Humesha- An Accidental Love Story

33. The Tip of the Iceberg

Manik

Harshad? Like really? Out of everyone here, she had to choose Harshad's group to be in?

Space academy is the best music school in india with such talented musicians and the great Nandini Murthy is in Harshad's team!

Ugh.

"Guys iss saal bhi hum hi musicana jeetenge and it's going to be really easy...after all we have got no competition this time" Mukti said.

We were all in the fab 5 jam room right now, discussing about Musicana or to be precise, me trying to cover up my anger and irritation about Harshad and Nandini being in one band and the rest mocking them.

"I know right! I seriously don't get it ki bhai ne unn down market behenjis ko apne group me kyu liya" Alia laughed, joining Mukti.

"Harshad ke paas ek chance tha to at least compete with us and then lose but uski team dekh ke lag raha hai ki voh compete karne se pehle hi haar jaega" Mukti laughed louder, giving Cabir a hi-fi.

"Guys we shouldn't underestimate them like this. Kya pata they are really talented?" Dhruv, our good boy said to which Cabir scoffed.

"Really Dhruv? Good and them? Tune uss black and white Madhubala...kya naam hai uska? Ha Navya! Have you even seen her? Voh itna melodrama karti hai that I doubt use music pe focus karne ka time bhi milta hoga and voh dusri, Nandini. Voh apni mother Teresa wali duty se free hogi toh music pe concentrate karegi na" Cabir mocked them, making Dhruv shake his head in disbelief.

"Manik tujhe kuch nahi bolna hai?" Dhruv finally turned to look at me but I continued sitting at my place silently.

"Manik?"

"Huh? Ha. Come on Dhruv...how do they even matter to us. Voh log chahe jaise bhi ho...we need to focus on us and our music" I said seriously.

"Yeah you are right. Hume Harshad aur uski stupid si team ke baare me discuss karke energy waste nahi karni chahiye" Mukti agreed.

"Right. But ab humne energy waste kar hi li hai toh canteen chale guys? I am really very hungry" Cabir exclaimed, trying his best to make an innocent face.

How is this guy always so hungry?

Anyways we went to the canteen and ordered our usual stuff with Cabir ofcourse hogging more than needed. We were busy eating and chatting- well, only them, I was just playing with my food and looking around the canteen, trying to spot that one petite girl but found her nowhere.

"Guys I'll just come" I said standing up suddenly and they looked at me with question marks on their faces.

"Tu kaha ja raha hai?" Mukti asked, narrowing her eyes at me, making me roll my eyes.

"Oh lady bheem I just want to go to the loo. Do I have your permission?"

"Oh ha ja na...maine kab roka tujhe?" She said sheepishly and continued eating. I rolled my eyes and walked away.

I had to find Nandini.

I looked around the corridors but there was no sign of her. I continued walking.

I had almost reached the end of the corridor when I saw the edge of a bag, very similar to that of Nandini's peeping from the side of a pillar. I walked closer to have a clear look and sighed in disbelief as I saw Nandini talking to someone. 

The girl is already so petite and her being at an abandoned corridor, behind a pillar didn't help much in locating her 

I thought frustratingly as I took long strides towards her but stopped midway when I saw the certain someone she was talking to yank her towards him with a force.

What the hell!

I was suddenly angry at how she was letting someone treat her this way. Before I could walk any further, I finally saw who she was talking to and my fists clenched in the overwhelming anger that I was feeling at that moment. 

Who could it be other than that dick Harshad! I don't understand why does this girl even entertain him. 

They looked like they were arguing. I could make that out because I could see a vein popping out on Harshad's forehead as he held onto her arm in an iron grip but Nandini didn't even wince. She looked so calm that I wondered in surprise how that grip wasn't hurting her after all Harshad was a strong man physically. 

My curiosity made me walk more close to listen to what they were talking about and I could now hear Harshad hissing at her in his venomous tone.

"You better start acting Nandini before I do something that you won't like" He said.

"And you think I should be scared of these empty threats you keep throwing at me?" Nandini scoffed and I stifled a laugh at the look on Harshad's face.

He was downright pissed.

"My threats aren't empty Nia" He smirked.

Nia. I have heard this name somewhere. I whacked my brain hard to remember where and a few moments later it striked me, it was Nandini's name that she preferred using at the strip club!

But why did Harshad call her with that name now? Was this some sort of indirect threat that he was giving her? because I swear I could see Nandini's face lose all its colour at the mere mention of it. 

"Harshad don't you dare" she hissed.

"I already did Nia- oops Nandini" his smirk only widened and by the looks of it I could tell he looked pretty satisfied with Nandini's reaction.

"So I hope all your plans to do something and convince Navya about not being fit to be a part of the band have been abandoned" Harshad stated seeing Nandini stand there in silence.

 As much as I wanted to interrupt them, I didn't because-

1. I didn't want Harshad to know of my presence; and 

2. I didn't want to spoil things for Nandini by marking my presence in front of Harshad. It was better to stay hidden.

"Just stay in your limits and I'll stay in your band" she said through gritted teeth. I could easily make out her growing frustration but Harshad was enjoying it.

"Well no promises but I can try" he smirked, trying to trace Nandini's face with his finger but she was quick to slap his hand away.

"Hands to yourself you Jerk!"

"Come on Nandini, I haven't even done anything" he smirked, almost mocking her as he pulled her a little closer by her wrist.

Nandini struggled to get out of his hold for a few seconds before she kneed him too close to his manhood. I could see Harshad instantly wincing in pain and leaving her hand.

I kinda felt proud of Nandini at that moment.

She wasn't weak, she could fight for herself. But my question was why did she even have to do this in the first place?

I had accidentally heard Harshad and Nandini talking  previously too like I did this time and it was easy to understand Nandini was in trouble.

I wanted to ask her, talk to her, but I knew she won't tell me anything so I decided to find out myself, hoping that me hearing their conversation accidentally would do Nandini some good.

I had only scratched the tip of the iceberg by overhearing their conversation. There was a long way to go.

Happy reading.

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