Some moments of silence convey their unsaid emotions. Maan smiles at her and faces the buzzing crowd.

“You want me to introduce my lady love to you all. Well, she is Nandika Murthy. My college-mate. But that is not her only identity. Okay, before revealing that, I want to know how many of you are fans of Rockstar Maan Malhotra?”

Maan shouts and forwards the mike towards the crowd. The whole audience screams their heart out,

“We…aaaaalllllllll. We love you Maaaaaannnn…. You are our loooove…”

Maan nods with a smile and continues,

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I am overwhelmed. Now, tell me how many of you have read Nutty M’s books and how much do you like them?”

Some pause of silence happened. It seems that nobody anticipated this question. But this shock was short-lived. In the next moment, the deafening cheer echoes in the entire hall.

“They are the readers’ delight. We loooooove Nutty M. She is our ultimate solace. She is the romance queen. We love her.”

Some boys even yell,

“I want to marry her…please tell herrrrrr…”

Maan looks at Nandika and gives a nonchalant smile.

“Better luck next birth because in this life, she is mine…”

He winks at her and whispers. Nandika bites her lips in satisfaction. Her eyes are beaming with glee. Maan again turns to the throng and goes on,

“If I tell you that she is here with us? What will be your reaction?”

Shock after shock. His words get suppressed by the thunderous hooting,

“Wooooooooo…..we want to see her…we want to see her…we want….”

Nandika looks around and licks her lips with a pounding heart. The moment has come when she will have to come out of her shell. Maan feels her grip on his hand becomes tighter. Her palm is sweaty. He presses her hand gesturing assurance, inhales sharply and announces,

“Nutty M is none other than Nandika Murthy. The girl I love. The author I am a huge fan of. The person I worship. But the funny thing is, this was a secret even to me until tonight. I was totally oblivious that the person I made my agony aunt and the girl to whom I have lost my heart is the same person. Okay, I don’t want you all to be confused. So, here is our weird love story…”

Maan starts to narrate the whole story. From his random message to Nutty M just to take another failed chance to his accidental kiss with the simplest and bookworm Nandika Murthy. From Nutty M becoming his agony aunt to Nandika becoming his teacher. From knowing Nutty M’s secrets to knowing that he has fallen for that nerdy teacher. Really it sounds like a Nutty M’s bestselling novel. Sometimes the audience laughed and sometimes they just moved into tears. It was like a fairy tale for everyone. The story of a Rockstar and his secret Cinderella. After 15 to 20 minutes, Maan ends his story and asks,

“Now, tell me what should she do? Being awkward for her poll apart image or accepting the truth that she is what she is?”

The zealous crowd bursts out,

“We love you Nandika Murthyyyyy…..You are beautiful….the way…you are…You are the queen of our heart…Maan loves youuuuuu….accept your Lost Boyyyyy…..wooooooooowww….Manan…Manan…Manan…”

The crazy crowd starts hooting and cheering reverberates throughout the hall. Kabir and Navya come to them. Kabir teasingly says,

“Wow…they have already blended your names and made it Manan. Nutty M…oops sorry, Nandika, grab your Lost Boy before he really gets lost…ha…ha…”

Maan glares at him. Nandika smiles at Maan and turns to the hooting audience. She shows her hand to stop their shout. Gradually, the crowd becomes silent. Nandika takes a deep breath and starts,

“I have never thought that one day I would face my fans and feel their love for me. Because I was always afraid of my boring and simple appearance. I thought that only my pen can do miracles and magic. Until I met Maan. Maan Malhotra the heartthrob of the nation made me realise that love doesn’t depend on looks and outer appearance. Actually, we both make each other realise that love doesn’t follow any rules or stereotypical thoughts. If he got his secret Cinderella then I got my Prince Charming. I have always written about love in my books but to be frank, I have come to know the real meaning of love today. Love is not ‘if’ or ‘because’. Love is ‘anyway’ and ‘even though’ and ‘in spite of.’

The whole crowd again bursts in zest.

“Manan…Manan…..Manan….”

Navya murmurs with dreamy eyes,

“Hmmmmm….I wish someday they will cheer for us as Kavya…Kavya…Kavya…”

Kabir frowns at her and asks quizzically,

“Kavya!”

Navya flares her nostrils and utters with frustration,

“Kabir plus Navya is equal to Kavya…you stupid. That’s why nothing happens to us…ufff…”

She stomps on the stage. On the other side, Nandika turns at Maan pulls him and again stands under the bright spotlight. Her eyes are shining with triumph. Today she has to come out of her cocoon. The cocoon of her image and hesitance and has to speak her mind. She looks into Maan’s eyes and passionately mouths,

“I know you are eagerly waiting for those three words which I haven’t spoken yet. So, here it is…”

Maan widens his eyes and eagerly awaits.

“Will you be…..My Agony Aunt?”

Her lips curve in mischief. Maan gapes in surprise,

“WHAT? These are your three words? Nandika…please…”

He sounds helpless. Nandika chuckles and wobbles in denial.

“No…I don’t need any word to say that…”

She raises her heels and stands on her toes to reach his lips. In the next moment, two soft petals gently touch Maan’s lips. Maan closes his eyes, slowly shackles her waist and sinks his lips on her deeply. Both get adrift in their fairytale land. The audience again bursts with cheer. Their once accidental kiss turns into an acceptance kiss. It is truly said,

“Once in a while, right in the middle of ordinary life, love gives us a Fairy Tale.”