Kaise yeh yaarian

Part 26

It had been 15 days since Nandini Murthy had disappeared from Space.

No messages.
No calls.
No sign.

While the rest of the college slowly moved on, Cabir hadn't.

"Yeh ladki gayi kaha?" he muttered, scrolling through his messages for the tenth time that week. Still nothing. "Not even a sarcastic quote or an eye-roll emoji. Rude."

He didn't say it out loud, but he missed her.
Her weird logic. Her "earth-meets-moon" kind of brain. Even her passive-aggressive comebacks.

Manik missed her too.

Only he'd never say it.
Not to Cabir.
He just... noticed. The quietness. The way things didn't quite feel right. And the way he looked up every time someone with long hair walked into a room, only to feel a little more stupid each time it wasn't her.

Today.

Cabir was walking toward the parking lot when he stopped dead in his tracks.

There she was.

Nandini.

Stepping out of a cab,was nandini in her behenji-style churidar girl  and innocence in her eyes but still confident version of her.

"Damn she's back," Cabir whispered, grinning. 

He ran up to her. "Miss Disappearing Act!"

Nandini turned and, for a second, the cold, guarded look on her face melted. "Cabir," she smiled.

Cabir didn't hesitate—he gave her a brief, warm hug.

"I missed you, okay? Don't let it go to your head, but this place was super boring without your lectures and shade."

Nandini laughed softly. "I missed this place too... a little."

Cabir blinked. "What, no big reveal? No dramatic story about where you went?"

Nandini tilted her head, smirked a little. "Maybe later."

Canteen - Later that Day

Fab5 had just claimed their usual spot when Cabir barged in—dragging Nandini behind him.

"Guys, guess who's back from the dead?" he grinned.

Nandini pulled her hand back quickly. "Cabir, it's okay... this is Fab5 's time. I don't want to intrude."

"Shut up and sit down," he said. "You're sitting with us. Deal with it." or do you want me to play pranks on you again.

The table went quiet.

Manik looked at her like he couldn't decide if he was stunned or relieved. Mukthi raised a brow. Alia pursed her lips. Dhruv offered a small smile.

Nandini sat slowly, visibly unsure. The air was thick with awkwardness.

Dhruv finally broke it. "How's your hand, Nandini?"

She looked at her wrist. "Better. Healing well."

He nodded. "You were gone for a while. Everything okay?"

Her eyes lowered slightly. "Yeah. Just... some personal stuff. I'm fine now."

Manik's eyes never left her face. He knew there was more behind that simple answer. She had changed. He could feel it.

Just then, the waiter arrived with their order. As he leaned over the table to place a juice glass, his grip slipped.

CRASH!