Wajah Tum Ho

1.Life Goes On... With Or Without You

Once you had put the pieces back together, even though you may look intact, you were never quite the same as you'd been before the fall.
~Jodi Picoult

"I love you... I love you so damn much that now I can't even think about living without you."

"I'll always love you like this Manik. In fact more than this. You'll never lose me Manik. Never from my side at least because I just can't survive without you."

"I'll always shine for you Manik. You'll always be in my prayers."

"Manik, you're getting it all wrong. I am your Nandini, Manik. You are doubting me, your ​Nandini? I can never betray you Manik.."

"Don't let your ego overpower your love Manik. Just don't.. You'll regret it all, son."

"Ab toh khush hongi naa aap? Jo aapne chaha woh ho Gaya. Listen to me very loud and clear, you'll regret every bit of this. Bohot pachtayengi aap. Suna aapne Mrs. Nyonika Malhotra, you'll regret everything that you've done one day."

"You'll never be able to forgive yourself Manik. Never. You will detest these parents of yours. You'll hate each and everyone, one fine day and that's when you'll need me but I won't be there. Mark my words Manik Malhotra."

"Nandiniiiiiii"

I got up with a jerk, calling out her name, in order to stop her. I looked around in the darkness of my room only to find myself alone in my ivory tower, built by ego, aggression and hatred. That's what I am-alone, all alone, only because of her. I wiped the sweat beads off my head and sighed deeply in exhaustion, keeping my head in the hollow of my palms. This is how I wake up every morning since two years and I'm still not habitual to it. Everything about me is-darkness. It's not just the lack of light in my room, that I'm talking about but the lack of hope in my life as well.

That's who I am-Manik Malhotra. A guy who has nothing in true sense, who lost everything two years ago, the one who's now just a ruthless monster, the kind that she hated... That's who I am and I prefer it that way. People take your advantage if you give them your all and I've got nothing to lose now.

My thoughts came to a halt when I heard the buzzing of my phone. I looked at the wall clock to see it was 3 in the morning. Nightmares are my only friends, I guess. I helped myself to the bedside table and picked my phone only to see her calling.... My so called girlfriend. Damn! What does she want now? I answered the call with a motive of talking sweetly to her but I got annoyed with her screeching voice.

Girl- Good morning baby....

I inwardly groaned with this baby thing.

Manik- Morning... Is everything ok? I mean you called at the wee hours.

I directly came to the point, not wanting to prolong the conversation with her.

Girl-Don't tell me you forgot baby. You've a flight in two hours and that means you have to be there at the airport in an hour...

Damn it... Why do I keep forgetting all this?

Manik- Ah, I forgot. Thanks for reminding...

Girl- It's my duty Manik. Go and get ready now.

Manik-Yeah. Bye...

Girl- I can't wait to see you baby. I love you...

Love.. Huh. She doesn't..

Manik-Yeah.. I'll see you soon...

I disconnected the call without even bothering to hear her reply and I know she couldn't care any less. I dropped myself on my bed and looked around my room. She doesn't love me, she thinks she does, it's just an infatuation. She's too innocent to fall in love, she's too young to understand love and she's too wild to to stay in love. She isn't destined to love me, I know and I can feel it. Then why do I even bear this shit? Because she's the fucking key to my success. She indirectly owns the world's biggest music labels and we need them to sign us for fame. We? The Fab5.. If, two years back, anyone would've said that Fab5 would need a record label to stable its carrier I'd have laughed at their face. But now, everything is changed. Every fucking thing is changed. Fab5 isn't interested in their carriers anymore. They all have become careless and I don't blame them. They've suffered....suffered so much, just because of her. She's the reason of everyone's misery. At one point, I thought she's innocent, maybe I should give her a chance but no. After Smita Mumma's death, she started blaming mom. I know mom is kind of selfish by nature, but she won't harm anyone's life, specially Smita Mumma. That day I just lost every bit of love, respect and trust I held for her. I just hate her very fucking existence.