Stars | completed

5. Just Friends

"Yeh tu kya bol raha hai! I love you na!" I frowned, stating the obvious. I loved him so much that I could give away my entire life in a second for him without even having to think twice.

"Bas, Bas! Mujhe nahi chahiye aisa pyaar. Sach bata, you like Manik na?" He asked and my eyes snapped at him, even wider than it was when I saw his naked picture— mind that, half naked picture.

"N-No!" I immediately stammered.

"Nahi matlab, I don't understand. You kiss a guy, then you punch him, phir tu usse raat ke do baje mukti hai and you both go for some stupid coffee date, and then tu uske not-so-abs wali body ko aise dekhti hai as if you're stargazing. Also, you look at his eyes and you say he's tired and he's sad. You notice him, Nandini! And then you say you don't like him?!" He scoffed slowly and I bit my lower lip.

"Tell me, do you have a crush on him?" He asked and I widened my eyes more. Do I have a crush on that giant?

"Abhi—... I have to go!" I said in haste and before he could reply anything else, I cut the video call, sighing in relief.

How can I crush on Manik Malhotra? I mean look at him, he's a giant. And look at me, I'm so short and sweet and cute and he looks like a monster. Hot hai thoda sa, but anyone can be scared by just looking at his height and that frowning face that he makes. And abhi was saying that I'd have feelings for him. Kuch bhi bolta hai yeh, huh.

No, I don't have feelings for Manik Malhotra. The little crush I had in my heart has thereby got crushed. I don't like him——... I don't, right?

My eyes diverted from staring at the blank wall to the picture on my phone screen and I gulped. He was hot. So, so hot.

"Manik Malhotra, get it straight. I don't have a crush on you!" My shout echoed in my ears.

"Nahi hai toh chalega. Thode din mein aa jayega. I'm very hot, aisa hota hai ladkiyon ke saath. I'm experienced with this" his voice ran like a musical chime.

"Hot hai, nahi?" I heard a voice from behind.

"Yes!" I agreed in daze and then immediately came back to my senses. "NO! No I mean no!" I shouted startled, getting up from my bed and turning behind to the source.

"Manik—.... tum- tum yaha kya kar rahe ho? And don't you know you're not supposed to enter anyone's room without permission? And why are you eavesdropping? Don't you know it's bad manners, aise chup chupke kisi ki baat—......," I could go on if he hadn't stopped me by walking towards me.

"Oh hello! Nandini Express, chup!" He giggled keeping a finger on my lips and some kind of a jitter passed down my spine as my huge eyes travelled from his finger on my lips to his beautiful face while he remained unaffected.

"Yes. No. Yeh sab kya bol rahi ho? I was talking about my coffee!" He smiled his breath taking smile taking his warm finger away and I battled my eye lashes, looking at him keenly as he turned.

"And I am not intruding your oh-so-privacy. Yeh meri best friend ka ghar hai!" He returned to his normal tone and I flushed in embarrassment. This reminds me, I have to find a new house for myself until my old house gets renovated. I couldn't stay with Mukti forever. Although she would have no problem with it, I came to Mumbai to get independent and staying with her would make me dependent on her all the time.