Chapter 10 Finally Mumbai
"Finally...Mumbai..here I am" Nandini thought as she placed her first step on the railway platform. Nandini looked around at the buzz happening on the railway platform. It's buzzing with people. "Amidst this crowd...how will I find chacha chachi?" Nandu thought as she pulled down the luggage along with the tin box with goodies for her chacha chachi.
"Nanduuu" Nandini heard a voice from behind and she turned back to look at the warm and smiling faces of her chacha chachi. "Awww mere rolu polu chaachiii" Nandu quipped as she quickly moved forward to hug her chachi. "hahaha mere chotu chotu Nandu" Chachi retorted as she returned the hug. Rishab also got out of the train with his baggage and a little suitcase as he walked forward and gave a hug to chacha!😳
"Train main koi problems tho nahi hui na Nandu?" Venkatesh uncle asked with a curious expression on his face. "No chachu...I met this uncle aunty on the train and they helped me a lot. They even shared their food with me. It was a wonderful trip." Nandini replied combing back the locks of hair falling over her face and tucking the hair behind her ears and giving her chacha a warm hug. 😳
'Achcha achcha...trip ke poore story sunaana...but abhi taxi wait kar rahe hai...first inn luggages ko taxi ke andar rakhte hai..." chacha retorted tapping Nandu on her shoulder.
"Ok chacha..." Nandini replied with a huge smile as she picked up her bag. Chacha collected the luggage from Rishabh's hand and chachi picked up the tin box with goodies and all of them walked out of the station to the taxi awaiting them and keeping the luggage in the taxi.
"Its been a long one day... and Nandu has not even given me a ring. Is she alright?? Doesn't she have a mobile phone with her? " Manik thought as he dreamily strung on his guitar. "She said that she is coming here and already she should've reached here. Will she forget about calling me up??"😕
"Manik...kya kar rahe ho? music banaa rahe ho?" Alya asked placing her hand on Manik's shoulder.
"No..just...practicing" Manik replied curtly.
"Manik, U know kal raat ke interview pe I got a lot of comments. U know...jab hum sabhi saath khade the...U were next to me and a friend of mine called me up and asked me if U are my boyfriend" Alya said with a smile.
"Hmm..." Manik replied with a thoughtful expression.
"What hmm?? Didn't you hear?? Sabhi sochte hai ke hum dono boyfriend girlfriend hai...they feel that we are made for each other.."
"Yes Alya..I know" Manik replied in a disinterested manner.
"Manik...tum kya sochte ho?? Are we not perfect together?" Alya asked placing her palm on Manik's cheek.
"Hmm...yes we all of Fab 5 are perfect together!" Manik replied avoiding the topic.
"No Manik...actually don't U feel..me and U..we have a special bonding?" Alya asked continuing to caress Manik's cheek.
"Special bonding??" Manik asked looking at her with an enquiring expression.
"Yes...U know..!"
"Manikk...tu idhar baitha hai...I've been searching everywhere for you, man!! Guitar ke saath baatein?? Music banaa raha hai ya wapas dreamland chala gaya tu?" Kabir asked cutting into the conversation as he opened the door and walked into the jamming room.
"Obviously making music, man!!" Manik said with a relieved expression. Alya never liked it when Kabir walked into the room and interrupted the conversation but she can't help it too. Alya gave Kabir a cool stare.
"Wo wo wo!! Alya...what's up girl?? Why that cold stare?? Maine wrong timing pe entry maarli kya?" Kabir asked sitting down on the chair next to Manik.
"No man...we were not talking anything special" Manik said as if he didn't even notice their conversation.
"Alya..Mukti tujhe dhoond rahi thi...and I came here searching for U and here U are with your favourite Manik! Yaar tu hamesha Manik ke peeche peeche kyon chalti rehti hai? Isko thode se tho apne dreamland main rehne de!" Kabir said with a naughty smile.
"Kabir!! Just what do U mean??" Alya asked flaring up.
"No..no..nothing! Pichle 7 saal se you are always closest to Manik. I mean..always walking close by Manik, sitting next to Manik...yaar hamare paas bhi kabhi kabhi baitha karo!" Kabir continued teasing.
"Fine!" Alya retorted rising up to come and sit next to Kabir "Now happy??" Alya retorted with an arrogant expression.
"Manik..main dhanya ho gaya yaar...finally Alya...the sexy Alya mere paas aake baith gayi...aaj tho main mandir jaake maadha tekoonga" Kabir said folding his hands and closing eyes.
"hahahaa" Manik starting laughing "Kabir...now tu bas kar, yaar..aur kitne taang kheechega Alya ki?" Manik couldn't stop smiling.
"Drop the crap, Kabir and just leave from here" Alya retorted.
"No no..Alya..U leave from here...coz Mukti tujhe hi dhoond rahi hai..jaldi se jaake mil le...warna poore college ko Alyaaa Alyaaa cheekh cheekh ke sar pe uthaa legi" Kabir continued with a little laugh.
"Yes Alya...U go and find out why Mukti is searching for you" Manik replied pointing to the door.
"Fine...Manik..magar jo conversation hamare beech hue...I want us to continue after I return..ok??" Alya said standing up and walking to the door.
"Hmm...what?" Manik asked with a questioning look.
"Forget it Manik...U never were serious...U guys talk..let me find Mukti" Alya replied as she closed the door a bit loud.
"The streets of Mumbai are so buzzing with people. It's different from the area where I lived." Nandini thought as the taxi slowly down on a traffic on the street of Mumbai.
" Chachu...traffic kab clear hoga?? " Nandini asked looking at her watch.
"Pata nahi Nanduuu..." Chacha said looking out of the taxi putting his head out through the window. "Hum stuck hai ek traffic main..thoda sa wait karo, Nandu"
"Yes Chachu..." Nandini said as she opened the suitcase kept next to her and took out the magazine and started flipping through the magazine with Manik's photograph on it. Nandini opened a random page and it was the same interview that she was reading a night back. Nandini continued to look at the photograph of Manik and this time its the photo of Manik with Fab 5.
From left to right... Mukti (electric guitarist), Kabir (drummer), Manik (lead vocal and lead guitarist), Alya (keyboard player) and Dhruv (guitarist and singer). Nandini read the names.
Though Nandini had watched Fab 5 perform...though she loved her music, she never noticed Fab 5 members or knew much about them other than about Dhruv.
"Manik...tumhe pata bhi hai? Main abhi Mumbai main hoon." Nandini thought as she slowly caressed Manik on the page of the magazine.
Chachi leaned in to look at the photograph that Nandini was looking at.
"Nanduuu..tu mere Shahrukh ko dekh rahi ho??" Chachi asked with a smile.
"Shahrukh?? No chachi...ye Shahrukh nahi..ye fab 5 ke photo hai" Nandini corrected Chachi.
"Haan haan..pata hai..magar ye jo tall sa ladka haina..jo beech main khada hai..ye mere junior Shahrukh hai." Chachi said pointing to Manik.
"Junior Shahrukhhh?" Nandini asked with a little laugh. "Chachi..ye kaunse angle se Shahrukh dikhta hai"😳
"Kuch bhi ho...munda bada sona hai aur tall hai aur jab ye smile karta hai..tho bada romantic dikhta hai..iske smile romantic hai tho isko dekhke Shahrukh yaad aate hai" Chachi explained with a big smile.
"Smile karta hai?? Chachi?? Aap Manik Malhotra ko jaante ho...Fab 5 ko jaante ho?" Nandini asked her eyes widening in disbelief.
"Wo kya haina..Nandu...ek din tere Chachu mere liye ek icecream ka bada sa dibba laaya tha aur maine na uss dibbe pe ek contest padhe..aur uss dibbe pe ek card chipka tha..uspe likha tha ke Fab 5 se milne ka chance aapko milenge...aapko bas ye likhke bhejna hai ke aapko Fab 5 kyon pasand hai. Contest winner ko Fab 5 se milne ka ek mauka milega." Chachi continued...
Nandini's eyes widened in disbelief "Phir kya hua, Chachi?" Nandini asked her heart beat rate increasing.
"Phir kya hona tha?? Aakhir teri chachi hoon..maine bhi ek super reply uspe likhke bhej diye aur main contest jeet gayi!"😆 Chachi said with a huge smile.
"Aapne contest jeet liye???" Nandini asked her eyes widening "Aur Manik se mile?"
"Aur kya?? Main gayi thi unke office aur Fab 5 ke saare members se mile bhi aur iski tho baat hi alag hai..bada sona hai aur bada pyaara sa smile hai iski. Fab 5 ke members main se sabse pyaara hai..mujhe aur tere chacha ko chai pilaaye aur khaana bhi khilaye" Chachi said with a huge smile.
Nandini just couldn't believe her ears hearing the praises of Chachi for Manik. Now really Nandini couldn't resist herself from meeting Manik..her heart was beating wildly. 😛
"Hum finally pahunch gaye.." Chacha replied as the taxi slowed down to a halt in front of a beautiful little home. Nandini woke up from her thoughts as she looked at the house she visited as a child. She did remember the look of the home..but its been years since she visited chacha-chachi for vacation. Nandini got out of the car and looked around her and everything is just so beautiful...perhaps more beautiful than she last visited. Is it Mumbai or is it the excitement of meeting Manik? Nandini thought as she slowly lifted her suitcase and walked into the home after chacha-chachi. 😛
Edited by priakachan - 9 years ago
Ishaani
Cricket
