Kuch na kaha

New place for meeting

Manik is still weak. It's two days still struggling with weakness. So he is staying back at home. He want to meet Nandini badly but stopped himself when Manik expressed his love, sadana instructed him to be patient.

Nandini being so scary may be take time to dissolve these things, so I shouldn't be impatient. But just wishing me morning and evening, taking lunch won't work out, I need to talk to her alone prepare her to understand my feelings. I have to get a place for this. Where???? A coffee shop?? No she won't be comfortable and daily coffee shop bad idea. Here home???? No we won't lone time, then????

All the day he was thinking but didn't strike any one.

Next day Manik came to college, he is waiting for Nandini. To his surprise Nandini is on her new dark pink Vespa piya sitting back. Seeing Manik she stopped, removed her helmet and wished him morning. Manik is surprised, a big smile dancing on his lips

"How are you sir?" Piya asked
Manik ignored it, he want Nandini to ask that question, piya being sharp understood it and poked Nandini
"Congratulations for your winning game" she hesitatingly gave her hand to shake, Manik sharply took it. "Thank you, new bike, awesome"
"Dad asked you three guys for treat if you are ok and free.. you are invited"
"Dad wants not you?"
"No no I to want to give you treat"
"Why? Mukthi was the one who worked on you"
"But it was you....... who ...... insisted"
"Threatened" he corrected
She smiled
"Piya!!! Your friend knows smiling???"Nandini smiled more
"Ok... if you insist but I want something rather than treat, as it's for mukthi"
Nandini looked straight waiting for his demand
"Here back side of college there is woods place I park my bike there you too can. I think you guys are free at 2 to3 can you alone come there to spend some time with me? If you trust me?"
Nandini eyes widened again fear engulfed her
Piya smiled "smart move" she complemented
Manik is tensed he is not sure she will agree

"But... alone...... why.......?"
"I won't eat you, so you are coming I will wait for you piya sorry for steeling your friend for an hour"
"Never mind Manik"
Manik ran to class

Nandini after parking bike where Manik insisted, turned to piya "what was that smart move??? I didn't get you? And why did sir call me alone??? I can't go please company me"
"Nandu!!!! In life at particular point you need to walk all alone it is you who have to give company to yourself. Life is so beautiful give it chance to cherish you smile be happy you deserve best. About Manik if you don't like him or he miss behaves, or you feel uncomfortable just say it I will make sure that you will never face him but give him one chance"
"But...."
"Nandu acha I will come till here you take few steps to reach him alone"
"Ok but what will do there?"
"Nothing just listen to him, ok don't over think just flow with it, come let's go to class"
Nandini is nervous but listening about class she walked with her.

When all sitting in canteen for lunch Manik observed the change of behavior in Nandini towards Cabir and Mukthi. Specially Cabir, she is serving her box to him taking good care of him, calling bhai. Specially her eyes they are bright as a lanter. Manik felt happy. Even Mukthi she is talking sweetly.
"Bacha it's only you a villain over here whom she avoid talking or taking care" he patted himself with pity
"What happened??? Why this self pity?" Cabir asked
"Nothing go on with your sis bro bonding, I am no where just a appendix for you guys"
"Appendix??? Being with cabir you to became typical sarcastic docter" mukthi chuckled
All smiled
"Jealous??? Shit Malhotra???? She is my sister"
"Shut up I am not jealous of relation I am jealous time she sharing with you ignoring me"
Nandini looked at him.
Manik is staring at her.
A small eye lock happened but not giving much time she again look down
After a long debate on jealous they left to class.

Manik is waiting at woods place. It's been ten mins
"She forgot? Not interested? Any other situation? Scared??? Avoiding? O god these questions?"
He stood near her Vespa looked at it, "good choice, dark pink??? Even matching helmet?? So likes pink no dark pink. Yureka Manik Malhotra you found new invention you know her favorite color, good going" he heard twinkling sound of payal. His eyes moved that side where sounding is coming.
It's Nandini "so she wears payal?" He smiled.
She is taking baby steps clutching her dress corner tight. Manik lips parted to smile.
She looked at him, he smiled. She tried to but.... couldn't her heart is playing drums roaring may be all her surroundings can hear it

Manik took her wrist and made her sit on a log, he took opposite place on rock face her.
"So you came, I thought you won't"
She didn't reply. Her head is buried down
"Look at me" she did
"Calm down, breath" she did
"Nothing is going to happen not nothing will happen, we will just talk so relax"
She smiled slightly
"Good, you Vespa is good I liked it, you like pink?"
"Yes"
"When did you buy?"
"Four days back dad booked it after you people went away, it was delivered four days back"
This is first time she spoke so long sentence with Manik
"Driving well?"
"First day dad was with me, I returned with piya so I am ok"
"Good. So...." Manik want to say many things ask many but he want to feel this moment
"How is your health?"
"Fit and fine I just had viral now ok"
Again silence
Nandini is just playing with log which she sitting
"Are you still scared of me?"
Nandini looked at him "I don't know?"
He smiled. "Ok say me what exactly happens when you see me?"
"Means?" She asked confusingly
"Means??? Aaa like heart beats fast, sweat in palm, feeling shy, want to see but can't"
"Aaaa all happens even I get fear to look at you"
"Exactly fear or shy?"
"Don't know"she is genuinely answering
"Ok anything more?"
"I am little comfortable still scared"
"Ok you will over come after some time"
She nodded
"Will visit my place sadana want to see you"
"Who is sadana????"
"My mother, I will address her by name actually when we lost my dad we became friends she is too friendly my best friend closer than any one."
"Can you please bring her to treat?"
"Of course she will, I will never leave her alone she has to be there with us all time every where when we are apart like tour last week it make me suffocating. Dad left us we all alone I don't want her to be more lonely"
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"Yes"
"You lost your dad still...... you are happy? Smiling laughing how???"
Manik looked at her his voice got pain "it's not that I don't miss him or forgot him, it pains, it hurts a lot still I can't loose sadana, she living for me if not she would have taken her life when we lost dad, she is working to fulfill my needs and dreams, she is living for me, how can I give more pain by being sad and always missing dad. She too miss him, he was her husband her life her everything still she is smiling for me, then what am I supposed to do? Just be happy so that she feel like to live more with me for me. I even feel like it me who killed my dad if on that I was not stubborn for my toy my dad would have been with me always but sadana argued saying it's destiny either this way or other life span of dad was only for that day so, I don't want her to sad" he is drown in emotional rift. A sobbing sound dragged him out
Nandini is crying badly "aaaa pihu!!!! It's ok don't be so emotional"
"I want to go home, I want to say sorry to my parents, what I am doing is wrong so so wrong I want to see them" she crying hugging his waist keeping her head on his stomach wetting his shirt
"Ok we will stop crying" he is trying to convince but she is stubborn
"I beg you sir please"
Manik took her home all the way she is crying and asking him drive fast
Manik tried hard to convince but she is vulnerable he is hell worried
They reached, Nandini without wasting a moment ran to her mom shouting and hugged her crying badly
"Pihu!!!!! What happened bacha??? Did any one do anything?" She is shocked
"Ma!!! I am sorry ma, I am troubling you and papa with my behavior since long time I am sorry I am sorry"
Sharada took almost five mins to understand what she is saying, she came back to her senses hugged daughter with smile wiping her tears and Nandini's
Manik left them alone came back.