Notes of Love

love's quiet pull

Nandini lay on her bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over her as sleep began to take hold. She barely registered the sound of her chachi calling her downstairs for lunch. "Nandu, come eat!" her chachi's voice echoed, but Nandini didn't respond. The disappointment from Manik's abrupt call lingered in her mind, and she felt too drained to muster any appetite.

After a few moments, her chachi peeked into the room, noticing Nandini curled up under the covers, peacefully asleep. With a soft sigh, she quietly closed the door, deciding not to disturb her.

Hours slipped by, and when the clock struck 5 PM, Nandini stirred awake, rubbing her eyes and trying to shake off the lingering fatigue. Just as she sat up, her phone buzzed on the bedside table. She glanced at the screen and saw Manik's name flashing.

A surge of mixed emotions hit her. Memories of their last call flooded her mind, the abruptness of it, the feeling of being left hanging. With a sigh, she hesitated, letting the phone buzz again. She didn't want to go through another moment of disappointment.

After a few rings, the call ended. Nandini stared at the phone, her heart heavy. Part of her wanted to pick it up, to hear his voice and find out what he had to say. But another part was still stinging from the way he had cut their previous call short.

She set the phone back on the table, taking a deep breath. "Maybe it's better this way," she whispered to herself, trying to convince her racing thoughts. 

But even as she spoke those words, the yearning to hear him pull at her heartstrings. She felt torn, caught between wanting to reach out and needing to protect herself from further hurt. As the evening sun cast soft shadows across her room, Nandini's mind drifted back to Manik, wishing for clarity in their tangled communication.

At 10 PM, Nandini finally gathered the courage to pick up her phone. She was overwhelmed by the dozens of missed calls and messages from Manik. With a deep breath, she pressed the call button, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

"Hello?" she answered, bracing herself.

"Nandu yaar! Are you insane? Why weren't you picking my calls?" Manik's voice blared through the receiver, filled with a mix of frustration and concern.

His tone only fueled the fire of anger that simmered inside her. "You didn't want to speak to me," she uttered, her voice barely concealing the hurt.

"Seriously, Nandini? I told you I was busy!" Manik shot back, exasperation evident in his words.

"Yeah, you were. Very busy," she replied, her sarcasm sharp, a defense mechanism against the wave of emotions crashing over her.

"Why are you wanting to fight, Nandini?" His voice was laced with confusion, but it only stoked the embers of her irritation.

"Leave it. You stay busy. I guess I was the only one who was excited to speak after so many days," she retorted, her heart heavy with disappointment. The words hung between them, thick with unspoken emotions.

Without waiting for his response, Nandini cut the call. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she threw her phone onto the bed. The weight of everything the separation, the misunderstandings, and the feeling of being neglected, crushed her. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight back the tears, but they spilled over, rolling down her cheeks.

She looked at her phone again, desperately hoping for a call or text from him. But the silence was deafening. Each moment that passed felt like a reminder of how alone she felt, despite the love that still lingered between them. The hurt settled in her chest, a tangible ache that made her question everything. Did he truly care? Did he even understand how much she had missed him?