Kindle to Rekindle

47. Bold Steps

First dates are like book covers. They only give you a glimpse and perk up your interest to explore more.

The following morning, Rudra was amazed to see Nimrit come for exercise after the traumatising incident that happened the day before. Nivedya was sleeping under medication while Nimrit was impressing his father with her agility, speed, and dedication.

Rudra was concerned about Nimrit so he asked her, "Are you alright? Yesterday's incident, don't think much about it. You should have rested today." Even if she was not his son's girlfriend, she was a brilliant girl. The mess her family was under was because of his family which made him feel guilty.

"After yesterday, I have hope that I can win over the phobia that is so deep-rooted in me. I do not want to skip a single day to make myself tougher and better. Nivi is so skilled and I just want to learn as much as I can while I am here." Rudra felt optimistic seeing the zeal in Nimrit. He told the instructor to teach her some of the secret moves only they knew.

Rudra and Nimrit did the last set of exercises and when they were going back to the villa, Rudra stopped to see Nandini who was doing Suryanamaskar to the rising Sun. His eyes held the adoration and love, Nimrit often saw in her father's eyes too.

"You want to talk about her?" Nimrit asked Rudra who smiled at the question. "Papa loves talking about mumma. He says it gives him a sense of satisfaction that he has earned something in life. A treasure that is his and no one can rob it from him, again." Nimrit stopped abruptly realising what she was going to say and she covered up, "sorry. I speak a lot sometimes."

She moved from there but Rudra followed her and said, "Your father is right. I feel that too. Nandini is my treasure and God forbid the one who even tries to eye her."

Nimrit giggled and told him, "I would love to hear your story sometime, and trust me I will not feel giddy." Rudra laughed at Nimrit's reply because she used Arya's words from last night.

"I would love to share our love story with you. It's rather entertaining. See you at breakfast." Rudra and Nimrit went to their rooms but Rudra kept thinking about his conversation with her. Nimrit was like sunshine that brightened the day and brought hope.

When Nimrit came down for breakfast, dressed in school uniform, she was happy to see Nivedya. He was not going to school, but he got up just to see off her. He gave a list of instructions to her to follow at school, and she heard him patiently. When no one was around Nimrit kissed Nivedya's cheek and his eyes lit up like a toddler who got his favourite chocolate.

"Thank you for worrying about me. I feel lucky." Nimrit waved bye to Nivedya and went away in his school bus.

Nivedya wanted to go to school with his firecracker, but he knew he wasn't well. His head pained last night and Arya had asked him to come to the hospital. Rudra had appointed a secret security guard for Nimrit without her knowledge as he didn't want to take any more risk.

Nivedya's test reports were normal, and the senior doctor inferred that the reason for the pain was probably the force with which he was hit. He gave him painkillers and advised him of maximum rest.

Nivedya came to Nimrit's room and sniffed her pillow. He hated the house staff who changed the sheets so frequently. But he could smell her in the room. Her books were neatly kept on the table and there were a few decorative pens and pencils on the stand. He picked a unique pen and when he scribbled it, he laughed.
'Who writes with a pink coloured pen? Do they even make pink ink? Why are girls so obsessed with pink?' Nivedya thought and kept the pen in his pocket. Just then an idea struck him, and he asked his mother if he could go ahead with it.