Jab We Met

39. Saathi Re

This one's for you, K🌙

Song of the Chapter: Sau Dard Hai, Jaan-E-Mann

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"Nandini?"

Manik whispered to the girl besides him who was about to doze off in the backseat of the car, on their way back home.

"Hmm?"

Nandini muttered back, extremely tired after the eventful night and the early morning library session.

"What's the story about The Three Musketeers?"

He asked abruptly, surprising Nandini. This wasn't what she was expecting during a light, airy car ride.

"The story? What do you mean?"

She asked, a bit confused.

"Come on, there's always a story. You guys couldn't have been family friends with the family issues those two have. Rudra obviously isn't as close to them as you are, and Samrat came into the picture later, when Anika Di did. So what's the deal?"

Manik pressed, he'd been thinking about it ever since he met Nandini in London. Why did she never, ever, mention anything about her life here in the entire year she'd spent with Manik?

"Okay. We were four, and we lived next to each other. I've not always lived in the Oberoi Mansion, you know. Amma, Appa, Rishab and I used to live separately earlier, in the house next to the Raichands and the Singhanias."

Nandini stated sounding reminiscent, she missed those days, what she wouldn't give to relive them.

"Singhanias?"

Manik asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

Nandini laughed at his cute expression before flicking him on the forehead as he pouted.

"Ayan's dad's surname was Singhania. After their...fallout, he took his mother's surname, Malik. Suits him a lot more, if you ask me."

Nandini said matter-of-factly as Manik chuckled. He could see the amount of love she had for him, and what made him happier was that he didn't care at all. He was finally letting go of his insecurities.

"Raichand and Malik had absolutely shitty childhoods. For Raichand, he still had Ahana and his dad wasn't half as bad as Malik's. But Ayan, he watched his mother physically rip apart into shreds after Mr. Singhania divorced her, before eventually passing away. He...he lost a huge part of himself. He went from being that fun-loving, charming, naughty kid who always had a twinkle in his eyes to the reserved, stoic, quiet kid who the other kids either feared or admired."

Nandini explained, shuddering as Manik pulled her close to embrace her.

"You know why he's so close to Abhi and Nanu?"

Nandini muttered as she buried her head into Manik's arms, with Manik staring at her for her to continue.

"After aunty died, Raichand, Rudra and I were kids, we could only do so much. Shiv bhai, Mom, Dad and Mamu were busy with work, it was Abhi and Nanu who stood by him, comforted him, counselled him day in and out, till it didn't hurt as much."

Nandini said, a few teary running astray down her cheeks, that Manik wiped after kissing her forehead.

"And then, we met Sammy. The boy with the biggest smile I've ever seen, who made everything a bit better."