~ CHAPTER FIFTEEN ~
Nandini pulled back hastily and found herself goggling into a set of familiar eyes that were wide open in utter shock. A set of eyes that once sent butterflies fluttering into her stomach and now made it wrench with an unbearable sense of uneasiness instead.
Though she had completely zapped out when it happened and right after, she slowly began to tune in. And with that, a hell lot of things she had dissociated on returned. The warm and fragrant sweetness of his moist lips that had crushed against hers a while ago. The applause of bystanders. Whoops of delight. Loud cheers. And in the case of some - disgust and long yucky faces.
Manik wasn't breathing anymore. He was still dazed. Partly from being knocked down so hard earlier and partly from the shock of what had just happened.
Nandini's cheeks were on fire when she quickly pulled herself together and jumped to her feet. She didn't dare to look around or pay attention to those who jeered at her as she rushed to the nearest cafeteria to order a big glass of something to cool her down. Anything!!!
She collapsed onto a chair and screwed her eyes shut with a terrible wince etched onto her face. The nasty comments she had heard on her way to the cafeteria rang in her ears.
"Can you do that again? But this time, I'll wait on the platform instead."
"Hey, Palace Road at nine. I'll be waiting."
"Pucker up."
Shit! Shit SHIT!!! Just f*****g kill me! I don't believe this! I bloody don't believe this! She buried her face deep into the darkness of her hands and felt her eyes slowly but surely get flooded. I kissed him!... HIM! Oh my God! This can't be happening! Why in the world does all this shit happen with me! Just kill me! I can still feel ... His lips... on mine... I wish I could just rip it off!
~ Flashback ~
Nandini, aged 11, made her way to the front of the class with her choice of poetry for the competition. On her way, she stumbled over the foot of a table and fell SMACK onto the floor.
The class bursted out into peals of laughter.
"Ya! Stop it!" the teacher demanded, "what's so funny? Is this how you're supposed to behave? Huh!!?"
The teacher helped a pink faced Nandini onto her feet. Her eyes began to brim with tears of embarrassment. "It's okay beta," the teacher consoled, "don't get upset. Just be more attentive next time. Okay? Now come on, now let us hear your choice."
~ End of flashback ~
Nandini still hadn't managed to come out of the comfort of her hands. I've always been a joke and nothing else. Why do I always have to be so damn clumsy? Why??
From the distance, she heard a familiar voice say "a club sandwich please. And pack it."
She snapped out of the unfathomable darkness of her thoughts and looked up - Manik.
He threw quick, sideway glances at her as he stood at the counter of the cafeteria looking visibly distressed. He played with the buttons of his blazer, opened and closed it, pulled down his sleeves, pulled it up again and shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
"Madam, your lassi is ready," a man called out from the counter and slammed down a tall glass of frothy white liquid.
The very sight of Manik made her want to run away. But that would make it look even awkward! Bygones are bygones, she told herself, now I better get it over with and get out of here.
She stood up abruptly, made her way to the counter, picked up the glass and began to eagerly gulp down the lassi. As the pure, icy goodness of the beaten buttermilk began to course its way down her throat and into her guts she felt like pure heaven. It seemed that the lassi had taken up the painful void in her being and replaced it with ecstasy.
Manik watched her more intently as she gulped down the drink. She looked like a dehydrated camel that had just made its way out of the Thar Desert without a drop of water throughout.
~Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!~
Manik raised his eyebrows as she began to choke and sputter on the lassi. The white frothy liquid tipped out of her mouth and spluttered all the way down the front of her tunic. He instantly looked away as she glanced back at him through all her choking. She covered up her coughs with a free hand, placed the money on the counter and rushed out of the cafeteria as fast as her legs can take her.
She was still all clogged up as she made her way to the bank. She pulled out her hankie and dabbed at her tunic frantically. Not again. AGAIN I had to end up looking like a dork in front of him AGAIN! Awwwfff Gawwwd!! Why? WHY goddammit why? Ugh!! My dress! Yuck! YUCK! That's so bloody disgusting! Ewwwyack!
She walked into the bank and headed to one of the counters. "Hi," she croaked like a frog, "Mr. Trilok sent me... from the company..."
"Ah yes Ma'am," replied the woman at the counter, "I had received a call sometime back. I'll get it right away."
"Thank you so much," Nandini smiled for probably the first time today. At least she was getting a little bit of that much needed respect from somewhere!
"Just sign here Ma'am," said the woman and handed her a register.
As Nandini began to sign at the designated column, the woman kept smiling at her. "Don't mind me asking but do you two know each other?"
Nandini looked up abruptly. "Huh?"
"That guy at the escalator," she went on.
Nandini could feel her cheeks burning like crazy again!
"I've always seen him around here," said the woman dreamily, "he comes to eat at that cafeteria. And I buy my lunch from there just to see him."
Nandini gave her a God, really? You can't be serious look.
"You know," sighed the woman, "I wish I was in your place. On that escalator." And with that the woman fluttered her eyelashes rapidly.
Nandini had this sudden urge to vomit. "Ermmm... thanks. I'll go now." She said through tight lips as she kept gulping down huge clumps of balls down her throat.
Without wasting another second, she grabbed the cheque books and made a mad dash out of the bank. You've gotta be kidding me! Ughhhew! Well, I can't blame her! Even I used to go head over heels over this guy! But that's old story. Now he just disgusts me. Oh! How I wish that she could get to see this monster's true colours. She would be...
Nandini's trail of thoughts came to a screeching halt as she paused in front of the escalator. An impending sense of doom began to consume her. Not again... I wish I could just sprout a pair of wings now. Anything to stay away from this crap.
The palms of her hands were as wet as a rag now. Her fingers tingled and her chest thumped madly in fear. The walls seemed to be closing in on her. She felt like she would black out any moment as she quickly felt the railings slide under her sweaty hands.
She stepped back, took deep breaths and puffed it out whilst rubbing her hands together vigorously. You can do it Nandini. Just breathe in. Breathe out. You can do it. Come on. You can do it.
With each passing moment, she grew more and more breathless and tensed. She simply could not muster the courage to take that first step.
Come on. You can do it. Easy. You're brave. Come on.
She stuck out a dubious foot onto the moving escalator and placed it firmly. And as soon as she did, she felt like she just got yanked forward by a massive horse.
Her arms flailed madly in the air as she struggled to remain upright.
"Hey, it's that crazy escalator girl again," laughed someone from somewhere.
"No-no-no-no-no-nooo!!!" she shrieked as she began to topple down.
Just then, a strong pair of hands wrapped around her swinging arms and tugged her securely close.
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Shiv Shakti
