MaNan: We Aren't Meant To Be Together

Chapter 7

I never expected my day to start the way it did, but nevertheless we should make the most of it.

So I manage to come to school after giving myself a plenty of pep talks.

Thank God today is Saturday and I won't have to see his face tomorrow.

Only I know how difficult it's going to be to face him from now on.

I walk through the corridor lost in my own thoughts, that I don't even realise there's a peon talking to me, until Navya shakes my arm.

"Haan." I look up at her, and she signals the peon with her eyes.

When I look at him, he gives me a strange look before, "Aapko principal sir bula rahe hain."

I furrow my eyebrows, "Kyu?"

"Pata nahi. Unho kaha ki aapko bhej doon." I nod my head and he walks away, while I turn to look at Navya.

"Ab isse kya chahiye?" I make a disturbed face to which Navya laughs, "Tu principal se milke a, mai class jaati hoon."

I just hmm in response and she walks to the opposite of the corridor which leads to our first class and I turn back to go to the office.

Aiyappa, Manik ne kuch kiya hoga kya?
I hope not, or else, I'll get into trouble alongside him.

After praying to Aiyappa a few times, I knock on the door, and as always a "Come in." is heard from the other side.

I open the door and glance around the room finding Manik, but to my surprise he's not there.

I walk inside and stop just in front of sir, who looks up from his file and placing his specs in side crosses his fingers.

"Aapne bulya the sir?"

"Yes. I wanted to talk go you about Manik." And here go all my hopes in vain.

"What about him sir?" I say in my most innocent tone, not wanting him to notice how nervous I've become suddenly.

"As you know, he's only been here for a week and all the teachers think he's doing better than they expected." I nod at him, wanting him to come to the point, "That's why, you don't have to be around him anymore."

A slightly painful feeling pricks in my heart hearing him, but what he says next makes me want to crawl into a corner and cry until I have no more tears left in my eyes, "Manik himself asked me to tell you this, because he doesn't feel the need to have you always around him anymore. So you're free from his responsibility now."

Even tough he gives me a smile while telling this and I have to return it, I feel like my world is crashing down again.

Gathering as much courage as I can, I come out of the office after asking sir's permission and instead of going to my first class, I go to the bathroom and pour my heart out through tears that had started falling a second after I came out.

Why am I crying now? Isn't this what I always wanted him to do?

I know, I should feel happy about this. He finally left me alone, like he did six years ago, but something inside me tells me otherwise.

I wipe the water running down my cheeks with the back of my hand and try to take in deep breaths to calm my raging heart, but nothing seems to work.

How could I be so dumb to believe he would fight for us!?

How could I think, he's not going leave this time!?

"He did this six years ago and he's done it now." I whisper to myself remembering a memory of him and I in 'Our Secret Place'.

I was sitting on a swing wearing a cute baby blue frock and matching white sandals along with a blue and white flowers crown on my head.

My parents were quite rich and the whole knew about them, that day they were going to announce the opening of a new hospital, so they organized a party in the evening.

As always, me and Manik had decided to meet on the secret place, but mom had told me that I couldn't anywhere.

But me being the stubborn kid I was, I somehow managed to get out of there.

Half an hour had passed, but the person I was supposed to meet didn't appear, and I was beginning to think he wasn't going to come.

Just when I was thinking about going back, someone covered my eyes from behind, making me smile again.

I jump down from the swing and hug him tight, "Manu, tum itna late kyu aaye? Mujhe laga tum aayoge hi nahi." I knew he could sense my sadness and the way he tightened his arms around me comfirmed that.

"Sorry Nandu, papa ne aane nahi diya."

"Manu, promise me, promise me that tum humesha aayoge mujhse milne, chaahe kitna bhi late kyu na hojaye aur tum mujhe kabhi akela nahi chodoge." I pull away and hold my tiny pinky finger in front of him.

In no time, he wraps his tiny finger around mine and smiles, "Arey Nandu, agar mai tere paas nahi aunga, toh aur kahaan jaunga?"

"Nahi. Promise karo!" I whine and pout to which he laughs, like he always did.

"Acha baba, promise." I smile widely and wrap my arms around him pulling him into a tight hug.

I never thought you'll break your promise so soon Manik.

"You left me then and you left me now, Manik." I say to no one in particular, gazing at the white floor.

After some time, I finally gather enough courage to stand and face the reality.

When I look myself into the mirror, the only things I can see are my red eyes and puffy cheeks.

I walk up to the tap and wash my face around six times to make me look slightly better.

When I wipe my face with a tissue, I take some deep breaths, "You're strong, Nandini Murthy. You have to face this with smile. Don't give him the satisfaction of breaking you." I walk out of the batroom, not before having practised some deep breathing.

The bell rings indicating the change of period, so I walk to my next class and instead of sitting in the middle, I choose to sit in the front row.

I take all my things out and start drwawing circles on the last page of my notebook, when I feel someone slide next to me.

When I look up, it's Aryaman, who's looking at me with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"Are you alright?" I maintain my firm posture and nod my head humming.

He places his hand on mine and gives me a smile, "If you ever need someone to talk, you know, you have me." I give him a small smile and he turns around to take his stuff out of his back while I focus on the circles again, completely ignoring the person sitting two rows behind me, who's probably murdering Aryaman in his head by now.

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Hope you like it.