Entangled

Part 28

Navya met Manik and handed him a letter.

        Navya : "I am Nandini's friend. She asked me to give this letter to you the day she left. I came looking for you that day, but couldn't find you. Then I didn't come to college, so I couldn't give it you earlier."

       Manik took the letter and opened it immediately. It read :

        "I am very very sorry that I put you through all this. Please don't think I was taking revenge from you for what you did. Also you don't have to feel guilty about anything.

        Actually I came to thank you earlier, and I overheard you talking to your friend. So, I came back again on the day you were talking to Mukti. I wanted to know the reason behind Mukti hating me.

        Also, I didn't want your relationship with Mukti to suffer because you had backed out from taking revenge. So, I lied that their plan was successful at that moment thinking that I will talk to you about it later, but after hearing their accusations I started focusing on how to clear their misunderstandings.

        I had to leave from here soon and I couldn't come up with a better plan during the short time I had. I am sorry that I had to involve you in it without letting you know. I didn't know anyone else who I could involve other than you. I felt that I wouldn't be able to do so if I met you, so I avoided meeting you.

        I realized that my lie had effected you so much only after spiking your drink. I trust you and I know that you were genuinely concerned. You don't have to feel guilty for something which you didn't do. I hope that you will understand that whatever I did was only to clear Mukti's misunderstanding, and forgive me.

        Don't worry about me, I will be fine. I will try to move on from my past and work on improving myself. Thank you for everything you did for me. Bye.

- Nandini"

        Nandini's letter took a big weight of his shoulders. It freed Manik of his guilt and he felt relieved knowing that she would try to improve for the better. At that point of time, that is all he wished for. He didn't bother to tell about the letter to any of his friends else except Cabir. He felt that his friends didn't care about Nandini. Manik told Cabir because he knew that Cabir was worried for him.

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        Next day, Manik's servant came to Manik.

        Servant : "I found a stained t-shirt in the jeep and had given it for dry cleaning, but it seems they weren't able to get the paint off, so shall I dispose it?"

        Manik : "Yes, what is the point in keeping it when I can't wear it.

        Manik's servant left and after a while Manik remembered that it was the shirt Nandini had messed up. He went to his servant immediately and got the shirt. Manik didn't know why he didn't feel like disposing it or what he would do with it, but he placed it in his cupboard.

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        At Sunaina's house, Sunaina asked Nandini to join her when she was going out. When Nandini took out a dress to change, an extra dupatta came along with it. It was the dupatta which Manik had messed up by wiping paint off his hands and called it a piece of art. She had put it aside because she couldn't use it, but she had dumped her clothes in to the bag in a hurry and that dupatta had also ended up in her bag.

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        Both were thinking of how they were upset with the other at that time, and how since then things had changed between them.