Flashback Continues...

It had been almost a week since Aryaman and I visited the tea stall.

Things were not the same between us. Suddenly Aryaman seemed way too busy in his life. Neither he made any efforts to meet me, nor he had the time to talk to me.

Due to my past, I never liked being a burden on anyone. The only thing I wanted from Aryaman was that if he had any issues with me, then atleast he could be upfront about it.

With all these thoughts clouding my mind, I went to meet Aryaman in the basketball court.

On seeing me, Aryaman came rushing and took me to a corner.

Aryaman : hi ...baataya nehi pehele ki tum ane wali ho????

Nandini (calmly) : we need to talk!

Aryaman : okay !!!...tell me what is the matter!!

Nandini : Aryaman it is almost a week and you didn't even come to meet me once!!...arrey milna toh chhod hi do..you don't even bother to text back these days!!!

Losing his calm Aryaman said " Nandini I told you that I am a bit busy these days!!!...ab sab kuch chhod ke main sirf tumhare text ka toh reply dene nehi baith sakta naa!!!"

Ouch!!!...that was sheer rudeness!!!

Nandini : Maine tumhe kabhi aapna kaam chhod ke mere peeche nehi ane ko bola!!!...all I am saying that is just leave a simple message for me that you are fine!!!..but then why would you even bother to do that much!!!....I toh don't even exist in your priority list!!!

Taking a deep breath Aryaman said " of course you are my priority babylove!!!...it's just that I really getting worked up due to the upcoming match!!!..."

Nodding my head, I just said it's okay and left from there. I certainly didn't have the emotional strength to fight.

As I was brisk walking through the corridor lost in my thoughts that I heard someone's melodious voice coming from the canteen.

Main jado tere khaab an wale raah tureya
Main turreya bada na maithon jawein mudeya
O jive rehnde panne nal panne judd de
Main ravaan tere nal ohna waangu judeya
Main likhda hunda si tere baare adiye
Jaa ke puchle gawah ne taare adiye
Jo karde mazak ohna hass lainde
Jo taane kassde ohna nu kass lainde...(On listening to the lyrics, I actually felt a strong urge to see the person who was singing it)

Dil tainu rehnda sadda chete karda
Kise hor te na maare tere te hi marda
Ban meri rani tera raja ban jaa
Tu hi ban mera ghar darwaza ban jaa...
O tainu vekh jaava tere val rudeya
Tu fool te main tahni wangu naal judeya
Main jado tere khaab an wale raah tureya
Main turreya bada na maithon jawein mudeya
O jive rehnde panne nal panne judd de

Main ravaan tere nal ohna waangu judeya...
(Main ravaan tere nal ohna waangu judeya...)
(Main ravaan tere nal ohna waangu judeya...)(Instinctively I entered the canteen, to find Manik seated on top of one of the table's and strumming his guitar)

Layi na tu mainu bahute laare adiye
Ni hor kitte rehjiye kunware adiye
Mere supne bade ne keh lainde
Na bhejj main dur nede reh lain de

Ae pyar rahe pura na rahe thudeya
Main umraan tayi tere naal raha judeya

Main jado tere khwab an wale raah tureya
Main turreya bada na maithon jawein mudeya
O jive rehnde panne nal panne judd de
Main ravaan tere nal ohna waangu judeya...(Between the cheer of the crowd Manik continued his singing with an undying smile)

Aa kathe ho ke duniya bana laiye
Rusiye je jagg hi mana laiye
Choli teri khushiyaan naal bhar daunga
Supne aa wala tainu ghar daunga...(joining the company of Aliya, Dhruv and Cabir, I took my rightful seat beside Muku)

Ae fikke nahi laare eh sahchi gudde aa
Tere lai ae haath Rabb agge judeya
M

ain jado tere khwab an wale raah tureya
Main turreya bada na maithon jawein mudeya
O jive rehnde panne nal panne judd de
Main ravaan tere nal ohna waangu judeya...
(Ooo...) ( as the song , everyone seemed to be in some sort of a trance)

So Mr. Perfect can actually sing so perfectly...not bad!!!!

After saying goodbye to his fan girls, Manik joined us.

Looking at me he asked " tum kab ayi???"

It was then Muku noticed me and said " fuck I didn't even realize that you were sitting beside me!!!...I mean..when did you come???...and kaha gayaab rehti hai aaj kal tu????...Navu was also telling me that you didn't receive her call yesterday???...what's wrong with you???"

Nandini : Muku breath!!!!....main kahi gayaab nehi hui ho!!!...I am sitting right in front of you!!!

Rolling her eyes Muku commented " yeah right!!!...physical you are present here!!!...but mentally I don't know in which space you are roaming around!!!"

Trying to calm her down I said " aisa kuch nehi hai!!!...just caught up with my exams and projects!!!"

Mukti : isske pehele bhi you had exams and projects!!!...tab toh you didn't look so distracted????

Kissing Muku on her cheeks I just tried to divert her mind " calm down meri Sherni!!!...I am absolutely fine!!!...agar koi problem hoga...toh tu hai naa sambhalne ke liye!!!!"

Saying this, I got up from my seat to leave.

Holding my hand Muku whined " abhi toh ayi thi!!!...phir se jaa rahi hai!!!...I am telling you main breakup kar dungi tere saath!!!"

Smiling at her puppy face I replied " kal pakka I will spend time with you!!!...par filhal aaj jaldi jaana hai!!"

Pouting like a baby Muku said : goodbye

Waving bye at others I exited from there.

Muku knows me too well to understand that something was wrong with me. If I would have stayed there for longer, I might have actually ended up crying in her arms, which would have in return got her more worried. So the best thing to do was, just leave from there.

Getting back to my room, I tried everything to get Aryaman's words out of my head.

Yes I do understand that in our busy day to day life, it is difficult to maintain healthy relationships with everyone. But then, don't we make time for people who are important to us?

Kaam tha!!....busy the!!!...excuses dena bahut asaan hai!!!...but actually being there for each other is difficult.

I would have elaborated this thought further in my mind, if the small beep of notification had not caught my momentary attention.

On checking my mobile, I found a WhatsApp message from Manik.

Strange!

Manik : is everything fine???

Raising my brows in confusion I messaged back : yeah!!...why do you ask suddenly????

Manik : umm...you seemed indifferent today in the canteen!!!... if you want...you can share...I am here to listen...

Thinking about it a bit, I texted " actually...I am confused!!!"

Manik : confused about???

Nandini : the thing is...I love a guy!!!...apparently he also loves me!!!...but since past few days whenever I try to talk to him...woh busy hu keh ke tal deta hai!!!...

Manik : okay!!...did you try having a face to face conversation with him???

Nandini : yeah I did today!!!..but wahi same old excuses!!!... I love him like I hate him!!!!...it's really frustrating!!

Manik : 🤣🤣...love is indeed frustrating!!!...but with the right person it is worth experiencing!!

Nandini : stop laughing aur yeh baato how can I deal with this situation!!!

Manik : firstly...start chilling...instead of roasting your brain!!!...and secondly...do you think ki uss bande ki life mein koi  aur hai???

Thinking about the possibilities, my heart started beating like crazy and I typed " nehiiiiiii!!!!... he doesn't have anyone else in his life!!!...agar aisa hota then he would have told me!!!...he toh can't even think of hurting me!!!"

Manik : okay!

After talking to Manik, I started to feel more horrible.

Naah...Aryaman loves me!!!...he is not seeing anyone else!!!...he is just busy!!!

With these disturbing thoughts, I drifted to sleep.