Manik clutched his head tighter as he sat on the chair outside the emergency room, where Nandini was taken. It had been half an hour already and they haven't heard a word from the doctors. Manik's patience was running off by now. His friends were beside him trying their best to console him but who could console him?

Just go die and end it at once!

His own words rang in his mind, pricking his heart sharper than a needle would have done.

He told her to go and die. It was him. She was there, struggling for her breathes because of him.

He gasped, finding it difficult to even take a single breathe and the others were immediately by his side.

Dhruv: Manik, Sambhaal khudko.

Manik: Kaise? Kaise, Dhruv? It was me! I told her to go and die!

His voice cracked, remembering how she stood lifeless infront of the speeding truck. How she stepped back to save herself before the truck hit her. How her body flew over in the air before hitting the ground or how she struggled to breathe when they were bringing her here.

Manik: It is all because of me! I shouldn't have said that!

He cried out loud and they all immediately took him in a bone crushing hug.

Mukti: You didn't mean it, Manik. Don't blame yourself.

Cabir: and Nandini is going to be fine. Stop crying like a kid, Manik!

Aliya: Guys, we need to inform Harshad bhai and others too.

Mukti: I will call Abhi.

They nodded and Mukti walked to the side biting down her lower lip. She was scared this news will break Abhi more but then she needed to tell him.

Mukti: A-Abhi!

Her voice cracked as soon as Abhi picked up the call. She heard sniffing sound and then heard footsteps before Abhi cleared his throat and replied.

Abhi: I am fine, Mukti.

Mukti: A-Abhi, Nandini!

She ended up sobbing out loud which was enough to alert Abhi.

Abhi: Barbie? What happened, Mukti? Is she fine?

Mukti didn't reply and it scared Abhi more.

Abhi: Mukti! I am asking you something, damit! You are scaring me now. What happened to my barbie, Mukti? She is fine, right? Tell me, where are you? I am coming there.

Mukti: A-Apolo hospital! Get everyone here!

She managed to utter before hanging up the call without listening to his reply.

Mukti didn't have any good conversation with Nandini but today, Nandini's condition had managed to leave her in tears and then, Nandini was Abhi's life. She had no idea why was Nandini so important for him but she knew one thing for sure, Abhi won't be able to survive if something happened to Nandini.

Within fifteen minutes, Abhi was there with the others. They spotted Mukti in the corridor and ran upto her.

Abhi: Mukti! Where's Barbie?

Mukti: Abhi, calm down-

Abhi: Mukti! I am asking you where's barbie! I need to see her!

Abhi jerked her shoulder tight, earning a hiss from her. He realized what happened and immediately stepped away from her and muttered a sorry. Saying it's okay, Mukti took him to the side where others were sitting.

Manik was still in his own zone, blabbering how it was his mistake and he shouldn't have said that. Black Shinners didn't understand anything neither were they in the condition to ask.

Harshad had stumbled over his own feet the moment he caught glimpse of Nandini's half dead body laying on the hospital bed from that small round window.

Siddharth, Navya, Aryaman and Madhayam were equally broken. Abhimanyu hadn't said a word after seeing Nandini on the hospital bed. Mukti was beside him, trying to get any reaction from him continuously.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor came out of the emergency room and they all rushed to him immediately.

Manik: Doctor, How's Nandini?

Sid: Doctor, she is fine, right?

Harshad: Speak something!

Abhi: Can we see her?

They all bombarded him with numerous questions, all at once making him look at Cabir who seemed the only sane person at that moment to him.

Cabir: Doctor?

Doctor: The patient has lost excessive blood. Did she suffer any serious injury in the past?

Sid: Y-Yes doctor, She met with an accident two years ago and was in coma for two months.

Doctor: Was she on anti depressents as well?

Abhi: Yes doctor, but she has reduced it a lot.

Doctor: No, Mr. We have found excessive drug dosage inside her body. The drugs has effected her internal organs badly. I am sorry but her condition is quite critical for now. We are trying our best, rest depends on the almighty.

Navya: But doctor, she will be fine, right?

Doctor: We are trying our best. Let's hope for the best. Excuse me.

___

After the surgery, the doctors told them to wait for six to seven hours. There were high chances for her to slip into coma again if she didn't wake up within six to seven hours.

Everyone sat outside the ward, crying over her condition when Manik stood up all of the sudden.

Manik: I need to talk to her!

He muttered before storming into the normal ward, she was shifted in. Aryaman and Madhayam tried to oppose but Sid didn't let them say anything.

Inside, Manik's all confidence flew away the moment he saw her pale body laying lifeless on the bed.

Fisting his palms tighter, he took a deep breathe and sat beside her on the small stool.

Manik: Nandini,

He called out only to get no response for her. He let his hand roam over her head for a second before taking her hand.

Manik: Nandini, if you won't get up now na, I will tease you by calling you babygirl again and this time, infront of everyone. So, com'on get up right now! You know, it is really enough now. You can't lay down like this leaving everything behind, leaving me behind! Acha, atleast look at me? I am missing you so much, Nandini. Please get up.

He shook her hand a little but when she didn't move even an inch, sadness took over his features. He smiled sadly and looked down.

Manik: Okay, Okay. I know you are angry and I deserve this silent treatment. You do one thing, wake up and then ignore me just like I did, but wait. Let me tell you, it wasn't me but Cabir who gave me that stupid dare. I swear I will never ever ignore you, Nandini. Just wake up and look at me.

After his mother, Manik had promised himself he would never let anyone hurt him this bad but today, he realised how Nandini had not only managed make him broke his own promise, but also make her own special place. He couldn't compare her with anyone else.

Her silence pricked him in a way nothing else ever did.

He hated to see her like this. Yes, she never spoke a lot. She was reserved but then also, she would spare him glares and that atleast kept him sane, made him believe that he atleast effected her but now, he felt as if he didn't exist only.

Did his presence make no difference to her?

Didn't heartbeat acclerate with his touch like his does everytime?

He looked down at their entwined hands and a smile crept on his face seeing her hand tangled with his. Placing a soft kiss on the back of her palm, he rested his head on their joined hands and closed his eyes.

Just go die!

He gasped, opening his eyes wide as the three words haunted him again. He immediately looked at her and then at the machines which showed her normal heartbeat and sighed in relief.

Manik: You are not allowed to leave me alone, Nandini. You have to come back.

He spoke, and at the same time the others came inside. He looked at them for a second before turning back his attention to Nandini. Awkward silence took over the place as they all didn't know what to speak.

Sid: I will call the doctor to check on her.

Sid broke the silence and Cabir nodded at him. The doctor came within five minutes and moved to the bed to check on her. Everyone expected Manik to stand up seeing the doctor but he didn't. Instead he clutched her hand tighter.

Manik: Everything alright, Doctor?

Doctor: She seems fine for now but I can only say the final results after she wakes up.

Manik sighed in relief and others looked relived as well.

____

Aryaman: Is he going to sit beside her all the time, Sid?

Aryaman stared at Manik from outside the ward. The way the younger boy was getting all worked up, it had started to make him suspicious. Although he was already a bit suspicious after seeing his behaviour from the past few days, specially how he had fought with Madhayam when he pushed Nandini.

Sid sighed, not knowing what to say.

Navya: He is in love with her, isn't it?

Sid turned around hearing her and bobbed his head. Aryaman stared at him asking if he was the right guy. Sid silently blinked his eyes and Aryaman let out a sigh too while Navya just smiled.

Navya: She finally got a rockstar hah!

The three chuckled remembering how the fourteen year old Nandini had once told them how she was going to marry a rockstar.

They were suddenly interrupted by Manik's loud panicked filled voice shouting for the doctor.

Worried, they entered inside along with others and found Nandini blinking her eyes. The doctor reached there too and they got at a side.

Doctor: Miss.Murty, Can you hear me?

Nandini nodded her head, trying hard to adjust to the bright lights in the room.

Doctor: How are you feeling now, Miss.Murty?

Nandini: W-Why am I here?

Doctor: You had an accident, Miss.Murty. Do you remember anything?

Nandini blinked again, roaming her eyes at everyone in the room until they settled on Manik. Her doe shaped eyes widened and before they knew, she fainted again surprising all of them.

Manik: Doctor! What happened to her?

Abhi: Why did she faint?

Sid: She was all fine, right?

Doctor shook his head in disbelief and checked Nandini who came into senses within seconds. She gasped and looked up again, staring at Manik who was frowning.

She opened her mouth to say something but before that Sid came forward catching her attention.

Sid: Cupcake, How are you feeling?

Nandini: I am fine. But Bhai, where's Soha?

She frowned, leaving all of them baffled.

To Be Continued.