Of friendship, love and obsession. ~OS Gallery~ New OS added, pg 5

The next day was better...and worse.

After learning about Mukti's suicide attempt last night, he felt shameful. There he was busy wallowing in his own grief, not bothering to contact others or taking their calls.And here Mukti was going to take such an extreme step! How was he any better than a narcissist moron who just loves being the leader of a group with little to no concern for his 'followers?'

It was better because he felt somewhat lighter after the outburst regarding Dhruv's behaviour, it was better as at least the four of them were not fighting amongst each other and Mukti has promised never to do what she was about to do.

It was worse because even now, he just couldn't bring himself to melt at Aalya's words of comfort, it was worse because he was no closer to knowing who did that cheap thing of sending goons, it was worse because Dhruv hadn't shown up yet, nor was he taking calls from him.

And Nandini Moorthy was nowhere to be seen.

He reminded himself that it was his doing. It was his decision. He wanted to believe that everything will be all right as she will no longer be a part of this college. But he wasn't too sure of his heart accepting that explanation.

He called Dhruv's mom who informed him that Dhruv has left for college. Ok, that sounded all right. But somehow it didn't.

He waited and waited for his buddy to show up, but impatience got the better of him.

He went to the gates when the scene before him stopped him in his tracks. There she was! Nandini stood outside the premises talking to Navya. He saw her hug Navya and take an auto. He had little time to rejoice the fact that it wasn't Harshad she was hugging when something clicked in his mind.

Is she going to meet Dhruv? Is that's what keeping him from coming?

He didn't wait to think logically. He'd NEVER thought logically to begin with.

And so, like the obsessed stalker that he has become in the recent past, he started to follow the auto she had taken.

He didn't realize he was behaving like Dhruv as well, putting so little faith in his friendship, wrongly thinking that he'd chose to spend time with Nandini instead of coming to college.

The auto stopped at a cafe. He saw RED. So...now she's started to go on dates with him? The very thought made him breathe heavily.

He strutted into the cafe and saw her sitting at an empty table. The monster inside him resurfaced with full force!

'You are waiting for Dhruv, aren't you?' He demanded while keeping a tight hold on her arms. He ignored the look of confusion that coloured her face followed with her pleas to not create a scene here. He couldn't care less...he was mad at the moment!

That's when he heard the sharp voice of a woman who had Nandini's attention at once. He turned to look at a middle-aged lady looking at them angrily.

'If you have a boyfriend problem, forget about the interview' she stated looking at Nandini. It was Maanik's turn to get confused. Interview?

She went on about something else but Nandini cut her in between, 'No ma'am we're not fighting. We love each other!'

If his respiratory organs weren't working normally when he arrived here, it was nowhere close to the condition that they were in at the very moment.

He stopped breathing altogether!

His heart-beats became irrational at the word 'love'. He looked at her as if she has used an expletive in Pig Latin.

Add to that, it was Nandini who held his arm tightly. His brain went fuzzy. He doesn't remember the last time he'd felt like this. The words of the manager lady seem to be coming from somewhere far off. Nothing registered in his head except 'we love each other'

Nandini brought him back to reality when she turned to look at him and let her eyes do that unfair beseeching once again. He snapped back.

So, she was faking it for this stupid job?

And then he was mad at himself. OF COURSE SHE WAS FAKING IT! What was he thinking?

He tried wriggling his arms free from her grip, she just kept on pleading with her eyes. Finally he freed himself and let her do whatever it was she came here to do.

He saw that the lady manager leave and wondered why would Nandini need a job in a place like this? She was better than that.

He toned his voice down to try and talk to her. May be he'll be able to figure it out if he's being nice enough.

But the moment he did that, she just walked off! That came as a blow to his already bruised ego as he was the one to say 'Goodbye...forever' and now it was him whose actions contradicted everything he'd said.

He again grabbed hold of her, his former rage resurfacing in full flow!

It was her turn to question him 'What's your PROBLEM Maanik?' She demanded.

I'm trying to figure that out as well.

'You expelled me from college, fine. Now here I am, trying to sort out my life on my own, you're trying to ruin it as well. WHY can't you just LET ME BE?'

Trust me...I tried.

'I HAD to come here...because of Dhruv' there...brilliant excuse!

'He's your 'BEST FRIEND', you should be knowing about him'. Another blow.

'He is my best friend or he was, I don't know, point is he hasn't shown up in college whereas according to his mother, he'd left for college' this time it was his genuine concern for Dhruv speaking out loud. He felt fear churn his stomach. What is something had happened to him?

Nandini's expressions changed with his words as well.

'Here' she said, handing out her water bottle. He turned to look at it angrily. 'Every time I become emotional for Rishabh...' she started but Maanik cut her in the middle 'You think I'm getting emotional?' he wanted to intimidate her with his demeanour to hide the fact that she was right on target!

'It's not a CRIME to get emotional' she retorted back. 'The only emotion you seem to have is ANGER! You're filled with anger!'

Another astute observation! She was one of a kind. She always hit the core of things whereas he was always fumbling around the edges.

She adamantly held out the bottle in front of his face, pouting.

His fingers twitched at that sight. Again he was mad at himself for allowing that girl to have such a huge level of influence over him!

'Your boyfriend Maanik, he is obsessed with Nandini'

He took the bottle from her and instead of showing some decency on his part by drinking the water, he tried pouring it on her.

'Not anymore Maanik Malhotra' she grabbed hold of his hand and stopped him.

'So...Miss Moorthy has grown teeth' The monster inside him smirked in anticipation.

"Stars Dance" by Selena Gomez