Parineeta

The Lost Star!

Author's point of view:
"Manik... Tu kabse itna dumb ho gya?"Cabir said almost irritated,"i mean not just dumb you asshole... You're the most disgusting person I've ever met... Manik.. Vo Nandini thi! Vo vo Nandini thi jisne teri happiness ke liye teri khushi ke liye... She did everything... Manik.. I know that it's not just me who knows this fact that she loved you more than anyone could! Sab yeh baat jaante hai.. Aur isi liye Alya bhi Nandini se insecure feel karti thi! Manik tunne usse itna sab suna diya lekin kya usse pehle Alya se puchha tha ki usne tujhse break up kyu kiya?"
Manik stood there already pissed at whatever had happened since morning. From the start when he woke up and found himself wrapped up with Nandini in her bed, then Alya's breaking up with him and finally him fighting with Nandini and now Cabir, making sense suddenly Manik's head was spinning amd he felt pukish. He knew shouldn't have behaved like that with Nandini but he had a reason then, he knew Nandini was the reason behind his breakup with Alya. But even Cabir could right. What of she wasn't the reason behind this breakup.
"arey but i heard her say that she would talk to me! I mean him.. In her words! And she was talking to Nandini only!"Manik clarified and that was when Cabir's phone rang.
"hello!"he answered casually looking at Navya's name on the caller id, "madhubala tum ruk nhi sakti! Abhi call karne ki kya zaroorat thi!" Cabir Completed.
"oh hello! Hume bhi koi shauk nhi jai bandaro ke baadshah se baat karne ka.. Hume toh bas yeh puchna tha ki tumhari Alya se baat hui!"Navya said defensively.
"kya baat hai.. Aaj sab Alya ko dhund rhe hai!"he said genuinely surprised.
" hum sirf Alya ko hi nhi ab toh Nandu ko bhi dhund rhe hai.. Pata nhi kaha chali gayi! Mata raani bas usse uss Harshad se dur rakhna! Vaise hi bhot pareshaan kar chuka hai vo usse!"Navya said dramatically but all that Cabir could gather was that Harshad was troubling Nandini.
"vaise! Alya ne tumhe kuch nhi bataya kya?"Navya asked and as Cabir put the phone on speaker gaining Manik's attention.
"kya nhi bataya Alya ne!"he asked again.
"ajeeb hai... Vo kal se hi Harshad Nandu ko pareshaan kar rha tha... Kabhi dost banane ki koshish kar rha tha... Kabhi usse bade pyaar se pyaar la izhaar kar rha tha aur kabhi usse apne band mei shaamil hone ke liye request kar rha tha..."Navya paused and Manik now was all ears to the call with his blood boiling on the thought of Harshad proposing Nandini.
"humne usse kal kaha tha  ki vo Manik ko bataye par usne kaha ki Manik kahi bahar gya hai.. Aur vo usse phir ek baar Harshad se nhi fight karvana chahti! Usne Alya ko kal kiya tha par vo kal phone hi nhi utha rhi thi... Phir aaj subah.. Uski Alya se baat hui and Alya ne Nandini se kaha ki vo usse matlab Harshad se baat karegi... Nandini ne mujhe bataya aur phir usne kaha ki vo Manik ko bhi batane jam room jaa rhi thi kyunki usse kuch aur bhi baat karni thi par ab uska phone band aa rha hai..."Navya stopped and Cabir sighed.
"Nandini ki Alya se koi aur baat hui thi!"Cabir asked looking at Manik.
"nhi.. Usne aur kuch toh nhi bataya!"she said and Manik closed his eyes.
"Navya mai baad mei baat karta hun!"and Cabir disconnected the call while Manik remembered Alya's last words.
"Nandini... I'll talk to him!"
"how could he do it!"
And he knew it was all for Harshad and none for him. He had taken it all wrong. But then he had to know why Alya broke up with him if Nandini wasn't the reason.
"Cabir! I'll talk to you later... I need to get my answers!"Manik said and ran out of the college terrace.
"i hope you get them soon! Answers as well as love!"Cabir muttered smikingly as the soft breeze touched his face.

Manik ran down and around the whole college and finally found Alya and Mukti in the canteen chatting along and laughing. His heartbeats felt hammer throbs as he dreaded whatever was to come his way. But he had to get his answers for his own messed up life's sake because now it was all actually making sense to him. His cloud of confusion was slowly turning smoky yet the solution to his confusion was a blur amd he had to get it cleared before it got too late... Little did he know...
Manik ran inside the canteen and in minutes he was beside Alya and Mukti.
"Manik.. Tu thik hai? Tu hhaag kyu rha tha! Aah girlfriend se milne ki bhot jaldi hai... But tujhe wait karna padega.. Yeh toh bestie time hai!"Mukti teased him and he rolled his eyes while Alya looked down.
"Mukti.. We broke up!"Alya said and Mukti fell silent in seconds.
"Mukti abhi nhi.. Alya i need you to come with me!"Manik said as Mukti tried to say something.
"but Manik..."Alya couldn't complete and was dragged out of the canteen.
"Manik!"she said jerking him away once they were out of the canteen.
"why?"Manik turned to her abruptly while Alya's expressions changed from angry to confused.
"why did you break up with me... Look Alya.. I'm done with explanations.. Excuses.. And those round and round talks... I just meed a straight answers! What was the reason behind our break up.. Because alot depends on your answer.. Be honest.. Please!"Manik begged and Alya looked away.
"i can't tell you!"she said guiltily.
"why? I need to know... Please!"Manik held her.
"i can't hurt you Manik... I know if i tell you the reason you'll feel betrayed and i can't let that happen!"Alya cleared.
"Alya tell me even if its hurtful... I deserve it... Because all this while I've been hurting someone else... If i feel betrayed.. Then that's karma coming back to me for whatever I've done.. Please..."he said.
"Manik why would you say that?"Alya looked at him questions arising within her.
"Alya... I don't have time for that please... Tell me before it's too late!"he said getting frustrated with the wait.
"Manik! It's Dhruv... I mean not him.. Me too.. I feel like i like him... Whatever I feel for Dhruv is something i never felt before! It feels special! I feel special when i am with him... I just fell out of love with you Manik!"
"not her too! This is also something i never felt before... It feels disgusting..."he said quite lost.
"Manik.. Look i told you it would hurt you... Manik please don't get angry with Dhruv.. He is not at fault!"she said tension growing.
"no... No. No.. No.. No.. Alya.. Its not about you two... Its great.. Dhruv is the best that anyone could get.. And if you lefte for a guy like Dhruv I'm more than obliged... He is far better than a person like me... A disgusting person like me... I couldn't even trust... How could i..."he muttered the last words with tears in his eyes and then a sudden change appeared on his face.
"Alya.. You deserve Dhruv... I bet he'll keep you happier... Don't worry... We are FAB5 still... I'm not hurt and angry!"he said and turned around and the tears of guilt, disgust and anger returned.
How could you be sich an idiot... To not trust someone who loves you so much...
His heart taunted him and it pinched him even more.
Just then Manik's phone rang.
"hey mom.!"he said controlling himself.
"Manik i need you back home in ten!"she said amd disconnected before he could reply.
He rushed to his car and in no tike he was at home.
"mom!"he shouted as he entered.
"Manik.. Care to explain what this is!"she popped up in front of him shoving her phone in his face. She seemed upset about something. Manik took the phone and read. Down.
"transfer certificate and withdrawal from the concert of student Nandini Murthy!"he read aloud the last lines and his world came crashing down in front of him. He was late..
"mom! No! I know vo Murthy Mansion mei hogi!"Manik rushed out again and sat in his car. All the while that he drove to Murthy Mansion he continued to dial Nandini's number but the number went switched off.
Manik pulled off in front of Murthy Mansion but to his shock the gates were closed and the watchman was winding up his stuff.
"bhaiya! Nandini madam kaha hai..."Manik asked incessantly.
"vo toh fo ghante pehle chali gye.. Unki flight thi.. Ek ghante pehle.. Unhone mujhse kaha ki mai ghar ki chabhiyan aapki maata ji ko de du... Unke amma appa keys mangva lenge... Vo bhot jaldi mein thi.. Aur bina kuch bataye hi chali gyi!"the watchman said.
"kuch bataya.. Kaha jaa rhi hai..."Manik asked impatiently.
"nhi... Par unki baato se toh lag rha tha kahibdur jaa rhi hai... Unhone kaha ki vo murthy ji ko call karke bata dengi ki vo kaha hai hai.. Shayad unhe bhi nhi pata ki Nandini madam kaha jaa rhi thi..."watchman said and Manik looked away.
"Nandini.. Kaha ho.. I'm sorry.. Please vaapas aa jao... Please!"he muttered when his phone rang again.
"Manik ghar aa jao!"he heard his mom and his heartbeat raced. He guessed through her calm voice that Nandini must have reached home.
Another rash drive amd Manik was back home.
"Nandini... NANDINI!"He shouted as he entered in and spotted his mom sitting beside the landline.
"ma Nandu ghar aa gyi na!"he asked  with hope in his eyes.
"Manik.. Mujhe nhi pata tum dono ke beech kya hua.. Par ab vo vaapas nhi aayegi.. Usne Murthy ji se kaha hai ki vo apni baaki ki education avroad se karna chahti hai... Aur vo already India chhorh kar kaa chuki hai.. Usne unhe bhi nhi bataya vo kaha jaa rhi hai.."she said and Manik felt something breaking inside him. Nyonika knew she couldn't help  him anymore and so she left from there letting him gather himself.
Just who knew he would never be able to gather his broken pieces. How could he when on the day when he realized his love was the day when he lost his love! For ever! Maybe! Was this his end.. A loveless life.. Was it really what was destined for him.

To be continued...