Love will Find The way

Chapter 22- Dil ki Baatein

''Wow! Aaj hi mujhe pata chala ki uska boy friend nahi hai, phir koi bolta hai ki uska boyfriend actually hai'' Manik was confused and retired to the balcony for fresh air. He looked at his mobile screen which showed the time as 11:45 pm. ''Jitna Nandini ko jaan ne ka koshish kar raha hu utna mysterious hoti jaa rahi hai wo, Should I ask her about Sid?'' he thought. ''As if she is readily gonna say everything as soon as I ask her'' realization had hit him hard. He strolled in the balcony for sometime thinking about Nandini when Siya called him. ''Awake till now?'' she asked him. ''Ha Aryaman se milne aaya tha, aaj raat yahi ruk jaaunga'' he said. ''Ok, best friends are having the best time uh'' she asked him. Manik smiled and Siya didn't want to disturb them. 

''Jab se Nandini aayi hai, main Siya se bhi jhoot bolne laga hu. She is a drug aur main addict hota jaa raha hu'' he thought. Manik heard phone ringing inside but he ignored. He continuously heard it and went in finally. He found Satya and Aryaman in deep sleep on the couch itself. Satya's phone is ringing but he was fast asleep. Manik tried to answer his phone but it stopped ringing. The screen showed 2 missed calls from an unknown number. The phone started ringing again. Manik had to answer this time. ''Hello'' Manik spoke. ''Hello, itna time kyu ho raha hai phone uthane mein'' the other guy spoke in a rude tone. Manik was about to cut the call but something the guy said caught his attention. ''This girl is alone here with us, will you come to take her'' Manik was sure that is Nandini. He thought Nandini is in some danger. ''Where should I come'' he asked. ''1 town police station'' the other guy said. ''Police station! Kyu?'' Manik was beyond shocked. 

''Ye ladki drunk and drive ke case mein pakdi gayi, wo kuch nahi bol rahi hai, raat mein hum ladki ko police station mein nahi rakh sakte. We have taken your number from her phone'' Manik heard everything and he already started in his car. He reached there in no time. ''Mujhe ek phone aaya hai yaha se'' Manik asked at the head constable. ''Phone aaya! Kis liye, kisne kiya phone'' he recklessly asked Manik. ''Ek ladki ke drunk and drive case'' Manik said. Constable moved his sight from his phone to Manik. ''Sir aap yaha?'' he was over excited seeing Manik there. ''Main aapke bahut bada fan hu sir, I have seen all your films first day first show'' he said. ''Can I see Nandini'' Manik asked. ''Uss ladki ka naam Nandini hai?'' he asked and showed her. Nandini is sitting on a bench all alone in a room. ''Sir, madam kaun hai'' he asked. Manik's answer was so crucial and he couldn't afford to put his cinema at stake. 

''Dekho ye meri naye film ke heroine hai, I don't want any trouble. Agar ye khabar baahar aa gaya tho!'' Manik tried to warn him. ''Don't worry sir, main aapke bahut bada fan hu, abhi issi waqt madam ko le jaayiye'' constable cooperated. ''I am ready to pay you any sum of amount'' Manik gave an open offer. ''Sir aapse paise? aap se mujhe bas ek selfie chahiye'' he seemed to be a genuine fan to Manik. ''Abhi yaha police station mein possible nahi hai, ek kaam karo, take my card and meet me tomorrow on my new movie sets'' Manik said giving his card. ''I can't believe my luck tonight, thank you so much sir'' he asked Manik to take Nandini with her. ''Huh, can you send this car to this address?'' Manik asked him to get Nandini's car. ''Nandini'' he called her. ''You here!'' Nandini acted surprised. ''Go get your things from your car, I'll drop you home in my car'' Manik said and like an obedient child she accepted. Manik thanked his luck for the eventful night. ''Agar ye news baahar aa gaya tho bahut bada tamasha hota tha'' he thought.

Manik went to sit in his car and saw Nandini in the driver seat. ''Wasn't it enough for you to be caught in drunk and drive case, go now, sit there'' he scolded Nandini. She went and sat in the passenger seat. ''Tumhe zara bhi akal hai kya? Why did you drive when you are drunk'' he asked her. ''I want to forget everything. Sab kuch bhool kar apni life jeena chahti hu, is it too much to ask?'' she said. Nandini was feeling emotional. ''Then will you able to forget everything? Tumhe koi idea hai kya kiya tumne?'' Manik asked her. ''But you wanted to know my secret, lo ab tujhe mil gaya mauka mujhe badnaam karne ka, I know you don't like me'' she said. Manik ignited the engine and started his car. ''Why do you think I don't like you'' he asked without looking at her. ''Dikh raha hai mujhe, I can read it in your eyes clearly'' she said. ''Acha, ab tum face and mind bhi read karne lagi'' he joked. 

''By the way, aaj poore din kaha gayi tum? aur suddenly yaha aa gayi police station mein, kya ho raha hai'' Manik asked her straight. ''Why should I tell you?'' she was adamant. ''I have asked Satya, he mentioned about the birthday of a special person in your life'' Manik paused for a minute. ''Is it Sid?'' he asked hesitantly. Nandini looked at Manik and opened her bottle of whiskey. Manik tried to snatch the bottle and stopped the car on a sideway. ''Did you bring this here too?'' Manik took it away from her. ''Why do you want to talk about him?'' she asked sadly. 

"What happened between both of you? Is Sid's birthday today? Kya tum usse milne gayi thi?" he asked her. "Main kisi se milne nahi gayi, I just want to be with myself. Mujhe zindagi bhar akeli hi rehna hai. Love ke chakkar mein mujhe nahi padhna hai" he asked. "Tumhara bhi ek sad breakup story hai kya. Tell me did he broke up with you?" Manik asked Nandini. "Why do you want to know all of this? Tumhe kya Siya se pyaar jo kar rahe ho, you both are one happy couple. Aryaman ki Tara chamakte sitara ban gayi. Tum dono ka love stories ek dum perfect hai, your love story, Siya completes it. Aryaman ke life adhoora reh gaya, par pyaar tho poora ho gaya na. But my love, na idhar ka na udhar ka" Nandini blabbered.

"I will talk to him. Tell me did he break your heart" Manik asked. "No, I broke his heart, mere saiyya ji se maine breakup karliya" Nandini sang. "What! You broke up with him and you are still sulking over him." Manik didn't expect this answer from her. "Are breakups only meant for boys? Girls can also break the relation" she said. "24 hours and see where Iam. Maine Nandini ke baare mein itna kuch pata kiya but I still feel she is mysterious" Manik thought. Manik wanted to ask one last question to Nandini.

"Do you still love Sid?" Manik broke the ice between them as she wouldn't remember anything the next day.