A city obscured by the darkness of night.

At some side of the city, there was a very nicely decorated bar. The nameplate above was decorated with light and it was written 'Wild Rover Pub.' The place was almost dark with only a few lights on. Loud music was playing in the background. Young boys and girls were swinging with the beat of music at the middle. At one side, a few chair and tables were placed where people were drinking. Different sort of wines were placed in the counter, some people were standing there having their favorite shots. 

A staircase has gone up which led to a huge room. This hall is for those customers who drink too much.

There are broken pieces of glass lying around. Bottles of different drinks were shattered around. There were not much people there, only a few who were very intoxicated. Many have brought their partners with them and they were having their intimate moments openly. 

There was one person sitting at one of the tables. Her face was not clearly at all in the dark room but her dress could be seen under the dim light. She was wearing a short one piece reaching till her mind thigh. Her milky white back was visible due to her backless dress even though her thick long hair was trying cover it but they were not successful completely. 

(Nandini's attire)

She was having a lot of empty glasses in front of her. Yes, it's none other than our Nandini. 

"Mam, do you need anything else?" A waiter asked Nandini.

Nandini was now completely intoxicated. "I need my regular one. Don't get like this a little, I need a lot. A lot of it." Her voice was also saying that how drunk she was. 

The waiter nodded his head and walked away to get her drink. Nandini started taking sip from the glass which was in her hand but it was also on the verge of ending. Nandini satisfied all the anger, irritation and pain of her through this. Every helpless moment of her life seemed to be gone in an instant when she started taking sipping of this. 

Other side, at Manik's place were very worried for Nandini. They were astonished seeing Nandini going away like that. Nandini is most responsible and composed soul among all of them, so they couldn't even think of her doing something like this. Everyone is shocked that Nandini had left like that.

"What happened? Why did Nandini leave like that? She said she would stay back here with us. Then what happened to her all of a sudden?" Manik looked at Avneet and Siddharth who were as confused as he was.

"I also didn't understand. Did uncle call her again and say anything?" Siddharth tried to look for a reason.

Avneet also had the same thought in her mind but she was not sure. "But when? Di was here only with us. Then?" She found Nandini's phone which was lying beside the bed. While picking up her bag, it slipped out of her hand. "Di didn't even take her phone with her." Avneet took Nandini's phone. "Let's check her phone, then there won't be any doubt."

She opened the call log and found the last call was from their father only. Her hands shivered a little and she looked up towards Manik and Sid's face whose eyes were fixed at her only. They were somewhere sure that it's none other than Sanjay but they waited for her confirmation.

"Who is it? Sanjay uncle, right?" Siddharth asked impatiently.

Avneet slowly nodded her head. "You are right. He had called di. But what did he say to di now? He must have spoken something really dirty else she wouldn't have gone away like that. I just hope di is okay and that person didn't do anything wrong with her." She didn't want to think of this but knowing the nature of their father, she couldn't wipe away the thought completely. She silently prayed in mind that her sister should be safe and sound. 

"We need to find Nandini as soon as possible. Don't know where is she and I just hope she is okay." Sid started wearing his shoes. "But where should we look for her? We have no idea where she must have gone."

"Let's go to our place first what if di has gone back to home and she is having argument with that person again." Avneet voiced out her fear. "If she has gone back home, then it's surely not a good thing for her."

"I don't think so. As much as I know Nandini, she won't go back there." Manik spoke.

"Then? Where else she can go?" Siddharth asked.

"We can't even track her phone. She has left her phone here only. I don't know where she has gone." Avneet rubbed her sweaty palms over her face.

"Everyone think carefully where she can go. Any places! And don't tell mom anything about Nandini now only, she'll be worried."

Siddharth and Avneet nodded their head agreeing to him.

Manik, Siddharth and Avneet went out of Manik's house after informing Neelima that they were going out for walk. She should not wait for them, then they directly walked to the park. They all were restless thinking of Nandini. Manik was walking to and fro thinking of Nandini. 

She had not gone home. Avneet had called their caretaker who is a nice lady and she had been taking of her and Nandini since Nandini's birth. She loved both of them a lot, so she was not gonna tell anything to Sanjay unlike other butlers of their house. 

"Avneet, we've Nandini's phone with us. You call all her college friends and ask them about Nandini. Ask them if she had gone to their places or if they have any idea about where she can go." Manik instructed Avneet who nodded her head and immediately started calling Nandini's friends.

Manik and Sid were waiting eagerly for some news. Manik felt his palms were sweating badly. He couldn't imagine something bad happening to her. He tried to make himself understand that Nandini is a strong girl and she can protect herself. Nothing will go wrong with her. 

"Hello, Reena di, I'm Avneet, Nandini's sister. Do you know where di has gone? I mean if..." Avneet stopped hearing the reply from other side. "You know! When?" She stopped once again. "Will you please send me the address? Thanks."

"What did she say?" Manik and Sid asked together. 

"Di had gone to her place."

"Let's go." Siddharth got up.

"Wait. Di is not there."

"Then where is she?" Manik asked worriedly.

"She said that di had come but she left immediately after changing. But she knows where di has gone. She is sending me the address."

"Great. Let's go." Manik started walking.

"Thank God, I had got the car keys." Sid sighed. 

Siddharth started the car. Manik sat beside him and Avneet in the back seat. She was giving direction. Even though it was almost mid night also the season of winter but it seemed the city was not ready to sleep. 

"We've reached. The location is saying this place only." Avneet told after asking Sid to stop the car.

Sid parked the car at one side and looked around with a frown. "It's a pub!" He was surprised.

Now Manik and Avneet too noticed the place.

"Nandini has come to pub again!" Manik was hurt as she had promised him that she won't come here again after he had caught her coming here. "Are you sure the location is correct?" He asked Avneet again being unsure.

She nodded checking the location. 

"Let's go inside once and check." Siddharth suggested.

They all walked inside. None of them liked the environment inside the pub. Manik was walking ahead. Sid and Avneet were following him. Sid was walking along Avneet seeing the condition inside. He couldn't leave her alone as it didn't look safe for her. Suddenly he felt utter protective for her. He held her palm and asked her to walk with him and not to anywhere alone. Avneet too agree to him without a word. Maybe she could feel him.

"Sid, what is di doing here? Has she...." Avneet's voice suppressed under the loud music.

"I don't know. Let's see." Sid said and walked ahead with her.

Manik went near the counter. "Excuse me."

"Yes? Which drink should I serve you?" He asked.

"No, no. We don't need any drink." Manik took out his phone and showed a picture of Nandini to him. "Have you seen her here?" 

The waited nodded. "Yes, it's Nandini mam."

Manik was taken aback as the waiter mentioned Nandini's name. He didn't tell her name which means he knew Nandini for sure. "How do you know her?"

"Why won't I know her? She is our regular customer. She has come today too. But I didn't see you all here before. Are you all Nandini mam's friends?" 

Manik nodded without saying anything. One side he was worried for Nandini that she had come here, other side he was hurt that Nandini had broken her promise. Even after promising him that she wouldn't drink again, she comes to pub regularly. He didn't expect this from her. 

"Where is she?" Manik asked in a cold voice.

Sid and Avneet shared a look and turned towards Manik but didn't say anything.

"Mam is upstairs. When I saw her half an hour back, she was already drunk. She always orders hard drinks. Come, I'll show you." The waiter led them to upstairs where Nandini was.

Manik, Avneet and Siddharth followed the waiter. When they reached the hall, they found the environment uncomfortable. They couldn't believe that Nandini comes here regularly. 

"There she is." The waited pointed towards a table and left.

When he left, they all looked at Nandini. They couldn't believe their own eyes that it was their Nandini. She looked completely different. Her dress, her attitude, everything was changed. Manik stepped towards Nandini.

04.08.2023