded from her face. No one saw it. Because there was no one left to see it. Everyone knew Ruhi Verma. But behind the girl everyone knew, there was another Ruhi— one no one had ever met. One who carried a secret. A secret she had never spoken of. A secret someone had gone to great lengths to keep buried. What was she hiding? From whom? And why? For those answers— you will have to wait for the next chapter.