Hello Fam :)
A/N - The economy of our country is down. Food is precious. Hence, no throwing eggs and tomatoes on the writer. Deal?
Warning: I am really sorry but there's another chapter. This went long and I want to keep these two separate and since I am in a hurry to write the next one, I haven't reread the chapter too. There might be mistakes, errors, or loopholes in the plot. Feel free to mention them. I am coming back to this later.
Happy Reading...
Nandini was sitting at her abandoned cabin. It was their farewell. From tomorrow, she would be an alumnus of her college. Her final year was a blur. Neither Manik nor Nandini were interested in the college placements and hence when the principal had asked them to continue as the head students for one more year, they didn't have any excuse to turn it down. Surprisingly, it was the students who had suggested the idea to the Principal and by the end of the year, they were the favorite head pair of the college. Manik's little idea ad worked tremendously and many clubs had emerged. It kept the students busy along with their studies and the students had started seeing them for their work instead of the baseless rumors.
Between attending classes, head duties, and few outings both with her friends and Manik, it was the most Nandini had enjoyed during an academic year. The final year thesis and her personal projects regarding Murthy Industries had kept her busy when she was alone. Her parents didn't try to interfere in her life much and overall, it was the best year she could have ever asked.
"What are you doing here? The farewell's inside."
Nandini turned around to find Manik. She gave him a smile as he took a seat beside her. "I would miss this place." It has become their place. Whenever the college became too much, they would sneak back to the cabin either alone or together. At least, their friends knew if either of them was inaccessible during the college hours, they would find them here.
Manik nodded but otherwise didn't comment.
"I don't want to leave college yet. Is it only me?", she asked.
"I still have Cabir here. It's not over for me yet but yeah, I will miss this place. I literally grew up here", he said and chuckled.
Nandini laughed at that. If it was Nandini's home for three years, it was so much more for Manik too. "Real-world tomorrow. Did you get your acceptance letter yet?", she asked.
"Not yet. I am waiting still."
"Same with me", she told. It was a huge coincidence when they were discussing future prospective and Manik had mentioned about doing an MBA at London University. Nandini had applied for the same. They hadn't discussed it before but it felt like a gift from an unknown sender and Nandini accepted it wholeheartedly. She was looking forward to it to some point. Mukti was taking up a software job at least for a year before deciding on her masters. Abhimanyu might join his company and until Mukti's decision. She was sure the love birds would choose to do their masters together at least in the same university, if not the same branch. Mukti would be going into computers.
"Nandini, can we talk?"
Nandini didn't realize she had lost in her thoughts. It was happening a lot today. She nodded at Manik. There wasn't too much light over there but the light from college decoration gave it a romantic background. Nandini bit her lip to control her emotions. It wasn't the time for this. She looked at Manik, who was playing with his fingers. He was nervous for some reason. Nandini frowned at that. "What's wrong?", she asked him.
Manik shook his head before taking a breath. He let out a nervous laugh. "When I first came to this college, I didn't know the two years here would change my entire life. Cabir and Mom were the only two I had in my life and then we met with an accident. You were so out of my league. I couldn't understand you. I was terrified of you and here I am now at the backside of our college, choosing you among the rest of the college", he said and chuckled.
Nandini laughed at that. That part of Manik would always be precious to her as much as this Manik was. "I am so proud of your transformation and what a brave move to choose me", she said, teasing. It was the last time she would be seeing the red on Manik's face as he blushed and it was all Nandini could do to hold herself back from taking a picture or just freezing the time to live in this moment forever.
"I owe you, Nandini. I owe you for the person I have become. I could have conversations with mom without fainting or go on Cabir's adventures without giving him a heart attack. Friends, college, responsibilities, standing up for someone, life, you have taught me everything. I have no idea what tomorrow has it for me in the big world but I am not scared. Uncertain, yes but not scared. We have secrets between us, the beach trips, and the cheeseburgers that you have started sharing with me."
The sharing of the cheeseburgers started as one of the means to tease Cabir but when Manik, on the verge of irritation because of something Cabir has done to him, has accepted it to tease Cabir in return, it was everything in Nandini not to swoon for him. Soon, the cheeseburgers had become their thing, and Cabir slurred abuses at them whenever they had it in front of him. It was one of Nandini's favorite memories of Cabir.
"You know", Manik started again, "when I last went to the office, the manager there had appreciated all the homework I had done and people in the meeting were almost impressed. When they were talking about the capable heir of Malhotra Industries in the board room right in front of me, I couldn't help but think about you. All the tiny things you do for the people around you add up to changing their lives and you become a bigger part of their lives. You have become a bigger part of mine. I would always be incomplete without you and the person I have become, even if I have a hundred others in my life, it feels meaningless if you aren't part of it."
Nandini's breath hitched in her throat. She didn't want where this was going, not right now but maybe it was for the best. "Manik, you are beating around the bush. What do you want to say?", she asked. If it was any other day, she would have teased him endlessly for reading mindless fiction to be as dramatic as him right now but it wasn't any other day.
Manik frowned, probably at her tone or probably, it was his 'are you stupid? Can't you figure it out yet?' look. "I love you, Nandini, as much as I love my family and I don't know if it makes any sense to you or not but I have started seeing you as my family."
"Manik", muttered Nandini. It was a big moment.
Manik was shaking his head already, cutting her off before she could even protest. "I know. I know you don't do love. I understand you have priorities but I had to tell you this. It is more about love than getting into a relationship. I want you to know that there are people who love you. I am just one among them. You haven't ever told me this but you think people would change after some time and they leave. Nandini, even if they leave, you are always in our hearts. You will always be in my heart. How could you not when you are the biggest reason behind who I am?
"And the ones who hate you, they don't know how precious you are. They don't know what they are losing. Promise me one thing. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, whomever you are hanging out with, don't ever forget that there's someone who loves you and would keep on loving you with all of his heart. When things start spiraling downwards, that you would remember there's a family out there who would be so happy to make you a part of us."
Nandini was just a year older than ten when she had stopped crying for things and Manik Malhotra had managed to turn her into a sobbing mess on multiple occasions. Most of the times it was because she was too overwhelmed with happiness. Except now. She wanted to punch him and wrap her hands around him. She chose the latter.
"I could never forget you, Manik. You are too precious for me too. You have made me smile a number of times than I have done in my entire life. You have changed me. Life seems easier when you are in it", she told. This was the boy she chose to trust and it was everything in her not to take his hand and let him lead her into the world.
"There is a but", he muttered.
Nandini chuckled. If it came out like a broken sob, no one had pointed out. "I am sure of certain things in my life, Manik, and love is one of them." She broke the hug and stared at her feet. She can't do this while looking at him. "We can't be friends when I know you have feelings for me. You are the best person I have ever met but we can't be together. Will you promise me to take care of yourself if I ask you not to contact me again?"
Manik nodded. "Till the time I have you in my heart, I will keep on smiling. Can you do the same for me, please?"
Nandini avoided the answer by pulling him into the hug. Her eyes were stinging and the damn only broke when Manik returned it with an intensity matching hers for the first time since the day they had met. "I will miss you so much", she whispered into the dark.
Manik broke the hug. His eyes were glistening with tears but he had a dazzling smile on his face, the one which she used to light up her world. "You have no idea about me", he said.
And Nandini believed him. She would believe him even if he would say the day starts with the rising of the moon and ends with the sun.
"Be safe", he told. There was a hesitation in his voice. His voice shook as he uttered the words. She had seen him at his worst but when he gathered the strength to smile despite the situation, her heart ached for him.
When Manik walked away without looking back for once, she was proud of the person he had turned out to be. He didn't question her, like always. He proved it once more to her that if there was a person who would make her life easy, it was him and her life was anything but easy. As the realization dawned upon her, she couldn't hold back and allowed herself to broke down in a place that has seen her at her worst. For one last time, she thought.
XXX
Cabir was excited as he waited for his brother to return. Abhimanyu and Mukti were talking but his mind was elsewhere. Manik was about to confess his feelings for Nandini. After his initial attempts, he didn't bring his brother's love life again but when Manik had voluntarily told him about confessing it to Nandini, he was excited. Hence, he frowned when Manik returned alone. The smile he had on his face could have fooled someone but he knew his brother even before their birth.
"Cabir, shall we leave?", he asked.
"Bhai, what did she say?", asked Cabir in return.
Manik sighed. "Cabir, I told you we can't be together. I know her answer already. What are you waiting for?"
True, Manik had told him that Nandini wouldn't accept but Cabir didn't believe him. He had seen the love blossoming between them. She had shared her possessive cheeseburgers for god's sake. "Bhai", started Cabir but he was cut off by the rare stern look he had mastered the previous year. Cabir suspected a certain head girl might have taught him in secret.
"Kid, we know she doesn't believe in love. I have told her because she needed to know and not because I need her in my life. Let's respect her feelings, okay?", said Manik.
There was something about the stern look. It often reminded him about his mother and Cabir had learned to shut up whenever it had used. Manik, the idiot might have noticed it too because whenever Cabir's fun bordered started getting on his nerves, Manik used it as a weapon.
His idiot was now smiling at their friends. "Abhimanyu, Mukti, I couldn't have survived college without you. You have been my first friends. I never thought I could even make real friends. So, thank you for being there since day one."
Abhimanyu raised an eyebrow in question. "Are we parting ways?"
"You are Nandini's friends to start with", muttered Manik.
Cabir thought he was an idiot.
"We are your friends too", told Mukti. She glared at him.
Cabir thought Manik deserved it.
"Mukti, you are very special to me, both of you. Trust me on that. But Nandini needs you guys. Promise me, you would take care of her", he asked.
If only Nandini could see his brother caring about the girl that had broken his heart. Cabir was angry. Why does she have to hurt him like this?
Abhimanyu crossed his arms. "We would do as much as she allows us."
Manik gave him a brilliant smile. "That's sufficient for me."
Mukti was already hugging him and sobbing on his chest. Manik was patting her head. "Hey, Mukti. This isn't over. We aren't parting ways for good. We are meeting again, okay? When things settle down, I will even bunk in with you guys, okay?"
Where was the awkward Manik?, thought Cabir. When did his Manik become so good at consoling others? Where was the person behind this change in his brother?
Manik broke the hug and Abhimanyu wrapped an arm around Mukti. "Invite me to your wedding", he said.
Abhimanyu let out a chuckle. "For sure."
He nodded and gave a parting hug to both of them before pulling Cabir towards their car. "Give me the keys. You aren't in the right state of mind", said Manik.
"And you are?", he asked before throwing the keys at him. He heard Manik laughing behind him. His idiot was getting on his nerves right now.
"Kid, we are talking about this at home. Now relax, okay?", told Manik.
XXX
"Abhimanyu, how could accept all this?", asked Mukti.
He sighed. "What else can we do? It's almost like a break up even if they weren't in a relationship. It would have been really awkward to force Manik into hanging out with Nandini. He is really brilliant to think about it."
"I need to find Nandini", she muttered.
They found Nandini at the entrance of the college. "Hey, guys", she said.
"How can you do this to Manik?", asked Mukti. She was angry and Abhimanyu didn't want her emotions to control her. He pulled her beside him but Mukti brushed him away. "Nandini, there isn't love just for love, without expecting anything. Why are you denying when Manik is giving you that kind of love? That kid has gone as far as completely transforming himself for you."
"Mukti, it isn't for me. Manik has changed because it's good for him. You guys knew about his feelings?", she asked.
Mukti threw her arms in frustration. "Yes, we know. We have known even before you two could have realized yourselves. We could see it dammit. The whole college could see it except for you two."
"Right", muttered Nandini. "You were my friends and we can't continue to be friends when you guys are 'seeing' things behind my back."
Abhimanyu shook his head. This was getting ridiculous pretty fast. "You can't be serious."
"I am", retorted Nandini. "You were my friends and I thought we didn't have secrets between us. I guess I am wrong."
Abhimanyu wanted to laugh at that. "When did we became his friends and your, idiot? We all are friends ever since Manik joined the college. Didn't you consider Manik as your best friend? Weren't you defending him till yesterday?"
"Yes, I was. But not after knowing he has feelings for me. And not when you are keeping things from me", she replied.
He rolled his eyes. "You are talking insane. Stay quiet for a while." He pulled Nandini into his arms and sighed when she came easily. Mukti joined only a moment later.
They stayed there for a long time until Nandini broke the hug.
"You okay?", he asked.
Nandini smiled. "I am perfect but I guess every good thing comes to an end. Abhimanyu, Mukti, you both are the best part of my entire existence. Thank you for being there."
Before either of them could react, she had disappeared already. Beside him, Mukti was crying again. He took her into his arms.
"What's going on?", she asked him.
"I don't know, love. I really don't know but we are getting both idiots back." Nandini was heartbroken with her not-breakup. Breaking their decade-old friendship for it was illogical. He was sure she would come back to them in a day or two once she cools down enough to think straight.
Everyone is angry. Cabir, Mukti, Abhimanyu, the writer and you guys. :P
Next chapter is just some talk between the Malhotras. As promised, there is a sequel. This is what I meant when I said, there's still so much of Manik and Nandini left. I am not saying anything else. Let me finish the next one too and we can have the epilogue and the a discussion session too. :)