You and I

EPILOGUE

NANDINI

It's been three months since I started going to college again. And everyday had been the best. I started therapy soon after I told everyone, and it helped me a lot to deal with whatever happened. My father was a sick man, and though I hated him earlier, now I'm just indifferent to him. He is just like any other stranger to me right now.

Dhruv had been sentenced life imprisonment. Ranbir woke up from coma a month ago, and he went into depression. He confessed raping Mukti to the police. Since this case was a long ago matter, so there wouldn't be any more proofs other than matching Mysha's DNA with Ranbir. Since he himself confessed, the court took action and he is sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. But not even 5 days had passed when we heard that Ranbir committed suicide. He was depressed and guilty of his deeds and couldn't take it anymore.

Cabir though tried to be strong, eventually did broke down. He saw Ranbir as his older brother most of his life, and he wasn't as indifferent to him as he thought. Hearing about his suicide, it didn't go well for him. But Navya stood by like his rock all that time. She helped him deal with all that was happening. And now, Cabir was back with a bang.

Mukti and Abhi have been going strong. It warmed my heart to see Abhi, Mysha and Mukti together. They looked like the perfect family. Mysha though doesn't call Abhi as Dad, but I guess Dad for her means Abhi only. She looks up to him as if he was the one who hung stars in the sky. She literally idolizes him.

Cabir and Navya have yet not confessed, but they are unofficially dating. If everything goes as per plan, so before the final game of the championship tonight, Navya is going to propose Cabir in the locker room. I'm sure Cabir's gonna love it, her taking lead. Everybody is in loop to all of this. All the players know about the plan and there won't be a single person inside the locker room, when Cabir will enter. Only Navya. Ahh I'm excited for that.

Sid is still doing the to and fro from Mumbai to Mangalore to help Uncle with the business. But I guess from this month, he'll stop since Uncle had put on a strong foot down, that he should first focus on his studies, and once he is done, then only he can help him in the business, since Sid was kinda neglecting the studies due to all of this. He has even found a girl in his college. Though he was very shy to ask her out, but eventually he did. He often invites her when all of us are gathering, so that she gets comfortable with all of us. Ahana is her name. And she's a sweet girl.

Coming to Manik and me, well, we are still the same. We love each other madly, and there are often days when Manik sneaks in to spend the night with me, or I convince Mama Mami to spend the night with Navya. Though it's not exactly wrong because most of the time Navya is over at Manik's place because of Cabir, but semantics.

We haven't taken our relationship to the next level. Manik wants us to wait till college is over. And I have no problem with all of that, because I know we have forever to spend together with.

Coming back to the present, here I was getting ready for the game. Manik had called me almost 8 times today, being nervous. "I don't want to fuck this up Nandini," I've heard this so many times today, and every time I'd had assured him that nothing would go wrong. I had faith in him, and I know that the championship trophy is coming to our college.

I was wearing Manik's jersey and jeans. My hair tied in a high pony. I wore hoops because we would go to the field party after that. I had my sneakers and yes I was good to go. I almost went out of the room when I realized I wasn't wearing the bracelet. I went to my bedside and fastened it on my wrist. Ever since Manik made me wear this, it had found a permanent spot on my wrist. I smiled as the charms made a tinkling sound. I loved this.

I came down to see Sid and Ahana waiting for me.

"Hey guys! Sorry thora late ho gya."

"Thora? Nanz we need to hurry. Navya will kill us if she gets to know we are late."

"I know I know. Now chalo we need to hurry."

Mama Mami and Neyonika Aunty were coming together after a while.

We reached outside the locker room, to see everyone present there. I saw Manik walking towards me.

As he reached me, he kissed me softly cupping my face. "You look cute."

"Thank you Sir. Now tell me, did Cabir go inside?"

"Yes he did. It's been 10 minutes since then."

I nodded. That means he was coming out soon. And bang on. Just then we saw Cabir coming out with Navya. Their faces split in a wide grin.

"Guys she's officially my girl!" He shouted and we all laughed. I saw Navya's face all red as everyone hooted and hollered for them.

Now we were seated on the bleachers. Navya Mukti and I were sitting together, all of us in our guy's jersey. Beside us on one side sat Ahana and Sid while on the other side sat Mama Mami and Aunty along with Mysha on Mami's lap. All of us were tensed out. Only a minute was left and the teams were at a tie.

Just then in the last 10 seconds, Manik shot a goal and it went straight past the goal keeper and there that was a goal. The whole crowd erupted in cheers. We won. All five of us were on our feet, jumping and cheering for them. Manik did it. He brought the trophy home.

MANIK

We won the championship. It felt exhilarating. I looked at the dog tag to read the quote and then saw upwards. The stars were twinkling bright and I know that Dad would be happy from wherever he was. I fulfilled your dream Dad.

I, Abhi and Cabir were standing side by side. Our gaze on our girls. All of us had been through a lot this year, but here we are standing strong. I looked at Nandini who looked so happy. She was literally jumping from where she was standing. I chuckled seeing her. My cute Angel.

We freshened up and as I came out of the locker room, Mom hugged me tight.

"Your Dad would have been proud of you."

I kissed her cheeks and she kissed my forehead. I met Rajiv Uncle and Saumya Aunty and they also congratulated me. I got back slaps from Sid and the other girls congratulated me saying I stole the show. At last my gaze met hers, and I opened my arms.

She literally jumped in my arms and hugged tight. "I'm proud of you Manik. You did it."

"My Angel." I just hugged her tight, blocking out everything and everyone. Nothing mattered to me more than this feeling. Having her in my arms. I still get scared if I'm not able to reach out to her. She's precious to me.

Abhi and Cabir came and we all were congratulated. Once all of this was done, we headed over for the field party.

Right now, all of us had a beer in our hands, except for Nandini, because she doesn't drink. So she had a coke. Abhi was sitting on one of the log with Mukti beside him. I was sitting on another log with Nandini on my lap, and Cabir was sitting on a bale of hay with Navya. Aryaman and Vihaan were seated on another log.

It felt like an almost repeat of the first time I met Nandini. I could still see the spot where I first saw her, looking so innocent in that white sundress, but her eyes had held pain which I had recognized back then also.

"What are you thinking?" Nandini asked from beside me.

I showed her the spot. "That was where I saw you for the first time. You'd come up to check on Abhi. We've come a long way since then right?"

Her gaze softened, and she kissed me. "And we'd go a long way from here."

"Forever," I said pecking her forehead.

"Humesha."

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