Entangled

Part 9

Nandini was thinking of what had happened.

        Nandini : "I assumed that it was him and accused him without thinking. How would he know that I am claustrophobic?"

        Nandini : "If it's not him, then who else could it be? No one here knows that I am claustrophobic .. except Mukti. Could she? .. She is angry .. but she wouldn't do that to me."

        Nandini : "Just because I met two people who weren't trust worthy in the past, I can't doubt everyone. There are chances that someone else would have played a prank."

        Nandini : "He was rude, but he helped me. I have to thank him and apologize to him."

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        Alya, Mukti and Cabir had already started planning their next step.

        Alya : "We will target her other weakness this time."

        They were discussing how to implement it. Since Manik was present there, he heard them and figured out in which direction their discussion was going.

        Manik : "It looks like another rescue plan."

        Cabir : "It is."

        Manik : "Then drop that idea."

        Alya : "This is the quickest way to create a good impression on her. You want to, we all want to get done with it soon, right?"

        Manik : "I don't think so. If we implement this plan and I save her from drowning, she might think that I am behind it and blame me again for it. If something goes wrong like it did today, things can get complicated."

        Manik : "We want to avenge her the same way she hurt Mukti, but such plans can land her in the hospital, and worst case even kill her. It can complicate our lives too. I wanted to get done with it fast, but let's not be in a hurry and come up with plans that are risky."

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        Next when Nandini saw Manik, she went to him. He ignored her and tried to walk away, but stopped after hearing her words.

        Nandini : "I will just take a minute. I wanted to apologize for the other day. I misunderstood and spoke rudely to you because of the past incidents. Sorry!"

        Nandini : "Thank you for helping me out! If not for you, I don't know what would have happened."

        Manik : "It's alright. You are welcome!"

        Nandini was ready to leave immediately, but Manik stopped her. Now that their idea had worked, he had to make use of the opportunity to further their plan. He hadn't expected her to apologize or thank him, so he wasn't prepared for that meet. He wouldn't have bothered to explain his actions to an outsider, but he did so now, to clear the unpleasantness between them.

        Manik : "That day, when I ended up splashing the muddy water on you, I had to drive off the road, to avoid hitting a person who had crossed the road all of a sudden. I didn't notice that there was a ditch there and you were walking by."

        Nandini : "Oh.. if you would have mentioned about this that day, then none of these things would have happened. It definitely was more important to save a person from getting hurt. I shouldn't have deflated your Jeep's tires. I was upset that my first day here hadn't gone well. I am sorry."

        Manik : "That's true .. none of this would have happened. But then I wouldn't have come to know that you are a musician too. Why did you hesitate to perform that day, when you are so good at it?"