Kuch na kaha!
Manik is busy with cousins and dadi. Manik went around the village. He went to see his dad’s friends and greeted them. Took some gifts for them. Manik went gurudwara and bowed his head. Served people there. He cooked food. Evening he returned back. Night he has to be fasting to do rituals for death ceremony.
“All day you roam here and there returns home late and today you can’t take food. Why do you do all this? I prepared somany varieties for you.” Dadi is shouting
“I too prepared food for people in mandir. Today I went to gurudwara to serve people.”Manik replied
“O my bacha! You are best as always I love you munna! May god bless you with all happiness”
“I found my happiness. Now you give me some fruits and milk.”
“Ok I will bring”
“Bro why do you do all those things? In village we have an image which we can’t loose at any coast” Pranav warned
“No veerji! I just want to roam”
“Ok ok take care. We have many rivals you are hot cake for them as you are from city”
“Ok veerji I will take care”
Pranav tapped his back and went in.
Next day it’s time for rituals. Manik performed all with concentration. He then served food for poor then he had food. Night again he had fasting. Whole day he did not see sadana.
Here Nandini is missing Manik badly. She went to meet mukhti so that she can find out when will Manik return.
Mukhti and cabir are sitting in canteen.
“Without Manik college is boring” mukhti said
“I am missing him too”
“Cabir did you notice Nandini? She is coming out of her silence and timid nature. She mingled with all of us. That day we all enjoyed a lot”
“She came out mukhti. I think manik’s Magic worked and we list bet.”
“Yes yaar! We have to praise him for this. It’s only Manik who can do this. Non other. Arey a girl like nandu who hardly speaks now is asking me directly that when will Manik return. Unbelievable. Hats off” mukhti said
Both laughed.
“But what ever it is Manik won the bet we lost”
“Yes I agree”
“When is he returning? Any idea?”cabir asked
“May be this time early.”
“Why so wild guess?”
“He might be missing nandu”
“Pihu!”
“Why Manik call nandu as Pihu!”
“No idea”
“Get an idea cabir grow up”
“Ok meri ma”
They paid bill and walked to class.
Manik is missing nandini but he don’t want to call her and give her trouble. Sadana came to Manik in normal dress. Her eyes are swollen, lips bulged and face came out which shows that she cried all night. Manik got angry but he is calm. He too missed his dad but crying can’t make things normal and sadana with tears, makes Manik wild.
“Dadi said we returning tomm? Why?”
“I want to see Pihu!” Manik said it directly
“Devadas ???”
“So we are going”
“But dadi is crying”
“Even after a month if say iam leaving she will do same so ignore”
“Ok your wish”
Manik’s mind is full of nandini. When she came running and hugged him was his heart throb one.
Manik and sadana returned back. Next morning Manik came to college eagerly. He want to see nandini, touch her, hug her tight, kiss her. Manik went to her class. Piya and nandini are missing. He waited for a long time. Searched whole college but no where they are.
“Mukhti did you see Pihu?”
“Oho majnu! Pihu! Acha! She asked me daily. Ya since two days I didnot see her.”
“What?”
“Ya Manik! I didnot see her?”
“Shitt” “did you see piya?”
“No but let me check in washroom also”
Both checked total college. No where is nandini.
“Shit Manik it’s out of my mind. Actually daily for three days ahe enquired about you but all of sudden from two days she didn’t come. May be iam busy and she might so I didnot give much attention.”
“Do one thing mukhti! Can we both go to her house?”
“Ok let’s go”
Mukhti and Manik went to nandini’s house.
Mukhti went in alone so that nothing specific might be felt by nandini’s parents.
“Namasta aunty iam mukhti nandu’s friend where is nandu?”
“What happened to her I don’t know but she is totally silent and became sick. She is not sharing anything with me can you please find out?”
“Sure” mukhti went to her room.
Seeing mukhti nandini’s eyes filled with tears.
“Nandu! What happened? Why are you so horrible?”
“Nothing” nandini said wiping her tears.
“Manik came. He is out of your house come out”
“No mam! I don’t want to……. See” nandini started crying
“What happened you first say me what ever it is”
“Nothing please mam I want to be alone”
“Please nandu”
“Nothing” nandini is crying
Mukhti came out and said it to manik
Manik want to run in and hold her but he didnot. Both went away. Nandini came running to balcony but Manik left. She cried more.
Manik went home and waited to get night. He is impulsive. “What would happen? Did Anurag harassed? Did that goonds? Anything else? O my god! Iam going mad.”Manik is roaming here and there.
He looked at watch it’s 10pm
“Sadana Iam going, stay here mukhti with her. Cabir chal”
Manik and cabir reached nandini’s house they went back and opened a foldable ladder and Manik walked to terrace. He came down slowly to balcony and checked each room. One room is girlish but nandu is missing. He went in and checked its nandu’s books and dresses. He relaxed and waited for her. After ten mins of waiting she came in. Manik is standing in balcony. So that she may not scared at once.
Nandini is sad. Went to washroom and came out. Took her dress and and started to remove the one which she is wearing. Manik entered and closed her mouth first.
“Pihu! It’s me. Please don’t shout”
Nandini lost her heart beat and tears flowed on her cheeks
Manik came front and made her sit in bed and he sat on chair
“Now say what happened? What ever it is, I will look after just say”
Nandini is running her hands and leaned her face
Manik took her chin and held it up.
“Pihu! Please say it. Anurag?”
Nandini nodded no
“Goonds of bus stop?”
No
“Then?”
Nandini looked sharply
“You are angry on me?”
Nandini eyes leaned down
“Why?”
Nandini is silent
“If you don’t say the matter how will I?” “Thank god it’s not something else. If it’s in between us it’s relief. You know how tensed iam? From morning I am dying. Anyhow say what made you cry?”
Nandini didnot talk. Manik went impatient
“Pihu! Say it”
She is still silent
“If you don’t say I will ….. I will kiss you”
Nandini looked sharply
“Fine bad joke. Please Pihu! You know just to see you I came early and you are not talking. My sona! Say it?”
“You did all this for bet?”nandini started to cry again
“What the hell? Who said it?”
“I listened it from mukhti mam and cabir sir. You had bet me. Now you won. Everything over”
Manik mind flashed. “Shitt”
Nandini is crying.
Manik hugged her tight. Nandini is fighting to get free from her but Manik didn’t leave her. After fighting for sometime nandini gave up. She started to cry again this time intensity increased a lot.
“Shhhhhhh! Now listen, when I proposed to you, you said ‘no’ yes, same way before I recognize its love, I made a bet that I will make you normal as all in our college by let your confidence gain on yourself. I didnot bet on our relation. Pihu! You are my precious angel who made me feel that I too need love. I too can make some love me. I can’t forget that smile and sparkles. You are an innocent and pure hearted angel. I will never let you down promise.”
“That means you really love me? You didn’t prank on me?”
“No! Never!”
Nandini hugged him so tight that she was to just grab him from this universe. Manik got tears.
“I love you Pihu forever hamesha”
Nandini looked at him with charm. Her tears turned to smile, her heart is beating normal. She is flying in air. Manik can feel her happiness.
“Pihu!” Sharada called
“Go Pihu! Eat well. I will meet you again tomm. Gn”
“Bye! Gn”
Manik carefully came back.