At Malhotra’s office,
Mr.Malhotra and Nandini’s father were sitting with a lawyer. “Sir, you will have to get the couple’s sign on this document and you guys sign on the witness side and it will be done. They will be married legally. And if they want to cancel this marriage they will have to apply to court and the court will tell them to wait for 6 months” said the lawyer as he handed the paper.

Mr. Malhotra smiled, “I am sure they will fall in love with each other in these 6 months and the marriage will last forever”.

“But this will be like cheating; I don’t feel like doing it. I know Manik will be good life partner for Nandini, he will take care of her and will protect her, marriage is for lifetime and they should be happy with his.” said Nandini’s father.

“I know they will be happy eventually and will love each other once they will get to know each other’s hearts. I know my son, he has a pure heart but I don’t know what has made him so heartless, he hates his life, only breathing is not living, he needs to smile. His mom has made him a machine. I have noticed Nandini, she is a bunch of glitter, I am sure she will teach my son the value of life. I don’t care what others say I am going to listen to my heart and you will have to help me with this” said Mr. Malhotra.

Nandini’s father saw the broken condition of his friend. He held his hand and said “okay, let’s do it. It will be a huge risk and will create a lot of chaos but eventually all will be sorted but if it is not sorted then after 6 months they can be free” said Nandini’s father with a smile.

“This marriage will last forever, I know it” said Mr.Malhotra confidently.

At college,

Audition for the cultural function was taking place, Nandini came to boost up Navya’s confidence.

Navya was drinking water continuously “Madhubala, itna pani mat pi otherwise tujhe bathroom mei audition dena parega” said Cabir as he laughed.

“Maybe iska wahi plan hai, after all she is a bathroom singer” said Mukti as she hi 5ed Cabir.

“Hum jo vi kare tum logo ko usse kyat um apne barei mei socho” said Navya.

“Apne barei mei hi toh soch raha hu, Nandu kya chup chap baithi hai, yaha aa na I need to talk to you” said Cabir as he dragged Nandini with him.

“Kya hai?” asked Nandini in an irritated voice.

“look at Riya, uss Madhubala ke paas baithi hai, she is looking damn sexy” said he as he kept drooling on Riya.

“yucks, tum guys humesha girls ki bodies pe kyo focus karte ho? Girls do have heart and u said so vulgar things about her now I am never going to help you”said Nandini.

“Tum kyo kisi ki help karogi, you only think about yourself” said Manik.

Nandini laughed “oh really, then I suppose my name is Manik Malhotra” said Nandini as she looked back at him angrily.

“Yar inn dono ka fir se shuru ho gaya, mai bhagta hu”said Cabir as he went away silently.

Manik held Nandini’s hand and pinned her to a wall “do you have any idea what you have done? What was the need to be so good to my dad? Now he is super impressed with me and wants me to marry you” said Manik angrily.

“I just helped someone, I did n’t think of all these at that time and only a mean person like you can say all these bloody Monster, now leave my hand” said Nandini as she struggled.

Instead of leaving her he pulled her closer to his body and molested her arm “I will do whatever I want to do” said Manik as he looked intensely into her eyes.

Just then Navya came there and Manik went away.

Navya hugged Nandini and said that she got selected. Nandini smiled and congratulated her.

Nandini kept on thinking about the weird behavior of Manik.

At Night, Nandini’s house,

“Nandu, can you please sign these documents I bought a property on your name” said Nandini’s dad.

“Oh dad that’s great, but why are you looking so confused” she asked.

“I know it will be good for you” said Nandini’s dad.

“You have always done well for me and this time there will be no exception” said Nandini as she signed the papers without reading and happily went to her room.

“I want this happiness to last forever” said Nandini’s dad and called Mr. Malhotra who also replied that he had made Manik sign the papers by mixing it in other documents. They were happy that the major part was completed.

Two days passed and it was time for the cultural function to take place.

An outdoor event was arranged grandly. The stage was decorated beautiful with tiny lights and image cutouts of all kinds of musical instruments. The principal announced the opening of the event and the audiences clapped in joy. At first it was the turn of solo performances, Harshad and Navya sanged their songs beautifully.

Nandini congratulated her friend and remembered that she had forgotten to wish best of luck her brother so she decided to meet Cabir.

At the changing room,

“Dhruv, Mukti how can you be so careless, you lost the music notes and don’t even remember the tune? Now how are we going to perform?” Said Manik as he held his head in tension.

“Ab kya kare it’s my fault the note was at my place, and I lost it “ said Mukti.

“We don’t have time to waste; our performance is just in 10 mins. Guys why don’t we perform the song we practiced that day, that romantic song that Manik composed and we played. It’s not that difficult to play and we remember the notes and tunes” said Cabir.

“Dude, that was a romance duet song and Aliya and me don’t have the correct vocals to play it, she plays keyboard and I play guitar, Manik alone can’t pull it off. It could have happened if we had a female vocalist but how are we going to find it in such a short time”said Mukti.

Just then Cabir got a call on his phone and he smiled “I have found a vocalist and she sings very well, Manik give me the lyrics, you guys go ahead I well reach there with our female lead singer” said Cabir.

“Cabir, we are fab 5 how can we take someone with us, not possible” said Manik.

“And sabke samne humari izzat lut jayegi that’s possible, Cabir u go ahead and Manik zara sa situation ki demand ko samajh” said Mukti.

“Fine as you say” said Manik as he handed the lyrics to Cabir .

Cabir ran outside and met Nandini. He hugged her “Nandu you have to help me I beg you, I promise puri zindagi teri gulami karunga” said Cabir as folded his hand in front of Nandini.

“Pagal ho gaya kya? What’s wrong?” asked Nandini. Cabir told her everything.

“No way I am not singing with those dangerous people and on top of that maine kabhi on stage nahi gaya and I am not confident” said Nandini.

“Please yar, okay lets make it a deal agar tu yeh karegi then aj ke bad fab 5 kabhi kisi ko bully nahi karenge . I promise and you just have to try singing” said Cabir.

“But…I” Cabir cut her “take this lyrics and come with me, dekh God also wants you to perform se by coincidence you are wearing a black top and white trousers and our dress code is black and white” said Cabir as he held her hand and dragged her to the stage.

Fab 4 had already started performing; the sound of guitar tunes had filled the air. Nandini was nervous and was trying to get lose from Cabir’s grip but he was very firm. Finally they arrived at the stage, Cabir made her stand beside Manik and went behind the drums. Due to the darkness no one could see that it was Nandini whom Cabir had brought with him.

Suddenly the spotlight fell on Nandini and everyone was surprised to see her. The music was stopped and the crowed started shouting.

Nandini looked at Cabir, he glared at her, her hand shook and the lyrics page fell down from her hand.

Manik looked at Nandini, her innocent eyes looked much tensed and scared. He could not hold back and held her hand. “Don’t worry, I am with you just sing please” he told sweetly.

Nandini nodded her head. Manik gestured fab 5 to play the music.

Manik kept holding her hand and she pressed his hand tightly out of fear, he was very close to her, their bodies were attached. Manik picked up the lyrics page and placed it in the holder infront of Nandini.

She looked at him nervously and he gave her a reassuring smile.

The music played and Nandini c started singing nervously and slowly:

Nandini: Mujhe toh chand mil gaya, aaj teri aankhon mein, Karoon kya aasmaan bataa, neendhon bin main raaton mein (sang by looking into Manik’s eyes)

Manik: Sabhi bechain dhadkane, rakh de mere haathon pe Zara uljhi hai saans toh, rakh de meri saanson pe (Sang Manik as he smiled and held on tightly at her cold hand and his eyes kept reassuring that everything was fine.)

Nandini :Sharma rahi hain nazrein, tere chehre se jo guzre Main kaise keh doon dil ki yeh dastaan (sang as she shyly and nervously kept looking at him)

Manik: Ishq hothon se toh hota nahi bayaan Iss liye pyaar mein aankhein bani zubaan (sang sweetly with a beautiful smile)

Nandini repeated the same lines and then both of them sang together “Ishq hothon se toh hota nahi bayaan Iss liye pyaar mein aankhein bani zubaan”.

Aliya, Mukti, Cabir and Dhruv played the music as they kept singing the song romantically feeling the emotions and staying close to each other. Their eyes never left each other even for a second.Finally the song was over and the crowd cheered in joy.

Manik and Nandini got out of the trance. Nandini left Manik’s hand and moved away immediately.

After few minutes the host announced fab 5 and Nandini as the winner, all of them went to the stage to collect the trophy.

Navya was shocked and she just froze on seeing Nandini with fab 5.

Harshad clenched his fists in anger “damn it! I stole the music notes at the last moment then how did they perform it? I only had suggested that tough song so that they can’t remember the notes…danm it! Nandini you will have to pay for it now this is war, no one comes between my intentions” said Harshad angrily.

At the dressing room,

Mukti and Cabir hugged Nandini. “Nandini thank you sooo much, meri bewakufi ke vajai se we could have lost the competition, you are so sweet after what Manik tried to do with you u still helped us” said Mukti.

“Yes, she is right, thank you Nandini” said Dhruv.

Nandini smiled.

“Guys no thanks, because Nandini ab humari friend hai and no thanks in friendship” said Cabir.

“Yes” said Mukti and Dhruv in unison.

“I am happy to get some new friends and happy to sing on stage for the first time” said Nandini.

Aliya was not happy seeing all this so she left the room.

“Hey, don’t mind she is a little grumpy.We will take her back” said Mukti and all of them went behind Aliya, only Manik and Nandini were left alone….

Nandini slowly went near Manik, who was still lost into the undefined feelings that occurred to him during the performance.

“Manik, thank you very much aj agar tum nahi hote toh mai ga nahi pati” said Nandini as she held his hand and hugged him.

Manik felt sparks and stood still.She continued “and you know what aise perform karke jo satisfaction that happiness that confidence is undefineable..thank you, if you hand not held my hand mai toh wahi gir jati. For a chanhe you were really sweet” said Nandini.

Manik felt so complete by having her near his heart. A part of him wanted to hug her tightly but his ego won over and he pushed her aside.

Nandini looked at him blankly.“I just did for my friends not for you, I hated to sing with you and yeh tumhara last performance hai with us…so don’t be so happy” said Manik rudely as he looked away.

Nandini shook her head “why are you like this? Uss time ur eyes they were speaking something else and now full on monster mode. Mai vi pagal hu,jo apni khusi tumse share karne aa gayi tumhe kya farak parta hai meri smile sei…” said Nandini as she left the room blabbering something about Manik to her Aiyappa.

Manik just kept looking at the door from where she just left, he could still feel her touch on his body. He sighed and closed his eyes.

To be continued 😢