MaNan FF - Heaven DISCONTINUED ON IF - Page 4

Originally posted by: -cherryblossom-

Its good.. But you are yet to finish what u started first...

Originally posted by: Alohomora

Thank you darling. Ever heard of multi tasking? ;)

By the way, talking about the first one, dont see you on GG nowadays. Where have u disappeared to 😉

Originally posted by: APS_AURA

Woohoo.. Im glad ur bck..dat too wid a bang.. I mst say dats an awsum way to compensate 4 d delay..😉 I've been in love wid ur writtings since i 1st read 'The Greek God' Nw cuming to dis ff.. D role reversal idea..Its gonna b so much fun.. Seems quite interesting..& Im sure Im gonna love & njy reading dis 1 too 😃 So much excited to read further.. Keep up d gud work & Plz do continue soonish wid dis & other FF i.e The GD too.. Am I being too greedy.. If yes,den I cant help it,u'r to b blamed cuz first of all,u disappeared 4 a while & second of all,ur such an amazing writer dat i jst cant have enuf of ur writings.. haha.. & lastly, thank u so so much 4 cuming up wid dis ff..!
Stay Blessed !
#OkThanksBye !!

~1~

MY FRIEND... THE CELEBRITY

Twelve year old Manik Malhotra, a gangly boy clad in a pale blue shirt and a pair of grey shorts stood and cried like a sissy girl on the school grounds. It was recess time and there were kids running about the ground and high schoolers who strolled away like grown-ups who had seen life.

Three girls, seemingly of the same age, stood around and consoled him with gentle pats to his arms and shoulders. "It's okay baba," said one of the girls, "don't cry. It's not for long. After a while you'll get used to all this."

Manik had moved into this part of the town just last week and he was hating it already. "You'll make lots of friends," his parents told him after they completed his admission formalities at this new school. "It's going to be so much fun." But two days into his new venture and he hated this place to the core. He wanted to go back to his old school and town where his friends Dhruv and Cabir were. He was missing them. Badly. He missed the games they used to play. The talks they used to have. The fun that could keep them engaged forever.

To add to his woes, the school's bully, Harshad Saxena, wasn't making it any easier for him. Harshad and his cronies thought that Manik looked weird with his knotty knuckles and knees, the ugly braces on his protruding teeth and the big oily pimples on his face. "This guy Harshad, he's seriously a jerk of the first order," one of the girls growled through clenched teeth. Harshad had just put Manik through one of his torture sessions and that broke him up.

Just then, a short and plump twelve year old girl with big potato cheeks joined them. "What's going on?" she asked curiously as she watched the crying boy with pity.

"It's that Harshad again!" one of the girls spat angrily.

"What did he do now?" asked the plump girl.

"Well, the usual," said the other girl. "Mocking. Calling names. Punching."

"We should report this to the Principal," suggested the plump girl.

"It's useless yaar," replied the other girl. "His parents are the trustees of the school. The Principal won't even lift a finger. They'd fire his ass if he did."

"But that's ridiculous!" flared the plump girl. "How can they just not take action against something like this? Bullying is a big no-no!"

"Go and say that to the trustees," replied the girls.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Later in the day, Manik had popped out of class during recess again. He chose a spot closer to the staffroom just to be on the safer side. That was when a ruckus caught his attention. A group of kids had gathered into a tight circle on the ground and were peering down at something. What's going on, he thought to himself as he craned his neck curiously. But there was nothing he could see. Intrigued, he moved in closer and stuck his head in.

To his surprise (and utter joy), Harshad was clutching his tummy and rolling on the ground with intense pain. There were tears streaming down his face as he cried in agony. What happened to him?

As if to answer his question, the plump girl moved towards Harshad and screamed at him. "You think it's funny? Huh!!!? You think it's funny?" THUD! She landed another kick on his side and made him wiggle like a suffocated fish.

Two seniors, the head boy and girl intervened and pulled off the plump girl and dragged her to the Principal's office. As for Harshad, he was taken to the clinic.

"What are you people staring at?" shouted one of the teachers who had reached the spot with a fearsome cane in her hand. "Back to your classes! Move it!"

The kids ran for their dear life, some of them laughing while they did.

Manik, however, couldn't keep in his curiosity. Why did she kick him? I thought I heard those girls say that Harshad's parents were the trustees of this school and that no one dared to utter a word against them. Manik got his answers floating here and there. The plump girl, Nandini Murthy, was teased earlier in the day. Apparently, Harshad and his gang found her to be fat, funny and slow that they called her a tortoise at first and a piglet later on. Though Nandini sat down and cried bitterly, she picked herself up and beat the living daylights out of him later on.

Manik bit his lower lip as he tried not to smile. Wah! That girl packed a good punch. I just loved it! He was beginning to admire this girl... the girl who stood against the school's most powerful boy when no one else dared to.

* * * * * * * * * * *

~ Months later ~

It was the school's annual day function. Manik strolled along the empty corridors on the third floor of the school building as he glanced at the large gathering on the grounds below. Ahead of them was an elegant stage with a drama being enacted by the seniors. He hated dramas as it was and thought of loitering around for a while.

Being a special day such as this, the classrooms were all deserted except for one. Seated on one of the benches was the plump girl who had beat the shit out of Harshad. And she was alone... and fingering a beautiful melody on a handsome classical guitar.

Manik felt so proud and excited to see her and that too holding an elegant instrument. Wow! She plays the guitar too? He just stood there and listened to her play so effortlessly. So beautifully. As she finished up, Manik came into the classroom with an applause. Nandini was startled!

"That was amazing!" exclaimed Manik. "Are you going to perform today?"

"Thanks," smiled Nandini shyly, "actually yes."

"Wow!" Manik was excited now. "All the best!"

"Thank you," she blushed and looked hesitant to continue.

"Umm... if you don't mind... can I just stand here and watch you play?" he asked quietly.

"Ermm... sure..." she replied as if she wasn't sure. "No problem," she added.

"Thanks!" Manik flashed a crooked smile, crossed his arms and leaned onto the wall as she continued to play. With each passing minute, his admiration for her increased by the double. For him, she was just too amazing. She was like HEAVEN.

* * * * * * * * * * *

~ Weeks later ~

"You guys are friends? Really!!!?"

Manik spread out his chest proudly and crossed his arms as a group of star struck boys gathered around him. "Yes," replied Manik with an air of pride. "Nandini and I. We're very good friends and we hang around a lot," he bluffed.

"Wow!" the boys exclaimed. "This is unbelievable! Can you please introduce us to her? Please?"

"We-ell..." He drawled. Manik was loving all the attention. He felt like a star though his friend Nandini was the actual celebrity. It felt so good to be the centre of attraction. So good! Now all the kids who used to treat him like trash wants to be around him. Be his friend. Just because Nandini was his friend... Just because Nandini was the best guitarist in school. Because... Nandini was a celebrity. "I need to think," he added as he checked out his fingernails.

"Please yaar Manik," the boys pleaded. "Please! Please!"

"I'll give you hundred bucks!"

"We'll go fishing!"

"We'll jam this weekend!"

"You can have my Xbox."

Manik raised his eyebrows. Wow! So many offers! So much of ugh... good intentions coming his way. This was a new for him. He was loving it nevertheless.

"Well, okay..." he agreed.

___________________________________

Next: Chapter 2