Reunion?

Part 8

Manik told Nandini about the new members in his family, Alya and their princess.

Manik : "Would you like to see the princess's picture?"

Nandini : "Sure."

Nandini's thoughts : "He is married and he also has a child. I was successful in achieving my family's dream, but in that pursuit I lost my happiness. I am still there, where I left him, unable to move on, but I am glad he moved on in life. It is difficult for me to see him with someone else, but he is happy and that is what matters."

Manik took out his phone and showed the pictures to Nandini. There were a few pictures of the baby - alone, with Manik, with Manik's parents, with Alya, and one more person. Nandini didn't recognize that person.

Nandini : "Who is this?"

Manik : "Don't you know him? .. Oh! How will you? You never met him. I did tell you about my elder brother who was studying abroad. It's him, Dhruv."

Manik : "He came back after he finished his studies. My parents and Alya's parents had plans of getting Dhruv and Alya married from a long time. They were just waiting for both of them to complete their studies. They got married immediately after Alya completed her studies and they had a baby recently."

Nandini finally realized that Alya was Manik's sister-in-law, and not his wife as she had thought. She had taken it all wrong. Nandini didn't remember about Manik's brother as Manik had mentioned about him only once in the past. Nandini felt as though a heavy burden was lifted off from her heart.

Nandini felt relieved for a moment, but it didn't last long because a new doubt arouse in her mind.

Nandini's thoughts : "Alya is his sister-in-law, but that doesn't mean that he hasn't moved on with someone else. Shall I ask him about it or not?"

After thinking for a while, Nandini decided to ask Manik, still dreading his response.

Nandini : "How about you? Are your parents planning to get you married soon? Do they have someone in mind for you too? .. Do you have a girlfriend?"

Manik : "Are you asking me this?"

Nandini : "Did I ask anything wrong? Isn't it your turn to get married next?"

Manik : "Were you able to move on after you broke up with me?"

Nandini didn't respond.

Manik : "You didn't, then how did you expect me to move on?"

Nandini : "How can you be so sure that I didn't move on?"

Manik : "Your silence answered my question. Also, you didn't know what was happening in my life, but I knew everything about you."

Nandini was staring at Manik, wondering how could he have known about her.

Manik : "Don't look at me like that. I didn't go back on my words. Your condition was that that I shouldn't ask you anything and I should stay away from you. You didn't stop me from finding answers on my own, or from figuring out what is happening in your life."

Flashback

After Nandini broke up with Manik, Manik didn't approach Nandini. He had promised her that he would give her whatever she asks for, and he couldn't go back on his words. Manik was depressed at first, but later he thought about it rationally.

Manik : "She said that she can't live without me, then why did she decide to breakup with me? Everything was fine, then what happened suddenly that she took such a drastic decision?"

Manik kept watch on Nandini from a distance without her knowledge. He was trying to figure out the reason behind her decision. He observed that Nandini was concentrating more on her studies. Manik also came to know that she had taken up a part time job.

Meanwhile, Harshad came to know that Manik wasn't in touch with Nandini. He wanted to try his luck on her one last time, before he left the college. But before Harshad could approach Nandini, Manik stopped him.

Harshad : "You are no longer her friend, then why are you still coming in my way."

Manik : "I may not be in touch with her, but I will still be like her shadow. I shouldn't see you anywhere near her, otherwise the consequences won't be good."

Harshad didn't cross Nandini's path after that.

When Manik was in the final year, Manik's parents and Harshad's parents started preparations to get Manik's brother, Dhruv, and Harshad's sister, Alya, married. Alya was also in her final year. Since Harshad was no longer in the college and Alya would be Manik's sister-in-law in the future, Manik used to drop off Alya home sometimes.

Though Dhruv is elder than Manik, he was of the shy type, so Manik had to act as a link between Dhruv and Alya till they got closer. That was the reason behind the rumors about Manik and Alya, but they weren't aware of it.

Manik came to know that Nandini got a scholarship for further studies. He found out where Nandini was going and also which college she was joining.

Luckily for Manik, his cousin, Arya, was studying in the same college. Manik contacted Arya and asked him to be there for Nandini as long as she was there in London. Arya wanted to know the reason behind Manik's concern for Nandini, and Manik explained in brief about his and Nandini's relationship.

Flashback ends...

Nandini : "How did you know about me, I wasn't even here?"

Manik : "From Arya, he is my cousin, my aunt's son."

Nandini had told Arya about Manik, but Arya never told her that he knew Manik. She remembered that she had told Arya the reason for her breakup with Manik.

Nandini : "Did Arya tell you why I broke up with you?"

Flashback

Nandini was looking at her and Manik's pics on her phone. Arya had seen her seeing the pics and getting lost in her thoughts earlier too.

Arya : "Who is he? Friend? .. Boyfriend?"

Nandini : "He was my friend first. He was my boyfriend too."

Arya : "Was? Did he breakup with you?"

Nandini : "I broke up with him."

Arya : "Why? What happened? Did he hurt you? Wasn't he a good guy?"

Nandini : "He didn't hurt me. In fact he was always there for me. He is a gem of a person. The girl in his life will be very lucky to have him, but I wasn't the one."

Arya : "Then why did you breakup with him?"

Nandini didn't respond.

Arya : "I am your friend right? Can't you tell me what happened?"

Nandini wasn't ready to tell, but she had to give in after a lot of pestering from Arya.