~ CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE ~
"Goo-ood Morrr-ning people!" Cabir's rich, pleasing drawl filled up the department. The usual chocolate brown leather bag strapped over his shoulder and dark blazer hung loosely over his forearm arm indicated that he had just returned after completing a gruelling task under the hot sun. But this never seemed to darken his spirits or alter his personality in any way. He was always the same cheerful and level headed guy.
"Morning Cabir," Mukti was expressionless and lost in her work as she mumbled the words. Her eyes were fixed in a wide stare on the computer screen whilst she expertly rattled away on the keyboard.
Dhruv flashed a V-sign which Cabir promptly returned with a "hey kiddo" before heading to Manik's cabin with a transparent folder tucked under his arm. Unlike the usual energetic air that greeted him from the cabin, he was welcomed by a dreary Manik slouched over his chair like a water bag.
"Good morning Manik," he greeted in his usual merry tone, "everything okay?"
"Hey," Manik replied with a weary sigh and wrung his eyes as he straightened up. "Yeah buddy," he groaned and took a deep breath.
"Sure? You look like shit." It wasn't just concern but curiosity. Cabir knew that Manik was one train that wouldn't get derailed so easily. It had to be something unbelievably massive enough to knock him over.
"Nah," he lied groggily. "I'm okay. You tell me, what's happening?"
"Happening-happening!" chanted Cabir and slapped the folder right before Manik, "there you go. All issues cleared. Now those guys are through."
"Oh great! Excellent!" Manik looked bored as he pulled out the papers from the folder and began to inspect them while Cabir settled down on the visitor's chair.
Cabir scrutinized Manik cell by cell. From the vacant look in his eyes and the pronounced uneasiness, his well-greased senses could detect that somewhere, something had malfunctioned seriously!
Manik, whose eyes had wandered away for a while, came to rest on Cabir momentarily. An unpleasant chill travelled down his spine as he realized that he was being observed. To cover it up, he passed a dry, uncomfortable smile and returned his attention to the file. "What're you looking at?" he asked with a soft chuckle.
"Nothing," replied Cabir with a hand resting on his chin, "you know... you look a bit confused. Like something's eating away at you."
"Eating away," Manik sighed with a sarcastic grin, "maggots I suppose."
"Love maggots." Cabir shot back and leaned onto his chair with a loud creaking noise.
"Love maggots?" asked Manik quietly with an eyebrow raised in question. Simple words from Cabir. Yet, they made something detonate within Manik with a shuddering BOOM.
"Love maggots." Cabir repeated slowly and clearly. "That's what chews you away from inside. Makes you confused. Lost. Drowned in questions. That's the first step."
"What first step?" Manik's chest was thumping now and yet he managed to shrug it off with an amused grin. It was like Cabir could read his mind. But the problem was... Manik himself couldn't understand what was going on with him.
"The first step of falling," he replied, "head over heels."
Manik passed a sarcastic smile and shook his head in disagreement. "Give me a break," he chuckled.
"Oh you do really need that," smirked Cabir. "But jokes apart. You don't seem like yourself. Care to share?"
Manik's mind raced like a Ferrari. If Manik Malhotra was Mr. Perfect then Cabir Dhawan was Mr. Hawk Eye. He was the one with a special set of powerful eyes. Powerful enough to penetrate any kind of veil one could use to mask oneself.
On several occasions, he had noticed that Manik wasn't what he seemed like from outside. There was something curious going on within the monster which he yearned to dig up and examine. Manik too, had on several instances experienced Cabir's hawk eye power attempting to penetrate the barricades he had built around himself, which in turn made him feel a little bit insecure.
"Actually..." began Manik and swallowed up his words. He was disturbed indeed. The Chinese lantern dream had shaken the foundations of his beliefs really badly. The way Nandini made him feel lately made him so confused. He wasn't even sure what he felt. Why do I feel that something is going to happen? Something massive! Is it a sign? Mostly, he simply couldn't figure out why on earth he had to dream of her. And that too in Soha's place. What could it possibly mean?
"Actually what?" Cabir probed curiously.
"Nah leave it," he lied abruptly having lost his desire to delve further into the matter. Though he did respect Cabir, he didn't have the nerve to share his deepest secrets with him.
"No tell me," Cabir urged him, "don't be shy."
"I'm not shy." But Cabir's words did make Manik a bit rosy in the cheeks.
"Deny all what you want buddy," Cabir had a crinkled smirk on his face, "but your eyes never lies. And your face too. So tell me. What is it?"
"Nothing special. It's just..." Manik did a good job of covering up his anxiety. He was figuring out a way to present it to Cabir without attracting doubt.
"Go on," Cabir was encouraging and freely leaned back onto his chair.
"I was wondering... whether it could be true or it's just... you know something like that..."
"Bro..." Cabir rested his chin on his hand. "You really need to stop beating around the bush."
"Okay, yeah." Manik shook his head and attempted to compose himself. "You know... I was just wondering... Whether dreams had early in the morning could you know... come true? What do you... think about that?" Manik pretended to appear uninterested and busy with the documents whilst he secretly wished that Cabir wouldn't get any funny ideas.
"Dreams!" Cabir seemed to be very amused with the topic. He leaned in closer and flashed his eyebrows at Manik. "Why? What did you dream about?"
"M-me? I didn't dream of anything!" Manik passed off a defensive chuckle. "I was just asking... Just curious you know..."
"Hmm." Cabir seemed to be thinking. "You know what Manik? The fact is that... It does indeed come true."
WHAT! That's what Manik wanted to scream. But he bit his lip in an attempt to keep it in. "R-really?" he stammered whilst trying to keep his anxiety at bay.
"Yeah, I've experienced that before."
"Is it?" Manik was curious now. He was also worried. If early morning dreams did come true... then did that mean... That this dream could also come true?
"Uh-huh. For instance... during my school days, I had a dream early in the morning." Cabir seemed to light up visibly as he began to dwell in old memories. "I dreamt that I was on stage. Before the entire school. Playing the drums. And guess what? That really happened!"
"Really?" Manik was intrigued. "That's interesting! I didn't know that you could play the drums."
"Actually many of them don't." Cabir winked and leaned back onto his chair. "But here's the catch about early morning dreams. If you share the dream with someone, you can stop it from happening. And if you don't, it's going to happen."
Manik's chest pounded like a drum. Share the dream, save yourself. Keep it and get screwed. What was he supposed to do? How on earth can he share this? And with whom?
"So tell me Manik," From Manik's wary eyes, Cabir could make out that he did indeed have a dream which could not be shared. "What did you dream about?"
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Note: Next update will be up in a while.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Cricket
