Manan ff :Be Mine

chapter 21

Kalashetra

Waiting in the green room, Fab4 and Navya were getting restless. Mukti ( irritatedly ) : kaha hai yeh dono husband and wife? ????
Aliya : kam se kam aaj ke din toh time ka dhyaan rakhte! !!!!!
Cabir : girls! !!!...,woh log married couple hai. ...give them some space
Dhruv : I think Cabir is right. ..un dono ki shaadi ko 3 months bhi nehin hua hai. ...aur Manik pein yeh college ke president ka responsibility aa gaya. ...he is completely worked up! !!!!!
Mukti : toh hum ne kab kaha ki woh dono saath mein time spend naa kare! !!!!.....its just that ki aaj ka performance humare liye important hai
Then only Manik and Nandini entered the green room.
Manik was wearing his black jeans with white shirt and black blazer.
Nandini was looking pretty in a yellow salwar with pink dupatta.
Manik ( confused ) : any problem guys? ?????
Everyone stared at the couple.
Mukti : kaha tha. ...itne der taak? ???
Manik and Nandini looked at each other.
Taking the initiative of replying Mukti, Manik said "woh hum aaj ke duet performance ke liye practice kar rahe the "
Aliya : ek message toh kar deta. ...we won't have been so tensed! !!!!
Nandini ( apologetic ) : sorry guys. ....mere wajah se tumlogo ko problem hua! !!!
Mukti ( angrily ) : never dare to say that again! !!!...Nandini. ...you are a part of us. ...
Aliya ( smiling ) : Mukti is right! !!!
Mukti : waise bhi. ...you drank one of my strongest martini yesterday. ...
Nandini on hearing this, got confused : wait. ....what? ???....your martini? ????
Manik realised that Nandini had forgotten everything about yesterday's party.
Nandini ( feeling guilty ): shit. ...tabhie main socchu. ...why my head was paining soo much. ...I am really sorry Mukti
Mukti ( smiling ) : chill Nandini. ..its ok! !!!
Navya : performance ka time ho gaya hai .....toh tumlogo jaldi se tayaar ho jao! !
Manik : Navya is right
Looking at Nandini, Manik says "tum Navya ke saath jaake ready ho jao. ...tab taak hum warm up kar lete hai "
Nandini nodded her head in a yes and left from there with Navya. Manik goes and closes the door, making sure that Nandini has left. Mukti ( confused ) : kya hua? ???....baat kya hai? ???
Manik ( with a smile ): guys aaj..... Nandini ka birthday hai. ...toh main ne shaam ko ghar pein ek surprise party plan kiya hai. ...and you all are invited
Cabir ( angrily ) : Nandini ka aaj birthday hai. ...aur yeh tu humein ab baata raha hai! !!!!
Manik ( making his innocent face ): sorry yaar! !!!
Dhruv : its not fair buddy! !!!....itne kaam time mein hum Nandini ke liye kya gift lenge? ????
Aliya ( angrily ) : exactly. .....humein toh yeh bhi nehin pataa ki Nandini ko kya pasand hai? ???
Manik : guys itna tensed kyon ho rahe ho. ...I am sure. ...joh bhi tumlog usse dil se gift karoge. ....she would just love it !!!!
Mukti : guys. ...Manik is right. ...itna panic kar ke koi faida nehin hai. ....after all Nandini ko Manik ka gift hi dil se pasand ane wala hai. ...kyon Manik? ???
At this Manik gives his shy smile, and everyone started laughing.

1 hour later
Standing in the backstage, Fab3 was waiting for their performance.
Manik : guys. ...sab instruments check kar liya hai naa? ????
Dhruv : hmm. ..buddy. ..maine tere guitar ke strings ko tight kar diya hai
Manik ( giving a warm smile ): thanks
Cabir : guys. ...mujhe aisa kyon laag raha hai ki. ....hum jaise kuch bhul rahe hai? ????
Manik and Dhruv (in unison ) : kya ?????
Then the realisation hit them.
Manik, Dhruv and Cabir( in unison ) : Mukti aur Aliya! !!!
Saying this the three of them started rushing towards the green room.
Manik ( angrily ) : gosh. ...these girls. ...I tell you. ...ek din bhi time pein ready nehin ho sakti
Dhruv : Aliya ko maine kitni baar bola hai. ..thoda kam makeup karne ke liye. ...par woh sunnti kaha hai! !!!!!
Cabir : mujhe toh aaj taak yeh hi samajh nehin aya ki inko itna time kyon laagta hai ready hone mein? ????
Manik : iss question ka toh bhagwan ke pass bhi jawab nehin hoga! !!!!
At this comment, the three of them started laughing and Manik opened the green rooms door.
But the scene in front of him, changed his whole expression.
Manik was feeling numb, as if someone had stabbed him. His eyes refused to believe, what he was seeing in front of him.
Manik saw that Nandini. ...his Nandini was in Harshad's arms.
Standing over there, Manik died a thousand times. He wanted to ask her why had she broken his trust?????,why had she played with his feelings? ???...his heart? ???...what was his mistake? ????
But he couldn't utter anything. His love for Nandini was more, than the hurt, which she caused him, today.
Manik couldn't utter a single word and left from there.
Cabir and Dhruv also decided to follow him.
Mukti, Aliya and Navya, who where inside the green room, noticed Manik.
Mukti ( awestruck ) : Manik
On hearing Maniks name, Nandini stood up on her feet and pushed Harshad away from her.
Nandini ( angrily ) : stay away. ....you jerk! !!!!
At this Harshad gave an evil smile.
Mukti angrily moves forward and slaps him.
Mukti ( angrily ) : you disgust me Harshad! !!!.....it was my mistake that I feel in love with you. ....now just get lost from here! !!!!
Harshad left the green room in anguish.
Mukti completely broke down and started crying.
Mukti ( crying ): it was my mistake. ...a big mistake! !!!
Nandini hugged Mukti and tried to console her.
Nandini : just stop crying. ...it was not your fault
Aliya : Nandini is right Mukti. ...bhai jaise log kabhie love ka value nehin samjh sakte! !!!!
Mukti breaking the hug, rubs off her tears.
Mukti ( out of breath ): Nandini. ...you should go to Manik. ...and explain him everything. ...warna pataa nehin Manik kya kar baithega! !!.....usske aankhon mein maine saaf gussa dekha hai. ...ussne sab kuch galat samjha hai ....you just need to explain him everything! !!!!