MaNan: Breaking Free

29|The Competition

"And, there will be chances in future for you to be happy. There always are. And until you come across them, just try not to cry over someone that doesn't deserve you." I smile, trying to lighten the mood, repeating the words of a certain someone who is currently drowning in exotic beauty!

Focus!

"Yeah, this jerk doesn't deserve me." Navya rolls her eyes and smiles. She is just trying to be normal in front of Cabir!

"That's more like it." He puts an arm each around our necks and squeezes us together.

"What is this?" I grunt.

"A comforting hug which you get at the end of a meaningful, heart to heart conversation. Now shut up and feel the comfort." He says extra dramatically and we burst out laughing.

I look at Manik and find him already looking at me. He winks, mouthing a what's up, but I ignore him and turn back to Cabir and Navya. When the bell rings, I dash out, not sparing him a single glance.

"Do you actually have a diary or something in which you note down everything Manik says?" Cabir whispers to me.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Yeah, sure." He smirks at me. "You are saying you came up with that future-chances-happy philosophy all by yourself!" He starts laughing.

"What's the joke?" Navya asks.

"Nothing." I glare at Cabir.

We enter the canteen and the first thing I see is....Dhruv sitting with Alia? Mukti is gaping at them. Dhruv is holding Alia's hand.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Cabir goes to their table. Dhruv looks at me and quickly withdraws his hand.

"Dhruv was talking!" Mukti says, amazed. "Talking as in, long sentences and expressions. Wow! What a miracle!"

"Mukti, I do know how to talk." Dhruv mutters, a little embarrassed.

"Of course, you do. But you only ever talk to these three." She gestures towards us as Navya and I settle down on the adjacent table. "To the rest of us, you only nod and smile. What made so many solid words come out of your mouth?"

"Drop it, Mukti. He was just...." Alia says.

"Being really sweet." Mukti cuts across and ruffles Dhruv's hair. "This day should go down in history as the day the shy one came out of his shell!" She grins.

We start eating and Manik walks in, closely followed by Rose. I try not to get irritated and concentrate on my food.

"Hey people!" Rose says enthusiastically and settles down on our table.

"Isn't this supposed to be our table, Navya?" I say as rudely as I can.

"Umm..." Rose looks around uncertainly, her face falling.

"You can sit here, Rose." Cabir says politely and scowls at me. I roll my eyes.

There is awkward silence at our table with Cabir cracking a few jokes here and there. Just then, there is an announcement that the remaining lectures have been cancelled. I quickly grab my bag and get up to leave. Manik also follows me.

"Where are you going, Manik?" Rose asks.

"Um.." He looks at me uncertainly.

"Manik just shifted to Mumbai. So he is staying with me at the moment, since I am his best friend! Do you have a problem with that?" I fake a smile.

"No." She says after a minute of looking at Manik suspiciously.

"Good. Shall we?" I glare at Manik.