Aiyoo Ayyappa- MaNan FF

Chapter 5 A ray of hope

It was a really long day today. A new photoshoot, promotions of the new MV and interviews. Each day passes by this way. Fab 5...it was a long journey for the 5 of us. We- Manik, Dhruv, Kabir, Alya and Mukti...we are not just a music band..we are friends who are willing to sacrifice anything for each other.

Hamari dosti...jo shayad duniya ke kisi doosri dosti se alag hai..school days se shuroo hue. We are not together to share joys...we are together because we are afraid of darkness. The darkness of this cruel world. The world who looks only at the glitz and glamour...our stylish appearances, our skills..talents..our voices. If we don't have even one of these qualities...we will be thrown away from the fame we are on. Media won't come after us requesting for interviews...there won't be the fan following. The limelight is upon us. But still...the darkness surrounding never gets over. Even as we walk through the bright sunny days..the darkness within continues to grow deeper.

I am Manik Malhotra. Leader of Fab 5...loved and hated by all. That is what atleast I think. Fan following does not definitely mean that I am loved. It just means that my songs are loved...my talent is accepted. Through beautiful songs..I feed the imagination of my fans..make them have lovely dreams. But at the end of the day...like Nandu...all of them see only the me who wears sunglasses for interviews...and think that I am a guy with attitude. Even Nandu did not sense the loneliness in my voice...the pain in my songs...perhaps, I will continue to be looked at by everyone like this all life. But I am not alone in this...with me...I have my friends..My Fab 5 and I will protect them no matter what. I don't care what the world thinks of me...but I care of what my friends think of me.

"Manik??? Manik??? Wake up, man! Stop sitting here dreamy" Manik felt a hand shaking him. Manik turned to look into the eyes of the tomboy of Fab 5- Mukti. "Haan Mukti...nothing..just something...tell me, can we leave now?"

"Yaar Manik..already rest of them are out of their dressing rooms and are all ready to leave. Bas tu hi yahan baitha hai holding your guitar! Get up man..let's leave now" Mukti said placing her hand on Manik's shoulder.

Manik gave a little smile as he got up from his seat. Suddenly Manik's phone started ringing. Manik swiped his phone to the accept call and placed the phone on his ears.

"Hello..." Manik heard a whisper. It is already 10.30 p.m and who is calling up at this time?? Manik wondered. "Hello...Manik??" Manik identified this voice...he felt that it surely was the voice that he wanted to remember...and vowed to forget. "Hello??" Manik's eyes grew wide with wonder. "Hello kaun?" Manik asked with disbelief.

"Kaun hai yaar??" Mukti asked. "Tu chal Mukti..I'm coming right after U.." Manik replied. "Ok Manik..but make it fast!" Mukti said tapping her hand on Manik shoulder as she walked out of the door closing the door behind her.

"Hello??" Manik asked breathlessly. "Hello...is this Manik?" Manik listened to the voice..this time the voice broke.

"Hello...yes I am Manik...speak" Manik said wanting to hear more.

"Hello...Manik...I am Nandu...Nandini..." Nandini whispered softly as her voice broke. All day Nandini was crying. She was upset that she spoke so rudely to a guy and made him upset. She couldn't help but apologize.

"Hello...Nandu...how U got my number?" Manik asked his eyes growing wide in disbelief.

"My phone has settings and I checked it and got your number...I am sorry" Nandini said as her voice broke and Manik realized that she was crying.

This girl...she was so full of attitude in the morning and now she is in tears. What exactly is she?? Manik thought...

  "ok...hmm...Nandu...why sorry?" Manik asked feeling all awkward hearing Nandini sobbing. "Manik...I am sorry..that I spoke rudely to you today...but I didn't think that I will upset you..I am sorry" Nandini sniffed..wiping her runny nose! 

"Its ok...I am not upset with you. Not just you...so called fans main se lot of them like me for my voice and I know that they think that I am a guy full of attitude. I can't blame you too...so U don't have to be sorry" Manik said softly.

"No don't say that...can U please accept my sorry?" Nandini asked wiping her tears.

"No..U don't..." Manik stopped abruptly a smile spreading over his face. "No I cannot accept a sorry like this. It is against my personal rules. I accept a sorry when I am told face to face. So where are we meeting, Nandini?" Manik asked with a little smile.

"Eh???" Nandini's eyes grew in shock.

  "Face to face?? No I can't meet U face to face." Nandini said quickly.

"Why not Nandu??" Manik crooned sweetly

"Because U are not in Chennai and I am in Chennai with Amms and I know that U are not here in Chennai" Nandini started giving her reasons. 

"Oh...but who told U that I am not in Chennai? I am in Chennai...so are we meeting, Nandu" Manik asked with a naughty smile 

  "I..I..In Chennai??" Nandini stammered...gulping.

"Y..Y...Yes..Nandu" Manik imitated Nandu's stammering   

  "N..No...I cannot meet U Manik...I cannot lie to Amms"

"Ok ok...don't worry..I am not right now in Chennai..bas wanted to see what U'll say" Manik said calmly. Nandini let out a sigh of relief.

"Feeling better now?" Manik asked with a chuckle. "Now listen...if not tonight...soon U have to meet me...and I will accept your sorry only when U say it face to face. I will wait for it. So Nandu..U must come meet me. I will wait for U." Manik said biting his lower lip.

  "mm...but how?" Nandini replied

"That you have to figure out, Nandu...ok now I got to go..my friends are waiting! Bye Nanduuu" Manik sang musically and cutting the call

"Aiyappa...what do I do now??? He cut the call and I really want him to accept my apology...what do I do?? I will go to Mumbai in 2 days...but how do I meet him? I am scared...will he like me or not?