Stars | completed

19. Cliché

"How about you say where you want to go, Nandini? After all, we've got the leave on your account," Navya said, cutting Cabir off in the middle.

I gulped nervously, with every eye on me. "I was thinking Mangalore?" I said in a low voice, "It's been a long time since I haven't visited Amms, and I have a really big house there. You'd really enjoy meeting my family and friends, and as Abhi is going back home, we can go with him. We can make it a road trip, if you want."

My suggestion was met with silence although I could see Mukti's eyes twinkle with the name of her birth place. Navya & Aliya smiled as they exchanged a look and Aryamman nodded.

"Then, Mangalore it is," Cabir was the first one to break the silence, and everyone nodded, even booted. "Our first trip together, as an actual gang," Navya pointed.

I gave a relief smile as my eyes caught Manik's from the distance and he gave me a crooked, typical Manik Malhotra smile that made my heart flutter.

If you think coming in terms with these rising feelings made me any better, than you're highly wrong. Now, whenever he looks into my heart, it flutters and butterflies arises and I can't even look at him normally anymore with my heart beats not going irregular. And now that I knew why all of this was happening, it made it even difficult to keep it inside me. I felt like shouting it out to the world, or rather whisper it in his ears, because either ways I would be saying it to my world.

I saw that keeping their lunch plates aside, they had assembled for a group hug, just throwing their arms around each other's shoulders. "C'mhere," Manik called for me and I gave a big smile joining them.

"Abhi! You're a part of us too, c'mon!" Aliya called and he smiled, feeling surprised but joined us nonetheless as we all pounced on each other in a wild attempt.

"But Manik, Nandini-- you both have some explaining to do," Aryamman said. We both nodded together, it was time they all knew.

"Why don't we play confessions?" Cabir suggested. "I mean, it's been some time clearly that we have not spoken to each other heart-to-heart, so what better way in exposing everything?" He said and we all nodded, sitting in round around the centre middle table.

"I'll start," Mukti said, "I'm dating this guy. His name's Ranveer, and he's really cute. I want y'all to meet him soon." We all stared at her for a moment. I thought there was something stirring between Abhi and Mukti. "When?" I asked slowly.

"Last to last night," she shrugged. Which was the night when Abhi landed in Mumbai.

"I have decided to join this Fashion Designer's store as an intern," Aliya said sheepishly, "I gave the interview last week and I'm starting job from the first."

"Wohoo, isn't that amazing?" This was a pleasant surprise. We all gave her smiles and even made her ear a dairy milk celebrations while she kept complaining about the calorie count.

Cabir was next, "I have decided to start working in Dad's company after exams, like officially taking it over, until we have a stable career in music of course. Marriage is a huge responsibility." He was beaming and I was so proud of him for taking his responsibilities so dutifully and I think so was everyone.

"And...." Navya added, "We have decided to get engaged after exams. We're completing college and I'd be leaving the country for studies for three years. So we think it's a perfect time."

This was met with complete silence for a few minutes from everyone, and to be honest, I was dreading Manik's reaction owing to he didn't take the news of their decision to get married well last time. But my fear disappeared when he cracked a smile and said, "I'm proud of you, buddy. Congratulations!"