Nandini was two spoons into her cheesecake when her cell beeped.
'Happiest friendship day to the bestest friend in the world. Main aur Ranbir Manik ke ghar gaye the to pata chala you guys are in panchgani. So wont disturb you abhi, apne monster ke saath khub masti karo aur laut te hi phone karna. Waise Manik ki tabiyat thik hai na?'
Nandini had completely forgotten that it was friendship day. She quickly replied 'Happy friendship day to u too my bestie. Here's to us and our forever wali dosti. Manik is ok. Who princi ki wajah se ana para, had to vacate the apartment. Will message u when we reach Mumbai.'
"Happy friendship day Manik." Nandini wished him with an a big smile.
"Shit, aaj friendship day hai? Saale mere doston ne ek call bhi nahi kiya subah se. Abhi unki khabar leta hun." Without even replying to Nandini's wish, he started calling each of his friends one by one.
An hour later , when he was done talking to all four of them, he noticed Nandini looking away, fiddling with the spoon in her hand. She hadn't finished her cheesecake.
"Kya hua Nandini, why did you suddenly turn quiet?"
"Nothing, wo bas aise hi, you were talking on the phone so.." Came her meek reply.
No, this didn't seem just like that. He could clearly make out from the subtle yet sudden change in her expressions that something was bothering her. She could never lie properly, her eyes always gave away her secrets.
"Bolo na kya hua?"
"Kuch nahi, kaha to, why do you ask the same question again and again." Her tone was a little too harsh & she realized it that very moment "I am sorry, wo.. I was thinking about the school." She quickly added.
Another lie, Manik thought.
"Ok, let's go for a walk...the weather is so awesome." It was late afternoon, though it hardly felt like one. The sky was dark and the air was chilly. It had rained a little in the morning and the air still carried the fragrance in it. Manik was bone tired from all the travel and packing, his body desperately needed rest. But then, he was here on a purpose, to pull Nandini out of the gloom she was in & he couldn't just quit in the middle.
****
They had been strolling for some time now and it was only Manik who was continuously trying to keep up a conversation while Nandini just bout managed to throw a 'Hmm' here and there. Tired, he halted.
"Nandini I need a break."
'Break!!' the word was like music to Nandini's ears. In an instant, it transported her back to their old days. She felt nostalgic, remembering, how they used to latch on to each other for support even when they were at logger heads.
"What is it Nandini. Why did you suddenly become sad. Have I done something to upset you?"
She would have to tell him the truth. That was the first rule of granting a 'Break'. She took a deep sigh.
"When we met college, you already had your friends Manik. Eventually I became your girlfriend. I always wanted to be your friend because you are the bestest friend anyone can have. Par maine tumse kabhi nahi kaha because I didn't want to come between you and FAB5. But when we met for the second time, I became your one & only friend, kyunki baki koi to tumhe yaad hi nahi tha." She grinned "Infact you know, tum Navya se jealous the when I told you she was my best friend. You wanted me to be your bestest friend ever and I was like so happy. Idiot ki tarah sochti rahi that you would always consider me your BFF. Main bhul gayi thi ki once you remember your original friends, you would no more consider me a friend. Tabhi to you didn't even wish me in reply. But I am not angry with you..its just that.."
He listened and repeated her words in his mind. Though it was unintentional, there did exist a thin line between Nnadini & FAB5. Both were equally special to him, but he didn't realize it until today that Nandini had always wanted to be included in his golden circle of friends. He was happy to know she held him in such high regards as a friend, but he was sad that he hadn't been able to read her mind.
N then this promise of having her as his bff. Shit!! Not being able to remember his own words, his own promises was so frustrating, only one who had suffered through it could understand.
People perceive you as the same person, only you are an incomplete version of yourself. But in a small way he was thankful for going through that phase because as he was rediscovering every single day, he had undone quite a few mistakes in his 'Manik v2. 0' avatar, which he perhaps couldn't have done otherwise.
"I am solly Nandu" he said holding his ears. "I am really really solly"
"No no Manik, please sorry mat bolo. Friendship kabhi zabardasti nahi ki jati.. U r saying this to cheer me up and thats not real friendship Manik. I am ok being your girlfriend, trust me"
He pulled her towards him and smiled. "meri choti si doll wakei mein kafi bari hogayi hai in these three years, but there are few things she still needs to learn. Friendship is not just limited to the people we explicitly call friends. Friendship can be there in any relationship, and that's what we always seek. You were never my so called FRIEND, but then it was you I used to turn to whenever I felt low or upset. You made me understand things that my friends couldn't, you made me see things in a different light, you understood my Pain & fears and you never gave up on us. I am not comparing anyone here. Mukti, Dhruv, Cabir, Alya are all very very special to me. They are like my lifeline...but you Nandini, you are my heartbeat and without a heart, no one can survive."
She listened to him wide-eyed. No one could switch roles like him and rock at each one of them. From a over-concerned lover to a typical nok- jhok wala boyfriend to a Friend-philosopher and Guide, he was everything one could seek in a companion. And sometimes just having him by her side, made all the troubles in life worth fighting through.
"Ok then you are my bestest se upar wala friend, ok? And I can call my friend jabbhi I want."
"call matlab?"
"Like whenever I am bored /or angry with my boyfriend, I will call my friend and Manik the friend can never be angry on anyone so... happy me."
"Tum seriously single piece item ho."
"Yeh line to maine pehle bhi kanhi suni hai.."
They roamed around, sat down for a little while in between and then roamed around a little more. Evening had descended upon the hilly town and strokes of green were slowly changing shades from dark grey to black. It was time for them to return to their heavenly suite but they decided to have dinner first. Manik could have something mildly spicy, but he was still, strictly prohibited from having anything remotely sweet. This was just a one off that 'Nandu-the-friend' had allowed him, to celebrate friendship day. But the allowance had come with the mandatory disclaimer that Manik shouldn't take advantage of this friendship because his hawk-eyed girlfriend was keeping a close tab on him and it won't take her more than 10 seconds to transform back into the nasty nagging woman, Manik wasn't particularly fond of.
Generally when people are not hungry, they dilly dally about what to order. Our lady here was doing the same but to bug her cute boyfriend, who looked cuter when he was irritated. She made him explain the composition & taste of each and every drink listed in the fancy menu card as if Manik was an expert in bartending since birth. Finally when the boy could handle it no more, Nandini smilingly ordered some sort of a fruit punch.
Right then, someone from one of the neighbouring tables asked for a strong cocktail and in the hurry, the waitress jumbled up the two orders. Nandini got the cocktail and her harmless fruit punch landed on the other table and both, began sipping their respective drinks without a care in the world.