Zehnaseeb

36. Realisation?

Ansh entered inside Nandini's room and saw her throwing her night dress on bed from cupboard. He sighed and walked towards her.

"Nandi-"

"Bhai, I'm in very bad mood and don't want to talk about anything right now. Please."

"Offo, you come here first, arey come na, sit." Said Ansh dragging her towards bed and made her sit forcefully. She sat silently. Ansh held her hand.

"Are you okay? See, Nandi don't think about what she said in-"

"I don't care whatever she said to me. I don't even give a damn! But she! How dare she use such cheap tricks to get close to mani? You saw na how she acted like slipping?" Ansh looked at her amused and something striked him. He smiled.

"And this Mani, what was the need to hold her? Dekha nahi kaise looks de rahi thi usey aur chipak rahi thi ussey? This guy doesn't even understand opposite person's intention. Aur sahab businessman hai. Huh! Idiot." Ansh grinned hearing her to which she frowned.

"Why are you smiling like this? Bade maje le rahe hai aap mere gusse ke." She said narrowing her eyes. Ansh laughed.

"God! Nandi baby. Look at your face. Gusse se pura laal hogaya hai. Balloon jaise. And I am getting a smell." He said holding his nose. She got confuse.

"What smell?"

"Arey smell of burning. Kuch toh jal raha hai. Can you smell it?" Teased Ansh to which she frowned trying to smell then looking at his teasing smile she understood what he was trying to say. She glared at him.

"Nothing like that. Main..Mujhe kya farak padta hai? I.. I'm not jealous. Kuch bhi bolte hai aap.."

"When did I even say that you are jealous?" Asked Ansh raising his brows to which Nandini threw a pillow on his face.

"Bhai, don't play word games with me. Go away. Shoooo." She huffed. Ansh laughed and pulled her in side hug.

"Arey baby ko toh gussa aagaya. But tell me one thing, am I wrong? Aren't you jealous?" Nandini who was playing with his shirt buttons stopped and looked at him for a good 5 seconds and then again started playing with his shirt buttons. Ansh hits her head.

"Pagal. Tere dimaag mei seedhe kuch ghusta hi nei hai na?" She made pout while Ansh broke the hug and made her look at him.

"Do you love him, Nandi?" Ansh dropped a bomb. Nandini widened her eyes.

"L- love? Whom? What are you saying, bhai?" Stammered Nandini looking here and there.

"Manik. I'm talking about Manik. Do you love him?" Ansh asked seriously. Nandini got up from her sit and moved ahead a bit.

"What are you saying bhai? L- love? He- he's my best friend. Aap na, kuch bhi-"

"Kuch bhi nahi bol raha main, Nandi. I have eyes. I can see. I can feel. I can understand." Nandini turned to him and faked a laugh not looking at him.

"You're thinking too much bhai. There's nothing like that. Main aur mani sirf ek achche dost hai. Bahot achche dost. Nothing else."

"Ohh. Nothing else? Only best friends ah? Then why do you care if Veebha get close to him or not? Why does it affect you?" Nandini moved near her cupboard and said while pretending like searching something.

"Because he's my best friend. And that girl wasn't giving good vibes. She looked clingy and-"

"However she is, she must be liking Manik. She was trying to get close to Manik so that they can be together. And what's wrong in that? If he's your best friend then you should get happy if he gets any girlfriend. But you got angry seeing them close. Why? Why do you care if he get close to her?" Ansh said making her turn towards him.

"Because I can't see him with any other girl. I can't bear that and I don't want to loose him." Nandini shouted getting frustrated.

"Why? Why can't you see him with any other girl? Why can't you bear that? What's the problem if he get close to someone, if he loves someone, if he marries some-"

"Stop it bhai."

"Why? Why should I stop? Tell me why can't you see Manik with any other girl?" Nandini had enough of it and she screamed.

"Yes. Yes I can't see him with any girl because I Lo-" she stopped abruptly and looked at Ansh who was having smile on his face. She turned around. Her back was facing him.

"Complete your incomplete sentence, Nandi. Because you what?" Nandini nodded in no and closed her eyes. Ansh sighed and kept hand on her shoulder.

"I trust Manik with my life. He is an ideal friend, ideal brother, ideal son and can be a ideal lover and husband too. I'll be the happiest person to get him as my brother in law. Think about it calmly." Patting her shoulder, he left her room. Nandini's tears fell.

"I don't deserve him, bhai. He's a true gem. He deserves best and I.. I'm a mess. Love is not for me bhai. The person I love, get destroyed in their lives. I don't want to loose anyone else now. I don't have strength anymore. I'm tired showing the world that I'm strong. I'm not strong bhai, I'm not strong." She cried digging her face in pillow.

A pair of eyes was shown seeing all this.

_______________

"Ayee cartoons, hurry up. Where's that lazy bug Cabir? Aree koi jake le aao usey yaar. Bathroom mei bhi so raha tha nahate nahate. With lot of difficulties I brought him down. Abhi bhi hall mei hi baitha hai voh. We will get late yaar." Manik said getting annoyed.

Ansh and Dhruv who were helping him to put luggage and necessary things in their mini bus, chuckled. He glared at them.

"Chill Manik, let me bring that joker. You people make yourself comfortable in bus. I'm coming in a while." Said Mukti and about to go when Nandini called her.

"Hm, Mukti. Let me also come with you. I have forgotten my phone inside." She said smiling a bit. Mukti smiled and nodded. Both went inside. Manik kept looking at them.

"Chalo buddy. Everything set. Let's get settled inside." Said Ansh to which Manik looked at him.

"Is Golu okay? She is behaving weird from the time she came here. She didn't even talk with me properly. She was most excited for the trip and now-"

"Arey she's fine. Like brother like sister. Usey bhi cabir jaise jaldi uthna pasand nahi hai. She gets annoyed. Her mood will be up in sometime. Relax." Ansh faked a reason but Manik wasn't convinced. He nodded hesitantly and saw Mukti and Nandini bringing annoyed sleepy cabir dragging from both sides. He looked at Ansh and both chuckled.

Mukti and Nandini reached near them and threw him on Manik who staggered a bit.

"Handle your idiot brother, Manik. This man wasn't even ready to take a step. We both literally had to drag him." Mukti said panting while Nandini agreed panting with her.

"Birji ka dieting plan banana hoga. Kha kha ke kitna weight badh gaya hai inka. Huh!" Trio laughed hearing her.

"Okay enough. Let's get settled inside the bus now. We are getting late." Saying this Ansh entered and sat on a first sit which was single. Manik moved ahead and threw cabir on a sit. His sleep broke and he glared at Manik which he returned.

He turned and saw Nandini sitting beside Mukti with a faint smile. He then looked back and saw Dhruliya sitting together. He sighed and sat beside Cabir.

"Bhai messaged me. He started his journey." Everyone nodded.

"We weren't going to eat your bhai. Why he had to go separate taking his car?" Said Cabir to which Manik gestured him to be quiet and show him Nandini. Cabir bit his tongue and nodded muttering a sorry. Their bus started and everyone hooted loudly.

"Ganapati Bappa Moryaaa!"

Screen freezes on everyone's happy faces.