What could have been...

Chapter 4 - Revelations

UNEDITED

Everyone was shocked with the recent proceedings. They looked at Nandini who was staring at her phone frozen on her place. Navya shook her and called out her name. Distracted, Nandini tore her gaze away from the phone and looked at Navya. She was dazed and it seemed that she was unable to comprehend anything that was happening around her.

Slowly, as if everything clicked in its place in her mind, her eyes widened and hope filled in her eyes. A small smile broke out on her face and silent tears started flowing from her eyes. She fumbled around with her phone, struggling to unlock it. All her friends exchanged a look and looked at her confused.

Nandini furiously moved her fingers across the screen of her phone. She called back on the unknown number and put the phone to her ears. When nobody picked up the call on the other side, she removed the phone frustrated and called again. Still no one picked up. When she called again, it said the phone was switched off and then the next time, number was unavailable.

She was getting more and more agitated and restless by the minute. She was trying to call on the number again and again, and murmured, 'No, no, no! This can't be happening! No!', shaking her head.

She started moving to and fro on her place in frustration while still trying to call the number. Seeing her not calming down, Navya made her stop her little parade and made her face her. She made Nandini look in her eyes and asked, 'What happened? Who was that on the phone?' Nandini looked in Navya's eyes and said, 'M...Manik. It was Manik. It was definitely him.'

Aryaman was confused and said, 'What?' Mukti said, 'Look Nandini. This is not funny, okay? I have told you before also, don't joke about Manik and Cabir.' Dhruv agreed with Mukti and said, 'Yes, Nandini, even I agree with Mukti. Please don't joke about this. How could it possibly be Manik?'

Nandini gave an exasperated sigh and turned to them, 'You really think I would joke about something like this? Trust me guys, it was Manik. I can recognise his voice anywhere and anyhow.'

Alya came up and said, 'Maybe you recognise his voice but remember what happened last time? When Maddy came? His voice resembles Manik's so much that all of us thought that it was Manik singing. Are you totally sure it was Manik? It could be another one of that Maddy's sick plans.'

Dhruv said, 'I agree with her. We can't trust that guy. And with all that has he has been doing, this could be his doing. Remember, how he taunted you about the phone call?' Everyone nodded in agreement.

Navya told Nandini, 'Yes Nandini. They are right. Either you have had some misunderstanding or this is that Maddy's work.' Hearing all her friends, Nandini also got a bit doubtful. Her brain and her heart were in a conflict. Her brain told her that her friends were right and that she should listen to them. But her heart was not ready to listen to any logic. It said that it was Manik on the phone, it was his voice that she had heard and the feeling that she got yesterday, that connection, it had to be Manik.

Frustrated, she turned away from them and let out a sigh covering her mouth with one hand. Navya exchanged a worried look with Aryaman. Aryaman gave an assuring nod. He went and stood in front of Nandini and said, 'Nandini, I think you should go home. Go and get some rest. We'll see into this matter later. Okay? Now go.' Saying this he made her turn towards the door. Soon Navya was by her side and said, 'Come I'll take you home.'

They started walking towards the door. Halfway towards it, Nandini's phone started ringing. Expectantly, she looked at her phone's screen. It was another unknown number but a different one. Confused, she received the call and spoke in the phone, 'Hello.' She had expected that either there would be silence on the other side or she would hear Manik's voice. But contrary to her expectation, the voice on the other side was that of quite an elderly man. She saw the rest of her friends motioning her to keep the phone on the speaker. She removed the phone from her ears and put it on speaker.