MaNan: It's All About Destiny! (Unedited)

Chapter-14: New Beginnings

Life is indeed bizarre and never fails to astound us. We meet people, we fight, we go back our ways but if we are meant to cross each other's paths once again then we will. No power can stop us from stumbling upon each other once again. Brushing these thoughts away, I decided to knock at Aryaman's door. I peeked a little and saw him packing his bags. I pushed the door and went in.

"Arya, are you going somewhere?" He got startled by my voice and I was confused.

"Cabir! You are here?! Come! Sit with me!" He tried to be calm but here I was losing it.

"No! First you tell me why are you packing your stuff?" I questioned him.

"Ah, Cabir! I was going to talk to you guys after my packing!' He was looking everywhere but me.

"What? Don't talk in circles! Say it already!" Now he was scaring me.

"Cabir! I got an offer from an American based company. I am shifting to NYC."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I have my flight at 5 PM tomorrow."

"Wait! And you are telling me now?"

"Cabir, I-

"No, Aryaman! You are running away! From me, from us, from your own self. Your own emotions. Aren't you?"

"No, Cabir! This opportunity was chasing me for the past six months and now I guess this is the best time to take a leap."

"Have you lost it? You are leaving us!"

"Cabir, I thought, at least you will understand. C'mon bro!"

I was really anxious at this time. I didn't know what was happening. First Nandini, now Aryaman! I had no idea what was happening with all of us or I knew all of it but just failed to have an acceptance for situations or no matter how hard I tried I just failed to do so.

"If it is your dream job. I won't hold you back." Hearing my words, he looked in my eyes and hugged me tightly. For me, Aryaman was my little brother. We met in high school and was a senior to him, when his responsibility was taken over by his Uncle and Aunt. He says he lost his parents when he was very young. Maybe just four or five so he didn't have many memories of them. And since then he had been living with his relatives. Sometimes one or sometimes the other so when he took his own responsibility after college he started living with us. This house belonged to Nandini. Even though her responsibility was taken over by Malhotra's but she was a girl of principles. She shifted to our school hostel and then when stood on her own two feet, she brought this house which we all made it a home.

I and Navya got married three years back and Nandini asked us if we could share this house with her as she called it a really big house for just one person. I loved Nandini as my little sister so I agreed as my parents lived abroad and I was alone here taking care of their business in India. Navya and Nandini were school soulies so I was happy that Navya would not feel bad alone as she comes from a really big joint family and living in a nuclear family would be very boring for her. Mukti was our school friend who always had issues with her parents so after a year she too joined us in our house and later when got married to Abhimanyu, he shifted here with us. He said the place he was living in, was just a mere house as he lost his parents in a car accident a year before meeting Mukti and without a loving family no house can be a home and it was indeed true. Dhruv and Alya sometimes stayed back here when they wanted a break from their chaotic routine. They both were only childs with parents super busy with work. They missed the warmth and love they deserved but Nandini had a place for everyone.

Looking back at our journey from being just friends to coming together as a family made me emotional and Aryaman patted my shoulder.

"Cabir you okay?" He asked.