"A dangerous plan, just this time

A stranger's hand clutched in mine

I'll take this chance, so call me blind

I've been waiting all my life."

Tucking her hands inside the extra-large sweater Mrs Singh had given her, Nandini descended the stairs. Fumbling with large pajama, she drew the attention of couple with chair creaking as she took support of it. Colonel Singh looked at her weak figure and he didn't know where all the anger flew away. His heart swelled seeing her struggling in her cloths. 

"Why won't you give her something of her size?" He instinctively spoke up. Nandini and Mrs Singh looked at him surprised. Mrs Singh's lips formed a smile as she heard her annoyed husnad speak normal. 

"And who asked you to come down, Nandini? You have fever for God sake," He kept mubling as he got up and reached her. 

Nandini's eyes remained filled with confusion while her face showed no emotions. She was a master in hiding her emotions till the moment she knows she is with right people. 

Nandini's wondering gaze made colonel realized how he had behaved something very contrasting of his stand. He looked here and there before he composed himself. 

"I meant you are a guest and you are sick, you shouldn't have come down," He said in a low tone when he tried hard to sound miffed. 

"I am better now," Nandini murmured and walked past him without paying any further heed. 

"I was hungry," She spoke out and Mrs Singh who was busy glaring her husband looked at the girl. 

"Come, beta," She uttered tapping the seat next to her. 

"I have made Aloo parantha for you," She said serving her the steaming hot food. 

"Your cloths are coming. I mean your brother is coming here with them," She said in elation as she saw Nandini eating her food without any hesitation. 

None spoke as breakfast went on. Colonel Singh was long gone to his duty. Mrs Singh kept stealing glances of Nandini as she didn't speak or look at her this entire time. A worry started to eat Mrs Singh's head that what if Nandini wasn't feeling home there. She knew Nandini hardly let people in. She was choosy that way. Frowns on her face turned deeper as she pondered. She wanted to be there for that kid. It had been two days since Nandini's family had visited. Her mother didn't call again but her grandpa called twice a day. Manik had come and gone between his drills. Colonel's new orders were taking a toll on poor boy. Nandini had kept herself to her room till last night. Mrs Singh was somewhere happy that she had come down today. But still, it was hard to read her mind. 

"I haven't eaten this delicious food in a long time," Nandini's voice brought her out of her thoughts. 

"Thanks Aunty," She murmured taking another parantha from basket. 

Mrs Singh smiled as every doubt flew away. 

"I think I should make some more," She said and got up. 

"No, I am full. It's just me being greedy," Nandini said pointing towards half eaten parantha in her plate. 

Both giggled and discomfort flew out of the window. It wasn't very difficult being normal after all. 

______________

"Cadets"

"Line Ban"

Major Rastogi commanded on top of his voice as all the cadets gathered in the ground. Manik, whose eyes had never darted from the focal except for those times when Nandini had tried her least to distract him, stood chinned up. Performing his best had become a stake since Colonel had put his name in that dreaded list. 

Previous two days were hell of a sort. He was that busy balancing his classes and some thrown-upon tasks that he couldn't spend two hours in total with Nandini. Colonel had issued a blue list. It was some sort of new insult. Blue list consisted of all the troublesome cadets who weren't taking their training quite seriously. Manik's name was on fourth position. From being in toppers list to this blue list, Manik had been a subject of mockery in seniors who always envied his prodigy. 

"It's time we get out of comfort zone," Major Rastogi spoke. 

"You infants aren't infants anymore. You are ready to go out and face some real challenges," He added and smiled. 

Manik knew what was coming next. It was time for some outdoor training. He always waited for this but timing now was ironic. He didn't want to be away and now he had to go away. 

"Pack your bags and reach the trucks in an hour," Major Rastogi instructed and asked them to disperse. 

Boys ran towards their dorms all excited while Manik kept standing there disheartened. He didn't want to go away even for a day. Nandini was so close to him that he could run and be with her but he couldn't. 

Samit and Harshad ran towards him finding him nowhere in the group. 

"What now? Come on, we need to pack," Samit spoke out seeing a lost Manik. 

"Old times were better," Manik's silent monologue continued with a voice this time. Samit furrowed his brows not getting what Manik was referring. 

"I thought you always wanted it," He replied while Harshad pondered what was wrong with Manik. 

"She is just few blocks away and she needs me. I am such a bad person," Manik was pricked beyond limit. He yelled and sat down on nearby bench. 

"It's just an overnight drill. We will be back by tomorrow noon," Harshad informed patting Manik's back. 

"Go see her. I will pack your bag. Meet us in an hour near trucks," Harshad said with a genuine smile. Manik looked at him as if was wondering when-did-this-idiot-grew-this-mature.

After having a brief staring session, Manik ran towards Colonel's house. 

______________

Rishi helped Nandini unpack her bag as they both sat face to face in fluffy bed. 

"this room is more than cozy," Rishi was somewhere liking the feel. 

"It is. I have realized how sleep is sweet with walls so close," Nandini said examining her cloths. 

"Sorry if I have forgotten something important," He said looking at Nandini's serious face. 

"I have packed it all by myself," He added and Nandini looked at him. 

"I can see that," She said looking at neatly folded cloths. Her brother was nothing less than a tidy -freak. 

"So what's next? Thought something?" Rishi asked after a careful silence. 

"I don't know," Nandini replied keeping her cloths in Almirah Mrs Singh had opened for her. 

"Uncle Bernard will be back by evening. I think he will give me a part time job," She said unsure. 

Uncertainty in her voice pricked Rishi's heart. Her sister had never cared about anything beyond her crazy careless thoughts. And now she had a big question-mark in front of her eyes. 

"Maybe I can ask one of my friends..." He started but stopped getting a glare from Nandini. 

"All your friends are his businessman friends," She uttered bitterly. 

"I don't want anything from any of you," She said all worked up. 

Rishi cursed himself for not listening to his instincts. He knew this would make her mad. He was all busy in his head when Nandini looked at him. 

"I might not mind a helping hand in this though," She said trying to calm things down. Rishi sighed in relief and got up to arrange her almirah. 

_______________

Manik could hear giggles coming out of her room as he walked in living room. 

"Rishi is here with her cloths," Mrs Singh informed from kitchen. Manik smiled at her and then let out some curses under his breath at wrong timing of her brother. 

He took the stairs and reached her room just to see a hilarious sight. Her bed was covered in cloths while some of them tasted the dust of carpet. 

"Hey," He said entering the room. Rishi turned around while Nandini bit her lower lip knowing that timid voice. 

"Hello Manik," Rishi said reaching him for a hug. 

"I was just helping her with cloths," He said.

"I can see that," Manik taunted looking at the condition of room. 

"Fold it," Nandini said throwing a dress towards Manik. It landed on his face and he gathered it with an apparent pout.

He held it straight only to find how it was a hand towel. He narrowed his eyes as if asking her if she was being serious. She wasn't even looking. 

"It's a hand towel," He said not getting her to turn around. 

"Yeah. Fold it," She said without looking back and he shook his head. 

"I must tell you Manik. There's no point folding anything because she is gonna put them all messed up at end of this useless practice," Rishi mocked only to earn a piece of cloth from Nandini which came flying his way. She was all dived in her Almirah and wasn't in mood to come out of it. 

"I have no time for this," Manik threw the towel away and waited for her to give him some urgent attention. 

Nandini suppressed her laugh hearing his frustrated sighs. She knew he was being impatient with something and she was loving it. 

"Pass me the undergarments, please," Nandini said extending her arm as she asked Manik to do as asked. 

Manik stopped playing with teddy bear in hand which he had picked up from her luggage and waited for her to repeat as he was sure he had heard it wrong. Rishi who was having hard time controlling his laughter seeing the little pull and push going on sat down on rug to fold the cloths and avoid the ongoing circus. 

"Malhotra, the undergarments please," She said working her fingers to show the urgency. Her head remained hidden between doors of almirah. 

Manik gulped the embarrassment and picked up the finely packed small bag of some not-so-familiar cloths. Reaching her, he placed it in her palm just to drop it as he wanted to get rid of it that way. The sensitive and delicate piece of cloths got scattered on rug and Manik was sure it was a trap to scandalize him. He closed his eyes and uttered some abuses. 

Nandini, who was now standing face to face, glared the nonplussed man who was surely very bothered. He opened his eyes to see her pretty face all angry. He smiled sheepishly and then frowned. Her wisps were messy and her face so gorgeous. 

"Get them all," She said pointing towards the scattered lingerie. Manik licked his lips and then looked at her all pleading. Her gaze remained stubborn while he hated this idea of spending time in such a way. 

"I think I should leave"

"Manik, have you bunked your class?"

Rishi and Mrs Singh spoke at same time. Manik who thanked his angels sighed in relief while Nandini kicked all the undergarments under the bed in haste to avoid the scandalize the scene more than that. Manik gazed Mrs Singh in gratitude irrespective of what she had asked while Nandini kept playing soccer with her undergarments till the moment they all were tucked under the bed. Manik's broad frame wasn't all useless she thought. He could be a great hide out any day. 

 "This is not your break time," Mrs Singh asked and Manik smiled nervously. 

"Actually, we are going out for a night for a mock-drill so I had a free hour before we leave," Manik revealed and Nandini's face fell. 

"Oh!" Mrs Singh exclaimed and smiled. 

"I came to ask if Nandini would like Gajar ka halwa for dessert," She mentioned. Nandini who was still standing behind tall frame of Manik didn't reply and Manik moved aside. 

"What happened?" Mrs Singh asked seeing her frown. 

Manik turned around to see her troubled face and realized how it wasn't a right way to break the news. 

"I would love to, Aunty," She replied with a forced smile. Mrs Singh left the room in elation. 

"I think I need to leave as well," Rishi spoke amid a uncomfortable silence.

Manik gaped Nandini while she stood with a plain face.

"I am going for an outdoor drill for the night. That's what I came for..." Manik started to tell in a low tone when Nandini grabbed whatever her hands could fetch from the floor to hit Manik. Her top covered Manik's face and something hit his shoulders in that pinkish dark. His back touched the soft mattress and before he could really act, she was on his stomach with her legs straddling him.

"Don't you dare," She warned as he tried to take that weird top off his face. His eyes could be seen while his nose and mouth remained under silky cloth.

"You were to leave in an hour and from past 20 minutes you all standing here folding my clothes and wasting time. When you were going to tell me, Kitty Malhotra?" She asked in a threatening tone.

Manik tried to take that top off his face but she held both his wrists against his own chest like he was handcuffed.

"You, Malhotra," She said leaning in with her eyes narrowing.

"You have wasted 20 minutes of only hour we were gonna have in entire day," She added keeping both his hands which were cuffed within warm clutch of hers against her chest.

Manik furrowed his brows, narrowed his eyes, glared her to the fullest and did all he could do before he realized he could speak as well.

"Look who is talking," He uttered and raised his knees so that she could slip a bit and he could tame the wildcat.
Nandini's palms rested on his shoulders as she tried to keep her balance.

"You were the one who made me fold your cloths and wasted all the time," He argued like a proper contender as he took that piece of cloth off his face.

"You could have told, Genius," She said slapping his cheek lightly."

Manik's nostrils flared like a proper engine before he flipped their positions and pinned Nandini on the bed.

"It was you who was playing Ms Pricey who couldn't take her face off that damned cupboard," Manik mimicked God knew whom while trying to hold Nandini down who was being a fierce kitty while working those arms.

"I wasn't the one who was picking the bras and panties like they were bombs.  I wasn't the one who was behaving all slow-motion while doing the regular," Nandini spat raising her neck just to meet Manik's eyes.

Manik's eyes widened as he heard her saying all he could not be comfortable around and then narrowed them as if asking himself how to conquer this hellion. While he kept making faces pitying on himself only. Clock bonged indicating it was 1 in noon.

"10 more minutes you wasted, Idiot," Nandini yelled hitting Manik in back with her knee.

Manik yelped a bit before getting off her while she got up. Both sat on the bed tired and upset before they sighed in defeat.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you," He gave up and laid on the bed with his palms covering his face.

Nandini looked at his tired figure which wasn't only about his usual tantrums but about overall struggle they have been facing.

She laid next to him and said nothing. Both gazed the ceiling in silence before he took her hand in his.

"I am sorry I won't be here tonight," He said genuinely.

"You staying in your dorm wasn't anyway helpful, Malhotra," She quipped and he frowned.

"I know," He accepted and sighed.

She wrapped her arm around his torso and gazed him. His face reddened for sure. She giggled thinking when would he ease out.

"I love you," He said looking into her eyes and she smiled. Reaching for his lips, she kissed the side of it. His face dropped as she stopped there only.

"Luck favors the brave. And Nandini too favors those who are brave," She murmured and he pursed his lips.

"One day I will..." He started with intend to come up with solid reply but couldn't really form it well.

"I will... I will settle all the scores" He ended it up on that note and she couldn't hold her laughter more than that.

--------------------

Last army truck left the main gate and Nandini kept looking at the road from the terrace. Everything was so new and unsettling. She didn't know how to put it but things have started to feel more real since the time she had stepped out of her home.

"Aren't you cold?" Mrs Singh asked entering the tarrace area.

"It is cold," Nandini said rubbing her arms with her palms.

"Seems like it will snow again," Mrs Singh said wrapping the shawl around Nandini. A peaceful silence stayed as they both gazed the snow capped mountains afar.

"Does it feel very weird when Uncle Singh goes on a war?" Nandini asked out of a sudden.

Mrs Singh smiled at Nandini's question. She could see from where it was coming.

"When he used to go on a mission, I used to feel low. Not because I was afraid. Maybe I didn't like the loneliness, " Mrs Singh quelled her answer to what an untrained heart should know. She didn't want Nandini to tell things she hadn't even recognised.

"I need to go to the town," Nandini said changing the topic.

"Yes, sure. But Make sure you visit Dr Sameer before you leave," Mrs Singh had her condition very clear.

"Thank you," Nandini bestowed a kiss on Mrs Singh's cheek before she left for her room.

"Nandinii," Mrs Singh called out loud.

"Take the car," She added.

-----------------

Nandini drove the old beauty very carefully towards the town as sky darkened. Clouds were dense.

Colonel's Embassedor was Nandini's only worry. She knew how much colonel loved his car and she also knew how her driving skills were. She shook her head as sky roared.

Soon snowy beads started to descend with a finesse and Nandini let out some cuss words. She loved snowfall but not when she had some business to do.

She could see people rushing to their homes as snow kept covering the town in white.

Nandini could see Uncle Bernard's shop open. She smiled at her luck.

Parking the car in safest spot, she ran towards the shop.

She needed that job more than ever and this time it wasn't just because she loved dogs.

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Unedited*