"तेरी आदत लगने से पहले तक,
सब सही था!"
Space Canteen
Nandini entered in the canteen after attending back to back three lectures only to hear the students hooting.
Manik!
Manik!
Manik!
She frowned and looked at the centre table where the person himself - The Manik Malhotra was sitting on the table with guitar in his hand. His friends were standing around him, while the girls in canteen were shouting his name, asking him to sing.
She saw Manik's gaze falling on her and his guitar strummed. And soon the whole big room fell into silence. The only sound could be heard was Manik's guitar's. And the person himself was looking directly in her eyes. And next, everyone heard was His voice.
"मैने तुमको आते देखा,
अपनी जान को जाते देखा।
जाने फिर क्या हुआ, नही याद x२
गली में आज चांद निकला,
हो! गली में आज चांद निकला।।"
Manik stopped singing when he saw Nandini leaving the canteen. Everyone clapped around him, to which he gave a small smile and looked at his friends who were giving him a smirking smile, to which he passed them a nervous one before sprinting out of the canteen hastily with his guitar.
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Manik's pov-
I was in the canteen with my friends who were devoir over Mumma's Aloo Paratha, which she sent for them, especially for Her Cabir. Sometimes I think, she loves him more than me.
But then I looks at him.
And then at myself!
And then thinks, ki iss Cabir jaisi gandi shakal se toh kon hi pyaar karega, m jyada pyara hu!
(That I have better face than this Cabir's bad face, i am more loveable)
I was getting bored, while these four animals were eating like they haven't eaten since months! Cabir is rubbing off on them.
To pass my time I took my guitar out, and just kept tuning it which I guess attracted the attention of the students who started pestering me to sing. I was about to deny when my gaze fell on the entrance of the canteen and I saw her walking in!
Tigress!
She was looking beautiful in plain white kutti and black leggings. Her ears were adorned with beautiful crescent shaped studs. I looked into her eyes and at the same moment she looked into mine.
And I swear, It was involuntary that my fingers started strumming the tune.
And it was purely not my senses working when I started singing.
I was lost in her deep eyes and was singing when I saw her eyes blinking. Frowns appearing on her face and she left the canteen.
And I stopped singing still looking at the way she went. I was bought out of the trance by students' clapping sound. I gave them a small smile and giving a nervous one to my friends hurriedly ran out of the canteen.
By the looks those four were giving me, I know! I know! I am gone!
But that's not exactly the thing disturbing me!
The thing that is disturbing me is the reason that I am gone!
I mean ofcourse the reason is Her!
Why do I always get lost in her those doe shaped grey eyes? Why do I feel the pain behind those beautiful orbs?
And the biggest question is- Why did I sang looking in her eyes?
That's so not me!
I never had done this.
This is something I feel, is something too intense, and I always had this in me that I do this only for my The one!
Singing looking into My The One's eyes!
But then her eyes!!!
Baba ji maine pagal ho jana hai!!!
(God, I'll get mad)
Mummaa!!!!
✿
While, this side Nandini' was also confused. Confused at herself! Where was she lost, hearing him singing?
But then she realised something, that this Manik Malhotra and the Manik Malhotra are the same!
That means, the person whom her daughter is a big fan of, Her Loktal and the person studying with her in same college are same!
And she realised, this when she heard him singing today. It was the same voice, hearing which her daughter falls asleep every night.
Undoubtedly, she herself too!
What? Don't judge her now, that she doesn't even know that Manik Malhotra and Rockstar are same. She just knows that, there's a certain singer names Manik Malhotra whose songs are loved by her daughter. She never forced herself to Google about him. So yeah, you Can't blame her!!
She chucked her thoughts and looked at her watch, which showed she has ten minutes before another lecture begins. Sighing she moved to her class to not get late.
.
.
Nandini was walking in the corridor when she heard someone calling her name. She turned and saw Ishaan running towards her.
Ishaan: Hey Nandini!
Nandini:(straightening her bag) Hi!
Ishaan: Let's go together!
Nandini:(frowns) Where?
Ishaan:(confused) Ground area, to meet Fab three! You were going there right?
Nandini shaked her head in no with confusion. Why do she need to go and meet them? Meet and greets were over yesterday right?
Ishaan: Oh, i forgot! You aren't added in the group right? Actually no-one has your phone number so. But Mukti messaged on it, and asked to meet them there at around 12pm. So, let's go?
Nandini: Actually, I..I have a lecture.
Ishaan:(chuckles) We are in same course Nandini!
Nandini: Oh!
Ishaan chuckles at her faces while she just gave him a blank look before nodding. Both reached the ground area where they saw Fab Three i.e. Manik, Cabir and Mukti were sitting on the ground below.
Ishaan was two step ahead of Nandini and nearing, he greeted them with a big smile to which they looked at him and smiled, before three gazes falling on Nandini.
Mukti:(waving) Hey Nandini!
Nandini: Hi!
Nandini fell Manik's gaze on her to which she shifted on her legs making him look away much to her relief.
Cabir: Sit guys!
Ishaan and Nandini took seat on the ground.
Mukti: So you both did any research on the topic?
Nandini:(hastily) Ni, sorry maine ni ki, m jau, kal kar aaugi!
(No sorry, I didn't do it, can I go I'll do it tomorrow)
Maybe it was the way she spoke so hastily and cutely or just her expressions which made the four people around her chuckle, making her self conscious, and she looked down.
Cabir: Relax Nandini, we aren't punishing you, even if you didn't did anything. We three also didn't!
Ishaan:(raising his one hand) Me Neither! Sorry!
Cabir: See! And you're behaving as if you want to run away from here. I know these two looks monstrous, but beleive me I am very pyara! Don't need to be afraid of me.
And as soon as he finished his sentence he felt a pebble hitting his shoulder to which he winced, and looked at the culprit to find Manik aiming at him with a bigger one in his hand.
Cabir: Oye! Are you mad? Meri yaadasht chali jayegi, phir shuru se padhai karni padegi yaar! Pehle hi Abhi or Navya se cheating kar kar ke yaha Tak pahucha hu.
(My memory will be lost, then I'll have to study from starting. Already I've been here with the help of cheating from Abhi and Navya's exams)
The four people looked at him with weird faces.
Mukti: Seriously Cabir? All you worry about is you will have to study again from nursery?
Cabir:(shrugged) Obvi -fucking -ously!
Manik: Shut-Up Cabir. Let's do the thing we are here for.
Cabir:(pouting) Why so serious?
Mukti:(ignoring him) Oh, by the way Nandini, before I forget give me your number. I'll add you in the WhatsApp group of us five so that we could cordinate whenever necessary.
Nandini looked at her and fidgeted with her fingers. How can she give her number to them, when it will be of no use.
Reason! She uses a keypad phone, and not any touch screen. Not her fault that she doesn't have extra money to waste it on a smartphone. She needs it to talk with certain people, and she is never much able to do that with her keypad.
The four were looking at her while the three were WAIT for her answer, Manik somehow understood that she is not okay with sharing her number for whatever reasons!
Manik: Mukti, let it be no! Even I would be leaving the group, kaam se jyada toh Cabir khane ki baat karta hai waha par bhi!
(More than word Cabir talks about food there too)
Cabir glared at Manik to which he grinned sarcastically at him, making Ishaan and Mukti chuckles.
And Nandini looked at him tilting her head a little, and at the same time Manik looked at her and raised a eyebrow at her to which she looked away making him chuckle.
Cute Tigress!! He thought.
Then they started discussing about their project, most of the times the other four talking, while Nandini would just give her suggestion whenever they would look at her. By now all four have realised that, she is intelligent but completely introverted. Though they doesn't have any problem.
Soon it was time for another lecture, so Nandini and Ishaan stood to move to their classes. While standing up, her and Ishaan's head hit each other making them wince.
Ishaan: Oh! I am so sorry Nandu! You okay?
Nandini just nodded while rubbing the are which got hit.
Ishaan:(sheepish smile) Don't mind me, I am just a bit clumsy.
Nandini smiled a little at his way of speaking this as this reminded her of her daughter, who was also clumsy as hell
Nandini: It's okay!
While someone else was there who was looking at Ishaan with narrowed gaze and fusted hands.
And no points for guessing, it was Manik.
Mere taraf toh dekhti bhi nahi, uske saath hass rahi h? He thought.
(She doesn't even looks at me, and here smiling down at him!)
Then Ishaan and Nandini left from there and Manik kept looking at the way they went before sighing.
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Oh! Do we smell Jealousy here? Abhi se hi? 🥺
1706 words
♡A