Only two weeks were left for Musicana & all were busy practising for it. Manik & Cabir took time out of work & Fab5 practiced together, either at the Malhotra Mansion or at Space. Nandini too was practicing hard for it. But along with this one thing which was growing with each passing day was Nandini & Manik's friendship. Both of them always had feelings for each other but getting Fab5 back to Music was something which had suddenly increased all of it.
Five days had passes since Fab5 had filled the form. That day they were having their practise session in SPACE. After practicing continuosly for two to three hours they finally took a break & settled down. When Mukti noticed Manik's eyes continuosly searching for someone in the canteen & said,
Mukti: Hey Cabir... Any idea about Nandini. I think she hasn't come to college today but strangely she is not picking up my calls either.
Cabir: Nandu!! No yr... I hv also not talked to her from two days, I don't know... Maybe she would be at her office.
Mukti: Maybe!!
Later that day, after practise Manik said,
Manik: Ohk guys.... So I think its done for today!!
Aliya: Yeah... I really m very exhausted.
Manik: So I hv to go to office now... So see u guys latr!!
Mukti: Bhai!! Office now... Its 6 pm, leave it na...
Manik: Mukti... I hv started Music that doesn't mean I would leave my work. Work is also important right. U don't worry, go home, I'll be back soon.
Cabir: Manik.... U should hier some nice assistant or manager. See I m sitting so peacefully here coz I know that Navya would handle everything in my absence. And look at Nandini, she also does the same right!!
Manik: All this is fine but guys,...... Did anyone notice, this is the first time ever Cabir has called Madhubala by her real name.!!
Mukti: Yeah!! Wow Cabir..... Navya!!
Cabir: What guys?? Madhubala bolu toh problem, ab Navya bolu toh bhi problem...
Manik: No no why will we hv any problem if ur dear assistant is getting so special for u that u can't stop admiring her.
Cabir: What?? What the hell r u saying Manik...
Manik: Nothing... I m not saying anything, u continue ur praises... Bye guys!!
Manik smiled at Cabir & walked out of there. Half an hour later, he reached the Moorthy Mansion. He entered the house & the servant greeted him,
Servant: Good evening Sir!!
Manik: Good evening Kaka... Where is Nandini??
Servant: Sir she is in her room... I'll just call her!!
Manik: No no leave it... I'll go upstairs...
Servant: Ohk sir....
Manik slowly walked upstairs towards her room & saw the door open. He saw inside to find Nandini sitting on her bed, numb. She was sitting ideal, thinking deeply about something... Her eyes were swollen & had dark circles beneath them, clearly telling that she had not slept from a long time & had been crying. Manik was shocked to see her like that, he had always seen her confident & bubbly, she always spread happiness through her smile but that day was different. He stood at the day only & knocked saying, "Nandini!!". Nandini looked up to see him & removed the tears off her cheeks. Manik noticed her hiding something beneath her pillow but he didn't say anything. She got up from her bed & said with a smile,
Nandini: Manik come na... Why are u standing there??
Manik walked in & she said,
Nandini: Come sit....
Both of them sat on her bed & Manik asked,
Manik: Why didn't u come to the college today?
Nandini: Ohh college... Nothing just had some work!!
Manik held her hand & said,
Manik: Nandini u proved it to me that how much better it feels to share ur feelings with someone..... The more u keep it in urself, the more it pains... Say whats it??
Nandini: No manik its nothing.... Really!! Its all fine..
Manik: Nandini look at urself.... U haven't slept from I don't knw how long, ur eyes are swollen due to crying & u say its all fine...
Nandini heard him & looked here & there to avoid his gaze. Manik picked up her landline phone from the side & asked,
Manik: What is the number to the kitchen??
Nandini: Kitchen?? Why?
Manik: Coz I know that u haven't had anything from the morning now tell me the number.
Nandini: Manik.. I-
Manik: Nandini... Number??
Nandini simply told him the number & heard him talk,
Manik: Hello kaka.... Yes plz get Nandini's favorite dish prepared & send it up here fast.. Thank u!!
He disconnected the call & then said,
Manik: U know how much I missed u today at college??
Nandini: U....?? U missed me??
Manik: I.. No.. Who said I missed u, I was talkin about Cabir... U know he forced us to practice in SPACE so that every now & then he could take breaks to eat & say that he was going to see u!!
Nandini smiled slightly at his lame attempt to cover up & asked,
Nandini: So how is ur practise going on??
Manik: Superb!! U know it seems as if yesterday only we had won all those prizes together.
Nandini: I knew that u guys would do it!! I m so happy for u all...
Manik: Yeah!!
Nandini: By the way Manik did Nyonika Ma'am do anything...
Manik smiled at seeing her concern & said,
Manik: How'll she, afterall u have trapped her in such a full proof trap.
Nandini: I did what was needed!! She had to be told that she can't control ur life on her fingers so easily.
Manik: But u knw what after all this I m really scared from u!! U seem to be a sweet cute harmless girl but u really exploded like an atom bomb on Nyonika.
Nandini laughed at his comment when they heard a knock at the door. The servant came in & gave the tray to manik & left. Manik opened the lid of the container & saw that it had red chilli sauce pasta.
Manik: This is your favorite dish??
Nandini: Yes.. And I know that its ur favorite too.. Mukti once told me!
Manik smiled at it & served it in a plate. he took up the spoon towards nandini & started feeding her. In between Nandini also made him eat a little & soon they finished the entire bowl. After they finished Manik saw Nandini's mood a bit better... Not exactly normal but then too better. So he slowly said,
Manik: Nandini u can freely share it with me, don't try to supress it!
Nandini looked at him & understood what he was talking about. Tears again made way out of her eyes & she simply looked down. Manik bent closer towards her & picked up the thing which she had hidden under her pillow. he took it out & saw that it was a photograph of her parents, with a cute little 8 yr old nandini in between them. As he saw it she slowly said,
Nandini: This same day that year.... That dreadful accident took place & my entire life changed.
He looked up to see her crying again, he didn't know what to say so he simply took her in a bone crushing hug. The moment he hugged her, Nandini hugged him back tight & cried her heart out. Maybe this was the exact thing that she needed, a shoulder to cry on. And getting that shoulder from Manik made her feel even better. He let her cry for sometime & then broke the hug & said,
Manik: Nandini... I knw that no matter what I say, u will always feel sad about that incident but u only say na that there is something or the other positive in everything.
Nandini: Manik what can be positive in this??
Manik: Think..... U wouldn't have been The Nandini Moorthy, the business queen..... U wouldn't hv got a chance to face the entire world alone & gather the confidence that u hv now...... U wouldn't hv got a chance to fulfill ur appa's dream & most importantly, u wouldn't hv been the person that u r today. So caring, loving, understanding but at the same time an atom bomb for people like Nyonika & Harshad.
Nandini looked at him & he winked with a smile.
Manik: Nandini.... Ur past has gone now, u can't do anything about it but ur future is in ur hands, think about the things that make u happy & chill...
Nandini simply nodded & he removed the rest over tears from her eyes.
Manik: Now before u get even more scary by increasing these dark circles of urs... I think u should get some peaceful sleep.
Nandini smiled at him & hit him slowly, after which he made her lie down & sat next to her for sometime & kept on caressing her head. After sometime he thought that she was asleep & said,
Manik: How should I tell u that I cannot bear even a single tear in ur eyes... Ur tears break my heart into pieces... How to tell u that u have become an integral part of my life, just in a short period.... How to tell u that ur one smile makes my entire day..... Plz give me some courage Nandini, courage so that I could tell u that I love u so deeply..... Plz give me courage so that I don't go numb on the day, when I have planned to express my feelings to u!! The day of Musicana, I want to make that night the most beautiful one for u.....
Saying so he bend closer & kissed her hair slowly & left the room. Nandini opened her eyes & said,
Nandini: Ur actions depict all ur feelings Manik... But I'll still wait for the day of Musicana when u'll get them in the form of words...
She looked on the side of her bed & saw that her fire flies were all glowing to their brightest. She picked up the jar & kissed it.
Nandini: Manik ur thoughts make me happy!!!
Saying so she slept hugging her fire flies tightly.