"You can resume your job at academy if you agree to accompany us to estate"
Nandini was running on treadmill remembering conversation with her dad that morning. Her temper had gone on a toss and hadn't returned down since then. Her father had put a condition to serve his plan of vacations by putting her winter job at stake. She increased the pace as her ire refused to subside.
"I'll be coming, stop killing the treadmill now," her Daadu said as he walked into gym.
Nandini stopped the treadmill as she heard him. Wiping sweat off her face, she put the towel back.
"How come my super irritating parent asked you to accompany?" She asked sitting beside him.
"Well, even I am surprised at my ultra irritating son and daughter in law," he spoke as he wondered even more.
"I think they finally got to know we are inseparable," Nandini muttered and looked at her grandpa.
Both burst out laughing and in no time, Nandini's temper had shot down after a dangerous fly.
______________________________
"You know that," he bumbled in his not so sweet slumber.
Fidgeting a bit with blanket, he buzzed again, "What?"
"Nandini, I seriously don't think I can teach you.... Horse riding," he rambled as he talked in his sleep.
"You know... Let's keep it to shooting only," he buzzed and then snored.
Sunlight traveled across the beds and reached his face. He pulled up the blanket on his face to avoid it.
"Don't irritate, Nandini," he yelled and fidgeted a bit.
"MANIK MALHOTRA"
A masculine voice bolted on Manik's sweet nightmare.
He instantly got up on bed and rubbed his eyes.
In no time, Lt Kalra had stormed in with his 20 inches moustache.
"You lazy ass, who sleeps till 7:40?" he bombarded Manik and he got down on floor. He greeted him with a salute and Lt glared him from tip to toe. Manik realized he was in his boxers only and immediately picked up his shirt.
"I am sorry, sir," he said while wearing his shirt, "I overslept."
"That I can see, you idiot," Lt struck.
After a good morning dose of Lt Kalra's likely abuses and taunts, Manik got rid of him. He got a punishment of running 20 extra rounds when he joined morning drill with seniors.
Palming his face, Manik sat down on his bed. He sighed and then muttered something under his breath.
__________________________
A peon entered Colonel's Singh's office with a trolley of delights as giggles inside spread across the room.
"Oh Madhav, I missed you, Man," Colonel said while catching his breath after a hearty laugh.
"Do not start with your cheesy comments now, Singh," Mr. Murthy quipped.
"I miss my best friend. Don't blame the cheese," Colonel Singh said dramatically and both burst out laughing.
"Yar, you steal my daughter every year, no matter how I hate this jail of yours," Mr. Murthy uttered.
"Don't call it that. And blame your Brigadier father and highly sweet daughter, not me," Colonel shrugged.
"My great father," Mr Murthy sighed and continued, "And what did you call Nandini? Sweet?"
He threw his head back while laughing and shook his head.
"She can be anything but sweet," he quipped, "she and my father is one heck of tag team of hellions."
Steaming tea and fried delicacies, talks went over fine setting.
"Don't worry. Take her along. Her job here isn't a problem. She can join back once you all are back," Colonel assured Mr Murthy as he talked about vacations.
"As soon as we all come back. That includes you and Bhabhi too," Mr Murthy declared.
"Madhavvv.... But.., "Colonel tried to speak but got intervened.
"No if and but, Sardar. You and Bhabhi will travel with us. That's final," Mr Murthy declared.
Colonel tried to convinced him that he and his wife would join them later but Madhav didn't agree. Finally colonel gave in to utterly sweet pestering.
"Madhav, I wanted to ask something. A favour to be precise," Colonel asked hesitantly while playing with paper weight.
"Sardar, since when you started to seek permissions? Where did my lion of Punjab go?" Mr Murthy taunted. Colonel smiled warmly.
"There's this boy with us at academy. He is very dear to me and Sahiba. He is alone here in vacations so I was thinking if I could..., " colonel couldn't even complete when Madhav said, "Bring him along. He is more than welcomed."
Both smiled warmly to each other and Colonel said, "then you ask me not to pay you cheesy comments. You are so sweet."
"Shut up, Singh," Madhav said and both laughed their hearts out.
_______________________________
"I won't be coming for next 20 days," Nandini said as Manik cleaned the rifle.
His face transitioned from being focused to loose...to drop.
"Your jaw would sweep the floor," she indicated as he gasped the shock.
Collecting his stiff-neck back, he pumped some air in his chest and broadened the shoulders.
Clearing his throat, he said, "you know, I don't like such unfocused, undedicated and casual attitude people."
"Then don't meet such people," she shrugged and picked up the gun.
Manik looked at her as if she didn't belong to this planet and shook his head.
"I was talking about you, genius," he taunted with a straight face.
Nandini brought the gun down and looked at him.
"You know what I see," she said pointing the gun towards him, "I see a skull which most probably doesn't have brain, do you want me to take a shot?"
"Don't try, who knows you end up shooting the man next door having a swimming practise," he mocked.
Nandini gritted her teeth in anger and then smiled evilly.
"What lame-ass plan your non existing mind has made just now?" He asked crossing his arms.
"I was thinking what if I cancel my vacations and stay back," she said crossing her arms.
Manik'a face heated up as he felt his pulse thumping in throat. His body had certainly detached itself from his mind as reactions were a little out of place.
"No, I think you should go as I need break from your stupid face," he said pointing at her.
"No, I seriously think I should stay back and give you some horse riding lessons as you suck at it," she said coming closer to him.
"How do you know I suck at it?" He asked with a horrified face.
"Just a guess," she said and he sighed in relief.
"Besides, asses hardly get along with horses," she said and bit her lip to control her laugh.
Manik's nostrils swell like a balloon as he exhaled invisible fire.
"Get out and don't show me your face for next 20 days... Or better never return," he blasted her.
She threw her head back and finally laughed out loud.
He growled further and put his hands on the waist.
"Fine," he said, "I will leave."
He stomped his feet and tried to leave.
"I'll miss you, Manik," she said in sugary tone and he turned around.
Glaring her one final time, he said, "You!!!"
He rambled and she again started to laugh like maniac. He stomped out.
"Good, finally I can breathe. Finally!!! Why 20 days? Take a forever break. This mad girl is gonna make me mad if I didn't stop meeting her. How can someone be so annoying. She is pain in ass," he kept mumbling as he walked towards dorm.
He hadn't reached much far when he heard a gunshot followed by a scream. He immediately stopped and looked back. If he had not depicted it wrong, it was her.
He ran towards arena where he had left Nandini and saw her standing her palming her mouth. Her eyes were popped out and she looked shocked.
He ran to her and grabbed her.
"What happened?" He asked worried sick, "are you alright?"
"Manik, I almost hit the bullseye," she whispered and joined her hands in glee.
"What?" Manik couldn't believe his ear so he asked again.
She held his chin and made him look the board.
"I have finally hit the bulls eye," she told almost singing.
As Manik tried to digest the calamity she was, she danced silently like she had won the Olympic medal.
"Are you out of your mind?" He shouted on top of his voice.
She without paying any heed kept admiring her own shot before he clenched her arms in his hands and pulled up.
"Do you know how scared I got? Who shouts like that?" He yelled at her.
Her feet were swaying in air as he had cradled her in his not so pleasant clutch.
"Calm down, cloth hanger. I was so happy so I couldn't control," she tried to calm him down.
"This isn't funny, Nandini Murthy. You know I thought you had hit....," he worded keenly clutching her arms tighter.
Nandini batted her eyes and mumbled, "that I had shot swimmer next arena?"
His twitched brows smoothened a bit as she opened her mouth and uttered some of his not so favorite kind of jokes.
"You know what. Right now I feel like I am the most blessed guy that I don't have to tolerate you for next 20 days," he muttered and smiled.
"I'll miss you too,Manik. Don't mention it again and again," she made a face in some fake so ever awe and she brushed his nose with her finger. He dropped her immediately feeling her touch on his nose. Straightening himself, he cleared his throat and said, "Happy Vacations...to me."
Nandini chuckled seeing him so flustered and worked up as he left the arena doing a plank walk.
______________________________
"They all are my favorite dishes, Thanks ma'am," Manik said as soon as he saw the dining table.
Mrs Singh smiled and sat beside him.
"Don't call me ma'am. I am not your officer or something," she insisted.
"Then what should I call you?" Manik rubbed his hands in sheer nervousness as Mrs Singh had already taken him in.
"You tell me," she served him dinner and Colonel Singh joined them as well.
Manik was invited by Colonel Singh for dinner to his lavish house which had to be most beautiful quarter of entire military colony. Manik had a fond of Mrs Singh as she had always made him feel like home whenever they had met. Let it be parties, or formal functions, they had developed their own kind of affinity.
"Manik, can I ask you something?" Mrs Singh asked.
"Sure," he said while having his dinner.
"What are you doing this Sunday?" She asked.
"Nothing much. I am free...in fact for next 20 days," he said as he picked another puri and smiled in content.
Husband- wife duo smiled looking at each other as he tried to figure out.
Next was...well, something he couldn't deny and finally it was time to withdraw some of his money.
He sighed as he walked back to dorm.
"A small trip to upper hills can't harm, can it?" He thought.
Well...time would tell.