A man runs through the roads with a backpack in one hand while the cars run by his side. He crosses the intersection of roads unsure about his way when he notices a sign board and swiftly takes a left paddling his way between the cars stuck in the traffic. Out of breadth he stops at his desired locality, the road here is pretty silent as compared to the ones he just ran through. Gazing around he spots the apartment building he's been looking for, with a satisfied smile on his face he turns around towards the backside of the apartment as he jumps on a dumpster and then on the fire exit ladder attached to the building.
The staircase leads him 5 floors up when he grazes through the glass window satisfied with no-one being in sight. Looking at his watch, exactly 2 a.m at night, he carefully unlocks the window of the hall, forgotten to have been locked as always. He slips inside with a pin drop silence and turns around to close it before any noise awake the residents of the apartment when the light flicks open. Busted.
Almost 20 hours later
NANDINI'S POV
I hear Navya calling out to me, apparantly we all are supposed to attend an elite party comprising of all the famous actors, actresses, businessman and every rich person we can ever think along with media, that is us.
"Nandini how long?" Navya asked me through the bathroom door. Currently i sat infront of my closet still unsure of what to wear hence i didn't want her to keep waiting for me.
"You guys leave. I'll meet you there a few minutes later." i replied.
"You sure? We can wait if you want to." she spoke in a soft voice, voice of pity maybe but i don't need that.
"I'm fine Navya. Moreover Maria must be waiting. I'll be there trust me." i replied with much more confidence this time and she agreed.
I heard the door being closed and i looked at the mess around me. Gosh i am overthinking again. About what? Let's rewind a little bit.
Last night i couldn't stop thinking about the things Manik spoke, the way he kept acting. My heart fluttered seeing those changes in him but my mind spoke against, reminding me of how he crushed my heart with those harsh words. I felt like fighting myself and in the end decided aginst seeing him ever but maybe my luck was never in my favour. This afternoon Maria informed us about this elite party we were supposed to attend as in to know and interview more rich and famous clients which definitely means that HE'll be there too. So therefore, i am here lying between my entire closet , unsure of what to wear.
I don't want to look like a mess infront of him or give him the satisfaction to know that he and his cruel decision even hurted me a bit. I picked out the black dress i had been eyeing for a while and decided against it. This definitely screamed my funeral, so i decided to go with the lavender dress i bought when we all went on that trip as a group. This definitely held up a sign of, "I AM HAPPY AND YOU DON'T EFFECT ME", atleast according to me. Oh what would that time be if i would have walked into this party with him by my side holding my waist. I wanna belive him so bad, i want to trust him so bad but i've got my heart broken once by a man but still gave Manik a chance but then what did he do, he broke it again and i've heard that third times a charm.
MANIK'S POV
Cabir hangs around with me in this lousy evening. Lousy because such elite parties don't effect me anymore, don't excite me the way they used to because it's her who's missing from my side. The way she used to encircle her hand around my arms in jealousy to remind all these women eyeing me that i belong to her. And indeed i did.
"She's been eyeing you since long." my trance is broken by Cabir.
"Huh?" i asked not hearing him properly the first time.
"That girl at the bar. She hasn't been able to remove her eyes from yout since we came." he teased me.
"As if i care." i shrug him.
"Oh come on man. What's gotten into you and don't say Nandini because you pushed her away." he taunted, i knew it was taunt.
"Maybe my brother isn't interested in girls anymore.." bugged my dear sister.
"Oh shut up Sofie and find someone else to annoy." I eye her with frustration that says back off.
"Oh i will brother cause my girls are here." she sings walking past me to the entrance where i notice Mukti and Navya making their way inside in beautiful dresses but still not as attractive as her. But where was she? Did she ditch the party because of me. If only i could see her.
"And my love is here." Cabir grabs Navya's hands as she approaches us along with Mukti and my sister.
"Missed me?" she hugs cabir and then turns to me, "Oh hey Manik, Didn't see you there." she taunts me. Oh even Navya hates me now. great. Deserve that.
"My brother's gone to a bermuda traingle i suppose." Sofie answers giggling along with the others.
"Very funny Soff. But i am fine the way i am." i give her a sarcastic smile.
"you mean a jerk." i hear Mukti taunt. Great here we go again.
"Girls where is my baby Nandini. Is she coming? tell me she's coming." my sister whines. Yes please say she's coming.
"She's on her way here." Navya replies with a smile.
"Nope she's already here." Mukti points out at the door and my heart skips a beat. She looks gorgeous in a a lavender gown flowing down till the floor, sheer enough to give people a lok of her perfect legs with a soft silk top hugging all her right curves.
"damn my girl." i hear Sofie praise but i am too lost to give my opinion until i watch a manly hand slip through her waist caging her and my breathing stops. The man looks in his mid 20's, eyeing my Nandini with love, yes i do know what love looks like while she gives him a smile as they approach us.
"Who's he?" Cabir asks. Exactly my question brother who's he?
"You guys don't know him?" Sofie speaks in surprise as we nod our head in a no, my eyes still stuck on them. Them being 5m away from us greeting people as they pass by.
"He's New York's finest model and an actor. the best i would say." Sofie states as a fact.
"And one of our oldest college friend." Mukti adds.
"Babe you didn't tell me we had a visitor." Cabir asked Navya.
"he just got here last night." she replied.
"Who got here?" the man spoke as they stood infront of us.
"You dumbo. Like a thief climbing through backstairs and into our apartment from a window." Mukti replied while Nandini giggled. Damn that giggle i missed it.
"Only to safe myself from Fangirls and papparatzi." he shrugged his shoulders leaving Nandini's waist. Finally.
"Oh shut up. You love all that attention." Nandini teased him.
"Not more than you." okay they bicker. How cute.
"Well first things first. hey to the people who don't know me. My name's Austin. Austin Gretcher." he shakes our hand while i hold it a little more firmly than intended to.
"I am Cabir and he's Manik." always the welcoming cabir.
"Manik as in your ex." he points at me asking Nandini.
"Unfortunately." Nandini giggles. Wait what, that was not a joke.
"So since we all have arrived here. Wanna ditch this boring ass party." Sofie suggests.
"No Sofie" we all chime in as a group.
"We are here for work." Nandini says looking around or someone, "and it will be amazing if you guys tell us where Maria is?"
"I saw her talking to Mr. Flip at the left side of the hall." Cabir answers while the ladies turn to leave.
"Hey don't leave me between the guys." Sofie complaints.
"Oh you won't be. Enjoy the ex boyfriends meeting." Mukti giggles.
"Hey i am nobody's ex." Cabir puts his hands up in defense.
"I am." i hear Austin say, "I am Nandini's ex." he adds and everyone looks at him and then me.
Oh Boy.