Dedicated to: mysticalssmiles555 and Tripthi_dubey

Surprise! Surprise! Early update ;)

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Ever since the musicophilians as FAB5 with Navya, Nandini, and Aryaman have named themselves in their group chat, had known about their trip to Mangalore for the Musical Treasure Hunt all have their thoughts wandering off in various direction.

It was a great weekend for each one of them and finally, tomorrow they were to leave for Mangalore.

It was late at night and each of them have retired to their beds but sleep was far from any of their eyes.

A whirlwind of excitement was thought present on each heart, their minds while filled with memories and thoughts of their own.

Mangalore, the place of classical music was famous for the biggest musical workshop called Fusional Clash which happened each year and welcomed people throughout the country.

For Navya, it was the beginning of her musical journey alongside friendship with Aryaman, Harshad, and Zubin. But with it came the bittersweet memories of her old self which was lost. She remembered how she stood up for herself in front of the whole crowd in that workshop but now, the new her could not even do that in front of few bullies reminiscing the event of her first day in SPACE. She could just ponder what this trip had in store for her.

While beside her, Nandini was having all sorts of jumbled thoughts. It was the place which saw her at her bravest as well as the weakest. The place that taught her music, and took it away too. She may be a music student but the confidence to perform was gone. And most important, it has given her peoples she could rely on but again it has taken away more than it has given. She could just pray to God that this time, she could let go of the regrets of life and move on.

Jeff was separated from Nandini and Navya by a flight of stairs. Her room downstairs just below that of Nandini. For Jeff, Mangalore was her birthplace where she found Nandini and Aryaman, making them the golden trio. It has her childhood memories and after so many years she was going back and that too with her too idiots. She was ecstatic would be an understatement. She was all too excited to relive her childhood.

The third of the trio, Aryaman too had mixed feelings. His childhood and teenage years were spent in Mangalore with his grandfather and grandmother but there were circumstances which made him regret things note than he could. He lost his best friend somewhere out of his own stupidity though the fault was not just on his part. And now, returning back he had Jeff with him and somewhere Nandini too but will it last. What will be the consequences he thought before drifting off to sleep.

In Malhotra Mansion, each member of FAB5 was thinking of the same thing. So many memories they had of that place they never visited.

They all were in memory lane.

"Stop it guys. If she wants to go then let her go. She is not a kid anymore, you stupid fellows. I am already tired from all the last minute packing and her cribbing and you guys are just increasing my headache. It's just a matter of a few weeks so let her go and let me sleep in peace." Shouted Multi making everyone present at Vardhan Mansion to shut their mouth.

"But Mukti, she is going alone. A.L.O.N.E that too to Mangalore with none of us with her. " Alya reasoned once again not wanting to send her best friend away.

"So, she is going to music ashram, not on war that you are worried about." Mukti snapped making Alya shut with her rudeness.

"But Muku, she has never gone anywhere alone. How will she manage everything and also, how will she sleep, she does not get sleep without you beside her then.." It was Dhruv who reasoned not liking the idea of sending his best friend away in some sort of Aashram.

"Dhruv, this is the last time I am telling you she is not a kid anymore. Also, it's high time she learns to live by herself. And about sleeping, she can just keep a long body mirror beside her, when she sees her face, she will feel she has company." Mukti's reply again shut Dhruv.

"These things are good but the rules in that Aashram are not good. They say no communication to the outer world for the time period of their stay. I mean that's not fair. How will we know if she is safe or not? " cabir kept forward his point who was afraid about his sister's safety.

"Cabir Dhawan, don't you know music requires concentration so there is this rule. And every day at night near eight we get to talk to her to know about her to assure that she is fine. And she is not alone, she is just one person among many others to go there at this time." Mukti replied while pressing her forehead which had started to ache now with their constant nagging.

Suddenly she felt hands massaging her head making his presence known. A sigh left her lips with the magical hands giving stress a relief.

"But how are you so calm? There is surely something fishy." Cabir spoke with a raised eyebrow while Dhrlya supported him.

"A week of persuading didn't help so I called a truce with her." She replied casually making them give her a blank look.

"See you guys should be like Manik. He supports her decision so has not said anything." Mukti has not just completed the sentence that Niti barged into her room looking furious.

"Manik Malhotra." Niti shoot draggers at Manik and gritting her teeth as if she was a predator ready to pounce on her prey.

Manik slightly shifted on the bed nervously but continued to massage Mukti's head while Mukti chuckled at Manik's restlessness.

"Calm down Vardhan. " Mukti said, "Calm down. You want me to calm down. I will kill this monster, how dare he. " Niti shouted glaring at Manik making Mukti chuckle.

"What did he do that you are overreacting?" Cabir asked but regretted it instantly.

"I am overreacting. " her nostrils flared in anger while she shoots cabir a murderous look making him shudder and realize what Mukti meant by "My sister has the combined anger of me and Manik."

"Niti, first tell me what's wrong?" Alya asked cautiously not wanting to anger her more than he already is.

"What's wrong? Everything is wrong and that just because of your so-called big brother." Niti spoke with gritted teeth.

"Harshad? What did he do? " Dhruv asked not understanding anything.

"That Saksena didn't do anything. Like hell, I will allow him to do anything. " Niti added, " This Malhotra did everything. He planned all this shit."

"And today for the first time in forever I feel like she is my sister" Mukti spoke with a grin seeing her sister going all crazy with anger and cursing to making Manik control the bubbling laugh. It's not good to provoke an angry lioness.

"What plan?" Cabir asked cautiously.

"Plan of me getting a bodyguard named Harshad Saksena in my solo trip to Mangalore." Niti air quoted solo to make them realize it's meaning.

"Vardhan FYI it's not a trip but you are going to learn. And also, Harshad is going to fusional clash, a musical workshop.." Niti cut him off.

"Malhotra, I know what fusional clash is. " she glared at him making him grin cheekily.

"So as I was saying, it's also in Mangalore so you will only ride with him. After reaching there, you guys will go your own way, and also, Harshad will be back before you as his workshop is just one week." Manik filled her making her sigh.

She too sat beside Manik and leaned on his shoulder. He felt content having his precious girls in his arms.

"But I don't want to go with that Saksena." She spoke softly trying one last time to make others bite their tongue to stop themselves from giving that mischievous smile.

"Why Vardhan? Afraid of my charms." Harshad who had just entered smirked.

"You wish Saksena." She scoffed. "Also, I have seen better charmers."

And that enough for the overprotective Manik Malhotra to demand what she meant and the rest is history with the duo fighting again and Harshad dragging Niti outside bidding bye as their jeep was already loaded with their luggage.

Slowly they all fell asleep with just one word in their mind - Mangalore.

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In spite of being the early hours in the morning, the musical students of SPACE are present in the parking area of the school, all fresh like dewdrops, but for the first time in like forever instead of curses gracing the student's lips for having to leave the comfort of their room most probably bed, there is a breathtaking smile tugging at everyone's lips with a glint of happiness in their eyes.

All were standing around the two travel buses scattered in their own small groups sharing their excitement and plans regarding the trip. Many had the same experience as to how they couldn't sleep the night before just because of the overwhelming feeling and were for the first time cursing the time for going by so slowly.

After the luggage was filled in the back compartment of the bus, all the students were asked to get going inside the bus.

It was a 35 seater bus with two seats together arranged in two columns. At the driver's side, there were 9 rows making a total of 18 seats and on the other side 8 rows making a total of 16 seats. And there is one seat between the two columns in the last row.

Fab5 had their place occupied in the last row with Manik and Mukti seated in window seats as if being far from each other. Cabir being on Mukti's side with Alya on Manik's and Dhruv in middle.

Coming to the places exactly in front of them, Nandini and Navya sat in the row just in front of Mukti and Cabir while Aryaman and Jeff were busy arguing in the seat before Manik and Alya. Here too, Nandini and Aryaman had occupied the window seats, far from each other.

Finally, the journey had started and they were on their way to Mangalore.

Nearly half an hour had passed and the bus was filled with just the noises while some were lost in the passing scene with others trying to suppress the noise by either stuffing earphones and blasting music or some trying to get the much-needed sleep with the gloomy atmosphere.

But all at once, the bus was filled with the dancing number making everyone jerk in their places some with amusement and mostly with shock.

The group of girls and boys standing in the front of the bus were the fun group with their nonstop charter and fun-loving personality.

The confinement of the bus didn't let them stop their fun as they started to dance or say twist, turn, and jump with the musical beat. The enthusiasm and excitement they presented were enough to grab the attention of everyone, after all, who doesn't want the boring bus ride to be fun.

Soon most of them were in the marrow passage doing god knows what but having time of their life. Musicophilians were just seated like some other, satisfied with watching. But when the song changed to Pappu-Can't-Dance-Sala, Cabir was dragging Dhruv in the small crumpled place and urging him to do the hook step. Navya and Jeff didn't take long to join them while Mukti was trying her best to stop getting hit by cabir who was getting pushed by the crowd dancing in moving bus and trying to fall now and them with bumpy road and breaks.

Aryaman was busy recording everyone's antics while Nandini shook her head at Navya who trying her best to get her Nandu to jump with her.

And there were Manik and Alya pointing at one or the other, commenting about them and laughing so hard that both had tears in their eyes. Their sense of humor though contrasted, they were to make perfect comedic commentators who laughed more than they commented.

Soon the early dancers were getting settled in their seats sweating while others moved forward making space. Now, that the song had changed to Let's Nacho, Jeff and Navya managed to get Nandini and Arya to move to beat too, though that included moving with the movement of the bus, they were trying their best to hold themselves and not fall.

Soon, Alya had moved to seat beside Mukti with Dhruv and cabir in the middle of the narrow passage dancing, Aryaman was trying to steady Jeff who was too excited and Navya was making Nandini move with her.

They had reached the middle of the Mumbai-Mangalore highway that the bus stopped with an unexpected halt with the driver pressing breaks so fast that they all started to fall with imbalance.

Aryaman was quick to hold Jeff, with Navya holding Aryaman with one hand and one holding the seat. Cabir and Dhruv were pushed forward but caught themselves with the help of ones seated. The ones before Cabir didn't turn too lucky and fell like a drunkard.

Just then the lyrics of the song changed to something slow and romantic. It was just too comedic that all were laughing with whatever position they have landed into.

In all the chaos, there they were; Manik who was leaning on his seat with his head nearly touching window glass had his hands on Nandini's waist, with her hair falling on either side of his face and her body on top of his and her hands clutching his shoulders with fear of fall.

Any movement from his side will not only result in his head to bang against the window but also make her lose balance making her crush him totally.

So they stayed stilled.

Her doe eyes with slight fear locked in brown pair of his own filled with amusement.

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Your bus-ride experience???

Finally, the journey has begun and what better than some music, Masti, dance, and bumps of course.

Thoughts?

Suggestions????

Anything in particular that u will like to read cuz I have no idea.

The next update will be late so no comments with update soon.

Till next time, stay safe.

TARGET: 200 votes, no limit for comments though