Entangled

Part 24

Nandini explained what had happened on the day of the party.

        Nandini : "If you still don't believe me, you can contact Samaira's friend. Tell her that you came to know about it through me, but don't tell anything else about me, not even how you met me if you want to know the truth."

        Nandini : "Alya, I never intended to snatch anyone from you. In fact I came here to look for Mukti and meet you. I thought I will get in touch with you and find out why Harshad is staying away from home. He never gave me a proper reason when I asked him. It took a while to figure out that you are Harshad's doll. By the time I knew it was you, I also figured out that you hate me."

        Nandini : "Though I still don't know why you think that I snatched him from you, I might have unknowingly become the reason for him to stay away from home. I apologize for that and I will rectify it immediately. I am going away from his life and you can get him back. He is returning day after tomorrow and you can meet him at this address."

        The address came up on the screen and the recording stopped.

        Mukti : "You are Harshad's doll?! You had seen his picture with me, but you never told me that you knew him."

        Alya : "I am sorry Mukti. I felt that I would lose all your friendship if I told that he is my brother. Though he left us and went, and I am angry with him, he is still family. They wanted to break his bones and I didn't want him to get hurt."

        Mukti : "It's alright, I understand. Even I didn't tell them about him for similar reasons."

        After seeing the address, Manik figured out that it was Nandini's address. If Alya and Mukti could meet Harshad at that address and Nandini was going away from his life, that meant that she would be leaving from there soon. Manik left immediately. 

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        Manik wanted to meet Nandini before she left. He had been thinking of meeting her and talking to her since he met her last. He wasn't in his senses to be sure if what he felt the previous day was his imagination or reality.

        Manik was on his way to Nandini's house and Nandini was on her way to the station. Manik reached her house and asked for her.

        Caretaker : "She left in the morning for a trip from college."

        Manik returned to the college and figured out that there wasn't any college trips scheduled that week. He had no clue where else to look for her.

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        Meanwhile, Nandini was at the station. She had left home without thinking where to go next. She stood looking at the board trying to figure out where to go. A girl came and stood next to her, and that girl was astonished seeing Nandini.

        Girl : "Are you Nandini?!"

        Nandini recognized her as her senior, Sunaina from her previous college.

        Nandini : "Yes Sunaina. How are you?"

        Sunaina : "I am fine, but I can't believe my eyes. I never thought that I will get to see you again. I thought you were.. I am glad you are fine.. you have become very lean though."

        Sunaina : "Where are you going?"

        Nandini had a blank look on her face. She still didn't know where to go.

        Nandini : "I just know that I have to leave from here, but I have no idea where. It must be a place where no one can find me."

        Sunaina didn't know what Nandini's current issue was, but after seeing her blank look and state, she didn't want to leave her on her own.