Aryaman had long back lulled Nandini to sleep. Her breaths were small, calm and child-like narrating that she had fallen in the clouds of her dreamland. He slowly planted a good-night kiss on her forehead and got up slowly from the bed rest. His eyes fell upon on her injured hand and a tear fell on her blood-moistened bandage. He wiped his eyes and existed the door, slowly shutting the door behind her.

He had failed- miserably failed. Failed in his promise to her, failed as a friend, failed in his promise to himself, failed in his promise to Abhimanyu. He had utterly failed to protect her from her unknown fears, her past. He had failed to keep her happy, and content. Instead, of her being of full of life, life was full of her. But, it was now enough- these new entities had enough damage to pull her down. Whatever their story, whatever their relations, whatever their fights- they could keep that to themselves, it was her time to shine and they couldn't just barge in to pull her down and strip her off her happiness. After all she went through, after all what he had seen of her, she couldn't be at fault- she was pure, true-hearted- another innocent one who was made fun of by life and egoism. He couldn't let life mock him by setting ablaze another one right in front of his eyes, not especially when this time, he was sane, safe and sound.

He reached down the hallway and entered the common-where everybody, including the unknown lady who just ruined everything, was enjoying on their own terms, mingling and laughing while the innocent fought herself within her.

"Pack your stuff. We are out in two hours!" he firmly asserted.

Abhimanyu looked up at his harshness and narrowed his eyes at him in dubiety while the rest were astonished at the announcement.

"What? Esa kesa?"

"Wese hi jese yahan aaye the! Excited much?" Aryaman mocked at the five souls, he detested.

They gulped audibly and scattered their gaze when Aryaman's eyes spite fire on them. His sudden hatred was unexplained, but the heat was enough to make them shudder. Manik, being Manik Malhotra, was unfazed and shot him back with the intensity. The unannounced pounce didn't go unnoticed by Abhimanyu and he made it a point to call truce before the argument spread wild-fire.

"Okay, buds! We'll call it wrap as sudden as it was called on! " he got up and dusted his clean white bermudas and tugged on Aryaman's shoulder, "Chal, we'll go and pack and tell Nandini to pack up to. You know she's gonna be so haphazardly panicky."

"No! No one's gonna go to her. No one." Aryaman retorted and shot his eyes at Fab 5. The insistence was clear and the inference was crystal.

He didn't know about the five who sat in front, but, Aryaman's crudeness scarred Abhimanyu indefinitely. He gathered his voice and muttered like a sheep,

"Okeih! Chal, mere saath"

Aryaman shot his piercing gaze at him to which Abhimanyu meekly added a cheeky "please". The moment the boys existed, Fab 5, except Manik, left a unknowingly held breath.

"That was.." Mukti stared ahead the two who disappeared into the hallway.

"Nothing." Manik completed her statement very obviously and got up fixing the collars of his light-blue coat. "Just pack-up. I don't think we have much left here or anywhere. Cabir, just pack my stuff too. I've something important, way more important than this."

-------

"Bro! Dhanda, ho ja!" Abhimanyu patted a huffing Aryaman's back.

"No way! Abhi, I'm done!" Aryaman shouted. 

"Okh! I get it. You're done, done, but done with?" Abhi raised his hands surrenderingly yet questioned. Aryaman squinted his eyes, 

"Everything. With her mysteriousness, her saddness and especially, with their capabilities." He said threateningly. 

"Capabilities?" Abhimanyu questioned not understanding his reference. 

"Forget it, Abhi. It's a long story that extends beyond my power of taking. Just get it we are leaving adn soon they will be too, gone to far. Far enough to not touch her." Aryaman jolted up and opened the cupboard grabbing his stuff.

"But, bro it's late at night!" Abhimanyu tried to argue back to stop the rage. 

"Don't care!"

"It's too soon!"

"Don't care." a dead response came back from Aryaman, who was too busy stuffing his clothes in his suitcase. Jumbled hot-dog, Abhimanyu thought. If the fire started with her, then she should calm it down. 

"She's asleep!" Abhimanyu threw a blind card in Aryaman's raging fire. 

"Better! Kal pohanch jaege! Early morning and wese bhi, Nandini didn't want to miss school! She'll be fully rested tab tak and even if she reaches late, it's gonna be fine." Aryman snapped back with a great response. 

With all his cards to cool his anger burnt, Abhimanyu stomped irritated. 

"Fine then!" Abhimanyu banged the door and shuffled out of the room.  He walked down the hall to reach Nandini's room to further investigate the matter, when he bumped into a light, soft something, or particularly, someone. He balanced himself and caught the falling figure awkwardly. 

"Sorry!" she muttered. 

"I'm sorry," Abhimanyu was about to walk out when he looked up at the lady.  "Hey!"

"Hi!" Mukti reddened slightly at his emphasis but quickly changed the topic. 

"Is he okay?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeh, you guys chill. He could be a bit of blast sometimes. Just pack and well, I will see you in a bit then!" Abhimanyu said sweetly, suddenly all his irritation vanished and his mood turned flowery.

"Yeh!" Mukti blushed and though, their story hadn't moved significantly ahead and they hadn't opened to each other much, somewhere their little gestures for each other promised to both of them that the bells of love rang serenely as background music amidst the drums of the present mess that was based on the past differences. Abhi, unaware of the gravity the past for Fab 5 and Nandini brought, didn't think way ahead and chose to go with his intuitions, while Mukti feared at her steps towards love. She wasn't willing to break herself again. She wasn't ready to loose herself thanks to indifference and differences. She wasn't willing to let history conveniently repeat itself.

-------

Manik sat cross-legged on the terrace looking ahead into the sky. His hands played with his phone and he fidgeted with the lock pattern. Doodling again and again, he didn't realize paritcularly when he blankly opened the phone book and tapped on his dad's number. 

"Manik!" Mr. Malhotra's voice cheered from the other side at the second ring. 

"Hey dad! How are you?" he questioned. This was so deja-vu yet it felt comforting. 

"I'm good son! Glad you called. I wanted to ask you how the collab is going, but, before we go there, how are things on your side, Manik? How's she?"

"Changed." Manik heaved heavily. 

"Oh son! Don't be small, my boy!"Mr. Malhotra tried to cheer him up. 

"She's far too gone, dad. Just like Nyonika, she's turned stone, saying the same, meaning the same. Convulsed and moreover, I don't know, but Fab 5 also seems to be slightly.." he dragged. 

"Don't give up, Manik! If you know her well, if you claim to love her, then you should also know where she is pointing. "

"I don't know, I'm tired, dad. Fighting with everyone. I want to just disappear from here, everywhere- somewhere away, away from her." he said in daze. 

"Manik, before leaving from there, before returning to this world- please with a calm mind think about her, a world without her, a world in someone else's arms.." Mr. Malhotra tried to rein him. 

"Dad!" Manik widened his eyes at his statement. 

"What Manik! I'm stating the obvious, the one day reality- after her, you'll eventually move on, marry, have a family, of course with someone" Mr. Malhotra snapped in response, slightly pressingly. 

There was no response to his authoritative voice. The line was silent. 

"I understand you might not be looking towards that right now", Mr. Malhotra continued with the same authority but slightly calmly, "I understand you're young for that foresight. It's your career and of course, Fab 5's career that is way more important than your love life and happiness, right! So, it's cool- no worries, son if you want what you said then it would be it. You guys can come back, I'll book the flight and don't worry, son, I'll find you the best, hottest girl in town. My boy should have the best- the best of the good-looking millionaire girls!"

"So should I book the tickets?" Mr. Malhotra continued.

A long pause followed. Manik was a utter dilemma, he stood aghast at his dad's words. He was jolted by the reality that his dad smashed on his face. The pin drop silence testified that the seed of doubt and far-sighted reality was successfully buried and its germination, Mr. Malhotra on the other side of the phone back in Mumbai smirked, would do promising wonders.

"Hello?" he innocently questioned. "Manik?"

The silence continued for the a few more seconds before a long, buzzing beep filled the phone. Dead? Nah, smitten dead, Mr. Malhotra thought to himself.

"Welcome to my world, Son!" he laughed and tossed the phone on the couch and sipped on his chai.

-------

The drive back to Dehradun had embarked a few minutes ago, finally at 3 in the morning. Amidst all the packing, rush, discussions on the sudden embark, final payments and waking up Nandini, the night had passed away. Since Aryaman was so adamant to take off, Abhimanyu pulled him  in with him and Nandini and let him drive for the first half hour or so as he slept off. Happily agreeing to the deal, Aryaman zoomed the car far away from Fab 5' s jeep as soon as Nandini and Abhimanyu had settled in. The cool breeze was freeing and so, the two sleepy heads cuddled into each other while Aryaman  drove. 

It was forty five minutes later when Nandini woke up in a still car. She rubbed her eyes and saw Aryaman sipping on chai. He seemed tired, exhausted and worn down.  Fab 5 were no where in sight, most probably thanks to Aryaman's pace. Nandini slightly tapped on Abhimanyu's shoulder and got him up. 

"Umm... kid! Sone de!" Abhimanyu crankily complained. 

"Abhi, sun! Arya!"

"What Aryaman?" he stumbled up and followed Nandini's gaze to observe a worn down Aryaman. He sighed and got out of the car. 

"Aru! I'll drive, so ja! Chal, let's reach home!" Abhimanyu broke Aryaman's reveire and grabbed the keys from him. 

"Ae!" Aryaman dropped his shoulders. 

"Nah! Not gonna work, bro! I'll sip up a tea just like how you relished one without us, sneaky, and then we'll depart!"

"Ohk!" Aryaman sighed and dragged his feet to the car where Nandini sat. She lovingly opened her arms and he snuggled in like a baby. She patted his head as he rested in her lap, when Aryaman mumbled, 

"Who are they Nandu?"

His sudden question about them froze her momentarily, but she quickly covered up with warm soft strokes on his eyes, "No one. Sleep, Aru. It's late."

Aryaman closed his eyes and fell to his dream-land in seconds while Nandini got lost in her past, yet again. It was hard to recover, hard to think who was wrong, hard to think who was at fault, hard to accept that they had reached here. A few minutes later, Abhimanyu came back and ignitioned the car to a slow pace and the journey continued. Nandini rested her head against the backrest and closed her eyes. 

"Manik. We know it, now and then. Wish you the best and you know where to find me." You never came.

"Going to Mangalore. Amms is terribly ill- Ramu called to say it was a heart-attack. You stay for college. Will call" The phone never came.

"What train did Mr. and Mrs. Murthy take?" The train never came.

Ek baar puchne toh aate! Dekhne toh aate! Khatam karne ka khayal nahi aya- face to face!"

The wheels gushed with against the dew-decorated road and the heater's warmth kept the car ride peaceful.  

"Abhi, can we stop somewhere, please!" Nandini suddenly spoke up.

"What happened kid? You okay?" 

"Yeh! It's just congested. Could we please stop soon?" she requested trying to not let go of wither of voice leak out. 

"Yeh!" Abhimanyu shifted the music to a soft tune and drove for a few minutes more before stopping at the most decent looking side path. Aryaman woke up at the sudden stop and he stared at Abhimanyu at confusion who rolled down the windows and peaked at Nandini. Indeed, she was flushed red as if ready to burst.

It wasn't long before his analysis that she got off the car and stood outside near the railing overlooking into the sky. Aryaman and Abhimanyu nervously awaited in the car staring at her as she had her moment.

"She'll be fine?"

"That sounded more like a question, Arya." Abhi whispered to him wearily.

"Can't help it, Abhi."

"She'll be." Abhimanyu was about to continue when they hear her footsteps approach.

"I'm going to drink water from a store down there. There are these stairs that go down. Seem to be safe and sturdy, I saw a few a people use it. Do you guys need anything?" Her suddenness and bluntness estranged them and her withdrawal served with a question didn't help them evaluate the situation either.

"Nope." Aryaman answered with a popping "p".

"Okay," Nandini shrugged her shoulders very obviously and paced her self down the stairs.

"Bro!" Aryaman questioned Abhimnanyu in a lost voice as they stared at Nandini go down hill. "She's nuts", he continued.

"And you're a nutcase. Move your feet, Arya!" Abhimanyu startled as the realization dawned them. "If I loose her, it's all your fault."

"Bro!" Aryaman animatedly paused and stomped infront of a rushing Abhimanyu.

"Bro, you! Kya kha kar utha hi!" Abhimanyu smacked him out of his way and followed down the stairs.

Indeed the stairs were safe and twirled into a whole different world that bustled beneath the cliff. The bumpy roads, hustling shops- it might appear to be like any other mountain dwelling but it wasn't. It didn't smell of fresh air or snow. It had the aura of happiness and mixed with rural rawness. It was hidden from the tourists but still had a touristy splash to it. It was a place to be discovered and get lost in. A city that a congested Nandini would take benefit of to get lost in. And as their hypothesis came true, yes- she went down the stairs to fetch a bottle of water in a shop but, which shop was the main question. There were rows of stalls all selling a variety of stuff at absurd prices, may be they saw that fools had visited them- but, uninterested in their rates or commodities, Abhimanyu and Aryaman only questioned one thing down their path- Have you seen a petite, chubby cheeked girl with a messed bun, blue jeans and loose shirt.

"Are baba! Nahi dekha kisi ko! Haad karte ho, itne grahak aate hi, sab ka chehra yaad nahi rehta! Haan paas mein ek movie theater aur Nature Trek hi, wahan dekhna hi toh aage se right!" a shopkeeper answered them back even before they questioned him for the eleventh time while descending down the trail of shops. Abhimanyu and Aryaman made their way out of the hustle into a nearby less crowded place and huffed.

"Aunty, yeh Nature Trek kahan jaata hi?" Abhimanyu panted his question to a passer-by and squinted his eyes as rising sun took over the sky gloriously. The instruction were received and carefully followed along with a bit of banter and confusion.

"Why are we going there, she could be in the movie hall too! I'm telling you this could be a waste of time- what if she's in the movies? Or even better, madam is in the car up there? She's stronger than you think, Abhi!" Aryaman argued and hoped along with a grumpy Abhimanyu.

"Aryaman, agar tu uska acha dost hota na you would have known that jab bhi vo sad hoti hi na she comes to the hilltop!"

"Comes to the hill top!" Aryaman copied him in a squeaky voice, teasingly as they reached the Hill Top Nature Trek. "So, Mr. Good friend, if you were that great then, voh tere paas aati na ki running away on a crappy hill-top?" he pulled on Abhimanyu's cheeks playfully.

"Stop it!" Abhimanyu cringed on his playful mood in such a dull situation. "Stop yappping okay! Mere dimag abhi vese bhi phata hua hi, nah!"

"Koi baat nahi, lag ka rakhte hi nah!" Aryaman joked off. Abhimanyu rolled his eyes and grabbed the tickets from the counter and thrashed inside leaving Aryaman behind.

"Such a natural beauty destroyer! " Abhimanyu mocked while stomping out.

They traced the labyrinths of the trek until they found a petite girl, in a loose white shirt and open hair sitting by herself on a rock. Abhimanyu left a sigh and slow ran to her.

"Kid, life's not always about backing up , sometimes accepting falling down is better!" he said and took a seat besides. Nandini pulled out her maze of her thoughts and turned towards Abhimanyu to acknowledge him.

"Yar! Abhi, you run too fast!" Aryaman's voice echoed amidst their silent talk. Nandini rolled her eyes on the drama and continued to gaze into rising sun.

"Acha, Nandu, you know mein na, I used to stumble on everything, like khali peeli zaameen par bhi! Like, in this third-grade ki race with Abhi, our legs were tied and I just randomly tripped adn we both fell into the mud and out of the both of us, though we lost the race, like I broke my leg and not him!"

"Shut up, yaar! That just happened, okay it was unreasonably extreme. It happened just like shitty things happen! Like chodrna purana aur felana band karna, it better tu khela!"

"What?" Nandini looked at Aryaman with her squinted eyes. He and his ridiculous talks were a promising hamesha, for sure.

"Isne kya felaya hi?" Abhi countered.

"Are yaar, yeh kya.. dahi wada, wrap it yaar. It's better hum chaat waale ke paas khae!"

"Dahi wada, out of everything!" Abhi and Nandini unanimously derided his analogy.

"What are you saying?" Abhi whispered to him.

"Are yaar yeh ese sad-sad, bhav khati hui, yahan jungle mein aagai! Plan cancel kar diya nah!"

"Tch, raita hota hi!" Abhi squeaked back.

"Tum dono ki ladai kab khatam ho gayi!" Nandini burst out in hushed voice as the birds and squirrels scattered aorund among their fight.

"Jab tera dukhrda kahatam hoga! Aur actually nah, this isn't the old one, yeh nai start kari hi humne tere gumne par! Purani waali abhi hold par hi!" Aryaman proudly mentioned.

"What?" Nandini squinted her eyes at Abhimanyu who in turn dismissed the logic with gesturing that he was mad. Abhimanyu picked up the bottle to quench his thirst and coughed at his first sip.

"Kya hi isme?"

"Coke plus ice-cream aur rum, gaam ka saathi!"

"It's very nice", Abhi complemented with a bitter face.

"I know,"Nandini stated the obvious.

"Acha sun na yaar! I'm saying tu, you're sensible nah, then just don't do this childishness, kid. Esa gumna and hiding, it's not gonna work na!" Abhi explained in a light-hearted manner while Nandini just hummed along. "Toh chal na, kid! Let's so go back, back to where we were. Away from whatever this confusion and sadness is. Let's chill, thodra."

"Are yaar!" Aryaman bounced into the discussion, "Tujhe yaad hi Abhi, there was this girl in our class, woh Phall.."

"Pallavi?"

"Are haan, woh tujh pe marti thi nah and then one day, you said in the truth or dare who was you 3 am friend?"

"Yay, and I answered you, like a dumbass.." Abhimanyu mocked himself.

"And phir she got irked and kya muh par chamat para iske.." Aryaman animated and laughed whole hearted-ly. 

With Aryaman's well-established adeptness to digress situations and beat around the randomness to cool heated minds, the trio got immersed in childhood stories. Memories captivated them and the encircling worries and regrets were overlooked by Nandini. The congestion was long gone and the trio's laughter sang along the melody of the birds. Soon, they pushed off the Natural Trek but, not before completing it with a cranking Aryaman. Their journey continued with old Bollywood 90's song blasting on full volume. Aryaman, though had successfully brought a smile of both their faces, hadn't forgotten or forgiven the five people who unknowingly awaited their encounter with the Aryaman Khurana. He wore a smile while fuming inside, and Abhimanyu knew and loved him for that- he would heal with laughter.

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

Hey,

When you don't know where to stop the chapter and you know the word limit for the each chapter is about 1500 words.. chapters that lengthen upto 3600 words are 2.5 chapters! I'm super accurate and picky about my numbering here!

An ode to Abhi, Aryaman and Nandini's friendship! Come on, please, I know it was break from Manik, Navya and Nandini but I couldn't write them out and the friendship- they deserve an update to themselves! It's the spinner of the story- let's take a moment to appreciate them to be saner than Fab 5.

Happy reading!

Love,

HF