48. LOVE & TEARS

Manik:- I CAN NEVER LOVE YOU… ( Gulping his tears ) BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT MY TYPE. 

Nandini never thought that the situation would be so hard for her. She is trying to act according to her plan but his words are aching her more than she expected. No one can hear such words from the person he/she loves but here she is standing strong only for THEIR LOVE. She gulped the lump and acted keeping a stone on her heart. 

Nandini:- Then, what is your type? 

Manik took back hearing her question because he is not prepared for it. He turned his back to her and let the tears wash his face. 

Manik:- I want a girl who would be mature enough to take care of me and my family. I am an introvert and want the same girl who would be just like me. ( Trying to sound rude ) I don’t want a girl who takes every situation lightly. You are a very irresponsible and insensitive girl, Nandini. You are way too childish for me. 

He wants to scream that “this is all lies”, he wants to scream that “he didn’t mean any of that”, but he is adamant about not letting her drag into his messy life. Whereas Nandini felt like the floor slipped away from her feet. Suddenly, she felt like she was a fool who believed his eyes which showed his true feelings for her. The love bubble burst in front of her eyes but her heart is denying to believe his words. 

Manik:- I don’t want to stay in any kind of relationship with you, Nandini. I don’t want to babysit you all the time and cover your all naughtiness. It’s high time that you should act according to your age. 

He bit his lip to stop crying, feeling her pain without even looking at her. He wipes his tears and turns around to face her with a neutral expression only to feel pain in his heart seeing her red teary eyes. He never saw tears in her eyes in these months of their friendship. He felt ashamed of himself because he is the reason why she is crying but he calmed his heart saying that this is just for once. After that, she won’t cry ever because he wouldn’t stay around her. 

Nandini can’t describe her emotions at this time. All her dreams crashed today. She never felt that weak and unwanted before. But his next words work like a last nail in the coffin. 

Manik:- You always made me embarrassed in front of everyone with your childishness, Nandini. And frankly speaking, I don’t like that. 

Nandini never felt that her childish and notorious nature would make anyone ashamed of being with her. Her brother never let her feel those emotions but unknowingly he is making her go through that. 

Nandini:- ( Chocked ) So, this is the final goodbye for us?

Manik has no courage to reply to her so simply nods, breaking her heart further into a million pieces. 

Nandini:- Then, what about the feeling I noticed in your eyes for me? 

She tried hard to even get a clue that she didn’t dream those emotions. That feeling was real and true. She wants just one hint that he loves her just like she does to him and the rest she will handle, but he is smart enough to bury his love before it makes him weak. 

Manik:- You must have misunderstood me. 

Nandini nodded with a dry chuckle and turned around to walk out to never look at him again but his words caught her attention. Although his words were like a murmur, she heard them because of her sharp ears. 

STAY!… Please stay!… I LOVE…

Soon, he composed himself before confessing and signed in relief with the thought that she didn’t hear him. But to his dismay, she heard him and this brought a smile back on her lips. However, she didn’t forget what he said to her which had a long impact on her brain. 

Without looking back, she walks out only to dash with his parents who witnessed the whole scene and is pitying her. Ritu cupped her face and kissed her forehead, making her feel motherly love for the first time. 

Ritu:- You can never embarrass anyone and you are not either childish or immature. You are just NANDINI… MY LITTLE NAUGHTY NANDINI. 

Nandini smiles amidst tears and hugs her tightly to abolish the negative thoughts which surpassed her a few moments ago. Out of nowhere, she felt Rakesh’s palm on her head which provided her needed parents’ warmth. 

Rakesh:- He is foolish to let go of a girl who loves him immensely. He is sacrificing you for an unknown reason so, teach him a good lesson and I will help you with that. 

Nandini gets her strength back and looks at him with hesitation. 

Nandini:- Does he love me? 

Ritu:- ( chuckles ) He is madly in love with you but is acting dumb. 

Hearing her answer, Nandini gets her lost confidence back and hugs both of them, making them laugh. 

Nandini:- ( Smirks devilishly ) If you two are with me then, I am sure that I will make his life hell for making me feel unwanted. ( Challenging ) If I won’t bring him on his knees then, I am not HIS FIREBALL. 

Rakesh:- That is like my STUBBORN DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. 

Nandini laughs joined by them whereas, on the other hand, Manik is crying hysterically, hiding his face in her dupatta to feel her presence. He is feeling bad for making her feel unwanted. He can never dream of doing that to her but he did it anyhow. He pushed her away and created a distance between them but his soul is dying to see her once, ONE LAST TIME, maybe. 

Here, Nandini reached her home and was met by his brother who cups her face as soon as he looks at her face. 

Cabir:- Did you cry? 

Nandini bites her lip and tries to avoid his question but her over-protective brother didn’t let her move even an inch. 

Cabir:- ( Angrily ) Who made you cry? Tell me the name. 

Nandini:- Bhai, don’t stress yourself. I will handle him.

Cabir:- Is he the same boy you love? 

Nandini didn’t say anything but her silence answered his question and he declared, authoritatively. 

Cabir:- You are not going to meet him again. He made you cry which means he is not the one for you. 

Nandini:- ( Rolls her eyes ) Bhai, no love story would survive without tears. Tears should be there in love to deepen the relationship. 

Cabir:- I can’t understand your tear theory but I am sure that the boy who made you cry is not the one you deserve. 

Nandini grits her teeth and crosses her hands around her chest giving him glares. 

Nandini:- Bhai, if this is the case then you are also not good for Bhabhi.

Cabir:- How can I be dragged into every situation? And when I made Navya cry?

Nandini:- Did you forget how much Bhabhi cried while delivering Pihu? She almost lost consciousness and that happened because of you. 

Cabir palmed his face, hearing her excuse, and argues to win this argument which will never gonna happen. 

Cabir:- That situation was different than this. 

Nandini dismissed the arguments. 

Nandini:- Bhai, no arguments! Work on your script as I don’t want any mistakes from your side. 

Cabir:- ( While gritting his teeth ) You are not going to marry that guy and that is the finale. I will find a suitable groom for you. 

Nandini:- Then, prepare yourself because the bride will run away on the marriage day. 

Saying this she ran away leaving a surprised Cabir behind who is still adamant to find a guy who deserves his sister. He is totally against the boy she chose for herself because he brought tears to her eyes. 

Otherside, Nandini enters her room and bangs the door while looking at her reflection in the mirror. 

Nandini:- ( Looking at her reflection ) Shy boy, you will never forget today’s party. I will make you feel the same pain that you made me feel today. 

With a devilish smile, she calls Pihu and orders her. 

Nandini:- ( On-call ) Pihu, there is a little change in the plan. I changed the difficulty level from an easier to a harder one and made me choose the hottest dress for tonight so that Shy Boy would faint seeing me today. 

Pihu:- ( Worriedly ) But, Bui, you can’t wear BIKINI at a birthday party. The party is in the garden not on the beach so, we should maintain a party decorum. 

Nandini:- When I say that I will wear a bikini? 

Pihu:- Bui, there is nothing hotter than a bikini. So, I thought you were planning to wear one. 

Nandini:- My dear Pihu, there is one thing that makes boys feel weak on their knees when they see their loved ones in that dress. And then, they can even fight with every other man who eyes their women. Understand? 

Pihu:- Are you going to wear anything or not? 

Nandini:- Leave that on me and come into my room, I have to discuss something with you. 

To be continued…