Manik and everyone rescued Nandini from Pandit's place and police arrested him. Manik was breaking down bit by bit seeing Nandini's condition. But he gathered himself and stood strong in front of Nandini to console her.

FAB4 and Navya were also there. They could clearly understand their condition. But they knew they only need each other and they will be okay.

Nandini was holding Manik tightly as if he will vanish, if she leaves him. Manik was also holding her tightly.

"Manik, please take me home. I want to go home." Nandini said looking at nowhere particular. Her expression was blank.

"Yes, let's go." Manik nodded his head hurriedly and started walking holding her.

Fab4 and Navya were also coming behind them.

Manik was about to drive but knowing his condition, Cabir didn't let him. He himself settled down at the driving seat and Navya sat on the passenger seat. Manik and Nandini sat on the back seat. They were still holding each other. Dhruv, Alya and Mukti were coming in Alya's car.

At Murthy House

Amms, Nandini's chacha-chachi and Rishab were waiting for Nandini with her surprise. They were planning to surprise Nandini that time the door bell rang. They became excited. Chachi went to open the door.

She opened the door and saw everyone standing there. Others also stood a little away and saw them. They became surprised as it's late and they didn't expect all of them. But composing herself chachi said, "You all are here! Manik and Nandini, I heard about you two. You both sang really well. I wish I could go there."

Manik controlled himself with a great difficulty. He passed her a fake smile and replied, "Thank you, chachi. We became a little late due to the after celebration. Then we all came here. I hope we didn't land you in much problem."

Others were standing there giving them smile trying to make the situation normal.

"There's no problem. Actually, it's goo that you all came here." Chachi smiled, then her eyes fell on Nandini who was standing behind Manik. "Nandu, why're you standing behind like that. You know....." 

Navya cut her in between, "Nandini, you come with me. I'm having a bad headache. I need your help."

Then she didn't give anyone chance to stop them and took Nandini upstairs with her. Amms and chacha was about to say something but again Navya spoke, "I forgot to take my bag. Manik, please get my bag here. My medicines are there."

"Yes. I'm just coming."

Manik passed a smile to chacha-chachi and amms. He turned back at his friends and gestured them through his eyes to explain them everything. Then he ran upstairs.

Amms was about to go upstairs but Mukti called her from back, "Amms... Am sorry guruma. Please stop."

"I know you don't like us. We have a very bad impression on you. All because of me. But please just once hear us." Dhruv started the conversation.

"Please guruma, it's about Nandini and it's important." Alya too joined him.

"Please, you all sit." Cabir came in front of them.

Mukti made her sit and then they explained everything to them. But they didn't mention about Manan's private celebration to them as they didn't knew it's right time or not. They were also not sure about their reaction.

Meanwhile in Nandini's room,
Navya took Nandini to her room and made her sit on the bed. Manik came there. Navya left closing the door behind, she knew they needed each other the most at this moment. She silently prayed to her Matarani to give them strength to fight this darkness.

Manik looked at Nandini and remembered their moments a few hours back when they were happy. They were living their humesha but a storm came and destroyed everything. He remembered Nandini's smiling face which were devoied of any expression now. He was feeling like killing that pandit.

He controlled himself and sat in front of her on his knees on the floor. He held her hands softly and caressed the rope marks on her hand. He placed a soft kiss on the mark and mumbled, "Sorry... I'm really sorry, Nandini. I was there with you still I couldn't protect you. He took you away and I didn't even get to know."

Nandini was hearing everything but she wasn't in a condition to reply or console him. She has always been a strong girl but never in her life she faced something like this. This incident broke her. She never thought any teacher can stoop so low and so something like this.  She respected him so much. Manik always warned her about pandit but she never heard him and fought with him for pandit. She is regretting for not hearing Manik.

She was lost when she again heard Manik saying, "Nandini, say something. Let it all out. I am here. I will hear everything."

Nandini knew he is also breaking from inside. He is feeling the pain as hers but she was lost. So lost that she didn't know what to do or what to say. She was scared with the thought that what if Manik couldn't find her. Then?

"I want to take shower," Nandini said in a plain voice.

Manik nodded and took her to the washroom. He turned on the shower. Water was falling on both of them. Manik was also getting wet but he cared less.

Manik tried cleaning her. He removed her hairs from her shoulder. His eyes fell on her ear which were bleeding. Tears were escaping from both of their eyes. Manik touched Nandini's ears, Nandini closed her eyes feeling pain. Manik cleaned the blood from their.

It was almost half an hour, Manik turned off the shower. He took the towel and started wiping water from her body. Nandini saw him wet too. She held one side of the towel and gestured him to wipe himself too.

Manik smiled a little since the time knowing she still cares.

They came out of the washroom, Manik gave Nandini her night wear and sent her inside the washroom to change. Nandini without saying anything went it. She came out of washroom, Manik again made her sit on the bed.

"Nandini, don't be quiet like this. Please say something. You know right, I hate it when you don't say anything. Tell me what are you felling. I am there for you," Manik tried making her understand.

At downstairs
Fab4 explained everything. Tears fell from chachi's eyes. Amms sat there didn't know how to react. She couldn't even imagine her favorite student can do something like this that too with her grand daughter.

"How can he do this with our daughter? He came to our home, he had dinner with us and we didn't even doubt on him. Because he had been amms's favorite student." Chachi couldn't hold back her tears.

Chacha tried to keep calm even when he was not. "Shanno ji, don't behave like this. Right now Nandu needs us. We've to be strong for her. We can't behave like this in front of him."

"I don't have the courage to stand in front of her. What'll I do? How will I handle her? How'll I console my daughter?" 

"Don't think so much already, Shanno. Our Nandu is very strong. She knows how to fight. She will okay soon. We all are here with her." All this while it was the first time when amms said anything.

Then chacha, chachi and amms moved towards Nandini's room.

Navya was standing outside Nandini's room looking, if anyone is coming or not. Seeing them coming, she knocked the door and entered in.

"Manik, everyone is coming here."

Hearing this, Manik stood up and went a little away form Nandini whereas Nandini was still looking at nowhere. Her face was blank. It pained Manik a lot seeing her like this.

Manik got up and stood a little away when amms, chacha, chachi entered into Nandini's room. Amms looked at Manik and found him all wet but she didn't say anything. But she did observe him keenly.

Chachi also saw Manik. Her condition wasn't better but how can she ignore her sona munda?

"Manik, you're completely wet. Rishav's clothes are outside. Go and change."

Manik took a last glance of Nandini hoping she would look at him once but she didn't move her gaze from down. Manik left from there.

Navya also came out and went down. As soon as Manik came out of Nandinis room, a tear drop slipped from his eyes which he was trying to stop from a long time. He was lost. He just took a pair of Rishab's cloth and went to his room to change.

In Nandini's room
Amms and Chachi sat on both side of Nandini. She was all quiet didn't even look at them. Chachi was crying silently seeing her daughter's condition. She has always loved Nandini as her own daughter. Amms was trying to show herself strong as she can't fall weak in front of Nandini. Losing her son at an early age, she took care of Nandini and she is really dear to her.

Amms held Nandini's hand but she didn't notice the mark on her hand. As a result Nandini winched a little in pain. Then their eyes went to the mark on her hand. They were trying to control themselves in front of Nandini with a great difficulty.

"Nandu, kanna, I know whatever happened was wrong. But I also know that my Nandu is very strong. She never accepts defeat so easily. You will face this situation too like always. You're brave to get out of it." 

Chachi too joined her. "Yes, Nandu, we all are here with you. You won't face anything alone. But I know our Nandu can do anything." 

"Of course. Our Nandini is very brave." Chacha caressed her head with fatherly concern.

They were trying really hard to remain normal in front of her but it was getting really difficult.

Suddenly Nandu said, "I want to sleep."

"Yes.. Yes... It's already very late. I will get turmeric milk for you. I'm sure after having that you'll have a nice sleep." Chachi got up.  

Amms settled beside Nandini. "Shanno, you go and get it. Tonight I'll sleep with Nandu."

"No. I want to be alone."

"But... Nandu..."

"It's okay, Shanno." Amms stopped chachi. "Sometimes it's better to have some alone time. It gives peace." 

They nodded and left from their.

Meanwhile outside Manik changed his dress and went down. His friends were waiting in the hall. They were really tensed for both Manik and Nandini. They knew Nandini as a very strong girl but seeing her condition they couldn't even imagine what she might have gone through.

Other side Manik has always been the most strongest one them. He has always stood strong for them. But it was the first time when they have witnessed him so broken, so vulnerable. They can't even imagine his condition.

Seeing Manik coming down, they straightened themselves. Manik was walking lost in his own thoughts. They tried to stop him, talk to him but it looked like he didn't even see their existence. He walked out of house and went to the garden.

Dhruv and Mukti tried to stop him but Cabir stop them.

"This is Nandini's matter, let me handle. I think I can do it."

"But for now I think lets give Manik some time. He needs to be alone for a while. It will help him to gather himself." Alya muttered.

Others nodded in agreement.

That time amms, chacha, chachi came down from Manik's room. They were talking among themselves but stopped seeing them.

"Chachi, is Nandu fine?" Navya asked.

Chachi nodded. "Yes, she wanted to sleep so we came back. I'll get some milk for her." 

Amms looked around but didn't see Manik anywhere. "Where is Manik?"

"Manik is in garden." Mukti replied. 

"Shanno, you go and warm the milk. I'll be back in a minute." 

Amms went towards the garden to see Manik.

In the garden
Manik was sitting on one of the benches hiding his face in between his palms. Amms came there and saw him sitting like this. She was about to approach him but stopped hearing his phone ringing.

Manik took out his phone from  his pocket and saw the caller id. It's his dad. He picked up the call immediately.

"Hello, dad."

He was trying really hard to restrain himself from breaking down.

"Who told you?"

"Yes.... Nandini is fine now. I'm too I guess........."

"It's Nyonika and pandit, dad."

Now he couldn't control himself anymore and broke into tears.

"Why always me, dad? Why always me? Am I that bad that I don't deserve happiness? And who is the reason? My own mother, Nyonika."

Amms who was hearing him got shocked knowing that Nyonika is Manik's mother and she is behind all this.

"Dad, tell me don't I deserve to be happy? Why Nyonika isn't like other mothers? Why can't she just let me be? She always used me and my mistakes for her benefit. I was okay with it.

But she has to snatch my happiness all the time. You know right what Nandini means to me? She is the most important person in my life. I wanted to save her from all the bad eyes and see where she got into that too because of me.

Don't I deserve to be loved? Don't I have the right to be in love?"

His dad said something from other side which was unknown to amms.

"Okay. I won't. I am strong. I am handling her from last 10 years then I can do it now also. I will fight for Nandini. I will make sure they both get what they deserve. Pandit is already in police's custody. I have his confession where he clearly mentioned about Nyonika.

Don't worry. I will be safe and take care of myself. Bye."

She couldn't believe a young boy of just 19 can handle so much hardle in his life. She couldn't even imagine a mother stoop so low. For the second time she got so wrong in judging someone. She was astonished seeing Manik.

Manik hung up the call and cried his heart out sitting on the ground in his knees.

That time Cabir came there but he didn't notice amms. Seeing Manik crying, he ran to him and sat in front of him.

"Manik, what're you doing? Calm down." Cabir tried to make him stand.

"I couldn't protect her, she landed in trouble because of me. Nyonika tried to harm her because she is a part of my life actually most important part of my life."

"Manik, relax. You can't fall weak like this. You have to be strong for Nandini. She will need you now, she needs you for her courage. You know that, right?" Cabir consoled him.

Manik finally wiped his tears, "Yes, I have to be strong for her. I will make sure now that everything goes well."

"That's like our Manik. Now lets go in."

Manik nodded and moved towards the entrance. Amms went in before them only. She decided to talk to him later.

Precap: Face off with pandit.

First chapter is done here. I know it's almost like the serial but it's important for the plot. Hope you guys liked it.

Do tell me how was it?

What do you want to say about Manik and Nandini's condition?

A few words for Manik...

How was Manik's convo with his dad?

What about Cabir?

Amms got a clear hint about Manik and Nandini. Guess what will be her reaction?

Aren't you liking their friends?

Should I continue the book?

Don't forget to do vote and comment and tell me how's it.

Bye.

11.03.2022