34. NOTEPAD!

Space College ( Flashback )

The hall echoed with a gasp because the RICH-DIVA of the college proposed the FIRST-YEAR NERD who is not even close to her beauty. According to them, outer beauty is what they prefer rather than the inner self. 

The girl who is on her knees says, trying to act cute just to gain sympathy from the crowd. 

Alya:- Come on Manik, say something. My knees are hurting. 

The boy who is none other than Manik comes out of his zone and looks at Alya who is still sitting in front of him with a rose, waiting for his reply. 

Manik:- ( Nervously ) Alya,… How… How can I…. I mean….

Alya can sense that he will not accept her proposal which will make her embarrassed in front of the crowd which she didn’t even want on her deathbed. Trying to save herself from the insult she stood up and whispers in his ears. 

Alya:- Say something, Manik…. And be practical. ( Emotionally ) Everyone will make fun of me if you reject a girl who comes forward to propose to you. 

Hearing her words, Manik looks around and thinks about her words and his feelings. He already had a crush on her so he thought to give their relationship a chance. If he will be lucky enough then a girl like Alya will end up being his wife whom he will cherish all his life. 

He is not the type of boy who will date a girl as time pass. He is very sincere about his relationships and this is his first relationship or I would say first true love in his eyes. 

Keeping his faith in his feelings, he accepts her proposal unaware of the fact that this relationship will haunt him for years. 

Alya smiles in victory and encircles her hands around his neck while placing her lips on his for a kiss. Manik didn’t even kiss her back. He just stayed and before a second could pass he pulled himself back. Unknown to him, it didn’t feel good to him. The kiss was nothing but just a touch for him which didn’t pass the shiver in his spinal cord. He felt strange and weird. Much to his surprise, he didn’t blush which is his trademark. 

Otherside, Alya was happy for an unknown reason. She didn’t focus on the way he refused to kiss her. She looks at him and sticks to him while smiling cutely. The crowd just claps for the couple with fake happiness. 

Alya cups his face and congratulates him while he just passes her a smile because he is not happy from his heart. Something is missing from his life. He left the college after spending some time with Alya but something stuck in his mind that he wants to clear and for that, he knows whom to approach, HIS MOTHER.

At night, he lies down keeping his head on his mother’s lap who is caressing his hair and waiting for him to talk. Both the mother-son is on the Terrace whereas his father is preparing chocolate milkshakes for themselves as per their ritual. 

For the last 20 minutes, Ritu is noticing Manik’s weird behavior. He is strangely quiet today. She gave him enough time to open up in front of her but when the last string of patience broke in her, she broke the silence. 

Ritu:- Manik, You can share anything with me, you know na? ( After a pause, lovingly ) You turned 18 now and legally matured but still, your heart is like an innocent boy. You don’t know how to hide your worries from your mother. So, open up! 

Manik:- Maa,… I don’t know what to say. How can I ask you about… about….

Ritu:- Since when did my son start doubting before asking anything? 

Hearing her, Manik turns around and faces her with glittering eyes, making her aware that he is confused about something. 

Manik:- ( Emotionally ) You remember, once you told me about LOVE. I assumed that I felt that way for a girl but, when she kissed me today, I didn’t feel anything unusual. In fact, I felt empty… I felt that something was missing. 

Ritu:- ( while raising her eyebrows ) And that something is LOVE? 

Manik:- Ya… but if I was not in love with her then, why do I feel for her? 

Ritu:- Manik, first of all, Love is not a feeling to feel. IT’S AN EMOTION TO LIVE FOR. 

Manik:- What is the difference?

Ritu:- You will get to know it in time. For now, I will just advise you to not conclude so soon. It’s love, give yourself and her time to devour the emotion called love. Rest leave on the god. 

(Flashback ends )

Manik:- And as advised by Mum, I give our relationship a chance.

Manik comes out from his memories and looks around to find Nandini who is struggling in her handbag to find something which makes him confused. 

Manik:- What are you finding, Fireball?

Nandini:- ( without giving him any heed ) My notepad. 

Manik looks at her with a bad face because who will need a notepad in this situation but, he has the answer to his question. His Fireball can do anything anywhere. He rolls his eyes while making a bad face but still dared to ask her. 

Manik:- What will you do with the notepad at this point? 

Nandini:- ( while shrugging her shoulders )  I have to note how many punches I have to give you as your reward for your extraordinary foolishness. 

The color of Manik’s face disappeared in a nanosecond while his jaw just touched the floor. His eyes automatically widened in horror. 

Manik:- ( Scaredly ) Punches?

Nandini hummed and started writing while pronouncing it for him to hear. 

Nandini:- one punch for coming here making me worried, Five punches for CRUSHING OVER THAT WALKING SKELETON, ( With an Irritating pout ) Five punches more for accepting her proposal when you don’t even have a love for that SILLY CREATURE, and ( Angrily ) at last TEN punches for KISSING HER WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. 

Manik gasped audibly and palmed his lips while his brain cell was wandering over “KISSING HER WITHOUT MY PERMISSION”. Does that mean he can kiss anyone with her permission? Does he have that liberty? But before he could ponder more on the thought or ask her about it, she turned to face him with fury and pointed her finger at him, threateningly. 

Nandini:- Don’t you even dare to think that you will kiss anyone with my permission. You don’t have that liberty and don’t even think about that. Understood?

Manik coughed seeing her who is giving answers to his unasked questions. For a second he thought that she got some magical power to read his mind. 

Manik:- ( innocently ) When will you give me these punches? 

Nandini:- ( Smirking devilishly ) Why?… Are you desperate for it? 

And in the next moment, Manik yelled “NO” at the top of his voice, making the floor shake because of the vibrations. Nandini laughs seeing his horrified face and seeing her laugh he could not stop the smile which comes on his lips automatically. 

All of a sudden Nandini stopped her laugh and looked at him with narrowed eyes. 

Nandini:- I am laughing but that doesn’t mean I will leave you without punishment.

Manik:- ( with all his love ) I will accept all your punishments. 

Hearing his answer, Nandini goes all “aww” on him. She fell in love with him all over again. But the possessiveness and insecurities triggered her again.  

Nandini:- Alya was so lucky to get you as her boyfriend, no? You are so perfect. A gentleman! 

Manik let out a sad chuckle and looked into her eyes. 

Manik:- She proposed to me not because she had feelings for me but because she had her selfish reason. ( After another sad chuckle ) She is a spoiled daughter of a big businessman. She never considers anyone’s feelings in front of money. She thinks that she can buy anything with her money and beauty. ( After a pause ) And she did the same with me. She bought my feelings and made me aware of how useless I am. 

A lone tear again fell from his eyes remembering how stupid he acted in front of her. Whereas Nandini rubs his shoulder to give him strength. 

Manik:- She got admission in Space not because she scored well or won the scholarship. Her father bribed the college authorities for it. For a few months, she was the talk of the college because of her ill behavior. She rags almost all the students which include me too…

Suddenly Nandini stopped him and said. 

Nandini:- Still you felt for her?

Manik:- ( Cribs ) Sorry na!… I was stupid back then. 

Nandini:- You are still stupid! Now, continue. 

Manik:- Her father got to know about her deeds in college so he threatened her to score well in her academics or else he will send her to Chennai, her grandparents’ home, to live with them. She was afraid of going there because if she goes there she will lack the luxurious life which she has here. 

Nandini:- ( While gritting her teeth out of anger ) So, to gain good marks she used your intelligence. 

Manik:- Ya! She made me her boyfriend and made me do all her work including her assignments, preparing notes for exams, and everything. We were just boyfriend-girlfriend for namesake. She used my capabilities for a selfish reason. And I being the DUMB-INNOCENT BOY does what she orders me. 

Nandini:- You are not dumb, Shy boy. You are naive. 

To be continued…