Kaisi yeh Yaariyan Season 3

Chapter 45

Their eyes had widened to double their original size as if they were watching a live ghost, Nandu mam hugging Manik bhaiyaa infront of them!!!

Manik couldn't lift his eyes to face them. The hug had been so sudden, he didn't get a chance to even make an excuse. Couldn't she reserve it for a little later, when they would be alone. It would have saved him this embarrassment and given him all the opportunity in the world to pull her closer to himself.

But for reasons he couldn't understand, he was more than glad, she had chosen to do it now, this way. It meant a lot to him that her feelings for him were so spontaneous and she was not afraid of expressing them in front of the world. Despite having everything, he had been craving for a little acceptance, that small place where he could feel that he truly belonged. In Nandini and her small world which comprised of these kids, he had found that small place in a big way. Here, he was wanted and loved for who he was. It didn't matter where he came from, what surname or designation he carried, which brand of clothes he was wearing or what kind of baggage he was bearing.

With Nandini still holding on to him, he stretched his arms apart. Nandini heard a commotion and then one by one she felt the thrust of one small body on or around her. She thought, her wayward tears would flow unnoticed in this moment that was precious enough to be frozen forever in a frame and Manik wouldn't be able to make out her quivering hands from the other 17 pairs jostling to find a place on his torso.

How could he have not noticed when his shoulders were where they both finally settled, as always.

********

"Manik, mujhe ghar jana hai abhi" She said with a sudden sense of urgency.

"Why what happened, abhi to tum kushi se jump kar rahi thi..."

"Uff you ask too many questions, I need to change"

He was all the more confused. "But you look perfect in this dress, why do you need to change?"

"Maaaaaaniiiiiik!!!!! Tum chal rahe ho ya main akele hi chali jaoon"

"Okkk baba, coming" These women, their shuttle cock of a mood and their brains which could beat the most complex transit system in the world (New York) by a light year, was understandably way beyond him. She herself had insisted on coming here after bidding the kids a post-treat goodbye. She had been jumping and cracking the lamest jokes and she had been happy, really really happy because her words and actions were both incoherent. He could have spent the entire evening watching her like this had her mind not taken a 180 degree turn and forced him to drive her home. But he knew better than to argue.

How could she tell him that she didn't want to go but she ABSOLUTELY HAD TO. Why did it have to happen today, it wasn't even close to the date it was supposed to happen, why then did GOD have to spoil her HAPPIEST day with a shooting pain in her abdomen and whatever was to follow afterwards.

As soon as they reached home, she ran inside. Manik was clueless as usual. But when she returned, she looked rather pale.

"Are you ok?"

"Hmm"

"You don't look ok Nandini. Listen, I think you need some rest, you have been so stressed out the whole day."

She smiled. She wasn't feeling well. The pain this time had been unusually intense, so much so that she had puked. But she didn't want to lose out on this day. Days like these didn't come by often and she'd rather make the most of it. Her health would eventually be ok, it was a just a monthly thing after all, nothing to be worried about.

"No Manik, I am really ok."

"Ok let's at least stay at home. We can go out some other day. Wait I have something for you." And he dashed out only to return with his guitar.

Nandini's heart skipped a beat.

"I was just... I mean trying to discover this thing and...I was searching for a song...and liked this one..would you mind listening? I mean its not good...nowhere near how you play..but...I just..."

"Manik.." She grabbed his hand and blinked her eyes to gesture that she was ready and willing.

Manik had never been hesitant with music. He had never been over confident either, but even before the biggest of performances he didn't require practice. That's because he knew his music better than he knew himself, music had been his saviour all his life. It had given him solace in a scarred childhood, it had brought to him his best friends, it had given him a name and a face of his own and Music was why they had met.

They were like the musical tie, they either existed together or they didn't exist at all.

It pained her to see him like this. But she shouldn't compare the present with the past. This was a new beginning and she was more than sure that eventually he would find his way to where he once ruled and she would hold his hand all through.

He began strumming and Nandini almost had a heart attack. She struggled to keep the flabbergasted expression of her face. How on earth did he choose this song out of hundreds of millions of songs in the world. How could he choose this ONE song that had begun their journey...this ONE SONG!

Sometimes we choose things and sometimes they choose us. She liked the fireflies and he liked the stars and together they (stars and fireflies) had chosen MaNan, forever and hamesha :)

He finished and she clapped. Memory or no memry, Manik's fingers had been and shall always be magical.

"Where are the words to your tune?"

"I ...don't think I can sing...." he was surprised at her request.

"Shall we try....u and me?" He could never say no to her. She opened the lyrics on her phone and handed it over to him.

She began and he followed and between them magic happened once more. Nandini couldn't help thinking about the last time. Even then they were unequal, like now but eventually it had all fallen into place, like it will this time.

They were just about to finish when Manik saw a message notification beep on her phone as he was reading the lyrics.

'I am travelling to Mumbai tonight. Meet me tomorrow, its urgent!! U better take it seriously this time'. He stopped abruptly and returned her phone. He suddenly turned cold.

She should have guessed. Her last message must have given Neel digestion trouble.

'Get your eyes checked n re-read my last message. I have special plans WITH MANIK. Please DONOT DISTURB' she typed away furiously and threw away the phone on the bed.

They both looked at each other, the frown on her face matching his. And then he smiled..and she smiled wider.

TRUST should be their new code word.