Manan : Short Stories. - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Same day
The rehearsals were going on in full swing. It was a concert thing. Fab5 were judging it since for the main Musicana they had to keep it perfect. Nandini was managing it and practicing it as well. Manik was mesmerized after hearing her voice after a long time. Before she was good...she was perfect but he felt she was beyond perfect. In his mind he knew she was the winner this time.
One of Nandini's friend call her to tune the guitar which she gladly went to help. Seeing this Manik too went behind her. She was holding the guitar and tuning the strings. Manik went from behind and held the guitar from either sides of Nandini. She was shocked at the sudden touch but she felt safe. She turned back to see Manik this close to her. Her eyes directly moved to his intense ones getting lost.
"I will tune it. You practice yours. Every time is precious..don't waste it. ",Manik said softly without breaking the eye contact. Nandini slowly nodded. He softly glided his fingers on her hand to grab the guitar making her close her eyes. Manik smirked knowing his touch still effects her.
Suddenly they heard.."Kanna..",Nandini literally jumped away from his arms making Manik surprise.
She was that afraid of her amms. She turned to her Amms. Thankfully Amms didn't saw Nandini with Manik. She continued talking with her Amms giving some glanced at Manik.
"Kanna tera dhyan kaha hai? ",Nandini slapped her forehead in her mind for acting so stupid. Manik chuckled at her.
"Nothing Amms. ",Nandini faked a smile.
Like this the whole day went by Manik and Nandini sharing glanced, sometimes indirectly coming close. This was triggering Ritwik a lot. But smirked knowing next day they won't be the same.
Next day
Harshad was roaming in the campus expecting something but it didn't turn as he expected. He immediately gave a call.
"What the hell Ritwik? You didn't do anything?", Ritwik could legit feel Harshad's anger.
"Bro take a chill pill. Let the occassion start. Let people gather. I will do my work in the evening. By today you will get the results. ", Harshad had no option but to trust
"Ritwik I hope you are not playing smart with me. I want the results that's it. ",Saying so he disconnected the call.
The event was going in full swing with many performances. Fab5 were brilliantly judging Musicana.
Nandini also gave an awesome performance on stage. Everybody was spellbound by her voice. She had high chances of winning Musicana today.
But the drama was yet to unfold.
Suddenly there was a lot of buzz going around in the crowd. All started gossiping looking at their phones instead of enjoying the performances. Nandini wasn't aware of anything as she was in her green room to change.
All the guests, Amms, Fab5,trustees and other authorities of SPACE were surprised by sudden action of the crowd.
Cabir asked one of the guy from the crowd to show what's on his mobile. But after seeing it he was left shocked. He tapped Manik's hand asking him to take a look. Manik took the mobile to get more severe reaction than Cabir.
In that mobile, there were intimate pictures of Manik and Nandini in SPACE mumbai. Harshad smirked as his work was done.
"Manik abhi kya?" Cabir asked as he knew it was a huge damage.
"Nandini kaha hai?" This was Manik's first question.
"Pata nahi lekin hume usse dhundhna padega. " Manik and Cabir were about to get up but they were surrounded by lot of people. Till now the pictures had already reached Amms and she was glaring at Manik hardly.
Nandini who was unaware of the happenings as her phone was somewhere where she didn't know. Since she had some work with the principal, she went to him. She found something odd with everyone's behaviour as all were staring at her.
A girl close to Manik Malhotra is a big news! That's the reason the whole event came to a stop.
When she was crossing Amms, she grabbed Nandini's hand and dragged her in a corner. Many tries to enjoy the drama while Manik who saw this follow them. Fab5 was behind Manik.
"Amms aap mujhe aise kyu layi?" Nandini asked totally clueless
"Mumbai mein tum kya kar rahi thi?" Her question was direct but Nandini couldn't get it.
"Matlab.."
Manik who reached there tried to sort it out.
"Amms please I can exp..." Amms made him stop by showing her hand.
"Don't you dare call me Amms. Aur mein apni granddaughter se baat kar rahi hu. So please shut up. " Her rude tone made Nandini concious.
"Amms vo judge hai. Aap aise kyu.."
"I asked you something Nandini. " Her stern tone made her scare.
"Mein samjhi nahi Amms. " Amms glared at her angrily and handed her the phone. Nandini saw the pictures in the mobile and gasped.
"Amms ye.. vo...I .." her stammering was stopped by a loud slap. Yes! Amms had slapped Nandini in front of everyone.
"Please mam aap aise hath nahi utha sakti. Aapko hume sunke Lena hoga. " Manik came forward..
"Mein tumhe bolne ko kaha? Nahi na. Then how dare you talk. Tumhari vaje se meri granddaughter apne ethics bhulkar aise kaam karne lagi college jaake. "
"Amms please listen to me..aisa nahi hai. Aap please usse kuch mat boliye. " Amms was more furious as Nandini supported Manik.
"Aisa nahi hai toh kaisa hai Nandu? Kya ye photos jhut hai? " Nandini nodded No.
"Fir isse aur kya samjhu mein?" Nandini flinched at Amms's voice
"Mujhe laga music college mein meri pothi padh rahi hai par nahi yaha toh kuch aur hi chal raha tha. I am so ashamed of you Nandu. " Nandini's eyes went teary hearing Amms.
"Nandini you have led your Amms so down. She doesn't deserve this. " Niyonika came there trying to fire the situation
"Will you shut up Niyonika? Meri problems badhane mein tumhe kya maza ata hai?" Manik shouted at her.
"Dekha Nandu, aise ladke ke sath thi hu. Jisse apne Ma se baat karne ki tameez nahi hai uske sath thi. "
"Amms please, aapko kuch pata nahi hai. " Nandini defended Manik.
"Really Nandu. Iske vaje se ek din mein tu kitni change ho gayi tu. " Nandin nodded No.
"Please Mam aap aise bina kuch samjhe baat nahi kar sakti. Aap pehele humari baat toh suno. " Cabir came forward to support them.
"Tum mein se kisi se baat nahi karni mujhe. Mein sirf Nandini se baat karungi. " She held Nandini's elbow and made her stand in front of her
"Nandini, agar tu chahti hai ki mein ye sab bhul jau toh tujhe ye accept karna hoga ki ye kuch tere liye matter nahi karta. Accept it that it was a mistake. Aur aage se tu Manik Malhotra se koi bhi relations nahi rakhegi. " Manik and Nandini both were shocked.
"Amms aap ye kya bol rahe ho? This is wrong. "
"Jo meine bola vo karo. This is good for you. Aur agar nahi kar sakti toh bol do. Tumhari bags tumhare paas aa jayenge. " Nandini was more shocked at this.
"Amms please " she pleaded.
Navya who was standing in front watching all this came forward.
"Nandu."
"Navya please Amms ko bolo na. " She pleaded Navya.
"Nandu maan le na Amms ki baat. Vaise bhi toh sab galti hi toh thi. Aur sirf Manik se dur hi rehna hai na toh vo toh tu karegi hi na. Bol de na. " Navya's words made Fab5 and Nandini stunned.
"Navya pagal ho gayi ho kya? " Cabir asked pulling her
"Cabir ab Manik Nandini ke liye Amms se toh bada nahi hai na. Usme problem kya hai ? "
"Navya tum kya bol rahi ko." Multi asked her.
"Sach bol rahi hu Mukti. Uske liye yahi sahi hai. " Navya already hated Manik because he was the reason of Nandini and her seperation.
"Dekho Nandu, teri friend bhi vahi bol rahi hai. Mein tujhe ek ghanta deti hu sochne ke liye. I hope tu meri baat maan le. " Nandin held Amms's hand
"Amms please don't do this. " Nandini pleaded but she went jerking her hand. Slowly the crowd started to disappear leaving only Navya, Nandini, Sana, Ritwik and Fab5.
"Navya tumse ye expected nahi tha." Alya said to Navya.
"Kya expected nahi tha? Manik ki vaje se Nandu ko college chodke jaana pada. Vo mujhse dur ho gayi. Ab kya ye Nandu ko uski Amms se bhi dur karna chahta hai?"
Navya's tone held pure hatred.
"Navya please. Ye koi blame karne ka time nahi hai. " Cabir scolded her.
"Nandini ye expected nahi tha tumse. Ritwik ne kitni baar bola ki he loves you. Lekin tumne usse ek chance nahi diya. Manik ke liye na. " Sana took her chance to talk.
"Excuse me! Who the hell are you? Get lost okay. " Mukti warned her.
Sana got a bit scared and decided to move out.
"Nandu meine jaise kaha hai vaise karo. Tumhare liye accha hoga. " Navya was almost pressurising Nandini
"Come on Navya, kya accha accha kar rahi ho. Atleast ek baar Nandini se toh pucho usse kya karna hai?" Mukti was making sense.
All this while Manik was staring at Nandini who was lost. In a second everything took a sudden turn. He knew what was going in her mind.
"Nandini se kya puchna hai. Usse Amms jyada jaruri hai na. " Nandini closed her eyes tightly trying to engulf whatever was happening.
"But this is not the way. Isse Manik aur Nandini hurt honge. " Alya surprising supported them.
"Usme kya hai..pehle bhi..." Navya was stopped by Manik's loud voice.
"Shut up! Just shut up guys! Apna apne thoughts ko pressurize mat karo. " His one voice and all were quite.
He came forward and held Nandini's hand softly. He wiped off her tears and made her look at him.
"Tumhe itna sab sochne ki jarurat nahi hai, okay..Just do what you what. Mere baare mein ek baar bhi mat sochna please. Request kar raha hu. I want you happy. That's it. Hume pata hai past mein kya tha. Tumhare sirf bolne se vo change nahi hoga. Mujhe pata hai..isn't that enough ?" He cupped her face and asked.
Nandini nodded relaxing in his touch. She hugged him tightly. Now she exactly knew what she had to do.
The event which was halted was continued. Fab5 continued to judge. Later after almost 3 hours the event came to an end. This time the result was gonna be announced after a month due to some additions.
In green room
Amms stood in front of Nandini silently. Fab5, Navya, Sana and Ritwik were present. Niyonika was there to be like a so called mother for Manik.
"Nandu, shanti se khada nahi rehna hai. Javab do. Mujhe baki kisike bolne se farak nahi padhta. Tumne bol diya toh mere liye kafi hai. "
Nandini took a deep breath and said
"Amms aapne jo dekha vo sab sach hai. Ha ye sab hua hai. Aur ye koi mistake nahi hai. Mein full consent aur dilse uske sath thi. I can never consider it a mistake." Her voice was confident
"Nandu.. " Amms didn't expect this.
"Amms I am sorry agar aapko bura lage toh par mein jhoot nahi bol sakti. Ye aapne nahi sikhaya. Aur mein usse nahi hurt kar sakti jo khud apne aap ko hurt karne ke liye ready hai mere liye. I just can't..Amms. I am sorry. Aur ye jhoot bolkar mein khud kabhi khush nahi reh sakti so agar aapko mere Khushi se jyada aapke ethics important hai toh mein ready hu aap jo bhi bolo uske liye. "
Manik was stunned with her confidence. Is she really standing up for their past? Yes she is. He won't like if because of him she has to leave her Amms but somewhere he felt nice that his heart matters to her.
Amms didn't say anything for a while. She kept her hand on Nandini's head.
She chuckled sarcastically
"Bohot badi ho gayi hai tu Nandu. Kitne easily tune apni baat mujhe baata di. Mein tere baat se agree nahi karti lekin apne learning ke vaje se tujhe kuch bol bhi nahi sakti. Meri bacchi hai tu. Tujhe akelaa toh nahi chod sakti lekin apne decision ka hissa mat banana mujhe. Do whatever you what. " Amms didn't agree completely but yes somewhere she melted down for her granddaughter.
To avoid more awkwardness, Amms left from there followed by Niyonika. Ritwik was highly disappointed as his plan failed. He and Sana left from there in anger. Somewhere Navya too understood her mistake and decided to leave.
Cabir gestured at Manik and Nandini who were now staring at each other with some emotions. Getting the intension, they silently left from there.
Manik came close to Nandini and held her hands.
"Kaha tha na meine ki Musicana ke baad mein baat karenge. It's the right time. " Nandini felt goosebumps all over as finally they were gonna talk
"Ek sach baat batao, (Nandini nodded) I missed you. Jab tum chali gayi uske almost 2 - 3 months mein college nahi ja saka kyuki I missed you everywhere. Mujhe laga shayad kuch din mein thik ho jayega par nahi. You were always on my minds. It's been more than a year and I couldn't forget you. Uss din meine tumhe dekha and I was relaxed. Aur ussi din meine decide Kiya tha ki Musicana khatam hone ke baad I am going to seal you for myself. Aur dur nahi rehna tumse. Tumhare bina I just can't..So Miss Nandini Murthy, putting my heart in front of you, I want to confess that I really love you from the core of my heart. I need you in my life." Manik's confession brought tears in Nandini's eyes.
The way he said it made it clear that he needs her in his life. Nandini literally jumped on Manik encircling her hands around his neck hugging him tight
"I love you too Manik.. I need you more in my life. You know what..shayad aaj jo meine Amms se bola vo kabhi nahi bol pati par jab tumne mujhe apne baare mein sochne ke liye kaha I got an instant answer that I can't hurt the one who evolved me into a better person..kisne mujhe pyaar karna sikhaya. I really need you with me." Manik gently placed his lips on her side of head.
"I love you. " Manik confessed again.
"I love you too. " Nandini broke the hug to confess. He cupped her face and placed his lips on her sealing the moment for forever.