Chapter 7:
'Manik has changed so much, every time I imagined seeing him again I expected to see the monster Manik that once threw eggs at me in the canteen. The same evil, arrogant, aggressive monster but today his eyes were void of any arrogance. He wasn't rude at all, he had so much innocence in him. How did this even happen?' I said explaining my confusions to Cabir, he left out a sarcastic chuckle at my statement and said 'because Nandini like I said his mind forgot you but his heart didn't, after the accident even though he lost his memory he was still the same Manik that he was when you were around. He was calm, collected, he could control his anger very easily, he wasn't arrogant at all and that just goes to show how badly you've affected him and his life, you can't see the monster inside him because you killed that monster a long time ago, you took him out of the dark and showed him light. He's become so mature and responsible now, he took on his dad's business and he took all the responsibilities he once ran away from. You changed him for ever, and that change is still in him even though he doesn't remember you'.
Everything Cabir said filled my heart with pride, I just wanted to go crash in his arms and cry my heart out. 'He needs you Nandini, and you know it. We didn't tell him anything about you because by the time he woke up after the accident you were gone, you just left a message saying you're going to London for good and won't ever return. We couldn't risk telling Manik about you because if we did, he would ask where was the girl that he loved so much and we wouldn't have an answer to give to him. Telling him about you would've only hurt him, and stress him out even more. He didn't remember you anyway and on top of that you decided to leave everything and go before even coming to see him, at that moment of time we decided it was best not to hurt him by telling him his girlfriend, who he was in madly love with, left him when he needed her the most' Cabir's words, or rather, taunts stabbed my heart. Yes I was his girlfriend who left him when he needed me the most, but I had to. I wish I could tell you Cabir how hard it was for me.
'How could you Nandini, was it that easy for yo..' we were interrupted as my phone started to ring, it was dad 'hello...yeah dad they're here... don't worry I'll look after them...yeah I'm at the hotel...don't worry I'll handle it...okay love you bye, also you told Anjali I won't be home for the week right?...okay cool see you soon' and I hung up that call. 'Dad?' Cabir asked as he looked very confused. 'The owner of Warrior High, Mr. Rajeev Singhania, he's like a father figure to me. He took me in when I was all alone, I met him on the way here from India, he knows everything about me, he gave me a job and I live with her step daughter Anjali. I've made my own little family here' I smiled as I said this, 'you made a family here forgetting the one you had back there? What about us Nandini, what about chachi chacha and your brother, most importantly what about Manik?!' he seemed very angry with me, 'I left Manik in safe hands, with his best friends who love him more than anything I knew you guys would look after him after I was gone, and Chachi and Rishabh come to see me almost every other month.. How's Navya?' I asked trying to divert the topic as I didn't want to answer about Manik.. 'She lost her baby and her best friend didn't even bother to call her', Cabir again taunted me and I just sighed knowing I deserve all this. 'Cabir I..' I tried to defend myself but he cut me 'it's okay Nandini, I trust you, I know you wouldn't have left unless you had a good reason so I'm not going to hold anything against you.. Navya is fine, she went to Patna.. To introduce her fianc to her mother'. 'Oh' I just said not realising what Cabir had just said and then it hit me WAIT WHAT 'FIANC?????' I shouted out of horror 'fianc, what fianc?? Harshad?' I panicked as I got extremely worried for my best friend.. 'Nandini do you really think we'll let Navya marry Harshad, she's a part of us now, we all care for her a lot.. She's FAB 5's best friend' he said and I calmed down, 'so my decision to leave Manik and Navya with you guys wasn't wrong, thank you for looking after two of the most important people in my life' I said and genuinely smiled, he smiled back.. 'But who's her fianc?' I enquired still very curious, 'Ranbir' 'Ranbir who??' 'My brother' said Cabir very casually.. 'WHAT!' I screamed again.. 'My twin brother, he really likes Navya and genuinely cares for her, Navya gave him a chance as she trusts him a lot and they're very happy. They both have gone to Patna to meet Navya's family.. She will join us in a couple of days'.. I was so happy for my friend, Navya has seen a lot of tough times and she deserved to be happy.
'Nandini?' 'Hmm?' 'Get back with Manik' Cabir said to my shock. 'What?' 'You heard me.. Why are you doing this, he's alone again, he doesn't have anyone to share his worries with, he has no one to baby him when he's sick, he has no one to give him a shoulder to cry on, he will never show us he's alone because he feels responsible for all us but sometimes even the toughest minds need a break and he's unable to get that break. He needs someone to soothe him like you once did.. He needs you and you need him.. You guys are meant to be' I sigh again not knowing what to say to Cabir, does he really think I don't want to go back with Manik, does he think this is easy for me? No it's not! It's taking everything in me not to run to him and hug him tight.. 'It's quite late get some sleep and think about what I've said' said Cabir as he yawned and got up to move inside, the poor guy was very tired from his flight 'good night Cabir' I said as I smiled at him and he smiled back. 'Nandini remember one thing, if two people are meant to be, they'll eventually find their way back to each other.. No matter what' he said and walked inside.
I remained in the garden thinking about each and everything Cabir said..
***
I kept tossing and twisting on the best as sleep was far away from me, I was jet lagged this was not my time to sleep so I just got up and decided to go for a walk in the garden. On the way out I checked on everyone in their rooms, Alya and Mukti were fast asleep, Dhruv was in the shower and Cabir had just come back to his room and it took him seconds to fall into deep sleep. He looked very tired, I adjusted the blanket on him and turned the light off in his room so he could rest peacefully. I walked down into the garden to find my peace in my companions, the stars. Which reminds me for some weird reason lately I have also found myself weirdly attached to fireflies. They give me the same, if not same, more peace than the stars ever have, which confuses me to no end. I keep walking completely engrossed in my thoughts about stars and fireflies when I see Nandini sitting on a bench staring at the stars just like I do.
I was just staring at the stars since Cabir left, in these years I've held on to everything that keeps me connected to Manik whether it's music, stars or fireflies. I never expected to see him again so soon, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that someday we'll definitely meet again but never had I imagined it would like this and this soon. I wasn't ready to see him. 'Hey!' I hear his voice again, GOSH DID I MENTION HOW MUCH I MISSED HIM! I look back at him to see him smiling at me, 'hey' I replied smiling faintly.. 'You're still up?' he asked, 'yeah, had too much coffee so couldn't really go to bed' he just 'oh'ed and came sat next to me. It kills me to act this way with him, acting like strangers when in reality we are, or actually we WERE lovers. 'How comes you're still awake?' I questioned to start a conversation,
I just wanna hear his voice again and again and again to make up for the time I was deprived of him. 'Jet lagged I guess, can't get myself to sleep' he smiled. 'You were restless so came to see the stars to get some peace..' I said without thinking twice about what I was saying, he looked at me like shocked 'what?' he said looking very confused and that made me realise what I just said.. 'How do you know I like stars?' 'Who doesn't like stars, I mean look at them they're beautiful, the way they fight the darkness around can give anyone peace and strength' I said trying to cover up.. He didn't seem convinced with my reply but chose to ignore his suspicions 'yes I do love stars' he tells me as if I already didn't know that. 'But you know what I like more than stars, fireflies' he says smiling still gazing at the sky, making me extremely confused, did he just say fireflies? What! 'Fireflies?' I ask him still very baffled, 'yeah weird right, don't ask why but I just do.. They give me more peace than stars, I feel connected to them' I just continued to gaze at him.
Why was I showing my vulnerable side to a girl I literally met today, what was wrong with me.. I had no idea why I felt comfortable to talk to her about my love for stars and fireflies, that's something I wouldn't normally discuss with strangers. After that we talked for for a few minutes about random things, about our jobs and our lives and the talent show, she is a music teacher she also shares the love for music that I have.. Interesting, I thought. 'Anyway Nandini it was great talking to you but I'm gonna head back to my room now and catch up on some sleep, you should probably sleep too, thanks for keeping me company' I said as I smiled very formally, jet lag was taking its toll on me and I was starting to get really tired.
He just said thank you to me for spending time with him, like really, everything really has changed. I just smiled 'good night Manik' 'good night Nandini' he smiled back and walked away. I had this constant smile on my face, after two long years Manik and I spent time under the stars, sure it wasn't the same as before but I was just grateful that we were able to spend some quality time together. At least now he knows that Nandini Murthy exists, so what we can't be together we can at least be friends. Even if it's just for the time he's here, I'll capture him in my heart this time, to keep me going for the rest of my life.
For PMs buddy me!!
Edited by Ramisha_manik - 8 years ago
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