Once Nandini was done with the cake cutting session, she looked at the side table where all the gifts were placed. It didn't have only the gifts of Manik, Avneet and Siddharth, also from Manik's parents, Siddharth's parents and a few of her college friends. Nandini didn't like celebrating her birthday but these trio never heard her. They always arrange this small get together for her where only 4 of them celebrate her birthday.
"Di, now open the gifts and see what we've got for you." Avneet was excited more than Nandini. She was about to drag Nandini with her but she stopped Avneet.
"I won't open them now. I'll see them all at night."
"But why?" Avneet whined. "We want to know whose gift you liked the most."
"Nandini, you don't have to open all of them. Just open mine and Avneet's one now. Then we can clear our deal." Siddharth glared at Avneet who looked at him in the same way.
"Deal! Which deal?" Nandini was surprised as well as confused not knowing what they meant exactly.
"These all are this Siddharth's plan. He has made a deal with me about whose one you like more. If I win, then he will have to do something of my choice. So, open my gift first and say that you've liked my gift the most. Then I win this deal." Avneet made a face looking at Sid with the corner of her eyes.
"Uff!" Nandini nodded her head in disbelief. "You both are impossible." She couldn't help smiling seeing their childish antics.
"Nandini, please open the gift and say this witch that you've liked mine one more."
Avneet as well as everyone else's eyes went wide hearing him.
"Witch!" Avneet yelled on top of her voice. "Did you just call me witch?" She turned Sid towards her.
He nodded with a tight lipped smile. "I guess I did."
"Then what are you? You... You... You're monkey." Avneet was fuming.
Before this could turn into a world war, Nandini knew she had to stop them. So, she jumped in between them. "Stop both of you. Come I'll open the gifts now."
Nandini sat on the couch and started unwrapping Sid and Avneet's gift at first. She was surprised seeing both of them have got the same thing for her. They both had gifted her noise cancelling earphone.
Everyone present there were surprised.
"You must have secretly seen what I bought for di, that's why you did this on purpose." Avneet rolled her eyes and huffed looking at Sid. "I was also thinking something must have going in your mind else you would have never made this deal."
Sid glared at her. "If I had known that you're gifting Nandini this, then I would have never bought this for her. Moreover, it can also happen that it's you who had seen me buying this secretly and now when you're caught, you're blaming on me." He narrowed his gaze looing at Avneet.
"What did you say? You're trying to say that I'm lying?" Avneet stood in front of him placing her hands either sides of her hips. She was giving him death looks. "It's not me, it's you."
"No, you."
"You."
"You."
"You."
Siddharth and Avneet were about to indulge in a fight once again but Nandini came in between them and showed her palms to both of them. "It's fine. Peace. Peace. None of you cheated. Just think you both are so similar to each other. You both should be happy thinking of that and here you're fighting with each other! Also you know how clumsy I can be at times. So, if I break one or lose one, then I'll have a spare one."
Hearing Nandini, both Siddharth and Avneet relaxed and Manik who was a silent spectral till now smiled with a admiring look on his face. The way Nandini handled the matter, no one else could have done this so well. She is just so perfect.
Then only a butler came and called them for lunch. They all went and settled to have lunch. Manik and Nandini were sitting opposite to each other. Siddharth and Avneet were blabbering continuously about something or other thing. Nandini and Manik were quiet mostly. They were only hearing them and replying to them whenever they needed anything.
In the midst of so much joy and excitement, Nandini's mind was not in peace even for a while, her eyes were darting to Nandini again and again. She felt Manik to be more silent than usual today. He was not speaking much today even though he never spoke much. Still he seemed more different than usual. He was only speaking one word or two.
If it was some other time, then she would have gone to him and asked him what's the matter, what's bothering him. But now she won't do that, she has made herself understand that she won't feel weak anymore towards him. When Nandini was busy thinking all this, her gaze met with Manik. A shiver ran down through her spine and she hurriedly moved her gaze away from him.
Nandini felt a tingling sensation in her chest as she looked away from Manik. A suppressed was coming to shallow her. They all were around her yet their suddenly became unbearable for her. She felt if he didn't to go out right at that moment, then his breath will get stuck.
But what would everyone think if she suddenly disappeared?
She had to inform someone about her departure.
Nandini got up from her place and walked behind Avneet. "I'm feeling suffocated here. I need some fresh air."
Avneet stared at her sister's face for a while as if trying to find something. She nodded. "Go but come back soon. They'll look for you."
Nandini sighed. Smiling shortly, she left from there before Manik and Siddharth could notice her. That's what she felt but the thing which she didn't realize was someone was having a keen eye on her.
It was almost evening. The sun was sinking in the blue sky of the west, at the end of the day, a flock of birds was returning home with their chirping sound, it seemed somewhere far away it was raining, light clouds had gathered in the east sky and a strange mind refreshing cold wind was blowing.
Nandini was standing alone holding the railing of the terrace. In the cold air, the hair on her back was flying aimlessly. Occasionally some of them were falling on her face but she cared less about them. Her eyes were at the setting reddish sun in the sky, but her mind was thinking of two calm, smooth, intelligent eyes.
'What's so special about that pair of eyes?' Nandini questioned herself. 'What's the force those eyes have which always pull me towards them? Why are those two deadly eyes making her insane with each passing moment? Why can't I just wipe the thoughts of the owner of those eyes from my mind even if when I try so hard? Who will answer to all these questions of mine? Or will I ever find the answers?'
"Nandini..."
She turned back with a jerk as she was not expecting anyone there at that moment. "Manik!" She somehow composed herself. "When did you come?"
"Just now. I needed some fresh air. Did you need that too?"
Nandini barely nodded her head.
After that silence prevailed between them, none of them were ready to speak. They both were standing side by side holding the railing of the terrace for a long time. This strange silence was making Nandini feel uncomfortable which she couldn't bear longer.
So, she tried to break the silence almost forcefully. "How was the lunch?"
"Good."
Nandini forced a smile on her face. "Which one did you like the most? I liked the chicken so much. They've made it so well today and..."
She couldn't finish her sentence before that only Manik cut her. "Tell me exactly what's wrong with you, Nandini?"
Hearing the sudden question, Nandini got frightened. She was not expecting Manik to bring the topic directly. She quickly composed herself covering her shocked expression with a fake smile. "What's wrong with me? Nothing is wrong. I'm completely alright."
"You're alright? You'll say anything to me and I'll agree? What do you think of me, Nandini? Am I that stupid?" His voice sounded completely different to Nandini.
"Then don't agree to it. No one is forcing you to believe me." These harsh words came out of her unintentionally. It was filled with frustration which she was trying to suppress in her heart. Nandini realized that all the anger and feelings that has been suppressed for so long were trying to come out.
"Why're you doing this, Nandini?" Manik sounded helpless. "What've you started and why?" He took a pause and started again. "See if I've hurt you in any way, then please tell me about that openly. Nandini, you know it very well how inexperienced I am in these matters of feelings. If I've hurt you unknowingly in any way, I apologize. But don't avoid me like this. Please. I can't take it."
Nandini turned her face to other side to hide the tears in her eyes. She realized that she was getting weak over him once again.
That's all for now. I hope you all liked the chapter. Do vote and comment. Next chapter after 100+ votes.
Also don't forget to check out "Billionaire's Amour" the new book of mine. Do share your precious reviews there too.
Thank you.
19.12.2022