What Manik Wants!

6. Hurtful Revelations!

I know you all are a little bored with the story I guess! But please wait! I love you all for supporting me this much! I never thought I would get so much appreciation for this piece of work! Well now this one's for StarsAndFireflies_. She is the one who holds my back when I feel unsure about myself! And her stories! Do give it a try because it is something which you would have never imagined! Okay now go ahead❤💋

"Manik I don't know! I won't be able to tell her the truth. I can't see her break in front of my eyes!" I hid my face in my hands gathering some guts so that I could save my best friend! "Nandini! Till you don't tell her the truth she will live on fake dreams! Let her break those or else she will break apart when she comes to know about it later on! Maybe she won't move on?" I realized that whatever Manik was speaking was correct! I needed to have courage and do this for Navya! "But what will happen if I won't be able to handle her?" He smiled assuringly and held my hand "I am there for you then!" His words made me feel confident about this. It felt like someone was there to hold my back when I fall! He won't let me fall ever. I swiftly opened the door of the car and walked towards Navya's place with him. Before ringing the doorbell I looked at him once and he blinked his eyes indicating that this was the right time to spit it all.

"Hey Navu! What's up?" I asked Navya as she opened the door and looked at us. "Manik Nandini! Come in" Navya was such a pure soul she immediately made us comfortable on the couch and left to get some snacks for us. I decided that once she comes back I will say everything right away. "Have some cookies" She offered holding the plate in front of me. "No Navya thanks! Actually I..I and Manik" Although I had got myself ready for it still I stammered. "Kya hua Nandu? You and Manik?" While she said this I held her hand and made her sit in between both of us. "Navya this is something really important which you need to know! Mujhe nahi pata what will happen after this but yes all I want is you to be bold enough!" She looked at me as if she was already scared. "Tum kya bolna chahti ho hume kuch samajh nahi aa raha"
I sighed completely understanding her situation. "Navya aaj jab main aur Manik cafe gaye the toh we saw Harshad there! With some Girl. I had seen him with the same girl yesterday before your ceremony but at first I ignored it thinking that it was an illusion. But today when I saw him kissing that girl's knuckles and tummy again and again I and Manik thought of spying on him! We followed him and he left that girl somewhere near that farming area! Finally I got a clear view of that girl and She was the same one whom he was kissing yesterday too!" I could only see tears rolling down from her eyes and more and more of them already forming! Oh Navya don't do this. Let me complete it! "Navya I really don't want to say this but Harshad is cheating on you" I saw her eyes raging with anger and wiped her unstoppable tears off but she jerked my hand. "I should have known this Nandini!" She was such a naive girl. Blaming herself for not knowing about him! "Tumhari koi mistake nahi hai. Who had thought Harshad aisa hoga" I lowered my eyes holding my self. "Nahi Nandini who had thought Tum aisi niklogi! Meri dost ban ne ka natak karti ho, lekin tumse ache toh dushman hote hain! Duniya ko ye kehti firti ho ke tumhe Manik ke alawa aur koi nahi pasand toh fir ye sab Kya hai?" I stood up as I saw her walking ahead! She left me baffled. What did she mean? I am not her friend. Now my tears flowed out along with my pain. How long could I hold? "Ye Tum kya keh rahi ho Navya?" Suddenly I heard the sound of claps from the other side and instantly noticed Harshad coming out from behind a pillar! "Dekha Navya! Bilkul wahi hua jo maine Kaha tha! Bholi hone ka natak karti hai yeh" how on earth could Harshad be here? Wasn't he supposed to be somewhere else! But no he was hidden here! Now I and Manik figured out his plan. Manik too got up in shock. "Navya don't listen to him! He is lying! He is trapping you. It's just that I don't have a proof against him warna tumhe sachayi Aise hi pata chal jaati. Yeh lad.." She did not let me complete my sentence and screamed at me. "Bas karo Nandini! Harshad ne hume sab bata diya hai! Tumhe sharam kaise nahi aayi Nandini! Harshad ke saath pyaar ka natak karte hue? Ye toh acha hua Harshad ne hume pehle hi bata diya warna Tumhari baatein sunke shayad aaj Humne apni shaadi todh di hoti. Pehle Harshad ko phasati ho fir Tum hume aake ye jhoothi kahani sunati ho! Agar aaj Humne tumpe vishwas kar liya hota toh pata nahi Kya ho jaata! Pyaar karte hain hum Harshad se." My condition worsened as her words turned hurtful. At the moment Manik spoke up for me "Navya Nandini ka bharosa karo! Woh Sach keh rahi hai."
"Manik Tum in sab mein mat bolo toh acha hoga" She disagreed him too? "Navya uske paas koi proof nahi hai aur usne mujh par ye ilzaam lagaya hai! Tumhe us par bharosa hai"
"Haan hai" She yelled! "Aur Mujh par?" I asked with that last hope which was about to break. Her silence said it all. I fell on the floor hitting my knees. My Best friend! She Did not believe me? Instead she accused me of trying on her fiance? All I wanted was her happiness! One person broke it all. The bond that we shared for years was all drowning! How do I make her see the reality? My mind stopped working because I was busy fighting with my own self, with Navya's words! I broke into tears again and held the couch for support. "Nandini chalo yahanse" Manik spoke holding my shoulders. He wrapped his arms around me steadily making me stand up and without turning back he took me with himself! My tears had no place to rest and my body wasn't in my control. If Manik would have left me I would touch the ground soon. "Nandini" I heard Manik's voice and felt his gaze on me! "Nandini sambhalo khudko" He tightened the grip on my shoulders. "Kaise sambhalun Manik?" I screamed loud enough for the surroundings to listen. He knew he had to control the situation and all I needed was his support. The next I realized both of us sitting on a swing nearby. "Nandini. Speak it all out. Don't keep it inside you! It will only hurt you more Nandu! I am here for you! Say something please" I clung to him as if asking him not to go and I kept a part of his jacket in my tiny hand. "Manik! Nav...Navya main na usse Bachpan se bohot pyaar karti hun. I always wanted to see her happy and content. Whenever I used to cry she was always there to wipe my tears and I had a shoulder to lean on. But today she doesn't trust me? She thinks I am trying on Harshad. Meri Best Friend ko mujhpe shak hai! She exactly knows how I am! The things which I wasn't able to say she was the one who would understand it. My silence was her answer. But today her silence has hurt me so much Manik. I thought I won't let her break but she broke me! She was the first one to know about my likes crushes dislikes and even Love! Then how could she think this Manik? She made me feel characterless about myself. Her love for Harshad took away mine for her. Can Love betray Friendship Manik? I don't want to look up to her and face her. No I can't do that! The only thing I can do is be there for her whenever she breaks! Manik please bol do na yeh sab ek sapna hai" I clutched him tighter hoping all of this to be a dream. I spoke my heart out and now it felt much lighter! He caressed my hair and held me close! Hearing all of this even he was in tears. He kept swinging and caressing my hair all this while, but wiped his own tears so that he could show me how strong he was! "I know Nandu! What a best friend means. After your own family friends are the ones whom we consider as family. Main jaanta hun Tum hurt ho infact Navya shouldn't have behaved like this!Lekin kya Tum usse Harshad ke paas Aise chod dogi? He is playing with her but Tum toh usse Aise jaane nahi de sakti na? She is not in her senses isiliye usne Aise baat ki Fatso! Otherwise you know she loves you so much. And if she realises her mistake and asks for forgiveness won't you forgive her?" My heart knew he made a very strong point on his part. So I nodded! "Chalo then forgive her! Help her out! Fight for her. Tum Aise rone lagogi toh what will happen? Everyone here knows how strong my Nandu is! She fights for her rights then be it for her friends or for her ice cream! But she is a cute little package of Atom Bomb! Hai na?" I had dozed off in his arms probably when he was explaining me how I should stand up for Navya! There is no denying but yes he was the sole reason I kept going. His words affect me in a way that make me walk ahead! No one else had that effect on me. Maybe because it's only the person whom you love is the one whom you think is correct! For me he was the one who could make me feel better after every bad situation!

On not receiving a reply he looked down and found me sleeping peacefully in his arms! He smiled at this and finally carried me to his car. I was in deep slumber but I somehow felt that he took care that I was comfortable in the car too! After a drive of about 30 minutes we reached his place! He had again texted Chachi saying that I would stay with Navya! Maybe because Chachi never re - checked with Navya! He covered me with the blanket after placing me on the bed and left the room.
"Why is she here Manik?" Alya and Cabir gave him glares because Mukti and Dhruv were already sleeping. "Listen guys! Tum log jo soch rahe ho waisa kuch nahi hai. It's.. it's just that she had a fight with Navya and she wasn't in a condition to go home! So I brought her here" He said explaining the story and both of them stared at him! "So you will bring every other girl here" Alya spat out. Cabir was okay now with what Manik had done but Alya was still the same. "Alya this is my house! Let me decide what to do and what not! We will discuss about this in the morning. Good Night!" He wished them and left for his room. On his way he sneaked in and saw me sleeping! After 2 minutes he came with his pillow and blanket making himself sleep on the floor. He slept right beside me on the ground! What made him do that? I was already asleep but him? Did he sleep? Or he did not?