Hamesha, Yours!

-17-

-Goa-

Last night, she didn't made it to the bed. The gush of self-relief and abandoness took the surge and there she slid on the sofa. Big Bang Theory flashing on its own and the half-dipped, empty pasta-pan awaited its washer. Neither made to have any company and as if irritated with lack of attention, the clock screamed.

Nandini's eyes shot up and she sta straight up. Penny's laughter shook her out of any remaining sleepiness and she switched off the TV looking at her phone that hadn't yet shut up.

7.30AM.

"Holly muffins! That school!" she shrieked to herself and skid into her room to get ready.

"You are almost useless, Nandu. Chachi said right- tera kuch nahi ho sakta. Pehle din kaun late hota hi! Aiyyo!"

She slipped into her quarter-sleeved white shirt and her long floral baby-pink skirt. She grabbed her bag and tied her hair into a quick bun.

Long hair were what-so-ever still out of the question.

She grabbed her purse and "stuffed" it again and zoomed out with her car.

Destination? The school that held a dreaded job for her.

------

-Mumbai-

"Aha,Manik, Here!" she called. He smilled backa t her and made it to the table where he sat.

"So, what's the point of today?" he questioned and sat down.

"Nothing much!"

"Aliya you know we have to be at the Studio in half-an-hour", he raised his eyebrows questions.

"I know" she shrugged his warning as if nothing and sipped on her juice. "You hungry?"

He shook his head in denial but stared at her,

"What's up your notorious mind?"

"Mine?" she looked up from her glass and pointed a figure at herself innocently. "Nothing."

"This is totally the opposite of what you asked me in the morning!" Manik flustered.

"Is it now?" Aliya said intrigued.

"Yes and of all you ought to know there is only so much I can handle without my coffee!"

"Ah! I asked you if you were hungry but you denied. You can't blame me for that, can you?" Aliya pointed out and continued drinking her juice.

"Why are you so ignorant?" Manik asked only to receive a light chuckle from Aliya.

"Uff.. you know what I am leaving for the day!"

"Okay bye!" Aliya smile at him as he got up from the café table where they sat. Manik frowned and slumped back into his seat.

"What are you?"

"A human being, Manik. I thought you were smarter." Aliya finished the last sip of her juice and shifted the glass aside paying full-attention to him.

"You know what I mean!"

"I told you Manik", she supported her chin with her palms, her elbows pressing on the table as she intently looked at him, "Loosing hope won't do wonders and neither would staying uptight. If you wish to change, then so be it, the consequences can be thought of otherwise!"

"Whatever sense it made that time, it makes none now!" Manik huffed.

"Great. Cause that's the point. Let's change those words."

"Wow, now I truly hate change!" he muttered under his breath.

"Well, still deal with it." Aliya replied quickly but her serious soothing tone took over soon, "Now, if you don't like the comfortable silence we sat in moments ago. What did you do?"

"Ridiculous, you going crazy!" Manik rolled his eyes.

"No I' not and that's not my answer."

"Ughh.. I asked you what is wrong!"

"Bingo, almost!" she gave it a thought and continued, "You took away the silence by talking. You changed the current circumstance without thinking how or what I would answer. You questioned by well-being without knowing what answer it may get or even if you would get anything. Change is as simple as that. If you fel you are being threatened by something or something is hurting you, then make things go your way considering the others presence. You could have left my neglected answer right there and shot off your chair, but you considered me there and sat back down and questioned me again. Though it was a bit feisty way, but I don't care. You changed to consider other who are there. So, change could be anything as small as a question to make things comfortable to you or as complicated as ignoring yourself's discomfort and continuing for the other.You could have lost hope on me not answering you or you could have stayed slightly uptight and questioned me despite your discomfort. What ever you did was without thinking of the consequence but sheer love and care for the person infront of you, for the time being me!"

Aliya finished her little talk and fiddled with the straw in her emptied juice glass.

"When did you get so deep, Als?"

"Prophecy child, I have my own bit of experiences you know!" Aliya laughed off but a hint of sadness flashed in her eyes.

"Chalo, we have ten mintues to get to the studio. Today's lesson ends here, tan-tan-tan-tan!" she smiled hitting the straw against the glass cup to cover up the sob that was still stuck in her undertone.

Manik held her hand she left the table, "I'm sorry!"

Aliya's eyes softened, "It wasn't your fault, Manik! Neither of what happened was. It was just my luck."

"But, I was at the root of everything that happened to you." Manik mumbled, looking down at her hand.

Aliya brought his gaze up, "But look at the brighter side, because of you and Nandini, I have Dhruv today! Let go of blaming yourself. None of my relations have been gone because of you."

"That's a lie."

"Tell me where?" Aliya calmly continued, "We broke up for our sake. It was frivolous and mutual. That relation started with me being insecure, you were forced into it. If anything I have to apologize. And bhai, how he turned out was because the path he chose, because of what he thought. You are no where to be blamed for that."

"That's not the whole list, Aliya" Manik pulled her hand back as she again tried to leave.

"Prophecy child, fights and falls happen. They can lead to many deaths of many things. Happenstances aren't your fault." Aliya smiled and wiped the tears that fell Manik's face. "Chal ab rona dhona band kar and remember aaj ka lecture warna I'll have to explain it all again tomorrow and you know I am very lazy!"

Her tone flicked from deep to jolly and she pulled him out to go to the studio for their Concert practice.

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Hey, 

A pure moment?

Happy reading! 

Love, 

HF