Tangled Beliefs

Chapter-6: Morning Rush

In the stillness of the night, a shared laugh with friends can be the loudest reminder of what truly matters.

The night was calm, the city lights twinkling against the dark sky as Manik settled on his balcony, sipping his coffee. He leaned back in his chair, appreciating the rare moment of quiet after a long day. Just as he was starting to unwind, his phone buzzed on the table next to him, lighting up with a notification. He sighed, knowing exactly who it might be. Reluctantly, he picked up his laptop and opened Skype.

The moment his screen loaded, a voice pierced through the silence.

“MANIK MALHOTRA! How dare you ignore my calls!” Mukti’s face popped up on the screen, her eyes narrowed, looking almost ready to leap through the screen. “I swear, if you ever pull that stunt again, I will hunt you down. Seriously, Manik, you’re impossible!”

Manik couldn’t help but smirk, though he tried to hide it behind a neutral expression. Before he could respond, Alya’s face joined the call, her gaze critical but amused.

“Mukti, let it go. He’s never going to change,” she said, shaking her head as if resigned to Manik’s behavior.

Cabir joined in with a mischievous grin, saying, “This is way too good. I should have brought popcorn. Drama time!”

Dhruv, the most composed of the group, appeared on the screen, rolling his eyes. “Guys, give him a break! He’s probably just busy, right, Manik?” Dhruv looked at Manik expectantly, raising an eyebrow as if waiting for him to defend himself.

Finally, Manik leaned back and said with a smirk, “Thank you, Dhruv! You’re the only one who gets it. Muku, come on, I was in a meeting. Don’t kill me just yet.”

Mukti crossed her arms, unimpressed. “You always have some excuse. Meetings, meetings. How many meetings do you need to attend?”

Alya scoffed playfully, “Yeah, Manik, you can’t forget about us! We’re important too, you know.”

Cabir chuckled, shaking his head. “Here I am watching you get roasted, and it’s honestly the highlight of my day.”

Manik laughed, “Thanks a lot, Cabir. I really appreciate it. But seriously, I couldn’t miss your call – you guys would hunt me down.”

The familiar banter was energizing, and as the conversation flowed, Manik felt the stress of the day start to fade.

The screen is divided into five faces, each one representing a piece of Manik’s closest circle. Mukti, a passionate artist whose intense gaze softened only around her friends. Cabir, the laid-back, joke-cracking hotel mogul based in Bangalore, married and balancing his life between work and family. Alya, a top model with a sharp, witty sense of humor who never held back with her friends. And Dhruv, his calm, practical friend managing his family’s business, who always had a level-headed approach to things.

They had been together since school, practically family now, sharing everything – their successes, struggles, and even their wild dreams. Each of them was spread across cities: Dhruv on a business trip, Alya recently in Paris for a fashion event, Mukti in Delhi with an exhibition, and Cabir handling his hotel chain expansion in Bangalore. Yet, they always managed to stay connected.

“So, Cabir,” Manik said, leaning forward, “when are you moving back to Mumbai?”

Cabir smiled, looking a little tired but excited. “Soon, man. Just a few things to wrap up here, and then I’ll be there for good. But listen – I was thinking about dropping by next week. We could have a real catch-up.”

“That’d be great,” Manik said, nodding. “We need a reunion. Mukti, Alya, when are you guys back?”

Alya replied first, “End of the week. Paris was incredible, but I’m ready to be home.”