"Tumhe yaad hai, jab main Mumbai main apni college ki pehli din ke baare mein baat ki thi.!?"
"Haa, chagda huyi thi na?"
"Haa, voh Fab 5 ke saath tha. Mumbai ki famous music college, Space Academy ki the most famous band, Fab 5. Saare ke saare unke fans the, khaas kar ki unke lead singer and guitarist The Manik Malhotra ki" Nandini smiled remembering those days.
"Hmmm Manik Malhotra! Naam toh bahut handsome lag raha hai"
"Hmm, handsome toh hai, tab bhi toh college ki saari ladkiya uske aage peeche bhaagte rahte the." The slight jealous in her voice made Prerna smile
"Films ki tarah hum bhi bahut ladte the shuruat mein, yaha tak hi ghussa bhi maara maine uske muh pe"
"Haww, phir?"
"Phir kya!, films mein jo hota hai vahi hua, Pyaar."
"Tumhe pata hai Pari, jab bhi voh mere paas hote the ya phir main usse yaad ki tab meri fireflies ek dum se glow karne lagte hai. Aur Manik ko stars bahut pasand hai. Dheere dheere mujhe pata chala ki mera Monster Manik andar se bahut maasoom hai. Yeh ehsaas hua ki main uske bina adhuri hai aur usko meri zaroorat hai....Tumhe pata hai, voh apne dosto ke liye kuch bhi kar sakte hai, par voh chahte the ki main uski star banu aur hamesha uske liye shine karu"
"Pyaar esa hota hai?!" Prerna asked her in an exciting daze
"Love is in the air, har saas mein pyaar hota hai. There were a lot of obstacles in our path, but hum dono saath mil kar sab kuch paar kar liya. kyun ki MaNan forever, humesha hai"
"Ab Manik kaha hai, mujhe usse dekhna hai. Usse kaho ki kal hi mujhe milne aaye"
Nandini looked at her with a faint smile and again looked back to the stars.
"Nanduu, bataa na kaha hai tera Manik?"
Silence prevailed for a short moment
"Pata nahi"
"What?"
Nandini's eyes started watering, "Mujhe nahi pata Pari, voh kaha hai. Maine usse sab jagah doond li aaj bhi doond rahi hu, par voh"
Prerna got tensed seeing Nandini's tears. She held her firmly, "Nandu kya hua?"
"4 saal pehle ek car accident hua tha, nahi ek car accident karwaaya gaya tha. Mera Manik ka car tha. uske baad voh kaha gaya kaisa hai kisiko kuch pata nahi. Sab keh rah the ki voh.... {she closed her eyes} Par nahi Pari, mujhe poora yakeen hai ki voh waapas aayega. Usse kuch nahi ho sakta. agar usse kuch hua hota toh main kaise zinda rahti. Voh.. voh zinda hai aur uska proof toh main hu, dekh Pari mujhe dekh main saase leh rahi hu na toh voh bhi hai"
Prerna hugged her tightly seeing her panicked and helpless condition, "Nahi bachaa chup ho jaa, kuch nahi hua hoga usse. Par kisne karwaaya?"
"Uski Mom ne"
"Kya?! ek Maa kaise kar sakti hai!!!"
"Voh Manik ki stepmom hai, paise ki laalach mein usne meri Manik ko maar diya, mujhe bhi saath mein maar dalna chahte the par main uss vakt meri Manik ke paas nahi thi"
Nandini cried really hard sitting on her knees and Prerna again hugged her tightly,
"Nanduu mujhe poora yakeen tera Manik teri paas zaroor aayega. {Prerna cupped Nandini's face}, Dekho agar tera Manik teri paas nahi toh kiske paas jaayega, hmmm... kyun ki jaise tumne kaha MaNan Forever.."
""Hamesha"" They both said unitedly
...........................
A flight landing at Kolkata Airport
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