MaNan FF - Angel In Disguise

#25- Solving His Puzzle

#25- Solving His Puzzle

There was pin-drop silence for a minute until Nandini was showered with confetti.

"You."
Manik spoke in husky voice on the speaker.

Nandini's jumped on her place. Her breaths were turning shallow. Navya stood far ahead watching Nandini covered with colourful paper cuts but wasn't able to feel Nandini's panicked state. Nandini was feeling closed down, she wanted to run away if her legs supported her. The lights were too dark to for her to see anything except Navya standing a few feet away. Nandini stepped out of the heap of confetti only to stumble weakly on her own legs.

"Navya," Nandini slowly walked closer to her while brushing off the confetti stuck on her kurti, "Chalo yaha se." She whispered.

Navya shook her head slightly and Nandini was taken aback.

"Na..Navya, please!" Nandini's voice was filled with panic. Navya could finally notice that something was wrong with Nandini, so much that she was hyperventilating. The spotlights disappeared leaving a pitch-black darkness which almost made Nandini shriek out in alarm.

Oblivious to Nandini and Navya, Fab Five were now closely encircling the two girls. Nandini was frantically turning her head around to find the door while Navya stood confused at her actions.

"Nandu, kya hua," Navya held her trembling arms as she stumbled, "are you o-" Nandini didn't even let her complete as she freed herself from Navya and started to run toward the light coming from the auditorium door when the dim lights of the room flickered back to Fab Five's sight.

Nandini stopped in her tracks. Her petrified self was even more terrified when the first sight for her under the lights turned out to be none other than Alya Saxena.

Alya stared wide-eyed at her panic-stricken face, her weak legs and her hands clutching her bag and her kurti as if her life depended on it. Had it been a week ago, Alya would have had a happy time watching a scared Nandini staring right back at her with fear evident in her eyes but this time, she didn't feel good.
Alya stepped ahead to give a consoling hand when Nandini shouted and jumped back in fear.

"STOP! STOP RIGHT THERE!" she shouted and stepped back. Her heavy breaths were the only sound audible in the whole room.

Facing the back of Nandini and Navya, stood a baffled Manik. Before Manik could step forward, Navya rushed beside Nandini and held her by the shoulders.

"Don't..." her voice was cracked but her eyes were fixed sternly at Alya, "Don't you...dare come near." She clutched her heart.

Fab Five were absolutely stunned to the core. They were somewhat prepared for an aggrieved, hurt Nandini venting out all her frustration on them but this, this wasn't even thought of.

"Nandini," Navya held her cheek, "kya hua?"

While Navya and the rest of Fab Five were standing rooted on being caught unawares, Manik had the presence of mind to immediately know that Nandini was on the brink of an anxiety attack. Manik rushed beside Nandini and swiftly took her out from Navya's grip into his arms.