Manik : Kya matlab?
Mukti : It's one of the symptoms, Manik.
Manik gave her a confused look.
Manik : What symptoms? Kya bol rahi hai tu?
Mukti was exasperated. 'How could this boy be so naive?', she thought. She rapidly typed away something on her phone and showed it to Manik.
Mukti : Yeh dekh.
The page read : Symptoms of brain tumor
Changes in speech, hearing, memory, or emotional state, such as aggressiveness can develop from a tumor in the frontal and temporal lobe of the cerebrum.
Manik looked at Mukti after reading what she had shown. He was dumbfounded.
Mukti : Manik, we all know ki Nandini kabhi tujhse aise baat nahi karegi. No matter how furious you get, she's the one who always remains calm. I think it was her tumor talking. Warna Nandini aisi cheeze kabhi nahi bolti. And I think tu bhi kuch zyada hi bhadak gaya. Manik tu jaanta hai Nandini tujhse hi pyaar karti hai. Aur usne bola na that Anant is just a friend. Toh he is just a friend. You shouldn't have talked to her in such a tone Manik. Usse kitna bura laga hoga when you accused her like that.
Manik lowered his head in shame. He realized that he had said a lot of things in anger. Unknowingly, he had accused Nandini and his words portrayed that he didn't trust her. He mentally smacked himself in the face for losing his cool. ‘How could he have hurt her like that?’, he thought.
Manik : I'm sorry.
Mukti's heart bled at Manik's plight. She kept a hand on his shoulder to provide some comfort.
Mukti : (softly) Manik, mujhe nahi, Nandini ko jaakar sorry bol. She might have been really hurt.
Manik : How could I have been so careless? How did I not realize it earlier? Uski life mei problems kum hai kya ki maine bhi aaj.. Oh God! What the hell is wrong with me? How could I have been so harsh and unmindful?
Manik looked up. His eyes were red with anger. But this time his frustration was directed towards himself. Mukti looked at him but his eyes were focused somewhere else. She tapped on his cheek.
Mukti : Manik, look at me. Manikkk..
He shifted his gaze to her face. There was a look of emptiness in his eyes.
Mukti : Manik, this is not the time to be angry with yourself. You have to be with Nandini. She needs you. No matter what she says or does Manik, always remember one thing : Nandini loves you and she needs you in her life. Never forget this. Okay?
Mukti said all this with a hidden purpose that Manik didn't know about. He bobbed his head in response.
Manik : I think I should go. I need to apologize to Nandini for my belligerent behavior.
Mukti : Yeah, you should.
Manik : Thanks Mukti. Agar tu nahi hoti toh..
Mukti cut him off angrily.
Mukti : Shut up Manik! Yeh kya har baat par thank you thank you laga rakha hai? Aur agar mei nahi hoti toh kya haa? Mei hu na Manik. And I'll always be here whenever you need me. (Pointing a finger towards him) Aur yeh mei tujhe aakhri baar keh rahi hu. Samjha?
Manik didn't know what to say, so he just hugged her to express his gratitude. Mukti hugged him back and patted his shoulder.
Mukti : Chal ab, jaa.
Manik broke the hug and left. Once Manik was out of sight, Mukti let out a sigh.
Mukti : I'm sorry Manik. I know mujhe tujhse aise jhoot nahi bolna chahiye tha. Lekin agar mei tujhe yeh bata deti ki Nandini be yeh sab purposely kia hai toh tera dil tut jaata. Tujhe bahut zyada hurt hota. And I don't want you to be hurt on your birthday tomorrow. Aur mujhe yeh bhi nahi pata hai ki Nandini kal aisa kya karne wali hai jisse tu bahut hurt honewala hai. You're already dealing with a lot right now. I didn't want to add on to your misery. Isliye mujhe tujhse sach chupana pada. I'm sorry.
She shook her head in despair and left to go to the jam room.
Outside the college premises
It had been 15 minutes since Nandini was looking for a cab or an auto rickshaw that could take her home. She didn't have the courage to face anyone after the ruthless string of words she hurled at Manik. Also, she knew that she wouldn't be able to hold her facade in front of Manik anymore. She saw an autorickshaw coming her way and showed her hand. It halted. She sat inside and her phone started ringing. She looked at the caller ID and received the call.
Nandini : Haa Arohi, bol.
Dr. Arohi : Nandini, kya tu abhi hospital aa sakti hai? Tere kuch additional tests karne hai.
Nandini : Thike, mei aati hu.
After ending the call, she asked the auto driver to take her to the City Hospital.
On the other hand, Manik was looking for Nandini in every possible corner of the college premises. But he couldn't find her anywhere. Dejected, he went back to the jam room in the hope that his friends would be able to help him out. He entered the jam room where Cabir, Dhruv, Alya and Mukti were seated. On seeing Manik, Mukti furrowed her eyebrows.
Mukti : Arey Manik tu yaha? Sab sort hogaya tere aur Nandini ke beech? By the way, woh hai kaha?
Everyone was appalled listening to Mukti.
Manik : Nahi Mukti. Woh kahi nahi mil rahi hai.
Cabir : What the hell Mukti? Tu Nandini ki side kaise le sakti hai? Tune dekha nahi usne Manik se kis tarah baat ki? Aur Manik tu bhi? Ho kya gaya hai tum dono ko?
Alya : Cabir is right. Why are you guys still finding Nandini? Let her be wherever she is. If she doesn't care, why should we?
Mukti and Manik's eyes widened at Alya's impertinence.
Mukti : Why the hell are you being so rude Alya?
Cabir clapped his hands.
Cabir : Wow Mukti! Now Alya is being rude? Jab Nandini Manik se rudely baat kar rahi thi tab toh tune usse kuch nahi bola. Tab kyu teri bolti bandh thi. Aur ab Alya sach bol rahi hai toh tu uspar hi chilla rahi hai. Waah Mukti! Nandini aur Alya ke beech itni biasness kyu? Haa?
Mukti : Cabir tu…
Before Mukti could say anything further, Dhruv butted in.
Dhruv : Guys please aise bachon ki tarah jhagadna bandh karo. Aur Cabir, tu bhi kya yeh biasness ki baatein kar raha hai? Mukti..
Cabir cut Dhruv off.
Cabir : Acha toh tu bhi ab inki side hai? Did you forget the way in which Nandini spoke to Manik? Tere bhi kaan bandh the kya?
Cabir was in no mood to calm down. He was enraged by the fact that Nandini hurt Manik despite knowing the truth about the prevalence of his insecurities. And what added fuel to his anger was the way Manik had so easily forgotten what took place just a while ago. It should have been Nandini who found Manik and apologized to him and not the other way around. Manik was tired of seeing them fight. He screamed at the top of his voice.
Manik : WILL YOU GUYS JUST STOP IT? STOP FIGHTING LIKE KIDS.
He turned towards Mukti.
Manik : Mukti, I'm scared. I hope Nandini thik ho. Agar usse kuch hogaya toh?
He was panicking now. He mentally damned himself for letting her walk out of the room and not following her.
Cabir : Usse kya hoga? Manik ko itna hurt karne ke baad kahi khushi mana rahi hogi woh. After all, usse kya farak padta hai? Ek baar bhi woh waapis Manik ke baare mei puchne ya usse dhundhne nahi aayi.
He whispered but Manik heard every single word he uttered. Manik couldn't hear Cabir insulting Nandini anymore. It wasn't her fault after all. Or that's what Manik thought. His anger had increased with each word Cabir said but he didn't want to fight with Cabir too. He took a deep breath before speaking.
Manik : Dekh Cabir, bas hogaya. Tune bahut bol dia. Ab mei Nandini ke khilaaf ek bhi word nahi sununga. I know tujhe bahut gussa aa raha hai par tu nahi jaanta hai ki Nandini ko…
Before Manik could speak ahead, Mukti cut him off.
Mukti : Manikkk…
Dhruv : Nandini ko kya Manik?
Mukti tried to cover up.
Mukti : Kuch nahi Dhruv. Kuch nahi.
Alya : No Manik kuch bol raha tha. Bolo Manik. Nandini ko kya?
Manik : Kuch nahi. Woh.. woh that day Nandini ko hospital le jaana pada tha na because she wasn't well, isliye I was stressed ki kahi firse usse kuch na ho jaaye. Bas, aur kuch nahi.
Alya nodded. Cabir huffed. Cabir couldn't believe that Manik was still so concerned about her after all that she told him. Mukti let out a breath. Manik too heaved a sigh of relief. Before anyone else could question them,
Mukti : Manik chal. Nandini ko firse ek baar sab jagah dhundhte hai. I'm sure woh college mei hi hogi.
Manik took this as a cue to escape and left with Mukti.
At the hospital
After Nandini's tests were done, she was asked to go to Dr. Arohi's cabin since Dr. Arohi wanted to discuss something with her. She was seated on a chair and was waiting for Dr. Arohi when her mind went back to her fight with Manik, just an hour ago. Her eyes flooded with tears. She shut her eyes and she let a few droplets fall. She heard the sound of the door opening and composed herself. Dr. Arohi entered the cabin and took a seat opposite to Nandini. She had a look of concern etched on her face.
Dr. Arohi : Nandini, tu thik toh hai na?
Nandini smiled. Even if she was breaking on the inside, she put up a brave front on the outside.
Nandini : Haa Arohi, mei thik hu. Tu bata. Tujhe kya baat karni thi?
Dr. Arohi : Manik nahi aaya tere saath?
Nandini's smile vanished at the mention of Manik. She didn't intend on telling anyone about her decision of keeping Manik in the dark about her disease. But now that Arohi had asked her, she thought she should tell her. That way, at least she would have someone to talk to about it and she wouldn't have to keep it all in her heart. Maybe it would help ease some of her pain and guilt. She shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. Dr. Arohi was observing each of her movements. She didn't quite understand why Manik hadn't been around the second time too. Nandini exhaled and opened her eyes.
Nandini : I'm not going to tell him about my tumor.
Dr. Arohi was dumbstruck. Her eyes widened at this revelation.
Dr. Arohi : Why?
That was all she could utter.
Nandini : I can't tell him. It'll break him. And I would rather break my heart than see his heart breaking in front of me.
A few tears pooled at the corner of her eyes but she gulped them down. Even the thought of Manik's breakdown shook her heart with fear.
Dr. Arohi : Lekin Nandini..
Nandini : Koi lekin nahi Arohi. I've decided. I won't tell him. That's final. And I hope you won't either.
Dr. Arohi just nodded. She knew that once Nandini had decided something, it would be almost impossible for anyone to change her decision. And this time it was about Manik. Even though she had met him only once, she knew how much they loved each other and what the other person meant to them. What she was unaware of were the extents to which Nandini was going to go to keep the truth away from him.
Dr. Arohi : Anyway, I had asked you to wait because I wanted to discuss the treatment options with you. There is chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy and lastly surgery. Looking at the size of your tumor, surgery is the riskiest of all. So my suggestion would be that we start with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. We'll know which one to go with once your biopsy reports arrive. And then, depending on the way you respond to the treatment, we can decide whether surgery is an option or no.
Nandini listened to her intently.
Nandini : What if I don't respond to the treatment?
Dr. Arohi : Let's not think about that right now. We'll see when we come to that.
Nandini : No, Arohi. I want to know.
Nandini was adamant. Dr. Arohi sighed.
Dr. Arohi : Well then, as I said, you have around 6 months to live.
She nodded her head at that.
Nandini : Thank you. For always telling me the truth and being there for me in these tough times.
Nandini smiled at her and got up to leave. As she was about to open the door, Dr. Arohi called her out.
Dr. Arohi : Nandini..
She turned to face Arohi.
Dr. Arohi : I'll let you know about the treatment we are going to proceed with, as soon as your reports come. Take care of yourself. Bye.
Nandini smiled and waved her goodbye.
Outside Nandini's house
Manik had been constantly ringing the doorbell but to his bad luck, Nandini didn't open the door. After looking for her in the entire college for the second time and not being able to find her, his best bet was that Nandini would be at home. But to his dismay, she wasn't at home too.
Manik : Kaha ho tum Nandini?
Just then, Nandini arrived and saw Manik at the door. She quickly hid behind a tree so that he doesn't see her.
Nandini : (to herself) Yeh Manik yaha kya kar raha hai?
She looked at the sky and started complaining. Nandini : Aiyaapa, aap kyu baar baar mujhe aisi situations mei daal dete ho? Mei jitna Manik se dur rehne ki koshish kar rahi hu, utna hi woh mere saamne aa raha hai. Aaj ke liye bahut hogaya. Mei usse aur hurt nahi kar sakti hu. Please, please yeh yaha se chala jaaye. Please.
She closed her eyes and silently pleaded to her Aiyappa to send Manik away. When she opened her eyes, she saw Manik searching for something under the flower pot. When she realized he was looking for the keys to the house, she sighed in relief. Before leaving for college in the morning, she had taken the keys from there. She felt terrible for hiding away like this and torturing him, but she had to do it. For him. A few teardrops rolled down her cheeks.
Manik couldn't find the keys. He felt disheartened. He fished his phone out of his pocket and typed a text to Nandini.
I'm sorry for the way I behaved today. I shouldn't have talked to you like that. It's all my fault and I'm really guilty about it. I'm sorry. I love you Nandini. Always remember that!
After pressing the "send" button, he left from there.
Nandini's phone pinged. She read Manik's text. She felt bad that he was the one apologizing even though it wasn't his fault. But she couldn't do anything about it. Once Manik was out of her sight, she came out of her hiding space and went home. The day had exhausted her and now, all she wanted to do was go to sleep. Well, at least her if not her deeds, her medicines helped her to do that.
Hey guys! So here's the next update. I hope you'll liked it. Do leave your votes and comments.
- Sakshi❤️