MaNan SS - Your Senior (Sequel to My Senior)

17. HER First Missing

It's been nearly 5 months since Aarush has left to London.

One evening, when Ritika has just come from college, she smiled at Manik who was in the living room and was on call. Manik reciprocated her smile and Nandini came with a glass of juice and handed over to Ritika while taking a seat beside her.

"Thank you Ma...This is much needed...You know...I'm so tired of these exams...Arey khatam hi nai ho raha hai...2 weeks back only, we were done with internals and abhi lab exams...Huhh..." Ritika cribbed after gulping down the juice making the couple chuckle at her.

"Aaru se baat hui..!?" Nandini asked and she nodded saying "Early in the morning he woke me up and took my test..."

Ritika twitched her lips as they giggled and then Manik asked "Beta... Actually, we are thinking to visit him next week...Its been so long and I'm missing him...So...Will it be possible for you to join us...!?"

Her smile slowly dropped as she said "Pa...Even I'm missing him a lot...And even I want to come...But next month se semester exams hai...And he knows my exam schedule....If I travel at this time, he will open his monster fangs and will suck my blood..."

Manik chuckled and looked at Nandini who shook her head as she was seeing her replica in Ritika.

"This time you both go Pa...I'll go once I'm done with my exams..." She said and Manik immediately nodded in a no saying "No No...I can't let you travel alone...and neither we can leave you here and go...We don't have any problem...5 months wait kiya toh...we can wait for one more month...Saath mein hi jayenge...Kyun Nandu...!?"

"Bilkul" Nandini seconded Manik.

"Sorry Pa" She said with a sad face and Manik took her in side hug saying "It's completely fine beta...Just concentrate on your exams...And yeh trip wali baat is our secret... Don't tell Aarush...Let it be a surprise okay...?"

"Done" She said with a wide smile and hugged him before going to her room.

Few days later,

"Okay Ritu...Mein rakhu?? Do you still have any doubts...!?" Aarush asked her on their regular video call.

She quickly gone through her book and asked "Senior...Ek aur topic hai...Can you please explain..!?"

Aarush gritted his teeth and yelled "You are seriously unbelievable Ritika... Tomorrow you have your semester exam and now you are asking me to explain...!? Are you even scared of your degree...!?"

Her eyes pooled with tears and he instantly calmed down and closed his eyes. She just stared at him with teary eyes and he understood why she was not letting him cut the call and was dragging it by asking doubts.

"I'm sorry...Acha come on...Tell me what topic is it...!?" He asked in a calmer tone but she quickly said "No need...I'll manage..." and cut the call.

He dialled back and she cut the call and this repeated for few times and at last her phone pinged with a voice message from him.

'Ritu...If you ignore my next call, then I'm going to ignore for the next one week... Soch lo...' His voice note read making her grit her teeth and mumble "Don't know how my sweet Nandini Amma gave birth to this mini monster...!!"

When her phone rang this time, she wiped the traces of her tears and answered his call.

"I'm sorry Ritu...I understand that you don't want me to cut the call..." He started but she interrupted him by asking "Senior...Do you even miss me...!?"

He sighed and replied "Frankly no...And I have my answers...See...from morning to evening, I'm completely with books, college, lab and hospital...And evening athe hi, I'll be on call with my parents and you and then study...Miss karne ka time hi nahi hai Ritu...And when I'm surrounded by your thoughts, why will I miss you...!?"

"Itna bhi frank hone ki zarurat nahi hai..." She said with a slight smile twitching her lips and he chuckled before asking "So tell me...Do you miss me...!?"

"Don't even ask kitna miss karti hu...!!! It's a walking hell without you...in your home...in your room...in college without you beside me...Only I know how I'm dealing with it..." She said, almost her voice choking at the end.

He didn't know what to say and they stayed silent for few seconds before Aarush said "I can understand Ritu...But...please...Just one and half year more...I'll be back...and you are my strong girl na...I know you will deal with this... Please stay strong..."

Ritika gulped and nodded with a forced smile and he tried his best to divert her from the missing and at last he said "Okay...Chalo...Revise and have a good sleep...All the best for tomorrow..."

"Thank you..." She chirped and they cut the call.

A month later,

"All packed..!?" Manik asked when there was few hours left for their flight to London and the ladies nodded with excitement.

"You didn't reveal it to him...Did you...!?" He asked looking at Ritika doubtfully and she quickly nodded in a no and said pinching her throat "Promise Pa...I didn't tell him..."

"Good...Ab chale...!?" He asked and they three bid bye to the elders and left to airport.

Cut to few hours later,

Ritika clasped her hands in excitement as they stood in front of the house where Aarush was staying in London.

Manik rang the doorbell twice and they heard Aarush's voice from inside.

"Yes baby...Coming..." Aarush said while descending the steps.

Ritika frowned and Nandini rang the bell again, not hearing her son clearly.

"Coming darling..." He yelled while sprinting towards the door with a red rose from the table in living room.

"Did anyone of you spill the beans...!?" Manik asked, this time hearing his son's lovely tone clearly and the ladies nodded in a no, confusion etched on all their faces.

"Here you go My Love..." Aarush said with a wide smile which slowly dropped seeing his parents and Ritika at the door.

He soon gave a wide smile with surprise and said hugging his parents "Oh my god...You guys didn't even tell me that you are coming...!!!"

They gave a smile and moved inside while he side hugged Ritika and asked "Even you didn't give a hint...hmm..!!!"

She forced a smile while stepping inside and looked at his parents, waiting for them to ask him. When they looked at each other as they were not used to question him, Ritika sighed and asked "If you don't know that we are coming, then whom were you expecting...!? That too with a rose...!? And if I'm not wrong, I heard you saying darling, baby and my love...!?"

Aarush bit his lower lip and looked at his parents and then Ritika before looking down. Ritika's heart raced with anxiety seeing his expression.

"I'm sorry...Even I'm planning to tell you..." He said looking at his parents and Ritika asked, mostly like a whisper "Who is it...!?"

"Lisa" He said slowly, not making an eye contact.

Her breath quickened as she looked at him with glassy eyes.

Ignore mistakes...

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