I want u to be there... For a little more always!!
Part 31:
Mukti finished telling everything to Manik and smiled looking at nandini who was still sitting in the same place, Manik too followed her gaze and smiled to his broadest.
Manik: She is really an angel in my life.!!

Mukti: Not just in urs mister but ours too!!!

Just then they saw dhruliya returning from the other side so they got down the bonnet and walked forward. They all reached near Nandini and Mukti said,

Mukti: This is gonna be the best part of our trip i guess!!

Nandini: I just can't take in the surrounding enough... Its so peaceful out here, so... Magical.

Dhruv: Right... It really is.

Cavya too joined them in a minute when cabir said,
Cabir: I guess we should set up the tents.

Aliya: Yes... Then we'll light the bonfire!!

Manik: Amazing... Lets get going. Girls u can sit here... We three will manage with the tents.

Nandini: Arey we'll help na... It will be easy and sooner.

Manik: Yeah right..... And then u'll hit the bed again for the next 10 days!!

Nandini gave him a glare while the others laughed.

Cabir: Chill Nandini... U sit we'll manage.

Mukti: Let me help u

Cabir: Aaye haye lady bheem.... Ruk ja!! Aur beth...

Soon the guys walked back to the car and within half an hour four tents were ready.
One each for cavya, dhruliya, Nandini-mukti and Manik. The girls went there and they kept their stuff on the tents. Soon all of them decided to change into their night wears.

The boys finished first and started collecting wood for the bonfire, while the girls took different tents to change, mukti took Manik's as Nandini was in theirs.

A few minutes later they all moved out and sat around the wood as the boys still collected it.
"Finally!!"
Cabir said as he dumped the final lot of wood on the floor.

Dhruv: I guess this much is ohk... We won't need more.

Both of them sat down as Manik came, he looked around and saw everyone sitting there comfortably.
Mukti: The person whom u r finding is still in the tent.😂😂

Manik: Looking for... I m not looking for anyone.

Dhruv: Really buddy?? No one...

Manik: Dhruv... U too??

All of them laughed at it when Nandini too came out, taking baby steps towards them.
Nandini: Whats up guys!! Whats so funny...

As they saw her Navya ran to support her while one pair of eyes were stuck at her.
The great Manik Malhotra was again lost in her cuteness and simplicity. No matter, how simply she dressed up, she looked the most beautiful and cute girl ever to him.

He was snapped back from his thoughts on cabir's voice,
Cabir: Nothing much Nandini... Just pulling Manik's leg as always!!

Manik: Cabir!!! Shut up and make urself useful.... Light this bonfire now, let's begin with the party.

Cabir: I don't have the matchbox or lighter. Give me!!

Manik: U don't?? I also don't have it!! Dhruv???

Dhruv: No... Is there one in the car??

Manik: No... I got the car cleaned before leaving the hotel.

Aliya: So none of u hv it... Seriously guys??

Manik: Hang on Aliya... Girls anyone??

All of them moved their heads in a no, while the guys looked at each other thinking about a way out, Nandini was still standing so she moved at a corner and walked back in a minute. No one noticed her until she came in the middle and bubbled up a few papers.

Dhruv: Nandini... What r u doing??

Nandini: Helping myself with the condition.
Saying so she started rubbing off two stones together, which she picked up from a side near the papers to ignite them.

Cabir: Are u serious??

Mukti: Come on Nandini.. Be realistic!

Manik: Absolutely... Nandini, leave all this... Let me see, I'll see something in the car.

Nandini didn't listen to anyone and continued her work, while the others looked at her as if she had gone insane when suddenly they saw the papers burning. Cabir and Dhruv immediately moved ahead and got the fire on the woods.

Aliya: That was so cool... Wow Nandini!!

Nandini just smiled at her and sat while the others too took their seats.

All of them settled down and talked, pulling each others legs, listening Fab 5's childhood stories, eating, drinking, having fun.

When suddenly Aliya said out of nowhere.
Aliya: Arey yr guys... Something is missing!! I mean we all are here, at this amazing place, but still something is missing.

Cabir: I know what's missing!!

Aliya: what??

Cabir: Come on Aliya!! Music..

All of them smiled at it and this lead to another amazing night for them, as they celebrated friendship, togetherness, new friendship, new feelings, love, peace all under the blanket of stars showering them with blessings.

It was quite late when they retired into their tents. Need not to tell the couples celebrated their time. While Mukti got asleep within a few minutes, Nandini just kept on twisting and turning on her side. Finally she dropped the the idea of trying and slowly moved out of the tent. She again went towards the lake and sat at the place where she sat before.

The peace and the silence out there was mesmerizing as it could be. Just staring there at the calm water.

She kept on sitting there, wrapping her arms around herself. Suddenly she felt something warm around herself. She turned to see Manik as he wrapped his jacket around her.

She smiled at him and tapped her hand right next to her on the ground, indicating him to sit. Manik sat there and said,
Manik: Not sleepy??

Nandini: Nah .. you??

Manik: Me neither...

As he sat nandini said,
Nandini: Thank u!!

Manik turned towards her and saw her still staring at the lake,
Manik: For what??

Nandini: For getting me here!! I really enjoyed this trip a lot. And specially this place!

Manik didn't say anything at it when Nandini again smiled broader,
Nandini: I know u won't accept it, but I just wanted to say that.

But all this time, Manik was lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly he felt Nandini leaning her head on his shoulder. He looked at her to find her eyes closed.
Yes, she was taking a step ahead herself and all he had to do was to grab this chance.

He wrapped his hand around her shoulder and rested his head over hers. Both of them took a deep breath trying to make themselves feel each others presence.

None of the two said anything for a long time, after a long time Nandini asked,

Nandini: Manik... Is it true that ppl die and become stars eventually?? Is it actually possible that our loved ones are actually looking at us right now from up there?

Manik: Yes... It is!! They do watch over us and protect us from every thing, and bless us.

Nandini: And they turn out to be the brightest stars adoring our sky!!

Manik saw her face and saw tears flowing down her eyes. He cupped her face and wipped away her tears.
Manik: No nandini.... This isn't true!! We should select our stars on our own wish. You know the brightest star in my sky??

This made Nandini look in his eyes and move her head in a no.

Manik: IT'S U Nandini.... U r my brightest star!! U are my favourite star. With every passing day ur brightness increases as u keep on doing things that may or may not mean anything for you but to me, its more than everything.

Nandini was simply overwhelmed by the way he expressed her importance in his life. She again rested her head on his shoulder as they returned back to their previous position, staring at the lake and the stars.
Manik: They still don't know.... None of them do.
Manik suddenly said out of the blue, taking Nandini back from her thoughts. Nandini could hear something in his voice, it was something else than the usual, it was​ sadness and it was helplessness.

Nandini: Who Manik??

Manik: No one knows.... Not Fab5, not Dadi and not anyone else. They don't know what changed, they don't know why it happened.

Nandini wasn't understanding anything, she didn't know what was he trying to say, but still she stayed shut as she knew he was trying to open up.

Manik: I changed, bcoz of him. He broke me, my own father chose his ego over my happiness. U know Nandini.... Everything was good till the tym i finished clg. I had the most loving family, amazing group of friends, everything. But little did i know it was all going to come to an end.

Just as I finished clg, I got an idea to continue music at a professional level, i wanted Fab5 to become what it is today. But my biggest mistake was to share this idea with my father. Yes, I shared it with him and not my friends first. And he reacted in a totally opposite way. My father didn't support my dreams, my talents or my happiness. All he wanted was to grow his freaking business. He blocked away all my credit cards, every damn source of money. He clearly knew, we needed money as we were new and without it we couldn't reach anywhere. He wanted me to earn for myself and then do what i wished.

And i like a fool, believed him. I agreed to him and joined office and within a week he left, he went away to Dubai to grow Malhotra Industries there. And the entire work load came onto me. Being new, it was quite difficult to keep up but i was determined. I engrossed myself in work, unknowingly distanced from Fab5, music.

A month passed away and then i got the biggest shock of my life. I got to know that Dad intentionally did all this, the Dubai branch was planned already. But its work was not due until 2 more years and Dad just went there to stop me from music. He wanted that and he got that by lying to me. That was the day which changed everything.

My everything was finished that day, I became someone who only knew hatred, someone who was shut out from the world. Fab5 was finished and even its dream was finished for me. That was the last tym, I talked to my own Father. The man i trusted the most cheated me.

But then u came in, and sorted out things for me. U gave me my music back,y friends back, my life back. Though i didn't know it was u until today. All these years i kept on thanking destiny that when i had left all my hopes, everything started getting back into place. What u did for mukti!! I simply don't hv words for it. And i just can't thank u enough for all of it. U gave me back my life and my happiness!!

After his long monologue, Nandini was left with a lot feelings within her. She didn't move but just clutched his hand tight and simply said,
Nandini: U deserved it all Manik. U deserved more than it actually.

Manik: U are my star Nandini.... My Star🌟!!

Saying so Manik suddenly took over her lap, resting his eyes right on her face with all the love he had for her. Nandini smiled at him and the silent night under the moon made her eyes Twinkle.

Nandini shifted her gaze back to the lake, caressing her fingers through his hair as Manik too closed his eyes.

He had shared something with her, that even the most important ppl in his life had no idea about. That made her close to his heart and she bloomed at that thought. She looked up at the sky and thanked her Ayiappa a million times for sending Manik in her life.