Smiling in his deep slumber, Manik clutched the pillow in his arms tighter. Harshad tapped on his shoulder to wake the sleeping beauty but all in vain. Manik turned his face other way and struggled to continue his sweet dream.
"We still have a year left," He mumbled and smiled more.
"No, you have half an hour left," Harshad replied folding his arms across his chest.
"No, it's a year," Manik protested and Harshad pursed his lips to rein his laughter.
"But Manik, no academy allows a year bunk, honey," Harshad tried to speak like a girl. Manik chuckled in his sleep and then snored.
"You are so funny, Nan..," He mumbled and then snores took over.
"I am funnier with your eyes open, sweetheart," Harshad uttered sweetly and caressed Manik's arm.
"Don't touch me," Manik flinched in sleep and then pouted, "I feel weird."
"Do you feel ...," Harshad leaned in and whispered in Manik's ear, "HOT?"
Manik chuckled and hid his face in pillow.
"I feel...I feel," Manik started to say but left it incomplete every time.
"You feel?" Harshad asked tracing Manik's face with his finger.
"I feel..strange," Manik answered uncertain.
"You shouldn't lift guns," Saying it Manik grabbed Harshad's hand and Harshad gasped.
"You hands have turned so hard and rough," He added and Harshad struggled to get out of his grip.
"And big too," Manik mumbled further while Harshad scowled at his words.
"WAKE UP, Romeo," Harshad yelled hearing Manik's intimate talks.
Manik got up with a jerk trying to understand the urgency.
"What happened?" He asked rubbing his eyes. Manik left Harshad's hand as he noticed how cozily he had held Harshad's hand in his.
"Why are you so close?" Manik panicked and got off the bed.
Harshad shook his head at level of ignorance. Standing up, he looked around.
"Guys," He drew everyone's attention and added, "Stay away from this man and his dreams. He is holding anything these days."Everyone laughed and Manik flushed.
""Shut up, Harshad," Manik mumbled gathering his towel from table.
"Get ready, gone case. You have 20 minutes before assembly," Harshad informed and Manik panicked. Running out of door, he cursed each of those who teased him in way.
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Standing under hot shower, Manik smiled again thinking of her. He could do that now all day. No matter, it was just 10 minutes before assembly or 8 degrees outside; He could go on and on with that smile. He had no rein over his heart anymore, it was like a young horse who had found his mare. He smiled biting his lips on how he had just drawn an analogy about horses. She loved Horses, he smiled wider.
"Come out, Manik," Harshad banged the door.
"Coming," Manik came out of his sweet reverie and washed all the bubbles he had formed on his head.
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"Where is your mind these days, Manik?" Major Khan yelled at him as he got caught drawing random things on notebook rather than taking notes.
"Do you have any idea how bad it feel seeing a good boy like you losing interest in curriculum?" Major yelled further. Manik wanted to dig a hole for himself and lie there for behaving in such way.
"Good boy" He mumbled.
"Who is a good boy?"
Her question echoed in his head loud.
"I am"
He answered along with voice in his head.
Manik shook his head as if had just realized something very significant.
"What I am?" Major asked and Manik opened his mouth to say something.
"I am a good boy," He mumbled passively.
"Yes you are, Manik," Major said and sighed.
"Sit down," Major asked giving in, "I shall not witness such behavior of yours again."
Manik nodded his head and dived into notebook.
She said he was a good boy, he smiled slightly. She too thought he was a good boy and how important it was to her. He bit his lip and heard Major Khan continuing the lecture. He immediately let go of his sweet mind talk and started to concentrate on class.
"My nerdy cadet is very precious to me"
Her words wandered in his head and he smiled nervously. He started to take every note seriously while her voice didn't leave his mind. He thought there was no way he could do anything without she being there.
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"Well done, cadet," third officer patted Manik's back while leaving the steeplechase arena. Manik smiled formally honoring the compliment. Almost every officer present in drill appreciated his horse-riding skills and he could not wait to tell her. It was consequent third day when she hadn't come to academy. Only he knew how he was holding on. He couldn't sleep in nights. He had mastered the tricks she had defeated him in. He wanted to be around her when she wasn't around. He didn't know why would she not come. She seemed normal when she dropped him to his bed that night. What happened then?
He had asked Colonel Singh after gathering all his courage. He too didn't know. He called Murthys but servant told they were busy as Nandini's brother was home. She didn't like to be around them. Then why would not come? Manik pondered looking towards entry of arena.
"Come on, bro," Harshad wrapped his arm across Manik's neck and started to drag him out of arena.
"I have been a good boy," Manik mumbled lowly looking down. Harshad undid his clasp around his shoulder and halted.
"You are," He agreed and saw it wasn't something casual. Manik was constantly looking down while walking.
"She might be really very busy," Harshad tried to comfort his sad friend.
"She doesn't like to be around her family," Manik answered looking up. His eyes showed this never seen before storm. It looked like he would break down any moment. Harshad didn't know how to console his friend.
"Maybe she couldn't escape," Harshad tried to reason.
"There is nothing she cannot do," Manik answered lowly and continued walking. Harshad matched his steps.
"See Manik, I don't mean to hurt you but I think we should talk about it," Harshad said halting Manik in place.
Manik looked at him keenly waiting for him to speak up. Harshad didn't know how to word his concern. He had never seen Manik this affected and it was scaring him now.
"She had come here for a temporary job, right?" Harshad started and Manik pursed his lips in anger totally getting what Harshad was going to say.
"No, No, listen to me first," Harshad requested holding Manik's elbows.
"I have never seen you like this. Your everything has started to revolve around her and that scares me," Harshad told.
Manik sighed and wriggled to get away.
"You topped steeplechase class just for her," Harshad continued and Manik's restlessness increased.
"Don't lie to me and yourself that she is nothing to you," Harshad warned sensing Manik's reluctance.
"What if you don't mean to her what she means to you?" Harshad put forward his concern and Manik glared him.
"There's nothing like that," Manik said gritting his teeth.
"I hope there isn't," Harshad replied to calm Manik down.
"But just think what if you mean just a friend to her like anybody else does," Harshad said and Manik jerked him away.
"She didn't call anybody else in middle of night," He yelled making Harshad gulp his words. Harshad didn't want to say all this but he had to. He knew it was a bad idea.
"Then why she is gone?" Harshad asked contradicting his own words.
"As you said she might be busy," Manik replied confidently this time. There was no way he could buy what Harshad was saying.
"You are negating your own argument, Harshad," Manik said ridiculing and looked away.
"I know. I am sorry. It's just I am worried for you," Harshad said lowly and hugged Manik from side.
Manik huffed in frustration and then let it go.
"It's okay," He said patting Harshad's shoulder. Harshad pouted and looked at him.
Manik smiled and his pout disappeared.
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Playing with the pen in his hand, Manik fretted over what he had said that evening. He couldn't stand the thought of she forgetting him. He could feel his lungs going airless already thinking about it.
She couldn't be gone.
She had to be very busy.
She would come back.
He was assuring himself. He started to read the course book again. He needed to top the examination. He stopped reading and started thinking what would she be doing.
Would she be remembering him?
Did he mean anything to her?
Her clown?
Her entertainment package?
Her nerdy cadet?
He asked over and over. He had to be hers. Let it be anything.
He couldn't wait to see her. She seemed to mean almost everything to him at moment. He couldn't sleep, eat or even exist without she being only thing on his mind.
"Who would top the first year?"
Her words echoed in his mind and he smiled.
"I would," He answered murmuring.
Her smug and then mischievous smile flashed in front of his eyes and he chuckled a bit. Siting on study table, he did everything but study.
"You are sweet, Malhotra,"
Her voice wouldn't leave his side. Manik giggled further and put his head on table closing his eyes.
"Where are you, mad lady?" He murmured and sighed deep.
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It was day 8 without her. Manik walked out of examination hall giving the last written paper. They hardly had written papers but there were few. He had topped almost every drill. He had done good. It was past noon and he could already feel himself going out of patience. They all could finally go out in town. He couldn't wait. He needed to see her. It wasn't normal anymore. She not returning wasn't normal anymore. He couldn't gather courage to trespass another time. He guessed only she could lend him that outrageous guts. Without her, he was as dysfunctional as Manik Malhotra was. He walked into Colonel's office to collect his monthly cheque from trust.
"Come in, my boy," Colonel Singh asked elated.
Manik walked in with a formal smile.
"Congratulation on topping all your physical drills," Colonel said and Manik thanked him.
"Here's your cheque," Colonel handed him the piece of paper.
Taking that, Manik intended to leave the room after a mandatory salute.
"Madhav called today," Colonel told drawing each bit of Manik's attention.
"How's she?" Manik asked reaching Colonel's table.
Colonel smiled, calculating.
"He said Nandini wouldn't be continuing her job here," He informed and Manik's face turned into deeper shade of pale.
"She loved being here," Manik argued a bit louder than allowed. Colonel Singh ignored his tone.
"Madhav told me that Nandini wants to concentrate on their business empire and training there," Colonel said, himself being unconvinced.
"Though it sounded strange," Colonel mumbled to himself.
Manik couldn't wait anymore. He wanted to fly to her and ask what this all was about. She didn't like business and stuff. She wouldn't be agreeing for any such training. But then there was no way anyone could hold Nandini. She was too free-spirited for that.
"I need to go," Manik said being highly impatient.
"Manik," Colonel called and Manik turned around unwillingly.
"Be careful with words and actions there," He warned a bit apprehensive. Colonel knew where Manik would be heading. Manik nodded affirming.
____________________
Standing in front of Murthy mansion, Manik could feel his heartbeats going wilder. He couldn't wait to see her. He didn't know what to do and how to contain that emotion. All he knew he couldn't wait anymore. He didn't care what her parents would think or what she would feel. All he knew was that his warrior princess was trapped there and she couldn't be happy that way. It was outright ridiculous to think that she needed rescue but he couldn't wait to be her prince. Assumption was strongly felt. He could feel it. He knew her nerdy cadet couldn't breathe any further with she being gone. He could already feel himself down-pouring. His heartbeats were roaring and he could feel each nerve of his melting. It was a rain nobody could see. He took steps towards main door and rang the bell.
There was no way he was not seeing her today, he heard someone opening the knob of door and it opened.
"Where's Nandini?"
He asked impatiently.
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Unedited*