Manan : Short Stories. - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

"Nandini, agar we perform in this Fusion concert together, then only we have hope for us. "
Manik's words ran in her ears as she stood leaning near the corner of the floor.
"If I have to make a choice between you and Fab5, then yes!! I will choose Fab5. "
His words echoed in her ears which he said on the new year's Eve.
Some tears made their way out as she realised she will not be his priority again. He will choose Dhruv over her anyday.
Her mobile ran getting her back from her thoughts. She is not the person who can hate anyone but at this moment she really hated that person. Dhruv..
She wiped off her tears and picked the call.
"Kya hai Dhruv!" For a few seconds Dhruv was surprised by her tone as she never ever possessed this tone.
Nandini couldn't help but be rude to this guy who was been an idioitic selfish maniac hell bend on destroying her hope.
"Chill Nandini! Meine bas tumne isliye call Kiya hai kyuki Panditji tumhe bula rahe hai. Shayad tum bhul rahi ho ki tumhe classes attend karne hai ."
Nandini sighed knowing he was right but now she is least bothered about the concert.
"Ha I am coming. " She immediately disconnected the call taking Dhruv by surprise again.
"Itni toh rude nahi thi ye! " Dhruv commented gazing his phone stunned.
His trance was broken by Manik who entered inside with some hope in his eyes to get back his buddy. Dhruv rolled his eyes at him.
"Manik I have my classes..so please abhi nahi."
"Buddy ek baar meri baat sun le yaar. Tu toh jaanta hai tu mere liye kitna important hai phir.." he stopped as he saw Nandini getting inside the class.
For some reasons he just couldn't meet her gaze.
"Exactly kon hai mera partner iss fusion concert ke liye? Tum ya Manik.. Ya phir better, tum dono raho mein nikal jati hu. "
Nandini taunted both the ex-besties. Manik could sense frustration and anger behind her words.
"Nandini I am your partner. Manik ko meine kaha ki he should leave lekin ye hai ki.." Dhruv told her but she just removed her footwear and sat besides her Veena.
Manik so wanted to talk to her but he chose Dhruv to have a talk first.
"Buddy mein keh raha hu na tujhse please meri baat sun le. You are very important to me. I can't loose you..please aise mat kar." Nandini's heart soften hearing Manik's plead.
"Mein kya kar raha hu Manik? I am just replacing you. Ismein tumhe koi problem hai kya ? And vaise bhi we are buddies, right? Phir tu perform kare ya mein..kya hi farak padta hai. " Dhruv gave a sarcastic reply to Manik.
Manik was speechless with his words. How could he say to Dhruv that how much this Fusion concert means to him.
"Buddy mein humari baat kar raha hu. Just leave this anger..I can't leave with the fact that you are angry with me. Please Dhruv. I can do whatever it takes to make it up to you. Please ek chance toh de. "
Nandini was a silent spectator to their conversation. Her fear was getting there.
"Accha Manik..tujhe chance chahiye? Okay fine, diya tujhe chance." Manik and Nandini both could feel their lips curving upwards as Dhruv finally agreed.
Manik couldn't help but turn to Nandini to share his happiness first. She smiled in return seeing him happy
Manik turned to Dhruv and was about to hug him but was stopped by Dhruv's hand.
"Ek second puri baat toh sun le.. Diya tujhe ek chance. Agar I perform in this Fusion concert then we have hope for our friendship. Ye opportunity mere liye bohot important hai so agar tu ismein intervene nahi karega toh mujhe lagega ki tu sach mein mera accha chahta hai. So tell me? Will you do this for me?"
Manik and Nandini both were stunned to hear this.
"Buddy ye tu kya.."
"Kyu Manik? Kya tu mere liye itna nahi kar sakta. Ek hi toh cheez mang raha hu tujhse mein. "
This time Manik couldn't give a look to Nandini as he knew what was going on in her mind. But he made his choice..not today but from the day he made friends. Nothing above friendship.
"Okay Dhruv if this is what you want then be it. Aaj ke baad tujhe mein kya mera naam bhi nahi dikhega iss fusion concert mein. I am out of it by heart. This opportunity is yours. But after that I want you back ."
Dhruv gave him a genuine smile to him but Manik couldn't smile. Nandini gave a loud sarcastic chuckle.
"Nandini why are you laughing? Aren't you happy?" Dhruv asked Nandini
She gave him the most sweetest fake smile.
"Of course I am happy for you Dhruv..very happy. " She moved her gaze at Manik and again at Dhruv.
"Agar tum dono ka ye melodrama khatam ho gaya ho toh please Manik you can get out. You are not needed here. And if kuch bacha hai toh please tak your buddy with you.. I need to practice. I am not as good as you two are."
Manik turned to Nandini who was all focused in tuning her Veena.
There was no emotion on her face.
"Nandini kab se dekh raha hu ki tum rude ho rahi ho. What's the problem? Just because you love Manik, you don't me to perform with you."
"Ek second Dhruv..I think you have some confusion..who said I am not happy for you..I am happy Dhruv. Aur ek baat..who said I love Manik..let me clear, I don't love him. Tumhe koi misunderstanding hai. "
Manik felt his heart sank hearing her. In the process of gaining back Dhruv, he was losing Nandini.
"Nandini I need to talk to you. " Having enough Manik got hold of her elbow.
"Excuse me Manik! Mujhe practice karni hai. So please you leave. " Her tone was firm. Manik left her at once getting no emotion from her.
"You don't have to be so mean Nandini. " Dhruv tried defending Manik
Nandini laughed
"Dhruv please tum toh ye mat bolo. Just few minutes pehele I saw what is been mean by none other than The Dhruv Vedant. "
"Kya chal raha hai ye? Meine practice karne bola tha na. " Pandit made his appearance.
"Ji Panditji. " Nandini sat on her place.
"Manik tum yaha pe kya kar rahe ho. I hope you remember ki tum iss concert ka hissa nahi ho. " Pandit smirked at Manik.
Manik covered his hurt expression with anger and marched towards Pandit.
"Yes I do remember. Lekin aap bhi ye mat bhulo ki you are a teacher. Kahi aisa na ho ki mujhe aapko sikhana padhe how to behave. "
Manik gave a death stare to him and left from there.
Both Dhruv and Nandini practiced for a while and then stopped for a break. Dhruv left soon followed by Nandini.
Nandini was about to get into the washroom when she was pulled into an empty room.
In attempt to get free she was about to scream when her about was muffled by a hand.
"Shh Nandini it's me! " He removed his hand from her mouth.
"Manik tum kya kar rahe ho?" Nandini asked glaring him.
"I want to talk to you. "
"But I don't want to. " Came her immediate reply.
"Please Nandini understand me. I know ye fusion concert humare liye bohot important tha par.."
"Manik stop lying to me. Ye concert humare liye nahi sirf mere liye important tha. Tumhe toh vaise bhi bahana chahiye tha na iss concert se nikalne ka. So please explain mat karo. "
Manik sighed as he expected her outburst.
"Nandini atleast samjhne ki koshish toh karo. I had to give up on this concert for Dhruv. He really needed it. "
"Manik meine koi explanation nahi manga hai tumse. You did what you felt right. You don't have to explain. " Manik for a moment felt Nandini understood him
"I understand your choice Manik. In fact mujhe pata tha tum kya choose karoge. You had told me so abhi jarurat nahi hai explanation dene ki. Par tum ek choice karo aur tumhe dono sides mile ye toh possible nahi hai na. So I think it's enough. We should end it. You win I lose."
"Nandini..."
"Nahi Manik..mujhe pehele hi apne guards down nahi karne chahiye the. Just because of your few words about that shining star thing, mujhe hume phirse ek chance nahi dena chahiye tha. I ..."
"Nandini don't say that. I know tum ye humare stupid game ke vaje se naraz ho na. You don't have to. Because you have already won in my heart. Your hope has won. I want you in my life. Aur mujhe iss concert ki jarurat nahi hai to test us. We have a chance."
"No we don't Manik. We really don't have a chance. You can live with your friends.. you don't need me. Par ab mein ye nahi kar sakti. I can't keep myself at that place where I know that I am gonna hurt every single time. You made you choice not let me make mine. I choose myself about you. "
She said to him with a sad smile placing her hand on his cheeks.
"And I suggest you one thing..next time you decide to get into something like us then please don't get into it. You can't handle it. Aur sab ye pain nahi jhel pate. We are over from my side Manik..by heart. "
Nandini caressed his face one last time and went to her practice. With Nandini's every step he felt his soul collapsing.
He sang down on the floor as she went away. This was the exact same feeling he felt when yesterday he felt he lost Dhruv. Tears made way out of his eyes as he knew he lost his star.
It was not any temporary pain which spoke through her. She meant what she said. She won't look at him with the loving eyes she always does. Yesterday she was there for him but today she is not there because she is the one he lost.
"Manik I will always shine for you."
"Manik everyone said you love me and you will do anything for me. "
"Aur ek baat..who said I love Manik..let me clear, I don't love him. Tumhe koi misunderstanding hai. "
"We are over from my side Manik..by heart. "
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh" he screamed his heart out feeling the pain of losing her forever.
"I am sorry Nandini..please come back ."
He cried like a baby for her. That day he stood like a rock even after getting ripped apart by Dhruv but today he couldn't. Today he felt as if he lost a part of his soul.
But he couldn't blame her for this. She did the right thing. She chose herself about him. She did what he couldn't in his whole lifetime.
Cabir came running inside hearing his scream.
"Manik hua kya? Pagal ho gaya hai kya? Aise kyu ro raha hai ?"
"Cabir I lost her. She left me. We are over Cabir. " Cabir knew whom was he talking about.
"Kya kaha Nandini ne?"
Manik told him everything.
"Manik she did the right thing. Tu jo pure zindagi mein nahi kar paya usne ek second mein kar diya. Tune ek baar socha tujhe kya chahiye? Nahi na...usne socha apne baare mein. She is right dude. And you expect her to trust you? Kis baat ki punishment de raha tha tu usse..Voh tujhpe kaise trust karti Manik. Tune toh usse beech raste mein hi chod diya. "
Manik had no words to say.
"Usse pata chal gaya ki vo Teri priority mein nahi hai toh vo kyu rahe tere sath. First time ever I will not be a cupid for you guys. Kyuki she knows to back out. Shayad ye step meine liya hota na toh aaj mein bohot khush hota..in Raghav's case. "
"I am not Raghav. "
"Yes you are Manik. Difference bas itna hai ki usme society ko choose kiya toh tune friends ko. "
"Manik I am very humbled ki tu humare liye ye kar sakta hai lekin apne sath ye mat kar. You know it better.. Dhruv ne jo kiya galat tha jab ki Nandini is fighting everyday for you. Tera gussa, tera pyaar, Teri nafrat, tera ignorance..sab toh dekh liye uss bandi ne. Ab teri bari hai Manik..Concert ke liye 4 din hai. Decide kar tujhe kya chahiye. "
"Mein Dhruv ki opportunity nahi cheen sakta. "
"Cool then..Nandino ko bhul ja. " Cabir was been too straight forward.
"Cabir please..yaar"
"Nahi Manik. Tujhe sab kuch nahi mil sakta. Well you make a choice to choose not to get it all."
Even Cabir's words were sharp as glass today. Reason been Cabir was actually angry on Manik for his stupidity and was proud on Nandini was taking such a decision. But the fact that Manik was so devoted to his friends didn't let him take his anger out on him.
He was just pushing Manik to change his decision which was the least he can do.
Let's see if Manik will do something or let the water flow in the same direction.