Next morning Nandini opened her eyes at very late hours than usual.

Her head was heavy and she wasn't willing to open her eyes too. With difficulty, she sat up and looked around to register her surroundings. She looked at herself and found that she was still in the previous night's party dress.

She held her head in her hands and at the same moment, Navya walked into her room with a black coffee.

"Good morning Nandu." Navya greeted her and kept the coffee on the side table of the bed and sat in front of her.

"Good morning Navya." Nandini replied in a lazy tone still holding her head in her hands.

"Here take this, you will feel better." Navya handed the coffee mug to Nandini and she inhaled the aroma of it which soothed her senses a bit.

"You shouldn't have got drunk. You know it doesn't suits you and also it's not good for your health." Navya said calmly to her and Nandini just stayed quite.

She knew what she did was not right but was helpless as nothing could have been done to it now.

Nandini while drinking coffee, tried to remember what happened last night but all she could remember was, she walking with Manik towards his car. The rest of the incidents that followed was not clear in her memory. The more she was trying to recall them, more pain it was causing to her head.

Navya noticed her trying to think something. She knew that she must be recalling last night's event.

Not wanting her to take any stress, she very lovingly kept one hand on her shoulder and said, "Nandu, if you are not able to remember anything about last night then don't force yourself. It will only affect your health. Please don't think much."

Navya very politely explained her and Nandini looked up to her. Though she badly wanted to know what happened exactly last night as she has the fear that she might have spilled out the truth in front of Manik but then she decided to let it go as Navya said.

She knew that if something would have happened, Manik would have been there in front of her but he was nowhere to be seen, which assured her that her secret is still safe.

"Right Navya, I should not think about it." Nandini replied softly and smiled at her to which she responded back equally.

"Ok now finish the coffee and have a good long shower, you will feel better." Navya said and Nandini nodded in affirmation.

Navya left the room and Nandini after finishing her coffee, went to take shower.

..............

After good 40 minutes, Nandini came out of her room and saw Navya busy in the kitchen.

She was about to enter the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Navya was about to go when she saw Nandini and who was already going towards the door.

She opened the door and found Abhi standing there. He smiled looking at her and Nandini hugged him in response.

"Good morning bhai." She greeted him.

"Good morning kiddo, how are you? And your hangover?" Abhi said breaking the hug and Nandini looked him in shock.

Abhi moved in and Nandini closed the door.

"How do you know bhai?" Nandini asked in shock and Abhi smiled.

"Why so shocked? Of course Navya told me, who else." He replied and Nandini looked at Nayva.

Navya on hearing her name looked at Abhi as she didn't told him anything and Abhi blinked his eyes to not to say anything.

Nandini looked at Navya with stern look as she didn't wanted Abhi to know about it.

Navya too looked at her and replied, "Don't give me such looks. Abhi has the right to know. What if you would have affected your health? I needed to inform him."

Nandini didn't replied anything and helped Navya with breakfast.

Soon all three sat for breakfast where Nandini quietly concentrated only on eating and only replied when she was asked anything. Abhi and Navya were noticing her but did not said anything.

.............

After the breakfast was done, Nandini moved to her room's balcony and sat on the swing. She was looking at nowhere without blinking her eyes.

Abhi entered her room and found her sitting lost on the swing. He moved towards the balcony and sat on the sofa placed opposite to the swing. Nandini at once was startled with his sudden appearance but was calmed the next moment.

Abhi was just staring at her and Nandini was trying her best to avoid the eye contact.

"We need to talk." Abhi said sternly and Nandini did not had the audacity to deny him. She took a deep breath and sitting straight, looked at Abhi.

Taking her this gesture as yes, he started, "Nanhi, you know this life, it's pretty short. We may assume it to be long but actually it's not. We just don't know what our future stores for us. No one has even the slightest idea of what is coming into the way the very next minute in fact the very next second. What the next sun rise is holding for us we don't know but that does not mean that in the wait for our future, we should stop living our present." Abhi tried to explain her and she quietly listened everything staring at the floor.

Abhi stood up from the sofa and sat beside her on the swing.

"Nanhi running away is not an option. I know the reality is hard to accept but the fact is you have to accept it, we have to accept it. And again the mere acceptance does not means that every thing is over. No it's not. Nothing is over until its actually over. Remember, no battle , no war is won until the last soldier holds on his breath. Nanhi it's just a bad phase, a testing time. You cannot give up like this, not until when you haven't even started fighting for it." Abhi explained her softly and his words made her eyes wet.

"What will we say to every one bhai? What will I say to Manik? They... Bhai I can't do this. Not with Manik at least bhai, no I can't." She spoke without looking at him with misty eyes.

Abhi encircled her shoulder with one hand and said, "you need to do this. They have all the right to know. Manik has the right to know. You cannot let your self and him get hurt any more."

Nandini clinged to him and started crying. She knew what she was doing was wrong both for herself and Manik but she felt helpless and had no courage to tell him the truth.

"Nanhi, this time may not come back. You just have to live in the moment. Forget the past, forget the future, forget what will happen, just live for today that's it. Make your today, your present, beautiful. And you very well know how your present will become beautiful." Abhi spoke to her while she kept on sobbing burring her face into his chest.

Abhi let her vent out all her pain she was holding back. He didn't spoke anything further and just kept patting her head lightly.

After some time, when Nandini felt a little better, she moved apart and looked at Abhi.

Abhi smiled at her and after wiping her face, kissed her forehead affectionately.

"I know my Nanhi must have understood what I tried to say. But still, always remember that I am with you in every decision of yours. Ok?" Abhi said with a smile and she smiled back nodding her head.

"I have some work. You take rest. And if the headache continues for long, take the medicine. I am keeping it on your dressing table." Saying so he moved towards her dressing table and kept a medicine there.

He looked at her and waved a bye to which she responded with the same and left the room.

After Abhi left, Nandini thought a lot about what he wanted to tell her. She too wanted to share every thing with Manik but was afraid of the consequences.

After knowing him for two months, she was still unaware of the reaction he would give after knowing the truth.

****************

Abhi moved out of her room, closing behind the door. Navya was talking to the maid but the moment she saw Abhi coming out of her room, she approached him.

"Abhi, is she fine?" She asked being worried.

"Don't worry Navya, she will be fine." Abhi assured her but was himself not sure what would happen.

Navya noticed the frowns on his head. He was worried and it was clearly visible.

"Abhi, we three have been together since years. We both know that Nandu has always shared all her secrets with us. Sooner or later she has always opened up to us and have told us each and every thing. But this time, inspite of asking her so many times, she is rigid enough not to break the walls, but I just can't believe the thought that you are unaware of anything." Navya spoke looking at Abhi and he was surprised.

"Navya, what are you trying to say?" Abhi tried to avoid the topic, but Navya was somewhat sure that Abhi is very well aware of the reason behind Nandini's silence.

"Abhi please, don't try to convince me. I know you know everything." Navya said and Abhi closed her eyes in frustration and helplessness.

He moved towards the balcony and Navya followed him. He stood there staring at the road for few minutes and Navya did not instigated him further.

"You are right, how can she not share anything with me. But this time, it was not about sharing because this time I was with her when that moment, changed everything." Abhi spoke after minutes and Navya witnessed wetness in his eyes.

"Abhi.." She tried to say something and words did not came out.

"She deserves happiness Navya but don't know what GOD has planned for her. She has already suffered a lot and this time it's the worst." He paused for a moment and Navya just listened him carefully.

Abhi turned towards Navya and said, "Why Navya, why, why my Nanhi had to bear it all the time. Yes, I know everything. And you know what, it's making me feel guilty. Manik is just like my brother. I know he is in pain but I just can't help him. I just don't know Navya what to do..." Abhi stopped abruptly seeing the person standing in the living room.

Navya frowned as Abhi stopped abruptly and was looking behind her. She turned around and was herself shocked.

"Mukti.." Navya gasped her name.

"I am sorry, the door was open so I didn't knocked." Mukti spoke softly and moved towards the balcony where Abhi and Navya were still standing in shock.

She looked at both of them and said, "what were you guys talking about?"

Both averted their gaze from her and Mukti turned towards Abhi.

"Abhi you knew every thing. You knew why Nandini is behaving like this. You had all the answers to Manik's question, but still you chose to be quiet. Why Abhi? Why didn't you tell Manik?" Mukti said in a sad and hurt tone to Abhi.

Not getting any answer from him, Navya came forward.

"Abhi please, please tell us. Both of them are suffering. When you knew then why you didn't said anything?" She said to him.

"She made me swear on her. I was helpless. You both think its easy for me to witness all this and sit calmly without taking any action. You guys really think so? If Nanhi is my sister, Manik is no less than a brother to me. I am equally hurt seeing them in pain as you guys are but I just couldn't do anything." Abhi spoke helplessly and left from there for his flat.

Navya tried to stop him but Mukti stopped her, "Navya, I will  talk to him. You relax." Saying so, Mukti left behind him.

Navya should there helplessly and looking up at the sky, murmured, "please GOD, don't let Nandu suffer more. Please help her.

She moved towards Nandini's room and opened the door but couldn't find her there. Her eyes then went towards the balcony and she saw her sitting on the swing, all lost.

She moved inside but stopped after two steps.

"I think, this is not the right time. I should wait a little more." She thought to herself and moved out of her room quietly, closing the door behind.

***********

AT ABHI'S PLACE..

Abhi was standing in his room near the window. Mukti came there from behind and placed her hand on his shoulder.

He titled his head a bit and found Mukti standing there. Both stood there in silence.

After some time, Abhi turned and hugged Mukti. She was startled at once but immediately responded back.

"Mukti, Nanhi is very special to me. I have always loved her as a daughter. I know I was wrong by not saying anything when I knew every thing but trust me I was bounded by her swear. Really. Even I want Manik and Nanhi to be together, but..." Abhi spoke to her still being in the hug and Mukti listened every thing carefully.

She slowly broke the hug and held his hands.

"Abhi we all know how much you love Nandini. You don't need to explain that. And if she gave you her swear then I know, you will die but never let that thing come out from your mouth. Please don't stress yourself." She spoke lovingly to him and Abhi smiled faintly to her.

"Abhi , I understand your situation, but we just can't behave as mute spectators, right. We love both of them a lot. We can't just let them suffer like this." Mukti tried to explain her point to Abhi and he nodded understanding what she meant.

"Don't worry Mukti, I have seen enough. Now I will not let them suffer. I can't say anything but I can surely do something that can help them." Abhi said assuring her.

Mukti frowned listening to him as she couldn't understand what he wanted to say. Abhi noticed this and said, "don't worry, every thing will be fine soon. Trust me."

Mukti looked at him for few minutes and then nodded with a smile.

"I'll get coffee for us." She said to him. He nodded and she left the room to prepare coffee.

*******************

AT NANDINI'S FLAT....

Nandini didn't realized for how long she remained on that swing and unknowingly slept there only.

Next she opened her eyes due to the strong sun rays falling on her face. She tried to hide her face some where but wasn't able to do so. She adjusted herself properly on the swing and by the intensity of the sun rays she figured out that it must be mid afternoon.

Moving inside the room she realized that she was still having pain in her head so she took the medicine that Abhi kept for her.

While taking medicine,her eyes fell on her phone and her mind again went towards the conversation between her and Abhi in the morning.

She realized that some where Abhi was right on his point. Telling Manik the truth would have surely hurt him but hiding the same from him was making it even worse.

Gathering lot of courage after lots of thought process, she picked up her phone to call Manik but received the automated message of phone being switched off.

Getting disappointed, she kept aside her phone and went inside the washroom.

IN NAVYA'S ROOM...

Navya was working on some designs when she got a call. Her whole bed was covered with papers, files, books and in that she started struggling to search her phone.

Finally after again putting the whole bed upside down, she found her phone and smiled seeing the caller Id.

"Hello. Hi Cabir" She answered the phone in her chirpy voice.

"Hi.. wassup?" He spoke.

"I am good. But where are you? And why didn't you came last night." She asked him as Cabir promised her that after returning from party, he will spend some time with her and also he was supposed to drop Nandini home.

"Ya actually I was stuck some where in very important. I am sorry I should have called you but just couldn't make it up. I hope Nandini reached safely." Cabir said.

"Its ok Cabir, no need of sorry. And what important stuff? All is fine right? Any problem?" Navya asked him in concern.

"No nothing like that, it's just that one of my sister, Ananya, she took admission in a MBA college here in Delhi and I am her guardian. Yesterday I got a call from her hostel warden that she is fallen sick and been admitted in the hospital and I was required there, so I had to leave in between the party only." Cabir informed her.

"Is she fine." Navya asked him.

"Much better. But I need to stay here till she gets discharged." He said.

"Okay, if you require anything, just let me know." She said and he smiled listening to her.

"Sure. Ok by the way, I hope Nandini is fine. I mean, it was after long time when they both were together and alone. I just hope everything was fine between them while they returned." Cabir said to her, keeping in mind, the kind of anger his friend holds of her.

"I guess nothing Is fine." And she narrated what ever she knew and Cabir was listening to her carefully.

"Navya, if Nandini stopped Abhi from telling anything to any one then I am sure it must be big enough. Let's wait for time. I am sure soon there will be a way out." Cabir said to her.

"I think you are right. Anyway, you said you are still in hospital. Should I come up, if you need anything?." Navya asked him with a hope that he says yes as she wanted to meet him.

Listening her he smiled, realizing that she was wanted to meet him.

"Yes, if you could manage with my clothes it will be great." Cabir gave her a way out and she instantly smiled widely.

"Ok. And. Will get some food for you,ok." Navya replied in excitement and Cabir smiled.

"Ok. I am texting the address. Come soon." He replied and disconnected the call.

Navya jumped out of the bed to get ready.

*******************

TO BE CONTINUED.........