Chance Connection

Part 8

Nandini asked Manik to leave her on her own and go from there.

        Manik : "What you do or don't do doesn't matter to me? I would be more than happy to leave you on your own and go. I am here only because of my friend. He doesn't want to leave you on your own, and what he does and feels matters to me. So, you will have to come with me."

        Nandini : "I am not going to come with you.."

        Manik : "Don't test my patience. .. Didn't I get you on the train, the same way I will get you across the river too. Hold my hand and walk across, I ensure your safety."

        Nandini : "When you don't trust me, how do you expect me to trust you? What if you let go off my hand in the middle? I am better off stuck here than there."

        Manik : "I don't care whether you trust me or not. I don't want to be stuck here with you, so stop being stubborn and come with me."

        Manik held Nandini's hand, but she took her hand off his. He felt there was no point arguing with her. He didn't want to carry her, but she didn't leave him a choice. So he lifted her off the ground and began carrying her towards the log.

        Nandini : "What are you doing? Put me down, you can't force me to come with you."

        Manik ignored her and Nandini continued.

        Nandini : "You rich people are all the same. You have to do whatever you feel like, but you don't have consideration for others..."

        Manik : "If you don't stop ranting, I will drop you into the river. Whether you manage to get across the river or drown in it is your problem then. Cabir isn't here to save you and I am not going to come to your rescue."

        Nandini didn't speak even a single word after that. She had closed her eyes because of fear and was holding her locket tightly. Once they crossed the river, Manik put Nandini on the ground.

        Nandini : "How could you carry me without asking me?..."

        Manik : "Listen, I hate your touch, I even hate talking to you, do you think I would want to carry you. Cabir wanted me to carry you across the river, so I did, that's all there is to it. Now if you will follow me quietly, I will take you to Cabir and then you are his responsibility."

        Manik turned to leave, but he tuned back again.

        Manik : "Just remember that even in the future, if I end up doing something that would benefit you, I would be doing so only for Cabir's sake. Don't come to the conclusion that I am concerned for you and try to get close to me. Keep distance always."

        Manik walked ahead and Nandini followed him quietly. They both didn't want to interact with each other, but that was not to be. After walking a short distance they had to cross another stream, but this was narrower than the previous one.

        Manik : "Will you cross on your own or do you expect me to carry you again?"

        Nandini : "I will try to cross on my own."

        Nandini stepped on the log, but when she saw the water below she got scared, so she stepped back. She tried many times but she didn't have the courage to move forward.

        Manik : "At this rate, we won't be able to reach the village even tomorrow."

        Manik forwarded his hand.

        Manik : "Hold my hand and I will get you across. I assure you that I won't let you fall."

        Nandini didn't have any other choice, so she held his hand and tried to cross. After a few steps, she lost her balance and Manik had no option but to pull her closer to him and hold her from falling. Nandini was very scared and she clinged to him at that instant, but she moved a little away from him the moment she realized that. She apologized, but she expected to hear rude words from him, but that wasn't what happened. Manik realized that Nandini was trembling when she held onto him.

        Manik : "Calm down, you are safe. You don't have to be scared. Your focus should be on the log, not on the river below, then you will be fine."

        Nandini nodded her head but he could make out that she was still scared.

        Manik : "Why did you have to leave the train and take an unknown path when you are so scared? There could be several such obstacles along the way, how are you going to manage?"

        Nandini : "I can't see my family in distress, so I will do whatever I can do to see them happy. That's why I decided to get on the train in the first place though I haven't done so earlier. But I really didn't expect that my first time would turn out like this. Now that I have started, I can't let any obstacle slow me down. I don't know how I am going to manage, I just know that I have to do whatever it takes to get me there."

        Nandini's words resonated with Manik. She had taken up this journey for her family, but he had agreed for a life long journey that would suffocate him but would keep his and Cabir's family happy. After telling Manik her reason, Nandini also felt that she couldn't let her fears come in her way, so she tried to cross more confidently. She also felt assured that he wouldn't let her fall.

        Manik and Nandini crossed the stream. He had made it clear that he didn't have anything to do with her, and whatever he was doing was for his friend, so Nandini followed Manik quietly. She found it difficult to keep up with his pace, but she didn't say anything. She had made up her mind that she had to do whatever it takes even if that meant that she had to bear with his rude behavior. He was rude, but at the same time he had helped her. Otherwise, she couldn't have been able to get on the train or cross the river. 

        For a moment, Manik felt that probably she was telling the truth and not making it all up.

        Manik's thoughts : "Did I really misjudge her like how Cabir said? Is it possible that she isn't like how I thought her to be? Someone who prioritizes others over herself, can't be selfish.. but I can't be sure of that. I haven't been able to forget the mistake I made in the past till now, I can't trust someone again and make the same mistake again or let the same happen with Cabir. I can't let my guard down till I am sure that she is genuine."

        After a while, Manik came out of his thoughts. He hadn't heard a single word from Nandini, so he turned back to see if she was following him. He couldn't find her, so he went back in the direction he came. He heard some noise and looked around and he found Nandini in a ditch. Since it had rained the previous day, the ditch was muddy. To Manik it appeared as though she was scraping the mud in the ditch.

        Manik : "If you wanted to learn swimming, you could have done so in the river, why in this ditch?"

        Nandini : "I slipped and fell into the ditch trying to keep up with your pace."

        Manik forwarded his hand and asked her to come out.

        Nandini : "My chain fell off when I fell down, I am not coming out without it."

        Manik : "Leave that and come out. You can buy another one, can't you? It is already late and we have to reach the village soon. There are chances that you may not be able to find it in the dark."

        Nandini : "I can't buy another one."

        Manik : "I or Cabir can get one for you then. Come on, it's getting late."

        Nandini : "Everything cannot be bought with money. The chain had a locket and that locket cannot be replaced by me or anyone else."

        Nandini continued to search and Manik had to stay there. He took out his phone and switched on the flashlight. He saw her wiping her tears. She was already exhausted and she wasn't able to find her locket that was very important to her. Tears were blurring her vision, so she was trying to wipe it. Manik didn't say anything after that. He scanned the ditch with the flashlight and that helped Nandini, and she found her locket. She came out of the ditch with Manik's help.