HAPPY NEW YEAR

{I just can't wish you all a rookha-sookha new year, so here is a special treat by me, i know I'm late,
"But jahaan se sabki wishes khatm hoti hein, wahi se humari shuru."}

This is my new year special short story. It is a general fiction, But I have named its characters, as Manik, Nandani, bela and Mahir.
As these names are close to my heart. Bela and Mahir are as important in this story as sugar in gulabjamun.

Beautiful cover by :- rsakshir

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In Shimla, the Queen of hills,

A 14 year old girl from a small family is selling flowers at the roadside. Her flowers were just like her, beautiful. The fragrance of her flowers has something which attracts every person passing from there. Every person passing from there, buys her flowers, not only because of its fragment and beauty but also because of that girl's beautiful smile, big sparkling eyes, cute & glowing face and soothing voice. She sings melodies at the time of selling flowers, which were a treat to everyone's ears. Her cuteness and Prettiest smile, make everyone, buy her flowers.

Like always, her flowers sold in just 2 hours. And her best friend came running to her, shouting her name, making it echo in the whole Shimla.

"Nandu….Nandu…," this is the only voice which we can listen to.

A boy of nearly 15 years old came and stood in front of her, he picked all the baskets and put them on his head, and held them from his right hand. He gave his left hand to his best friend, Nandu, who held it happily. Both started walking towards their house. Everyone was smiling seeing the cute bond of two small children.

"Manii, why do you always come to drop me and pick me from there, and always put these heavy baskets on your head? Your head will start paining because of this." Asked Nandu, in her melodious voice.

"If you put this basket on your head then your head will also pain na, just like your hands pain, when you pluck flowers and blood flows from them, because of those pointed spines. I want to help you, but I can't." Said Mani, in a disheartening voice.

"Manii, my home is here, please go now, If anyone sees you with me, then a disaster will come." Said Nandu, in a sad Voice.

She picked those baskets from Manii's head and walked to her home.

As she reached her home, she put those baskets safely, hiding them from everyone's eyes and picked a vessel and put the coins which she received after selling those flowers. Then, she went to her mother and gave her that vessel.

"Ma this is the money, which I received from begging." Said nandu, telling the 100th lie of her life.

"Okay, keep this there and eat something, then go to sleep in the farm before evening." 
Ordered Nandini's mother.

Nandini took a dry chapati and some pickle, then went to the farm after picking her baskets secretly. She sat on the farm's earth and started eating her food. She then picks a book which her new best friend gave to her and starts seeing it. She didn't know much about study, but her new friend taught her how to understand the English and Hindi alphabets. With the help of it, she started reading the book. She found it very interesting. She was so lost in it, that she didn't realize when hours passed and snowfall started in shimla, she started playing in the snow and then went and laid down in The temple, which saved her from getting sick, as always.

Otherside,

Her mother was sleeping in the blanket, but sleep was far away from her eyes, as it was snowing, and her small daughter was suffering from a cold. Tears fell from her eyes, she went outside and also laid on the cottage earth. 

"I'm sorry my child, I have to keep you away for the whole day from me and have to send you for begging, but I have no other ways, we belong to a very small caste, and this caste is our curse. Here, anyone can come after drinking liquor, and rape a girl. And everyone takes it as their destiny. But my baby, you don't deserve that, I'll not let those alcoholics fuck you, I'll keep you away from those eyes. We earn after making grape wine and selling it, I don't want to make your hands dirty by making wine. It's your dad, who wants you to earn money by making wine, but I give him the money, which you collect from begging. I'll keep you away from this world, I'll not let you live the life which I'm living." Thought Nandu's mother and drift into deep sleep.

_____________

"Nandu…. nandu, wake up, we have to go to collect the flowers." Said Manik, trying to wake up Nandani.

He run and brings two cups of tea. He took her index finger and touches it with that mug. Nandani wakes up in shock and jumps from her seat. She sees Manik laughing holding his stomach. She ran behind him and started chasing him. Both plays with eachother for sometime. 

"Nandu... leave me, otherwise your favourite ginger tea will become cold." Said Manik, saving himself. 

"Wow, my favourite 'Nukkad ki tapri wali chai' I'm leaving you this time for my tea." Said Nandani.

Both sat and started sipping tea, enjoying the cold weather of Shimla.

_____________

Manik was running his bicycle in the shimla's roads and Nandani was sitting behind him, enjoying the beauty of the hills. They reached on the mountain, where flowers are found.

"Nandu, now go and pluck the flowers, I'll come after getting ready for my school, then I'll drop you to the roadside." Said Manik and again picks his bicycle to ride home.

Manik was passing from the hills, where he saw a place and an unknown smile came on his face.

Manik's Pov

About 1 month ago, That day was Sunday.

As always, I came to ride my bicycle in the outskirts of Shimla. I was enjoying my ride, when suddenly I hear someone crying sound, I went in that direction hurriedly, and saw that a girl is trying to pluck flowers but her whole hand has been bruised by the pointed spines, I can't even imagine her pain that time, but after this, she is plucking flowers, it means, her pain doesn't matter to her. She is strong just like me. I went towards her and held her shoulder, stopping her from plucking flowers.

"Hey? Who are you? Why are you holding my shoulder? Leave me, I have to pluck flowers." She asked, making an irritating face.

"You can't pluck these flowers!" I Ordered.

"Why? Are you the owner of this hill?" She questioned.

"Why do I own this hill?" I asked her in confusion.

"Because you look like a monkey and animals live on hills." She explained to me.

"Oh okay! Wait..,
You are making fun of me, How do you dare to make fun of the great Manik Malhotra? Here I came to help you and you are making fun of me! You are a baddie, a nakchadi." I taunted her.

"I'm not a nakchadi! 
You are the monkey Manik Mehrotra.
And did I ask for your help? No na, then why did you come?" She Mouthed.

"Oh hello, Ms. Whatever.."

"My name is Nandini Panwar, not whatever."

"Okay, so Miss Nakchadi Nandani, I'm not dieing to help you, I just heard your crying sound and came here, and then my innocent heart decided to help a lil one like you." I said, pulling her nose.

She jumped and said, "I'm not little."

I laughed at her childish tricks.

But as she jumped again to pull my nose, she fell down and her leg bruised .

I got shocked, and sat on the earth. I kept her foot straight on a stone. And immediately rushed towards my bicycle and came with a water bottle, I washed her foot with water carefully, making nandini feel relieved. Then I picked some green leaves from earth and stuck them with water on the place where she got hurt. I washed her hand and tied my handkerchief around it.

She was on seventh sky that day, because someone cared for her that day, someone put ointment on her wounds.

She gave me her hand and asked cutely in the world's sweetest voice, "Will you be my friend?"

I didn't know what to say, but I said yes. Because I can't say no to her cutest pout. I admit she is cutest.

I plucked flowers for her and helped her in selling them. I always pluck flowers for her on sundays, as I have no school that day. On rest days, I have to let my nandini pluck flowers as we have no other way. I really hate that. I don't want her to be hurt, I can't see her in pain. That's why, from that day, I became her personal transport vehicle, who picks her baskets and her and places them at one and another place. She is so caring and sweet as honey, I feel blessed to have her as my friend.

Manik pov's end.

He reached his home and got ready for his school, picked his bag and went to that hill.

Nandini has collected all the flowers by now, she became pro in collecting them, she didn't get hurt much now.

Manik comes with his bicycle and ties those baskets on his bicycle backseat, Nandani sits with him in front of him, He drops her at the place where she sold flowers usually and went to his school. Nandini starts selling flowers as always.

Nandani's  Pov

I was shocked when my mother asked me to beg in front of others. Even, I went to beg but this society treated me as a mess. They behaved with me, like if they'll be impure, I wanted to live like others, have a good and respected life, so I decided to earn for my self-respect. I decided to work hard rather than living a disrespectful life. I plucked flowers from hills and started selling flowers, although it was not easy that time, but when my best friend manik, entered in my life, my life became a little easy for me, he gave me idea to sing melodies and to attract customers, he gave me his books to read and teaches me on every sunday, he enlighten my dark world.  

Nandani's Pov ends.

To be Continued....

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