• Love eradicate fear like light dispels darkness.. •

***

Broke the evil spell, he manage to survive in hell. He knows he has lost a lot in the hands of his own demons, now he won't be able to bear any further loss. Hence he decided to face his greatest fear, standing in the front of his darling dear, he'll tell everything he has ever hidden from her.

Sitting on the chair in front of the thousands people is a girl who has proved herself to be epitome of love time and again, none ever was able to guage the depth of her love and to be honest none can ever be able to. A small white bluish spot light fell on her enhancing her angelic beauty. Even in such simple casual attire she is looking breath taking.

When she raised her eyes slowly, she noticed everyone staring at her and asking her to start but her eyes stuck only on one person who is standing in the corner of the hall and giving all the limelight to her only. In that one moment she realized how selfless he is and this thought swelled her heart with joy and love.

Mukti too is standing in the corner totally lost somewhere when Navya tapped on her shoulder and broke her reverie.

Navya : "Back to earth!"..she teased but Mukti gave her a weak smile, Navya held her hand and made her look at her.

Navya : "What's eating you?"..she asked in concerned tone which made Mukti look at Nandini, who has a smile on her face.

Mukti : "Look at her Navya, she is happy. She is happy with the fact that she is in love with Manik but some where am scared with this feeling of her, it's the same emotion which has broken her once. I won't be able to bear one more break down of hers."..her voice trailed off as a heavy lump built in her throat, leaving her eyes teary and heart heavy. Navya hugged her sideways to console her.

Navya : "Look at there.."..she pointed towards Manik who is standing in the extreme corner in a bit darkness, mukti complied and look towards Manik. Navya continued while eying Manik.

Navya : "Are you able to see that honesty on his face? That's what Nandini used to find in him but failed miserably and today he is that Manik who is new to all of us, he is a better human being, he can kill himself but won't let any harm reach to her. Sab kuch khone ke baad usne humara trust jeeta Hai aur Nandini ka sath, tumhe lagta Hai woh Kisi bhi keemat par in dono ko khona chahega?".. her words left a big impact on Mukti, she looked at Manik and noticed only honesty and love on his face, in that moment she felt extremely guilty to doubt on him even for a second but somewhere down the line mukti isn't wrong either in having second thoughts about Manik because they have went through a lot in their past that isn't quite hard for them to trust the happiness knocking on their doors.

Mukti hugged her tightly with tears in her eyes and Navya reciprocated with equal fervor. Cabir who was standing behind them heard their conversation and noticed each and every change in Manik, that honesty in his eyes, that pure serene trustworthy smile on his face and on top of all the way he is staring at Nandini clearly shows how much he loves her. It's so true that if you want to see the depth of feelings all you need to do is stare in the eyes of the person and apparently you'll be having all your answers with you honestly.

Cabir : "This feeling of distrust you yourself have created Manik, it's too hard for me to trust you again. You didn't only broken Nandini but you have taken away the faith and love which I had for you."..he thought with agonizing pain and some unshed tears.

Cabir shouldn't be blamed for this uncertainty, apparently anyone on his place would have faced such dilemma after living in perpetual pain caused by the very closed person.

When a stranger pass a filthy comment to us, we feel bad for a moment and eventually forget everything but if a very close person betray us, we fall apart because deceiving when comes from the most unexpected person creates a never healing hole in our soul.

But as we know, sometimes cure and cause of the disease is same thus we can't run away because either way we are going to die so why not taste the cure and take a risk.

***

Her eyes are stuck on him while everyone in the crowd is waiting desperately for her to start the performance but for some reason she isn't able to, perhaps she want to make her heart and mind stable as this is the exact time when she is going to convey her feelings to him. She is able to feel butterflies in her stomach, sweaty palms, racing heartbeat, in this one year time span she never felt this much nervous but somewhere her heart is telling that she has went through the same process before as well.

Nandini : "Come on Nandini, it's the time."..she tried to gather all the courage she has in her, she exhale a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly when she opened back, she found Manik right beside her on the stage without even caring about those piercing gazes who are acknowledging his each and every action.

Nandini : "Man..."..she tried to question him but before she could say anything, he stood in front of her ,hiding her perfectly from the crowd, he cupped her face and looked straight in her eyes. She felt like she'll fall right there on her knees with his over the top caring attitude.

Manik : "These people are here to listen your voice but am here to feel the happiness on your face which music brings to you. Forget you are standing in front of thousands of people, just remember you are here for a reason and sing with all the feelings, emotions you have in your heart. The feelings you ever felt just pour it down in your lyrics and decorate it beautifully with your charismatic voice. I know you can do it. I trust you Nandini!"..

His ever so soft voice took her breath away, she can't believe on the fact that someone can be so perfect with words, people think it's too hard to express feelings in words, summarize it in few combination of alphabets but they should look at this person who can express everything in small sweet simple words and has the capability to clean bold the opponent.

She nodded to him with a smile while each and everyone in the crowd is only admiring these two who are irrevocably in love with each other, it's clearly written on their faces but still they both haven't confessed yet.

Manik : "All the best."..he whispered softly and she gave him her gleaming smile. He didn't wanted to end the sentence there, he really wanted to add maa! as a suffix but a very strong force inside his heart which people termed as fear stopped him from making any blunder. Thus reluctantly he moved back and let her take the charge from there.

Slow soft music started in the background as soon as Manik stepped down the stage and went back to his initial position leaving her on her own, he knows something is going to change from this moment, he can see that spark in her eyes.

Tu aata hai seene mein
Jab jab saansein bharti hoon
Tere dil ki galiyon se
Main har roz guzarti hoon

She closed her eyes and start singing magnificently, while every single eye is stuck on her but Manik look confused as this is not that song they planned for the album launch or to be more precise Nandini never told him that she is going to perform on self written song.

Hawa ke jaise chalta hai tu
Main ret jaisi udti hoon
Kaun tujhe yoon pyar karega

She opened her eyes and looked straight to him, as he told her she actually forget that they are surrounded by so many people. For her all matter is "He" and today she is singing only for him. She took a small pause and as the music stop for a mili second Manik looked at her withholding his breath, his eyes stuck on her while there is perpetual smile on her face..

Jaise main karti hoon..

As she sang that particular line, he stood straight with a surprising look on his face, till yet he was standing comfortably leaning on the wall, crossing his legs but that particular line took away his sanity and the way she is looking at him is beyond any speculations. All he heard "Her love confession".

Haa.. Aa..

Tears welled up in his eyes, chill ran down his spine while her eyes are fixed on him only. She hummed the melody beautifully, the music is creating an incredible amount of pleasure inside the heart of two souls.

Meri nazar ka safar
Tujhpe hi aake ruke
Kehne ko baaki hai kya
Kehna tha jo keh chhuke

She closed her eyes briefly while singing the song soulfully, when she opened them her eyes eventually landed upon him while he is still looking at her dumbfounded, not even for a minute he is able to believe that she is actually proclaiming her love for him amidst of thousands of people. In that instant all the haunting memories, all the guilt, all the agonizing pain and sorrows are totally forgotten case.

Meri nigahein hain teri nigahon ki
Tujhe khabar kya bekabar

Her eyes welled up as she found him in tears, no matter how hard he tried not to shed tears but they came out without his permission perhaps! Today they don't want to be compelled by him, today they want to roam freely as his heart filled with love and prayers for her and with blissful pure gratitude, after living in perpetual night he has lost all the hopes to witness the sun rise but this is the promise of sunset that it'll rise again.

Main tujhse hi chup chup kar
Teri aankhein padhti hoon
Kaun tujhe yun pyar karega
Jaise main karti hoon..

She looked straight in his eyes and can see several emotions blooming in them, pain, love, hurt, guilt, happiness, she is able to feel every single emotion deeply even standing in between such heavy crowd she is able to listen his heartbeat which is running at the fastest rate, his shivering hands craving for her to hold on. As she confessed again in the end, he closed his eyes and let all the tears eloped.

Haa.. Aa..

Navya, mukti, Cabir, Dhruv everyone heard that confession and it won't be wrong to say that none felt the intensity in it, the way she is singing today is incredible they have never witnessed this side of her music. This performance is that which people call epic. Filled with only love and pure happiness.

Tu jo mujhe aa mila
Sapne hue sarphire
Haathon mein aate nahi
Udte hain lamhein mere..

She hold the mike in her hand and stood up, no one knows her next move, the way she is singing today is bewitching, it's extraordinary. Everyone look at her confusingly when she turned her back towards the crowd, Manik took a step towards her because he isn't able to see that look on her face when she is singing with such passion. But when he is about to take next step ahead, he saw curtain fell down on the front wall and the whole curtain was printed with a big picture of Manik sitting in front of Mike, holding a guitar. Surprisingly it was the picture of that day when Manik and Nandini met after one year in a concert on their birthdays.

Meri hasi tujhse
Meri khushi tujhse
Tujhe khabar kya beqadar

She turned around and the whole stage is flooded with white smoke, colorful lights covered the stage from each corner and Manik's picture enlightened in the shed of lights, he isn't able to hold his tears back as he knows what actually she is trying to implying. "I'll be your gleam in dark.  Let me enter in your heart, I'll shine more than a star.."..even though she didn't proclaimed but he definitely listened her saying this.

Jis din tujhko na dekhun
Pagal pagal phirti hoon
Kaun tujhe yoon pyaar karega
Jaise main karti hoon

People are staring at both of them simultaneously, not even a single person missed the spark between them, but no media person tried to capture the moment to make it a hot topic of tomorrow's breakfast, instead they all witnessed the soulful connection silently.

Haa.. Aa..

He instantly turned his face just to hide his tears, just to seize that scream, that hiccup which is so desperately trying to come out. Nandini tried to look for him while humming but he got lost in the crowd, in the darkness. She completed the song and everyone started hooting for "once more", cheering her, appreciating her but she look lost, she is trying to locate him. All she want is to see that handsome face of his, after this confession she definitely want to listen him.

***

Manik's pov:

I ran out, yes! As always I again ran away but this time not out of shame but to hide the love which is very much evident in my eyes. I am out of words, I lost all my sanity the moment she indirectly confessed that she has fallen in love with me again, that's the thing which is making me suffocated even in the free environment. She said she'll be my guiding light, there was a time in our life when she was actually the light to me but I became her darkness. I can't forgive myself for those awful crimes, today when I am aware of my shitty doings how can I let her drown in the same shit again? No! I can't.

She is the most purest soul I came across, she is the one who made me realize I was worse than Satan, she is the same person who made me a better human being atleast who can stand in front of the crowd with a smile.

Here am standing on the edge of terrace, looking at the stars glowing brightest in the darkest night of century, all am able to feel hollow, empty from inside. I can't fool her, she has the right to know -the person whom she is considering a hero of her life was once villain of her life. But! ........and there comes the restriction, BUT.. I can't break her, I have lost her once and now I cant. Am incapable of loosing her, if this time she walk out then am sure as hell I will die in the next second. If people call it selfishness then let's put that way only- am selfish, if withholding truth means keeping her safe and happy then I'll do that. If not telling her the past means being with her in her ups and downs, in her smiles and tears then am sure as hell never going to tell her anything. Never!

"I will confess my feelings to you Nandini. We'll start afresh, we'll create our new dimension."..a never ending smile crept on my lips as I made a decision of telling her everything which I have buried inside.

****

Nandini's pov:

It's almost half an hour post my performance and am still not able to get out of this place in the search of Manik, but where the hell he has gone? He should be here with me, beside me but no! This ever so unpredictable mysterious man has to irk me all the time. Here am surrounding with so many people who are totally stranger to me, faking smile to them is the only way to keep my anger in check as all I want right now is to shove away all of them and ran out. But alas! I can't do anything other than plastering a plastic smile on my face and talking in the sweetest tone.

Mukti : "Angel! Can I have a moment with you?"..I heard my bff's voice and instantly thanked my stars to send her in so that I can escape from these so called directors and composers who are eating my head from past 30 minutes.

Nandini : "Excuse me!"..I said to them in my soft tone with a smile but to be honest all I want to say - Go to hell you people am going..

Mukti instantly dragged me in the side far from the reach of people who could bother me all over again.

Mukti : "In what stupid conversation you've indulged yourself when you should be having some serious confrontation with Manik?"..she literally chided me as if it's all my fault, I opened my mouth in a big O shape and looked at her shockingly - is she really my mukti?

Nandini : "You are accusing me as if I asked them to talk with me and keep me occupied."..I too retorted back, am already super pissed at that Mr. Lost Malhotra and here my own BFF is taking his side. Great!

Mukti : "No am not implying that. All am saying to you is go and talk with him. You both need to talk and after the performance it's very important now."..her voice softened but my anger is still at peak.

Nandini : "Oh yes! So should I talk to invisible Manik Malhotra or should I start hallucinating him? Wait! I think we should go with option second."..I answered in my sarcastic tone with a fake broad smile which made mukti roll her eyes upwards.

Mukti : "You think you are too funny but darling your humor sucks."..and here comes the most honest opinion.

People say the one who are your true friends they'll be honest with you always, but didn't they told that when your real true friends are honest with you they actually start irking.

Nandini : "Toh Kya karu? Tu bata? Pata nhi kaha Mr. India ban gaya Hai."..I may sound like a baby right now but seriously my patience level is crossing now.

Mukti : "He isn't out, I have checked. Tu terrace par dekh, main rooms Mei check karti hu. Okay?"..she calmly explained and I nodded. As she hugged me and murmured sweet nothings to me I instantly smiled. She is indeed my soul sister.

***

I reached upstairs on the terrace, as I opened the door I noticed a figure standing in the dark. His back is turned towards me but it didn't even took a second for me to realize that it's Manik standing on the edge. My heart did summersault and a broad grin automatically drew on my face.

He is talking on phone when I took a step towards him steadily, in my heart I have started preparing how will I tell him everything, I need to be very articulate about my feelings to him. I will tell him each and every feeling I experienced from the very day I met him.

As I neared him, I can Listen his soothing tone, he seems to be still oblivious of my presence as he continued with his talking on the phone.

"Obviously by the end of this month..... No! Orchids will do.... Umm! White I think..."..

I heard him as now am only 10-15 steps behind him, he seems to be doing preparation for any event or some party, may be success party. I just love his perfection. I stopped in mid as I really want him to complete his work first. But the next thing I heard snatched the smile from my face and every peace.

"It's my marriage, I want everything perfect. And make sure Kajal likes the decorations, I want my fiance herself to cross-check. She should be the happiest, I love her more than anything else. Kajal is my life..."...I heard him, I heard his each and every word but the last line echoed in my eardrum and I felt like someone has soaked all the oxygen from my lungs. I feel suffocated.

Manik loves Kajal, he is going to marry her. He loves Kajal not me. He don't love me. He don't.

My heart cried, yelled from inside but am standing there silently with tears cascading down. I freeze as he turned around and found me standing there.

*****

Don't kill me for the ending part of this update 🙈🙈🙈..

Hahaha. Before jumping to any conclusions do remember "To experience the rainbow one needs to witness the rain also".

Take care..
Your storyteller ❤ 😘