CHAPTER 39

                                    

                                          
MANIK
Tonight Nandini watched my game, cheering for me in my jersey. Every chance I got, I looked up at her, and she would wave at me. She was giving me all the support she could. It made my chest warm, seeing her efforts to show me that I'm not alone and that she was there by my side.
When I'd seen her in Abhi's jersey this morning, I wanted to take it off and burn it. The amused smirk on his face hadn't helped. He'd known when she'd asked him for it how I'd react. Idiot had done this on purpose to tease me.
When he'd walked down the hall and seen her in my jersey, he'd burst out laughing. No one but the three of us knew what he'd found so damn funny.
Nandini had even grinned and ducked her head as she blushed. She has been trying to please me, to show her support for my game. But she just didn't have this idea that in our college, if a girl is wearing a guy's jersey, that means she's his girl.
Family or not, she wasn't wearing Abhi's jersey. Or anyone else for that matter. Just mine.
We won by one goal. Cabir had made the last winning goal. It had been one hell of a match. The opposite team was just as good as us. For a moment I was worried that we may go into over time, since we were at equal number of goals from a long time. But Cabir remedied that in the last moment.
When I walked out of the locker room, Nandini was standing there waiting on me. Her smile when our eyes locked eased the sadness that I felt when I walked out realizing that both Mom and Dad aren't here with me.
"You were amazing. I don't know much about the moves you pulled, but everyone was impressed with you back there," she said in a whisper as I got close enough to hear it.
"Were you impressed?"
She nodded.
Chuckling, I kissed her forehead and then her nose.
"You're too cute for your own good. Seeing you up there in my jersey, looking like an angel, my angel, helped. Now I think I need it for my every game."
"I think I can make it happen mister."
Tonight I was taking her to the field party. Although she'd been to many, tonight she'd actually attend one. She would be with me. Not hiding in the dark corners waiting for Abhi. The idea of him leaving her out there in the dark still pissed me off.
"Good game, babe," I looked up from my own private little world with Nandini to see Soha standing there.
"Thanks, but I'm not your babe," I replied, trying to get her to leave.
Soha laughed. "Maybe not right now, but you're gonna get bored with the mute girl and want someone happening like me eventually. I'll be waiting. I miss us Manik," she said in a low voice that sounded more like pleading.
I hated it when people took cheap shots at Nandini. I'd planned to be nice to Soha while firmly sending her back on her way. But she had to go and say shit about Nandini. This wasn't something I'd tolerate. Ever.
"I can talk. I just choose who I talk to. So stop trying to upset me to gain a reaction. It's not gonna work here."
I stood there staring at Nandini as she spoke so clearly and matter-of-factly to Soha.
"So you do talk huh? Well does Abhi know about it?" Soha asked smirking. I took a step towards her, putting myself between her and Nandini. But Nandini's hand touched my arm as she held on to it and moved to stand beside me.
"Yes he does. Now you can leave," Nandini said, not backing down.
I stared down at her? Was there nothing about her that wasn't perfect? She even dealt with my ex without being dramatic.