Hello Fam :)
I am traveling and will return back in 7-10 days. I won't be able to update during this time. This chapter is updated in a hurry and hence, not edited. I will edit it once I am back. See you soon. :)
Happy Reading...
The next day morning, Abhimanyu and Nandini got ready for their college. As both her friends, Abhi and Mukti, stayed at her house sometimes, she had spares of both of them in case. They were walking down the stairs to go to their college when they were stopped by Nandini's parents, who were sipping their morning coffee in their living room, surprising Nandini. She mostly manages to leave before her parents wake up after their late-night meetings, which she privately dubs as parties.
Her mother smiled sweetly and threw a quick glance at Abhimanyu before turning her head towards her daughter. "I didn't know my daughter is too grown up to bring guys home. A late-night party at home?"
Nandini chuckled. How very expected, she thought to herself. "Abhi, start the car. I will be there in 10."
Abhimanyu, who knows better than to argue in the Murthy household, left with a curt nod, ignoring both the elders.
Nandini casually shoved her hands in her pockets and waited till her best friend was out of hearing range. "And I didn't know this house is solely on your name? Seriously, stop acting as if you are seeing him for the first time. It's almost 10 years, we have been friends. He has been here, even for night outs, a countless number of times already."
Her mother shook her head. "Nandini, love, the Thakkar boy isn't of our standards. You should already use your brains in choosing your friends."
"Yeah, true. Abhimanyu isn't of your standard. But again, I doubt anyone would be of your standards", she muttered.
"Murthys have a legacy to carry on and if you keep on making friends with every other guy on roads, you will spoil it yourself which I don't think you would want to."
Nandini snorted. "Some legacy you guys are maintaining, yeah?", she said. "Before using your precious words about other families, remember, not everyone can afford rich parents and inherited wealth without working. And are you really questioning Raman uncle? Didn't that company of yours lose its recent contract to his?"
Mr. Murthy, who was silent till now, crossed his arms after keeping his coffee mug down. "Nandini, this isn't the way to talk to your parents. Let's do this again", he said, throwing his fiercest glare towards his daughter. He ignored when the said daughter rolled her eyes. "How shameless are you to bring boys home?", he said, repeating his wife's question from earlier.
Nandini threw her hands in disbelief. "How dramatic can you guys get and it's not even 8 in the morning? Listen, I don't sleep with every guy I talk to. If that's what you wanted to know. Keep discussing about me. Unless some, I am not jobless. I have a college to attend. So, bye."
She barged out leaving her furious parents behind.
XXX
As soon as she climbed the car, Abhi grabbed her hand. "Are you fine? Did they say anything? I shouldn't have come to your place yesterday. I didn't even ask you."
"Dude, that's my house as much as it's theirs. My friends don't need a reason to meet me. I am not avoiding you for some unwanted people", she told him.
"But-"
Nandini cut him off by squeezing his hand. "Abhimanyu, they didn't surprise me." She rubbed her head for a moment before muttering. "Can we bunk the first half?"
Abhimanyu nodded. "I am calling Mukti."
Nandini was silent during their ride to Mukti's house and Abhimanyu played music to distract his best friend from the hurt and pain. He just doesn't know how wrong he was.
Mukti was waiting for them outside her gate and got in the car. "Why exactly are we bunking the first half? Your message was vague", she told Abhimanyu.
He gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Because her so called parents decided to live in their characters and my head is blasting after so much of drama and I wasn't even there."
Mukti threw a concerned look at Nandini, who still had her eyes closed. "Are you okay, Nandu?"
"I am fine", replied Nandini.
Abhimanyu didn't believe a bit and was ready to protest. Mukti, who knew him better, pinched his hand, asking him to shut up. Their best friend needed a distraction and not a reminder of her parents. She instead rubbed her hands. "So, what's the plan."
Nandini opened her eyes for the first time since they started their journey and jumped in her seat. The excitement was clearly visible on her face. "Plan is a surprise. Choose one among M, T, C, S."
Abhimanyu glared at her. "You were planning for this and I thought-"
"I wouldn't spoil my day for them. Now fast, choose."
Mukti grinned. "C", she said, trusting her best friend and looked at Abhimanyu.
"Whatever you say, my love", he replied cheekily. He didn't trust Nandini's plans but today, he knew his best friend needed to have some fun.
Nandini rolled her eyes at him but there was a smile on her face. "M means movie. T is temple, S, shopping."
"And C?", asked Mukti.
They had half a heart to back off when they saw the smirk on Nandini's face. "Christian Wedding."
"Interesting", Mukti said with a smile, a picture satisfying her imagination.
Abhimanyu paled. "What, no. We can't make someone suffer and if we get caught-"
Nandu slapped his head. "Shut up. We are crashing a wedding. Just drive around the churches. The first church where a wedding is taking place is our destination."
Abhi cupped her cheek. "Nandu, this is the stupidest idea you could come up with. If they find us, they will seal us in coffins."
"We can make up some excuse, yaar", she said. "Start now."
XXX
Unwillingly Abhi drove around the city to find the churches. Having found one, they parked their car and go inside. The couple was saying their vows. The trio settled down in a corner. They listened to the vows of the bride and the groom and watched as the families of both of them wiped their tears. All hell broke loose when the Pastor uttered his next words.
"Do you support this union and affirm that these two should be married today?", he asked the public.
"No"
There was a pin drop silence as the crowd took their time to grasp the situation. Once they came to their senses, both the families started searching for the source of the interruption.
Meanwhile, Mukti gasped and Abhimanyu pulled Nandini down along with him such that they were bending down enough to hide from the crowd. "Why the hell did you shout?", he whisper yelled at her.
"It's fun, dude", she said and tried to sit straight only to be pulled back by Abhimanyu.
"Are you mad?", he asked. "You will get all of us killed."
"Shut up, Abhimanyu." It was Mukti this time and he was shocked to find her grinning. "It's in my bucket list to witness what happens when some say no in a Christian wedding. Thank you, babydoll for fulfilling this wish."
Abhimanyu glared at both of them. "You crazy human beings. What if we get..caught...", he trailed off looking ahead and both the girls turned in time to find the parents of the wedding couple standing in front of them. They were all murderous. As if given a mental command, the trio stood up all at once.
"Who are you?", one of the parents pointed a finger at them and took the initiative to question the three culprits. "What are you doing here?"
"We-", started Abhimanyu but was cut off by his best friend.
"He is getting married", blurted Nandini.
Abhimanyu gaped at her. "What?", he said and was parroted by the bride's father, who was rather confused.
Nandini nodded and slapped Abhi's arm. "Yes, Joseph. How can you forget your own wedding?", she asked.
"Joseph?", asked Abhimanyu incredulously.
The bride's father gritted his teeth. "What's going on here?"
"Uncle, let me tell you", said Nandini and took a step forward. "Joseph, here, is my best friend since childhood. But his parents are really cruel. They even abuse him both physically and mentally. His heart found it's beat when he saw Savitri", she pointed towards Mukti. As Mukti gave him a nervous smile, Nandini wiped a fake tear. "But unfortunately she is an orphan. Now when they want to get married, they decided to have a Christian wedding but they don't have any elderly people to tell them about the rituals. Hence, we are just watching the wedding."
The bride's father frowned. "What about your parents, girl?"
Nandu gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Sir, my parents have lost their minds since they had a registered marriage. They only support their kind of marriages."
He softened his expressions. "Oh, I am sorry about your parents. When are these two getting married?"
"Just after the wedding shopping. The bride hasn't decided the color of the wedding gown", said Nandini.
He frowned again. "But why are you stopping this marriage?"
Nandini wailed, took his hands in hers and started shaking them. "Are we? How can you accuse us of such a crime? I called you uncle. I thought I will respect you more than my father, who has already lost his mind. Why are you behaving like him?"
"Sorry, sir. She just can't handle when someone behaves like her father", said Abhimanyu.
Mukti took her hand and motioned Abhi to do the same. "Sir, we will take her out of here before she loses control."
"Please. And take care of her."
They bid their quick goodbyes with everyone and dragged Nandini away. Abhi started the car as Mukti settles at the back along with Nandu. When he felt they were at a safe distance, he stopped the car and glared at Nandu.
"This girl accused my parents as abusive."
Mukti pouted. "She told, I am an orphan."
Nandini clapped her hands in excitement. "I respect my parents. I didn't change their characters."
After glaring their best friend for a few more minutes, the trio burst out laughing.
XXX
It was almost the break time when they reach their college. They decided to eat something and went to attend the canteen. Nandini was munching her favorite cheeseburger when Manik walked towards them. Instead of sitting down, he stood in front of her. She found him nervous and narrowed her gaze when she noticed the rose in his hand.
"I know it's not the Valentine's day, it's not even February yet", he chuckled and forwarded the rose towards Nandini. "Will you take this rose and accept my proposal of love?"
Nandini gaped at him. Abhimanyu, who was sipping the water, had spit it out and started laughing clutching his stomach. Mukti kicked his leg under the table and prayed for Manik. No one has survived yet after proposing to the Nandini Murthy.
It took a minute for Nandini to come out of her shock. HOW. DARE. HE. She was about to punch the guy when something held her back. She turned around the canteen and everyone watching the drama anticipating her next move. She rolled her eyes and dragged Manik, by his collar, out of the canteen until they reached an empty classroom.
"Explain?", she asked, gritting her teeth.
Manik took a step back. "Will you please close your eyes for a moment and forget everything? I will leave."
"I didn't bring you here so that you can leave without an explanation. What was that in the canteen? Who is behind it?", she asked, crossing her arms.
"You don't think it's me?"
"I know you won't come with such a stupid idea by yourself. So, tell me. Who asked you to do this?", she asked.
Manik sighed in relief. "Thank you."
As Manik started explaining, Nandini took a seat on one of the tables and listened to him patiently.
XXX
Manik was surprised when none of the trio came to the classes. It somehow didn't surprise him even. He went to the canteen to grab some lunch during the break but was stopped by a pair of boys, just outside the canteen door. They were leaning on the wall.
"Are you new here?", asked the shorter boy.
"Yes", replied Manik.
"Don't you know how to wish your seniors?", he glared.
"But-"
He cut him off. "What's your name?"
"Manik"
"We have a task for you", he told.
"Why? I don't even know you", Manik frowned.
"We are your seniors. You have to obey us. It's part of college interaction", the boy explained.
"But interaction is communication or direct involvement with someone or something. And according to that, we are already interacting", told Manik.
The taller boy, who was just watching the two boys interact, stood straight and smiled sweetly at him. "Because Manik, in this college the meaning of 'interaction' is ragging", he told. "And as your superiors, we have the authority to interact with you. It would improve the bonding between superiors and inferiors."
Manik smiled at them. "There are too many confusions here. Let me clear it for you, Sir. First of all, the students in any educational institute will be sorted as seniors and juniors. We hardly use the terms superiors and inferiors in workplaces and it sounds offending. Since all of us are species of homo sapiens, I hardly believe one is superior over the other or vice versa. My second point is, sir, your friend didn't give me a chance to explain before. I might be a new student but I am not a first year. I am in my 2nd year."
The shorter boy looked furious but the taller one shut him up with a look. He put an arm around Manik. "I understand all this, Manik. But there are some rules in this college that you have to obey unless you want to be expelled just after joining here."
"Expelled?", Manik asked widening his eyes.
"Yes, expelled. Now listen to me. Take this rose and give it the girl wearing the red colored top."
Manik peeked inside the canteen, following his gaze, and found Nandini munching her cheeseburger.
"That's Nandini. She would kill me", he said, fearing for his life.
They laughed seeing the reaction they wanted. The shorter one smirked. "Do as you are told. If you don't want to be expelled, I would suggest, don't get into the bad books of the head boy."
XXX
Nandini, who was calm the entire time, stood up. Manik took a step back instinctively. "What did you say? The head boy?", she asked, ignoring his scared look.
Manik nodded. "Among the two of them, I don't know who the head boy is though."
She rubbed her head to calm herself down. "Harshad", she muttered to herself. "Did they actually use the word 'ragging'?
"Yes. I really don't when did it become the synonym for interaction", he said, frowning.
"Oi. Einstein. They are different words, okay? No one has changed their meanings. Listen, will you be able to recognize them if I will show you?", she asked.
He nodded again.
"Good. Come with me."
"I really apologize regarding this entire-", he started but Nandini cut him off.
"There is someone else doing the apologizing part. Come", she drags him out of the classroom and to the canteen.
Craning her neck, she found her target at one of the tables, walked towards them and raised her finger at him. "Harshad-"
Before she could continue, Harshad stood up, letting his chair fall down in the process to gain the attention of the canteen. "Boys and the beautiful girls, attention please", he said, smirking. "What a miracle am I witnessing?"
Nandini crossed her arms, unperturbed and stared right through him.
"A guy just proposed our beloved head girl and the boy is still alive. Did the Nandini Murthy finally have fallen in love?", he shouted.
She laughed. "Harshad. Harshad. Harshad. Tch. Tch. Tch. I don't understand. No, seriously. You are more interested in my love life while you don't have any idea about that sister of yours. Aren't you guys the perfect family? You people should be honored for making others life a living hell?"
"Not a word against my sister", he said, fuming.
"Bhai ka pyaar? How cute. I can even see the fumes coming out of your ears. Manik, can you?", she said and waved her hand near his ears to prove her point.
"Listen, you are crossing the limits."
Nandini continued as if he didn't interrupt her. "But you know what, Harshad. I am not interested in this 'cute' actions of yours. Keep your interactions to yourselves instead of troubling people", she said.
"Why are you so bothered about him? Is something going on", he raised an eyebrow at her.
Nandu snorted. "And who are you? My father?"
"Wow!", exclaimed Harshad. "Nandini Murthy is defending a guy. That's a first. Guys, don't you think there's something suspicious going on here?"
"Abey, crime news ka anchor", she said banging her hand on the table making Manik jump. She ignored him, concentrating on the head boy. "Tujhe ek baari samajh nahi aati kya? Bahar ja. Tere jaise do teen aur milenge. Sab milkar news banao. Aur saath mein apne in chamcho ko bhi le ja. Apni is ghatiya hua dimag lekar college mat aaya kar. College mein infections honge."
"How dare you?", said Harshad, his face red and raised his hand to slap her.
Nandini was quick enough to bend down and punching him in the stomach as she got down on one knee. Harshad doubled over in pain and clutched his stomach.
"Next time when you decide to utter garbage from that mouth of yours, use your brain for once if you have any", she warned him and left to her table. Manik was quick to follow.
"How did you punch him just like that? He will harm you later", Manik whispered.
"He can't do a thing to me", winked Nandini. She was soon pulled into a bear hug by Abhimanyu.
"Everyone is hell-bent on spoiling my babydoll's day", he mumbled into her hair.
"That's people's birthright, best friend. We can't help them but we can definitely attend the classes. Come on", she said, breaking the hug and including Manik along.
"Excuse me", Manik said, clearing his throat. "Will you guys go ahead? I want to grab a drink."
"So that you can go land in fresh trouble?", said Nandini. "Fast, we are waiting."
Manik nods meekly before rushing to the counter.
XXX
After the classes, Manik was at the parking, waiting for Nandini while she gets her bike. Abhimanyu and Mukti had left home.
"Don't you want to go home?", spoke Nandini, making him jump.
He put a hand on his heart and took a breath. "I was waiting for you." He said simply and gave her a bar of chocolate.
Nandini restrained herself from punching someone and crossed her hands, balancing the bike with practiced ease. "What's this?", she asked, sternly.
Manik, who had his eyes to the ground, didn't see her attempt to kill him with glares and shrugged. "Everyone was trying to spoil your day, right? Abhimanyu told me. Chocolate helps to lighten your mood."
She was dumbfounded at his gesture. Someone putting efforts to make her feel better was strange to her if that someone didn't include her two best friends and Manik was the last one she expected to guess her bad mood. She took the chocolate and gave him a brief hug. As she went to her house with a smile on her face, she didn't notice the small frown on Manik's face.