MANAN: Living in Love [SLOW UPDATES]

Chapter: 15

//Maybe, just maybe, it'll all make sense one day. Maybe, just maybe, everything will fall in place one day.
One day.//
-©a.m.pearl

After her previous night's tryst with Dhruv, Alya was quite anxious to meet Manik in order to affirm her heart. His presence was necessary for her to reassure that whatever come may, she would always have Manik. However, when she reached the Fab 5 room, she came across the one face she seemed to be running away from at that moment. 

Dhruv, lost in his thoughts, was strumming his guitar absent-mindedly. Though his focus was not on his guitar, his fingers seemed to have a musical soul of their own as they created a faint yet soft melody. Sure, it was a little off-tune but still it managed to ripple someone's heart.

Alya gazed at the man who was evoking certain unknown feelings inside her for the past few days. She didn't know what and how to name those emotions and that scared her badly. She wanted to run away, to avoid him for at least a few more hours which was a ninety-nine point nine percent impossible since they were childhood friends and in a music band. Unless and until she dropped from the face of the Earth, their meeting was bound to happen sooner or later.

Just as Alya suddenly turned around to walk away, her mini tote swung and hit the door creating a loud- enough noise to break Dhruv out of his reverie. He instantly glanced at the door where he saw Alya trying to flee away. Meanwhile, she, who had her back towards him, sheepishly closed her eyes as she berated herself in her mind for her not-so-super stealth skills. 

She turned around, embarrassment clear on her face, as she tried to face the guy whom she had been friends with for over ten years now. Dhruv was in the same situation as her. For the first time ever, he didn't know what to say to her. 

"Alya!" He softly called out to her after they shared a moment of awkward silence.

"Dhruv!" Alya returned the same gesture even though she didn't know how to continue the conversation.

"Where are others? Mukti? And, uh, Manik? Where is he?" She queried after a while when she noticed that the other two were missing as well.

Hearing Alya question him about Manik's whereabouts, Dhruv felt a slight twinge in his heart. Even though it was normal and he was used to it considering the two had been dating for years, an inexplicable emotion rose up within him. He didn't know what to call it. 

Anger? Disappointment? Sadness? He didn't even know anymore.

Just then, Alya's phone rang indicating an incoming call for someone. She fished out her phone out of her tote and saw that it was Manik. She glanced at Dhruv for a second before answering it.