Recap: Manik Nandini’s nightout in college. They find Soha trapped in the music room.
Soha: Thank god you guys found me ! Or else I would have been trapped here till morning !
Manik: Come we’ll drop you home.
Since they had been locked inside the college building, they start searching for some secret way out of the college but find none !
Manik: All doors are locked ! I think we will have to call someone ! Should I call Ayaz ? (Asks Nandini)
Just then Nandini’s phone rings and it is Dhruv calling.
Nandini: wait Manik ! It’s Dhruv. I’ll ask him to come and help us out.
Nandini: (on the phone to Dhruv) hello ! Thank god you called Dhruv ! Actually we need your help !
Dhruv: (ignoring whatever she said) Where are you Nandini ?! I’ve been looking for you, I went up to your place but even chacha chachi aren’t aware about your whereabouts !
Nandini: oh sorry !! I forgot to text chachi ! Okay Dhruv listen please do one thing. Tell chachi that I am at Mukti’s place and then you come over to college. We’re trapped in here and we need your help to come out.
Dhruv: We ?
Nandini: Yeah ! Me and Manik. And…
Hearing that Dhruv disconnects the call in anger without hearing further. He informs chachi that Nandini was at Mukti’s place and that she forgot to inform her earlier. He then reaches college and asks the security guard to open the doors.
Nandini: (coming out of the building and giving Dhruv a hug) oh thank you so much Dhruv ! You saved us !
Dhruv does not reciprocate back the hug and Nandini let’s go after a while. Manik feels really uncomfortable on Nandini’s frank behaviour with Dhruv but does not say anything.
Dhruv: (looking at Soha) Soha ? What is she doing with you ?
Nandini: She was trapped in there too ! It’s a long story I’ll let you know later. First we have to drop her home. Come Manik lets go.
Dhruv: He must be on his bike right ? So then he can drop her home and I will take you. Come.
Manik: (displeased) yeah ! Dhruv’s right Nandini. You should go with him.
Nandini: But what about our…
Manik: (interrupting her) Stop it now ! End of discussion. It’s already quite late. Dhruv will drop you home. Come Soha.
On their way home Nandini describes the whole incident to Dhruv and Dhruv was trying to control his anger. He was agitated at Nandini’s increasing closeness towards Manik. Nandini had kept the part of Manik being her childhood friend, still a secret. She told Dhruv everything apart from that. She had been describing the whole thing quite excitedly but Dhruv was not really interested. Nandini noticed his strange behaviour and asked,
Nandini: Are you alright Dhruv ? Why aren’t you saying anything ?
Dhruv: (angrily) Oh I’m so sorry ! I might not be like your new friend Manik. He must be the one talking to you in a much better way right ? And therefore, you would not like me and my style !
Nandini: What do you mean by that ? Dhruv is everything alright ?
Dhruv: Should not be bothering you anymore ! Leave me to myself.
He stops the car on reaching Nandini’s place but when she doesn’t leave, he gets down and moves towards her side to open her door from the outside. He holds her hand and pulls her out.
Nandini: Dhruv you’re behaving so strange ! And I’m not saying this because I don’t like you anymore or anything like that ! That’s your stupidity to think in that manner ! But there’s definitely something going on in your head which you do not wish to share and I will respect that for now. But you’ll soon have to tell me ! Good night !
After going home, Dhruv thinks about the whole incident and the only image rotating in his mind was of Manik and Nandini standing together when the college gates were opened. It was 12.30 am when he found them and he was going crazy thinking about the various possible things that might have happened between the two of them. Nandini and him had been best friends even before the Fab 5 was born. He could not tolerate anyone in between the two of them and that was a reason he had decide to avoid Aliya as well earlier. He suddenly felt so helpless as Nandini had been drifting apart and he was standing there unable to do anything but to let her go.
He kept thinking about such things till morning, recalling their happy days when it was only him who used to be the most important person in Nandini’s life. He knew even Nandini felt the same for him but would just not realize and with Manik surrounding her everyday, she won’t be able to realize ever ! So he had a plan. It was 5.30 am and he called up Cabir and Mukti and took them in a conference call.
Cabir: Dhruv ?! What is it ? Have you seen the time ?
Mukti: Yeah Dhruv it’s so so early man ! For me, it’s not even morning yet ! What’s the matter ?
Dhruv: Guys, I need your help !
Nandini reaches college and just as she parks her car and enters the college premises, she hears her name being announced from the amphitheater. It was Dhruv’s voice.
Dhruv: (announcing in the mic to be heard by the entire college) Nandini, my best friend for a lifetime ! This one is for you !
“….Dehleez pe mere dil ki….Jo rakhe hain tune kadam…..Tere naam pe, meri zindagi, likh di mere humdam….Haan sikha maine jeena jeena kaise jeena….Haan sikha maine jeena mere humdam…Na sikha kabhi jeena jeena kaise jeena….Na sikha jeena tere bina humdam…..”
Nandini reaches the amphitheater to find Dhruv playing the guitar and singing the beautiful song. There was a screen behind him displaying pictures of herself and Dhruv together. Almost the entire college had gathered around including Manik, Aliya and Aryaman. When the song came to an end, Dhruv continued,
Dhruv: Nandini, you might be wondering how did this sudden change come into me from what you saw of me yesterday. But to tell you the truth, this change is not sudden. You have been my best friend always, in all stages of life, but we know that we’ve never been just friends ! We’re much more than the best friends everyone knows us to be ! You know it, and I know it too ! So let’s just accept it now.
There was a pause and he kept looking at her from a distance for a while, and there was pin drop silence all around.
Dhruv: I Love You Nandini !
Nandini’s face turned pale, eyes unable to blink and her throat going dry. She kept staring at him, not ready to accept that all of this was real. She could not believe what her best friend had just said to her in front of the entire college ! Dhruv who was so confident until now about Nandini’s feelings for him, also started feeling nervous on seeing her reaction. At first he thought it might be a temporary shock and she would soon come out of it and accept his proposal with a tight hug. But when Nandini kept staring at him with the blank expressionless face, his heart started beating faster ! He was still trying to convince himself that she would come to him and hug him tight as a response to his proposal.
Manik had been observing Nandini from a distance. At first when he heard Dhruv’s proposal and saw all the pictures going on the screen behind him, he thought Nandini’s answer would be a clear yes because even her best friend seemed to be so confident about it. That feeling that she might accept his proposal and that Manik might lose her forever had got his heart to sink real low. His eyes had started to form tears but he was trying to convince himself that it was quite natural and it shouldn’t be affecting him so much as he had never expected to be with Nandini. He was there for a specific purpose and should be focusing only on that. But his heart seemed to be against his mind. Now that he saw Nandini almost lifeless, staring at Dhruv and not responding, he started getting some hopes and his heart started beating. But he was also aware of the consequences if she would reject the proposal. There would be a crack in Fab 5, something that Nandini had always dreaded of !
Aliya who could no longer control her tears ran away inside the building and locked herself in the washroom. Aryaman followed her and started banging the washroom door asking her to open it but she didn’t, instead she kept crying inside.
When Nandini didn’t respond for a long time, Dhruv spoke up again, trying to keep up his hopes although he was quite aware of her answer by now.
Dhruv: Nandini ! Please say something… I know you might be feeling shy replying in front of the whole college. But c’mon you’re Nandini Murthy who’s never afraid of anyone or any situation. Please speak up.
Finally she walked up to him standing in the middle of the stage. She stood there in front of him, looking into his eyes and at that very instance he knew her answer to be a No ! It broke him into pieces inside and tears started appearing in his eyes but he tried to keep himself normal in front of her.
Nandini threw her arms around his shoulders and took him into a hug and said, “I Love You Dhruv !”
Tomorrow: PaNi ff…Special episode Manan first kiss off screen story for our Parth Samthaan’s birthday !!
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How was it ?? Shocked right ? Me too 😛 But wait and watch for the upcoming part !! Please do leave in your feedbacks friends..That would really be a great help for me to keep going !
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Medhavi 🙂
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