Happy Valentine's Day

In the evening Nandini was freely roaming inside her house, dressed in baby pink ankle length, cotton suit. She also made bun of her hair. She is upset with her mother yet she don't want to face her anger again and also she don't want her mother to think that she is disrespecting her words.

"Where are you going? ...... Go and help the ladies to clean the Wada" her mother yet again said in stern voice. While she was filling the lamps with oil as it was evening and they will need those lamps as a source of light, though they have electricity connection in their home but it's very unpredictable and there can be shortage of light anytime.

"Aajji I'm going out" Nandini said it to her grandmother who was grinding few ingredients on stone to make paste for gravy.

"Nandiniii" her mother again called her angrily.

"Sunbaai let her go  ...... She is going to pluck flowers and also she is going to make food for Gudi Padwa" her Aaji said it like a final statement which shocked Nandini too.

"Me? ..... Why?" It's not like she don't love cooking but cooking food for festival it's a big thing, it was always her mother's duty and she just used to help her.

"U r 17 ...... Big enough to handle any situation so I want you to prepare food for all ....... Also call your friends ..... We will be holding Jija's  Gadagner / Kelvan (it's a ritual in which family or friends makes special dinner for bride or groom to be)" she was happy with the announcement but again she was little nervous about the food.

"Sasubaai why to call boys? ...... I mean we can invite her family members that's what tradition says" her mother spoke in between. She don't want Nandini to be associated with her childhood friends anymore, though she don't doubt their true friendship but she don't want others to put finger on Nandini whenever her marriage talk will start.

"Those are our children only, Indu .....  And Atul is like ur brother won't you call his sons ? ...... And these children have spent childhood together, she will be more happy if we invite them instead of her family" Indu couldn't deny the fact in her statement still she was little reluctant.

"Yes Aaji she will be very happy if we do this" Nandini said excitedly.

"Okay okay ...... Bring one Saree from our shop ...... If u want take her too so she can choose for herself" Indu said not wanting to hurt Nandini more. And she was happy yet angry on her mother so she silently nodded.

"And ha don't forget to invite Manik ...... He is the only sensible child ...... Tell his mother to send him if he deny to come ..... He is not wanderer like u all so he may deny" before going out she again nodded in front of mother, without any expressions. He is also same as her mother who can't see her happy for the sake of others, she thought and left her house.

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"Gopu ...... Gopu ..... Gopal" his mother was screaming his name since last one minute but he didn't reply as he wasn't at home but Manik was who heard their voices.

"What happened? ...... Why r u calling him?" He asked after coming out of his room and saw his aunt nd mother were doing preparations for food. They starts cooking before sunset so they can eat till 7pm - 8pm.

"Tomorrow is Gudi Padwa and we have to make Gajara ( garland) ....... So we r finding him so he can bring flowers ...... But see it's already 5.30pm, don't know if he will return before 6pm or not" Leela said being worried.

"Manik go nd bring flowers ...... We can't pluck them after 6 ...... So there's no point in waiting for Gopal" Menka ordered him and he agreed instantly, he never says no to his mother.

"But his study?" Leela questioned.

"Tomorrow I have holiday ..... I will go now" without much more words he left to pluck the flowers. He is very less talkative and reserved person in family.

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"Nandini yaar u choose ..... I don't feel right" Jija said awkwardly while selecting saree for herself from Nandini's shop.

"What's wrong in this? ..... U also know that it is for u nd u r going to wear it then what's the problem in selecting ur favourite" Nandini scolded her.

"I love ur choice too ..... So choose urself otherwise I'm not taking it" she too said stubbornly making Nandini sighed. She packed dark green paithani with red border for Jija and they both went out of the shop.

"Hey look Manju is there" Nandini said and they both followed Manju.

"Hey what are you doing here?" They asked this to Manju where she was trying to hide behind the pillar of temple. Their saree shop is on Bajirao road which is nearer to Dagadusheth Ganpati.

"We r playing hide and seek" she whispered.

"We ? ..... Who?"

"Here my younger brother and his friends from our locality were playing ..... So I joined them nd Gopu was coming from milk delivery with Namdev so they also stopped and so we all are playing with children ...... U two also join" she suggested.

"They will" Gopu said from behind who came there to find Manju as he was a denner.

"Yes we will" Nandini was already excited.

"We still have to pluck flowers Nandu" Jija reminded her.

"Will do that later now we should play first" she dragged Jija in the game and so they all started playing, first Jija was reluctant but then she too started playing without any worry.

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While plucking the flowers Manik came near the temple because there weren't much flowers in his area as other ladies took them all, earlier. He filled his cloth bag with flowers of Aboli ( Firecracker flower) and Jasmine (Mogra) and he was going but he found his brother hiding behind the woods.

"What r u doing here? ..... And why u r not at home, yet? ...... Aai and Kaku were looking for u"  he scolded his brother and his voice brought others attention too.

"Dadaa ....... I was hiding here, u just spoilt it" he was whining like a child by looking at others but Manik gave him one silent angry glare.

"Why they were searching for me?" He asked meekly.

"To collect flowers".

"Ohh shit I forgot".

"It's okay I have collected them" this made him calmed but it increased someone's anxiety. Nandini realised she also forgot to pluck flowers nd now she can't do that it's past 6pm.

"Jija I forgot ...... Aai will kill me now" she muttered in scared voice only audible to Jija.

"This is ur fault only" she whispered yelled.

"Please don't scold me na instead find a way" Nandini made cute puppy eyes.

"Tomorrow I will take extra Gajara from my house and u can give them to ur Aaji nd Aai" she said making Nandini breath in peace.

"Dada u go ...... I will come later" after their short conversation Gopal said this to Manik and Nandini heard it too.

"Stop" she exclaimed and he looked at her but she moved her gaze to Gopal.

"Gopu tomorrow is Jija's Gadagner ...... So Aai has invited you two and Manju ..... So please don't deny her" Manik knew the last line was for him.

"Off course we will come" Gopal said and then Nandini realised Namdev is there too nd she haven't invited him.

"Nama ..... U can also come ..... If u want" she was just saying for the sake of saying though she really wanted to invite him but her family won't allow person from lower cast. They also don't like her playing with them but she is very stubborn to listen to them.

"Tomorrow actually I have to study nd also there's a lot of work" he too gave a fake reason knowing her situation and she too nodded back knowing he is lying too.

"Guys let's continue with the game" Gopal said to break the awkwardness, everyone present there knew what is happening but they chose to ignore as always.

"Dada now u can go or u can play if u want" he asked this to Manik but he responded negatively.

"I will go home" he said and others didn't force him either, they started playing their game. This time it was Manju's turn for den.

Manik was still there and he noticed Nandini going behind the main wall of temple and the look of guilt he saw on her face was something which took him to her. He knows how she loathes this indifference of cast nd religion and she must be blaming herself for not taking stand for her friend, but she is helpless too. She can't fight against her family, though her grandfather is lenient in this matter as he was a freedom fighter but other members are totally against it. They can be okay with her association with such people outside the house but inside the house they r prohibited.

"It's not ur fault" she looked up to find Manik standing in front of her and then that was it, she couldn't stop her tears from flowing.

"India is independent but still people's mindset is so sick ...... Nd indirectly it's like I am supporting them, I can't even take action against it ...... It breaks me" she said looking down and wiping her tears while sniffing.

"U r not a creator to take responsibility of everyone ..... Let it be ..... Just try to do things which are in ur hand, in right way" he said in little soft voice.

"What about the change? ...... Human nature should be changing nd someone should bring the positive change so others can follow that ...... It's not needed to follow the wrong things just because they have been followed by our old generations" she said looking at him.

"To bring revolution first u need to be a someone who can lead the others ..... So for now stop worrying" this time he said softly and she nodded lowering her neck. Still she is crying.

"Stop crying ..... Please ...... It's bringing my worst memories back" he tried not to sound irritated with his emotions. But she looked into his eyes and that look in his eyes was telling everything, how he was getting angry nd hurt at the same time because of this exact place, nd situation is reminding him of that tough time.

"I'm sorry" her hand was about to touch his cheek but he took a deep breath and stepped back. He was yearning for her touch and he so wanted to get lost in warm touch of her palm on his cheek but he restrained himself.

"It was my fault ....... I let you control my brain that I couldn't study well at the end for which I had given one yr of my perseverance" he said in cold voice making her more guilty.

"It wasn't my choices ....... It was decided by my family" she cried.

"And u let them" and just like that he walked away, leaving her broken there with her memories.

Flashback,

Two years back it was his 12th board exam which was around the corner, just after the 15 days. He was so focused towards his aim that he wanted to topped the college nd Maharashtra board if possible. He studied day nd night, most of the time at night he used to study under the oil lamp. Everyone knew how possessive nd serious he is about his studies so no one ever tried to distract him. Even for Nandini his studies was forbidden to invade.

That time she was in 10th, she was very much similar to Manik in this field but still Manik's passion was at another level. Nd just before her board exams her Aatya And Mama ( Uncle nd aunt) visited her family. Knowing how Nandini's mother is, Shamal decided to take Nandini with her for further studies so that Indu won't stop her education.

Nandini also wanted the same though she wasn't ready to leave the Pune but decision was already made and she was left with no choice.

Once in lucky evening they all got chance to play hide and seek like childhood just a week before 12th board exam.

The den was on Gopu and everyone was hiding. Nandini was hiding behind the main wall of temple and Manik deliberately followed her.

"Why r u here?" She whispered yelled.

"I'm hiding here too" he said in same way with very small, soft smile on his face. His smile is very rare and she haven't seen him smiling much after he turned 10yrs old nd stopped playing with them. This must be 2/3 time in last 8 years he is playing with them.

"He won't find us soon" she said sheepishly showing her hiding skills.

"Let's see" he said while standing beside her with two inch gap between them.

"How's your study going? ...... Only one week is left for ur exam" she asked after few seconds nd he looked at her.

"I have revised whole syllabus twice ...... What about u?" He asked.

"I have completed the syllabus but revision is pending ...... But don't worry I will cover it in next week" her exam is starting in next to next week.

"Any plans for junior college?" He knows she is ambitious still he asked because he knows how her mother is or every girl's mother is.

"Aatya is taking me to Lonavala at her place ...... After my boards?" This statement shook him nd his soft smile faded in a second.

"And u r going?" he said towering her which scared her a little.

"Doesn't matter ...... Decision is already made nd I have to follow" she said looking down being scared of looking up into his eyes.

"Look up Nandini" he said sternly nd she looked up.

"Please don't go" his tone directly changed into pleading one when he looked into her desolate eyes.

"Manik please understand I have to go" she said caressing his cheek and he closed his eyes to control his tears. The thought that he can't see her for 2 yrs didn't settle well with his conscience.

"How?" His voice was breaking her more, he wasn't crying like her but his face was too expressive unlike his usual cold self. It was the first time his eyes were begging her to not go and this 'how' was also about the unasked question that 'how he will live without seeing her?'.

"I promise ...... I will return soon".

"I am not ready ...... Please don't go". He was one step back from letting his tears flow freely but he has to hold them back behind his eyelids.

"Manik please" she cried more.

"Okay .... Go" he jerked her hand off his cheek and ran away from there.

When he turned 10. He stopped talking and playing with her and their group. They just used to talk at given circumstances but their hearts used to beat in synchronisation without any disturbance of distance or any other thing.

They never used to spend much time with each other but there wasn't a day when they haven't taken a glimpse of each other. It was like a silent promise to complete the day with at least one glimpse and any one of them used to put those little efforts to see each other before the day ends.

During the exams it was like a prayer for Manik to see her face before giving paper. But after the news of her departure he was shaken, disappointed nd angry that he silently broke all their rules nd never came in front of her by his will. He never showed any emotion other than rudeness in these days but he was the most affected person from inside. He only knows how he gave the papers. And as a result he came second in college.

Nd for her, she was feeling pain of two but she had friends nd family to get diverted and she did her best in her studies unlike him. She knows he doesn't show but her single nd smallest thing makes huge impact in his life and she lived her two yrs with guilt but she never stopped herself from adopting good changes in her personality.

Flashback ends.

................... End .....................

Let me know if you found any mistake.

How was the chapter?

................ Aish❣️...................