Living Room,
Manik, Nandini and Sanket had occupied the couch whereas Meera and Ashi were standing before them.
Meera- okay so it's fun time.
Sanket- Mee who do you think we are, some five year old kids attending a friend's birthday party?
Meera- Sanku yaar, please let me speak atleast.
Ashi- you leave it, I will explain.
Meera gaped at her best friend while Ashi royally ignored her expressions.
Ashi- So we are here to play a super fun and popular game, Truth and Dare! Just one rule will be changed, the person towards whom the cap of the bottle points will be choosing truth or dare but the question or dare can be given by any other person, not necessarily by the one towards whom the bottom of the bottle is.
Manik- you guys continue, its too cliched. I don't want to play.
Meera stepped towards Manik,
Meera- oh come on Manik, please you have to play this, for me.
Manik looked at her raising an eyebrow when something struck his mind, it was time to take action.
Manik- okay, anything for you.
Nandini shifted uncomfortably while hearing their conversation. Sanket looked at her and stood up,
Sanket- so let's start
They decided to shift towards the pool side, where a bonfire was arranged for them. While all of them were moving towards the pool side, Meera clutched Sanket's hand and dragged him to a deserted corner.
Meera- Sanket, Nandini is Manik's ex wife who he still loves. They have a daughter as well and I am helping him to get back with her so please stop flirting with her otherwise even I won't be able to save you from Manik's anger.
Meera said all this in a single breath staring at the marble tiles. She looked up after hearing her brother saying,
Sanket- Bingo
Meera- what!?
Sanket- I so knew it Mee, that there's definitely something behind the hot chemistry they shared. I was just scared for you thinking that you have fallen for a guy who loves someone else.
Meera- it's nothing like that, it was anyways supposed to be an arranged marriage and I had agreed only for dad's sake. But now its a plan, even Dad and Ashi know about it. We are helping Manik to
Sanket completed her ssentence,
Sanket- to make Nandini jealous so that she confesses. Am I right or am I right?
Meera nodded her head.
Sanket- okay but don't tell Manik that I know about it. What, stop staring! It's fun to see that guy jealous when I talk to Nandini.
Meera- stop risking your life!
Sanket- chill Mee, and Nandini is my new friend so I am in team Nandini, not that I will encourage her to kick Manik's ass,
Meera(interrupting him)- language Sanku
Sanket- okay okay, so as I was saying I won't tell her to kick his ass, excuse me as I can't find better words as I am sure he must have committed some serious mistake in the past as Nandini looks like an understanding girl so she won't be so angry at him without any reason. But I will help her to realize that she still does love him.
Meera shook her head in disbelief.
Meera- it will be better if you do nothing.
Sanket- sorry sis, but that's not happening.
Meera- so I guess we both are in the same team then, Team MaNan.
Sanket- ship name?
Meera- you are smart!
Sanket- now let's go before your best friend eats their heads up.
They laughed and moved towards the pool side. All five of them sat around the bonfire forming a circle- Meera, Manik, Nandini, Sanket and then Ashi, this was their seating arrangement.
Ashi brought an empty glass bottle and spinned it. It stopped on Sanket.
Ashi- okay so Truth or Dare?
Sanket- Dare!
Ashi- let's begin with an easy one, say a shayari dedicated to any person present here, no need to disclose the name of the person.
Meera glared at her and whispered leaning to her side.
Meera- are you mad, Manik will kill us if Sanket again flirts with Nandini.
Ashi- this is just a revenge for being so mean to us a while back.
Manik threw daggers at Ashi, whereas she looked least bothered by his intimidating demeanour.
Sanket- too easy, usko dekhkar toh tareef khud nikalti hai muh se. So here we go, Hum fanaah ho gaye unki aankhen dekhkar, pata nahi woh aaina kaise dekhte honge.
He said these words looking at Nandini. Manik gritted his teeth and mentally planned his murder.
Manik(to himself)- isse toh main fanaah karta hoon.
Nandini smiled knowing that Sanket was just doing this for fun. Meera broke the silence sensing the tension in the atmosphere.
Meera- lets continue, now I will spin.
She spinned the bottle and it landed at Manik.
Sanket- truth or dare?
Manik- dare
Sanket- dedicate a song to a person sitting here, again no need to disclose the name of the person.
Saying this he winked at Meera whereas she smiled looking at her little brother putting in efforts to help them.
Manik closed his eyes and smiled imagining Nandini's smiling face and the lyrics of the song left his mouth on its own accord.
Manik- Kyun koi paas hai
Door hai Kyun koi
Jaane Na koi yahan pe
Aa Raha paas ya door main ja raha
Janu na main hoon kahan pe
Yeh dooriyan
In raahon ki dooriyan
Nigahon ki dooriyan
Hum rahon ki dooriyan
Fanah ho sabhi dooriyan
[ A/N- it's the first paragraph of dooriyan from love aaj kal.]
He opened his eyes and looked at Nandini who sat there with a blank expression. She too looked at him. She had expected him to sing something for Meera, but she could clearly figure out that this song was dedicated to her, to them. The pain and intensity in his eyes had the power that stopped her from breaking the eye contact. His soulful voice had sent tingles down her spine. The applaud from the people sitting around broke their trance.
Ashi- Wow! That was fab.
Nandini immediately looked down to avoid his eyes that were still fixed at her face.
Meera- that was beautiful Manik!
Meera held his hand and that didn't go unnoticed by Nandini.
Nandini- can we continue?
Nandini requested to overcome the suffocation that she was feeling.
Sanket- sure, I'll spin.
Sanket said giving her a genuine smile, understanding the chaotic feelings that she was going through.
He spinned the bottle and it stopped at Nandini this time.
Sanket- truth or dare?
Nandini- truth
Meera was about to ask her a question but Sanket was quick enough and posed his question first.
Sanket- what kind of love are you looking for? or to be precise, what kind of a lover are you looking for?
Manik fisted his fingers hearing his question. How dare this man have the audacity to indirectly ask the mother of his child for the qualities she is looking for in a guy when he was sitting right there trying hard to make her confess her love for him. But Nandini's words left him stunned...
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Hey!
How was the update?
What would be Nandini's answer to Sanket?
Did you like Nandini and Sanket's bonding?
The game is not yet finished, more fun on the way. Excited?
Any other comment regarding the overall chapter, it could be your feedback or a suggestion?
I hope you guys aren't finding the story boring!
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Best Wishes!
Inaayat