"I don't have explanations, Cabir. But, I'm sorry. I had lost myself. I don't...  " Dhruv's voice cracked from all the guilt he had. "I don't know, I just swayed away, I don't know how, what got into me. Please forgive. I'm sorry Manik, I take back what I said. I am sorry Aliya, I... "

"It's okay buddy!" Manik smiled back at Dhruv and gave him a hug. 

"Aliya?" Dhruv questioned her. 

"No, Dhruv. You did less harm to us, but more harm to Nandini!" Aliya retorted."Have any one of you thougth where Nandini was in all this while? Have anyone of you imagined what she went through when Dhruv very conveniently blamed her? Manik, have you even gone to her, seen her? Have you even ever seen her in the college since the past few days? No, a big no. You have just very easily forgotten about her existence, her feelings. While mourning in your egoism and problems, you totally forgot who was more heart than any of us"

Her outburst stunned everybody- she had a point. Neither of them had noticed Nandini in college. Heck, they hadn't even seen her. Manik was so engrossed in finishing Nyonika's game and sewing back Fab 5 that he never went to apologize as had planned, and neither Cabir or Mukti had not went to cajole or apologize to her, while Dhruv was well out of the scene with anything relating to her. On the other hand, Navya had tried reaching out but, had utterly failed and assumed she needed space. 

----

New places, new voices, new spaces- Nandini had landed herself in a new world. She didn't expect anything but, a different start to life. 

"Hey, babygirl! So, we are near the hills, Shimla tak chale? " he asked.

Shimla. 

"Nandini! Agar tumhe kisi din beach ki, ya desert ki, ya hillstation ki option ho- as in for a vacation, where would you go?" Manik asked the millionth question from Nandini in the last 20 minutes. 

"Manik, stop it! Tum KBC khelne keliye itne hi utawle ho toh, why don't you enroll for it!" Nandini irritadey answered.

"Babes, I thought you were Einstein- first, you dont enroll for KBC. Second, I am not willing not know about the world's favorite happenings, I want to know you- your favorites" Manik leaned closer into her, "And your deepest secrets and what you like, what you hate..."

"You know what I hate- you!" Nandini pushed Manik back. 

"Oh come  on, janeman, you know the feelings are mutual but in the opposite way. So, Miss 20-20 -questions-hater, where would you go?" Manik teased. 

"I would..." Nandini started to put together her choices but, when she couldn't figure out any particular one, she gave up and sulked, "Manik, I don't know! You are so confusing!"

"Confusing! Ab yeh kahan se aya? Nandini, itni si toh baat hi, beach ya desert ya hill station?" Manik stated. 

"Nahi pata!" Nandini said in dismay. 

Seeing her eyes mellow down and quirky smile fade away, he knew may be in the attempt of getting to know her, he lost her in one of her memories, "Koi gal nahi soniyo! We will figure it out together, hmm? We will go to places and then, dekhna you'll revisit you! You know, we will start with the hill station becuase..."

"Because it is you favorite." Nandini completed him. 

"Yeh, nah... because, that is where my dadi-dada live- a place where Fab 5 and me used to spend all their vacations. You know you will love it!"Manik continued as an excited child. 

"Because that is where you were safe from all the problems?" Nandini blurted. 

"Yes Einstein, safe and sound. That place had innocence, Nandini, it has hope!" Manik murmured with a soft smile from his memories. His love and truthfulness for the place along with his sweet memories reflected in his eyes. 

Nandini smiled at the memory and thought whether she should find her solace in a place Manik found his. The thought and possibility seemed reasonable, but, does she want to start off from where Manik left or lingered on? 

"No, let's take this to Dehradun!" Nandini finalized. "I'll keep your promise Manik, but half of it-just like you kept half of me!" she thought to herself while looking out of the window imbibing the scenic beauty of the hills set in, indeed she had come a long way- a long way that led her to  a new start.  

--Space College- -

While Fab 5 was midst of solving the crisis, canteen had a new hot-discussion on board. Well, seeing that NH4 and Fab 5 had made it to the next round of Talent Hunt, the students were quite confused what led to Navya and Harshad on opposite sides of the canteen and where the ever-so-charming Fab 5 were. The muffled voices and rubbish comments from the students were annoying enough for Navya and to top that, Harshad was around wearing his ever-so-evil smirk and gaze. He had gathered that Nandini had left the college so resultantly; NH4 was no longer a group of three but a group of 2. And having this great opportunity and triumph card of Fab 5 on the verge and a missing Nandini, he wanted to play it strategically. So he did as he wished without another thought about feelings and conducted to auditions in the middle of the canteen.

"Boys and Girls, I would like to invite you all to come to audition for NH4 today and tomorrow all day." Harshad started off, with a queer side-gaze on Navya.

She was alarmed on his use of the word auditions and NH4 in one sentence and narrowed her eyes on him. She didn't interfere right now in his "speech" as she wanted to estimate what waters she would entering into.

"Yes, you all may be surprised. But, now, unfortunately for us, may be and fortunately for you guys, NH4 has a space empty and since we are going to participate in the next round, we would need a new vocalist. So, ladies and gentleman pull up your socks and let the game begin." Harshad completed.

Astonished by his words, Navya got up and decided to interject, "Harshad, tum yeh kya naya tamasha shuru kar rahe ho? NH4 mein koi jaga khali nahi hi aur upar se begair mere aur Nandini ke tum NH4 ka koi step nahi le sakte."

"Navya rani, sorry to burst your bubble, but, agar aapko Fab5 ke dukhti raag se phursat milegi toh aapko pata lagega ki Nandini Murthy, which very interestingly is you best-friend, has left the college forever. Usne dokha diya hi hum sabko aur esi situation mein, with the competition on our head, someone has to care about NH4 and that's what I am doing. Aapko itni hi dikata hi toh don't worry I can easily right now be looking for a vocalists and a harmonium player right now. I am so sure I'll easily find better ones that you and your best-friend within minutes. Right guys?" Harshad's voice was dipped in shrewdness and he blabbered away. But, Navya was stuck on one-line, one-line that had taken her heart way, one line that may be answered her days-old question about Nandini's whereabouts.

---------------------

Heya Peeps, 

Some revelations, some past sequences. 

Cliche questions: Would Navya believe them? How is the sorry going people? Let me know if you feel this is becoming a drag? 

Happy Reading!

Love, 

HF