Manan:Hamesha. Forever.

1.

Everyone shivered listening to his high pitch voice. Tears made their way from Alya's eyes. Mukti side-hugged her. Dhruv stood their with his head hung low. Nandini and Navya were also hugging each other.

Manik walked closer to Alya.

Manik: Kya kaha tumne Alya. Meri priorities change ho gayi hai. Fab5 has become secondary for me. Right?

Alya frantically nodded her head in no. She parted her lips to speak up but was stopped by Manik's loud shout.

Manik: BULLSHIT! IN FACT I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT ANYONE ELSE OTHER THAN YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS MEAN MORE THAN FAMILY TO ME. YOU GUYS MEAN MORE THAN NANDINI TO ME. I HAVE ALWAYS PUT YOU GUYS ABOVE ALL. I HAVE ALWAYS PUT YOUR HAPPINESS BEFORE MINE.

Tears constantly falling from each ones eyes. Manik's anger had crossed it's boundaries. Feeling helpless and seeing no means to take out his anger, he kicked a chair hard enough to break into two parts. The sound of breaking chair shook everyone on their places. Listening to the sound, few students gathered outside the green room.

Manik: For once I expected something from you guys, but kya mila sirf Dard. Life main pehli baar maine aapne liye kuch maanga tha. Was it too much to ask?

Manik moved closer to Dhruv.

Manik: Kya galti thi meri. Bolo kya galti thi meri. Yahi ki main nandini se pyaar kar betha. Yahi ki main life main first time apne liye kuch kiya. Kuch maanga. Lekin you....you all....

His words were left in between. He leaned on the wall and let the tears flow. They weren't tears but it was the pain that his heart was suffering from, which was flowing from his eyes.

Cabir put his hand on manik's shoulder. Manik immediately hugged him and cried even more. Nandini so wanted to run and hide his face in her chest. She so wanted to console. Broken manik was the last thing that she wanted to witness.

Cabir:Shaant hoja. Bas. Chup.

Cabir was consoling him. He kept patting manik's back. While all manik did was cling tighter to cabir and cry. He was hurt. He was deeply hurt. He was accused by his own family. He was accused of not protecting them. He was blamed for not giving them time. Whereas the reality was that all this while he was with them.
He compromised on his and nandini's time so that he could be with Fab5. Yet they thought that he was never there for them.

Manik:Kaise shaant ho jao? Kya inhe yeh nahi pata ki inke liye mere heart main ek special place reserved hain?

Manik said while breaking the hug. He again leaned on the wall.

Manik said looking at his friends whose condition was no good. They were drowning in a pool of guilt. Though he was talking to cabir but his eyes were stuck on his 3 soul-friends.

Manik:Don't they know ki how much I love them. More than I love music. More than I love my guitar.

Manik's voice softened.

Manik: Probably as much as I love......

Before he could complete Alya Dhruv and mukti ran in his arms. They hugged him so tightly. Without wasting one more minute manik engulfed them in a hug. He closed his eyes to absorb the moment. Cabir heaved a sigh and joined this hug. All of them smiled amidst tears.

On the other side nandini and Navya were too smiling amidst tears. Both of them were hugging each other. They were happy for finally seeing things normal. Suddenly Navya felt a pang of pain in her stomach and loud scream escaped her mouth.

Fab5 broke the hug listening to the scream. All of them moved towards the door to see Navya sitted on the bench with a worried nandini trying to calm her. Cabir immediately ran towards Navya. Manik also moved closer while the other three stood there worried.

Nandini got some water for Navya and made her drink that. After a while she calmed down. Once she was calm, cabir immediately hugged her. Both of them had tears in their eyes. Navya was a little hesitant to hug cabir back.

Realising what he has done, cabir broke the hug. What followed was an air of awkwardness. Cabir carefully made Navya stand up.

Manik:Are you ok?

Manik showing concern for Navya was something new. Manik never showed but he always saw a sisterly figure in Navya. He has always craved for love, but after the arrival of nandini he was happy, yet never satisfied. He always felt that there was something that was still missing. Manik moved towards Navya and held her hand.

Manik: Navya....I have an request for you.

Manik was fumbling and there was hesitation in his voice.

Navya: Kya?

Manik:Woh main soch raha tha ki how about you come and stay at Malhotra mansion.

Manik hesitating said

Navya quizzed: Malhotra mansion? But hum wahan kyun aayege? Hum toh Cabir ke saath ek flat main rehte hain na.

Manik:Woh actually....woh....

Manik spoke hesitantly. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breathe.

Manik:Woh actually....main....mujhe tumse kuch maanga hai.

Manik was still very hesitatant. While the rest of his friends along with Navya and Nandini were looking at him all puzzled.  Having a small pep talk with himself Manik once again faced Navya.

Manik:Will you accept a ruthless, arrogant and monster like person as a brother in your life? I know it sounds extremely weird but .....urm....I don't know.....I mean I know...but I don't know....urgh....what I mean is that can I please call you my sister?

The Manik Malhotra was requesting.

To say Navya was shocked would be an understatement. Not only Navya but the other as well were under the spell of shock. They didn't know what to say. It took all of them some minutes to get back to normal.

Manik who never even spared a look to navya and was always irritated with her madhubala-ness wanted to address Navya as sister.

Navya smiled and bobbed her head. Not only manik, but also Navya had craved for a family love after her parents disowned her. She has always missed her family.

Manik and navya shared a hug. Though it was extremely awkward but both found a lost piece of their heart and comfort in each other.

Cabir:Waise Navya and nandini tum dono yaha green room ke bahar kya kar rahi thi? Chup chup ke hamari baat sun rahi thi? Hmm?

Cabir's questions left both the bff speechless. They didn't know what to say. They were caught red-handed.

Nandini:Ummm....nahi woh hum bas...

Nandini fumbled with words and failed miserably to come up with an excuse.

Manik:Nandini you know Na ki tumhe jhoot bolna nahi aata.

Manik said while smirking

Navya:Arrey hum jhoot nahi bol rahe...woh hum bas yaha se guzar rahe the. Bas.

Navya tried to cover up.

Fab5 asked in unison: Accha?

Navya and Nandini nodded their head:Ha..haan.

Fab5 broke into fits of laughter seeing the scared face of two innocent souls. After a long time they had got a chance to trouble their all time favourite target.

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I hope all of you liked the chapter.
Thanks.❤