Manik
Today's morning was bliss. I was always afraid, what if nandini did not feel the same as I did and I was only assuming things? What if this affects our friendship and I lose her forever? All these what ifs had got me legit cold but then as nandini always says, follow your heart and that's what I did, I listened to my heart and confessed whatever I felt for her, I put forward all my fears and trust me that moment my heart was racing like a wild horse and only nandini's answer could calm me down and that actually happened. Nandini gave me her lovely smile and said that even she feels the same for me and after that I was the happiest human on this earth. Yes I did say that I liked her but I am sure that it won't take me long to replace that like with love cuz this feeling...its...its different, a lot more than just like and I guess this is what people call as the phase of falling in love and I would happily fall in love with her because I never want this to die. Now I just have one thing to worry about, the reaction of our friends when they come to know about us, specially Abhi as him being nandini's brother, he is overprotective about her. Not that it is a bad thing but lets face it, his decision matters a lot to nandini and to me as well afterall Abhi is my childhood buddy and I can't go against him and ruin nandini, mine and his bond.
Phew! Too much of tension!
I hope everything falls in place. I need to be strong for nandini because she is already so tensed and I can't get her more worried.
Nandini
Aiyyappa! Please sab theek kar dena. I have just one wish right now and that is our friends being affirmative about mine and Manik's relationship because I don't want this to end. Today morning was a pure bliss and I want my everyday to be like that, in his arms, my safe place but I can't be selfish na...we can't ignore our friends because their consent matters. For manik, fab 5 is more than his family for him and I don't want him to suffer because he wants to be with me and mostly I am just worried about Bhai. Knowing his overprotective nature towards me, I don't know what will happen.
Aiyyappa please make everything okay.
End of POV
With these thoughts in head manik halted his car in front of nandini's place that brought nandini out of her reverie of thoughts.
Manik: don't worry...its going to be fine ya? I will come to pick you up after an hour for college and there we will tell them together ok?
Nandini nodded as manik passed her an assuring smile. Nandini got down from the car after giving a quick hug to manik and manik sped off to his place.
Nandini reached home and rang the doorbell to be greeted by a messed up Abhi.
Nandini: Bhai yeh sab kya hai? What were you doing?
She asked scanning him from head to toe who was covered with flour, his hair all messed and the apron that he was wearing colored with all the ingredients of their kitchen, hiding the actual colour of the apron.
Abhi was about to answer when nandini eyes widened realizing something and she rushed inside the kitchen.
Nandini: aiyyo Bhai what have you done to my kitchen?!
She asked horrifically after looking at her oh-so-clean kitchen which now looked as if a hurricane had occurred there. Nothing was at its place. Nandini turned and glared at Abhi and he made a cute baby face to melt her.
Abhi: Voh actually na I thought ki you might be hungry and it was almost lunch time so I decided to make lunch for you but I forgot that I was a cooking disaster...sorry
He said cutely.
Nandini almost melted seeing his puppy face but soon covered up.
Nandini*sternly*: ten minutes and I want this kitchen clean as it was before. Till then I will go and change
Abhi*widens eyes*: what? Only ten minutes...nandu how will I-
But he was cut off.
Nandini: ten minutes Bhai
And before he could argue, nandini had vanished in her room leaving poor Abhi behind to clean all the mess that he had created.
As soon as nandini entered her room, her phone started ringing and seeing the caller's name a big smile appeared on her face.
Phone Convo
Nandini: hello!
Manik: hey girlfriend! Kya baat hai...seems like someone was waiting for my call...I mean ek ring me hi you received the call...not bad ha...not bad at all
Nandini: oh please ha its just ki phone mere haath me tha so
Manik: ya ya I got it by the way I had called to ask you ki Abhi ne kuch pucha kya?
Nandini: Bhai ne? Are you know when I entered home na toh Bhai was looking so funny...he was trying to make lunch for me and you know na he is a cooking disaster and hence unhone mere pure kitchen ka naksha hi change kar diya isliye abhi unhe bolke aayi hu to clean it till I change and freshen up
Manik*laughing*: oh god bechara
Nandini: hey dare you laugh on my brother!
Manik: ok ok sorry Bhai ki behen now jao and get ready...hume college bhi jana hai
Nandini: ha bye
Manik: bye girlfriend
Nandini blushed as she disconnected the call and rushed to get ready.
Nandini came out all dressed after a while and entered the kitchen to see Abhi struggling to clean the mess. She chuckled at her cute brother and went in to help him.
Nandini: its ok Abhi you go and get ready, I will clean the remaining
Abhi: sure!
He asked happily and nandini raised a brow at him him.
Abhi*calming down*: I mean are you sure?
Nandini: ya
The next moment Abhi ran out of the kitchen like he had won a war. Nandini laughed at her big brother who was behaving like a baby and engrossed herself in cleaning the kitchen.
Soon they both were ready. Abhi went to pick up mukti and manik as usual picked nandini and reached college.
Space academy
Canteen
Abhi, mukti, manik and nandini entered the canteen together to find all their friends worried and in deep thoughts. The four frowned and made their way to the table to know what the matter was.
Abhi: guys any problem? Tum log aise kyu baithe ho?
Cabir: problem toh hai
Dhruv: ha aur voh bhi badi wali
Alia: exactly! And we don't know what to do
Mukti: but guys problem kya hai? What happened?
Dhruv*distractedly*: khurana happened
Manik*frowns*: khurana? What?Buddy what are you saying?
Nandini: guys! Can you all say it clearly kyuki hume kuch bhi samajh nahi aa raha
Abhi: ya right
Aryaman: main batata hu
Abhi: finally! Arya bol
Aryaman: actually the problem is that Mr. Khurana wants you guys as in fab 5 to have a band manager
Manik: what the hell!
Mukti*fakes smile*: you kidding right?
Aryaman: nope...am serious
Navya: ha aur jab yeh baat in teeno ko pata chali toh they argued with him saying they don't need one but Mr. Khurana is acting stubborn
Mukti: like seriously! We are fab 5 yaar...we don't need people to manage us, we can do that ourselves
Mukti said, clearly annoyed.
Manik: I know right! This doesn't make any sense
Manik's anger was rising when he felt a hand holding his and squeezing it gently. He turned to find nandini holding his hand and blinking her eyes, asking him to calm down. He gave her a helpless look but nevertheless calmed down a bit.
Alia: and that is not it guys...he said he will bring our band manager with him today for introduction
Manik: guys lets just forget it and jam for some time...we will see what can we do about this later ya?
Dhruv: I think buddy is right, hume abhi us band manager ke bareme me sochkar tension nahi lena chahiye and rather focus on our music
Cabir: I guess you are right
Manik: so you all are in?
Mukti: yeah I am in
Alia: me too...lets go
Maddy: munchkin don't you think its been long we have sung together? So let us too jam?
Nandini: great idea! What say guys?
She chirped.
Abhi/navya/aryaman: cool
Mukti: great...so lets meet here after an hour
Abhi: okay
Abhi pecked the side of mukti's head, taking her in a side hug and bid her a bye while manik looked at nandini longingly but nevertheless hugged her mouthing a 'see you soon' to her and secretly pecked her forehead making nandini blush a little as all made their way to their respective music rooms.
Fab 5 jam room
Fab 5 were busy practicing since the last twenty minutes when the door opened and in came Mr. Khurana carrying a smug smile on his face that did not go with well fab 5 because they knew that he was there to introduce their band manager in which they weren't interested one bit.
Khurana: so fab 5 how is it going? I hope atleast one song is ready and you won't disappoint me
Manik*fakes smile*: don't worry Mr. Khurana we are putting in our best and fab 5 always presents the best so disappointing you isn't an option
Khurana: now that's being overconfident
Manik: nah! We are confident...confident about our music
Cabir: yes sir we are confident enough to know that we will present the best and rock this album so be rest assured
He said coming forward.
Alia: yes sir they are right now if you don't mind then can we resume our practice cuz we have already wasted some of our 'precious' time
Khurana*raising his hands in defense*: well sorry for that but am here to introduce your band manager
Mukti: but sir we really don't need one
Dhruv: ya right...we can manage it ourselves
Khurana: I am not sure about it because I know how careless can you guys be so I better be safe than sorry...so here you go with your band manager (door opens and a person enters inside) soha khurana
Soha stood beside her dad, Mr. Khurana with a triumphant smirk on her face as fab 5 looked at her with mixed expressions of shock, anger and frustration which ofcourse she failed to comprehend. All fab 5 could do at that moment was to whisper the same thing -what the hell! No way!
I hope you like the chapter.
Happy reading.
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