Kismat Connection

Part 9

Mukti was taken aback at Cabir's sudden revelation.

        Mukti : "What?!"

        Mukti reacted exactly as Cabir had expected.

        Cabir (pretending to show concern) : "What happened to you Mukti?"

        Mukti realized that she over reacted and tried to behave normal.

        Mukti : "Nothing... nothing at all."

        Alya (whispering) : "I think Cabir is just trying to pull your leg, so calm down."

        Alya : "What is Cabir talking about Abhi?"

        Abhi explained everything once again.

        Alya (whispering) : "See I told you. There is nothing to worry. Abhi hates villagers, so she is no threat to you."

        After calming down Mukti, Alya thought about Abhi's situation and started giving him suggestions.

        Alya : "Abhi, I understand how you are feeling. The villager might stay at the same house and attend the same college, but that doesn't mean that you have to interact with her. You maintain distance from her, a lot of distance."

        Cabir (whispering) : "Manik, won't you talk in favor of the village girl now."

        Manik (whispering) : "I am not a fool. Apne pyro pe kulhadi nahi marna mujhe. (I don't want to shoot myself in the foot.)"

        A wicked idea came into Alya's mind.

        Alya : "Actually, I have a better idea. She is going to be a fresher at our college. We can rag on and torture her so much that forget about staying at your place, she will run away from this college and this city too."

        Mukti : "That's a good idea. Abhi doesn't have to tolerate her for long then."

        Mukti agreed because she felt the presence of another girl in Abhi's life as a threat to her.

        Manik didn't want to talk in favor of the village girl in front of Alya, but he couldn't keep quiet when Alya proposed her idea. So, he put forward his thoughts addressing the whole group without pinpointing at Alya or talking in favor of the village girl.

        Manik : "Let me make it clear now itself that I am not going to be a part of it. You have no idea how much of effort a person has to put in to get a scholarship in our college. It might be a major milestone towards achieving the dream of their lifetime."

        Manik : "Also, let me remind you that we don't mess up with anyone's  life unnecessarily. If someone crosses our path and gets into our bad books, then it is an altogether different case, we don't spare them. I am not ready to target someone, for being a villager and staying at Abhi's house, and make their life miserable."

        Manik's response was based on a combination of a few facts. First, he had an idea of how things work at their college because he was the trustee's son. Secondly, he had met Nandini who is also a village girl who wishes to study and he had an idea of the issues she was facing. Third, it was a principle that their group had been following.

        Cabir knew Manik well enough to understand his thoughts. Dhruv was the most considerate person in their group with respect to outsiders. Though Abhi hated villagers, he didn't want to torture someone to get rid of them. So all the boys agreed with Manik. The girls had to give up the thoughts of torturing the village girl for now.

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        At Nandini's house, a few days before reopening of the college,