Manan ff:Reason Behind My Existence

Chapter 51

Next morning... D4...

FAB 5 are sitting in Dhruv's office, waiting for Nandini.

At exact 9.30 am, Nandini walks in with a board in her hand and hands it over to Dhruv. It's the activity board where every dance teacher note down what they have done in their class that day, how many students are present in the class etc etc and after the class ends, the teachers submit the board to Dhruv and report to him.

Though Nandini did not look up, she can feel the tension, the worry as everyone staring at her. But she doesn't meet anyone's' eyes.

Cabir is the first one to talk-"He is in his office since yesterday. Mushkan informed me this morning."

Instantly Nandini's domineer relaxes. Others too get that she was actually asking for Manik. After everything that he said, she still asks for him.

Mukti then asks softly-"Nandu?"

"Yeah?"

"You ok?"

"Yup!"

"Well, we have something to tell you."

"Yeah, say."

"But before that eat your food..."-Says Alia moving the tiffin box forward to her.

Nandini looks at the box but doesn't touch it-"I will eat later. Am not hungry now."

"But Nandu, you were in class for last few hours. You must be hungry,"-Alia shows her concern.

"Am fine, Alia. Trust me. Now leave that and say what you guys were saying."-Nandini successfully changes the topic.

"Wo kal Manik ne jo kuch bhi kaha na none of them are true. Ok? We love you so we listen to you. We trust you so we do what you tell us to do. And Maan Uncle and Nyonika Aunty love you too. So whatever that monkey had told just don't listen."-Mukti speaks in a go.

Nandini just smiles listening to Mukti but her mind again goes back to the previous night. Nandini shudders as the whole incident starts to play again in front of her eyes.

"Don't you get tired? All the time bak bak karti rehti ho?"

"She is taking my everything away from me. Dekhta nehi, kaise wo tumlogo ko apne side kar liya. Ek ek karke usne is ghar ko, Maria Aunty ko, even Mom and Dad ko bhi apne jaal me le liya. Agar mujhe pehele pata hota na, toh main isse kabhi bhi apne sathe yeha nehi lata."

"Am done. I am fucking done here."

Tears fill her eyes without her knowing. FAB 5 notice that too. But they don't know how to console her.

"And I am sure Buddy didn't mean any of them. It's just.. a lot for him to process."-Dhruv tries to make amends.

"Am sure he didn't."-Though Nandini says that to herself but everyone can hear her, feel the hurt and pain in her voice.

They look at each other and decide to tell her everything.

"Last Sunday, he was in a bar, drinking. There he met Misha."-Cabir informs.

"Misha?"-Nandini asks in a small voice.

"Misha Patnayak. Manik's ex.."-Alia inputs.

Nandini's heart stops for a moment. But she maintains her composure-"Oh!"

"She took him with her."

"....."-No reply from Nandini.

"To her house."