*Flashback*
Nandini received a call from an unknown number so she excused herself and came out of the canteen to receive the call. She pressed the green button.
Nandini : Hello.
Person on the other side : Hello, Nandini. It's Arohi.
Nandini : Oh Arohi. Haa bol na?
Arohi : Nandini, tu kaha hai?
Nandini : Mei college mei hu. Kya hua hai Arohi? Everything alright?
Arohi : Nandini, tu please abhi hospital aa sakti hai? I need to discuss something really important.
Nandini : Yeah, I can come. Sab thik hai na Arohi?
Arohi : Nandini, mei phone par kuch nahi bata sakti. Tu please jaldi se yaha aa jaa. Milkar baat karte hai.
Nandini : Okay. Mei aati hu.
She ended the call. ‘Arohi ne itne urgently kyu bulaya? I hope sab thik ho. Kahi mere reports toh nahi aagaye? Par Arohi tensed sound kar rahi thi. Kahi reports mei toh kuch.. Nahi Nandini. Reports thik hi honge. Kuch bhi mat soch.’ she pondered. After completing her self-talk, she tried calling Manik. Manik didn't receive her calls.
Nandini : (to herself) I think Manik is still with Cabir. Mujhe akele hi jaana hoga. I'll talk to him after meeting Arohi.
She took an auto and left for the hospital.
At the hospital
On reaching the hospital, Nandini went to the reception and asked about Dr. Arohi. The receptionist gave her the directions to Dr. Arohi's cabin and she made her way towards her cabin. When she reached the cabin, she knocked on the door.
Dr. Arohi : Come in.
Nandini pushed the door open and entered. Dr. Arohi was seated on her chair.
Dr. Arohi : Arey Nandini tu. Aa baith.
Nandini sat on the chair opposite Dr. Arohi's.
Nandini : Kya hua Arohi? Itna urgently kyu bulaya? Sab thik hai na?
Dr. Arohi : Mei sab batati hu. Manik nahi aaya?
Nandini : Woh maine usse call kiya tha lekin usne uthaya nahi. Uske aur uske friend ke beech ek choti si fight ko gayi thi aur Manik wo hi solve karne gaya tha. Isliye mei akele hi aagayi. I didn't want to make him worried. You know na woh meri kitni tension leta hai.
Dr. Arohi smiled at that.
Dr. Arohi : Nandini tere reports aa gaye hai. Isliye maine tujhe yaha bulaya.
Nandini : Ohh.. Kya aaya hai reports mei?
Dr. Arohi got up from her chair and walked towards Nandini. She leaned against the table. She knew what she was about to say would turn Nandini's world upside down. But as a doctor, it was her duty to convey the truth to her patients, no matter how bitter it may be. And as a friend, she wanted to be there for Nandini. She kept a hand on Nandini's shoulder, assuming it to provide some kind of comfort.
Dr. Arohi : Dekh Nandini, what I am about to tell you is going to change your life. But please be strong. And try to absorb my words. I know it will be difficult but you have the right to know.
Nandini didn't like the tone of Dr. Arohi's words. Something in her gut told her that this conversation will cast a shadow over her happiness. And what Dr. Arohi said, did exactly that or maybe worse. Although she was seated on the chair, she held the table for support. She was completely taken aback. She couldn't come to terms with what she heard. She reduced to tears. She held her face in her hands and wailed. At that moment, all she wanted was for Manik to be by her side. To be her backbone. To tell her that everything would be okay. That this storm will pass too. But he wasn't there. Her source of strength wasn't with her. Dr. Arohi squeezed her shoulder to give some support. She didn't know what else to do. After a few minutes, Nandini composed herself and wiped off those tears. She got up from the chair.
Nandini : Arohi, I need you to promise me something. Tu Manik ko ya kisi aur ko kuch nahi batayegi.
Dr. Arohi : Lekin Nandini..
Nandini : Please Arohi. Jo batana hai, mei khud bataungi. Tu inn reports ke baare mei ya hamari iss meeting ke baare mei kisiko kuch nahi batayegi. Please Arohi. Promise me.
Dr. Arohi : Okay. I promise.
Nandini took her bag, her reports and left from there. She needed to be alone.
*Flashback ends*
In the canteen
Mukti received a phone call from an anonymous number. She got up to leave.
Mukti : Guys mujhe ek call aa raha hai. Mei abhi aati hu.
Alya : Lekin Mukti..
Before she could complete, Mukti had left.
Cabir : Lo.. ab yeh bhi chali gayi. Ab kya sirf hum teeno hi practice karenge?
Dhruv : Cabir, woh call attend karke aa jaayegi. Tu bhi na.
Outside the college building
Mukti received the call.
Mukti : Hello?
No one replied from the other end.
Mukti : Hello, kaun bol raha hai?
No reply. She could only hear faint breathing.
Mukti : Agar baat nahi karni hai toh phone kyu kiya? Pata nahi kaha se aise logo ko number mil jaata hai.
She huffed and disconnected the call. She checked the number on her phone. ‘Iss number se toh ek-do baar pehle bhi phone aaya tha. Lekin hai kaun yeh? Jab hi phone aata hai, koi baat hi nahi karta hai,’ she thought to herself. Little did she know, this person could change her life. She was going to head back inside when she noticed Manik's car in the driveway.
Mukti : (to herself) Yeh Manik abhi tak yahi hai? Yeh itni der se yaha car mei kya kar raha hai?
She headed towards his car. She tried to open the passenger side door and found that the car was unlocked. She sat inside and looked at Manik. Manik sat there, motionless. His phone had fallen down.
Mukti : Manik?
He didn't respond. She tried again.
Mukti : Manikkk?
No response. Mukti shook him by his shoulders.
Mukti : Manikkk…
Manik came out of his trance and looked at Mukti. His eyes looked dull and empty.
Mukti : Manik, kya hua hai? Tu aise.. Aur tera phone yaha niche kyu pada hai?
Manik felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of his lungs. His mind was paralyzed. His body disagreed to react. He couldn't speak. All he uttered was ‘Nandini.’
Mukti : Nandini? Nandini kya Manik?
Manik : Nandini..
Mukti : Manik, kya bolna chahta hai? Nandini kya Manik?
Manik just kept taking Nandini's name. He didn't say anything except her name. Mukti was getting worried by the second. She could sense that something had gone awfully wrong for Manik to behave in this manner and it was related to Nandini. But she wouldn't know until Manik spoke. She got out of the car and went towards Manik's side. She opened the door and practically pulled Manik out of the car. He wasn't even in the condition to stand. He was about to fall when Mukti held him by his arms and helped him stand with the support of the car. She shook him violently.
Mukti : Manikkkkkk... What the hell is wrong? Kya hua hai Nandini ko? Kuch bolega bhi please? Tu mujhe dara raha hai Manik.
Manik : Nandini.. woh.. uske..
Mukti : Uske kya Manik?
Manik : Re.. repo.. reports aa.. aa gaye.. hai.
Mukti : Aur?
That was all Manik could speak. All those words that he heard on the phone, hit right back at him. Each word sank in. And with every word, his heart sank further. Reality punched him in the gut. Hot tears started flowing down his cheeks. Mukti was astonished to see Manik cry all of a sudden, that too in the college premises. She didn't know what was wrong but she could anticipate that Manik was going to break down. With a lot of efforts, she made Manik walk to the passenger side of the car and made him sit inside. She closed the door and rushed towards the driver's side. She sat in and sent a quick text to Cabir, ‘Have to leave urgently for some work. Let's practice tomorrow.’ Keeping her phone, she started the car's engine and left the college. Mukti didn't know where to go but she did know that Manik needed her and she had to get him to tell her what had gone wrong. She just decided to drive to her house. All the way, Manik just sat there, staring straight ahead at particularly nothing. Tears kept flowing from his eyes. He didn't move at all. Once they reached, Mukti took Manik to her room. He walked like a robot. Once in the room, Mukti gave some water to Manik. He took a few sips. She sat besides him on the bed and kept a hand on his shoulder.
Mukti : Manik, Nandini ki reports mei kya aaya hai?
He looked at her and his face crumpled into tears. He hugged her and cried his heart out. Mukti kept caressing his back. Mukti had never seen Manik in such a state. At that moment, only one thought invaded her mind, ‘What did Nandini's reports state? What was so wrong with them that all Manik did was cry?’ He kept on weeping until all his tears dried up. They lost track of how long they stayed in that position. Once his breathing had become even, he broke the hug.
Manik : (hoarsely) Pani.
Mukti quickly filled a glass of water and gave it to him. He drank the water in one go.
Mukti took the glass from him.
Mukti : Manik, tu thik hai?
He nodded. She stared at him before speaking.
Mukti : You want to talk?
Manik : I think I need to.
Saying that, he started narrating the conversation that shattered his very existence.
*Somewhere in the middle of an isolated road*
Nandini was seated on a bench and blubbed. She looked at the sky and yelled.
Nandini : Kyu? Mere saath hi aisa kyu Aiyappa? Kya kiya hai maine? Haa? Mujhe kis baat ki itni badi sazza mil rahi hai? KYUUU?
She kept her head in her hands and sobbed. Her whole world had been turned upside down in just a matter of a few minutes and all she could do was accept it the way it is. A change so radical that it would break her beyond repair. Break Manik completely. As the thought of Manik came to her mind, she looked up.
Nandini : Manik. Nahi, mei Manik ko kuch nahi bata sakti hu. Woh.. woh tut jaayega. He won't be able to take it. Mei.. Mei Manik ko itne dard mei nahi dekh sakti hu. No, I won't tell him anything. I won't. I can't see him in pain, especially because of me. He can't know. No matter how much it hurts me.
With that, fresh tears started rolling down her eyes. She sat there for no one knows how long.
Hey guys! Here's the next update. I hope you'll liked it. Do leave your votes and comments below.
- Sakshi❤️