Hello Fam :)

A small note - I don't know about everyone but mostly introverts tend to 'overthink'. Maybe because they don't talk to people much, they don't have many friends and they don't have people who call them 'beautiful' or compliment for the person they are. It's not the fault of people around them but introverts. They love their single life way too much that when someone tries to enter it, it creates a chaos in their life along with lots of questions. 

I request everyone. Please, try to understand what Nandini is undergoing and why she is struggling with her emotions. 

Happy Reading...

Manik takes Nandu inside and makes her sit on the bed while settling himself beside her. He takes a deep breath before holding her hand softly.

Manik(worried): What's bothering you, Nandu?

Nandu(shocked): I was the one to promise you an infinite number of chances. That song was for me. All these songs are for me, right?

Manik(whispered): yes, Nandu. Yes. All these songs, that song, my heart, and I. We all are yours since our school time. Since the time I saw you again in my office. Since the time, I realized I can't afford to lose you again.

Nandu(restless): All this is so confusing. Why? When..

Manik(cupping her face): Nandu, just relax. Stop panicking. Ok? Let's take it one topic at a time. All I am trying to say since yesterday is only one thing. I belong to you, Nandini. I have always. I love you, Nandu.

Nandu(pleaded): Manik, this is wrong. We are two different people.

Manik(sternly): So, you don't love me.

Nandu(looking down): No.

Manik(stated): You don't love me and you can read my eyes. You blush even by my simplest of simple lines. You panic seeing me sick. You cry when I suffer. You pray for my happiness. Above all, where on one side you can't wait to stay away from people, you freaking write a whole book on me, right?

Nandu gaped at him in shock as he took her diary out from the drawer of the table beside.

Manik(questioned): This diary, it's yours, right? And this name, Manik Malhotra, I guess there's no one else who shares the same name as mine. And this doodle, this heart beside my name. Yeh sab kya hai, Nandini?

Nandu(frightened): Where did you get this from? You aren't supposed to read this.

Manik: Guess what, I already did. (Takes a deep breath, he speaks softly)) Nandu, I am not someone who would force my feelings on the other person and not definitely when it's love. After you left the concert yesterday, there wasn't a moment when I didn't curse myself for doing that to you. Yesterday, at night, I came to your house to apologize. To ask for a second chance for our friendship but I accidentally saw this. I was beyond shocked to see my name on it and hence, I took it to my home. I am not even feeling guilty after reading this. These words gave me a hope, Nandu. Why are you now taking this away from me?

Nandu(bursts out): Because you are nothing but a dream for me. A dream I am afraid to even wish to be true and have always adored you from a distance. I am used to this, Manik.

Manik(hopefully): But now when I am promising you to turn your dream into reality, why are you backing away, Nandu? What's stopping you? This diary is your heart, right? And when it's just me inside this diary, why can't we be together?

Nandu(hopelessly): Why aren't you getting it? We aren't compatible even. You are the Manik Malhotra, my boss, a rockstar. And me? Well, I am just a clumsy human being who's difficult to be with. I am complicated and I am confused about my own self. I get tired of humans and my mood swings. I will ruin your life, Manik.

Manik(holding her hands): I can manage everything but when I fail, when I stress up, it's only you who calms me down. You hold me when I break down. You support me in my decisions and you guide me whenever I take a wrong step. You can mourn the death of a fictional character, you keep falling in love with them. Nandu, you just understand your characters well and hence the mood swings. You get tired of humans but you never got tired of me while writing this diary. I still didn't understand how you managed to bottle up so much of love for me and still behave so casually with me.

Nandu looks down not having an answer. She was hell nervous around him but years of loving him helped her behave casually around him. Manik makes her look towards him by softly lifting her chin.

Manik: Nandu, I was just Manik, a simple plain Manik when I fell in love with you. I was blinded by my pride, without caring about studies and teachers were actually ok with it except Mr. Kapoor. You remember him right, our maths teacher and one day he detained us. After school we were waiting for him when he came with you, asking you to teach us. You didn't even speak a word until the time he was present. We thought you were shy and once he was gone, you will start with your fangirling. But then you proved us wrong. As soon as he left, I tried whatever I knew about flirting just to distract you. You crushed my ego when you didn't even respond to any of it and were busy with the subject. I never felt Maths that easy. The way you explained with all those examples. You literally made Fab5 listen to you. Remember what you said while leaving, after the class?

"Guys, try taking a little time for studies. Sir is very angry with you all and he's planning to fail you this year. You have struggled and earned such a good name and fame, I don't want you to lose this for this silly thing".

Nandu(amazed): Oh my god, you were there too.

Manik: Yes and you left saying a plain 'thank you'. You know Nandu, everyone just used to enjoy our performance. We used to work hours on our music and songs but no one noticed except you. You were the only one to see the struggle behind our music and that day the Fab5 I know just changed, I changed. We passed with a very decent mark much to everyone's surprise. After exams, during our final year, we were regular to classes except when practice. Teachers started wondering about our new change. And me. Nandu, didn't you ever feel my stares during our classes? I used to sneak glances at you. The calm and composed you, the into the books girl always amazed me. I used to read the chapters even before they were taught in class just so that I could answer any questions if the teacher asks. So that, you never see me as some stupid person. Hell, I even stepped into the library for the first time for you. Because you used to spend your free periods there. Once you were into your books, you were unaware of what's happening around you and I used to pretend to be reading but all I did was to adore you.

Nandu had tears streaming down her face listening to things she was unaware of during all those years. Cupping her face, Manik wiped her tears without caring about his.

Manik: Nandu, when every other girl in school tried hard to talk to me or flirt with me, you managed to grab all my attention even without trying for once. The Manik in me has waited for you all these years and still waiting. Cabir, Mukti, Alya, they always tease me about this.

Nandu(surprised): They knew?

Manik(smiled): Yes. And even they loved you since then.

Nandu(frowned): Bhai?

Manik(nods): yes. I told him about you in London but we didn't know you were his sister. After you joined Malhotra Industries, he found out the girl was you. We just didn't have any idea about your feelings and hence didn't tell you.

Nandu: I don't know what to say. Fab5 was always out of my league. After school when I used to stay back to read in the library, I guess you guys used to practice and it was audible from the place I used to sit in the library, near the window. Your music was peaceful but there were so many rumors about you, your pranks and I used to stay away from you. When our maths teacher asked me to teach you guys, I was scared but you didn't do anything and I realized you were not as bad as everyone portrayed you to be. During our final year, I accidentally saw you guys performing during one of your practice session. I was amazed by the aura you carried. The song you played, 'bulleya', it still rings in my head. That was the first time I noticed you. I have always loved your voice Manik but the 'you', while singing, are an even more beautiful person. I was instantly attracted to your voice, your music. I was afraid of getting attached to you and stayed away from you. I never had any friends and I thought even you wouldn't want to be. I didn't even think about talking to you ever. I have always loved you from a distance and when we are friends now, I got to know the perfect person you are, I was happy just being your friend. I got more than I could ever ask for. I don't know if I could even stay with you without messing up anything.

Manik(holding her hand): Pagal ho? Why do you think you will mess up things? All these days after we met, there were times when you handled me, when I handled you. We supported each other in our ups and downs. Today, we watched a movie together, cooked food and jammed together and now this. We are talking our insecurities without hesitation or without getting afraid of being judged by the other. Do you still think we are not meant to be, Nandu?

Words betrayed her when she realized why he was making her do all random things since morning. She didn't feel uncomfortable even for once.

Manik(whispered): Can we please give our relationship a chance? If it doesn't work, we can anyway part ways and remain as friends, right?

Nandu(chuckles): And you'll do anything in your power to make this relationship work.

Manik(smirked): See, how well you know me.

He hands her diary to her.

Manik(teased): Waise Nandu, you can always call me cute, hot, handsome or whatever you feel like. I mean, you don't need to hide it from me and write it down. Baad mein phir mujhe chori chupke padhna padega.

Nandu lightly punches him making him smile and hug her.

MM(happily): Lo bhai, I so knew yeh ladka mujhe meri Nandu se alag karega. Bloody Eiffel Tower. But anyways, my babies ka finally happy ending hua. Let me rest for few days. Waise bhi iss Eiffel Tower ke saath jhagda hua toh wapas mere hi paas aayegi.