Reality Ever After

Part 33. Contraversies and Conclusions

As soon as Nandini checked her phone, she saw tons of notifications popping up along with a bunch of missed calls and texts. She read a few comments on social media and was shocked at what she saw.

Nandini - Manik...

Manik looked at her from across the coffee shop, surprised at her loud call. But the expression on her face told him that something was wrong.

Manik - What happened?

Nandini - Check your phone.

Manik immediately switched his phone on and was shocked to see his phone had at least 20 missed calls, 100+ texts from various people and god knows how many notifications from all his social media accounts. He read a few of them and realised that it was something to do with Cabir and his sexuality.

Manik - Nandini. Let's go. Cabir needs us.

The two of them rushed out of the coffee shop and made a run towards where Manik's car was parked and rushed to Cabir's house. In the meanwhile, Nandini was reading as much as she could on social media and updating Manik about it.

Nandini - Basically, FAB5 ke video mein Cabir has mentioned he's gay and people have started trolling him and FAB5 endlessly on social media. And trust me Manik, some of these comments are downright mean. I just hope Cabir is okay.

Manik - He'll be fine Nandini. I think he's learnt how to keep himself unaffected by this negativity. You know that.

Nandini - Haan. But phir bhi. It's never easy to listen to people who are insulting you.

Manik - I know right. I don't know what it will take for people to change their opinions in this country. Ab toh governement ne laws bhi change kar diye hai. It's not even illegal anymore. And why can't people just mind their own business. If they don't like FAB5, don't listen to our music. Why do they have to go and insult people on social media?

Nandini - I know. But it's not a completely lost battle. There are a lot of people who have come out in support of Cabir too. In fact, yeh log apne aap mein jhagda kar rahe hai on Twitter.

Just then, they reached Cabir's house and both of them rushed upstairs to find all of FAB5, Navya as well as Cabir's mom in the house. Cabir's mom seemed very angry with Cabir.

Mrs. Dhawan - What is all this Cabir? Yeh kya laga rakha hai! Jab tak yeh baat humare aur tumhare doston ke beech thi, tab tak theek tha. But aise public platform mein jaakar iss baat ko announce kar diya tumne?

Cabir - But mom aap aise react kyu kar rahe ho? Aapne toh mujhe accept kar liya tha na? Toh ab kyu problem ho rahi hai aapko?

Mrs. Dhawan - Maine yeh baat accept isiliye ki kyuki mujhe accept karni padi. I'm a mother Cabir. Aur mujhe mere bacchon ki har choice ko accept karna padta hai. But uska yeh matlab nahi hai ki tum jaakar poori duniya ke saamne announce kar do. Government ne bhale hi yeh legalise kar diya ho, but aaj bhi humaare desh mein yeh cheezein log aasaani se accept nahi karte hai.

Cabir - Mom please. I don't care koi kuch bhi bole. Mujhe isse koi fark nahi padta. Main aise ghut ghut ke aur chup chup ke nahi jee sakta hoon.

Mrs. Dhawan - Fark nahi padta? Phone kholkar dekho log kya kya baat kar rahe hai. Aur phir bolo tumhe fark nahi padta. Yeh baat publicly bol kar tumne tumhara career toh destroy kar hi diya hai. But saath mein tumhare doston ka bhi kar diya hai. FAB5 ko ban karne ki baatein ho rahi hai.

Manik - Aunty, we don't care about our careers. Cabir zyaada important hai.

Mrs. Dhawan - Toh tum logon ko karna kya hai? Zindagi bhar kya friendship's day manaate baithoge? Tum sab abhi kuch mahinon mein graduate ho jaoge aur kisi ke career ka kuch ataa pata nahi hai. Bacche nahi rahe tum sab abhi. All of you are turning 21 this year. But how carelessly are you all handling your life? Navya pregnant hai aur ab tak usne hardly koi parents ko interview kiya hai for adoption. Inn dono se khud ki life toh handle hoti nahi aur ek bacche ki zimmedari lekar baitho ho. Aur Mukti aur Cabir, tum dono, ek ladke ne dump kya kar diya, toh dono Devdas banke baithe ho. Aur usse overcome karte karte poori college nikal di tumne. And Dhruv, Manik and Alya. Get over your love lives and get serious in life. Saara time breakups, patch ups aur ek doosre se ladne mein nikal dete ho. Aakhir karna kya hai tum sab ko? Main yeh nahi keh rahi hoon ki tum sab ke problems chote hai. But it's high time you all stop taking life so casually and get to doing what you all have to do. Breakups and heartbreaks se zindagi nahi ruk jaati hai. Learn to deal with your problems and move on in life. And you Cabir, stop using the excuse of being gay in everything that you do in life. I agree it was a problem for you. But now the secret is out in the open and people who should know about this, already know it and have accepted it. Isse aur bahar publicise kar ke tumhe koi special treatment ya sympathy nahi denewala hai. So stop using this card all the time. If you want people to treat you normally and equally, then don't go around publicising this fact on social media.