UNEDITED

Everyone was shocked with the recent proceedings. They looked at Nandini who was staring at her phone frozen on her place. Navya shook her and called out her name. Distracted, Nandini tore her gaze away from the phone and looked at Navya. She was dazed and it seemed that she was unable to comprehend anything that was happening around her.

Slowly, as if everything clicked in its place in her mind, her eyes widened and hope filled in her eyes. A small smile broke out on her face and silent tears started flowing from her eyes. She fumbled around with her phone, struggling to unlock it. All her friends exchanged a look and looked at her confused.

Nandini furiously moved her fingers across the screen of her phone. She called back on the unknown number and put the phone to her ears. When nobody picked up the call on the other side, she removed the phone frustrated and called again. Still no one picked up. When she called again, it said the phone was switched off and then the next time, number was unavailable.

She was getting more and more agitated and restless by the minute. She was trying to call on the number again and again, and murmured, 'No, no, no! This can't be happening! No!', shaking her head.

She started moving to and fro on her place in frustration while still trying to call the number. Seeing her not calming down, Navya made her stop her little parade and made her face her. She made Nandini look in her eyes and asked, 'What happened? Who was that on the phone?' Nandini looked in Navya's eyes and said, 'M...Manik. It was Manik. It was definitely him.'

Aryaman was confused and said, 'What?' Mukti said, 'Look Nandini. This is not funny, okay? I have told you before also, don't joke about Manik and Cabir.' Dhruv agreed with Mukti and said, 'Yes, Nandini, even I agree with Mukti. Please don't joke about this. How could it possibly be Manik?'

Nandini gave an exasperated sigh and turned to them, 'You really think I would joke about something like this? Trust me guys, it was Manik. I can recognise his voice anywhere and anyhow.'

Alya came up and said, 'Maybe you recognise his voice but remember what happened last time? When Maddy came? His voice resembles Manik's so much that all of us thought that it was Manik singing. Are you totally sure it was Manik? It could be another one of that Maddy's sick plans.'

Dhruv said, 'I agree with her. We can't trust that guy. And with all that has he has been doing, this could be his doing. Remember, how he taunted you about the phone call?' Everyone nodded in agreement.

Navya told Nandini, 'Yes Nandini. They are right. Either you have had some misunderstanding or this is that Maddy's work.' Hearing all her friends, Nandini also got a bit doubtful. Her brain and her heart were in a conflict. Her brain told her that her friends were right and that she should listen to them. But her heart was not ready to listen to any logic. It said that it was Manik on the phone, it was his voice that she had heard and the feeling that she got yesterday, that connection, it had to be Manik.

Frustrated, she turned away from them and let out a sigh covering her mouth with one hand. Navya exchanged a worried look with Aryaman. Aryaman gave an assuring nod. He went and stood in front of Nandini and said, 'Nandini, I think you should go home. Go and get some rest. We'll see into this matter later. Okay? Now go.' Saying this he made her turn towards the door. Soon Navya was by her side and said, 'Come I'll take you home.'

They started walking towards the door. Halfway towards it, Nandini's phone started ringing. Expectantly, she looked at her phone's screen. It was another unknown number but a different one. Confused, she received the call and spoke in the phone, 'Hello.' She had expected that either there would be silence on the other side or she would hear Manik's voice. But contrary to her expectation, the voice on the other side was that of quite an elderly man. She saw the rest of her friends motioning her to keep the phone on the speaker. She removed the phone from her ears and put it on speaker.

'Hello? Am I talking to Miss Nandini Murthy?' came the voice from the other side.

A bit confused and cautious Nandini looked up at her friends before replying, 'Yes?'

'Hi. This is Shrikant. Shrikant Malhotra. I am Manik's father.'

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Nandini looked out from the window of the passenger seat of the car she was sitting in. Beside her Aryaman was driving the car. In the rear view mirror of the car, she could see Navya sitting in the seat behind the passenger seat looking out of the window like her. Both of them were mirroring her tense expression. Alya, Mukti and Dhruv were following them in another car and she knew they were equally tensed.

It was a very weird situation. Her mind went back to the conversation that she had on the phone with Manik's father, Mr. Shrikant Malhotra. The call that could possibly change a lot of things.

'Hi. This is Shrikant. Shrikant Malhotra. I am Manik's father.' he had said. All of them were shocked as they had never thought that they would ever hear from him. Hearing no reply from her, he had again said, 'Nandini? Hello? Are you there?'

At this she had composed herself and had said, 'Y...Yes Sir. I'm here.'

'Oh, please don't be so formal. Don't call me Sir. You can call me Uncle, child,' was his reply.

Everyone had been more shocked with this. Nandini had stuttered, 'O...Okay, Si..I mean Uncle.'

'Good. Now, I want you to come to Pune, as early as possible. You and all of Manik's friends. When can you come?' had been his response.

Confused, she had shared a look with everyone and had asked, 'Why? I mean is there something important, Uncle?'

He had simply stated, 'Yes, it is something very important. You will get to know once you reach here. You have to come to Columbia Asia Hospital. I'll text you the address. By what time at the earliest can you reach here?'

She had looked at everyone and they had gestured that they could leave in an hour. She had communicated the same to Mr. Malhotra and asked, 'Why hospital? Are you okay? Is everything alright?'

He had simply chuckled and said, 'Yes child, I am perfectly fine. Nothing happened to me. You would know everything once you reach here. So, see you in a few hours. Give me a call once you reach here. Okay? Bye, have a safe journey.'

She had smiled, even though he couldn't see her and had replied, 'OK. Sure. Thanks,' and cut the call.

Now here they were on their way to Pune not knowing what the future held for them.

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Following the directions given by Mr. Malhotra and with the help of a few locals, they finally reached the hospital. Standing in the reception area of the hospital, Nandini called him on the number from which she had received his call. Waiting for him to pick up the call, she looked around the place trying to identify him. Still looking around, she asked from Alya, Mukti and Dhruv, 'You know what he looks like right?'

They looked at each other and the shook their head. Mukti said, 'Actually, as kids, we didn't see him often. And as we grew up, he stopped visiting at all. We haven't seen him in a long time.'

'Well, now you can,' they heard someone say and turned towards the source of the voice. They found a middle-aged man dressed in a classy suit looking at them pleasantly. It was only then that Nandini realised that the call had been cut long back and she was still holding the phone to her ears. She awkwardly removed it and looked back at Mr. Malhotra. He smiled looking at them and she couldn't help but smile back. His smile was infectious. She realised he had a warm personality and his presence commanded respect, nothing like his wife who had such a cold personality.

He had walked up to them by then and was talking to Mukti, Alya and Dhruv. He then turned towards Nandini and said, 'So, you are the Nandini Murthy. You may not know about me but I know a lot about you.'

She gave him a confused look and asked, 'How?' Instead of replying, he just gave her a mysterious all-knowing smile. Aryaman spoke up, 'Why did you call us all here so suddenly. And that too in a hospital.'

He looked at him and said, 'Because I want you to meet someone. Come, follow me.' And he turned around to go in the hospital, but not before giving Nandini another smile. She felt as if he knew something that she didn't. But instead of scaring her, the thought gave her comfort. Mr. Malhotra had the aura of a wise person. She quietly followed the rest, through the corridors of the hospital.

They stopped outside a cabin. She looked up and found a doctor's name plate beside the door. She was confused and before she could read the name, she was whisked in the room by Mr. Malhotra. Once inside, she saw that it was a normal doctor's cabin. For some unknown reason, she felt a bit disappointed. She saw a plate on the table saying 'Neurologist' along with lots of papers. All of them exchanged confused glances. But surprisingly the cabin was empty. The doctor to whom the cabin belonged was not there.

Mr. Malhotra said, 'Don't worry. He must be coming soon.' As soon as these words were out of his mouth, the door opened and in came the doctor. Seeing them he gave smile as if he knew they were coming. Seeing him Mr. Malhotra said, 'Ah, there he is.'

The doctor came up to them and said, 'Hi, I'm Dr. Sujay Sarkar. I'm the head of the neurology department in this hospital, ' with a smile.

Alya gave them a weird look and said to Mr. Malhotra, 'You wanted us to come to Pune immediately to meet a neurologist?'

Mr. Malhotra burst out laughing while Dr. Sujay gave her an amused look and said, 'You are not here to meet me. I will be taking you to the person whom you are supposed to meet.'

Understanding her mistake, Alya was embarrassed while the rest chuckled. Dr. Sujay said, 'Come we'll go and meet this mystery person you are supposed to meet.'

With this he moved out of the room followed by Mr. Malhotra while the rest followed suit. They moved through some more corridors and stopped before a door. Nandini's heartbeat grew in anticipation and she didn't even know why. Mr. Malhotra turned to her and said, 'Why don't you go in first and see?' Seeing her tensed, he gave her a reassuring smile and she came forward and opened the door slowly. As soon as she stepped inside, her eyes landed on the bed and the person lying on it and her breathing hitched.

SujayKumar698 Ho gaya!! Ab khush!! Ho gayi tumhari entry!! You will be there for one or two chapters more.

I know it is a bit late but what to do. I typed the whole chapter and as soon as I published it, it vanished. I don't know how. So, I had to type it all over again. Sorry about that.

Coming back to the chapter, what do you all think of it?? Who is this mystery person. What do you think of Mr. Malhotra??

As a side note this book has finally crossed 1k reads. It should have happened much earlier but as I was lazy in updating the chapters, it took so much of time.

Vote and comment what you thought of the chapter. Atleast do this much for my dual mehnat.