Hey guys,
I am extremely sorry for almost a week delay in updated and posting but I really had some urgent work. Since my brother wasn't there to attend a few meetings, I had to go to Dubai and do so on his behalf. Anyway sorry again, hope I get no hate for this. Read, like, comment and share. I love the love I get.
I have not proof read or even read what I've written also I'm posting this from my phone, so please be cooperative.
Chapter 11-
Nandini decided to look different tonight. A different avatar was sure to cast a spell on everyone's mind. So she got dressed in a white dress which had tiny floral work on it, the dress was sleeveless and reached mid-thighs, she matched it with a maroon belt and to complete the outfit wore maroon flats with tiny bows on the top. She let her hair down, it flowed till her lower back. She smiled at her reflection confident that tonight would be different.
Around 7:30 she reached the venue cabir had texted her. She was mukti's van parked outside, they carried all their musical instruments in the back of that van. Someday she hoped they'd go on their first tour in the same van.
The inside of the club was rather dim and dark compared to Nandini's spirit. She made her way for the backstage asking people around. Their instruments were already set up on the stage and people were starting to pour in.
She finally reached the green room and knocked on it, there seemed to be some kind of commotion going on someone was singing really loudly and she could hear a guitar being played.
The door opened and Nandini saw Alya. She looked as gorgeous as ever, a short dress that accentuated her curves in black colour with a blood red band in the middle. red pumps tall enough to make Nandini wonder how she could possibly stand in them.
Alya engulfed Nandini in a warm hug and then looked down finally at her dress.
"Oh my God Nandini! You look just so amazing!" She said chiding with joy.
"Thank you so much, you look incredible as always." Nandini smiled back.
She walked in and the rest of Fab5 seemed to be speechless. Druv, Mukti, Cabir and Manik all were looking at her with stunned expressions obviously shocked at her attire.
"When did you purchase this?" Cabir asked gesturing to her dress in an amused manner.
"While you were busy getting drunk someday."she said and showed him her tongue.
"You do look really amazing Nandini." Druv said in his small voice from the back of the room sitting on a chair.
"Yeah man. I mean who would imagine that this one wears traditionals. You pull it off so effortlessly." Mukti was all good compliments.
Manik hadn't said a word. He was just looking at her, his mouth a bit open. He looked so incredible. Nandini looked up and down at him and took in all the beauty standing in front of her. He was wearing a black blazer that fit his toned body well with a blood red shirt inside, it's buttons were open halfway and Nandini wanted to just go ahead and do them, she liked seeing Manik that way in private but suddenly wasn't a fan of him looking like that in public. His hair was a usual done perfect yet in a messy sort of way and he was holding his guitar.
Gathering herself Nandini thanked them and then said, "Manik, I need to talk to you."
"Sure, what's up?"
"Alone." She said immediately awkward because everyone was giving her weird looks.
"Okay. Come out." He said and she walked outside the room in one of the hallways that led to the main lounge and stage.
He was behind her, she knew that because she was good at sensing him.
She stopped and dragged him into one of the empty green rooms and closed the door.
"Locked doors, dark hallways, pretty dresses, what's going on in your mind Nandi?" Manik said and immediately Nandini felt something weirdly pleasant in her stomach that she was sure was called 'butterflies'
"What was all that last night? And today morning?" She demanded determined to not get diverted by the heating of her cheeks.
"You're blushing." He said touching her cheek ignoring her question.
"Answer me." She was firm.
He sighed and dropped his hand from her cheek. Nandini wanted it back there immediately but had to control herself.
"Rian might seem like a good guy, I mean he is the good guy. He was amazing in academics, he had clear goals and he achieved them, he was also everyone's favourite and he and I have some unfinished business." Manik explained to her.
"I wasn't asking about Rian. I was asking about what you said once we were alone. And don't you dare deny my question, I haven't asked Cabir anything yet but if you do not tell me right away I will ask him right away." She said pointing a finger at him.
"Okay. Look Nandini I've never been good with words, so hear me out before jumping to conclusions. Will you?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her. She nodded in agreement silently.
"I have been in love with you literally since forever. We almost grew up together and I had vowed to never actually tell you until you felt the same or Cabir approved. I started liking you when you were around 9. I knew something wrong was going on in your family that time so we only played in the evenings then after a while I finally gathered my guts and entered your room that night. That was the night I slept beside you for the first time. I liked that feeling. I liked being around you a lot. Obviously I was confused as to what that was so I asked Cabir and he punched me for the first time. He told me to stay away from you. I knew I wouldn't break cabir'a promise because you two were going through a lot at that time and I didn't want to strain our friendship, I was the only once Cabir was himself with. So I waited and time passed. Then that day we both entered your house and to see you in that condition, on the floor, bleeding and crying. I wanted to kill your father. Kill him for hurting you in every way possible. I made a promise to myself to always protect you and I have. See Nandini, spending almost every night with you in bed has been the best part of my life and I cannot deny the fact that I do feel something very strong for you." He finished and took a deep breath.
Nandini was silent through it all. Speechless. Cabir and Manik were right in their places, they had done what was right in every way and had protected her knowingly or unknowingly. She had to take a few breaths to take it all in. The person she had liked a while ago, still did in some way, had been in love with her since she was a miserable kid.
"And you do look incredibly delicious tonight." He said with his signature half side smirk. She smiled and what she did next would flush her cheeks till the end of time.
Nandini pulled Manik closer holding the lapels of his blazer, she held his face I between her hands and pulled him down. His lips sealing hers. In her defence that was the only thing she could think of doing. His lips curved against her and he was hesitant for a second. Then his hands came right up, one on her waist and on holding her face in place. She moved her hands further and tangled them in his hair pulling him closer.
Finally needing air, Nandini moved a back but was caught in iron like grip and she collided against his chest.
She looked up at him and saw that she had actually messed his hair a lot. He was smiling down at her with warm eyes as she tried to fix what she'd done to his hair.
"You don't need to do that. Let them see how wild you are." He winked at her.
"Oh and by the way, you ruined your lipstick. I liked the melon flavour." He said chuckling and bending to nuzzle at her neck.
It sent shivers down Nandini's spine and this time it wasn't the good type, she immediately backed of and kept him at a hand's distance and said, "slow. We need to go slow." She said regaining her breath.
"Oh I love it slow even more." He again came closer and tried to hold her waist but she smacked his hands off and have him a stern look.
He just gave her a flying kiss and said, "We can go as slow as you want. You're my queen." He said and bowed his head in a dramatic manner.
This gesture made Nandini's insides melt and she giggled and herself bowed down showing grace holding her skirt like she'd seen in movies, "Well then you're my king."
"So now that we're done talking, should we go back, I have a performance." He said air quoting the word talking.
"Manik. Don't tell anyone about this. Please." She held his arm immediately and said in a panicked voice.
He looked at her with a questioning look.
"I don't think Cabir will ever approve of any boyfriend that I have, let me handle him."
"Did you say boyfriend?" He again moved close to her.
Nandini was embarrassed again, but why did she feel shy? This was Manik. She knew him too well.
"Maybe I did. Let's go now." She said standing on her toes pecking him on his left cheek and walking out of the empty green room to the one that fab5 was allotted.
Before entering their green room Manik whispered to her, "You might want to fix your lipstick first, girlfriend." Emphasising on girlfriend.
She immediately fished out a small mirror and the shade and applied it and looked up at him in approval. He smiled and nodded, opening the door for her.
Nandini looked like sunlight in the dark amongst fab5. They were dressed in black and red and she was wearing a summer dress. She looked different amongst them, well she was different. She had never been on of them, they were a thick group of friends and she was just their drummer's sister and now their singer's secret girlfriend.
Nandini smiled at the thought of being his girlfriend. It was soon, very soon. It almost took Nandini's breath away at the speed that things moved between her and Manik and it made her giddy with joy. Let the chips fall the way they may.
A person knocked on the door and called them on stage for their performance. Nandini wished them all luck and she hugged them all very quickly only hugging Manik for a longer time and in a cosier way. Without anyone noticing he planted a swift kiss on her forehead and ran behind his friends who had already left the room.
Nandini was left in the room blushing and smiling all alone. She made her way to the main lounge and stood in the first row waiting for the performance to begin.
Whether she liked or she hated, Nandini sat through all of fab5's performances.
The lights dimmed on the audience and the spotlight on the stage brightened, laser lights started dancing around. Everyone was in their designated places, mukti holding her electric guitar in the right corner, dhruv with his acoustic one in the opposite left corner, aliya diagonally behind him with her fingers on the keyboard and Kabir right in the back centre stage sitting amongst his drum set. Their lead singer and 2nd electric guitarist Manik right in the centre of the stage with a mic placed in front of him.
They started playing, this tune was rather a trance one, Nandini swayed and danced and jumped, waved her hands and sang the chorus when Manik urged the crowd to do so. She clapped and she laughed at the tiny tiny moments he did while he sang Centuries by Fall Out Boy. She knew it was one of his favourite songs and they always played this in their performances. The rest of the 4 songs were the ones either Manik or Druv had written, she liked the ones Manik had written more as she'd pretty much contributed to most of the lyrics. The two of them would sit on her window seat in her room and the words would just come to them naturally.
Nandini smiled as she swayed at the last line of the last sequence.
The music came to a stop and Manik stood in a victory pose a he held his guitar above his head in one hand and the other hand high in the air. His eyes closed at he looked so much like an angel out of some holy book because fab5's sigil was a guitar with wings and Manik always stood in front of it covering the guitar in a way that made the wings look like they were his.
Nandini couldn't stop staring and this new profound feeling that she had felt so alien yet so familiar. She didn't know should she be celebrating or should she be crying.
Finally the crowd applauded and Nandini's trance broke as she saw the five of them bowing down and then leaving the stage. Immediately a number of people went behind them, girls swooning over Manik, Druv and Cabir, the guys trying to follow Alya and Mukti.
Nandini waited for a while before she went towards the green room but was restricted at the entry by the bouncer. She tried to convince him that she was a family member but he seemed very adamant and wouldn't let her in.
Finally she called Cabir and told him to come out.
"Dude, let her come in, she's my sister. It's alright."
The bouncer wordlessly moved and let Nandini go but she showed her tongue to him before following Cabir.
"So guys, where's the party?" Druv asked as Nandini entered.
"Let's go to my place. It's been empty since a long time." Mukti said jumping.
"Or we could go to my farmhouse, it's hardly an hour away." Alya offered.
"Guys, I think I might not come. I have a really bad headache God knows why. So you guys carry on." Manik said as he packed his guitar.
"Why Manik? Come and drink a little, it'll all be gone." Cabir said.
"No man, see you tomorrow." Manik said leaving the place before giving one last look to Nandini.
"Well, that was a first." Alya said once Manik was gone.
"Yeah man, he never bails on post performance parties." Mukti said using a cotton ball to remove her makeup sitting in front of the dressing table.
"I'm going home. You guys have fun." Nandini spoke for the first time since she entered again. She felt bad when Manik left. Did he think it was a mistake? Alya said it was a first so was this somehow him regretting and staying away from her? Nandini just wanted to go home suddenly.
"Are you sure?" Cabir asked her.
She face him a convincing smile, "yes Bhai, I'll get a cab. Don't worry." She bid goodbyes to Mukti Alya and Druv and left as fast as she could.
She almost ran out of the club and was searching for a taxi stand when a black sedan came to halt in front of her.
The window rolled down and as a face peeped out of it all her worries were washed away and she felt light again.
Manik opened the passenger seat for her and said, "Get in! Fast! Before someone comes!"
She did so without objecting.
"What is this? Isn't your head aching? Are you all right?" She asked voicing her Concern. She put a hand on his forehead
He took it in hers and twined his fingers with hers and played with them as he spoke, "just thought I'd spend some time with my girl." He winked at her and Nandini smacked his arm with her free hand.
"I got worried! I actually thought you were sick!"
"Such care Nandu." Manik chuckled.
"Manik. Don't. We have issues." She said as he was about to come kiss her on her cheek.
"We've been together for one hour and we already have issues? You'll be a difficult girlfriend." Manik shook his head in negative.
"Manik. I don't trust you. Today you're with me tomorrow you'll be off with the next girl you find pretty." She said looking out of the window away from him.
He fell silent and his hand dropped away from her. She felt him retrieving, he was leaning his head against his window at looking at her with a firm gaze.
Shiv Shakti
