CHAPTER 65

                                    

                                          
MANIK
Today we returned back to college. Everyone was looking forward to it, since it will bring some normalcy back in our lives. 
Right now it was lunch break, and we were seated on our usual table. Navya had come and Cabir had introduced her in the group. So she was also seated with us.
"How's Mukti doing?" I whispered to Abhi who was seated next to me.
"She texted that she was good. Since Sid's college is nearby so he is coming up to check on her often."
I nodded.
"Where's Nandini? It's been long since I properly talked to her man," Vihaan said.
"She was in the library since her last class was cancelled. She should have come up till now," Abhi answered.
Just then, Cabir exclaimed. "Choti!"
I turned to see Nandini limping with Dhruv supporting her weight. What happened to her?
"Nandini!" I rushed over to her and took her in my arms.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"I was just passing by in the corridor when I heard bangings from a locked door. I opened to see Nandini and she had a sprain," Dhruv told.
Locked door?
I looked to see Nandini. She had her eyes closed and there were frowns on her head. 
"You have any important class after this?" I whispered.
She shook her head which was hidden in my chest.
I gestured to Abhi that I was taking her home. 
I picked her up from her knees and elbow and carried her to my car. I made her sit and then went to take a seat myself. All this while, she was silent. I drove us to the hillside, where Dad used to bring me when I felt low. 
Throughout the journey, she didn't speak a word. She looked lost. Once we reached there, I parked the car, then opened both of our seatbelts. As I did, she looked up to me, and then climbed on my lap, burrowing her face in my neck.
I didn't say anything, just caressed her hairs and tried to give her peace. There was no use hurrying her to open up. She will do that herself to me. And I was proven right. 
After a few minutes she whispered, "I was coming back from the library. I didn't have class the last period, so I went there to do some studies and browse books for issuing. I was done with all this early. I remembered that you guys often come to canteen early, so just a few minutes from when lunch began, I winded up my stuff and moved out. So that I would reach canteen the same time as you guys.
"I was passing through the corridor. There weren't students around. I felt someone holding me from behind. His grip was strong. It was a guy. He put a hand on my mouth so tightly, that it wasn't budging. He was so strong that with one hand he blocked my hands and with the other he shut my mouth. I tried fighting him Manik, but he just pushed me inside a dark classroom and locked the door from outside. The way he pushed me, I got the sprain. I couldn't see his face, since he wore a mask. I... I tried fighting Manik, I did try. I didn't want to be helpless. Believe me Manik."
I hugged her tightly. "I believe you Angel. I know you. I know you would have fought him. Sshhh. It's over now. You're here. And I promise that he'll regret hurting you. I promise."
She didn't say anything, just snuggled into me more. 
"Do you recall his dress? You didn't see his face but maybe we could figure out who he was by his dress?"
I asked her this because there's very less chance that someone from outside college came and did all this. Not nil chances, but surely less. I remember Ranbir's message at Mukti's. He said we, maybe we could figure out his partners this way.
"He wore black jeans and the college sweatshirt." 
Damn. This was a go to attire for nearly half the college students. Nothing that could narrow down our possibilities.
"Anything else Angel? Anything different?"
Her eyes welled up. "I'm sorry. I can't recall anything. He didn't say anything or make any sound that I can recognize his voice. I'm sorry." 
"Hey, hey. No crying please. It's okay if you don't remember. It's perfectly fine. We'll figure out. Atleast there's a solid chance that this is somebody from college right?"
"Manik I'm scared."
"Nandini-"
She cut me off. "No Manik. I'm scared for all of us. Someone murdered Madhyam. And used his bracelet to create this illusion in our head that it's him doing all these things. He's cunning, whoever he is. I don't know Ranbir, I've never met him, but even if it's him, it's not safe.
"He probably murdered Madhyam, he raped Mukti, he might be after Mysha now, since Cabir told that Mysha looks very very similar to Ranbir. Anybody who'll see her will know in a second that she's Ranbir's. So probably he's after Mysha also, since she is proof enough against him. He's so dangerous. 
"And you guys, you all are protective over us girls, but what about you all? Manik I have my people around me, I have my family. But you? You're my life Manik. I can't lose you at any cost. Right now he's just targeting me or once Mukti, but what if targets you? 
"If I'm being super honest, then as long as I'm at the receiving end, I'm not that scared because I have faith that you won't let anything happen to me. But what if he targets you now? I can't lose you Manik. I can't let you get hurt. I can't-"
I cut her off. "Nandini!"
She was hyperventilating and her eyes were all wide with fear.
"Nandini look at me."
I waited till we had an eye contact.
"Nothing will happen to me. Nothing will happen to you or to anybody else. We all will be safe. I'll be here by your side forever. You won't lose me. Not now. Not ever. You don't have to be this scared. Nothing will happen. I promise."
"Promise me Manik, that no matter what happens, you'll always be by my side. You're not gonna leave me. Promise me Manik."
"I promise. Nothing can separate us and nothing will happen to me."
She hugged me while I kept my head on hers. There was one thing that worried me. Out of the 4 incidents, 3 of them happened with Nandini. Now I had doubts that is it possible that it is someone else who is the mastermind behind everything and not Ranbir?
Because if it was Ranbir, Nandini wouldn't have been such a strong target. It would have been Mukti or Navya. Is it possible that someone else is after Nandini? Someone who is trying to get back at me using Nandini? 

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