MaNan- 5 Years Later...

42• |Repudiated overtures|

"Yep! Except for Nandini who was waiting for you but you guys, literally, took more than one hour so she had to leave. She asked you to take her car, just in case you need to drive yourself and Aliya. She has a meeting tomorrow morning so she took a cab, home." Dhruv informed him and tossed the car keys in Manik's direction. Nandini did not mention the driving himself and Aliya part but Dhruv could not help himself from adding that bit. He wanted to know what happened so that he could give Nandini a heads-up, simply, because she was too stressed about this.

"You let her take a cab, this late in the night?" Manik asked him back in disbelief.

"She's a big girl, Manik. She can take care of herself. Besides, I offered to drop her but she refused it." Dhruv told him in response.

"Forget it! I should leave... Umm... Can you give Aliya a ride back?" Manik, sort of, requested Dhruv.

"If you aren't leaving together, can I say it's a good sign?" Dhruv chided himself internally for being so nosy but he felt like he owed this to Nandini.

"Good sign? For what?" Manik was puzzled.

"For you and Nandini!" Dhruv replied making Manik's mouth form a proper 'o'.

"Nandini told you?" Manik asked him in surprise.

"Yes! What do you expect? She tells me everything because I'm her best friend." Dhruv knew that this was a weak nerve for Manik because he, absolutely, hated when anyone else called themselves Nandini's best friends other than him. Dhruv loved to have his share of fun so, he ended up making that remark in a nonchalant tone.

"No, you are not! A close friend is what you are... I'm her best friend and, now, her boyfriend as well!" Manik declared with an undertone of assertion which made Dhruv grin, widely. He just needed to know that his best friend (did not matter if Manik agreed or not) was not going to be heartbroken at the end of the day.

"Fine! Go back to her and tell her that she does not need to worry. I'll take care of Aliya." Dhruv reassured him to take care of Aliya because even though Manik had rejected her, he still seemed worried about her for understandable reasons.

"Thanks, man!" Manik, quickly, hugged Dhruv and sprinted his way, down the stairs without a care about the elevator.

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"I do not mind you smoking but can you do that a little earlier in the night? 11:30 is too late to be wandering around in the streets by yourself and especially, when you look like that, don't you think?" Manik's voice startled Nandini as soon as she reached her apartment. She was, obviously, not expecting to see him there after everything that happened.

[⚠️Warning: Smoking is injurious to health and can cause terminal diseases like cancer. The characters portrayed here do not support the use of any type of tobacco products.⚠️]

"You... I..." Nandini tried to form at least one coherent sentence but she just could not do that as she felt the surge of feelings rise inside her.

"What? You think you can get rid of me just like that? It is not going to be that easy, Murthy." Manik remarked with a humorous chuckle.

Nandini looked at him for almost a whole minute where he, simply, felt conscious about himself. He had many things to say to her but he did not know how to begin any of them. He needed to know about what was she thinking before he saying anything. His thoughts were put to a rest, almost in an instant as she launched herself onto him for a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around her bare waist(courtesy of her saree) and lifted her up in the air, just a little.