Nandini's POV
"Are you sure you are okay, Navya?" I whisper to her. For a change, we are sitting at the back and not paying attention. Cabir is sitting on his usual seat in the front and Manik is sitting in a corner with Rose. They don't seem to be paying attention to the teacher, either! Ignoring the unsettling feeling, I focus on Navya. She has been really cut up lately.
"No, I am not okay!" She finally admits gloomily.
"What are you thinking? Tell me." I demand as softly as I can.
"You know, Nandu. I have been in love with Cabir almost all my life. Since the first day in kindergarten. When I found out he is gay, and that I stand absolutely no chance with him, I was devastated! I didn't know what to do." She is really upset.
"Navya.." I mumble helplessly, as the teacher continues scribbling on the board, indifferent to the students and the noise in the class.
"Slowly, with time, I got my shit together. I told myself to move on, over and over again. But it just wouldn't happen. No matter how many times I told myself to stop, my feelings have just kept getting stronger. And I hate it..."
She pauses for a minute and looks at Cabir with longing and love.
"Then Harshad came by. He was all nice and sweet and caring. For once, I thought I could be happy. How wrong I was!"
"Harshad...."
"It's not really about Harshad, Nandu. I was never in love with him. I was just trying to fall for him so I could forget Cabir."
"Navya...."
Stop this Harshad, Navya, Harshad, Navya, and say something comforting, you dimwit!
"I am hurt because it feels terrible to be betrayed. Harshad made me feel worthless and foolish! And my feelings for Cabir are just not going." She groans, a lone tear rolling down her eyes. "It's like the kind of love that shapes you up and totally blows you away! And more often than not, it's beautiful, Nandu. But when it's one sided, as in my case, it's so painful and so suffocating you can't describe it." She is sobbing now. A few people turn around to look at us. I glare at them and they turn to the other side quickly.
"I don't think I can ever be happy! Harshad, I am already over. But what about that gay? He must think I am pathetic."
"He doesn't know you are in love with him."
"Oh, please! This is Cabir we are talking about. He is a walking love detector." She cries out. "I am tired, Nandu. Of being the pathetic friend who is in love with him and who he can't get away from!" She croaks.
"I don't think you are pathetic and I definitely don't want to get away from you, Navya." Cabir's voice startles us. We turn around to see him sitting on the last bench, behind us.
"When did you come here?" I ask him. Did he hear our entire conversation?
"When this idiot was busy calling herself pathetic!" He hits Navya's head lightly.
"Shut up!" Navya grumbles through her tears.
"Navya, I need you to know that you are my best friend, and I love you. Not the way you want, but I still do." He says seriously. "And I want you clinging to me and irritating the shit out of me for as long as I am alive, okay?"
"So, you knew?" She asks in a small voice.
"Yes. And I don't know what I would do if you weren't a part of my life."
"You are just saying that because you feel sorry for me." Navya snaps.
"Of course not. Feeling sorry for you would mean I feel sorry for myself too. In a way, we are in the same situation, Navya." He whispers. "And I know better than to feel sorry for you. You are one hell of a girl and you are going to find love one fine day and run off into the sunset with your soul mate. It will happen! I can see it coming!" Cabir says dramatically and Navya laughs.
"And, there will be chances in future for you to be happy. There always are. And until you come across them, just try not to cry over someone that doesn't deserve you." I smile, trying to lighten the mood, repeating the words of a certain someone who is currently drowning in exotic beauty!
Focus!
"Yeah, this jerk doesn't deserve me." Navya rolls her eyes and smiles. She is just trying to be normal in front of Cabir!
"That's more like it." He puts an arm each around our necks and squeezes us together.
"What is this?" I grunt.
"A comforting hug which you get at the end of a meaningful, heart to heart conversation. Now shut up and feel the comfort." He says extra dramatically and we burst out laughing.
I look at Manik and find him already looking at me. He winks, mouthing a what's up, but I ignore him and turn back to Cabir and Navya. When the bell rings, I dash out, not sparing him a single glance.
"Do you actually have a diary or something in which you note down everything Manik says?" Cabir whispers to me.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Yeah, sure." He smirks at me. "You are saying you came up with that future-chances-happy philosophy all by yourself!" He starts laughing.
"What's the joke?" Navya asks.
"Nothing." I glare at Cabir.
We enter the canteen and the first thing I see is....Dhruv sitting with Alia? Mukti is gaping at them. Dhruv is holding Alia's hand.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Cabir goes to their table. Dhruv looks at me and quickly withdraws his hand.
"Dhruv was talking!" Mukti says, amazed. "Talking as in, long sentences and expressions. Wow! What a miracle!"
"Mukti, I do know how to talk." Dhruv mutters, a little embarrassed.
"Of course, you do. But you only ever talk to these three." She gestures towards us as Navya and I settle down on the adjacent table. "To the rest of us, you only nod and smile. What made so many solid words come out of your mouth?"
"Drop it, Mukti. He was just...." Alia says.
"Being really sweet." Mukti cuts across and ruffles Dhruv's hair. "This day should go down in history as the day the shy one came out of his shell!" She grins.
We start eating and Manik walks in, closely followed by Rose. I try not to get irritated and concentrate on my food.
"Hey people!" Rose says enthusiastically and settles down on our table.
"Isn't this supposed to be our table, Navya?" I say as rudely as I can.
"Umm..." Rose looks around uncertainly, her face falling.
"You can sit here, Rose." Cabir says politely and scowls at me. I roll my eyes.
There is awkward silence at our table with Cabir cracking a few jokes here and there. Just then, there is an announcement that the remaining lectures have been cancelled. I quickly grab my bag and get up to leave. Manik also follows me.
"Where are you going, Manik?" Rose asks.
"Um.." He looks at me uncertainly.
"Manik just shifted to Mumbai. So he is staying with me at the moment, since I am his best friend! Do you have a problem with that?" I fake a smile.
"No." She says after a minute of looking at Manik suspiciously.
"Good. Shall we?" I glare at Manik.
"Yeah." He mumbles and follows me out.
..............
"Nandini?" He asks cautiously.
"Yes?"
"Are you angry?"
"No."
He starts laughing and I look up at him. We are stuck in a traffic jam.
"What?" I snap.
"It's funny how the first thing I have to ask you before starting a conversation is if you are angry." He points out. "You blow up just anytime! Like a nuclear bomb. I think I am putting my life in danger by sticking around you."
"Then why are you sticking around me? Find another job and fuck off!" I snap.
"Your vocabulary is so limited." He rolls his eyes. "And to answer your question, as much as I hate to say it out loud, since it will inflate your already whale-sized ego, I think I have started loving your company." The look he gives me sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I start looking out of the window, a small smile playing on my lips.
"So just chill. And stop acting like a jealous girlfriend. You are not that yet." He smirks.
Yet!
Whaaaaat does he mean?????
Yet?
"I am not acting like a jealous girlfriend, okay!" I mumble, unable to stop a wide smile from breaking out on my face. He is just staring at you!
"Okay." He chuckles to himself.
"How long more are we going to be stuck in this jam? It's already been half an hour!" I whine, my patience wearing off.
"There is a carnival in the nearby grounds. I think it's because of that." Manik says, looking out of the window.
"Shitty carnivals!" I grunt.
"Hey! Carnivals are not shitty. They are fun." He protests.
"All I know is that they cause traffic jams. So they are shitty."
"Haven't you ever been to one?"
"No."
"You've got to be kidding me!" He says with an incredulous look. "Never, ever?"
"Never."
"Let's change that today."
...............
20 minutes later, we are standing at the entrance of the carnival.
"This better be fun." I warn.
"Trust me, you will have the time of your life!" Manik reassures.
We go inside and the sight is...just crazy. I don't think I have ever seen so many people and so many colours in one place before. The air is abuzz with the giggling of children, the screaming of people on several rides and loud music blaring from somewhere. On one side, there are numerous stalls offering games and people hurdled around them. The far end of the ground seems to be crowded the most. I look around and realise that it is the food section. Lol!
"Wow!" I whisper, totally mesmerised.
"You like it?" He asks hopefully.
"This is awesome!"
"Let's get the party started, then!" He yells enthusiastically and pulls me into the crowd.
After having a go each on the Ferris wheel, the Pendulum ride and the Breakdance (whatever the hell that was), I feel exhilarated!
"That was so cool!" Manik breathes heavily. Throughout the rides, he was screaming and laughing like a maniac!
"Yeah! Totally!" I laugh. "I think I am going to be deaf, though, because of all that screaming of yours so close to my ear."
"Let's go on that!" He yells pointing at another weird ride, totally ignoring what I said.
"No, Manik. I am woozy! Let's do something else."
"Fine! Food section!" He starts pulling me to the other side.
"No, let's try the games first."
"No, Nandini. FOOD!" He whines like a child, stamping his foot on the ground.
"Games." I glare.
"Food."
"Games!" I plead.
"Fine. Games. Chalo ab!" He says grumpily.
"Thank you!" I smile brightly and grab his hand. "Let's go."
When he doesn't move for a minute, I look at him and find him looking at our entwined hands. I mumble a sorry and try to withdraw my hand. But, he presses it tighter and gives me a dazzling smile.
"Let's go!"
For the next one hour, he beats my ass at every game we play, leaving me annoyed.
"Hey, it's okay. You have nothing to be sad about. It's my fault." He puts an arm around my shoulder.
"Really? How?" My spirits lift slightly.
"I am just great! No one can beat me!" He says smugly.
"Manik!" I punch his stomach lightly.
"Okay. Let's go there. I'll let you win." He points to the last stall, where you shoot darts at an array of stuff toys and whatever it lands on, is yours.
"So, what do you want?" He asks, looking around the stall.
"Um..pikachu!" I squeal, noticing my favourite pokemon.
"Pikachu it is, then."
I try to target the pikachu stuff toy, but my darts stick to everything except the yellow cutie. I groan and slam the gun on the counter.
"Here, I'll help you!" Manik picks up the gun and makes me hold it. Next, he comes close to me so that his chest is touching my back and puts his other arm around my shoulder, on my other hand and brings it to the gun too.
"Just focus!" He bends down and whispers into my ear, his hot breath all over the side of my neck.
Oh god! What is he doing? Why is he coming so close!
Focus, Nandini.
Ignore the desire and that stupid fluttering organ, which is your heart!
He is sooo close! He is so sexy!
"Ready?" He whispers huskily, brushing his lips against my ear this time. The mere contact makes me go crazy.
WHAT IS HE DOING?
"Hmm.." I manage to say.
We aim the gun and shoot. I don't even notice where the dart went because my body is totally betraying me.
"You did it!" Manik pulls back and grins, sliding his hands into his pockets.
Even the way he stands is so hot!
Shut up!
I take the Pikachu and beam at Manik.
"Thanks." I know I am blushing.
"Anytime." He keeps looking at me.
"Um..food section?"
"......."
"Manik?" He is still staring.
"Yeah?" He mutters, giving me a shy smile. Awe!
"Stop staring at me and come to the food section." I smirk.
"I wasn't staring."
"Yes, you were." My smirk deepens.
"......"
"What! No comeback?"
"Let's go to the food section."
As we reach, his phone rings. He excuses himself and I settle down on a table in front of a stall.
"Hey! Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." A tall, pretty girl wearing a jumpsuit asks me.
"No."
"Thanks." She settles down in front of me and gives me a bright smile. "Hi! I am Kria Ghai." She extends her hand.
Why so friendly?
"Hi, Kria. I am Nandini Murthy." I fake a smile.
"So, are you here all alone?" She asks.
"No. He is with me." I point towards Manik.
"Oh! Must say your boyfriend is really hot!" She winks.
Why does everyone think he is your boyfriend?
Because he is starting to behave like one! Wow!
"He is not my boyfriend." I say blankly.
"Sure. That's how it always starts!"
"What alway starts?"
"A love story!" She says dramatically, waving her hands. "From he is not my boyfriend to he is my man!" She grins.
"Whatever!" I say nonchalantly.
"Hey, baby!" A guy walks up to us and settles down beside Kria, kissing her forehead.
"Where were you?" She demands, putting a spoonful of aloo chat into her mouth.
"Swayam and Sharon were fighting again." He groans. "I was just breaking up their fight. Then, Vicky decided to show me his steps one last time. So I got held up. Sorry!"
"It's okay. Oh, by the way, this is Nandini Murthy. And Nandini, this is my man!" She winks.
"Hi, Nandini." The guy extends his hand. "Reyansh Singhania."
I stare at him for a minute.
Oh, don't be ridiculous, Nandu! Every Singhania is not evil!
"Um..what?" Reyansh asks with a puzzled look.
"Nothing. Hi." I give him a small smile.
"Try this, Rey! You will love it!" Kria gushes and stuffs food into his mouth.
"Aaram se, baby! We have to dance after this."
Manik returns and sits down beside me.
"Hey! Ordered anything yet?"
Yet!
He said yet earlier also, remember?
"No. I was waiting for you. And, meet Reyansh and Kria."
They wave and smile at him.
"Call me Rey, dude!"
"Manik Malhotra." He smiles.
A waiter comes to our table and Manik orders a lot of food. Like really A LOT OF FOOD!
"You are going to eat that all by yourself?" Rey laughs.
"Yes, I am hungry!" Manik joins in.
"Man, I envy you! I wish I could eat too much of this yummy food. But can't right now. We have a performance coming up shortly."
"What performance?" Manik and I ask together.
"A dance performance. We are here with our dance group D3 to perform. Today is the last day of this carnival." Kria says.
"Hey! You guys are in the D3! You know, my best friend Navya is totally crazy about you guys!" I smile genuinely now.
"It's nice to hear that!" Rey smiles.
Kria's phone rings and she puts it on speaker because her hands are covered in aloo chat.
"Miss. Kripa, when exactly are you planning to get your ass in the tent? We have to get ready!" A girl screams at the other end.
"I'll be there in five, Sharon." She gets up quickly and washes her hands. "Let's go, Rey. It was really nice meeting you guys!" She waves at us.
"Yeah. Our performance is in 45 minutes. Drop by if you can!" Rey winks.
"Sure." I smile back as they scutter off.
"So, you want to see their dance?" Manik asks.
"Yeah. And make a video of it, possibly. That would make Navya so happy!" I murmur excitedly.
Manik just keeps looking at me.
"You know, all this staring is flattering. But it's getting creepy now!" I laugh.
"You really are a totally different person to your friends than the rest of the world!" He smiles.
"Yeah, I know that!"
The waiter arrives and starts putting plate after plate on our table.
"Wow!" Manik gushes and bites into a vada pav. "This is yummy!" He says while chewing.
"You are gross!" I make a face and take a bite. It really is yummy!
I stop eating after a vada pav and a bhel puri. But Manik is going on, and on, an on. After about fifteen minutes, he is two vada pav, two aloo chat, one pav bhaji and several pani puris down.
"Maza aa gaya!" He says happily, burping loudly.
"Ew, Manik!"
He rolls his eyes at me. "So what, next?"
"The performance!"
We make our way to the podium at the centre of the ground and occupy the front row seats. There is already a huge crowd here and everyone is going crazy.
"Wow! They really must be popular." Manik says.
"They are!"
There is a brief announcement after which the D3 take over and I quickly take my phone out.
"Wow! These people are awesome!" Manik yells over the loud music.
"I know!" I yell back.
The performance comes to an end and the crowd erupts with excitement.
Once more! Once more!
D3 ROCKS!
REY! REY!
SWAYAM!
"Are you ready to go back? It's eight." Manik screams into my ear. I nod and we head out. We drive home in silence, a content, happy smile on my face.
"Thanks a lot, Manik! It's after a really long time that I had so much fun!" I squeal, getting down from the car.
"I am glad you enjoyed!" He smiles.
I enter the house and find Jenny in the living room.
"Where were you?"
"At the carnival, with Manik."
"And, did you enjoy?" She smirks.
"A lot, Jenny!" I gush and jump on the sofa next to her, putting my arms around her.
"I am so happy, Nandu!" Jenny grins. "What did you enjoy more, the carnival or Manik's company?"
"Jenny! I am tired. Bye." I run up to my room.
"Sweet dreams, honey!" She laughs.
I quickly take a shower and change into pajamas. Tying my hair up, I jump into my bed.
What a perfect day it has been! As I think about how Manik was looking at me, how he came close to me, our playful flirting and jokes and comebacks and all the physical contact, my head erupts with joy!
That arm around your shoulder, the hand holding, his lips on your ear!
I don't even realise when I fall asleep.
...................
It's 9.15 am and there is no sign of Manik. He is never late. What's up today? I decide to go up to his apartment and check on him. Finding the door open, I enter inside.
"Manik?"
He comes out of the bathroom looking pale. "Sorry, I am late. Let's go!"
"Are you okay?" I instantly start feeling uneasy.
"Um...yeah, I guess!" He says gloomily.
"What happened?"
"Upset stomach! Just a minute." He whines and rushes back to the bathroom. Shifting a heap of clothes aside, I settle down on the couch. He comes out after 10 minutes, looking exhausted.
"Let's go." He says, wiping his face with a towel.
"Are you crazy?" I shriek. "You need to rest."
"I'll be fine, Nandini." He groans.
"You will rest. That's final."
"What about you. Can you go to college alone?"
"Let's just bunk today. I'll stay here with you. We are anyway late for the first lecture." I say after thinking for a minute.
So desperate to spend time with him!
"Okay. As you wish." He goes into his bedroom and I follow him inside.
"You shouldn't have eaten so much last night." I scowl as he settles down on the bed, stretching his legs out and leaning his head on the wall.
"I know. I am not used to having spicy food anymore." He grunts. "But, I wouldn't want to change a single thing about yesterday!" His smile is soul searing.
"Thanks, Manik. You know, it was my first time at a carnival. I had a lot of fun with dad but he could not get around to taking me to one. And Nyonika was always too busy to take care of me." I settle down at the edge of the bed.
"Well, you know me now! We can do all the fun things you haven't done before, together." He grins and my heart swells.
After talking for some time, I decide to take up a challenge, clean Manik's apartment.
"You don't need to do it, Nandini!" He protests.
"I don't want to spend one entire day in a pig sty." I scowl.
"You will die cleaning and this place will still be the same! I am highly accomplished at creating a mess. And no one can tackle it. Not even my mom! And she has years of experience. You are a newbie."
"Shut up and rest!" I scoff and go into the living room. As I pick up a pile of dirty clothes, my phone rings.
"Hey, Navya!" I chirp and tell her about Manik being unwell and me cleaning his place.
"You are what?"
"Cleaning, Navya!" I roll my eyes.
"You have never cleaned my room!" She accuses.
"......"
"You really like him, don't you?"
"Bye, Navya."
"I can imagine you blushing right now! Tum toh puri biwi ban rahi ho Manik ki." She giggles.
"Shut up, Navya. Or I won't give you the video of D3's live performance which I recorded myself!"
"WHAT! OH MY GOD!" She squeals and just like that, forgets everything else.
After about an hour, Manik comes out of his bedroom.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THIS PLACE!" He shrieks with a horrified look.
"You are so funny!" I roll my eyes.
"They were right, never let a woman touch your things." He says sadly. "I will not be able to call this place home anymore."
"How are you feeling now?" I ask, bringing his rants to an end.
"Much better, thanks."
We go back into his room and he sprawls on his bed protectively.
"At least spare my bed!"
"Just stop the drama."
We spend the rest of the day teasing, laughing and bickering back and forth.
Another perfect day, if you ask me!
................
"We are absent for one day and this is what happens!" I say in disbelief. The entire college seems to have had a makeover. The walls are covered in posters of music bands and people are talking excitedly. Nobody seems to be going to class.
"What's happening?" Manik and I enter the canteen. "Aren't we supposed to go to class?"
"No." Cabir says, looking bored.
"Why?"
"We have to go to the Audi for an announcement." Navya says and gets up.
We reach the Audi and occupy the front row seats. Everybody seems to be really excited.
"What's happening?" Manik asks.
"Probably a music contest." Dhruv says, joining us. I see Manik scowling at him from the corner of my eye.
"Settle down everyone. And stop talking." Raghav's voice rings through the auditorium, bringing everybody to a hushed silence.
"Okay. You all will be glad to know that St. Stephen has registered for Musicana this year!" He says excitedly and the crowd erupts with excitement.
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Cabir gets up and yells, grinning from ear to ear. "MUSICANA! Seriously? NANDU, MUSICANA!"
"I know Cabir! MUSICANA! Oh my goodness!" I get up and yell back, giving Cabir a hi five, unable to contain my excitement.
"Relax! Guys! Do you want me to continue or not?" Raghav yells into the mic and everyone falls silent.
"This is awesome!" Cabir and I hug each other and settle down.
"As I was saying, you all have the opportunity to participate in Musicana this year. Do I need to tell you what that is?"
"NO!" The crowd is going berserk.
Raghav laughs and continues. "Because of the numerous requests we have been receiving from you all over the years, the committee decided to give you all this opportunity this year. So brace yourselves, guys! Auditions will be held on the 13th of March, exactly a week from now. Five bands will be selected to represent St. Stephen at the Musicana 2k16. And, we can only hope that one of them wins!"
There is a huge round of applause and much cheering.
"Get ready, students. Form your bands and start practicing, for you only have a week. No solo acts are allowed and your band should have at least 5 members. A music library has been set up for your convenience. ALL THE BEST!" He beams at us and leaves.
"Cabir! Can you believe it!" I squeal.
"No yaar! Our longest standing dream is finally coming true!" He is laughing like a crazy person.
"Why are you two so excited? And what's Musicana?" Manik asks with a puzzled look.
"Get used to tolerating two crazy people, Manik. Because that's what Cabir and Nandu are going to be!" Navya grins.
"I still can't believe it!" I scream.
"Will someone enlighten me?" Manik snaps.
"Musicana is the most coveted, the grandest and the BIGGEST music fest for rock bands in India! Music bands from all over the country participate and the winners get to cut an album with T Series!" Cabir says with a reverent look.
"And these two are absolutely crazy about Musicana!" Navya says. "They have grown up imagining themselves as the winners and have been pestering the college management to register for the fest ever since they set foot here."
I am still jumping up and down. The one thing you've wanted for so long is finally happening!
"Stop jumping, Nandu. We only have a week!" Cabir states.
"Yeah. We have to form our own band and start practicing. Five people. Five goddamn people, Cabir!" I shriek, finally realising the gravity of the situation.
"Relax. Everything will work out! We are going to nail this!" Cabir says as we come out of the Audi. Navya and Manik are rolling their eyes behind us.
.
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