Chapter 43
Alone...
"Hello?? haan bete...achcha abhi deta hoon phone Nandini ko...yehi pe hi hai" Chacha said with a smile on his face looking at Nandini.
Nandini walked up to chacha and he handed over the receiver to Nandini. "Tere liye call hai" Murthy said handing over the receiver as he walked to sit on the dining table. Shanno started placing the container of rotis, vegetable kuruma and looked at Nandini.
Nandini placed the receiver on her ear as her heart beat faster than ever.
'Hello??" Nandini whispered looking away.
"Nanduuu.." Nandini heard the whisper of the voice she had been waiting for. "Did you sleep well?" Manik asked with a little smile on his face. Manik was sitting on his sofa after bath. His hair was dried up now as he had blow-dried his hair.
"Hello..Manik?" Nandini whispered cupping the receiver with her palm. "Tumne itne subah subah kyon call kiye?"
"Subah subah?? Look at the time! It's already past 8! It's been almost 9 hours and I'm missing you already..Nandu..." Manik said with a lost look in his eyes.
"Missing me already?? Kyon?? I mean..tumhaare saath main poori shaam thi kal na?" Nandini asked with a curious look in her eyes.
"You know...I wish poori raat hoti...agar tum mere paas hoti..tho baatein karta bahut saari tumse...half our time yesterday even was spent in saying sorries..saying thank you..but we didn't talk enough also..." Manik said pouting his lips a bit.
"Poori raat?? Aiyappa...ye ladka aakhir kya chahta hai?? Kyon mujhse aise baatein kar raha hai?" Nandini thought as her breathing grew faster. Manik heard Nandini's breath fall upon the mouthpiece and a smile spread over his face.
"Tumne bhi mujhe miss kiya na?? waise..kal raat tumhaare sapne main...main aaya tha ke Parth Samthaan?" Manik asked with a teasing tone.
"Dono nahi aaye the!" Nandini said with a frown on her face.
"Kyon?? Soyi nahi kya?" Manik asked his smile grew bigger.
"Soyi thi naaa...kyon nahi so jaaongi?? Bahut achche se soyi thi!" Nandini said as she noticed her image on the glass of the window. Her eyes were slightly red from sleeplessness.
"Haan...tum tho so jaaoogi...mere khayaal kyon aayenge tumko...main hi tha..jo hamare mulaqat ke baare main sochta raha..." Manik whispered in a disappointed tone.
Manik was thinking about me? Ayyappa...does he consider me special?? Nandini thought as she turned around to see Shanno chachi passing a gaze as she sat with chacha to have breakfast.
"Manik...abhi mere college jaane ka time ho raha hai...mujhe naashta bhi karna hai.." Nandini said suddenly.
"Hmm...ok...tho pakka tumne achche se soye the?" Manik asked once again.
"Haan soye the!" Nandini replied affirmatively.
"Achcha..phir ok! Sunday ko milte hai...miss your Manik..All the best for your first day in SPACE!" Manik said with a gentle smile on his face.
"Ok..thanks Manik!" Nandini said as she heard the phone go cut on the other side.
Nandini walked thoughtfully back to sit on the table. Shanno was having a little smile on her face.
"Ayyappa...Manik aakhir kya chahta hai?? Kal raat ke neend churaa liye..abhi classes main kaise concentrate kar paaoongi??" Nandini thought as she looked at the plate in front of her with 2 rotis and kurma in it.
"Nanduu..pehle tu Rishabh ko tho laa na?? Kahan hai Rishu?" Shanno asked and noticed Rishabh come down the stairs.
"Chacha..par Rishu ke admission ke liye bhi tho aapko Rishu ko leke jaana haina?? Main akele chali jaaoongi!" Nandini said.
"Par..Nanduu..teri first day hai college main..aur tujhe akele kaise jaane doon?" Moorthy asked with a perplexed expression on his face.
"Chachuuu..Nandu kyon akeli jaayegi?? Main bhi uske saath chaloongi!"
All of them turned to look at the doorway to find Navya Naveli standing on the doorway with a huge smile on her face. She had her hair in plaits and wearing a beautiful multi-coloured flowery churidar.
"Arre Navyaa aaja na...naashta karte hai saath milke!" Chachi said with a huge smile on her face.
"Haan chachi..aur koi invitation ki zaroorat hai kya humko?? Humko tho Bihaar main bhi aapke roti ki khabar mil jaati hai..isliye saath khaake hi jaayenge. š
Nandini started laughing hearing Navya's comment and replied "Haan tujhe tho khaane ke alawa kuch yaad bhi rehte hai?? Idhar iddlis nahi hai..rotis pe competition kare kya?"
"Nahi aaj hum competition ke mood main nahi! Bas 1-2 rotis hi khayenge! Waise bhi hum dieting karenge aur models ke tarah zero figure main aajaayenge" š
"Arreee aise kaise?? Tu dubli patli ho jaayegi tho gharwale pareshaan honge! Tum dono ko main khilaa khilaake achche size ki banaa doongi! Khaana khaake na tum dono ungliyaan chaatti reh jaaogi!" Shanno said with a smile on her face as she served rotis and vegetable kuruma to Rishabh and Navya.
Navya, Nandu, Rishabh, Shanno and Moorthy chitchatted as they enjoyed the delicious rotis cooked by Shanno.
"Ramu kakka...juice le aana" Manik said as he sat alone on the table looking at the walls around him. Ramu kakka placed the juice on table for Manik as he sipped on the juice looking at the plants outside through the window. Being alone..hurts...but then...did life ever give me another option? Manik thought as he continued to sip the remaining juice. Ramu kakka looked sadly at the silhouette of Manik.
"Itne saal hue...akele hi zyaadatar khaana khaata hai...kaash koi iske saath baithta...isko thode se waqt deta" Ramu kakka sighed as he walked back into the kitchen.
Edited by priakachan - 9 years ago
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