Kindle to Rekindle

10. Green Eyed Monster

He had no reason to be jealous
For, all of her, was all of his.

Day one of the centenary year celebration ended successfully. Nivedya very smartly avoided Nimrit the entire evening. The attraction he felt towards her was unexplained and beyond his control, so escaping the enchantress was the best solution he could think of.

Nimrit could not spot him anywhere because he sat at a place the 'new girl' Nimrit could never know. Nimrit pretended to not be affected by Nivedya's sudden disappearance but all her heart could think of was him, the chocolate they shared, and then his running away.
'Did she do something that he didn't like and is, therefore, avoiding her? Or was he in danger?'
Nimrit decided sitting back won't help so dodging her parents and lying to them that she had something important to do, she set out on a search mission.

She tried to look for him at all places she thought he could be and asked his friends slyly if they saw him but to her utter dismay, no one knew anything. As time passed she was getting more scared. What if he fainted or someone kidnapped him or... All the bad thoughts came to a halt when she saw Nivedya leaving with his parents in their car.

She felt relieved because he was safe. He was just a friend but the panic his disappearance created inside her was an emotion she never experienced. She should be angry at him for making her feel so scared but she was happy that he was safe.

In a pool of people, Reet finally spotted Nimrit and asked her to come so that they could go home.

Nimrit hugged her mother tightly. Her arrhythmic heartbeat needed a motherly hug to calm them. "Are you okay?" Nimrit nodded a yes to her mother's question. While they were walking to their car, Reet asked her about Nivedya.

"What... what about him?" Nimrit's defensive body language made Reet bite the inside of her cheek.

"Nothing just asking generally. His father mentioned you "scolded" him for scolding Nivi." Reet tried to sound as genuine as she could.

"Oh! That was just a misunderstanding. He in the first place scolded Nivedya for no reason and you know I can't see my friends in problem." Nimrit explained the incident, in brief.

Nimrit's mother air-quoted the word "friend?" teasing her daughter.

"Yes! "Friend"." Nimrit replicated her mother's expression and sharing a laugh the duo sat in their car where Amber was impatiently waiting for them.

Nimrit changed into her nightdress and observed the Moon and its beauty from her window. It was two days to the full moon night still the Moon looked so alluring. Nivedya and her bond was also like the incomplete Moon. Something was missing but it was mysteriously enticing.

Nimrit slept in a sitting position near her window watching the Moon. When her mother walked into her room to check on her she peeped out of the window to see what Nimrit might be watching. Looking at the moon and the calm on her daughter's face she guessed what her daughter might be going through. She helped Nimrit to sleep on the bed and kissed her forehead before leaving.

Reet hugged Amber from behind making him startled. He turned and looked into her eyes which were moist.
"Reet, what's wrong?" Amber asked with concern keeping his files aside.

"Amber, promise me if our daughter likes someone she will not sacrifice her love like I had to." Reet put her hand out for Amber to promise her.

Amber made her sit on the bed and explained to her, "Reet, if Nimrit is developing feelings for that Singh boy, let me tell you, he is the first boy she is getting to know closely. She has studied in an all-girls school to date. Give her time because it's still too early to decide on these things. However, I promise our daughter will never sacrifice her love as you did. But, the boy has to come out clean on all the tests I run." Amber said the last part with a tease in his tone.