Manik was happy, a little too happy in fact. He would see her in just under three hours. It had only been a week since he had spent an entire night with her, and only two days to his sudden visit to Panchgani, yet it felt like forever. They spoke every day, sometimes through chats, sometimes over calls but when she was with him in person, when he could hear her sweet chirping voice, when he could read her eyes, when he could smell that lavender fragrance of her cascading hair, he felt strangely.. Complete.
He had taken special efforts in dressing up today, something he never did consciously. He had stayed a little longer in the shower today, soaking in the steaming hot water and adding an extra dash of his exquisite cologne after wards. He had ditched his usual casual attire for a suave formal look. If looks could kill, he would be declared a serial killer.
Why was he doing this? He wasn't trying to impress Nandini, was he? But then she wasn't one of those girls who swooned over his good looks, She had the rare quality of looking right past the embellished top layer to what lay at the core of a person. That's precisely why she was so special to him. Then why this?
If there was anything Manik had learnt in the past few days, it was to not seek answers in everything and everywhere. A lot of things that happen in the world, things that were happening to and around him were unexplainable and the best that he could do was to embrace them and go with the flow.
He picked his guitar up before leaving and grinned. 'Miss Tipsy, you got a surprise.'
*********
Damn these people and their never ending drama. Manik shouldn't have represented his dad. He should have sneaked in like a commoner, like he had done on previous occasions. This whole chairmanship business was irritating at best. He had been here for 20 odd minutes now and forget meeting her, he couldn't even manage to catch a single glimpse of her. How could he, when he was surrounded by some 50 odd people, almost all of them double his age, trying to spoil him silly with VVIP treatment. You couldn't blame them either. For one, he was the chairperson's representative and then he was he, THE Manik Malhotra, the new age pied piper.
He excused himself on the pretext of going to the restroom and ran straight to where he thought Nandini would be.
And there she was, doing last minute touch- ups to her students. In that pristine white, traditional long skirt of hers, she looked like an angel, untouched by any sorrow, any negativity whatsoever. Her simplicity was her most precious adornment.
So he wasn't the only one who was all dressed up. He had worthy company here. 'She has a performance to dress for, dumbo. Now shut up and get lost' he rebuked his heart, which for a moment presumed she was waiting for him as eagerly as he for her. He tiptoed from behind and was just about to wish her when our over exited champ Chiraag greeted him.
"Boyfriend bhaiya!!!"
Manik looked up at Chiraag and Nandini at Manik. "Yup champ, tujhse hi to milne aaya tha. All set?"
"Best of luck nahi wish karoge?"
Manik went up to Chiraag and lifted him in his arms. "Yeah, best of luck to you and to all the kids here" He remarked staring at Nandini.
The punch didn't go unnoticed. He had called her a kid and wished her too, typical Manik!
"Nandi di ko wish nahi karoge?"
"Oh yeah, I totally forgot." Manik put him down, moved forward and extended his hand to Nandini who shyly slipped hers in him. "Best of luck Nandu" He wished her, as much with his words as with his touch. Even that little of a contact too could send sparks flying.
"Thank you" Nandini blushed.
"Mr. Malhotra, aap yahan, who sab aapko dhund rahe hain inaugration ke liye" they had followed him here too? He stole one last glance at her before leaving reluctantly.
*********
The ground was chock a bloc with people...students, parents and teachers. Though Nandini's school had been chosen to host this year's annual meet, it had a participation from 12 other schools. From Sanjivani, there would be only two performances, Nandini's being one.
Manik was made to sit in the VVIP zone in the very first row after having inaugurated the event. They had handed over the event pamphlet to all the honourary guests and Manik leafed through it to find Nandini's performance at the 7th number. One by one, the children came and performed while Manik waited with bated breath for his shining star. But when the fourth performance started, Manik was perplexed.
A group of girls started performing on the song "I love my India", the very song Nandini's troupe was stated to perform on. What the hell was going on? How could another school pick the same song and more importantly, now what? So Nandini's premonition wasn't wrong after all. This was as bad as it could get. Either they would be straightaway disqualified, which was still better, or they would be put to shame by being called on the stage in front of thousands of people and made to sing the same song. This could have serious implications on Nandini, especially as she wasn't in the good books of her principal. Manik got up and dashed towards the green room, completely ignoring the puzzled glances and calls from the organizing committee members.
Nandini didn't know how to react. The kids in her troupe were confused as hell too. They were tugging at her dress, wanting to know what was happening here but Nandini stood like a white statue, completely stiff and totally blank. One whole month of back breaking hard work had come to this. She knew she would be penalized, perhaps even dismissed from her job, given the eccentric nature of her principal. But that wasn't what broke her heart. How would she face these tiny faces who had pinned so much hope on this day, how would she face their parents who had come from faraway places to cheer for their children. How did it happen, when she had submitted the song details more than a fortnight ago?
She had told Manik, she wasn't feeling good about this and she had been right. Nothing and no one could salvage the situation now. Nandini murthy was soon going to be a disgraced teacher in front of her beloved students.