SHIVIN NARANG AS SAMEER SINHA

It was 6 months of their relationship now. Their love was blooming, and it spread like the forest fire among the fans. While many were really happy, some people couldn't help but bring in intense toxicity. 

"Let's go for an outing today," Sonakshi suggested while encircling Manik's neck by her arms. 

"Let's go to the mall. Just you and me. Just us." Manik smirked and pulled Sonakshi. She blushed and hit his chest. 

After a couple of minutes, they wrapped themselves in some clothes such that no one would be able to identify them. 

"I am definitely saying this to you, Sona. If I would have bumped in you in this avatar, I would have fallen deeply for you then and there only." he flirted with his own girlfriend. She made a bored face, and he glared at her in a fake tone. They both ended up in fits of laughter. Sameer was silently praying for this pair to live till eternity. He smiled and left. 

They reached the mall. They decided to watch a movie. It was a horror movie and expect the unexpected. Manik was clinging to Sonakshi as a little boy. He was so scared. Sonakshi couldn't help but just laugh even in the horror film. Everyone was adoring this pair even not knowing who they actually were. 

It was 4 hours now that they had watched the film and had done some shopping. Manik was still so energetic. He was walking ahead of Sonakshi, and she was just ambling. Suddenly, her heels got stuck, and she stopped to adjust them. 

"You know what, Sonakshi Bose has done just done one good thing in her life. That is, she sponsored the rising star, Manik Malhotra. God, she really sucks and Manik is so cool. Their pairing just sucks." a girl said. 

"Right ya. She doesn't sing well." the other girl replied, and they heard Manik's songs on loop. 

Sonakshi was broken. She had faced many hate words but to this extent? Never. She shrugged off the thought, but it actually made a deep imprint on her mind. Suddenly Manik encircled Sonakshi's waist and pulled her. Sonakshi gave a forced smile and they left. 

These words were boggling in her mind. She was lost. Manik was also sad to see his better half like that. He took her on a date, and it successfully freshened up her mind. 

She was forgetting these words but one by one, these comments became prominent. One day, Sameer noticed her behavior and took her to another side. 

"Sona" he called her out. 

"Sam, a- am I not a good singer? Don't I deserve love? Why my second love is becoming a hindrance between me and my first love?" Sonakshi was crying. Sameer comforted her in his embrace.

"Sona, you wished to have a competitor and Manik is the one. He is your love as well as your competitor. But, it's on you to either make him your companion towards success or make him your enemy. You have to think about it." Sameer motivated her. 

Sonakshi nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek. 

"You are my forever best friend." She smiled and moved away. 

"Ya, a friend. I can never become your companion as Manik. My love for you will be a sacrifice, but I am happy as you're. No matter what, this friend will never leave your side." Sameer gave a teary smile. 

After 13 days, 

"Sona, are you sure? Are we confident enough to perform a duet in front of everyone?" Manik asked her. 

"I am definitely sure" Sonakshi replied with a smile. Manik took her in his embrace and kissed her hair. She smiled. 

"It's my way to make you my companion towards our success." Sonakshi thought. She thanked Sameer mentally. 

"Hum tere bin
Ab reh nahi sakte
Tere bina kya vajoodh mera

Tujh se juda agar ho jayenge
Toh khud se hi ho jayenge juda

Kyunki tum hi ho
Ab tum hi ho
Zindagi ab tum hi ho
Chain bhi mera dard bhi
Meri aashiqui ab tum hi ho

Tera mera rishta hai kaisa
Ek pal door gawara nahi
Tere liye har roz hain jeete
Tujhko diya mera waqt sabhi
Koi lamha mera na ho tere bina
Har saans pe naam tera.."

They started singing. 

"We only want Manik. We want Manik." everyone was shouting. 

They abruptly stopped. Sonakshi got tears in her eyes. She gave a forced smile and ran away hastily. 

"Sonaaaa," he shouted and tried to stop her. 

"Manik, give your best, for me," she replied and ran away. 

"Manik. Manik." everyone was still shouting. Manik was feeling disgusted to hear his name. He wanted to hear his name just from his Sona. Yet, for Sonakshi, he sang being forced. 

She was running madly. Between the road, like totally lifeless. Sameer was driving the car and saw that a speeding car was approaching her. He had to crash his car so that the speeding car could stop. He was fine and came out of his car. 

"Sonaaa. Sonakshi. Sonakshi listen to me. Sonaaaaaa." he called her out. But, she was lost. Lost in darkness. 

"Oh! Do you want me to make you meet Manik?" she sounded cold and lost in darkness. 

He slapped her. She held her cheek and she got back into her senses. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was crying loud hugging Sameer. 

"Sameer, please take me with you. I don't want to live here. Please, Sam. I want to go away from all this. All this. Please." she was crying and was broken. 

Sameer couldn't take in this view. His love, his friend was broken. He was unknowingly angry at Manik. He even thought why did he come into her life. 

"Ok, I will take you with me to New York. I am going tonight. We will settle there forever." Sameer replied. 

He took Sonakshi with him to a new life and to give her a new identity. 

3 years later,

"A red wine, now!" Manik called out the bartender.

"Sir, why do you consume this much alcohol every day? You have already finished 2 bottles." bartender sounded concerned. 

"Just do as I say. I don't want to reminisce the pain of losing my life, my Sona again." he was drunken and broken, but he surely remembered that day.

'The rising star Sonakshi Bose has been hit by a speeding car. She is no more.' the news that came into the recent limelight just after that dark concert. He lost everything again. 

"Sonakshi Bose?" the bartender asked. He smiled hearing her name. Her effect on him! 

"My Sona," he replied. 

"But, she is dead." the bartender said. Manik lost his cool and held his collar. His eyes were bloodshot. 

"But, her look-a-like in New York is there. She looks exactly like Sonakshi Bose, but she every time denied it. She is the leading artist of New York, Prerna Sharma." bartender put the fact. He even gave his ticket to him which he had booked for going to New York. 

Manik was so drunken to understand. People there helped him to reach his cottage. He dropped the thing that took his Sonakshi from him. He dropped his singing. 

While in New York, 

A large Mansion was there. A girl was painting something on the canvas. It was her most beautiful work till then. 

"Prerna" a young man called. She turned back. 

"Sam, so how was your conference?" she asked and hugged him. 

"All good Sona- I mean Prerna." he smiled and Prerna also gave a forced smile. 

"Your finger definitely enshrines the beauty of this platinum ring," Sameer said. 

"After all, it's our engagement ring," she said in a cracked tone. Sameer understood her dilemma. 

"Do you really want to marry me?" he asked. 

"I don't want to revive anything," she said and covered her most beautiful painting under a cloth. 

"When will I get to see your most beautiful painting Ms. Sharma?" he asked in curiosity. He and Prerna's fan base actually wanted to know about the masterpiece. 

"Something close to my heart." she smiled and went away. "Maybe I know who he is." Sameer thought. 

Another side, Manik landed in New York. Prerna Sharma was his last hope. He had a hope that she is his Sona.

He was moving on New York roads when someone told that Prerna Sharma has organized an exhibition mainly for a masterpiece the next day. He had a glint in his eyes. 

"I don't know what to say, but I miss you every day. Every damned day. But, fate didn't want us together."

The next day, 

"She is the leading artist. Indians have proved their worth again." a reputed foreign personality told the other. 

Manik also reached there somehow. 

He was moving here and there when he saw that his Sonakshi was giving an interview. 

"Ma'am, we would like to meet your fiancé." one of the journalists spoke up. Sameer was busy on some calls. Manik came by her side and after freaking 3 years, he held her waist. 

Sonakshi, who hadn't noticed him got chills down her spine. 

"Manik, Manik Malhotra. I am Prerna Sharma's fiancé." he introduced himself. 

Sonakshi was shocked. She had mixed reactions. She didn't want to lose her image, so she played along. Sameer was shocked. He was angry, jealous but may be happy too. Maybe, Manik can bring her the deserved happiness. 

Sonakshi moved ahead and showed her masterpiece- a singing Manik's pen picture. Sonakshi was trying to have a look at Manik. He was happy and had tears in his eyes. 

Everyone praised her. She smiled. 

"I give the credits of this sketch to my best friend- Sameer Sinha. It's him who gave me a new identity and the skill of arts and sketches." Sameer was happy. Manik also smiled, and the exhibition was finally over. 

Manik needed answers and Sonakshi provided them. They got inside a room and locked it. 

"Sona," he called out the name Sonakshi wanted to listen for long. 

"I am telling you everything," she told him everything, and he laid down broken on knees. He was shattered. 

"Sona, you failed because you, for once, let your second love conquer even your first love. It wasn't right. I know that you love music more than me, but I don't. I love you more. Because music is your soulmate, and you're mine. I needed you and when you left, I dropped singing. I am no more a singer, but a baker. And I am a great baker because I baked my first cake with you." Sonakshi chuckled and was shocked.

"I streamed your secret album anonymously and everyone again had your name on their mouths. You have a whopping number of fan clubs by your name on whole social media. I know because I follow every account. In a bid to feel you, I  followed all your songs and accounts. I also lost because the music was somewhat overpowering my feelings for you. We need to work differently." he confessed. Every word was a ray of light for her.

They spent the next few hours in noisy silence. Sonakshi had a view of Manik. She needed him. She placed her cold hands on his warm cheeks and pressed her lips on his. After three years, they felt each other's warmth. 

And then they both knew their tones of re-union. 

After few hours, Manik left. Sonakshi and Sameer had a talk. 

"Thank you so much, Sameer. I am just Manik's Sonakshi. But, I am your Prerna and of course, your best friend Sonakshi. Thank you so much for always being there for me." Sonakshi couldn't speak further. She embraced him. 

Sameer didn't want his love to be unexpressed. 

"I love you, Sona. From the day I befriended you, I love you. But, I knew my love has to be sacrificed because I was given the duty of handling someone else's love. I don't want a right over you as a lover but just as your best friend." he confessed. Sonakshi was touched. She kissed his forehead and had tears in her eyes. She again embraced him. 

She got three things that day, Manik, Sameer, and Music. 

Manik married Sonakshi and they again entered the world of music as a pair. This time, they were emotionally together, none could separate them. Sameer was a one-sided admirer but maybe not. Because Sonakshi had some feelings for him. But, they lived in a friendzone. 

Sonakshi was a singer and a sketch artist. Manik was a singer and a baker. Sameer was a sketch artist and then became a lyricist. They handled everything together for life. 

"Now, this is true love. Our Mellifluous love." Manik and Sonakshi spoke together.

❁❁❁❁O∩O∩❁❁❁❁

This TS ends here. I know it was rushed, but I hope you liked it. 

What do you think? Can Erica Fernandes and Shivin Narang form a good pairing? 

Which OS do you want next?

❁A Science and English school professor story. Hindrance is also there. 

❁An emotional and mentally touching story. A needed understanding. 

Don't forget to keep in touch with Alone Together.