Kaise yeh yaarian

Part 33

 FAB5 JAM ROOM – EVENING

The room is filled with low golden light. The guitar stands in the corner, unused. Fab5 sits scattered across the couches and bean bags—Cabir, Dhruv, Manik, Alia, and Mukti. Nandini and Navya sit together on the floor, back leaning against the couch. The air is tense, but calm.

Nandini is silent for a moment, eyes locked on Navya with a quiet intensity.

NANDINI
(soft but firm)
Navya... ek baat poochu?

Navya looks up, nervous. She senses the seriousness in Nandini's tone.

NAVYA
Haan...?

NANDINI
How did you even know you were pregnant?
I mean... did you go see a doctor?

Navya shifts uncomfortably. Cabir and Manik exchange glances. Dhruv looks down at his shoes.

NAVYA
(awkward, hesitant)
Uh... no... I... I took a home pregnancy test. At my hometown.
(avoids eye contact)
I didn't feel right. So I checked.

Nandini gently places her fingers on Navya's wrist, feeling her pulse. Everyone watches, confused.

CABIR
(half-whispering to Manik)
What's she doing?

MANIK
(silent, eyes on Nandini)
Let her be.

NAVYA
(awkwardly)
Nandu... yeh kya—

NANDINI
(concentrating, softly)
Shhh... bas ek second...

She closes her eyes. A long pause. Then she slowly opens them, looks directly at Navya. Her voice is low, but sure.

NANDINI
You're about two and a half months pregnant.

The entire room stills.

NAVYA
(stunned, whispers)
How... how do you know?

NANDINI
(grim, controlled)
My Mom taught me how to read pulse. It's an old method—used long before pregnancy kits even existed.
And I've seen it work.

Navya lowers her eyes, overwhelmed. The boys shift, visibly uncomfortable but deeply affected.

ALIA
Two and a half months...?

Nandini nods.

NANDINI
(softly, thinking aloud)
That means this happened around Musicana.
But... I was with you all the time...
You never left my side. Right?

The room goes quiet. Everyone turns to Navya, who is now visibly nervous, swallowing hard.

NAVYA
(voice trembling)
Nandu... I— I didn't tell you because... I thought...

She can't finish.

MUKTI
(cutting in, softly)
It happened on Musicana night.

Everyone's eyes shoot to Mukti. She looks down, guilt in her eyes.

MANIK
(frowning)
How do you know?

MUKTI
I had gone to Alia's house that night.
Felt weird being alone after the event.
But when I reached... I saw them. Navya and Harshad.

Stunned silence.

ALIA
Mukti... why didn't you say anything?

MUKTI
I was shocked, okay?
I left. I couldn't even process it. But I should've told someone. I should've stopped it.
(teary)
I'm sorry.

Nandini's hand is still on Navya's wrist. She slowly pulls it back.

NANDINI
(angry and hurt)
Navya... you knew what he was.
You knew. And still...?