"पाया तो तुझे, बूंद सा भी नहीं,
और खोने का डर, समंदर सा हैं!"

"Tell me everything!"

"Everything means?"

"Everything means sab kuch Cabir, now I've to teach you word - meanings?"

"Ha-Ha nice one Arijit Bhai." Cabir raised his hand to high-five but put down his hand back when Arijit stood rigid with his hands folded on his chest. Cabir gave him a nervous and scared smile. He could swear on his food, he never felt so intimidated by Arijit ever. But he was confused too, as to why Arijit was at his doorstep at this hour. And what he wants to know?

Wait! It can't be what he was thinking it to be, right? He looked at Arijit and gulped before smiling sheepishly at him.

"Arijit Bhai, I swear, It was not me who stole your precious Vintage car's keys that day. It was Manik's plan and he did it."

"What?" Arijit glared at Cabir hearing this and stepped forward but Cabir backed off on time. Arjit exhaled a deep breath to calm himself down, as it was not the time to cry over that.

"Wait a minute, you weren't asking about it?"

"Of course NOT, but since now I know about this, I'll deal with you guys later. For now, I'm here to know about Mann." Cabir sighed in relief for the time being but frowned hearing Arijit's last words. What about Manik?

"What about Manik Bhai?"

"That why he is not being himself these days? That why he is not looking happy when he should be on cloud nine that he found his 'The One'? That why he doesn't talk about her anymore? That's why I feel like he is breaking inside. And don't you dare say, that you know nothing. I want to hear only Truth, nothing more, nothing less." Cabir looked at Arijit and sighed. Now what should he tell him? There's so much to tell, yet he is unable to find his words. Looking at Arijit, Cabir knows that how worried he is for his brother, and today he is not backing off without knowing the reason for his brother's distress. But is it his right to tell him? Will Manik approve it? Cabir sighed with frustration and sat down on the couch.

"Cabir, what's the matter?" Arijit asked sitting beside Cabir and keeping his hand on his shoulder. Looking at Cabir, he knew that it is something big. And he wants to know it, and if possible, he wants to do everything he could to bring back the happiness in his brother's life.

Only if it was that easy.

.

.

"How many deaths have you died to be so strong? How many times you have screamed to be so silent?"

"I.. I can't talk about it because if I talk about it, that means it matters. If it matters, that means it's real, and if it's real that means it's going to hurt."

"And it won't be new to you, right? You've been hurt earlier too, you've been broken earlier too, but you've tended your wounds too. You know it. You've survived. So, whenever you feel that you cannot possibly heal from whatever it is that is weighing your mind or your heart right now--- remember all of the time you've found yourself here, and remember all of the ways in which you've survived. Remember all of the ways you stretched into your growth, even when it was uncomfortable, even when it felt like it wasn't happening. Remember how you, very slowly but surely, caught your footing. Remember how you, very slowly but surely, bandaged all that was hurting within you, and you learned how to be kind to it, you learned how to heal it. You have fallen and you have risen time and time again. Do not doubt your capacity to do it again. Do not forget that you are a Warrior."

.

Nandini opened her eyes and looked at the sky filled with stars, they were shining bright. She blinked and kept looking at them thinking about the last few hours. Her mind revolved around a particular someone's thoughts. She remembered how she was on the verge of a panic attack, maybe she would've been still there, lying unconscious if it was not for him.

Him.

Manik Malhotra.

The guy who has occupied her thoughts. The guy who would always come like a bright light whenever her life is surrounded by darkness.

Just like he was there today.

Just like he was there, that night.

The night, when it all started. The night, when it all ended for her too. The most tragic and worst night of her life. The night when she was just slipping into the hell of darkness. The night when she had surrendered to all the demons, and she was not looking for any light.

But came He- becoming the Sun in her life, calling her, his Sunshine.

.

.

Cabir looked at Arijit who was sitting with a shocked face in front of him hearing everything. He could see the pool of tears in Arijit Malhotra's eyes. But he knows, anyone would cry, anyone who is a human would feel the pain. But sadly, not every walking living being with a brain is a human on this planet. Some are the devils in the face of humans. But now Cabir was fearing Arijit's reaction. Sure, he must be feeling bad for Nandini. But will he understand Manik's love for her? that's Cabir and Fab three's biggest fear. How would the Malhotras react to everything? Because they know for Yash Malhotra, society, and name matter. But for now, he looked at Arijit who kept sitting in silence.

Cabir looked at his phone and frowned seeing Abhi's number displaying. He looked at the time which was a quarter to two at midnight. Isn't anyone getting sleep today, he wondered before taking up the call and hearing whatever Abhi said, Cabir's face became pale and he was shocked.

"What? Where is he?

...

"Fuck Abhimanyu, Wait I'm coming." Arijit came out of his thoughts and looked at Cabir with a questioning gaze.

"What happen Cabir?'\

"Abhi called. Manik had gone to his house and asked him to tell him about Nandini and he told him. And now Manik is not at his home and he isn't even picking up his call."

"Shit!" Arijit cursed and both moved out of /Kabir's house to go to Abhi's.

.

.

"Kise Poochun, Hai Aisa Kyun;

Bezubaan Sa, Ye Jahaan Hai;

Khushi Ke Pal, Kahan Dhoondhoon;

Benishan Sa, Waqt Bhi Yahan Hai!"

Nandini shivered with the cold and came out of her trance when she realized that she was soaking wet. She didn't realize when rain started pouring on her and drenched her. She was too lost in her thoughts to notice the sudden weather change. She detached herself from the terrace wall and decided to move down when her gaze fell on something or say someone and her eyes widened with shock.

"Manik."

And on a cue, she saw Manik's head raising up, and as their eyes met everything for them halted. Time. Heartbeat. Breadth. Everything.

"Jaane Kitne Labon Pe Gile Hain,
Zindagi Se Kayi Faasle Hain,
Paseejte Hain Sapne Kyun Aankhon Mein,
Lakeer Jab Chhoote In Haathon Se Yoon Bewajah!"

Nandini's forehead creased and frowns appeared on her face seeing Manik drenching in the rain but his face was blank. She couldn't fathom if it were tears in his eyes or raindrops falling on his face. She kept looking at him and he kept looking at her back. And Nandini gasped when she saw Manik falling on his knees and his head hung low as if he was apologizing to her.

"Jo Bheji Thi Duaa,
Woh Jaake Aasmaan...
Se Yoon Takra Gayi Ke Aa Gayi Hai Laut Ke Sadaa!

Jo Bheji Thi Duaa,
Woh Jaake Aasmaan...
Se Yoon Takra Gayi Ke Aa Gayi Hai Laut Ke Sadaa!"

"You remember my last night in Delhi four years ago? That night? That incident? That girl, who- who was ra- raped? She- she was none other than Nandini. It was her. Nandini. Your love. Your The One!'

Abhi's words rang in Manik's ears and breathing became more difficult for him. He was feeling his soul, his heart, his every part of his body, breaking apart. Never in his wildest dreams, had he ever thought that the girl, for whom he felt so miserable that night, was her. His Nandini.

After that night he would always pray to God, to never let any girl go through this pain, but what he didn't know was, that his The One had suffered it. Alone!

Manik saw Nandini walking towards him with a face full of worries and he wondered from where she acquired this much courage. Courage to still worry about others? Courage to still smile so beautifully?

"Saanson Ne Kahan Rukh Mod Liya,

Koi Raah Nazar Mein Na Aaye...

Dhadkan Ne Kahan Dil Chhod Diya,

Kahan Chhode In Jismon Ne Saaye!"

"Manik what are you doing here? And why are you drenched? Manik? Are you- are you crying?" Nandini was shocked seeing him crying. She saw his tears getting mixed with the raindrops. She was aghast. What was he doing here at this hour? And why was he crying? All these questions were making Nandini restless. And for some unknown reason seeing him crying her own eyes welled up. She was unable to comprehend anything. Bad thoughts started surfacing in her head.

"Manik, say something, please. Everything is fine, right? Your family? They all are fine right?"

"Yehi Baar Baar Sochta Hoon Tanha Main Yahan

Mere Saath Saath Chal Raha Hai Yaadon Ka Dhuaan"

Family!

What kind of a ruthless family she has, his thoughts wandered. Are they even deserved to be named as a Family of her, these were Manik's thoughts as he recalled Abhi's words, four years ago.

"And as far as I got to know about her from the police station, she belonged to a reputed family in Delhi and they had abandoned her when she decided to not abort her baby."

The family can't be so cruel. Can they? Is reputation and name in society such a big thing, that you won't mind leaving your blood for what, a name and reputation in this name-sake selfish society?

Nandini was now getting anxious, seeing Manik just looking at her and not saying a single word. She was about to speak something when she finally heard his voice.

"Am Sorry Nandini. Am Sorry."

"Jo Bheji Thi Duaa, Woh Jaake Aasmaan

Se Yoon Takra Gayi Ke Aa Gayi Hai Laut Ke Sadaa"

Nandini saw his hand raising up as if he wanted to hold her. She could look into his eyes which were showing guilt. She saw his hand hanging in the air and he fisted it just a mere inches away from her face and he let it fall. And in the next few moments, Nandini saw him walking away and she kept sitting there lost in her thoughts.

She did not like being touched, but it was a strange dislike. She did not like being touched, but suddenly craved it too much. She wanted him to hold her so tight, so she would not break.

But at that moment, when she saw him walking away. She felt weird. As if, something was drifting apart from him. As if, she was going to lose something, something precious, which was not even hers.

And with this realization, something in her chest broke, broke so violently, that she wondered if no one heard the noise.

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Shorter than usual, ik, but the previous one I wrote got deleted somewhow, so this is what I could come up with.

Drop your reviews here-

Next- Sunday most probably!

Do vote and comment if you liked it, otherwise let it be.

1981 words!

~A♡