Chapter 14
Unasked events
Manik's POV
I had turn my back to her so that she couldn't know the truth
"Nandini, your father was very worried about your behaviour while you were in Bombay.
The suicide attempts disturbed him no end as it would disturb any parent. Your father is a pro-active person and he contacted your friend Suvi. He explained the whole situation to her. He had to convince her a lot about the gravity of the situation. Finally she mailed him a photocopy of the letter you wrote which is what we have in the file here. It was the letter which first pointed me in the direction of bipolar disorder. Yours is not a typical text book case, Nandini. This was why the earlier doctors who treated you were thrown off the track." I lied. I had to I bluntly lied. Without a stammer or any mistake I lied. Perks of practicing yesterday night! I cant say her that I went all the way to cochin to just know about her. And the reason behind such a noble deed was that I love her. There is no way I am letting her know any of these.
Nandini's POV
I sat silently absorbing all that he had said. I imagined the letter being analysed and dissected. I pictured the doctors discussing the letter and then using medical terms to find patterns to a psychological disorder. I felt sick picturing it. I felt humiliated. I winced inwardly. Yet this dissection was what gave them an indication of what I was going through. This was what guided them in the right direction and they could control it and help me get out of its grip.
Manik's POV
"Nandini, your father has only been able to extract this much from your past. But you see how much it has helped us to know about your condition. If we wouldn't have known and were to find out, you might have still not been here in O.T wing. We would have had counseling sessions and a lot more test to know what exactly you are going through" I paused.
I turned towards her and spoke directly looking into her eyes as the lie part is over. Words said looking into eyes are directly poured and captured by the other one.
"I want you to share all your past and every worry of yours, so that I can cure you, I can heal you, I can bring back the same nandu for whom you and I both are craving for. I want to bring back the daughter of a father who turned his heart into stone and made her stay away from him, just to cure her daughter. I want to bring back the student the one who use to distribute photocopied notes of her own. I want to bring back my friend, my nandu. can you please help me.!!" I looked at her with all the concern in my eyes and I made my facial expression almost in a pleading way begging her to say all her past.
I know I know every damn piece of her past. I got that letter from suvi not her father. When I went to cochin I met suvi I know she is her best friend since childhood much like me. NO! I am her only best friend. Suvi told me nandini's story. But still I want to hear it from her. It would hurt me to no bounds. It would again crush me into pieces. It would break all those broken parts of my heart. But I will bear it for her.
But what surprised me was she was calm, her face had some kind of determination, may be my talks are really affecting her.
FlashBack
In cochin,
St, agnes(Nandu's bachelor college) 2nd year
The college elections in Kerala are a huge event as they are heavily politicised. It gave a good indication of which party would form the next Government. It was well known that political parties sponsor the campaign expenses of the students' wing of their respective parties. Posters are put up all over the town, especially at the places which students frequent.
St. Agnes wanted to steer clear of all this, and so the elections in our college were completely devoid of politics. It was a bit like school election, but on a much bigger scale. There were eight major official positions the most important being the posts of Chairperson, Arts Club Secretary and General Secretary. To add more misery to my life, suvi has nominated my name for Art Club secretary that too without asking me.
When the results were announced, they carried me around the campus, shouting, screaming and cheering. I had won by a huge margin. Sanjana was the chairperson and Priya was the new general secretary.
Our first task was already thrust upon us"The Management School of Cochin University had their annual cultural festival Symphony' coming up and our college had been invited to participate.
There were at least 15 events ranging from fun events like face painting, ad-world, dumb charades to serious ones like western dance, short story writing, painting and elocution. The college buses would take us to the venue which was a good 45 kilometres away and would return in the evening.
Mahaveer College was a co-ed college. They too are invited to take part. At cultural events like these, the guys from Mahaveers would be trying to impress the Agnes girls desperately, and strangely there would always be very few girls in any of their own teams.
It was at Symphony that year that Sanjana introduced me to Abhishek, Dhiren and Christy. She already knew them from previous years and had met them many times. Abhishek was the general secretary and Dhiren was the chairman of Mahaveer College students union.
"Meet Nandini, our new Arts Club Secretary," said Sanjana as she introduced us. " Nandini, watch out Christy is a great quizzer, Dhiren and Abhishek are very good at public speaking."
"And I play the guitar too," smiled Abhishek.
"Hi," I smiled as my brain registered all the information.
"So what do you do, apart from being so pretty?" asked Abhishek as he shook my hand.
"Excuse me!" I answered. "I expected a line slightly less corny than that one."
"Oh! But it's true. You are very pretty."
"Catch you later guys" said sanjana and saved me from shameless flatterer.
"Hey Nandini. There's nobody for English Elocution from our college," said Suvi in a panic.
"What happened? Jeena was supposed to be here. What about Sindhu? How can both not be there?" I asked the panic beginning to show in my voice, as I looked at my diary. The event was about to start in 20 minutes and it was the first event of the day. Two of our participants are not present.
"These things happen," sanjana said unruffled. "Don't worry. I'll step in for Jeena and you for Sindhu," she said.
"What? Me?" I was aghast. "I have never done this before."
"Calm down. There is no other option. We will lose points if there is a no-show. You'll just have to step in."
I stood there in the auditorium that day, feeling foolish, ill-prepared and very small as I took the mike and spoke on the topic of the day which was "Is the Mandal Commission report justified?" I had no idea what I said. I had not read the Mandal Commission reports in the papers. Sanjana was very well informed about it. Apparently in her third year, she had just written a paper on it. I stammered and muttered and spoke for about two and a half minutes before concluding and stepping down, my cheeks burning with embarrassment and shame. Sanjana spoke beautifully and the auditorium resounded with wild cheering after she finished.
Not to mention sanjana was a winner. Abhishek came 2nd.
The second day of Symphony went off smoothly, with no absentees, no hitches and everything running like clockwork. My legs hurt from being on my feet for long hours and I realised it was a painful mistake to wear high heels. We were in the second place for overall championship by the end of the day.
In the bus on the way home, Priya said "We all saw Abhi hovering around you the whole day today, especially when you sat down. He just wouldn't leave your side."
"Come on!" I said "He chose to sit there just like that. Just to make small talk, I guess. Dhiren and Christy were sitting too. It's not like I was sitting with him exclusively. And he looks like that at everybody. You should know!" I defended myself.
"No, I do know him. Abhi is not like the rest of the guys. Now, Christy being like that would be natural. Do you know what Christy did last Valentine?"
"What? " I asked curiously.
"He gave fourteen red roses and fourteen I love you' cards."
"Wow, to you?" I asked.
"Well, technically the correct answer would be yes. But apart from me, he also gave it to thirteen other girls," she laughed.
Everybody joined in the laughter.
"And whom did Abhi give it to?" I asked, curiosity now getting the better of me.
"No-one!" said Priya triumphantly. "See, he was waiting for you!"
"Shut up," I said. But I smiled.
On the third day of Symphony, the tables turned in our favour. It was a close call. We managed to win the overall championship by just 10 points and this was because of our victory in Western dance. Our girls had danced exceedingly well.
"YEEEAAAH" yelled the girls, deafening everybody when they heard the compere announcing it. They jumped. They shouted they cheered. They fell over themselves hugging each other.
"Winner's treat. Join me for a cup of coffee?" asked Abhishek, after the entire event was over. I had been on my feet the whole day and I was very hungry and suddenly tired. The cup of coffee was tempting, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go with Abhishek. I looked for Suvi to bail me out, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Go on, I know you badly want that coffee," said Priya. "Go for God's sake. Don't think so much for a cup of coffee!" urged Priya again.
"Okay, let's go," I told Abhishek.
"Oh my God! You have actually agreed? I cannot believe my luck! I must check my horoscope for today."
"Shut up," I smiled, "I do need that coffee."
We walked to the canteen which was on a small hillock, a ten minute walk from the auditorium. He ordered cutlets too, as we sat down.
We sat in silence, eating cutlets and having that much needed cup of coffee. I was completely immersed in my thoughts and in the events of the day. My reverie was suddenly broken when Abhi said "Hey, aren't those your college buses, heading back?"
I looked at Abhi and he smiled and shrugged. I was so angry with the girls. How could they be so callous, leaving me behind and how in the world could they presume that I wanted to spend time with Abhi?!
"Look," said Abhi, "I can drop you back."
"I can take a bus."
"I'll wait with you in the bus stop then. But the last bus might have already left. We'd just be wasting our time."
I still hesitated.
"Hey, I am not such a bad guy. I promise madam that you'll be safe with me."
I agreed. I didn't have much choice anyway. Later I would know that this was all a part of an intricate plan that Abhi had hatched along with Priya, Sanjana and the other girls, just so that he could get me to ride on his bike with him. Thankfully I did not know it at that point. Otherwise I'd probably have exploded with rage.
"Don't try your stupid braking suddenly' tricks with me, " I warned him, as I sat behind him, suddenly feeling awkward and a bit shy. "And listen, I am holding your shoulder but please don't get any ideas." I added, as I placed my right hand on his shoulder, to steady myself. I felt very self conscious as I did it but the last thing I wanted was falling off the bike, on this unasked for, unplanned and unexpected adventure.
"Come on, Nandini. I am already in heaven. And I am not that cheap too, to try the brake trick. But may I ask you how you know about it?"
Every guy knows that when a woman is on the pillion with him, the easiest way for him to get to feel her is to brake suddenly and by the impact, her body would be propelled forward and would collide with his. "I have a brother. He tells me stuff." I smiled, as Abhishek accelerated and the bike sped towards the city.
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Okay so the bike ride is still not over guys. I am ending here so that you can cope up with the story, new characters.
Lastly, FOCABULARY :-
1) Pillion :- a seat for passenger behind motorcycle.
2) Triumphant :- having won a battle or contest
Now your turn to comment😊
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
