Menstrual bring emotions at peak. I was literally crying yesterday while reading the comments, lol. 

Such overwhelming response. Gratitude😭❤❤

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Manik is gone, again.

I don't know but I can't even breathe right now.

You were—are my best friend.

I liked you Manik, but

How unlucky na, I couldn't even tell you.

"Nandini?" I hear Radhika calling me.

"Nandinii!" she shakes my arm.

"Why are you crying?" she asks me panicking.

"Uh?" I touch my face find it damp and cold. I have lost control over myself.

"No, it's just, I have headache." I say. Wrong, completely wrong. I have throbbing heartache.

"Oh, don't cry. Uncle came and he was looking for you" she says and just then Daddy comes.

"Princess?" he asks worried seeing me crying. I hug Daddy tightly after coming out of the stall and sob/

"Daddy, take me home. Please..." I say sobbing and hear Daddy asking Radhika to which she replies headache.

Daddy kisses on my head and wipes my tears. He asks me to pack my bag till he informs the class teacher about my departure.

Reaching home, I quickly run into my room. Daddy and Mom come to me and ask the reason to which I have no reply. I have brutally broken the promise made to Mom and also caused my parents to worry about me. They couldn't even enjoy nicely at the Bal Mela to which they were looking forward excitedly. Daddy touches my forehead and looks panicked.

"She has high fever" he says and then kisses my head. Mom gets up to bring my clothes and helps me in changing while Daddy enters the room with a towel and a big bowl of water. The first wet towel is put on my head and then I don't remember anything after that.

I open my eyes and see the time to be nine at night. I am covered in my quilt and Daddy and Mom are talking slowly sitting near my feet.

"Mom" I somehow manage to say and they divert their attention towards me. I sit and Mom helps me drink water.

"Nandu" she says and touches my forehead to find the temperature normal.

"How's my rock star feeling now?" Daddy says and I somehow manage to nod my head with a slight smile.

"I don't think we should leave right now" I hear Mom saying Daddy something.

"You both have to go somewhere?" I ask and they both look at me and then shake their head in negative.

"Not now. Your health is more important" Mom says and I pout.

"I am not a kid and also I am fine. Vandu Akka is here na, you both can go" I say.

"Are you sure?" Daddy asks me checking my pulse and then nodding at Mom.

"Yes, but where are you going?" I ask.

"Mr. Banerjee's father has expired" Mom informs and I widen my eyes. Banerjee Uncle is Daddy's old friend. How can I stop them when his friend needs him the most?

"And you both were planning not to go to him. Seriously Mom? Daddy you need to go. Take Rishabh and Rashi also. Avni and Angad are very good friends with them." I say and they both nod sighing. Mom kisses my head and they both leave after fifteen minutes.

I step down from my bed and go downstairs to Vandu Akka to get some food. Putting some Curd- Rice on my heart plate she smiles at me. Vandu Akka makes the best Curd- Rice, better than my Mom. I have it there in the kitchen while talking about Parth with her. I literally used to force her to watch it with me and no doubt, she is exactly as crazy for him as I am. I am somewhat jealous btw. She is elder and I am still fourteen. She has chance with him unlike me, iykwim.

After having food, I eat those bitter tablets that Mom has instructed and come upstairs to my room. Switching off all the lights of the room, I come near the window and open it. Cold breeze hit my face and I inhale deeply as to fill it in my body to compress all the pain bubbling in my heart. I exhale closing my eyes to throw out the entire trash running inside me, but sadly that one name hits my mind and all hell of emotions break loose.

Manik.

I open my eyes and nausea hits me like a bullet train. I run inside the bathroom and throw out all what I had a few moments ago. My throat aches, eyes burn and head throbs again.

Goddd!! What is happening to me!?

Splashing water on my face and rinsing my mouth, I wipe my face. Coming out, something strikes my mind and I open my bag I took to school today and put my hand inside just to get numb again.

I pull out to find a big bar of chocolate in my hand wrapped with a piece of paper which reads-

'I hope you have not changed your preference. -❤'

I know this handwriting.

This is his handwriting.

My best friend's writing.

He put this in my bag to cheer me up like he did back then, but today it did just the opposite.

My breathe starts to hitch and my eyes get teary. I suddenly hit my little toe on the table leg, only thing I needed to cry out loud to lighten my heart.

Thankfully my room is upstairs and Vandu Akka is in the kitchen store downstairs so she cannot hear me. I grab my pillow from the bed and bury my face in it.

"Maannikkkk!!" I shout and then my tears know no bound. I am wailing, squalling, crying and panting.

"Why did you do this Manik? I was managing the storm inside me for two years. You came like a soft breeze and destroyed everything like a tsunami. I was happy alone. Why did you come so close? Only for me to let you go?

Whhyyy!??"

I throw the chocolate in my hand to the farthest I could. It hits the wall and falls on the floor. I get my hand on the pen stand and in no time the pens were scattered on the floor with a loud noise. Vandu Akka hears this and comes up. I quickly lock the door and when asked, I reply that it fell from my hand. She goes down skeptical but I have no strength to clarify anything to anyone. I put all the pens in the stand and put it back on the table. I unlock the door and come near the chocolate. Picking it up, I hug it tightly placing it near my heart and lay down on the bed sobbing.

"I can't even tell you how I have survived the two years without talking to you. There is not a single place in the entire school which does not remind me of you. How will I go and stay happy knowing that I will never ever see you again?

What did you do to me Manik?

Why did you do this to me?

I fucking hate you so much for pulling this on me. I fucking hate you so much to give me so much pain that I can't remove from my heart. I fucking hate you but I don't hate you.

I bloody love you so much! So much that it hurts. But you know the best thing, I couldn't even tell you this because I don't know about your feelings for me.

I can't confess because you'll start hating me then. I won't be able to see you hate me.

I can't confess because... I can't lose our friendship.

I can't confess because I don't want you to stop for me

I can't confess because... I can't. I simply can't."

My eyes close yet the tears keep making their way out. The chocolate held close, I drift into a dream where Manik and I are running after each other and hitting playfully. Joining our hands together we are in the class, singing and playing pen fight to which he intentionally loses. I smile and he keeps staring me. We all friends are together standing in the auditorium where he is announced as the Head Boy and we are clapping loudly. We are together dancing on the farewell day and finally pass the school together, happily.

Dreams.

Not all dreams come true. Even if you want them to.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-----

I wake up to find my pillow drenched and my eyes hurting so much that it stung when I came in contact with light. With great effort I open them, I find Mom and Daddy present in the room with one more person who has held stethoscope in his hand and is checking my pulse.

"Nothing to worry, it is just exhaustion and stress. I am prescribing some medicines; do give it to her and only light food' turning to me "No junk food okay? You have to get well soon okay, good girl." he says ruffling my already messed hair. I pass a faint smile just as Mom has told me to be, manners. He gets up and my parents go out with him. Five minutes later Mom comes with a HUGE glass of turmeric milk and I scrunch my nose.

"Chhii! I won't have this" I say meekly making faces. I don't even have little energy in me to speak. Mom shakes her head and stares at me with raised brows and slightly tilted head. I quickly take the glass and drink it in one go pinching my nose with one hand. As the liquid gets down my throat, I make a 'eww' face to which Mom chuckles.

"Give this chocolate to me; I'll keep it in the fridge. Once you get fine, you can have it." Mom says and takes the chocolate from my hand which is surprisingly still held tight in my hand as it was last night, but all melted and squeezed.

"No!" I shout and snatch it from her hand. Mom looks at me bewildered. "What happened?" she asks.

"Rishabh will eat this. I can't give this to him" I say and put my hand inside the quilt on me to hide it.

"Whatever. I'll send juice. Have it and rest, okay?" she says and spares her hand at my hair to smoothen it and then caress my cheek.

"I shouldn't have gone last night" she mumbles and leaves from the room.

Sighing, I close my eyes and rest my head on the head rest. A tear escapes my eye and I wipe it harshly.

I can't cry forever. I won't cry forever. I have to be a strong girl. I am a strong girl.

I won't cry ever.

Now I'm searching every lonely place
Every corner calling out your name
Tryna find you but I just don't know
Where do broken hearts go?

Where do broken hearts go?..."

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A/N: What would you people like Manik-Nandini call each other apart from Butter Chicken and Mr. Cucumber? Kindly suggest cute names.