Why does one hurt the one they love the most?

Nimrit unlatched the door and came to where their friends were eagerly waiting for them. Their smiles and expressions told her they were happy to see them spend time together. If only, she could tell them in clear words that they were falling apart rather than coming close.

Nimrit looked around the vast green garden of their school, which had people everywhere, but there was no person she could share her pain with.

"I am sorry, Nimrit." Nimrit turned around and saw Collin standing behind her. She drew her brows closer in a question because she didn't know why Collin said sorry to her.
"I heard Nivi and you talk inside the canteen room. I just wanted to have fun and tease you guys so I was hiding inside the room, but whatever Nivi said to you and how you dealt with it, made me realise that I have probably always misjudged you. I couldn't really understand what you were discussing, but what Nivi said was unacceptable. I think you could have said something in your defence."

Nimrit stood there quietly, looking at the farthest end she could see. "Sometimes, words cannot suffice what you feel. I didn't want to fight with him anymore. To think of it, it wasn't even a fight. We both are in a situation from which we cannot come out even if we want to. He will regret what he said because you and I both know what an adorably cute, impulsive jerk, he is."

Collin chuckled at Nimrit's words and asserted, "I hate to accept that my son has gone for good. I hand over his responsibilities to you."

Love had made Nimrit a pro at passing fake smiles and hiding true emotions. She gave Collin a notebook and requested him to keep it in Nivedya's bag secretly. Collin did as he was told without asking questions.

Nimrit was sad, broken, and hurt. She hated herself for not slapping Nivedya right across his face for the way he spoke to her. Surely he was troubled and bothered, but the way he treated her, made her feel like a punching bag, he could take out all his frustration on.

Collin tried to speak to Nivedya, but he warned him to not talk to him at the moment. He was tired, upset, and angry with whatever happened. He thought Nimrit would be a smart, intelligent, and sensible girl who would understand him and his circumstances, but she only made things difficult for him.

When he reached home, the first thing he did was that he asked his parents if, all was well. Nandini told Nivedya that Swarnima wouldn't be able to take his tuition because she abstained from keeping any kind of conversation with the outside world for security reasons.

Nivedya knew his science was better than before, but he still needed help. His thoughts travelled to Nimrit who was thorough with the concepts, but he knew that option was also ruled out.

Lovers have an odd connection. There is a telepathic network that only works in their domain, and Nivedya and Nimrit were no exception to the rule.

Nivedya found a notebook with formulae, flow charts, and definitions that were simplified for him. He knew only Nimrit could prepare such comprehensive notes for him but what caught his attention was the excessive use of the correction pen. Nimrit was known for her neat and error-free work. She rarely used a whitener/correction pen.

Upon close observation, Nivedya found the reason for the random whiteness in the notebook. She had replaced the full stops with hearts and when he moved his pen along the lines of the thick white ink of the whitener, the words that formed were probably, "I You, you".

"URGH!" Nivedya shouted in frustration and threw the notebook on the bed. He felt helpless and incapacitated to reciprocate the shower of love Nimrit sprinkled on him.

After a long, cold shower, Nivedya calmed himself down and figured out the reason Nimrit erased the signs of love from the notes. He had scolded her and fought with her so badly for sending a small, harmless kiss emoji that she feared what her little hearts and 'You, you' would do. He decided to take a step towards building his shattered fortress again.

He opened his Instagram to message a simple 'thank you' to Nimrit, but her account was either deactivated or deleted. Nimrit created an account only for conversing with Nivedya and seeing his pictures and stories. He read their past conversations, and he did not realise when his eyes teared up.

He sent her a "thank you" message, even though he knew she might not ever read it. Nivedya flipped the notebook several times to find that one heart, that one "I You, you" that she missed erasing, but his girl was very cautious, and he knew he lost her. However, something worth smiling about was the notebook itself that she prepared for him exclusively.

Science was not Nivedya's forte but with Swarnima's teachings and Nimrit's handy notes, he found his job half done. By the next day, his course was almost done and on the day of the examination, he was confident enough to score well. He just couldn't wait to thank her personally.

He was waiting for Nimrit to get down from the bus and when she did, he forgot to breathe. No one could take away the gorgeous face she was graced with but the shine in her eyes and the sparkle of her smile were robbed. He had looted her happiness after promising her a blissful world.

She walked past him without sparing him a glance and that's when he found his breath back. He caught her hand from behind halting her steps. She tried to release her hand before students around them noticed the way he was holding her hand but Nivedya couldn't take his eyes off her. He forgot what he wanted to say and just stared at Nimrit with guilt in his eyes.

Nimrit warned him firmly, "Leave my hand, at once."

Nivedya did leave her hand and in his most honest tone said, "I just wanted to thank you for the notes you left in my bag. They were very helpful."

"You could have said that over a phone call. What if someone sees us talking? It could be dangerous and I do not wish to be the reason for your trouble." Nimrit felt her anger escalating but they had an exam to write and the goodness inside her rose above the anger. She took a deep breath and calmed herself  before wishing him, "Good luck with the exam."

She turned around and walked as fast as she could to the examination hall because she didn't want to stretch the matter further. The bell rang and everyone started to write the paper.

Nivedya and Nimrit were casually checking each other careful enough to not make eye contact for two reasons. One, they didn't want the teachers to think they were cheating. Two, it was very difficult for both of them to tear their gaze once they met.

Nivedya didn't bother Nimrit after morning because he thought it would only make her angrier. However, Nimrit wanted Nivedya to stop her, and talk to her so that she could take out all the anger housing inside her. In the absence of any move from him, Nimrit's feeling that she was no more than a punching bag in Nivedya's life grew stronger. She did not affect him else he would at least come once and speak to her. He was not even sorry for the reckless comment he made yesterday.

Nimrit's bus followed by Nivedya's bus left the school premises with several unresolved problems between the two. There were just two more exams left and seven more days to Diwali after which Nivedya had promised he would explain everything to Nimrit. The reason he broke ties with her and the reason he behaved as he behaved. He was determined to win her love back and was certain it wouldn't be that tough. Nimrit was a very understanding girl and loved him immensely.

"I will never forgive you, Nivedya Singh. Never." Nimrit said to herself and crushed the paper on which she was practising the answers. The frustration, anger, and anxiety inside her were taking a toll on her emotional state and it was reflected in her studies. Her pace of completion of the syllabus was slow and she felt sleepy all the time. Reet was concerned about her daughter but didn't mention it to Amber who was hardly home before midnight and left at dawn.

Nimrit had somewhere gotten used to the distance. She missed Nivedya but the pain of separation was now bearable.

When the bell rang for the last examination at Swarnbhoomi High, the students shouted in glee to celebrate their happiness. Diwali was close and as a ritual, some nasty students had brought crackers to school. The bathroom, sports room, dustbin, and school grounds were just some places that boomed with the sound of crackers. Nivedya didn't bring the crackers this time but helped in placing them in the right places which could cause maximum sound.

Nimrit had horrific memories attached to Diwali. Amber and Reet had tried their best to create pleasant memories for her but she only celebrated the festival for the sake of her family's happiness.

"Who are these hooligans? Bursting crackers in school could be so dangerous." Nimrit commented closing her ears tightly with her hands to shut the noise but there were so many crackers bursting at the same time that nothing helped her.

Raghav came running to Nimrit and asked her with concern, "Hey, you doing alright? Sorry, I didn't warn you earlier about this annual practice. Don't worry kids are doing some harmless fun and it's a part of school life. Just try to relax."

Nimrit found comfort in Raghav's words and her eyes travelled to Nivedya who was laughing merrily with his other friends. A loud sound of "boom" made her shut her ears and bend down like shielding herself from danger. "I am going on the bus Raghav. I can not bear the noise."

She ran onto her bus and waited for it to fill in with students. Soon she reached home and hugged her mother tightly. Reet knew what happened at the school courtesy of Shakti who had briefed her beforehand that Nimrit had to bear with the sound of crackers.

"Nimrit, it's okay. Mumma is here only. Nothing will harm you. Trust me." Reet tried to calm her down and instill faith in her.

Circumstances had made Nimrit mature before her age, and even though she was scared, she acted bravely in front of her mother so that she does not worry about her.

Reet had prepared Nimrit's favourite lunch and fed her with her hands making her fears fly in the sky. If a Mother's touch is therapy then the food prepared by her is the medicine that can make the dead breathe.

Nivedya was packing his bags because post-Diwali he would be living in the enormous Swarnbhoomi Palace with his entire family. He had missed living with Abhedya and was elated to share his new home with not one but three brothers and a sister like no other. He was preparing dialogues and writing essays about what he would say to Nimrit and seek her apology.

Several times in two days he had thought of calling her but he kept reminding himself it was just a matter of three days before there would be nothing that could separate the two. If only he knew, Diwali brightens the moonless sky but artificially.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Readers
Separation has its charm because the meeting gets more exciting.
Coming up next is the Royal Coronation, the Diwali celebration and Nivedya's indifference.

Stay Hooked!
Lots of love