Written in the stars

Part 14

Days passed by. Nyonika didn't question Manik anymore if he came home late or went out alone. Seeing Manik and Nandini getting along well together, Nyonika assumed that everything was fine between them.

Alya had become busy with her modeling assignments. She wasn't free to meet Manik as earlier and so they met very less.

One day Alya called Manik, Manik didn't receive the call since he was busy. Manik returned the call later.

Manik : "I was a little busy, so couldn't take your call."

Alya : "You are always busy. Earlier you didn't have time to meet me and now you don't have time to talk to me."

After talking to Alya,

Manik (to himself): "She always manages to find some reason or other to complain. Now, She is the one who is not free to meet. She also doesn't take my calls when she is busy. I don't make a big issue out of it. Why can't she understand when I am in a similar situation?"

Initially, Manik thought Alya was feeling insecure and so he was trying to reassure her. They were together for a few years and differences started to crop up between them only recently. He was hoping that Alya will try to understand sooner or later, but she always ended up complaining and he was getting annoyed of her behavior.

Manik and Nandini's friendship had grown even more stronger.

One day Manik took Nandini along with him to meet his friends. Cabir and Dhruv spoke nicely to Nandini, but Mukti and Alya didn't like Nandini's presence.

Manik spoke to other girls, but he hadn't got close to anyone. Mukti was the only other girl in their group, but she was Manik's sister. So when Alya saw Manik being close with Nandini, she didn't like it. Alya took Manik aside.

Alya : "Why is Nandini here?"

Manik : "She is my friend too, so I got her along with me."

Alya : "You shouldn't have got her here or become friends with her."

Manik didn't like anyone restricting him from doing what he wanted to do.

Manik : "I don't need advice on what I should do or whom I can be friends with. I can make my own decisions."

Later during the day,

Nandini : "Alya is very pretty. How did you meet her first? How did you know she is the one for you?"

Manik : "Mukti introduced me to Alya. Alya and Mukti are best friends. We all friends used to hangout together very often."

Manik : "Alya was the beauty queen of the college and I was attracted to her. We had similar tastes too, so we got along well. When she proposed, there was no reason to say no and I accepted. Since then we have been together."

Few days passed. One day, when Nandini was on her way home she saw Mukti with Arya. From the way they were interacting with each other, Nandini felt that they weren't just friends. Nandini went to Mukti's room to talk to her.

Mukti : "Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? First you stepped into my brother's life and this house. Now, you gained entry to my friends group too. At least stay out of my room."

Nandini was offended by Mukti's words, but she didn't go away. In spite of Mukti's rude behavior towards her, Nandini wanted to ensure that Mukti does not get deceived by Arya.

Nandini : "Mukti, How do you know Arya?"

Mukti : "He is my boyfriend, but that is none of your business."

Nandini : "I know Arya, he isn't trustworthy. So please stay away from him."

Mukti : "Haven't you messed up enough with my brother's and friend's lives. Now, you are trying to interfere in mine too."

Nandini : "I don't want to interfere in your life, but I am telling for your own good. Why don't you try to understand? .. You always blame me for what happened, but the root cause for everything was Arya. I don't want him to play with your life too."

Mukti : "I don't trust you. You are lying because you can't see me happy."

Mukti wasn't ready to listen to Nandini. Nandini left from there not knowing how to make Mukti understand. Seeing Arya had also reminded Nandini of her past and she was upset.

Manik came home. He didn't find Nandini around. He knew that she would be on the terrace.

It was cold outside. Manik saw Nandini's woolen shawl lying in the room, so he took it and went to the terrace.

Nandini was in deep thoughts, she didn't realize that Manik was around till he covered her with the shawl. Manik sat beside Nandini.

Manik : "What were you thinking so deeply?"

Nandini : "Nothing. Did you come home just now? How was your day?"

Manik : "You are trying to divert the topic as usual. I know you are upset about something. Can't you tell me what is bothering you? You might feel better if you let it out instead of brooding over it on your own."

Nandini hesitated at first, but then she thought of Mukti and decided to tell Manik about it. Mukti wasn't ready to listen to her, but she would listen to her brother. If Manik knew about Arya, he would be in a better position to make Mukti understand.

Nandini : "I saw Arya with Mukti today. I remembered the biggest mistake I made in my life."

Manik : "Who is Arya? and what mistake?"

Nandini : "Arya is the one with whom my marriage was fixed. He is the one who backed out of the wedding."

Nandini: "My biggest mistake was believing in him and convincing my parents for the wedding. I will never be able to forgive myself for it."