Her Choice

Chapter 20

MANIK

I felt a piercing pain at my left shoulder as I fell on Nandini's lap. Blood flowed down my shirt drenching it with the warm fluid. Nandini's pain stricken face floated in front of me as tears marked her dirty face.

I knew I may not survive this and that the chances were low but I felt okay with it. I was happy and satisfied that she is safe. Moment ago when Alya had taken the shot at the girl whom I loved, thousand of emotions flushed across me. I knew I can cope up with anything but I can't bear to lose her. And so the most sane way of protecting her, keeping her safe from the clutches if Mr. Death was to throw myself in the reaper's hand. When you love someone a little too much losing yourself for them doesn't need a second thought. It was the same with me.

"Please stay with me Manik.... Don't leave please," she blabbered in between her sobs. In that moment I don't know what was happening to Rahul or Alya. The moment was froze between us. Me and her.

I so wanted to calm her down, kiss away her tears, hold her close to my chest and say everything will be alright, but I couldn't. Cause I was dying.

I closed my eyes as weakness spread through my body numbing the nerves and pulling me to the darkness. I wanted her to know that I loved her but unfortunately life didn't present me the chance to say it. And I was already drowned into unconsciousness.

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I feel a burning pain radiate through my body, slowly at first and then unbearable. My eyes failed to open as I stifled a cry. I clutched the sheets and I lost myself again into darkness.

My senses resurfaced as the intense pain subsided, leaving only a throb at my shoulder blade. My eyes opened to let the flooding light in. My pupils shrunk to tiny dots adjusting themselves to the strong light. I was covered with white sheets and I realised I was Alive and was in an hospital. The sterile smell of medicines and doctors created an unique combination which can only be detected around medical zones. My eyes roamed around from the beeping monitor to the crystal liquid dripping from my IV duct. My gaze stuck to the small familiar figure on the couch that was lying motionlessly. She was curled into a ball and her head was tucked inside the blanket with only her nose and eyes peeping out. She looked so fragile, so innocent so easy a prey  that I ached to take her in my arms and shield her like I did back in there.

And suddenly I wondered whether now I stood a chance or not. Given the earlier incidents I knew things wouldn't be the same as they were between Rahul and her. I had decided back that I would leave them on their own and separate myself, but now I no longer wanted to back down. I don't know whether it was because I had escaped death by a hair's distance or because I felt life gave me another chance, I had an urge to fight for her love. To get it earn it from her. Make her choose me over Rahul.

I know I was being selfish but as we say Everything is fair in love and war, and I was madly hopelessly and completely in love with her.

My reverie broke as Nandini's eyes fluttered open and settled on me. She was out of the couch in a flash as she rushed to me. She stopped for a second taking a full view of me and then pulled me to her. She buried her head in my neck as she shivered and shaked from her light sobs.

She left numerous tokens of thanks to the person above for keeping me safe and okay.

I held her to me and rubbed her back. "I am okay, I am fine", I kept talking trying to soothe her. She clutched on to me and I realised that she was not relieved by my being okay, she needed to me to be okay. And this gave me hope, hope that something more can happen and I tighten my hold on her and rocked her calming her down.

When she was sobber she settled beside me on the bed. She rested her head on my chest and never let go of me. Probably she was afraid of losing me.

"I thought you would die because of me", she slowly admitted after sometime. "And when u collapsed in front of my eyes and I couldn't do anything I realised how much important you had become in my life. I never want to lose a friend like you ever..... Thank you for saving my life, Manik. Thank you.".

I cuddled her into me and she didn't protest. She still considers me a friend. My brain forced me to correct her and her next question gave me the very chance.

"Why did you do it?", she asked.

"Like why did I took the bullet for you?", I confirmed and she hummed.

"Well because I lo....", and the door opened as my mother barged in the room. Nandini immediately left my side to stand at a distance. And I cursed mom under my breathe to spoil the moment.

My dad and little bro too bustled in.

"Ill see you guys later", Nandini whispered as she hastily left not letting me a chance to stop her. God I wasted another opportunity.

But I had little time to mourn as Mom took me into a motherly hug followed by my dad. Cabir lightly smacked my head and I winced which made him shoved to the corner by dad. Soon mom and dad started explaining what had happened after I was shot, and what else had happened, the news had freaked mom out and all those things. But my mind was barely on what they said until a word of dad caught my attention.

"A girl named Alya died in the very encounter. She was in your college only"

"What?!", I asked bewildered. When did that happen and my eyes flickered towards the door hoping Nandini would enter.

"Yes thank god you survived. Poor kid she couldn't", Mom spoke and ran her fingers through my hair.

How did Alya die?

A/n

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