Written in the stars

Sequel - Part 2

Flashback contd....

It was the day before Nandini left for the trip. Nandu woke up Manik and gave him a good morning kiss as usual. Instead of getting up from his bed, he pulled her onto him and held her tightly. He was nuzzling into her neck.

Manik : "I am not letting you go so easily today. You will be away from me for one whole week. So today you will have to fulfill the quota for one whole week."

Nandini : "Huh...how do you expect me to fulfill your demand?"

Manik : "It is so simple. Multiply the number of kisses you give me everyday by the number of days you aren't going to be with me and add it to today's quota."

Nandini : "Oh..like that."

Manik : "Why? What did you think?"

Nandini : "I am not going to tell you."

From her expressions, Manik figured out what she would have thought.

Manik : "Your idea is a lot better than mine. I am ready for it."

Nandu opened her eyes wide and her mouth in a "o" and made a shocked face. Manik kissed her cheeks.

Manik : "If you make such faces, I won't be able to control myself."

Manik pulled Nandini even more closer. Nandini tried to escape from him, but he didn't let her go.

Manik : "Hey I was just kidding. Did you think I really meant it? Don't worry. I don't want you to go exhausted for the trip."

Manik : "But from when did you start thinking like that?"

Nandu : "It is all your influence. That is what is going on in your mind usually."

Manik : "Not bad Jaan, you have improved a lot."

Manik : "By the way it is not that, it is you who are on my mind always. That is only one way of showing my love for you."

Nandu fulfilled Manik's demand by kissing all over his face.

They didn't know that it would be there last entire day together.

Next day morning, Manik dropped Nandini to college. He embraced her and pecked her on her forehead.

Manik : "Love you Jaan! Take care. I will be waiting for you."

He waited till the college bus departed.

It was the last day of the trip. Manik had missed Nandu a lot and was eagerly waiting for her return.

Manik was at work. Suddenly, he felt as though his heart was beating erratically. Initially he couldn't make out why. But then he was worried, he called Nandu immediately.

Manik(to himself) : "Hope she is fine."

Nandu didn't pick up the phone even after Manik called a few times. Manik was tensed and he was walking to and fro waiting for Nandu to call back. A few minutes later, he got a call. But it wasn't from Nandu.

Caller : "We are sorry to inform you that Nandini slipped and fell into the waterfall."

Hearing what the person on the other side of the phone said, Manik sat down on his chair shocked. The caller gave him the details of the place they were at and explained in brief what had happened. Manik called and arranged for a rescue team immediately. He rushed to the location of the water fall.

The college students had stopped at a scenic place on their way back home. It was a hilly region with a beautiful waterfall. The students were enjoying,standing at the top of the waterfall. A girl slipped and bumped into Nandini. This was enough for Nandini to lose balance and she fell off into the waterfall. It was around the same time he felt that his heart was beating erratically.

The rescue team tried to look for her till the end of the day, but they returned without her.

Member of rescue team : "Sorry. We weren't able to find her. Considering the force of water at this place, we doubt she would have survived."

Listening to this, he fell on his knees dejected. Tears started flowing from his eyes. At that moment, he felt that his world had come crashing down.

But later he remembered Nandu's words. He began to feel that she might be alive. Since the force of water was too much at the waterfall, no one from her college had dared to rescue her. There was a time lapse from the time she fell into the waterfall to the time the rescue team started looking for her. Maybe that's why they weren't able to find her.

The entire family including Nandu's parents believed that Nandu is no more. But they hadn't found her body. This gave Manik the hope that there were chances that she would have survived.

Flashback ends.....

After Manik and Nandini had realized their feelings for each other, Manik felt guilty. Both had agreed for the marriage for their parents sake. Nandini was ready to work on the relationship, but Manik wasn't ready to accept their relationship. He was late in realizing his feelings too. He felt that Nandu had to suffer because of him, so he tried his best to make up for it though Nandu told him he didn't have to.

Manik showered Nandu with all his love, cared for her a lot and was very supportive. Overall, he had tried to be at his best for her. His world was revolving around her. So when she left, she left a huge void in his life.

A few months passed.

Manik was young, handsome and rich. Proposals had already started coming in for his remarriage. His family also wanted him to move on. They felt that there was no point in him waiting.

Nyonika : "Manik, how long are you going to wait for Nandini? We don't even know if she is alive. You can't stay alone for ever. There are proposals coming in for your remarriage. I think you should move on."

Manik : "I will wait for her however long it takes. Mom..please don't bother me with these proposals. I am not going to marry again. No one can take Nandini's place in my life."

But his family couldn't leave him just like that. They were trying to check if he is ready to move on now and then.

A few more months passed, Manik's hope began to dwindle a little. Manik had tried to look for Nandu in the surrounding areas of the waterfall by hiring a few people. But they all returned empty handed. He didn't have any clue as to how to proceed further.