"This is trouble. This is serious trouble," Manik walked forth and back biting his nails.
"This girl is crazy and she thinks she can make me do anything," He mumbled further mapping the same piece of land.
Harshad watched Manik walking hysterically and scratched his forehead in frustration.
"Dude, it's 10:30. She is alone in forest. Imagine that," Harshad said trying to bring the timorous Manik out of his little tragedy.
"Exactly. Who walks into forest this late? Couldn't she wait till morning?" Manik muttered fretting more.
"You are impossible," Harshad uttered failing to understand super anxious man in front of him. He was missing the point apparently.
It was weird how Manik had told him about phone call and now when he had, he was totally being an outgoing service. He wasn't listening, only rambling some alien language. Harshad didn't know what Manik wanted other than pacing in corridor.
"So we are gonna stand here. No, No..I am gonna stand here and you are gonna pace like this all night," Harshad asked baffled.
"Noooo," Manik rectified irked as if Harshad wasn't getting his point.
"I need to send her home," He added.
"And for that you need to see her," Harshad yelled knocking some sense into his jumpy mind.
"You know it would be a suicide," Manik asked holding Harshad's forearms.
"I know a way," Harshad winked and Manik looked horrified.
"No way I am bribing the night guard and trespassing," Manik flinched back assuming what way Harshad was talking about.
"Then go ask Colonel if you can go out to meet your girlfriend because she is having a midnight tantrum," Harshad mocked mimicking.
"She is not my girlfriend," Manik mumbled pouting.
"I know how sad you are about that fact," Harshad teased bantering with that hopeless case.
"Shut up," Manik yelled and then walked away stomping his feet.
"Don't forgot she is alone there," Harshad shouted from behind.
"That's not what I am afraid of," Manik mumbled to himself and turned around.
He walked to Harshad with a crying face and hugged him.
"Help me," He demanded snuggling into him.
"Awwwww," Harshad patted his back and separated the cry baby from him.
"You know you are weirdly cute, right?" He asked overwhelmed.
"You are helping me or not?" Manik asked pursing his lips.
"That's what your problem is. You want help and you are always angry," Harshad complained and dragged him somewhere.
_______________
Manik waited behind a pillar while Harshad talked to night guard. Manik cursed himself and Nandini for doing something very prohibited. Never in his life, he had broken a rule and here he was about to burn the entire rule-book. He couldn't wait to see Nandini to tell her how pathetic he was feeling.
He saw Harshad walking back to him with a smile.
"He agreed," Harshad told elated.
"You can jump off the wall and he would pretend he didn't see," Harshad added grinning.
"What?" Manik asked baffled.
"Why would I jump off the wall? I can walk through the gate," He objected with naivest set of logic.
Harshad pursed his lips unable to stand clueless man standing next to him.
"He cannot let you walk through the gate. That's stupid Manik," Harshad whispered yelling.
"Who recruited these buyable people in army?" Manik pondered.
"This is wrong, this is so wrong," He expressed shaking his head.
"Condemn this later, my boy. Now please go before Nandini freezes in cold," Harshad reminded him and Manik nodded his head.
They both headed towards a giant wall and looked around. There was no one and night guard wasn't going to patrol in that direction.
Harshad made a platform using his hands and Manik breathed deep gathering his courage.
"I can't do this," He chickened out, sweet sweat beads decorated his forehead.
"Manik," Harshad yelled whispering and Manik frowned.
"Climb on now," He commanded.
Manik huffed aloud, breathed quickly and finally put his foot on pad made of Harshad's hand.
"Good boy," Harshad cheered and Manik hopped on. Sitting on top of wall, he looked at Harshad with pleading eyes and Harshad glared.
"You want her to be alone in that dense forest?" Harshad asked trying to buck him up.
Manik shook his head denying and then looked out. He jumped out and Harshad could hear the loud thump.
"You fine?" He asked.
"Yes," Manik answered and Harshad sighed.
"Go now," Harshad instructed knowing how Manik would be standing jammed to his place.
___________________
Manik walked on aloof road rubbing his hands together. It was colder than ever. He was walking on the road beside the forest area. He mumbled some curses thinking how Nandini could have been a little particular when she said she was near forest area. He had walked Kilometers and there was no clue of her. He walked faster. He needed to send her home as soon as possible and return to academy before anyone finds out he was missing. Harshad had told how guard would let him in if he returns within three hours.
He walked rapidly looking around. Exhaling white steam, he tried to cop up with cold. Walking few more Kilometers, it was plain worry hovering his mind. She was nowhere. He was frightened now. He was almost at end of road which lead to prohibited forest area and she wasn't anywhere. Terrifying possibilities were knocking his mind. What if she was in trouble? A thought passed his mind. He immediately nullified it thinking how she was the trouble herself. But then what if she really was in trouble. He frowned and could feel his heart beating so fast.
Something flashed in dark and he increased his pace. Running towards the dark end of road, he saw her jeep parked in one corner. He sighed in relief. Holding his tired knees, he caught some breaths. He looked around to see where was she and there in remotest dark corner he saw something red. That was a dress, he grinned. Running towards that direction, he could see that red dress had a girl too inside it. He sighed in relief. Silly observations!
"Nandiniii," He called her name shouting and she turned around.
He was supposed to yell at her for this instant night out plan but there he was standing smiling sweet. She looked at him and looked somewhat relaxed. Was she upset? Manik wondered but then shooed the doubt away. He needed to be mad at her, so he shook his head trying to get the stance.
"Are you mad? Do you have any idea How I sneaked out?" He asked reaching her. She just looked at him without any legible expression. Manik waited for her to say something as he stood behind her and she looked at him. But she didn't say a thing. He was seeing her after two days and he could already feel his heart warming up amid frosty night with her mere sight.
"You alright?" He asked fumbling a bit unsure what was going inside her mind.
"Why you came?" She asked plainly, her face ached.
Manik furrowed his brows digesting her strange question.
"You called me. How can you forget?" He answered with apparent 'How could you'.
She smiled weirdly and turned around. She was not fine for sure.
Closing the gap between them, she hugged him tight leaving him all kind of hot and airless.
"You are sweet, Malhotra," She said snuggling into him. Manik had again turned into timber, stiffened to great extent.
"Huh?" He asked dazed.
"I called and you came" She said in small voice.
"So what else I was supposed to do?," Manik replied trying to sound amused.
She looked at him amused trying to gather his ever so hilarious face in her memory and then planted a kiss on his cheek.
"What's wrong...with..you?" He asked turning into darkest shade of awkward.
"I am feeling like loving you," She answered looking at him with moon-eyes.
"Huh?" He asked, his heart beating at unbelievable rate.
"You are so damn cute sometimes," She added still looking at him.
"Is this one of your night pranks where you sound sweet and other person dies out of shock?" He asked bewildered.
"Well," She said pressing her lips together trying not to mock him but then he invites it every time.
"I kiss them under moonlight and then kill them," She answered getting closer.
Manik flushed not believing all her bullshit but at her words.
"But there's no moon tonight," He replied and Nandini had to bite inner of her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. Least to state, he looked terrified.
"That won't stop me from kissing you to the death," Nandini said getting onto her toes. He didn't step back but peeped into her mischievous eyes. She looked beautiful.
"You are joking, right?" He asked dazed.
"I am hell serious, Manik," She mumbled holding his face in her palms.
"You are not serious," He denied while she tilted her face to position herself.
Closing his eyes, he breathed heavy. His heart was beating somewhere in his mouth, he feared what if she heard it.
"I missed you," She uttered and he opened his eyes to meet her crazy ones. She was in peace.
"You never cease to amuse me," She added withdrawing. Biting her lip, she saw him dropping his hands and looking utterly confused. He was kind of disappointed with something. She let out a chuckle and then it was laughing spree.
"You cannot do this to me always," He whined tapping his feet.
"You have any idea how I came here and here you are making a fool out of me," He nagged and she walked towards forest. He followed telling other set of taunts while she coughed controlling her giggles.
"I jumped off the wall and bribed a guard," He told following her while she looked smilingly at dark end. Trees stood there in dark trying not to frost. His silly talks were music.
"You know how bad I am feeling that I broke so many rules and here you are making fun of me," He added rambling. Nandini turned around and saw the rambling man talking endlessly.
"Manik," She called his name which he missed certainly.
"I don't even know how I would go back," He was talking to himself.
"Manikkkkkkkkk," She called a bit loud.
"Haaaannn," He stopped talking and looked at her. Her hands were on her waist as she gaped him.
"Thank you," She said with a genuine smile and he instantly felt complaints going away. He wanted to smile in return of her sweet one. He couldn't believe how she could make him dance on her fingers and he loved it.
"It's okay," He replied pouting a bit and she walked to him.
"You want a kiss?" She asked.
"Noooo," He almost shouted while flushing. How could she ask so? He wondered.
"No, no, lemme give one, You would feel better," She said holding his face. Manik's breath got stuck in his throat. What was wrong with his mad lady tonight? He wondered.
She pecked his forehead and then backed down.
"Oh, like that," He mumbled relieved. He smiled.
She turned around and walked inside the forest.
"Waitttt," Manik yelled and ran to match her steps.
"You didn't tell why are you here this late?" He asked.
"Because I couldn't stay at home," She answered casually.
"Why so?" He asked grilling further leaping on a rock.
"Because my family is insane," She answered with 'You know' look.
"So you ran away?" He asked unable to get her.
"Yes," She answered, "Always run away from places which make you sick."
Manik was amazed at weird philosophy.
"There's no point banging your head on wall so walk away from wall," She added and walked further.
Manik pondered over the thought and then shrugged it away.
___________________
Looking at his watch, he bit his lip. It was hardly 45 minutes left till he needed to get back. She was talking randomly about how her mother made her wear that stupid red dress. Manik couldn't see any wrong in that pretty dress though. Or about how her brother was super irritating, she was talking a bit extra he could feel. She wasn't alright, he felt.
"Nandini," He interrupted.
"Hmm?" She asked.
"I need to reach academy in 40 minutes," He told sadly. She looked at him with a frown. She wasn't pleased.
"You cannot go," She declared and clutched his arm. They were sitting on a giant rock near a small pond. Manik felt this gush of warmth filling his heart. He liked it.
"I have to," He stated frowning as well while she put her head on his shoulder. It soothed, her touch soothed.
"You won't," She again uttered like a stubborn kid. He could never say no to that. He could never say no to her, it was becoming a fact.
"Okay," He agreed and then dived into pool of thoughts. Consequences, cover ups and punishments; he was making a list.
"What okay?" She asked looking at him. She looked not okay with him agreeing. She was ever so unpredictable mad lady after all. He wondered.
"I think, maximum they would suspend me for a week or so," He said after calculating.
"And then who would top the first year?" She asked annoyed. She was angry.
"You cannot be screwing your reputation, My nerdy cadet is very precious to me," She stated. He gaped her unable to get her mood. She was having some weird mood swings or what. And what was 'my nerdy cadet'? He wondered with open mouth.
"Imagine, Manik Malhotra is not a good boy anymore," She imagined and then looked horrified.
"No, no, you cannot do that," She added. Next she dragged him out of forest and made him sit on passenger seat.
"You are a good boy," She said buckling the seat-belt. She mumbled further which he didn't pay heed on. He didn't know what was happening.
"Who is a good boy?" She asked turning the engine on.
"I am," He answered like a good boy. Well, she owned him. He palmed his face.
"Was she new mommy ghost?" He wondered.
"You didn't do the wine, right?" He asked sniffing the air around.
"I don't do the drink and drive," She stated offended.
"We have to get you in bed in..." She panicked and looked at her watch.
"In 20 minutes," She concluded.
"It's so much of stress," She stated driving her jeep at her favorite mad speed.
"Speedddd," Manik started but then buzzed the thought off.
"Who asked you to sneak out?" She whined and he looked at her shocked.
"You did," He answered accusing.
"Shut up and let me drive," She yelled and he huffed.
Unbelievable.
He thought and frowned further. It didn't feel good as they neared academy. He didn't feel like going away.
"Where to stop the jeep? Tell me," She asked looking frantically worried.
"East wall," He answered uninterested. He wasn't liking the fact that crazy night was coming to an end.
She stopped the jeep very close to wall and got out. Manik followed frowning. He was supposed to panic and she was supposed to coax him to stay. It all was going insanely opposite.
She climbed on bonnet and asked him to accompany. He followed. She climbed on the wall and he shook his head trying to understand her.
"Why are you going in?" He asked whispering.
"I cannot just leave you here," She yelled back whispering.
Both jumped inside and guard was still nowhere to be seen. It had to be his 'doze off' hours.
Both reached the dormitory and Manik sighed in relief.
"Now go," He asked Nandini.
"I won't," She refused.
"I am gonna tuck you in bed," She declared.
"You cannot be serious," Manik looked at her as if she had landed from mars.
"I am serious, Malhotra," She said and dragged him inside.
"Nice view," Nandini muttered as she saw boys lying on their beds in weird positions. Manik covered two idiots in way mumbling some curses.
"Don't look at other boys," Manik warned Nandini while covering another cadet.
Manik paced towards his bed and she watched him. He hinted her to go but she gestured him to get into bed. He rolled his eyes and sat on his bed. Smiling sweetly, he asked her to go but she was adamant.
Manik lied down covering himself. She smiled victoriously and turned around to leave. Manik watched her going and that caused pangs. He realized he didn't want her to leave. Why night had to end!
She slowly closed the door and he filled last few glimpse of her. Window glass showed her contour leaving and Manik got up.
"Godddd, I need to pee," He jumped out of bed and ran towards bathroom.
"This girl is..." Mumbling about her he disappeared in dark.
Nandini jumped out on her car's bonnet. Getting into her jeep, she smiled in content. She turned her jeep towards Murthy mansion, she could sleep now.
________________________
Unedited*