In His Custody ✎ (MaNan)

✰ 22 - silent screams

Just a recap because a lot of back-and-forth happened over the last two chappies: Fab 5 and kuch extras are going to Lonavala on a group trip.

Please share your thoughts on the chapter!

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Manik

That afternoon of our music competition, I was in front of a floor-length mirror, touching up my hair. The rest of my band was on beanbags, either on their phones or tweaking their guitars. We were supposed to be performing after NH3.

With the missing cufflinks on my wrists, my sleeves were rolled to my elbows, but wearing a blazer on top of that kind of bulk would restrict my guitar strokes. So one of the volunteers running around to help set up the whole show had brought in some safety pins to hold the sleeve in place, and my black blazer with red piping along the flaps.

Putting my arms through it, I shrugged them and my blazer came riding up and fit snugly over my shoulders.

A figure appeared behind me, looking at me through the mirror. Had she followed me from the old staff room? "Hum na, samajh sakte hai tumhara dard," She had come around me, and stood next to the volunteer. 

It was Nandini's friend, Navya.

"What?!"

She was looking at her nails, lost in her own thoughts. "One sided love, usme do pal ki khushiyon ke liye bohot dard sehna padhta hai,"

My face fell, eyes searching the expansive floor, the tall ceiling above, and after a deep breath, her. This was not love.

I cleared my throat. "What nonsense are you saying?" I snapped my fingers before her. "Listen, we're performing in 20 minutes, so stop spoiling my mood with your presence. And you, don't you have to be backstage by now?"

"Haan issliye main aayi thi humaare performance se pehle... bas yeh kehne aayi thi ki... At least you have a chance, usne toh abhi mana kiya hoga but give it some time, once she gets to know you she'll come around. Lekin main toh kuch kar bhi nahi sakti hoon Harshad ke baare mein..." Her fingers joined at their tips, hanging between us.

Face decorated with frown lines, I was trying to comprehend what she had meant by that. A gut feeling told me that Nandini had not discussed what had happened between us with Navya, which meant Navya had arrived to a conclusion on her own about Nandini having rejected me, and unrequited love–from my side.

My friends were not close enough to hear our conversation, thank God.

Harshad... "What about Harshad?"

She sniffed, and briskly wiped the corner of her eye. "Nahi, kuch nahi," She saw herself in the mirror, and adjusted her smudged lower waterline. "I think I should go, good luck!"

Did that mean she liked Harshad?

"Nav... Navya? Navya!" I called out to mere sounds of footsteps. She had long gone.

My hands went to my hips. "What the hell?" I muttered under my breath, stroking my lower lip. For fuck's sake, what was going on in this school?!

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Cabir

The jeep vroomed past a hairpin bend at an irrational speed, flinging us passengers to the opposite side of the wagon. Alia and Navya shrieked with their hands in the air, while cushioned a knocked-out Rose while us men had made ourselves comfortable on some of our luggages in the boot. There was a basketball rolling around under our feet, which we squished between our bags to hold in place.