"Manik?"
Manik snapped out of his trance as soon as Nandini called him out after waiting for him for like 5 minutes to talk or say something.
"You wanted to talk something?"
Nandini's eyes didn't left his lost looking face as he retreated his steps a bit back and cleared his throat.
"I-I forgot."
"Huh?" Eyebrow tugged up, Nandini gawked him like an owl before frowning softly "so you got me here basically for nothing? Are you okay?"
Face poker, Manik pursed his lips thin "why? Do you have problem if I got you here for 'basically' nothing? Or are you dying to spend time with that guy friend of yours?"
"Wha-what?" Nandini's eye flickered dumbfoundedly "I just am a little curious about the reason for you got me here, otherwise there wouldn't be anyone other than me who would be happy for having to spend time with you."
Manik licked his lips as reliefnes grave inside his heart after hearing her confession.
He himself couldn't understand why was he getting so frustrated just by seeing her with some other guy.
It wasn't like he has a feeling or something, or does he?
"You are acting weird. Are you really okay?" Manik eyes squinted coldly on her concern but she fumbled back "okay-okay. You don't have to answer me after giving me that look."
"What about my look?" He asked slightly confused on her remark whereas she bite her lips before twitching them "you know your all time famous cold look which only comes out answers that you are in your own form self."
Manik rolled his eyes gaining again an other remark "and then your eye roll on me which says you clearly can't stand my blabber." She mused with a sigh.
"Any ways, did you recalled the thing you wanted to talk?" She asked looking into his eyes whereas he averted his gaze immediately before coughing twice "No."
"Oh! Okay. So, do you want me to leave?"
Manik eyes shifted instantly at her "Yea, I mean I can't recall the thing I wanted to talk so you better leave for your lecture."
Nandini's face dropped down as she expected him to say otherwise. She wanted him to tell her to stay back. And she would without any second thought had stayed back.
She quitely gave him a nod and started taking steps. Manik made space for her to walk and kept staring her going figure until he heard her phone going off.
Nandini halted on her step to take out her phone from her bag, unknown to the fact that the guy behind her back, whom she consider him as her husband, has gotten his attention on her.
Manik creased formed forehead replaced with a scowl as soon as he heard the name.
"Yea Arya."
"Yes-yes I'm on my way-Oh-You are waiting for me? Yea, I'll be there in 5. Yea, bye."
All the while, Manik's attentive ear didn't left her conversation, whereas Nandini was already good to go after talking over the phone, until Manik decided to interrupt.
"You got a phone?"
She turned around with a reflex and smiled brightly "yes. Bhaiya gifted me. You want to see?"
Even though, he was tempted to the offer he didn't wanted to be seemed desperate which he made himself feel insidely.
So he did what he always does.
"Not interested. And now don't even try having my number because anyway I'm not going to give." and he started walking past her.
Nandini was amused by his act before her finger pressed the long key on her dial pad of her screen and the call immediately connected with the number.
Manik stopped on his spot as his hand went inside his pocket to grab out his phone. He frowned looking the unknown ID but he received anyway and the caller spoke before he could.
"and that's my number. Save it."
Manik turned around with his phone over his ear only to found her giving him her million dollar smile.
"You had my number?"
Nandini's smile widen even more as she covered the distance between them before stopping just right before him "I had it memorized ever since you got your personal one."
Manik just stared her with his void look and then quitely turned around to walk away.
Nandini couldn't help but giggle knowing him to be amazed about the given information.
The day went longer then Nandini assumed and she was already worn out through her mind. She just wanted to rush back her home and plop down on her bed.
But the chance to spend some more time with her man given by destiny on the name of badminton practice was something she wouldn't miss.
Navya was off to her home already. It was only Aryaman and her left with each other. Aryaman insistence on escorting her till the court field seemed pleasing to Nandini as she didn't wanted to be left alone along with the other senior students.
Even though they were nice to her but she didn't feel comfortable around them.
Nandini came back after changing into T-shirt and track pant from the locker room and straight joined Aryaman who was now seated down on the ground with a book on his lap.
Face scrounging with annoyance, she grabbed the book from him and kept it her side on the ground before she settled down herself beside him.
Aryaman chuckled and fixed his specs "You need to read those books, Nandini. They are quite good for our coming semester."
"Oh, I will definitely once you are over reading them." She spoke and took out his specs to wipe off the lens with her t-shirt hem.
"Liar." He commented playfully and Nandini stick out her tongue to show him.
One wouldn't have to look twice before commenting that they look cute together but the pair of eyes which caught the site of them didn't find them adorable as the friend beside him complimented.
"Ain't you guys cute?" Akansha awed loudly startling the duo.
Nandini was immediate on her feet when found Manik watching her with those unreadable yet seething gaze.
"I-"
"tell your friend to leave immediately if he is not the member of this club." his low pitched deadly vocal left Nandini trailed off.
Darting one hard look at Aryaman, Manik walked away from there leaving Nandini hell confused.
Aryaman got up on his feet and smiled sweetly "I think I got the que to leave. See you tomorrow Nandini."
"You too." She smiled back and handed him his specs for which he grinned and wore immediately.
The audition begun as soon as the other fellows joined the ground.
The court was divided into two with the net tied in middle. At the other end were the auditionees while on the other side stood Manik with his all time poker look on his face.
But the look he had now was something really scary for the auditionees as he seemed fierce with his posture.
"Now starting with the audition, I will be giving each students with three chances in their account. Every strick on the shuttlecock will give you number whereas each miss out will give you the downfall. And mind me, I don't want failure in my club because your performance is what which decides if you are staying in the membership or not."
Nandini eyes widen with the threat as she knew it was delivered to her only. She gulped the lump down her throat before she mustered herself.
Manik gave a little nod before shuffling his gaze through the scared faces on the other side of the net before he landed his eyes on the petrified one on which he smirked slightly.
"Akansha here will start reading out the names serial wisely and the name called will come out for the audition. Am I clear?"
No response came from the auditionees letting Manik get more infuriate.
"Am. I. Clear?" His scream startled everyone as the response came as immediate as fear "Yes."
As soon as Akansha started reading out the names, Nandini crossed her finger praying silently to not let her be the first one for the audition.
And to say the given audition by the other called out names didn't terrified her would be underestimated because she had started trembling already by her feet.
Manik was going harsher with the strick he was giving to the opponents. And very few who were getting lucky by their fate could hit the shuttlecock back to him but they also couldn't stand his wrath much longer.
Nandini's fear doubled up with the number thrice when Akansha called out her name after the fifth number.
"Save me god." muttering under her breath, Nandini took baby steps to the court and gripped the racket tightly into her fist.
Manik, who was observing every bit of her expression couldn't feel more satisfied then he felt tackling the others before her.
"Come to the centre, Nandini" his deep loud voice startled her very badly as her grip lost the hold of her racket.
She clumsily with her trembling hand got the racket back and shifted at the middle as per his command.
Manik lips tugged aside seeing her reaction over his tone. He was slightly contented.
"Get ready for the first strick." Nandini's eyes went large before she shouted "No-no stop. I'm not ready."
"Ready or not, you are anyway getting your first strick 'cause I don't have whole day for you."
Nandini couldn't jot up with his word as he had already given her with his first strick which she dodged by jumping away afraidly.
Manik's jaw clenched "this is not a dodgeball if you don't reember. You are suppose to hit back."
Nandini shook her head apologetically but sighed anyway as she successfully got herself save with his ruthless hit.
"Now watch carefully and then strick back" he commanded harshly making her scared all over again but she gripped the racket tightly anyway.
This time she didn't dodge but swing the racket in the air aimlessly with her eyes shut close after the shuttlecock fell down near her feet.
"Why the hell are you closing your eyes, Nandini?" His yelling upon her flinched her hardly as she stared him with her glossy eyes.
"I'm sorry" she mumbled but Manik considered less "save it and watch out for the next and the last one."
And before she could even make herself ready, the shuttlecock was already in the air coming down toward her with a swing which went straight hitting her forehead by taking her completely offgaurded.
"Ouuh!"
The racket slipped out of her hand and she covered her forehead with the impact of the forced infuriate strick.
The gasp was audible instantly through the witnessing eyes but no one came forward to help her because they knew better than making the club head even more furious then he was already.
Manik threw the racket angrily and let his hand go through his hair before he yelled aloud.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you see the goddamned thing? How come are you even a member of this club when you couldn't even know how to get the strick out of a shuttlecock? Not even a single hit you could make out. Pathetic."
Nandini gaped his furious self but she somehow didn't felt hurt or angry by him.
Manik's breath was heaving when he saw her face lowered down.
He expected her to cry on the given reason but what he didn't expected was the apology he heard her giving.
"I- I am..sorry."
Manik stared her slightly with agape until he heard Ravi announcing dismissal.
Students quitely left the spot whereas Nandini, with her head hung low, also started leaving with the que.
Manik's eyes kept following her trail until she disappeared inside the change room. He tugged his hair harshly as he saw his friends giving him their disappointed yet disapproval stare to him while they also left the ground.
Nandini didn't went home but to the only place she had been relying upon her entire life on her bad days to lift up her mood.
The dashashwamedh ghat.
The chaos and the crowds with tourist and the residential neighbour is something she would choose to sneak into to escape her heartache and bad mood.
The priests in the ghat were already on their spot for the evening pooja in which one was her grandfather.
With her joint hand and eyes close shut, she made herself comfortable on her usual spot where the view was quite clear to watch the Arti.
Letting her most awaited breakdown as a reflex of a lone tear, she sang the arti along with the bhajan mandali troop.
She was use to his anger and scoldings but everytime he would scream at her she feels herself distancing herself a bit from him.
And she doesn't want that.
She loves him way too much to distance herself from him.
And no matter what, she will try giving her best into the practice from the next time, only if he let her stay in the club after today's fiasco.
Brushing off the tear, she made her way to the prasad que line and started helping the team to distribute the prasad.
"Nandu" Nandini smiled when her Dadaji came out seeing her there "you straight came here after college, didn't you?"
Nandini smiled sheepishly "yes. I was missing the evening prayer for quite a long time so thought to visit today directly after college."
"No. I didn't meant that. The question is why are you late coming home?" He asked smoothly and took the prasad she offered him.
"Oh! I was in the badminton practice so that's why I'm late. Are you going home now? " she asked.
"Yes. I suddenly don't feel good. My leg aches while standing for the arti thats why I substitute myself with an another priest." Nandini held him by his arm for the support worriedly as soon as she heard him telling that.
"I'll massage your feet once we reach home, okay. For now, let's walk slowly, unless you want me to call bhaiya?" She offered but Dadaji denied "let's walk. Its been days we had last talked peacefully."
Nandini gleefully nodded and started taking small steps with him to make their way to home.
Sadhna warm smile made Nandini smile softly as soon as she entered the house "I got us some prasad."
"You went all by yourself today? Could have told me. I wanted to visit the ghat too"
Nandini passed her an apologetic smile while walking inside the kitchen to warm up some mustard oil for her Dadaji.
"Next time we'll go together, promise. By the way, where is Amma?" She promised and asked.
"Oh she went to neighbour. Nandu I'm going up to feed Sloke. Just give me a call if you need anything, okay." Nandini nodded and saw her bhabhi disappearing up.
After warming the oil, she straight went to her Dadaji's room who was now dozing off on the bed with his mouth open ajar slightly.
She smiled and quitely got into the job by massaging his now swollen ankle with the warm oil. Soon she heard him snoring with relief which indicated her that he is now at ease.
She very slowly covered him with a blanket and walked out after giving him a last glance.
After the long tiring and bad day, Nandini came out of the bathroom wiping her hair with the towel and straight went to the terrace with the dread of meeting him but got relieved when she saw Meera except him on his side of the terrace.
"Bhabhi!" Meera Exclaimed seeing Nandini and was quick to jump on her side of the terrace to run and hug her.
Nandini warmly engulf the little girl and caressed her hair "What are you doing here at this time?"
Meera tilt her head up and whispered softly "I'm hiding."
Nandini frowned "Hiding? From whom?" but her confusion got cleared when she heard the hulk shouting on the top of his voice.
"Meera Malhotra. I want you right here in the next 5 seconds or else you know the consequences." The threaten escaping from his tone was not foreign to her but seeing him literally thrashing the little one harshly with his anger provoked Nandini.
"Why are you yelling on her?" Nandini frowned offensivly and felt Meera's hand tightening around her waist which didn't went unnoticed by him.
"Stay out of our matter, Nandini and send her here, right away." Nandini's jaw clenched before she held Meera tightly to her "I'm not..and stop yelling at every person you lay your eyes upon. They are not your escape from your frustration."
Manik was now literally breathing rag but Nandini didn't felt a tat bit of a fear. All she knew was to protect the little girl who was going to be her brother's anger target.
"Meera. I'm telling you for the last time. Get your feet here. You know you are at fault so stop hiding."
Meera shook her head in denial "No..you are terrifying when you are angry."
"Meera-"
"-can you calm yourself a bit down? Can't you see how she is trembling with fear?" Nandini gritted her teeth but Manik only glowered "do you even know what she did, do you?"
"-I" and she trailed off making Manik throw his hand frustratedly "she hide her mark sheet..her school mark sheet from me and guess what, she failed one subject."
Nandini's jaw dropped and her eyes went down at Meera who was now looking at her bhabhi with her lips quivering which was enough to melt Nandini down.
"Yea-h. Big deal? It wasn't like it was her finals mark sheet, was it?" Manik stared her in disbelief before snorting "you got to be kidding me."
Nandini passed Meera a helpless look before returning her confident gaze at Manik's annoyed face.
"Finals or not, the thing important here is she hide her mark sheet from me. And it is a big deal. And I wouldn't had come to know if her f*cking class teacher had not called me."
Nandini cringed on the swear he vocal out loudly and she quickly shut palmed Meera's ear before scolding him "don't swear."
"Shut-up. This is actually all because of you." Nandini stared him dumbfoundedly on the accusation he put her into "your company has spoiled my sister. Manik Malhotra has never dealt with failure and neither did his sister, but today just because of your company she failed in an exam."
"Wha-what?" is what all she could utter whereas he aggressively joint his hand.
"Yes. So do me a favour and stay away from my sister."