Chapter-5 Flashback
(Cabir's not gay. Alya is Manik's sister. Aryamann is married to Mukti and is Nandini's brother. Cabir and Navya are married and Alya is still waiting for Dhruv.)
Nandini and Manik reached first. They haven't spoken a word to each other since the dinner. Manik was getting more curious after every second. Mukti and Alya reached after almost 10 minutes.
Cabir and Navya entered after a good half hour and everyone's eyes got moist seeing them after 5 years. They hugged each other tightly and then settled themselves. An awkward silence rose between them and Cabir broke the silence and asked, "So how's life?"
"Too horrible." Manik was the first one to speak. These 2 words broke her. She knew why he was saying this.
"We are fine Cabir. How are you two? And what about your baby Navya?" Nandini asked getting success in changing the topic.
"She gave birth to Virat. He is with his Mom right now." Cabir smiled and said while Navya blushed a little.
"Awe I really want to meet him." Nandini wished and smiled.
"Btw you two got married? Like when?" Cabir asked seeing Nandini and Manik and then Nandini and then again Manik.
"Uh... It's been 2 weeks." Manik said not making any type of eye contact.
"Yaar I missed it! Nandini was there at the time of my marriage but I couldn't attend yours. Sorry chotu." Cabir said pulling her cheeks and then congratulated both of them.
"Mukti must have married Aryamann right?" Navya asked winking at her.
"Haha yes." Mukti blushed a little.
"Btw where did you go for your honeymoon?" Cabir was in form. He wanted to tease them after waiting for 5 whole years.
"Cabir can we please talk about what we came for?!" Manik said gritting his teeth. His patience level was getting lower and lower.
"Let Dhruv come first. He'd definitely come. Right Nandini?" Cabir said and everyone eyed Nandini.
She didn't speak and looked down. "Nandini Dhruv kahan hai?" Manik asked, anger clear in his voice.
Nandini's breathe hitched after listening to it and finally she managed to say in a low voice, "First let me explain everything."
"Don't you remember what I said? We all will talk about this only when we 7 are together. Get him or get lost." Manik shouted in anger holding her wrists tightly. "I've wasted five bloody years for this and if you still can't bring Dhruv and clear things up then I must say well played Nandini Murthy."
"WHAT?" Everyone shouted in unison.
"Of course, she's playing games with us since these years. Am I right or am I right Nandini?" Manik said narrowing his eyes in anger and holding her from shoulders.
"Manik leave her!" Mukti shouted and Cabir made him sit on the opposite side.
"Now tell me what did you do with him?" Manik asked fisting his hand.
"Bhai please let her explain." Alya tried to cool down Manik but in vain.
"I will seriously kill you Nandini! Tell me where's Dhruv." Manik shouted. Thankfully, they had a personal cabin in the caf where no voice could get in or out.
"WOULD YOU LET ME EXPLAIN?" Nandini shouted. Tears and anger were clear in her eyes. Her red angry face could scare the eff out of anyone.
"Cool down. Tell us where is he?" Cabir asked.
"Haan tell na Nandu where is he?" Mukti seconded Cabir.
"Ya Nandini please tell us na." Alya too spoke with sadness in his voice.
"HE DIED GODDAMNIT" Nandini again shouted to make them quiet and repeated, "He died." She broke down on the floor and cried hard with no one to console her. Everyone stayed there shocked. Alya too couldn't believe what she heard. Mukti was holding Alya's hand and was in total shock whereas Navya was consoling the uncontrollable Cabir Deewan. Manik was sitting there with no expressions. He was blankly staring Nandini. No one could ever think this way. They thought that he just went away for some time but no, he went away forever!
After some time which seemed like ages, Alya spoke, "Nandini what happened? How..." Alya couldn't complete her sentence and broke down.
Cabir sat beside her on the floor and consoled her and then asked her to speak.
"Don't interfere in between just let me explain first." Nandini said wiping her tears off.
"This all started when Manik came back from hospital after my birthday..."
__________
They all were happily partying when Dhruv excused himself and went inside to take a call. Nandini was passing through his room when she heard him talking to someone.
"Yes Uncle."
"Okay uncle."
"I know it's not a small disease."
"No! I can't tell my friends about this."
"It's the 3rd stage. I've just 3 months more."
"3rd stage cancer isn't curable for me."
"Umeed hi nahi hai ab."
"Acha Uncle I'll talk to you later. Bye."
He kept the phone and turned and found a teary-faced Nandini standing with lots of questions.
"Dhruv..." She whispered which was hardly audible.
"Nandini... Please don't tell anyone about this. Please!" Dhruv literally begged her.
"No... Dhruv... They are your friends. They've the right to know this. We'll fight this together..." Nandini spoke.
"No Nandini! Everything's not that easy as you think it to be. I have hardly 3 months left. How do you expect me to tell them all of this? I am going to Georgia next week. I'll leave them so that they won't miss me. At least, they'd hate me and won't cry for me." Dhruv spoke in anger.
"But Dhruv... Tum akele? No Dhruv. What about Fab-5?" Nandini was in tears.
"Fab-5 ke liye tum ho. You will replace me because you're my best friend right? Please don't tell this to anyone. We'll meet till I die..." Dhruv said and marched out.
"Dhruv!" Nandini tried to stop him but he didn't.
Dhruv fought with everyone and Manik saying that Nandini was his first and last love and Manik snatched away it from him. They all got into a big fight and next day, he left for Georgia not before taking a promise from Nandini, "Nandini even after my death you won't tell them anything about me. Tumhe Fab-5 ki kasam!" Nandini didn't have any reply except tears.
"Dhruv no!" She screamed but he boarded off the plane.
They stayed in touch till his last breathe. Nandini even went to Georgia to meet him. His last words, "Nandini don't ever leave my best friend, okay? And never ever tell them about me. Never ever! Nandini, please I want you to replace me. Please Nandi..." And he died. He died leaving his best friends.
"I can't do this Dhruv. I cannot replace you, never ever!" Nandini said and left from there.
She came back to India after a week. She hadn't told Manik about her departure to Georgia and as always he was tensed.
"What's happening with her? Where did she go? Aryamann is saying ke apne friend se milne gyi hai USA but kaunsa friend? And like every 2 weeks she goes there? Kuch to gadbad hai!" Manik was getting suspicious. It wasn't that he didn't trust her but he was suspicious.
And that's when Soha Khurana re-entered with a plastic surgery. She spied on Nandini and got to know everything. She clicked Dhruv and Nandini's photos. Their friendly hugs were clicked in a way that it'd look kinda romantic type. She sent those pictures to Manik and that's when misunderstandings occurred because Nandini couldn't tell him that why she met Dhruv and that's why she has to lie that they loved each other.
Manik was hell angry from her. Manik tortured and humiliated Nandini in the front of the whole college without any sympathy. And that's when Nandini tucked down her feelings for him and reciprocated the hateful love that he was giving her.
One fine day, they thought that it couldn't be happening. They could see the love in Nandini's eyes for Manik so they all met at the cafe to take answers from Nandini.
"Nandi stop lying. We know that it's nothing like that between you and Dhruv." Cabir said.
"Yes it was nothing like that! I forced him to go away from you all because I wanted to be a part of Fab-5. Yes, I brainwashed him!" Nandini shouted. She was lying but at that situation no one could figure it out. They all thought that it was the truth except Alya. She trusted her.
"Where is he? Tell us!" Manik asked her angrily.
"I would never!" Nandini retorted back and went away from there.
And on that day they all vowed that they would never ever become one until and unless Nandini says the truth and Cabir went away from them taking Navya with him despite everyone's pleading.
Nandini confessed to Alya that Dhruv has taken a promise from her and she could never tell them where he is and Mukti overheard it. That's when they became more attached to each other. This thing was kept hidden from everyone until this day.
__________
"Milgyi khushi? Can I leave now?" Nandini shouted and went outside without even waiting for anyone's reply. No one followed her because they were themselves shattered.
Dhruv died? She did all that for US? And what did I do to her? Humiliated her in front of the whole college? In front of everyone? How could I? She still loves me so much! I am so ashamed of myself. Manik was thinking.
"Dhr...uvv... He... He died?" Mukti finally spoke.
"He wanted Nandini to be a part of us." Alya said staring the glass kept on the table. She was devoid of any emotions.
"It was his last wish." Cabir said and they all broke out again.
*********
I've been writing these updates from my bed and I almost got admitted to the hospital. Please pray for my speedy recovery. I should be resting instead of typing I know, but I can't resist myself from pouring out my thoughts, hehe! I need too much rest and now my mother would kill me if I write more xD Sorry I don't know when I would update next. Maybe in some hours or maybe after a week xD
And yes! Tomorrow's my first exam. And I am not prepared. Please wish me luck! Thankyouu
Acha now let's come to the story. Dhruv died, sad, I know! But this was the story. I wanted to make it more emotional but I am sorry I'm bad at it. I'd improve soon. Nandini's hurt. She should be. She did all this for Fab-5 but they broke because of her only. Manik should have trusted Nandini and this pinched her a lot.
Indian Idol 15
