The Broken Strings : A Manan ff (Chapter 6)

Manik’s P.O.V ~

Nandini… I just couldn’t stop thinking about her.

How can anybody have such an effect on me?

I’d dated a few girls in the past, but I never had such strong feelings for them. This time… I guess I was really starting to like her; and the craziest part was that, I’d met her only twice!

At first, I was debating whether to meet her again or not. But then, I somehow managed to gather the courage to ask her out. It’s alright that she was a fan and all, but what I loved the most about her was that she never treated me differently. She never gave me that royal treatment which I usually get from the others. She was so conscious about herself in the beginning, but I was glad that she finally opened up in front of me. Even though, one thing kept on bothering me constantly…

No matter how happy she looked from the outside, she wasn’t that happy from inside. She was still in her own little shell and she found it difficult to get out of it… that’s what she’d said. She seemed to be living somebody else’s life and not her own.

She wasn’t happy… but she put on a show. The only question that popped up in my head was… why? Why was she living like that. You must be thinking how can he judge somebody he’s just met. But I’m wasn’t judging her. I was only trying to figure her out.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by my phone ringing. Cabir calling… flashed on the screen. I pressed the green button and answered the phone.

” Hey man! Heard you’re in Bombay? ” He said in his usual cheerful tone.

” Yes, I am… ” I answered.

” Cool. Toh sun… I’m having a small get-together tomorrow evening. It’s just you, me, Abhimanyu, Dhruv and Mukti… others are not in town. So be here, at my place by 6 o’clock, okay? ” So he’d already invited me without asking about my plans…

” I would have loved to come, but bhai I already have some plans… ” I said trying to sound a bit sad. I had already promised Nandini that we’d meet again, and I was only in town for the next couple of days.

” Tu apne bhai se nahi milega? ( Won’t you come and meet your brother? ) Please come… ” He said.

” Try to understand, Cabir… ” I said and then, there was a long silence that followed. Did he hang up? Was he angry? I thought. Cabir was my best friend, and I couldn’t deny him ever. Even I was quite surprised when I refused to come to the party… that too for a girl I had just met.

” Cabir? Are you there… hello? ” I spoke hoping to hear something.

” Who’s she? ” He finally spoke. How does he know!? Dammit… But who was I kidding? He knew me better than myself…

” Dude, I know you better than anybody else… now tell me… who’s she? ” He asked. I could visualize the naughty smile playing on his lips.

” Hai koi… ” I said smiling like an idiot.

” What’s her name? Is she hot? ” He asked.

Typical Cabir.

” Uh-uh… She is hot, but beautiful word suits her more… ” I said.

” Ohhooo! Lagta hai kisi ko pyaar ho gaya hai… ” He said and laughed.

” Pyaar? No… but yes, I like her. Her name is Nandini, by the way. ” I said.

” Acha? So why don’t you do one thing, you both come over at my place… anyway, there aren’t much people. ”

” Actually, she’s a bit shy and doesn’t mix up with people so quickly… ” I said.

” Oh… ” He said in a low tone and I pictured him frowning.

” But don’t worry bro, I’ll still ask her whether she wants to come or not… ” I said.

” Hmm… okay. Let me know what you decide… I’ll see you later, yeah? ”

” Okay, bye. ” I said and hung up.

I laid back on the bed and started thinking about the situation. Ofcourse Nandini would be a little uncomfortable, but once she gets to know everyone, she’ll just love them. All of them were so friendly and fun loving; and there will be Mukti also.

After thinking for a while, I decided to ask her about it. It would be a little difficult to convince her, but I was okay with any decision of hers. All I wanted was to spend some time with her…

***

Kaan pakadke sorry for the small chapter. But hey! Nandini is gonna meet Fab Five soon. ??