Essence Of Love - A MaNan FF [Completed]

Chapter 8 - Party With Fab 5

Manik's POV

As soon as Nandini had disappeared from our sight, Cabir pulled me to face him, and said - ''Haan, toh ab bol'' .

''Kya bolun?'' I asked, pretending as if I didn't know what he was talking about.

''Yahi ki tu ek nayi 'friend' ke liye apne saare purane rishtey bhool jayega?'' He said dramatically, pretending to wipe off a tear.

''Pagal ho gaya kya?! You guys are my family!'' I replied, as sincerely as possible.

''Then.. Why did you let her go? Usne Fab 5 se panga liya dude.. Aur woh tujhe itna suna ke bhi gayi, tu ne kuch kiya kyun nahi??'' Mukti asked.

''Haan Manik, aisa tu ne pehli baar kiya hai.. Chal kya raha hai buddy?'' Dhruv added to the flood of questions directed towards me.

I stayed quiet.

''Kya yeh mera pehla, pehla pyaar hai? Sajnaaa..'' Cabir started singing to tease me, and I glared at him.

Alya came up to me and put her arm around me, saying ''Manik, if this is your first love , then I don't mind being pushed by her. It will be so much fun seeing the angry young man become a lover-boy''. She then laughed, and joined Cabir's song ''Yunhi rahe har dam Pyaar Ka Mausam, Yunhi milo humse Tum Janam Janam..''

''Stop It Guys!! I do NOT love her'' I screamed exasperatedly.

''Then... Prove it. Deal with her, the way you would deal with anyone who messes with Fab 5.'' Mukti said, smirking. This girl and her challenges.

''Fine'' I replied coldly and walked off.

I got inside the college, and went towards a staircase, where usually no one would be there. I just needed some time to clear my thoughts.

But, today the place wasn't empty. Seated on the top most step, her head on her knees sat Nandini, all alone.
She must have wanted some lone time too. I went up to her quietly, and sat
beside her. She was sobbing silently.

All because of me. Fab 5 ko toh kehdiya I'll deal with her, but how can I? I just can't seem to see her in pain.

I pulled her body towards me, so that her head now rested on my chest, and my arms wrapped around her petite frame. Her sobs stopped, and she looked up at me. For a few seconds, she just stared at me, as I wiped the tears gently off her cheeks. But the next moment, she pushed me off with a jerk.

''Nandini, I don't want to lose you as a friend. Please, I really didn't know it was you...'' I said.

''It is not about just me, Manik.'' She cut me off ''You know In the past few days, I had begun believing that you were my guardian angel? You gave me comfort and hope when I needed it so badly.I'm just so, so disappointed with you''.

This was heart-wrenching for me.
''I'm sorry..'' I apologised.

She ignored my apology, and continued
''I couldn't even imagine that you could go down to such levels.. Nahi chahiye tumhare jaisa dost! Aaj dekhliya tumhara real face. You and your Fab 5 torture poor students and make them suffer so much, for what? To get cheap thrills?!''

''Enough Nandini!'' I screamed. I had enough of this. Here, I was apologising to her even after she pushed Alya, and she had the audacity to actually speak this way about Fab 5.

''Why enough? Isn't it true? What do Fab 5 think of themselves, woh...'' She was showing no sign of stopping.
I grabbed her arms and put them behind her ''I said .. Enough!! Tumhe kya lagta hai, tum Fab 5 ke baare kuch bhi bolti jaogi, aur mai kuch nahi kahunga?! You are highly mistaken, Nandini Murthy - Fab 5 is my family! Samjhi?!'' I screamed.
I glowered at her, and she glared right back into my eyes. Must admit, this girl has some guts.