Long chapter ahead:)
Ps: I tried my best to portray my imagination into words as much as I could, apologies beforehand if it's not up to your expectations!
Song Reference- Saware from Phantom by Arijit Singh, play the song when you see the music emoticon (♫) for better feels!
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"में तो बना ही था तबाह होने के लिए,
तेरा मिलना तो बस एक बहाना था!"
"Manik, I think you should talk with Abhi." Manik looked at Cabir with a confusing face and raised his brows in question.
It was early evening now and Fab Five were chilling in Cabir and Mukti's house. Manik was sitting on the stool near kitchen island when Cabir came to him after observing Abhi for some time now. Manik also looked at Abhi but didn't find him anywhere and sighed. He knows that there is something that is disturbing Abhi. He thought that he will soon come around, but it never happened. Cabir too knew that if Abhi hasn't shared anything with all of them then he will surely do it with Manik.
"I think you're right. It's been days now. Navya and Mukti are also affected seeing him. Where is he?"
"By the pool side." Manik nodded and moved towards the pool area with the box of cookies in his hand.
Reaching there he saw Abhimanyu sitting by the side of the pool with his legs dipped in the water. It was a pleasant day today with the sun hiding behind the clouds. Manik joined Abhi and sat beside him. Abhi felt his presence and gave a smile to Manik before looking ahead.
"Cookies?" Abhi looked at the jar of cookies Manik forwarded and chuckled before taking one.
"You still keeping them with you?"
"Obviously, can't trust Cabir with this treasure." Abhi smiled and Manik mimicked his actions. Again, a silence fell there before Manik looked at Abhi who was lost in his thinking again.
"What is it Abhi?"
"What?"
"What are you hiding Buddy? There is something that's disturbing you. We all have been observing you. Earlier I thought you'll come around on your own but you are looking more depressing day by day. What is it?"
Abhimanyu exhaled and looked down with no words coming out of his mouth. He wasn't sure what to tell to his friend. He didn't want to hide anything. But he couldn't gather the courage to speak it aloud. Maybe because it wasn't his story to tell or maybe it was too scary to tell.
"Abhi!!" Abhimanyu came out of his trance hearing Manik's voice who was looking at him with face full of worried.
"Manik, if I ask you something, will you tell me honestly?"
"Of course, Buddy, say it. I won't hide anything from you." Abhi took a deep breath and now Manik was getting more worried for his best friend.
"You love Nandini, isn't it? She is your The One, right?" To say Manik was shocked would be less. Was he so obvious with his feelings around Nandini, he thought. But then he looked at his friend who was staring at him with a look of uncertainty. What's the connection with His love for Nandini and his friend's cause of misery, he wondered. But for now, he chose to be honest, there is no lie that he loves her. He just wanted to not disclose her name because he wanted to be sure that she will love him too, at least that's what he hoped.
"Yes!" Manik's answer bought more frowns on Abhi's face. His guess was right he thought. Now he was feeling guilty of not telling it to Manik.
"Abhi you're scaring me. Why'd you ask me this? And what are you so worried about?" Manik was getting tensed with time and Abhi's silence wasn't helping him either. Here he came to solve his Buddy's problem if possible and now he was feeling anxious.
"Manik, Nandini..."
"Nandini what?" Manik's heart was beating loudly in his chest.
"She is very nice girl. Just that she is quite reserved and silent kind of person, isn't she?" Manik looked at Abhi with a deadpanned face. Abhi couldn't do it. He just couldn't tell Manik that he knows Nandini, and how he knows her.
"Abhi don't play with your words. Just out with it now. I'm not a fool who can't see that how easily you changed your sentence."
"Manik, there is no..." Before Abhi could complete his sentence Manik's phone rang. He would've declined the call if it wasn't his grandmother. He gave a look to Abhi which said We-are-not-done-yet and picked up the call.
Abhi stared at front and sighs restlessly. How can he break his friend. How can he snatch the smile on his face which was now permanent since the time he realised who is his The One. How can he tell his Buddy that chance of his love story which he has dreamt since his childhood are close to zero. How the fuck he is supposed to tell Manik, that His the One is apparently a mother of a child. And he can't even imagine his friend's state once he will know that His the One was raped? It will break Manik. Manik will be ruined, he will be shattered, that's what was eating Abhimanyu.
How he wishes that Manik would never know the truth.
He blinked when he heard Manik saying Bye to his grandmother before hanging up. He became tensed once he realised that now Manik will again ask him question.
"Don't worry, I'm not forcing you now." Abhi sighed in relief for the time being. "But tonight, Abhimanyu, I'll be coming tonight to know what the fuck is troubling you. You better have a good story to tell." Saying this Manik moved inside the hall and Abhi saw him saying something to Cabir before moving out of the apartment.
Abhimanyu released a deep breath and leaned his head backwards and looked at the cloudy sky. All he could wish was to not let anything happen which will make him lose his Buddy.
.
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"Nandini, can I ask you something?" Nandini looked at her colleague Priya who was also a waitress in the cafe and nodded her head.
"What do you think about Love? I mean what are your thoughts on it, I'm just curious that What love is?" Nandini looked at her blankly and kept the cookies tray in the oven to let them bake.
"Re, answer no!" Nandini sighed and looked at her for few seconds before blinking.
"Depends."
"On?" Priya raised her brows.
"On whom you're loving." Nandini shrugged and still there was no look on face. Her face was entirely blank and she was lost somewhere.
"Oh-kay explain."
"There are people who will break you for loving them, and then there are people who will break themselves to love you unconditionally. You'll meet both in this life, to know, what love is."
Priya was amazed hearing her. She thought that Nandini will straight-way decline of the existence of the word love.
"Do you believe in love?" Priya probed further. It's not every day Nandini talks, and she was loving her thoughts.
"Yes!"
"Will you fall in love?"
"No!"
"Why?"
"Because neither I want to break myself, nor I want anyone else to break. Love is Pain. It is as selfish as it is selfless."
Nandini gave a slight smile to Priya and moved to her mobile which was ringing. She frowned looking at the caller and picked up and in seconds later Priya saw a shocked and worried Nandini rushing out of the cafe kitchen. She ran behind her and before she could ask anything from Nandini she was out of the cafe. Mrs. Amroliwala was also not present and hence she stopped at the threshold of the cafe wondering where Nandini went in so haste.
.
.
"Yes, my dear Dadi Maa, I've taken Dadu's reports and everything is normal. Doctor has just prescribed some diet and medicine, rest everything is fine, and I'm just moving out of the hospital. Okay bye, love ya." Manik hanged up the call with his grandmother and smiled.
He was sliding some useless notifications in his mobile while walking that he didn't saw the person rushing inside the hospital until he bumped into her.
"Oh, am sorry.", He looked above and was shocked to saw Nandini there, whose face was full of tears and she was shaking with fear. She didn't notice him and went to the reception while Manik was confused seeing her in this state. He saw her asking something from the receptionist still shivering with fear and she rushed towards the lift. Manik rushed behind her and was about to say something when she rushed to the stairs since the lift wasn't coming down. He saw her hurriedly climbing the stairs and followed her with concern.
He ran to her when he saw her about to fall on the stairs and held her on time. Nandini who was anything but in sane mind, didn't stopped and removing herself from his hold again ran up the stairs. And now Manik was worried hell. He has never saw her in this condition. He has never saw her so devastated. She is not that brave Nandini who shows that she is strong. And the thought that what would be the reason of her this state made him wonder. He too ran behind her and they reached on the second floor.
Nandini with wobbly steps reached in front of the ICU where she saw Ishita. Ishita too looked at Nandini and cried hard. Nandini looked at her and ran to her.
"Ishi Maa, Anahita?".
Ishita just sobbed and pointed at the ICU making Nandini's whole body still. She took slow steps towards the small glass on the ICU door and peeped inside only to stumble back seeing her three-year-old daughter lying on the ICU bed with machines surrounding her.
As she stumbled back with shock, Manik caught her in his arms. She looked at him who was looking at her back with concern. Manik's heart broke the moment he saw her looking at him with that face all broken.
Although there were loads of questions revolving in his mind right now, like why the hell she was looking so broken. Or how does she know Ishita?
"Ma. Manik."
Manik nodded his head and tried wiping her tears from one hand while holding her with other.
"What happen Nandini? Tell me, hmm."
"Manik her... Anahita." And saying her name Nandini broke down and she slid down on her knees crying loudly. Seeing her like this Manik's eyes filled with tears and he too sat in front of her. Ishita was also crying for her, and Anahita.
She was in the hospital when there was suddenly a chaos and she was told that a school van was met with an accident which had many kids. Some were taken to other hospitals while some were taken here. And she was shocked when she saw Anahita, her Anahita there all drenched in blood. Anahita was taken into ICU and Ishita somehow gathering the courage called Nandini. Since that time, she was praying for Anahita and for that matter every child's safety. Looking at Nandini she cried more. She knows if something happens to Anahita, then Nandini won't be able to live.
While for Manik for now nothing matters more than her. The way she was crying in front of him was breaking him. He was still confused why she was crying. Who was Anahita. Does he know her? Hasn't he heard her name? Before he could ponder more, the doctor from ICU came out and moved to Ishita looking at Nandini.
"Doctor Mehra, how's she? She is okay right?"
Before Doctor Mehra could answer Nandini also reached to him followed by Manik.
"Doctor, she. she is okay, right? She is just unconscious due to shock, no? Or maybe she is just pranking or something? Can I meet her? She will listen to me. I want to meet her."
Nandini was about to move towards ICU when doctor stopped her.
"No Miss, you can't meet her now. By the way, you are her...?
"Mother, I'm her mother. She is my daughter. Anahita is my daughter."
And this time Manik's steps stumbled in shock. He was looking at Nandini with a shocked face.
Daughter?
Mother?
He was dumbfounded. She is a mother? She has a daughter?
It's like everything around him fell silent. He could see her requesting doctor. He could see her crying. He could see her looking at Ishita with pleading eyes. He could see it all but couldn't hear anything. He was in a state of shock. He didn't realise when his legs took him towards the ICU door. He peeked inside the ICU through the window glass and what he saw next made him so shock that he was about to fall but Ishita saved him.
He looked at Ishita with a blank face who looked at him with worry. She knows that how much Manik adored Anahita. So, she patted his shoulder.
"Princess?"
Ishita nodded with tears in her eyes. He looked at the unconscious Anahita lying there fighting for her life and then his gaze fell on Nandini who now was sitting on the bench shedding tears.
"Loktal!!"
"I found my The One."
"Ice-keam"
(Ice cream)
"Nandini is your The One, no?"
"Iti made this dawing for you."
(drawing)
"You love her?"
"You are Loktal!!"
"Yes, she is my The One."
"Bye Loktal!"
"Bye Manik."
Manik palmed his ears and tears fell out from his eyes. He was feeling the pain, he was feeling devastated. He was shocked, stunned. He was feeling his heart breaking into pieces. He couldn't believe it.
Nandini is a mother!
Anahita is her daughter!
Nandini and Anahita are mother and daughter!
Nandini- his The One?
Anahita - his Princess?
Not even in his wildest dreams he had thought that the two people he adore so much would be related, that too in such a way.
He slid back on the floor with the wall. His heart was aching. And he wasn't sure why.
Was it because he saw his Princess in this condition!
Or was it because he realised that his all dreams are broken. Because that one dream he had been seeing since childhood - Having his the one by his side, will always remain a dream!
A dream, which he isn't allowed to see.
He was feeling suffocated. It was becoming hard for him to breathe. He was taking harsh breaths. His gaze fell on Nandini who was now crying silently and his eyes again welled up with tears.
Why her?
Why him?
Feeling restless he was about to move from there when a nurse's voice stopped him on his tracks.
"Excuse me, Dr. Ishita, we need blood, she has lost lot of it. Blood Bank do not have her blood group
"I. I'll give my blood." Nandini spoke hurriedly.
"Sure, but what is your blood group?"
"AB"
"Am sorry Miss, but hers is O negative, we can't take yours. But please see if anyone have her group. We are trying to get some from nearby hospital but I'm afraid we don't have much time."
More tears fell from Nandini's eyes and she sobbed loudly. What kind of a mother is she if can't save her child by giving her blood? Was she even deserved to be called a mother? These thoughts were breaking her more with the fact that her piece of heart was inside the ICU battling for every breath. Ishita tried consoling her while trying to keep herself calm too. She was praying from God make to some miracle happen, to end their misery.
"Excuse me, you can take my blood. I am O negative."
Ishita and Nandini looked at the person to saw it was Manik. His face was devoid of any expression. Nurse nodded her head and he followed her as she asked him to. Before going he looked at Nandini who joined her hands with grateful face and eyes welled up. This sight broke him more if possible. He gave her a slight painful smile and entered the room where Nurse leads him.
Nandini moved towards the small temple present there and joined her hands in front of the god Krishna's idol. Tears were still flowing through her eyes. She was silent as if asking God to read the mother's heart and not let her hope break, because of there is No Anahita, then there is no Nandini too.
Manik came out after giving his blood. Although he was asked to rest a bit but he came out and sat on the bench. Ishita caressed his head and gave him a thankful smile to which he nodded his head a little.
Manik's gaze moved on Nandini who was standing in front of the god's idol with her hands joined. He then looked towards the gate of ICU and sighed before throwing his head back and closing his eyes.
He was ready for anything coming his way to get his love.
But this?
Is this what they call at times life hits hard, he thought.
After around two hours doctor came out of the ICU and Nandini and Ishita came close to him while Manik kept seated because he was feeling a little weak.
"She is out of danger. Thanks to the donor and more thanks to the god. She will be up by morning. If you want you can see her once." And as soon as doctor finished Nandini rushed inside the ICU while Ishita thanked God joining her hand. Manik also smiled a little and sent a thanks to his Waheguru.
♫
He saw Ishita talking with the doctor so he slowly stood up and looked inside the ICU to see Nandini kissing Anahita's forehead and holding her small hands in hers. He kept his hand on the glass pane and smiled painfully before curling his hand into a fist.
And with slow and steady steps he moved out from there with his heart heavy. How it took just one moment and all his happiness were as if snatched away. His steps felt heavy. His breath felt heavy. Everything felt like a burden to him currently, even breathing.
Mother.
I'm her mother.
She is my daughter...
It was when Manik was inside the confinement of his car all hell broke loose. He held the steering so tight that his knuckles turned white.
"Aaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" He shouted. In pain, in grief. As if the broken pieces of his heart were piercing him and it was bleeding. Tears roll down his beautiful eyes and with a tired sigh he kept his head on the steering wheel and took deep breaths.
What was making him more insane were his thoughts.
He knew that he can possibly never have her.
But still he was in love with the impossibility of them.
Why love is so hard, he wondered.
All these years he had lived with the hope of loving that one person, living with that one person.
And now when he finally know she is here, how can he not love her?
"Na humaara hua na tumhara huaa
Ishq ka ye sitam na gawara hua "
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.
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Ngl, I surely felt emotional at times, maybe because It was all revolving in my mind.
Anyway, how was it for you guys, finally the awaited one, yeah?
Hope I did a bit justice with your expectations *finger crossed*
Still, I'm open to constructive criticism (or maybe not, kidding)
By the way, any guesses how Abhi knows Nandini's truth?
Who felt heartbroken for My Manik 💔 why him? 🥺
And Anahita, well she is saved by her Loktal.
Now what you think will happen? Will Manik be the same?
With Nandini or Anahita?
OMG, I'm so curious 🙈🙈
But before going a question, would you want to fall in love with all its possibilities?
Waiting for your reviews!
Next update - Friday (or can be sooner or later)
3360 words
~A♡