Manan ff : College Diaries

chapter 41. Finding The Truth ( a )

After giving the interview, I returned to my abode.
Entering the apartment, I carefully looked at the empty and lonely rooms.

She was not there, to scold me if I came home late. ....she was not there, to nag me for eating food. ....she was not there, to fight with me on silly issues. ...she was not there, to pat my head while sleeping. ......she was not there, to love me unconditionally. ....
With a sinking heart, I opened my blazer and sat on the sofa.
Closing my eyes, I tried to recall yesterday's events.

Maniks flash back. ..

After the whole Shalini fiasco, I came back home and waited impatiently for Nandini.

But she never returned.

I tried calling her several times. But, her mobile phone was switched off.

It was 8 '0 clock in the night and my heart was just getting filled with fear.

I was on the verge of crying, when the door bell rang.

Rushing to the door, I abruptly opened it, only to find Cabir, standing with his joker face.

Me ( annoyed ) : tu yaha kya kar raha hai? ???

Cabir ( cheekily ) : teri babysitting karne aya hu. ....

Me ( pissed ) : kya bakwas kar raha hai! !!!!!

Cabir ( sighed ) : Nandini ne bola tujhe akela nehin chhodne ke liye. ....issliye aaj raat main tujhe company dene aya hu! !!!

Me ( concerned ) : Nandini kaha hai? ????

Cabir ( calmly ) : woh college ke kisi excursion ke liye aaj hi Chennai gayi hai. ...

Me ( sad ) :  excursion ?????....uss ne mujhe toh nehin baataya? ????

Cabir ( casually ) : busy thi. ...bhul gayi hogi. ...

Me ( pov ) ( depressed ) : bhul nehin gayi. ...ignore kar rahi hai! !!!!

Seeing Manik lost in his thoughts, Cabir irritatedly said " ab kya tu mujhe ghar ke andar nehin ane dega? ????"

Coming out of my trance, I immediately gave space to Cabir and he entered.

Bolting the door, I turned my body, only to find Cabir perched on the sofa, comfortably.

Cabir ( excitedly ) : chal Manik football match dekhte hai ....

Me ( not interested ) : tu dekh. ....main soone jaa raha hu. ...

Cabir ( heartbrokenly ) : abhi agar Nandini tujhe usske saath baith ke TV dekhne ko bolti. ....toh tu khushi khushi maan jataa. ...

Me ( giving up ) : tujhe pataa hai naa Cabir. ...ki tu kitna bada nautanki hai! !!!

Cabir ( mischievously ) : joh bhi hu. ...jaisa bhi hu. ...aaj raat ke liye toh bass tumhara hi hu! !!!

Me ( horrified ) : chiii yaar Cabir. ....kuch toh sharam kar le. ...

Cabir ( playfully ) : iss mein sharam karne wali kaun si baat hai! !!!!....aaj raat ke liye main hi teri company hu. ...

Saying this, Cabir gestured me to sit on the sofa. Half heartedly I sat beside him and started watching the match.

Exactly after 15 minutes, Cabir's head was on my lap, his one leg was on the table and the other one was on the hand rest.

Due to Cabir's tortures, I was cornered at one end of the sofa and helplessly sat over there, god knows for how many hours.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, I said " yaar. ...I am sleepy. ...main soone jaa raha hu! !!"

As soon as I said this, Cabir gave me his lost puppy wala look and I immediately knew that he wanted something.

Me ( annoyed ) : ab kya chahiye? ????

Cabir ( childishly ) : room taak chhod de naa. ...

With no energy left in me for protesting, I scoped him in my arms and that idiot, wrapped his hands around my neck.

Taking Cabir to my room, I dumped him on the bed and he instantly yelled " saale. ...aisa koi karta hai kya? ???....agar Nandini hoti. ...toh usse kitne pyaar se sulata. ...lekin mujhe gira diya! !!!!"

That was it Cabir, now payback time. ..

Caging Cabir between my arms, I moved my face a bit closer to him.

Cabir ( stammering ) : abbey gadhe. ...tu. ..tu. ..kar kya raha hai? ????

Me ( seductively ) : bass yahi dikha raha hu. ...ki agar tere jagah Nandini hoti. ...toh usske saath main kya karta. ...

Cabir ( horrified ) : saale meri ek girlfriend hai. ...main paraye mard pein nazar nehin daalta! !!!

On hearing this, I immediately straightened myself and started laughing.

Me ( laughing ) : thank god Cabir. ...ki tujhe yaad aa gaya ki teri ek girlfriend hai. ...warna mujhe toh laaga tha ki yaha ane se pehele tu aapna gender bhul gaya hai! !!!

Cabir made a bad face and said " badi hansi aa rahi hai naa tujhe. ...ek baar Nandini ko wapas ane de. ..usse baata dunga ki kaise usska fiance meri izaat loot raha tha! !!!"

On hearing this, I laughed more. While, Cabir sat on the bed, with a grumpy face.

Maniks flash back end's. ...

Opening my eyes, I stood up and moved towards the kitchen.
Pouring a glass of water, I took few sips.

Gosh. ....since Nandini entered my life. ...it had turned into a complete roller coaster ride. ...each and every moments spend with her was a complete bliss. ...

I still remember our memorable first meet. ...

God. ....she just keept on blabbering. ....not at all ready to listen to me and when I instinctively placed my hands on her waist to stop her. ...she punched the shit out of me! !!!....I must say. ...that was a solid punch! !!!

Nandini ke ane se pehele. ...meri life boring thi. ...studies, career, responsibilities. ...bass yahi thi meri zindagi mein! !!!....magar usske ane ke baad. ...mera dil aur dimaag ...dono hi chhuti pein chala gaya! !!!

Thinking about my life with Nandini, I moved towards my room, to freshen up.

Standing under the shower, I closed my eyes and remembered about our 'talli engagement '

Our engagement was one of the beautiful mistakes, which I had committed.

Bhale hi maine Nandini se talli halat mein engagement kar liya. ...lekin jab dusre din subha ko iss baat ka ehsaas hua. ...toh main bahut rooya! !!!....uss waqt toh mere asuoon ruk hi nehin rahe the. ...main uss din khush tha ki mera engagement Nandini se hua. ....lekin dukhi bhi tha. ...ki mujhe Nandini ko aapni dil ki baat baatane ka mauka nehin mila! !!!.....waise. ...iss mammle mein meri Nandu bhi kuch kam nehin thi. ..kitni asaani se ussne mujhe dhamkaya. ...ki woh meri fiance hone ki saari responsibilities nibhayegi! !!!....Nandini ki baatein sunn ke main itna zyaada shocked tha. ...ki kuch der ke liye toh main saans taak lena bhul gaya tha! !!!!

Uss din Nandini ke jaane ke baad. ...main shower ke neeche khade hoke khushi ke maare roo raha tha. ...
Ussi waqt maine aapne aap se wada kiya tha. ...ki main Nandini ko aapne se door kabhie nehin jaane donga aur usse hamesha pyaar karunga. ...

Thinking about this, a stream of hot tears rushed down my cheeks. ...

I had failed. ...aaj Nandini mujhse bahut door hai. ...