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Chapter 15- Knowing Each Other

Manik suddenly realized that he forgot to pick up Nandini. Aryaman lost his cool when Manik didn't answer him.

"Aap kuch bolte kyu nahi? Is she fine? Where is she?" he asked curiously. Manik looked worried and covered his face with palms to show his helplessness.

"She is not even able to speak something, I hope wo theek hai" Aryaman said worried. Manik ran back to the car ignoring Aryaman who called out for him.

"Manik!" Alya called out for Manik. "Where is Nandini? Did he assign some work to her? When will she come back everyone came?" he showered questions on Alya. "Nandini, kya wo abhi tak aayi nahi yaha?" she asked him confused.

"I thought she might have came back before us, we were the last to get back here" she said carelessly. "What the heck? You both forgot to get her back, she can't even speak a word today, how careless you are!" he said unbelievably when he came to know that they forgot Nandini there.

"Look Aryaman, it was raining and she should have come with others or should have come to us" Alya defended herself. "It's waste of time talking to you and I can't believe Manik with Nandini I have to go" Aryaman took the keys of the ambulance from the ward boys and went for Nandini. Manik is worried for Nandini and felt guilty for forgetting her.

Nandini got completely drenched in the rain. Though it stopped raining, she shivered due to the cool breeze. She didn't understand where to go and her phone signals went off to message or call someone. She tried speaking but the cool breeze and the climate made her condition worser than before.

She saw few lights near the camp and remembered that it is a small village. She went towards the lights but saw no one as the villagers might have slept early. It was already 9'o clock in the night. Manik came there and looked for her in the camping area. He called out for her but heard nothing sign of response.

With each passing second, he got more tensed for her. He never wanted to put someone in danger because of him. At this hour, all he wanted is to see Nandini in peace. He shouted madly for her and got disappointed when there is no response. He went towards the village hoping to find her.

Nandini got scared as she saw no one and heard strange sounds. The street light suddenly went off adding more to her growing tension. She tried messaging Aryaman but the message got never sent. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder and that's when she felt her heart stopped beating.

"Nandini" she found Manik's voice as soothing music and found solace in his touch. Never in her life, she felt so helpless and comfort when someone held her. She hugged him and he didn't expect her doing that. He could feel her shivering due to the cool breeze. She didn't even realize what she has done.

He did not move a bit. She kept shivering and Manik calmed her down. "Nandini, look at me, I'm here. You're safe" she held him tighter as he spoke. Manik hugged her back and caressed her hair to calm her down.

"Nandini, I'm so sorry actually I don't know how it missed my mind that I left you here, galti mera hai, I'm glad that you're safe" he said cupping her face. He saw tears making their way down her cheeks. He caressed her face. A jolt of electricity passed her body as his warm hands touched her. He covered her with his jacket securely.

He held her hand and rubbed them to raise the temperature. He looked at the surroundings and found no one. He understood that she was scared. Even though she is shivering he could see the tiny drops of sweat on her forehead. He mentally cursed himself for leaving her alone in such helpless condition.

He hugged her. "I won't let this repeat again Nandini, I will never hurt you, I'm sorry" he said but Nandini looked at the other side as she saw a flash of light. Manik turned to see it. They saw Aryaman coming towards them.

Aryaman stopped as he came near them. He saw Nandini in Manik's arms. Manik stood there without movement and Aryaman took Nandini away from him. "Are you OK Nandini?" he asked her and she nodded yes. "Yaha rehna safe nahi hai, let's leave" he said and took Nandini from there. Having no option, Manik left from there following Aryaman and Nandini.

Dr. Raman Shrivastav called everyone. "Hey everyone, there's an announcement and I'm so happy to share this with you all. Dr. Mukti, will be our new Asst. Dean for lifeline hospital" Mukti is surprised to hear it. Raman hugged her.

"As a father, I'm so overwhelmed and as a mentor, I'm so proud of you Mukti" he congratulated her. Everyone congratulated her. Ishitha came to wish her but Mukti excused herself.

"This isn't fair at all Dr. Mukti Shrivastav!" Mukti turned to see Abhimanyu. She smiled seeing him. "Now that you are Asst. Dean, does it mean that we aren't friends?" he asked her. "Of course not" she said smiling.

"Chalo treat kab de rahi ho phir?" he asked while she thought. "Ah Abhimanyu" she said after a pause. "It's okay Mukti, I know you are not treating me as a friend, main wapas nahi puchunga" he said and was about to leave.

"Kitna drama karte ho tum, I was about to say that if you could pick me up from the hospital tonight after my shift, so that we could go for treat" she said giving a mini heart attack to him.

"Mukti, cardiologist ko bhi heart attacks aane ka chances hai, main tho oncology pada tha" he pouted. "So is that a yes" he asked her and added, "I mean we are going out tonight!"

"Yes" she said and left. "Yaha treat ki baatein hi nahi chal raha hai aur Abhi tum date pe jaane ki sapne dekh rahe ho" he said to himself and left to work.

Navya and Cabir congratulated Mukti. "Congratulations ma'am" they said. "Thank you both of you" she said slyly.
They both left from her cabin. "Itni khushi ke mauke par bhi Wo utni udaas kyu baithi hai" Cabir commented.

"Pata nahi" Navya said absent minded. "Tum saare ladkiya aise hi hota hai kya weird and strange, strange and beautiful, beautiful and lovely" Cabir continued.

"Please Cabir tum shuru mat ho jao abhi, hume bahut kaam hai" Navya stopped him. "Already Aryaman, Nandini and Alya are not here" she sighed. "Ha I just remembered Aryaman told me that Nandini is not doing well, they might come back early than scheduled dates" Cabir said to Navya.

"I hope Nandini jaldi se theek ho jayegi" Navya said joining her hands to pray for Nandini. Alya tried to talk to Manik but he didn't pay attention to her. Manik thought of meeting Nandini. He remembered hugging her and felt embarrassed to meet her.

He went to her room but didn't knock. He paced in front of the room in a dilemma to knock or not. Aryaman opened the door and saw Manik standing in front of Nandini room. "Aap yaha!" Aryaman asked.

"I came to meet you" Manik lied confidently but Aryaman seems not convinced. "But why me?" he questioned him. "Because I know you didn't have proper sleep and you might not be able to work today" he said to Aryaman.

"Thank you but Nandini might need something" he said and was about to close the door. Manik interrupted him. "I called nurse to take care of her, I think you should take rest" Manik adviced. Though Aryaman didn't wanted he left to his room. Manik accompanied the nurse who treated Nandini. After checking, the nurse went out.

"How are you feeling now?" Manik asked. "Oh no I forgot" he said remembering that she could not talk. "I'm feeling better" she said surprising him. "Oh you are talking now, so you are recovering soon" he said with a smile not understanding what to talk.

"I'm sorry for last night, I" he said feeling guilty for forgetting her at an unknown place. "I'm sorry" Nandini said and he didn't understand.

"Sorry for what!" he asked. "I'm actually sorry for overhearing you and Alya last night" she said and saw his expression change. "I'm so sorry that I have said that to aunty, I've never knew that you and Alya broke up, I thought you were angry on her but after listening" he stopped her by showing a hand to stop her. She jerked and stiffened as he held her by shoulders.

"Tho tumne kya kiya! You are just like Alya. You also rejected me, you said that I'm a mumma's boy. You insulted me Nandini. She left me saying that she can't live with me. Usne mera dil thod diya aur tum mere confidence, how dare you to say that you've overheard us?" Manik blurted out as he lost his calm listening to her.

"But Alya aur main" she tried to say something and Manik could not hear any more from her. He closed her mouth with his hand and she didn't expect it.

"Just shut up! I hate you Dr. Nandini Murthy, I hate you" Manik said