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"I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together." -
Lisa Kleypas

Dhruv picked up Nandini's call.

"Hello, Dhruv."

"Yes, Nandini. Say."

"Where are you all? We went to jam room but you were not there. Aren't you all practicing?"

"We are in the canteen as we needed a break."

"Okay, we are coming."

Nandini hang up the call and turned to look at Navya. "They are in the canteen."

"See I said they would be there only. Let's go."

Nandini nodded with a smile and they left for canteen. Reaching there, they spotted Fab5 but Nandini was taken aback as they moved close to them.

"Nandini, why are you alone? Where is Manik?" Cabir asked taking another sip of his juice.

Nandini and Navya shared a look.

"What are you saying, Cabir? Manik was supposed to be with you all. He said you guys are gonna jam together as you are going to start your recording from next week." She asked but her tone shivered thinking of Manik.

"Nandini, we did jamming. But when we were coming to canteen, he said he is going to see you. So, we didn't tag along. Manik left for your class and we came here." Mukti told her the scenario.

"Didn't Manik call you?" Alya asked.

Nandini nodded. "No. His phone is also coming switched off. When did you all come here?"

"May be an hour back or so." Alya said checking the time.

"Nandini, don't worry. He would be somewhere around and his phone must be dead. He will be back." Dhruv said passing Nandini water.

"You guys aren't understanding, Manik isn't safe here." Navya uttered in a desperate tone.

"What! Why?" They shouted together only to earn weird looks from other tables.

Even though Manik had decided not to share the matter with Fab5 as it would bother them unnecessarily but now she didn't have any other option. He is missing since one hour and no one knows where he is. They aren't able to reach him so it's better to tell them the truth so that they can also tell him else what would she tell them that why she is so worried for him.

"Guys, you know Aryaman?" They nodded haring Nandini. "He is Soha's brother."

"What?" All of them except Navya shouted again looking at her with wide eyes.

"How do you know him? Did he tell that to you?" Cabir was the first one to recover from the shock.

This time Navya spoke up. "No. I heard him talking to Nyonika mam and I also tried saying you about it that night but you left without hearing me."

"Are you serious? We stay in the same house. You could have told me later too." Cabir replied in an irritated tone.

Navya glared at him. "Cabir, I tried telling you but you never heard me carefully instead you kept on uttering nonsense. Remember that."

"Stop... Shut up both of you." They were about to continue their bicker but Mukti's shout was enough to stop them. "We are having some serious issues here and you both are behaving like kids. Now stop it."

They both made a bad face.

"Nandini, you tell us the whole matter. What happened? How can you say Manik can be in trouble?" Dhruv asked.

"This morning I was in library when Aryaman came and wished me. I already knew of him but I wanted to talk to Manik first then tell him anything. So, I tried to act normal. Then....." Nandini narrated the whole fiasco to them apart from the matter Manik didn't want to tell them.

They all held their head hearing the whole matter.

"Manik hid such a big thing from us. If he had told us, then we wouldn't have left him alone like this even though he isn't a kid." Alya said.

"Leave all this. Now we should go and look for him. Aryaman wasn't in the class and Manik is not with us. We can't take risk." Cabir said and everyone agreed to him.

"We should search in the college first. It's college hour so Aryaman won't take the risk of taking him out of the college in front of everyone. If Manik didn't go out by himself." Mukti said in a matter of fact tone.

"Mukti is right but we shouldn't go alone." Alya muttered.

"Navya is coming with me. Dhruv and Alya go together and Cabir will go with Nandini." Mukti said and they all spread around the college to look for Manik.

Nandini was walking hurriedly looking for Manik in every possible way. They were trying Manik's number continuously but it was still coming switched off. Cabir tried tracing Manik's number but the last location was showing in college only then it was off so he couldn't trace it anymore. They were somewhere sure that Manik is still in college as Aryaman won't take so much risk to take Manik out of college in front of so many people also when everyone knows Manik so well.

Nandini was almost freaking out. The morning incident flashed in her mind when Manik was with her, him filling her hairline also kissing her. At that instant, she missed Manik's warmth a lot. She wanted to see Manik anyhow that time.

Cabir asked some students whether they have seen Manik or not but they denied. This was making Nandini more worried.

"Nandini, don't worry. We will find Manik. Just calm down and be patience." Cabir tried to assure where he himself was feeling terrible. He knew what Soha tried to do with Manik and Nandini. It was scaring him thinking what if Aryaman is psycho as well. He forcefully removed the thought from his mind. He didn't want to think anything bad that moment.

"I don't know, Cabir. I have told him to be careful. We can't trust Aryaman after all he is Soha's brother. Somewhere they would be similar only." Nandini was thinking the same. "All the while he was in front of us but we didn't feel anything wrong about him just like Soha."

Cabir had to agree to him. Navya tried telling him about Aryaman but he didn't take the matter seriously thinking he is a nice boy and Navya is getting worried for reason. If he had heard her patiently, then Manik would have been here with them. Only these thoughts were running in his mind.

"Hey, have you seen Manik anywhere?" Nandini asked one of the students passing from there.

"Yes, I saw him talking to someone near the store room."

"When?" Cabir asked desperately.

"May be an hour back."

"Thank you." Cabir muttered and ran near that side leaving the guy startled with their action.

"Why didn't we think this before? No one goes to the store room and Soha was burnt there only. So, he would be taking Manik there only." Nandini wanted to pull her hairs for not thinking wisely before.

Cabir let out a sigh hiding from her. "It's okay, Nandini. We all were worried so it slipped out of our mind. I think they would be there only."

They reached the store room and found it to be locked from inside.

"They are inside." Cabir said.

Nandini nodded and tried to look inside from the key hole.

"I have messaged everyone. They would be here soon." Cabir said.

"We should go in." Nandini said looking at him.

"How will you go in? It's locked from inside."

Nandini reminded of the day when she was stuck with Manik the other day here. There was window which was locked from outside of the room that's why they couldn't open it. It can help them now.

"I have a way." Then Nandini told him about the window.

Cabir heard her but he was unsure thinking of his safety. "But Nandini... It's not safe for you to go in like this. He can be really dangerous."

"Cabir, don't worry. The window is just beside the door. I will sneak in and open the door for you all. Then you can come in. Also if I land up in any problem, I will shout. You can hear me. Till then others will be here as well." Nandini convinced him.

He had to let her go in. He knew just like Manik, she is also very stubborn. She is not gonna hear him anyway. They moved near the window. With a great difficulty, they managed to open it. It was stuck as it was not opened for a long time. The window was small but the space was enough for Nandini go in. Nandini took her phone and took out the pepper spray from her bag. Keeping them in her pocket, she went in.

As Nandini went in, Cabir was trying to look inside but it was a little dark so he couldn't see anything clearly. But he was sure that they are inside. He was praying that Nandini shouldn't get caught and Manik is okay.

U N K N O W N     P L A C E
We can see the same girl playing guitar. Her eyes were closed as if the melody was giving her the peace of the whole world. But the smile on her face didn't look normal, it seemed she was lost in some dream.

That time her phone buzzed with a call and the expression on her face changed immediately and frown appeared on her face replacing the peace. She opened her eyes and it was all red.

"Who the hell is calling at this time? Don't they know I am busy right now? I have to do something about these good for nothing people. I seriously doubt it, why he has kept them still when they don't do any work?" She muttered angrily and got up from her place to find her phone.

Seeing the caller id, her frown deepened. She picked up the call. "Hello. What happened now?"

"You guys went there today as well! Did I ask you to? You guys never follow my instructions and land up in trouble."

"You didn't do anything? Then? What's wrong?"

The caller said something which was enough to blow her mind. She fell on the nearby sofa with a thud holding her head. "What are you saying? Do you even hear yourself!!!" She was not able to believe whatever she was hearing was right.

"Who did this?" She asked gathering back her senses.

"What!!! Are you sure?"

"Okay. Do one thing, just keep an eye on their every action but no need to do anything. Hear me out carefully, he shouldn't get even a scratch else I will kill you all with my bare hands."

"Mark my words."

She warned the man for something and hung up the call. She pulled her hairs in annoyance not able to believe the person's words yet. It was damn difficult for her. She didn't know what to do.

"How can he pull such stunts on us? I know he isn't aware of things but that doesn't mean he will end up doing something like this. He was never so impulsive neither he was this much aggressive. Then what happened? Is it all because....

No.. No... How can I even think of this? Me and him were never into each other nor we shared any friendly bond ever. I don't even remember when was the last time I had met him. I know we talked over phones but was it enough to strengthen our relationship?

May be it was!!!

But whatever it was or what's there between us, I can't let him spoil my plan. I need to act first. It's my game and only I have the copyright to play it. He can't jump into it for whatever reason. He is needed to stop.

What should I do now???

Should I go there and see him? Maybe I can do something which would stop him. No... It's not a good idea. I can't come out of the cover right now. It's not the time. First I have to finish my work, then only I will go out."

Thinking all this, the girl dialled a number.

"Hello......"

S P A C E
S T O R E R O O M
It's been around 5 minutes since Nandini has gone inside. But he didn't hear any sound or found any glimpse of anyone. He was sure that till now Nandini isn't caught. It removed the stone from his heart and he felt a little light even though he has a long way to go to rescue them out of there.

He was peeking inside when he felt a pat on his back. He turned back and saw others have come there.

"What happened? Did you find Manik? And where is Nandini? She was with you." Mukti bomber him with her never ending questions and Cabir made a bad face.

"Keep quiet, Mukti. Aryaman might hear us, then we all would be in trouble." He whispered but everyone heard him.

"Where is he? And Nandini?" Dhruv asked.

Cabir narrated the scenario to them in short and also told them how Nandini got inside the store room. They all gasped audibly hearing him. They didn't expect Nandini to take such step and went inside alone. They all knew Nandini loves Manik a lot but now they have the proof too.

"How can you let her go inside alone, Cabir? Have you gone mad? Aryaman is there and we don't have any idea about Manik. What if she lands in any problem? You could have waited till our arrival!!!" Navya burst out. After all, Nandini is her best friend and she can't see any harm on her.

"Madhubala, I tried to stop her but she did not hear me." Cabir mocked her.

Alya came in between. "Navya, Cabir, it's not time for your useless argument. Manik and Nandini are stuck inside. Remember that. We have to act fast and take them out of there."

"Nandini said she will open the door for us once she reaches inside." Cabir informed them.

"Then what are we doing here? Let's go there." Dhruv said.

"Wait!!!" Mukti stopped as they were about to walk back to other side. "I think one of us should be here to keep an eye on this side." She suggested.

"You are right. Me and Navya will be here. She is pregnant and we can't say the condition inside so it's better if she stays here and I will be with her." Alya said.

They all agreed to her. Navya too didn't have any problem with it. She wanted to go there and look for Nandini but her kid is also important.

Dhruv, Cabir and Mukti reached near the door.

"Dhruv, see the door is opened or not." Mukti told him as he was the one in front of them. "I just wish she has managed to do it." She muttered under her breath.

~~•°•~~

That's all for today. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. 

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19.02.2024