The cold breeze hits my cheeks as I walk out the airport, my cheeks and nose instantly feel cold and numb as I rub my hands together generating heat.
"It's so freaking cold!" Mukti speaks from beside him
"Right, I should've kept my jacket" alya adds.
"I got you alya, i checked the weather before leaving" I add and hand her one of my jackets, she takes it with a bright smile on her face.
Yes meet mukti and alya my cousins, my sisters, my best friend my everything. I could not imagine a day without both of them, Alya's father and mukti's mother and my father are all siblings so we grew up together since the day we were born. I went to kindergarten, school and now we completed our degree together same course by the way. When we were little we used to play doctors with each other, one of us would pretend to get hurt and others would try to treat them and since then we decided to become doctors, so here we are starting as interns.
"This is why I love Nandini more than you" alya pokes her tongue out at mukti
"You should've checked the weather then alya!" Mukti defends.
"Okay forget all this, where is Cabir?!" I ask looking around, Cabir is my elder brother he is only a year and a half elder than me so I guess since childhood I never called him 'bhai' although my dadu always told me to. Cabir is actually married, the first one from us cousins he is married to my bhabhi navya they have a really cute love story, childhood sweethearts to husband and wife. I know navya since childhood too, which is why I'm extremely close to her as well she is more like a mother to me.
"And abhimanyu?"
"And Dhruv?"
"Ooo since when did you and Dhruv—"
"We are just friends mukti" alya cuts her off.
She says they are friends but the tension between them is so strong, we all know Dhruv is head over heels for them and so is alya but none of them just want to make a move and keep denying the feelings they have for each other but occasionally flirt here and there. While mukti on the other side abhimanyu is actually her boyfriend, they started dating 4 years back and that's how alya actually met Dhruv, through abhimanyu. We've had a group since then i got two more brothers to handle after that.
"Haan Haan, and I'm the freaking queen of England" Mukti mocks her, I let out a chuckle seeing them. both of them are always fighting.
"But honestly I missed this place!" Mukti looks around smiling, I nod.
It's been 5 years almost since we came back to india, we have been doing our degree in London last time we came here was in cabirs wedding and that's about it. Yes Cabir, navya, abhimanyu and Dhruv used to come there to meet us occasionally like birthdays or some special events but other than that we were full focused on our studies which is why we are so close to becoming real doctors, just two more years. This has been my dream, and also my mumma's dream.
"And I missed you here babe" I hear abhimanyu's voice from a distant who instantly comes and places a kiss on muktis cheeks who makes an annoyed face. Mukti was like the other girls but not really, she sort of hated all this hugs and kisses she would only tolerate it from us and abhimanyu.
"Yeah right, our flight landed 1 hour back" Mukti rolls her eyes
Dhruv nervously went to alya and hugged her, while me I was just looking at both the cute couples admiring them. I know how much one missed another it was cute to see them finally being together without any long distance now.
"Hi nandu" abhimanyu walks over to me and gives me a hug, Dhruv comes and jumps on both of nearly squishing me both of them always do this.
"Aiiii stop I'm getting squished" I try to breath
"Sorry sorry" they move back and finally I let out a relief. "Where is Cabir?" I ask them
"We don't know, we came here straight from work" abhimanyu replies
"Nandini isse accha toh tune koi ladka pata liya hota, at least he would be on time. Cabir humesha late karta hai" mukti says and nudges me
"Not this again" I roll my eyes at her, the way mukti and everyone is after me to get a boyfriend they would set me up on dates with random guys but I would end up coming back home in less than an hour.
"Hi monkey" my face lightens up as I hear cabirs voice, I turn around to him standing there with navya a huge smile appears on my face seeing them. Yup he calls me monkey.
I run to Cabir jumping on him wrapping my arms around him "cabiirrrr" I shout grabbing everyone's attention, there is nothing that will make me happier than seeing my brother Cabir. He meant everything to me.
"Main bhi hoon!" Navya speaks, I laugh and hug navya tightly.
"God I missed you guys so much!" I hold both of their hands "but you're never on time" I gaze at Cabir.
"Sorry Nandu, you know how Cabir is iski meetings khatam hi nahi hoti" navya taunts Cabir
"Okay and? What about you? Tum ready thi?" Cabir eyes navya
"The point here is that you're late and I'm late because of you" navya argues
"Okay stop stop" I interrupt before they start another war here. I look around behind them hoping that one person I want here shows up, but I know I shouldn't expect anything as I've been getting disappointed ever since.
"So uhm" I clear my throat "dad isn't here?"
Cabir and navya eye each other, I can sense something is not right and they are about to shoot me with another lie. Mukti and alya too feel the same as they look at each other after the question I asked.
"Dad had a urgent meeting to go, he even told me ki he wanted to come but last minute it came up and you know—"
"Yup like always some meetings came up.." I nod trailing away. My relationship with my dad was really complicated, to be honest I don't even know how to explain it like he never pays attention when it comes to me. He has missed every special moment of mine.. my birthdays, my first day at school, parent teacher interviews, when I first went London, my graduation every thing that meant special to me and would be more special if he was present he missed it and probably only came to see me once in London that was only because one of his meeting was there. Those were the times when I used to miss my Mumma a lot, she passed away when I was 8 you can say from then Cabir was more like a father to me than my own father which sounds bitter but it's the truth. Don't get me wrong I still love him respect him he is my father after all but it upsets me.
"Nandu he will see you when he's home, and yeh sab chodh na I made you your favourite pasta so let's go home!" navya stands beside me wrapping her arms around me.
"Yes" I give her a small smile. She turns around and looks at mukti, alya, abhimanyu and Dhruv standing watching us "you guys carry on with your date" she winks at them
"What date?" Mukti looks at abhimanyu
"A date I planned for you of course" he shakes his head at her, mukti was flattered by this gesture.
"I can come along though" alya pouts
"Nahi!" Dhruv shouts but stops realising his surroundings "I mean we are going on a dinner too" Alya blushes
"It's called a date" mukti speaks
"Not really, I mean we can have dinner with friends right" alya shrugs her shoulders, I nod agreeing with her
"But this is a date for you guys, since you both love each other" mukti tries to stir things up
"Shut up, I-it's nothing like that" she looks down not knowing what to reply
"It's okay alya she's joking" I glare at mukti "right mukti? You are joking" I tell her to repeat after me
Mukti shakes her head and decides to end the conversation here seeing how awkward both of them were getting "yes well I was joking"
The four of them leave as the drivers take the luggage with them to drop it off at their home. It was already around 6pm here, it was getting dark too. Cabir, navya and I headed home soon, I didn't have much luggage on me anyways so he only brought one car.
We reach the house, cabir asks one of the servants to help with the luggage. I stand for a moment and look at the house, we moved here around 7 years ago but I went to London 6 years ago so I didn't stay here as long, before that we moved twice and finally this is our home. It was a huge mansion, just like how Cabir ever wanted, with a large car parking space and a huge garden front and the back which I loved the most, I enjoyed gardening so much it was like a therapy to me.
I looked over to the house next to us, it was the house of cabirs best friend I don't know him much but I can assure you he is definitely one of the rudest guys I've met, honestly the only two times I've met him was at cabirs wedding and when we moved in but those moments were enough for me to tell how he really was. Anyways I hope I don't encounter him I just want some peace.
"Nandu what are you thinking? Let's go inside" navya pulls my hand as we walk in.
I sit on the couch with navya, Cabir instructs some servants to fix my room and put the bag there organising it. He then comes and sits next to me, I look towards the backyard door as I spot some people working.
"Yeh sab kon hai?" I turn to Cabir and navya
"They are here to remove the pool" navya replies to me, she shifts her gaze to Cabir knowing what my reaction would come off as.
"Seriously? You guys didn't need to, i-im okay with it"
"I don't want anything here that will hurt you or remind you—"
"But Cabir, you guys really loved a swimming pool in the backyard then why remove it just because I'm afraid of it mujhe yeh accha nahi lag raha hai" I look down feeling guilty.
Yes I am afraid of pools, honestly I don't know why there was some things in childhood that I don't remember but it gives me anxiety and even panic attacks, this has been going since so many years I've even went to therapy for it but it doesn't help because I don't know what is the main reason behind this. We had a pool in our old old house which actually used to my favourite but one day things changed.
"Shut up monkey, tumhe sach mein lagta hai just because we love the pool we will keep it even if it will bother you" Cabir argues, I know I know I won't be able to win this argument because they love me way too much.
"Fine" I decide not to argue further
"Good ab Chalo Kuch kha lo and then go rest, dad should be coming" navya says.
No I couldn't rest today, I need to buy Cabir a gift tomorrow is his birthday I know it's kinda late to be deciding but I was busy in the last days I didn't get time to buy it. I'll go today quickly since the mall closes at 9, it's a bit far but that's fine I'll manage
"Nahi nahi, I need to go to the mall actually thoda essential samaan Lana hai"
"Areh but someone else will get it, or go tomorrow you must be tired" Cabir looks at me.
"It's kind of urgent warna main nahi jaati" I bite my lips
"Itna Kya urgent hai?"
"Haan koi Aur matter hai?"
Both of them interrogate me, see i told you guys they are literally my mother and father. At least Cabir hasn't got a hint that it's all for his birthday.
"I'm really hungry Aur aap dono mujhe police ke tarah interrogate kar rahe ho" I make a sad face, hopefully it works and they let me go.
"Oh yes I'll bring you pasta" navya stands up and goes to bring me pasta, I start to pray that Cabir doesn't ask further questions. Actually I'm planning a surprise party for him too, I'll tell navya this after Cabir leaves to maybe at night.
——
Great sara Kuch toh aa gaya
I check the bags, Cabir had dropped me off here before leaving for office again. If it was upto him he would be working 24/7, it's good that him and navya work together or else navya would definitely be sad that he hardly gives her time.
I look around to find if there's any taxis so I can head back home, I checked my watch it was around 9:30pm, it just got more colder.
Okay but why isn't there a single taxi here I might have to call Cabir to pick me up or send a car.
I call Cabir quickly.
"Cabir" I almost panic as soon as he picks up
"What happened?" He says from the other side
"I finished shopping but uhm there's no taxis around"
"Oh yes, because there's some public transport strike, shit I completely forgot about it and im like 2 hours away too from there"
Great a public transport strike, just what I needed today to end my day.
"Okay toh driver ko bhej do aap"
"I sent them home, they usually finish this time and dad is not home yet navya is with me too."
"Toh phir how will I get home?"
"Maine Tumhe mana kiya tha not to go but nahi Tum ziddi hi rahongi" he tells me off
"Please Cabir you can tell me off later, it's kinda late I'm getting scared"
I thought about mukti, alya, abhimanyu and Dhruv but they were on a date I didn't want to disturb them.
"Okay okay don't worry, I got you just stay there I'm sending someone there"
"Who?" I for curious, wonder who he found at this time.
"Just stay there, keep your phone on and if anything feels wrong call me or call the police straight away okay don't stress" he instructs me
He then ends the call, probably finding someone for me to come pick me up. Honestly I was scared it was night plus the road seemed so dead, with barely any cars or people.
I look down as my phone rings again, it was Cabir I hope he organised something for me.
"Yes Cabir"
"Okay stay there, send me your exact location and he's on the way"
"Thank you I'll send my location on—wait who's he?"
"Nandini send me your location right now" he ends the call before he even answered my question.
I do what he says, I just wanted to get the hell out of here plus my arm were paining from the bags I was carrying. I brought a watch for Cabir, he had a big watch collection but I know how much he loves them that he won't mind another one.
A bright light beamed in my direction, it caught my eye because this was probably the first car in 20 minutes. I look in that direction, it was slowing down as it was coming my way to park near me. Yup definitely the person Cabir sent to pick me up, I squinted my eyes to get a better look of who it might be but I hardly could see. As the car got closer I was starting too see clearer thanks to the car headlights, my eyes widen as I could finally see who the person was.
Oh god this isn't going to end well.
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Author: hey guys I'm back! I hope you guys like this new story trust me it is really interesting, and yes I'm writing in povs, which will only be manik and Nandini's. So keep guessing who is that person that has came to rescue Nandini? Stay tuned!
Don't forget to vote and comment!