MaNan: It was love

Part fourteen

Next morning when I got up I saw that Manik has already left. I couldn't stop smiling after remembering our moments together. Yesterday has to be one of the most beautiful day of my life.
I got up from the bed and saw a note on the side-table, it read

Morning beautiful
I'm off to my room as promised.
This has to be the best morning of my life because you were there in my arms.
Your love,
Manik

Fuck the rest, my eyes were focused on the word love. Manik has never been loud about his feelings for me but these small little things make me believe that he loves me. I was on the cloud nine when I read it. Also, some years back he literally bashed me for writing a note for him and now he has written it. Oh my god, am I dreaming or what?
Just then someone knocked on my door. I went to open the door. There was a girl standing there. She looked a little bubbly and energetic. I asked,"yes, how may I help you?"
She offered her hand for handshake and said," hey! I'm soha! Your roommate."
I gave her a big smile and shook hands with her. I replied,"hii I'm Nandini. Please come in!"
Before she sees it, I tuck the note given to me by Manik inside my pocket.
Soha came in. While settling down she was talking about something or the other while I was in my lala land. She then said,"Nandini you know what I don't want to become a singer I'm just here for the cute drummer Cabir."
Poor girl. She doesn't know that Cabir is actually gay. I said,"best of luck with Cabir." She smiled at me. I was happy that fab5 were letting me live normally as other participants with roommates and not alone. I can make friends now.
Soha said,"Nandini. We've a singing round today  with which 20 will go back and 5 will stay. Right?"
I said,"yeah. I guess. That's what I heard."
She said,"it will be so cool if you and I both stay here. Listen lets party tonight. I made some friends on the flight we decided that we'll party tonight at Cubana. Join us?"
I wanted to make new friends after all I can't show others that me and fab5 are good friends. So I just said,"cool."
I went to take shower. When I got ready I started preparing for performance. I sat and meditated for a while then listened to the song I was going to perform today.
Around two o'clock we were called near the garden area for our performances. The area was beautifully decorated with a stage which had the sea in the backdrop. We sat there and waited for the fab5. 
After good half an hour they came on stage, with their usual attitude.
Aliya addressed the people,"so guys wassup? How are you finding goa? Interesting?"
All of us cheered And hooted. Then mukti said,"sadly twenty of you will be leaving from here and will be going back home today itself."
Disappointment could be seen very easily on every face. Just then I looked on the stage and saw Manik's eyes fixed on me. He was constantly looking at me, a faint smile playing on his lips.
I was looking back at him. Our trance was broken by people hooting around us. After a while everyone settled down and one by one all the participants started giving their performance. All of them were amazing singers. This is going to be a really tough competition.
After an hour my name was called, I took my guitar and went on the stage. I sat on the bar stool, adjusted the MIC and then looked at Manik. He was smiling at me and I smiled at him. Then I closed my eyes. I sang with all my heart. When I was done, I opened my eyes. I saw Manik clapping for me like a maniac and saw all the other members of fab5 giving me big smiles. I again looked at Manik. He still had a beautiful smile on his face. I smiled back at him in a subtle way so that no one notices this but I guess I was wrong. The moment I went back to my seat, Soha starting bugging me.
She said,"did you see Manik? He was looking at you just like a kid looks at candies. I must say you've managed to impress Manik. A little too much I guess."
She winked while saying the last sentence. What the fuck! I don't want to get into all this shit so I said," soha I was there on the stage I could see him, he wasn't even looking at me. So chill"
Thankfully she was called next. She got up and went to sing. She was a good singer too. She had a different voice quality. I told her this when she came back after giving her performance.
It was around seven we were still sitting there while fab5 were making final decisions and going through the videos.
Finally Dhruv and Cabir came on the stage and announced the final 5 people who will be staying here while the rest will be leaving tonight.
Dhruv said,"all of you have been good but five of you have set a benchmark higher than the rest of you all. The five people to make it to the final list are:
Soha"
When soha hard her name she started jumping like a kid. She hugged me. She said,"eeeee one more step closer to Cabir."
I rolled my eyes at her. She was happy because she will get a chance to be close to Cabir and not because her career was now going to take a sharp leap towards the top.
I completely missed out on the list but I heard Cabir announcing my name in the last. I was happy. I was doing all this for my parents and Amms. I'm sure they must be happy today. While twenty of the people were sad and left the place after getting clicked with fab5, but five of us Stayed there. Soha who was happy a while ago, was sad now. She said,"Nandini the guys I made plan with for clubbing have not been selected. What should we do now?"
Another boy who got selected came forward and said,"hey I'm anirudh! How about celebrating our selection tonight. Even I was planning to go for clubbing tonight and today is Wednesday. Cubana is known for its Wednesday night party." 
Soha happily agreed while the other two guys who I guess were saahil and Sam, agreed too.
Soha and I went back to our rooms to get ready for tonight. We were just getting ready, when my phone beeped.
It was a message from Manik. I was smiling looking at his name on my screen. I opened the text it read,

Manik: I want to meet you. Will be there in your room in 15

I wanted to meet him too I was about to type okay when I realised that soha was there too.
I replied.

Me: sorry Manik you can't. I have a roommate here. She'll get to know everything.

I waited for his reply. After a minute or so my phone beeped again.

Manik: roooommm mate???? Who the hell made you share room? I'll talk to swati. Don't worry I'll get you a room for your own!

What? Noooooo. His going out of the way for me will raise a lot of questions. I immediately replied before he makes arrangements for the same.

Me: no Manik! I'm finally making new friends. Please don't intervene.

Manik: fine. We'll see. Anyway can we meet now? Near poolside? Pleaseeeee? *puppy face*

Oh my god he was being so adorable. I wanted to meet him right away but then I realised we five were already leaving for the club. I replied

Me: sorry Manik I can't. I'm going clubbing with the final five participants.

I was just walking towards the car when I got a call from Manik. I picked up the call.
Before I could say anything he shouted,"Nandini you're going clubbing with the bunch of people you've hardly known for few hours. You're not going anyhwere."
I was totally irritated with the controlling tone with which he said this.
I said,"Manik when I told you about clubbing, I was informing you. I was not asking you."
I can hear Manik grinding his teeth on the phone. He said,"fine. Where are you going?"
I happily said,"club cabana."
Manik bursted out again on the phone. He said,"Nandini are you mad or what? You're not going anywhere. Come back right now. Do you even know what sort of people you'll find there? I don't trust those four to take care of you. You're not going anywhere and that's final. Meet me right now in my room."
Wait. Why can't I have a say on what I want to do? Its my life after all.
I said,"Manik I'm going there and that's final. See you."
Before he could say anything I switched off my phone.
I can totally imagine Manik frustratedly saying," Nandini sometimes you really test my patience."
The thought brought a smile on my face.
I sat in the car and left.

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A/N
That was protective Manik for you all. What new change will Nandini's decision to go to club will bring in their lives! Keep reading the story to know more. ;)
I always try to update the story as son as possible but my work is keeping me really busy. Please bear with me!
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Love and hugs
Sasha