A/N: Okay so first of all, I'm really sorry for this late update. But But But.. This is a really long update. 2150 Words. So, Have fun reading this and I really expect a good response for this one. Please do give your feedbacks by leaving your comments below. They really make my day! Okay enough of this. Happy reading!
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Chapter 8 - Are we Normal?
The next morning, I woke up and immediately ran downstairs to handover the designs to Sahir who had come to the resort. "Here," I said, giving him the designs. "Cool." He said. I insisted him to come inside and meet my friends but he didn't come. He said that he has some important stuff to do. Work comes first. I told myself.
"Okay, See you then!" I said, waving him a goodbye.
I turned to head towards my room but I saw Manik standing there, staring me. "What?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"Nothing..You woke up, so early?" He asked.
"For your kind information Mr Malhotra, Nandini Murthy is not lazy like Manik Malhotra! If you have forgotten then let me remind you that, Mae he hamesha apko call krkay kehti thi kay Manik get up-
"You are late Manik. jaldi utho and come to the college fast warna I won't talk to you!" He said, imitating me.
"Right." I said, giggling.
"But now, Jaldi uthjata hun mae. I'm not lazy anymore." He said, with a fainted smile.
"Surprising! Nice change, Mr Mahlotra! But ye miracle hua kaisa?" I asked, widening my eyes.
"Ab koi mere tantrums nahi dekhta na. There's no one to scold me or order me so yeah..seekhlya." He said, smiling a little.
I didn't say anything. His reply had some deep meanings. I didn't know what to say.
"Navya..she must be searching for me." I said, changing the topic.
"Yeah," He said, "You should go.."
Somewhere deep down inside, he also wanted me to leave. He also wanted to avoid such conversations.
I nodded and left.
I went to the Navya's room and there I saw Mukti, Alya and Navya sitting together. They were planning something. "Yeh lo! Nandini bhi agayi!" Said Alya pointing her finger towards me.
"Come Nandini, join us!" Said Mukti, with an evil smile on her face. That smile was enough for me to figure out that they were up to something evil and crazy.
"What's cooking in your mind?" I asked, giving them confusing looks.
"Kuch Khaas nahi..It's just that..
"That what? Tell me?" I ordered.
"See, raat me koi pooja hai.." Said Mukti.
"So?" I asked.
"So..It would be quite boring, you know.."
"So?"
"So..We're planning to.."
"Planning to?" I asked.
"Planning to sneak out of the pooja." She answered in one single breath.
"We're not doing this." I said, warning them.
"Fine. Then you stay here ALONE and we will go have some fun." Said Alya, stressing on the word *Alone*
Urghh! I cursed that moment in which I decided to come to Goa. Damn! These girls. I said to myself.
"Fine. I'll come." I said, looking towards Mukti. As I said this, there was a wide smile on their face.
"Wait a minute.." I said, "Navya and Cabir..will they be coming with us too?" I asked.
"Obviously." Replied Alya.
"What!?" I cried.
"Don't worry nandu. Humay or Cabir ko wese he is pooja me hona zaroori nahi.." interrupted Navya.
"Okay then." I said, and turned to leave.
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I was working on some designs in my room."Nandini! Nandini!" I heard someone saying my name. I looked here and there to see who it was and to my surprise, I saw 3 people peeping into my room through the window. Their faces were not visible as they had covered their faces with a cloth. "Oh My God!!" I cried. "Somebody help me!! There's someone in my room!!" I started screaming like a crazy person.
"Nandini, It's us. Look, it's me..Mukti." Said Mukti, lifting up the cloth. I was shocked seeing that. "What the hell Mukti? What are you doing?" I asked angrily.
"What else could we do? I told you about our plan, Didn't I? Ek ghante se intezar karhe hain tumhara bahir." She replied.
"So does that mean you will sneak into my room and scare the hell out of me?" I asked.
"You two can continue this argument later, okay? Nandini, come out. Fast!" Said someone. It was cabir.
"You too? I cant believe this!"
"We dont have time for this, Nandini." Said Cabir.
"Fine," I said, heading towards the door.
"Not from there!!" The three shouted in unison.
I turned, "Then?" I asked confusingly.
"Come from here. This window! Bahir sab hain, they will see you." Said Alya.
"Hell no! I'm not coming from here." I said, moving my head in a NO.
"Why is it taking so much time, guys? Koi ajayega. Make it fast!!" I heard someone screaming from the down side. I looked from the window and saw Dhruv and Manik standing there.
"You guys are sick!" I said, angrily.
"Thankyou!" Shouted Manik.
"Nandini, apna hath do." Ordered Mukti.
"But Mukti..Three people are already standing on that ladder..It's too risky!!"
"Are you coming ya hum jayen?" Asked Navya.
I had no other option left now. "Okay.." I said, accepting my defeat.
Shit. Me girjaoongi. Shit. I was freaking out.
"Nandini, step by step." Instructed Cabir.
As soon as I reached the third last step, My legs started to shiver and I lost my control. My leg slipped and boom! I fell. As expected. I opened my eyes slowly and saw Manik's face. "Tum?" I said rubbing my eyes.
"You're safe," He said, "I have your back!"
I smiled a little. How does he manages to catch me everytime? How does he manages to be there, everytime when I fall?
"ThankGod!" Cried Cabir.
"Mission Nandini ko neeche lao accomplished!" Said, Mukti.
We headed towards the car and seated ourselves.
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We reached an amazing club. As we went inside, many people welcomed us. "Yeh sab kaun hain?" I asked Mukti.
"Cabir aur Navya kay kuch dost hain." She replied.
"Oh." I said.
"So, guys let's play something!" Suggested Cabir's friend.
"Yeah!" Cried Mukti, excitedly.
"Truth or dare?" Asked Dhruv.
"No! Something new." Insisted Alya.
"Okay so there's a game. It goes like.. There will be two partners, one of the partner will pick up a chit. Anything could be written on that. The person who picks up the chit will make his/her partner guess the word." Said Cabir.
"So do we have to act?" I asked.
"No. There's a little twist. You can say three words. Just Three words and the other person will use those words as a clue to guess it. Make sure you use words and not phrases." Instructed Cabir.
"Cool! This seems interesting." Said Alya.
"Who will be the partners?" Asked Mukti.
"Lets decide this by chits?" Suggested Navya.
"Great!"
After deciding the partners, we finally started the game. The partners were as followed: Cabir-Navya, Mukti-Alya, Dhruv-Cabir's Friend, Manik-Nandini and the rest of them were Navya and Cabir's friends.
After everyone's turn, it was finally ours.
"Who's guessing?" Asked Mukti.
"Manik." I said, looking towards him.
"Great!" Said Cabir.
I picked up the first chit and smiled a little, reading that. "Come on nandini, start!" ordered Dhruv.
"Science." I said, looking towards him.
"Telescope." He answered.
"Right!" I said.
"Okay now, next!" Said Alya.
I picked up the second chit and wide smile formed on my face.
"Say na?" Asked Manik.
"Fireflies." I said.
He smiled a little and said, "True love."
"Is he right?" Asked Alya looking towards me. I nodded my head in a yes. Everyone was stunned.
"Okay now the last one. Let's see if he gets this." Said Mukti.
As soon as I read the last chit, memories started flashing in my mind.
"Nandini, speak up!" Cried Navya.
I looked at Manik, smiled and said, "Hamesha."
He didn't say anything. He kept silent.
After a while, Dhruv said, "He can't guess this. Come on guys, who won?"
"Stars." Answered Manik. I looked at him immediately, "He right!" I said, with a smile on my face.
"I can't believe this!" Said Navya's friend in state of shock. "I mean, he guessed it in just one clue." She continued.
"They know each other very well." Whispered Navya in her ear.
Just when we were all sitting there, Cabir's phone started to ring. He excused himself.
"Waisay Manik, Man'na parega. Tuney to kamaal kardya!" Said Mukti, patting Manik's shoulder.
"Guys, we need to leave. Mom called. She was really very angry." Said Cabir, addressing us all.
We immediately stood up to leave. We waved Navya and Cabir's friend a final goodbye.
(As Author)
"Hey Hey!" Someone called Manik.
He turned and went upto the person. It was Cabir's childhood friend, Rajeev.
"Kia hua?" Asked Manik.
"There's alot of magic between you two. Ain't no one denying that." Said Rajeev, winking at Manik.
"And Magic makes forgetting hard." Said Manik, with a little smile on his face.
"I didn't understand." Said Rajeev.
"You won't," Said Manik looking at him, "See you bro!"
(As Nandini)
Navya dragged me towards a corner.
"You okay?" She asked.
"Yeah. why are you asking?"
"I know..whatever happened inside the club.. That game..the past..The memories..Everything. I know it's not easy, Nandini." She said.
She was right. It wasn't easy.
"It's okay, Navya. I'm fine. And about the past..The past beats inside me like a second heart. No matter how much I try forgetting everything, I know I never will. I have learned that if you leave a place that you have once lived in and where all your yesteryears are buried deep, leave it any way except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can. Never turn back and never believe that an hour you remember is a better hour because it is dead."
She smiled hearing this.
(As Author)
"Manik! Manik, sun!" Shouted Cabir.
"Bol?"
"Tu kab jaraha hai?" He asked.
"Tu mujhe bhagana chahta hai?" Asked Manik, Raising his eyebrow.
"As if me tujhe bhagaoonga aur tu bhag jayega." Said Cabir, rolling his eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll leave after two days."
"Cool.." Said Cabir.
"Aur Baki sab?" Asked Manik in a low voice.
Cabir understood what Manik was trying to ask. "Baki sab..Baki sab kia?" He asked looking towards Manik.
"I mean..Baki sab..when are they leaving?" Asked Manik, hesitatingly.
"Mukti 4 days bad jarahai hai,Dhruv 2 days baad and Alya ka kuch pata nahi."
"Aur?" Asked Manik.
"Aur Kaun?"
"Kuch nahi." Said Manik.
"Seedha Seedha puch na, Nandini kab jarahi hai." Said Cabir.
Manik immediately looked at Cabir. "No..Mera matlab wo nahi tha." He said lowering his gaze.
"Yeah, Right. You can't fool me Manik." Said Cabir looking into his eye.
"What do you want, Cabir?" Asked Manik.
"Ek bat puchun, Sach Batayega?" He asked.
"Pooch?"
"Do you still have feelings for Nandini?" Manik was stunned hearing this.
"What are...you..talking..about?" asked Manik, hesitatingly. He was hell nervous.
"You know what I'm talking about. Kal shaadi hai, and Nandini Shadi attend krtay he late night flight se chali jayegi. I'm not telling you to be back with her. All I'm saying is that Manik, hum do saal baad milrahe hain. We don't know kay ab hum next kab milenge. Milenge bhi ya nahi, kuch nahi pata. Kal kay bad, Hum sab phir apne alag alag rastay chale jaenge. Tu apni film kay chakar me busy hojaega, wo apne boutique ki job mein. I'm just saying kay take this as a oppurtunity to clear everything. To forgive and forget. Life is too short to live with regrets, Manik. do saal pehle jo hua, no one ever gave an explanation for that. No one even asked for one. Maybe destiny wanted to give you a chance, give us a chance, give our friendship a chance. Don't ignore this chance. Only you can make things better, Manik. Only you can." Said Cabir.
"But..Everything is normal..Sab normal behave krahay hain." Said Manik.
"Even though everyone is behaving as if kuch hua he nahi tha, as if sab normal hai..Tu bhi janta hai aur mae bhi janta hun kay nothing is normal. NOTHING is normal Manik. Do you think You and Nandini are normal? Do you think WE are normal? Fab5 is normal? No, Manik! We all are just pretending. Everyone's faking it! You know what the problem is?" Asked Cabir.
"What?"
"We all are like puzzle pieces who are perfectly suited to make a giant picture together, but we are assembling ourselves in the dark. That is the problem!"
Precap: Cabir and Navya's wedding and the last day of the gang together.
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Hindi TV Shows
Indian Mythology
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Marathi TV
Cricket
