Chapter 37
Part 37 – Time for Graduation
It was graduation night, meaning celebration and parties. This year, Manthan was having a special party at his house where all the graduating students were coming. Of course being a Virani, he had to make the party lavishing and grand. But the most important thing about this party was the fact that Nisha was going to be there. Manthan had lost on many opportunities to tell Nisha the truth. But today was going to be different, he promised himself. Today, he would make sure he told Nisha what he felt for her. And to make sure he'd do it, he'd invited so many people. They were all going to be witnesses' to this confession.
Manthan looked at himself in the mirror on last time. Perfect, he thought after adjusting the tie the millionth time. His entire afternoon had been spent in just getting ready. He heard door bells ringing from the living room. He smiled. Time for confessions. Once downstairs, he looked at the mob of people. Everyone from college he knew was there. Everyone except Nisha. He cornered his cousin Eklavya.
M: Eklavya, you know where Isha and Nisha are?
E: Yeah, I'm going to call them up. They said they were going to be here in an hour. But -
Just then, Isha came inside accompanied by her sister, Nisha. Both girls looked spectacular. Isha had chosen to wear a nice blue dress with diamond studs that Eklavya had given to her especially for the graduation party as a graduation gift. She was so glad she was finally done with college. Nisha of course was wearing her usual salwar kurta. But today she looked a little different, though Manthan. Maybe it was that her hair was out of her usual pony tail or maybe it as the fact that she had no books in her arms. Whatever it was, she looked perfect. Manthan called a waiter over and gave him a note to give to Nisha.
M: Yeh, woh ladki ko dena. Aur usse pata naihn hona chaiye key eh note Manthan ne diya hai, ok?
The waiter nodded and gave he note to Nisha. Nisha was surprised by the note. She looked around to see who gave her the note. But nobody was looking at her, smiling at her, waving at her or even looking at her. Weird, she thought. She opened the note and read it out to herself.
"Nisha,
Meet me at the roof at 9. Kuch Dil ki Baath kehni thi.
Meri khatir.
Yours…"
No signature? She had an anonymous letter? Ok, weirder. Isha bent over and read the letter too. Just then she caught Manthan's eye. Oh, so this was her secret admirer, Isha thought as she leaned over and read the letter from her sister's hands.
N: Isha, asise kya dekh rahi ho?
I: At 9 you're going to see Manthan up stairs.
N: You mean Manthan wrote this?
I: Oh, come on di! Don't be so nave! Look at him! He's so nervous, he keeps looking here and he's not talking to anyone else! Clear signs of the fact that he wrote this note!
N: (Happily) Really?
I: Yes! Now go and ask him to dance!!
Nisha and Isha approached Manthan and Eklavya. Isha nudged her sister towards Manthan but Nisha didn't do anything. "Ask him!" Isha mouthed to her sister. But fortunately, Manthan was the one who asked for the dance.
M: Nisha, you want to dance?
N: Sure…
Isha pulled Eklavya to the dance floor. Both couples were happily slow dancing in each other's dance. After the slow songs were over, they all pulled apart. Manthan slowly let go of Nisha's waist and whispered something in her ears.
M: I have a gift for you…
N: Really? What is it?
M: You'll find the out when time comes.
Manthan winked at her and left. Nisha smiled to herself. What more clues did she need to learn the fact that he was her anonymous writer? She waited until the clock struck nine. When it finally did, she went to the location she was supposed to meet Mystery Man at. As she approached the steps, she heard distant voices. Manthan?
M: Look, Sarika, I told you, it was a mistake. I never meant that! I swear I was just a mistake. I didn't mean to do anything that night! I was so drunk and drugged and God knows what! Please, just forget about it and move on!
Nisha stood there shocked at Manthan's words. She slowly crept up the stairs.
N: (In a weak voice) Manthan?
Manthan was shocked. He turned around to face Nisha's tearful eyes. She looked at him and then at Sarika and ran back down the stairs. Crap, Manthan thought.
M: Nisha! Wait!!
S: Manthan, she's gone! Now you know who really loves you? Manthan I know that night meant more to you than you're telling me! Don't lie to me!
M: Sarika! Come here. (Gets something out of this pocket) See this? This was the ring I was going to propose her with today! And you came a ruined it all! For God sake, Sarika! Just leave me alone! It was a mistake, alright! Nothing more than a mistake! I'm sorry but you'll find somebody much better than me!
Sarika started crying and left Manthan all alone. Manthan sighed. He ran downstairs and asked everyone if they had seen Nisha. Nobody had.
Nisha sat by the pool all alone. Manthan had played a big fat joke with her. All those times they had spent together meant nothing to him. Nothing! All those times she thought he'd been trying to say something, he actually hadn't. All those times she felt like hugging him and that nervousness he felt when he was around – Manthan felt none of that! To him their friendship had been a joke. A big fat joke! She cried silently and thought of all the moments they had spent together. There had been moments where she was sure he was trying to tell her something. Dil ki baath. He had written dil ki baath on the note. So this was his dil ki baath? He wanted her to come up to the roof and see that he had spent the night with that girl, Sarika? God! How could she have ever liked such a guy! She knew he was different! But she never thought he'd ever break her heart! With each tear, she felt as if a person was slicing her heart into pieces. Why had she fallen so hard for him if all she had to see was this day? God know how many girls he's spent nights with. Who knows how many girls he flirted with! She continued crying until she could taste the salt of her tears. Emotions welled up inside of her – anger, frustration, disbelief, and last of all – fear. Fear of losing someone she really loved. When she was small, her father had left her mother. After a few years her mother had died and left them. Now, Isha was getting married and she was leaving her too. Today, Manthan had left her.
A waiter came up to her and asked if she wanted any drinks. She took the whole tray from him. She sat there staring at the glasses and goblets filled with liquor. Her eyes were burning from the salt of her tears. She took the first glass with a shaky hand and gulped it all down. It felt bitter but that didn't stop her at all. After the third one, she drained another, then another and then another until she lost count. She got up and stabled herself. She couldn't walk in a straight line. Neither could she think properly. She went to the driveway. She saw Manthan's bike. At first, she felt like pushing over his beloved bike. But then she remembered what he had said to her once, "Just relax and fly let the wind take you away," She looked in the pouch of the bike and found the key. She turned it on and accelerated. Now, she was not scared of the bike. She had nothing to fear of. She raced against the wind, her vision blurring from the tears and her head aching from the liquor she's had. She drove until she could remember herself screaming and finally a white light taking all her little conscious self away. She had gotten into an accident.
-Pooja
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
9 Comments