Reunion?

Part 4

Nandini came out of her thoughts when Navya came and hugged her.

Navya : "How are you Nandu? You went to London and forgot us."

Nandini : "How can I forget you? Sorry, I just couldn't keep in touch. I got busy with my studies and part time job."

Nandini : "How are you? How is your son? When can I meet him?"

Navya : "We both are fine. He is with his grandmother. You can meet him when ever you want to."

Nandini : "Did your parents accept you and your son?"

Navya : "No, they didn't. By grandmother, I meant my would-be mother-in-law."

Nandini : "Congrats! Who is the lucky one? When are you going to introduce him?"

Navya : "I and my son are lucky to have him in our life. You know him already."

Nandini : "Who?"

Navya : "Cabir."

Cabir came to Navya and joined their conversation. Navya left from there after sometime, leaving Cabir and Nandini together.

Nandini : "Thanks Cabir! You gave a new life to Navya by accepting her and her son."

Cabir : "Don't thank me. I liked Navya from before, but she fell for Harshad before I could convey my feelings to her. Later, I felt that it wasn't right to say anything to her in the situation she was in. Finally, everything fell in place and she agreed to marry me."

Next, Nandini met Mukti and Abhimanyu.

Nandini : "How are you? It looks like everything is sorted between you and Abhimanyu."

Mukti : "Yes, we are together now. Abhimanyu left me because he was diagnosed with cancer, and he wanted me to move on. He didn't say anything before he left, so I misunderstood him. He came back and explained everything after he was cured."

Mukti and Abhimanyu moved on to meet other friends. Nandini began to think about Mukti's past.

After Mukti was dumped by Harshad, she had started taking drugs. Abhimanyu came into Mukti's life and Mukti started believing in love once again. She stopped taking drugs on Abhimanyu's request, but Abhimanyu broke up with her one day and left the city. Mukti would have gone into depression, but Nandini and Navya came to her support. Nandini was glad that both her friends, who had suffered in the past, were happy now.

Nandini saw Manik and Alya entering the venue together. A mangalsutra (ornament worn by married women) adorned Alya's neck. Alya was about to trip and fall, but Manik held her from falling.

Manik : "Careful Alya! Mom won't spare me if something happens to you."

Alya had delivered her daughter recently, so Nyonika didn't want Alya to stress herself unnecessarily. She let Alya go to the reunion after Manik assured Nyonika that he would take good care of her.

Nandini moved away from the gathering, and she went and sat on a bench.

Nandini's thoughts : "I was the one who broke up with him, and wanted him to move on. He has moved on and I should be happy for him, but I am feeling sad seeing him with Alya. I knew this was bound to happen, but still my heart is hurting."

Nandini began to reminisce her moments with Manik.

Flashback

Nandini had met Manik for the first time at the airport, but she hadn't seen him then. 

Few days later,

Nandini saw a puppy in the middle of the road, and she crossed the road to save it. Manik was rushing on his bike, but he applied breaks immediately when he saw a girl in the middle of the road. His bike skid and he fell down. Nandini left the puppy on the footpath. She then saw Manik, who was wearing a helmet. She couldn't see his face, because the helmet's face shield was dark in color. Nandini came to him and helped him to get up.

Nandini : "What happened? How did you fall?"

Manik : "I saw you in the middle of the road and applied breaks suddenly. The bike skid and I fell down."

Nandini : "Sorry. I was trying to save the puppy. You ended up getting hurt because of me."

Nandini noticed that Manik's hand was bleeding. She took water from her bag and washed his wound. She then dried the wound, covered it with her handkerchief and tied it.

Nandini : "Will you be able to drive? Should I get an auto for you?"

Manik : "I can drive, thanks for asking."

Nandini : "Please don't thank me. You are in this situation because of me. Sorry once again."

Manik : "It's alright."

Manik recognized Nandini, but Nandini hadn't seen him once again.

A few days after Nandini started going to college, Harshad and his gang stopped Nandini. They wanted to rag on her. Nandini was scared. Manik who was passing by saw her and came to Harshad. Nandini thought that Manik was another senior joining their group to rag on her.

Manik (whispered in Harshad's ear) : "Don't rag on her, let her go."

Harshad : "You can leave."

Nandini left from there immediately, but she figured out that Manik had helped her. That was the first time that Nandini actually saw Manik.

Manik's family and Harshad's family were family friends. There were talks that Harshad's sister, Alya, would be marrying into Malhotra's family, after Alya completes her studies. Harshad didn't want to get in Malhotra's bad books, so he didn't go against Manik.

It was freshers party, and dance was one of the events. The girls were asked to pick a number from one jar, and the boys from another. Navya forced Nandini to participate though she wasn't interested. The girls had to read their number first, and the boy with the same number would be their dance partner. Nandini read her number and Cabir was supposed to be her partner, but Manik exchanged his number with Cabir.

Cabir : "Isn't she the same girl you were eyeing at the airport? What is cooking in your mind?"

Manik : "Nothing. It is issue of my self respect."

Cabir : "What do you mean by that?"

Manik : "Weren't you the one who told me that some girls ogle at me and will rape me with their eyes? Have you thought of what would happen if I end up with someone like that." 

Manik : "She definitely isn't one of them, so I will be safe with her."

Cabir : "How can you be so confident?"

Manik : "She herself is nervous about this dance. So, there is no way she will lay hands on me in that sense."

Flashback continues....