MaNan FF - Angel In Disguise

#43- The Third Wheel

Recap:- Manik & Nandini brought Rishabh and Dhruv respectively for their treatment session. There, Manik learnt about Rishabh's tragedy from the red file Dr. Khatri handed him to be given to Nandini. He read some part of Nandini's diary, only to find out that Dr. Aryan and she had been childhood best-friends, and two people named Aditi-Abhimanyu, her support. Her diary also revealed the negative side of her life and emotions, and Manik somewhere found himself in those pages. Wanting to bring some happiness, he set the most hopeful song he could make as their base theme, and eventually led Nandini into singing it with him inside the recording studio. Their song caught some attention outside the studio room, two of which included Mukti and Alya. Alya was hurt to hear Manik singing with another girl while Mukti was afraid that the moment the duo come out, Manik-Nandini were going to become the talk of the campus.

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#43 - The Third Wheel

Manik and Nandini completed their song and walked out of the studio arguing over who may keep the recording first. The moment they stepped into the corridor, the entire place resonated with claps and cheers from the students waiting for them. It was a very normal scene for Manik, but Nandini jumped on her feet. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined a crowd waiting outside like fans to stare at her like she was made out of porcelain. She gave a nervous glance at Manik who had his attitude and sun glares back on, as he waved a hand in the air and pulled her out of the crowd with him. It was then that the sight of two familiar girls paused him dead in his tracks.

Mukti walked towards him like a hunting lion while Alya retreated a step. Nandini's hand in Manik's firm grip was adding salt to her wounds. Mukti didn't need to look at her to know how miserable Alya must be feeling that moment. Nandini noticed her gaze at their hands and pulled away in an instant.

"PERFORMANCE IS OVER GUYS," Mukti's booming voice was laced with a warning, "LEAVE."

In the blink of an eye, the students scurried far away from the place. Nandini gulped at Mukti's furious eyes that failed to look anywhere except her.

"Hey Manik," Alya smiled nevertheless, "hi Nandini. You both sang wonderfully!"

Nandini did not expect this. Neither did Manik or Mukti.

"In fact, you should sing in public often." She passed Nandini a sad smile, "You definitely have something in you-" Manik almost felt as if Alya was talking about him, "-that the best things in life are yours, before you even know it."

Before any of them could digest what she just said, Alya walked up to Nandini, took her in a light hug, muttered a quick apology and walked off. A smile escaped from Nandini's lips before she could stop herself. Though Nandini couldn't forgive her for her deeds, she had just felt the melt of someone's hatred for her. And there was nothing else she could find greater joy in, than changing indifference into love.