The Impulsive Soul-Mates

Chapter 8 - Jab We Fought

I had actually started to fall in love with Manik's city as I became more familiar with it with every passing day. Every time I could and Manik would let me travel alone, I discovered a new aspect to the city. The people, the buzz, the pace, everything was so new so enthralling. It gave me the confidence to be alone and still be safe, though Manik would freak out every time I told him that I was traveling by myself. At times he behaved worse than Nanu but I still loved the fact that he cared so much.

I had taken a half day off to meet a friend in Dadar and the local train was the best way in fact the most exciting way to get there. Last time I had forced Navya to get on a local train when we went for shopping and I have to agree she was such a chicken to be called a Mumbaikar(a spirited resident of the city). But I had absolutely loved the experience of being pushed in and pushed out of the bogies along with the crowd in the span of 10 seconds that the train would halt at any particular station.

I had just got down from the train when I felt the phone buzzing in my bag. It was Navya.

"Where are you Nandini?..I have been calling you since the last 1 hour. Why aren't you taking the calls?" she screamed into my ears the moment I had picked it up.

"Oh I am sorry I was in the train. It was jam packed so I must have missed it. But what happened why do you sound so tensed?"

"Just come to the office right now." she panicked on the phone.

"But Navya I am here to meet a friend, I am on half day leave, Manik and Cabir know about it." I informed her.

"Nandini if you don't want to be dead just come to the office right now, I beg of you", she pleaded.

She hung up with that. Although Navya was a little panicky about every small thing but this time she sounded serious. I couldn't quite figure out what could have gone wrong. As I checked my phone there were 32 missed calls from Manik and 6 from Navya. Now I had reasons to worry. Why did he call me so many times that too in 1 hour? I called him back but it didn't connect. I quickly texted my friend that I wouldn't be able to make it today and headed back to AURA.

***

Meanwhile in AURA's conference room

"I told you Manik, that you shouldn't be so lenient with her. Now see we goofed up because of her. It was such an important meeting. What does she think? the Dhanrajgir's have spare time like her", Alya whined in an irritating tone.

Manik was pacing to and fro in the conference room which also had Cabir and Mukti sitting there. It was difficult to judge his mood but didn't utter a word to agree or disagree with Alya.

"Manik calm down..its okay I have spoken to their manager and we can fix up a meeting soon so it is sorted", Mukti tried to cool him down.

"But Mukti we wouldn't have needed to do it only na had Nandini been there. It is so embarrassing from our part to be taking them for granted and she didn't even bother to answer the calls", Alya flared up again.

"Relax Alya it's not her fault, we can't blame Nandini for this, the chip didn't work at the last moment and we could not go on with the presentation.", Cabir tried to shut up Alya.

"But why did this happen Cabir? Didn't you know it was important? Why didn't we have a back up? And if Nandini was needed you should have made sure she was there." Manik spoke for the first time and he was furious.

"Exactly, I mean Nandini had another copy of the presentation and had she been there we wouldn't have needed to so helpless in front of them", Alya tried to add fuel to his fury.