" Welcome buddhe" was cabir's first word as greeting when Manik entered the bus.

" Buddha hoga tu, saale" Manik replied annoyed.

" But dark circles toh tere dikh Rahe Hain" cabir remarked.

" Haan toh bimaar tha toh kya blush dikhega tujhe??"

" Sahi h bhai...Bimaar ho kar tuney bahut footage kha Li...Teri girlfriend toh devdaas Bani ghum Rahi thi" cabir laughed.

" Tu bakwaas band kar ...Aur ye bta Dhruv aur Abhi kaha h??"

" Dono ne bunk Kiya h...Movie dekhne gye Hain"

" Tu kyu Ni Gaya?"

" Sach btauu??" Cabir whispered.

" Ni jhuth Bata!! Tu ASE abla nari wali harkatein kab se karne Laga?"

" Tu rehne de bhai...Maaf kar mujhe!"
" Arey bta na...Acha sorry...Ab No bolunga...Bol na"

" Thk h , sunn Maine na ek adult movie arrange ki h...Aaj Wahi dekhunga...Moment dad kuch din k lye bahar ja rahe Hain"

" Arey yaar..Cabir Maine kitni Baar bola h ...Padhai pe concentrate kar....Ye sab life mein kuch kaam Ni aenge"

" Sunn Gyani baba...Tu zindagi bhar celibate rehne wala h par mujhe toh bachche karne hain...Aur uske lye knowledge hona jaruri hai"

Manik was silent for a while.

" Tujhe kya ho gya? Tabiyat thk h na??" Cabir asked concerned.

" Tu sahi bol Raha h... Theoretical knowledge Ni hogi toh practical kse successfull hoga?" Manik replied thoughtfully.

" Sunn tu chemistry practical Ko lekar worry kar Raha h? Main help kar Dunga...Don't worry" cabir replied.

Manik gave him an incredulous look

Cabir tu kabhi kabhi mujhe apni stupidity se surprise kar deta hai"

" Ab Maine kya Kiya?" Cabir asks but Manik is distracted.

"Yaar ye Nandini ka stop Nikal gya...Ye larki aaj fir late hai ya wo deliberately mujhe tease kar Rahi h!" Manik muttered.

" Tujhe tease kar Rahi h matlab?? Wo toh 9 out of 10 times bus miss Karti h!" Cabir replied nonchalantly.

" Tu Ni samjhega cabir"

" Sunn wse toh mujhe tera reply PTA h...But fir bhi for formality's sake main puch Raha hu tu dekhega movie mere saath?"

" But maaa"

" Matlab tu dekhna chahta h...?????"

" Ha toh isme itna hyper hone wali kya baat h?"

" R u sure?? Main adult movie dekhne ki baat kar Raha Hun...Koi misunderstanding toh Ni Hui h na tujhe?"

" Cabir!!! For god's sake tu ab iska v issue Mt Bana"

" Chal thk h Jaa Baksh diya tujhe...Main mamma Ko bolunga teri maa  ko convince karne"
.......
"Ye larkiya toh ASE sigh kar rahi hain tujhe dekh kar jaise  unke Jaan mein Jaan agyi ho!" Cabir quipped as they made their way to the classroom. Manik ignored his comment.

All his classmates huddled around Manik to know about his well being.

Manik was overwhelmed with all the attention but he replied to the queries and wishes calmly. His eyes would rivet every now and then towards the door, but to his dismay even after the final bell for assembly, Nandini was nowhere to be seen. Finally when the first class of the day started, it was confirmed that Nandini is not coming today.

Manik did not have a chance to think about it as all the teachers were very much paying attention to him. Every one of them , when entering the class and catching sight of him, made him stand to know the reason for his absence, followed by advice as to how to catch up with the class. Manik listened patiently and nodded obediently.

The day kept on dragging. 

" I don't have my phone, so I could ask her why is she absent" Manik was thinking while absentmindedly eating his lunch during the break. He doesn't get much time to think as his friends drag him into a conversation.

Finally the last bell rings and students head out towards their respective homes. At nandini's bus point, the bus stops and before anyone can think anything Nandini is on the door, "Manik get down here." His face lights up at the sight of her.

He does as she says and the bus drives off.

He looks at her. She is dressed in casuals but her hair is messed up as if she has not run a comb through them, today, nevertheless she looks beautiful. She goes and sits on her scooty and Manik follows.

" Why were you absent today??" He asks dejectedly.

" Mom slipped in the bathroom today morning. She was unable to move for a while. Papa ne doctor Ko Bulaya and I couldn't leave her alone"

" Is she fine now??"

" She is still a little stiff, doctor ne bola backbone effect hua h toh accupuncture k 1-2 sessions Lene honge. I think time lagega for her to be normal"

" Oh toh ghar k saare kaam tum karogi?"

" Papa ne ek extra maid rakh Liya jab tak mom theek ni Hoti"

" Toh kal school aogi?"

" Haan"

"Wse abhi tumhe ghar par hona chahiye tha...Your mother might need you"

" She was sleeping, so I came out after informing dad, I had to see you"

They look at each other for a long moment without saying a word.

"I was worried" he confesses.

" I know" she replied "you look weak"

" I am fine" he assures her and then sensing her vulnerability, he adds "

tumhri mom bhi jaldi thk ho jaengi, don't worry"

She smiles affectionately at him.

"Aur?" She asks.

"Aur???" He asks.

" Notes copy le Liya tumne? Complete karna hoga na?"

" Tumhri copy hi lunga....kal...Wse agar hm aise public place pe Ni hote toh mujhe bahut kuch tha...Tumhe btane Ko..." He says suggestively , reminding her of the conversation.

" Then I think it's nice that we are at public place" she says with a smile " and now I think you should go...Come I will drop you...Your mom might worry"

Manik smiles teasingly " chalo, chalo, let me take some advantage"

" Advantage??" She asks confused.

" Advantage of sitting behind you on the scooty" he says and winks , before sitting behind her.

" Oh tumne mujhe touch Kiya aur accident ho gya ...Toh don't blame me" she says and starts the scooty.

" I won't let anything happen to you miss Murthy" he says and shifts so that his thighs brush against her legs. Nandini stiffens and is distracted, so she missed seeing a pot hole and due to that she applies brakes and manik's front collides with her back and he holds the stearing of the scooty from back over her hands to steady it.

Nandini's heart is thumping partly due to the adventure and partly due to manik's proximity. His face inches away from her cheeks.He doesn't retract and Nandini is growing hot and bothered.

" Should I leave your hands Nandini or you want me to continue holding?" He whispers right in her ear, his lips slightly brushing her lobes.

Nandini asks herself, what does she want? Her answer , is of some value, because it's like Manik is not just referring to the present scenario.

" Don't" she says.

" Don't what Nandini? Don't hold or don't leave?" He asks breezily.

" Don't leave" she whispers.

" Trust me, I won't" 

Soon, he enters his area and Nandini suggests him to leave her. He agrees and she drops him a few blocks away from his house. Then she drives away, smiling to herself.