MaNan FF - Heaven DISCONTINUED ON IF - Page 10

~ 5 ~

By late evening, Nandini was out on the streets again, headed off to pick Manik from his classes. But though the day was rather exciting, none of it showed on her face. There was anger, pain and despair instead. Helplessness and sorrow. The irresistible urge to let it all out with a deafening scream. But she bit her quivering lips and suppressed the rage and agony that was burning within.

She had locked horns with her step mother before leaving home. Yes, another one of destiny's cruel games. No one knows what lies ahead. But the wise ones say that "everything has a purpose." What purpose could this possibly have? Why did this have to happen? Why did Amma have to... die? Why did Appa have to marry again?

~Flashback ~

Nandini was in her late teens when it happened. It came as a shock to the Murthy's. Her mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphatic cancer and it was spreading fast. Destroying all barriers and conquering her body, mind and soul. She was in horrendous pain and had slowly allowed a deep, frightening coma to take over.

Yet, Nandini believed in a miracle to happen. She never knew how bad her mother's case was. And neither did Rishabh. Their father kept them in the dark and avoided them whenever they wanted to talk about it or lean onto his shoulder.

But one night at home, Nandini cornered him. "What did the doctor say?" she asked anxiously as she hung onto her father's hand. She was worn out from all the stress she had been going through lately. And that included the long bouts of crying after seeing her mother squirming in agony, failing hope, and sleeplessness.

Unlike Nandini and her brother, Mr. Murthy had no pain on his face. He seemed unaffected by all what was happening. He smirked and looked away before turning to Nandini again. "Isn't it obvious? She's not going to make it."

His words hit her like a vicious slap to the face. She felt herself collapse onto her knees.

"She's in the last stage and there's nothing more that can be done," continued her father without any remorse. "The doctor has asked me to inform all those who are concerned. It is all over."

And then, the truth sunk in to her heart and flooded out of her eyes. She wrapped herself around her father's legs and broke down into loud heaving sobs, almost as if begging him to not let it happen.

Mr. Murthy bit his lip and looked away. There was intense pain in his eyes. His struggle to be strong and emotionless was wavering, but he was determined not to break, so he pulled her off and walked away without even turning to look at her.

As Nandini laid on the hard, cold floor and sobbed her heart out, her friends Mukti and Navya walked in and pulled her into their consoling arms, stroked her and assured her that everything was going to be alright. But Nandini was broken. There was nothing or no one that could console her. She was in shock and pain. The miracle she had prayed for seemed to have been simply denied.

Navya looked perturbed as she stepped out of the room and rang up the only one who could probably calm her down. "Manik? Can you come over to Nandini's? She needs you."

It was quite late when Manik walked in. The Murthy's relatives had perched themselves here and there in the house and they ogled at him as he came in through the front door. Navya, who had been waiting all this while for Manik to turn up, came to him.

Manik looked really distressed. "Is she crying?" he asked in a really low voice.

Navya nodded. "She has calmed down for the time being. But..."

The relatives watched him closely as he followed Navya to the room. "It's her boyfriend," one of them whispered quietly.

"When did this happen?" asked another.

"Seems to have been long," came a reply. "I don't think he's a Brahmin."

"Why is Murthy quiet about all this?" asked another curious person. "She's an adult, how can he just let her loose like this?"

"Blame it on the mother," said another one. "She was the one who let that boy go in and out as he pleased."

"Whenever that boy comes here he goes straight to the bedroom. For what?"

"For what?"

"Of course, what else?"

"Is it!!? Aiyayyoo! Kadavuley!!!"

Their hushed voices came to a grinding halt as Mr. Murthy walked past them with a wicked glare. He didn't really like any of them but the situation didn't encourage a scene.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Manik tiptoed into Nandini's bedroom and found her sitting upright on the floor and leaning onto the wall. Mukti who was sitting right beside her with an assuring arm over her shoulder, looked up as he came in.

Nandini was spaced out and a complete mess. The pain of her broken heart which had blown up her eyes into two bloodshot orbs was hidden under the mane of ruffled hair that laid over her face. Manik felt his heart cringe at her plight and didn't know what to do.

"Hey buddy," he whispered as he knelt before her and gently patted her on the arm. "I'm here."

His voice brought Nandini out from the black hole that had briefly swallowed her up. And the minute she saw him, the pain and the month's events returned to her with the worst possible intensity. She threw her arms around his shoulders whilst she stared at the wall behind him in horror.

"Don't give up," said Manik quietly as he embraced her and stroked her back gently. "Not yet. Doctors don't have to be right always. There's only so much that they can do. Have faith. She's going to make it. Trust me."

"I'm scared," she whispered breathlessly as she trembled in his arms.

"Why buddy," replied Manik quietly whilst still on his knees and holding her. "All of us are here. I am here. Don't worry. Everything's going to come around. Trust me."

"If she... goes... if she dies... then... what will I do..." there was utter panic in her voice. "Who will I gossip with? Who will sleep next to me? Whom will I hug?"

She shuddered in his arms and broke down sobbing again. Manik was lost and helpless that all he could do was hug her tighter. Her sobs were killing him and he so badly wished that he could perform some miracle. "Nandini listen... listen yaar..." his voice struggled to make its way out through the tears that had begun to clog his eyes and throat. He continued to ruffle her hair and rock her in his arms as he too broke down with his friend.

~ End of flashback ~

Amidst all the controversies that the relatives were busy cooking up, Manik, Navya and Mukti had stayed with her throughout the night whilst giving company to Rishabh as well. And she was glad that they did, because the next day, before the first rays of the sun peeped over the horizon, her mother had left for her heavenly abode.

A year and a half later, her dad married again, against their wishes. "I want my kids to have a mother," he reasoned. "I don't think so," Nandini had replied. "We're old enough to take care of ourselves. But if you feel that you need someone... you're free to do what you wish."

And then he married and broke their hearts. "Akka... Why did Appa do this? Doesn't he love Amma anymore?" Rishabh had asked her one night to which she had nothing to say.

But years later, Mr. Murthy had come to terms with his decision. Though he never spoke about it to anyone, he knew that he had made a big mistake. And from the look in his eyes, Nandini knew it too. She knew that he was guilty. He had thought things would get sorted out but the new woman never gelled with the kids. And Nandini was one wild mare. Tough to tame. Aggressive. But eventually, like any other wild mare, she was broken too.

Nandini was now sitting on her scooty in front of a low rise building. Right above her from the second floor, a neon sign board flashed Royal School of Dance and Music in big red letters. A slow but catchy song with heavy bass and beats could be heard floating out from there. She chucked out the tears from her eyes with one rough swipe and glanced over at her watch. It was close to 9 PM. Manik's dance classes would have wrapped up by now.

"Hey," a voice from above her shoulder startled her. She turned around and it was Manik indeed in his scrubs once again. The smile on his face faded away as he noticed the gloom on hers. "You alright?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah," she sniffled but replied in a strong don't give a damn voice. "Were you dancing in this or what?"

"Nah! Mad or what?" he replied. "I had a spare T-shirt and tracks for that. And I have another one for the performance. The scrubs are just to convince my darling parents that I'm returning from the hospital after a gruelling extra shift. Or else... you know... they'll start blabbing again."

Nandini chuckled. Of course, his parents never knew about his extra-curricular activities. But thankfully, they never had a problem with him going out for a jamming session with Nandini. "The whole thing sucks," she said bitterly. She was upset about a lot of things. About herself. About Manik and the way his parents suppressed his dreams and ambitions.

"Tell me about it," replied Manik wearily. "You know... if I had any choice, I would have just pursued an acting degree. But my parents were like..." he mimicked his mother's high pitched voice and silly expressions. "Acting!? Is that even a subject of study? Do something worthwhile in life instead of making faces. Do something that society will respect!"

"F**k society," she growled angrily and looked away at nothing particular. She was seething in absolute rage. "Why even give a f**k about them? Let them go f**k themselves."

Manik smiled. He knew what was going on. The F-word was a major part of her vocabulary when she literally wanted to kill someone. "Achcha. Tell me one thing. You guys had a tiff or what?"

Nandini continued to sulk and ignore his question as she tried to get interested in the chaat shop nearby. She feared that if she dared to talk the tears would spill out and she didn't want to cry.

"Hello? Where are you lost?" Manik snapped his fingers right before her eyes.

Nandini tsk-tsked and got her scooty off the stand. "Nowhere," she sighed wearily. "Let's go. We're getting late."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They were headed off to the club on her scooty with Nandini behind the handle and Manik snugly fitted in the back. "Will Shahid be getting the guitars?" he shouted over the howling noise of the wind.

"Yeah of course," answered Nandini. "He has to. He's got his drum set to manage. By the way, you didn't tell me what happened with James."

James!!! The very name gave him a creepy crawly feeling, as if spiders were crawling all over him. "Ahoow Gawd!" he snarled in disgust. "This guy seriously! What's wrong with him?"

"Why? He raped you kya?" she joked.

"Yes!!!" he blurted out.

"What!!?" Nandini wasn't ready to take it seriously. "Stop kidding me."

"Well literally!" he barked over the noise of the wind. "See. I'll show you what he did." Saying this, Manik began to gently stroke her arm, seductively dragging his fingertips over her fabric and bare skin with the sole intent to turn her on. Nandini felt as if a cube of ice had just been dropped down her t-shirt.

"You are a very good looking boy," Manik said in a deep but low and romantic tone right into her ears. The creepy feeling sent a huge wave of something pulsing all over her.

"Ahoorrgh!!" she laughed and slapped him off as she felt incredibly ticklish. "What the hell! Like seriously!!?"

"I'm not kidding," he laughed. "This is exactly what happened. Just imagine how I felt!"

"Horny right?" she barked.

"Horny my foot!" he snapped irritably. "I felt warty!!! Disgusting!!! Idiot! I'll kill you!"

The both of them were laughing so hard now. The pain, anger and frustration which had taken over their lives before had completely vanished. "Oye! Control yourself!" urged Manik. "Or you'll go and bang your scooter somewhere and land me up on some tree."

"So is James hot?!" she bellowed.

He grabbed her throat at this. "Shut up and drive or I'll show you who and what is hot!"

They laughed all the way to the club and by the time Nandini reached there, she was literally in tears. Shahid the drummer was already there and waiting. He was shocked to see tears streaming down Nandini's face.

"Arre! What happened to you?" he asked in utter shock to which Nandini almost rolled on the floor laughing.

"Weekend, right?" winked Manik. "Happens. Let's go and rock."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Next: Chapter 6

Originally posted by: Tammy18

Well yet another awesome chapter.. I really like how ur characters r totally different frm d show.. othr ff likes to show same nature of characters..

Comin to dat.. wen r u gonna update other one.. ?