Manik entered mukti's room first, nandini quietly followed him. Mukti wasn't in the room, just as manik moved forward to call out for her, he heard the sound of shower. Manik deliberated for a moment, should he knock? Or should he wait for her to come out on her own? Getting confused, he turned to nandini , to seek her opinion. Being the impatient and impulsive soul, he didn't pay much attention to her expressions, rather he looked inquisitively, as if asking what should i do? Nandini quickly blinked away the tears threatening to drop out of her eyes, as she noticed manik turning towards her. She was hurt by his behaviour, but she wouldn't show him.
She understood what manik wanted , so without speaking a word , she crossed him and reached to knock on washroom's door "mukti! Mukti???" nandini called but got no reply.

"mukti tum theek ho??" nandini asked to get an answer but instead of mukti , manik spoke angrily "of course, wo theek nhi hai!...what kind of stupid question is that?" manik spoke over her back but nandini did not turn to face him. She knew she would speak rashly if she opened her mouth to talk to him now. One of them has to be sane now. Nandini's silence irked him, "nandini!! " manik shouted but nandini didn't budge. Inside the washroom, mukti was crying her heart out under the shower. She turned off the shower only when tears stopped coming out and her mind had decided her course of action. But as soon as she turned the shower off , she could hear manik shouting on nandini. It is then mukti realised that her bhai and bhabhi were fighting because of her. She quickly dressed up and came out of the washroom. She saw manik looking fiercely at nandini, while nandini had her eyes fixed to the ground. Mukti felt guilty that manik and nandini have got entangled in her issues. She composed herself trying to look and behave normally and then spoke, trying to lighten the mood "bhai, what is this ? its my birthday and you two are fighting?? Agar jhagra hi karna tha toh apne room me ja k karo..." manik cut her words in middle and instantly took her in a bear hug "mukti tu thk h?? Kya hua tha, mujhe bata..why were you upset??" manik asked. Mukti had controlled her tears but again the warm hug from manik triggered the tears and she bit her lips to control the sob. Manik broke the hug to look at her face but mukti looked down to hide the tears.

"mukti...bachha..plz mujhe bata kya hua?? Abhimanyu ne kuch kaha tujhse? Usne kuch kiya??" manik finally asked and mukti looked shocked at him. She thought it means everyone knows about abhimanyu??

Her eyes next looked at nandini and to mukti's surprise even nandini didn't look surprised. Even nandini knows...and bhai is ok with it? Of course , he will be, because he wants everything to be best for me..but it is me who doesn't deserve the best'.

Mukti shook her head "nahi bhai, abhimanyu ne kuch nahi kaha. Aur plz , you remember you had told me once that from now on you would give me space and confidence to take my own decisions, so i request you plz mujhe iss bare mein koi baat ni karni..." mukti straightforwardly spoke taking manik by surprise. Of course he had said that but he had not imagined a situation like this then.

"but...mukti...you are crying..how can i just leave you like that.." manik was feeling helpless. Yet again he had failed to protect his sister from pain!

Mukti wiped her tears "bhai, aajkal mujhe choti choti baton par v rona ajata hai!! I have become a rondu master like alia...by the way where are others?? Koi dikh ni raha and what is the surprise that you all are planning?? Batao batao" mukti switched her mood gear to escape the interrogation of manik. On the other hand manik knew that mukti was hiding something. But one look at her and he knew she wouldn't disclose it.

He started thinking of other ways and left from there after talking a while to mukti.

Nandini closed the door as soon as manik left. She had been a silent observer till now but now she had taken charge of the situation. She made mukti sit beside her on the bed forcefully. Nandini knew mukti would try to be defiant but she had to get out the truth from her. What was she thinking?

"mukti, i won't beat around the bush, so i am telling you, i know everything from start till the end. You shouldn't hide anything from me" nandini spoke authoritatively. She was her bhabhi, after all!! Mukti looked shocked at nandini. "yes i know, bhai had told me everything. He has liked you from a long time...but he feared your rejection. It was his first time and you know how boys are, they can't take a NO for an answer. It was me who had made him understand to take a chance. But i guess his fear came true...you rejected him...do you..i mean do you like someone else???" nandini thought that could be only possibility behind mukti's rejection. But nandini's deduction left mukti baffled and she almost shouted a NO instinctively " no, nandini, its nothing like that!!" mukti spoke horrified. Nandini patted mukti's back soothingly "relax mukti...i was just assuming...it is only you..who can tell me what is exactly wrong, because i don't see any reason for you to reject bhai"

"nandini, you just told na...its abhimanyu's first time...he is so pure so innocent..so good..dont you think he deserves someone exactly like him..." mukti spoke looking down, trying to gain courage for the discussion that is to follow. "what do you mean mukti??" nandini didn't have even a slightest inkling of mukti's thoughts. Mukti inhaled deeply before speaking " nandini you don't know about my PAST..." mukti started only to be cut off by nandini as nandini instantly understood the direction where the discussion would lead "mukti...i know EVERYTHING" nandini replied looking straight into mukti's eyes and mukti's eyes widened for a moment but as soon as she realised that may be manik had told nandini all this, her eyes lowered out of shame. Nandini understood mukti's condition , she took mukti's palm in her's and squeezed it gently as a sign of assurance "mukti, you don't need to feel guilty for anything...galtiyaan sab se hoti hai...mujhse v hui hain...tumhe pta hai...jab main 8th standard mein thi toh mere class ka ek larka hamesa mujhe dekha karta tha..aur meri friends mujhe tease karti thi uske naam se..and slowly i also started feeling for him...iss tarah 6 months nikal gye and valentine's day agya...and uss din jab main apni friend shruti k sath thi corridor mein toh wo flower le kar meri taraf araha tha...and i was all blushing and smiling in expectation...everyone was looking at us...but u know kya hua???"

nandini stopped for mukti's answer. Mukti had really got engrossed in nandini's story and she thought all possible things that could have happened "ummm...may be he friendzoned you???" mukti said raising her eyebrows. Nandini started laughing hysterically. "what?? Why are you laughing??" mukti asked confused.

Nandini controlled her laughter and spoke "he proposed shruti!! I had misunderstood all the time. He would be looking at shruti as she would be all the time with me and i thought that he looked at me.."

"really??" mukti asked all amused.

"yes! And you know what av toh main bahut hans kar yeh sab bta rahi hun but uss time i was very hurt..i was a teenager yaar...pehli baar itna insulted feel kar rahi thi.. his friends were laughing and everyone was looking at me with pitiful eyes..it was so embarrassing" nandini said smiling slightly. "aur tumhri us friend shruti ne kya kiya?? She accepted his proposal?" mukti asked and nandini shook her head "nahi yaar, she was a true friend..she outrightly refused him in front of everyone"

"but the central point is...galti har koi karta hai..but we shouldn't carry its baggage all our lives mukti...you have to learn to move on...you are still stuck...main tumhe force nahi karungi...but please think wisely...before its too late.." mukti was thoughtful now, so nandini pecked her forehead and spoke lovingly "don't take too much stress, just let your heart free...and for now take rest..you look tired...shaam ko party mein birthday girl has to look the best!" mukti nodded and slipped on the bed to sleep so that she could start fresh.
...

At the same time

Manik came out of the room without sparing a glance at nandini, he was moving out when he found abhimanyu pacing in the living room. manik thought of talking to him, but then he realised that he had no reason to do so..as mukti had refused about abhi being the reason for her tears. So he without talking moved out. Abhi kept standing at his place as he saw manik's retreating figure. Abhi knew he had messed up nandini's life too! He sat back on the couch with a thud. He will wait for nandini and apologize to her.
...

Nandini came out and saw abhi sitting on the couch. His head hung low as if in defeat. First love and first rejection, this was too much for him. He had no one to give him a shoulder to cry, unlike mukti. Nandini ran to abhi and hugged him. Abhi was surprised but he hugged her back. "i am sorry nandini, i am sorry. Mujhe pta hai , maine teri v life kharab kardi..." nandini broke the hug and said "bhai..everything is fine...you don't need to apologize...now go home and take rest ...shaam me party mein bhi toh ana hai...go" abhi hugged her one last time and then left from there.

As he was leaving, cabir and navya entered. Abhi just waved a hi to them and left from there.

Cabir and navya were surprised, so they asked nandini "isey kya hua?? Date itni jaldi end ho gyi??" navya asked while they settled themselves on the couch.

"Samantha...bring some refreshments" nandini ordered and Samantha nodded. Nandini too sat down to talk as CaVya were waiting for her reply.

"bhai proposed but mukti ne reject kar diya...she had come back crying...but now she is resting" nandini informed and both the listeners had a what a look plastered on their face

"but kyun??" cabir was the first to ask.

"she thinks bhai deserves someone better" nandini stated blankly.

"she is mad" navya said exasperated.

"i agree" cabir replied. "i will talk to her" cabir said and got up but nandini stopped him "cabir abhi rehne do...aaj sham ki party ho jane do ache se, then we can see, aaj ke liye bahut ho gya..its her birthday" cabir nodded thoughtfully "ok...and by the way where is manik??" cabir asked reading nandini's expressions.

"he saw mukti crying and he was hurt...he wanted to know the reason...but mukti refused to tell him..so he went out of the room in frustration...i don't know where he is now..i will go and see, till then you have your refreshments" nandini said and started to go. But cabir stopped her "nandini"

"ha??"

"did manik lash out on you?"

"no" nandini replied in a weak voice.

Cabir got the hint.

"mujhe manik se kuch baat karni thi..if you don't mind can i go first to him?"

"of course..jao na..why are you even asking!"

"ok..thanks"

With this cabir left and nandini and navya started chatting.
...

"manik" cabir called out as he found him in the music room of his home, playing a sad tune on his guitar.

Manik stopped strumming and turned towards cabir "ha bol"

"khurana wants to solve the matter out of court...he wants to meet us personally and is even ready to apologise to nandini...as he can't afford to lose the contract..." cabir informed

"hmmm..ok" manik replied and cabir felt that manik was not paying attention, so he thought to check it. And thus began...

"so should i invite him to the party tonight??"

"hmmm"

"manik i killed someone today"

"hmmm"

"police is after me"

"ok"

"i will tell them that NANDINI has committed the murder"

"what nandini?? What did you say??"

"finally !! like finally...tu hosh mein aya!!"

"hosh me aya?? Main behosh kab tha?? Cabir yaar tu kya bakwas kar raha?? Bta mujhe tu nandini k bare mein kya bol raha tha??"

"maine bola...i killed someone...you didn't listen..i said...police is after me...you didn't listen even that...but maine ekbar nandini ka naam liya and your senses were on high alert!! Wow just wow"

"kya kill kya police? Tu bol kya raha...mere samajh mein kuch ni araha"

"manik baba maine jo khurana ke bare mein bola apne suna??"

"ha suna"

"thank god!! Manik baba ki jai ho"

"oh com'on cabir ..shut up...i am not in the mood"

"i know...that's why i want to tell you to change your mood...party mein bas 3 hours bache hain...we have to check if everything is done or not..aur bhi bahut saare kaam hain...party end ho jae uske baad mood off kar ke baithiyo...bechara Dhruv waha akela pareshan ho raha hai...chal ab..."

"mujhe tujhse kuch baat karni hai.."

"haa theek hai...drive karte karte baat bhi kar lenge...av chalna...mere bhai"

"ok chal..."
___________________________________
Credits to the writer- Manini Mehra