Next day:
Both Cabir and Nandini were sleeping cuddling each other. Navya woke up to see both of them tangled to one another. Cabir's one hand is below Nandini's head and other on her waist. While Nandini was sleeping on her stomach with one leg on Cabir and one hand on his face. Navya chuckled and left from there to make breakfast for everyone. Last night everyone decided that everyone will take turns to sleep with Nandini.
Once Navya was done with the breakfast she saw Mukti and Alia coming downstairs who informed that Abhi and Dhruv are getting ready. She went to wake Cabir and Nandini who finally woke up after lots of struggle.
Nandini: (rubbing her eyes) Di, what's the time?
Navya: It's 8.
Suddenly Nandini's sleep flew away.
Nandini: (jumps on the bed) WHATTTTT? Oh no I am late...
She started paincking.
Navya: (confused) But your college is at 11, right?
Nandini: Yes Di but our competition is starting today so our group decided to meet early at 9.
Navya: Oh, it's ok let them know that you will be late today and now hurry up get ready and come to have breakfast.
Nandini: No Di I can't eat breakfast today. I am already very late. I will eat something in canteen.
Navya: (strictly) You are not leaving without eating your breakfast.
Nandini: (making a crying face) Di try to understand I am getting late.
Navya: (sternly) I said once you are not leaving without your breakfast, it means no and if you argue more than I will call Manik and complain.
Nandini: (scared) No No don't tell Dadda. I will eat.
Navya: Hmm good. Now don't waste your time and hurry up.
She dashed into the bathroom.
Navya turned to find Cabir once again asleep. She sighed, noticing a water jug on the nightstand. Without second thoughts, she grabbed it and poured the water directly onto Cabir, startling him awake.
Cabir: Ahhhh, tsunami! Navya, save me. Someone help me, please.
Amused, Navya burst into laughter. As Cabir grasped the situation, he pouted angrily. Navya couldn't resist and kissed his pout away, prompting him to pull her closer and kissed her lips. Lost in the moment, they didn't notice Nandini entering the room after finishing her freshening up. Shocked by the sight, she immediately covered her eyes.
Nandini: (with closed eyes) I didn't see anything.
Startled by her voice, Navya and Cabir broke apart. Navya stood up from Cabir's lap as he made an annoyed expression.
Nandini: (peeking a little) Can I open my eyes now?
Navya: (shy) Ye...Yes.
Nandini: (teasingly) I'm done. Heading downstairs; I'll wait for you guys. Continue, but don't take too much time.
With that, Nandini hurried out of the room.
Cabir: (holding Navya's hand) Now that we're alone, let's continue.
Navya: (glaring) Seriously? That was so embarrassing. She's small, and she caught us in that moment.
Cabir: (shrugging) Come on, it's not like she has never kissed. Relax.
He leaned in for another kiss, but Navya pushed him away.
Navya: Enough with the romance. Get up and get ready, or you'll be late.
Navya left the room, and Cabir muttered to himself.
Cabir: (mumbling) Yaar Nandini, you ruined everything. Is this how Manik feels when I bother him?
Cabir then headed to the bathroom to get ready.
In the dining room:
Nandini was chatting with Manik on a video call.
Nandini: And you know what Dadda? Our college picked our group to handle the competition arrangements. Isn't that awesome?
Manik: That's great, bacha. Just remember not to overdo it. Your health comes first. If you're not up for it, let someone else take charge, okay?
Nandini: (grimacing) Dadda, I'm taking care of myself.
Navya: Oh, please! I know exactly how well you're taking care of yourself. Should I spill the beans, Nandini?
Nandini: Diiiii...
Manik: (suspicious) What's going on, Navya?
Nandini: (scared) No...Nothing Dadda. And one more thing...
Manik: (sternly) Nandini, I am talking with Navya. (to Navya) What she did?
Navya: Well, this morning, when I tried to wake her up, she was all grumpy about breakfast. She wanted to skip it and rush to college for the competition.
Manik: (sternly) Nandini, is this true? What's with the breakfast drama?
Nandini: (pouting) But now I'm eating, why are you scolding me?
Manik: It's good you're eating. If I find out you're skipping meals or overworking yourself and get sick, you'll see what happens.
Nandini: (whining) Dadddaaaa... Instead of wishing me luck, you're scolding me. Just go, I don't want to talk to you.
Manik: (chuckles) Okay, okay, sorry for scolding my babygirl. I have a meeting now, so I have to go. Good luck with your competition and take care. Bye, love you.
Nandini: (smiling) Thanks, Dadda. You take care too. Don't overwork or skip meals. Love you.
Call ends.
Now even Cabir was downstairs. They were about to start breakfast when Nandini's phone rang again
On call:
Khushi: Nandini, are you ready?
Nandini: I'm almost done.
Khushi: Actually, I got a call from our team member, and he mentioned an issue with our dresses. We need to meet up immediately.
Nandini: (worried) What?
Khushi: Yes, I'm on my way to college. I'll pick you up, so be ready.
Nandini: Yes, yes, I'll be waiting for you.
Call ends.
Alia: Babydoll, everything okay?
Nandini: (tensed) No, Di. Khushi called; there's a problem with our dresses. We need to go there immediately. (to Navya) Di, I'm going to get ready. Khushi is already on her way.
Navya: At least have your breakfast.
Nandini: Di, please. I have to go.
Saying this, she rushed upstairs to grab her bag. Cabir signaled Navya to relax and let her go.
Nandini came downstairs in a hurry. She went to everyone, giving kisses on their cheeks and saying goodbye. As she moved towards Cabir to give him a kiss, he held her hand.
Cabir: (sternly) Nandini, today we're letting you go because of an emergency, but I want you to eat something first in the canteen. Is that clear? (she nods) (smiles) Okay, then take care of yourself.
And she left from there.
Navya: (sighs) This girl, I'm telling you, she's definitely not going to listen to us.
Mukti: Navya, don't worry. We're here for her. We'll take care of everything. You don't need to stress too much.
Later they all continued with their breakfast.
Nandini and Khushi reached the college.
Khushi: Nandini, did you have anything for breakfast?
Nandini: (thinking) If I say no, she'll make me eat and that will waste our time. We'll have lunch soon anyway, so skipping breakfast once won't hurt. (to Khushi) Yeah, I had something before I came.
Khushi: Ok good now lets hurry up and go meet others.
Nandini and Khushi rushed to meet up with their group, who were already deep in discussion about the dress dilemma.
Khushi: Guys, we're here. What's the problem?
Rahul: Hey, Nandini, Khushi. We got the wrong size for the dress fabric, and the tailor messed up the measurements.
Nandini: (concerned) Oh no, that's a big problem. But don't worry, we can figure this out.
Khushi: Yeah, let's brainstorm some solutions.
Riya: What if we use a different fabric for the sleeves and collar? It might not match perfectly, but it's better than nothing.
Nandini: (thoughtfully) That could work. We just need to find something similar in color and texture.
They continued discussing ideas, their expressions shifting from worry to determination, as they searched for a solution. Finally, they came up with a plan to fix the dress.
Khushi: Alright, everyone knows what to do. Let's split up and get to work.
Nandini: Wait, Khushi, what about lunch?
Khushi: (eyes widening in realization) Lunch? Oh no, I completely forgot.
Nandini: (reassuringly) It's okay, we can grab something later. Let's focus on getting this dress sorted out first.
They dispersed to carry out their tasks, and Nandini got busy coordinating with the tailor and searching for alternative fabric. As the hours passed, she became engrossed in the work and completely forgot about eating.
Meanwhile, back at home:
Navya: I hope Nandini remembered to eat lunch. I should text her to remind her.
Mukti: (nodding knowingly) Knowing Nandini, she's probably so caught up in fixing the dress that she forgot all about lunch.
Navya: (frowning with concern) You're right. I just hope she doesn't skip meals too often. She needs to take care of herself.
Back at the college:
After several hours of hard work, the group managed to fix the dress just in time for the competition.
Khushi: Great job, everyone. The dress looks amazing now.
Nandini: (smiling proudly) Yeah, we make a great team.
Rahul: Definitely. And now, let's go the competition is about to starts.
Day 1 of competition:
The first day of the fashion show was a whirlwind of excitement and nerves. As the models strutted down the runway in their carefully crafted outfits, the audience held their breath, mesmerized by the creativity and talent on display.
The team, including Khushi, Nandini, Rahul, and others, watched anxiously from backstage, their fingers crossed for a successful debut. Each stitch, each detail, was a testament to their hard work and dedication.
As the last model exited the stage to thunderous applause, the team breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had done it. Their dress had shone brightly under the spotlight, earning praise from both the judges and the audience.
Khushi: (beaming with excitement) Guys, we did it! That was incredible!
Nandini: (smiling proudly) I can't believe how perfectly everything turned out. I'm bursting with happiness.
Khushi: Wasn't the audience's reaction just electrifying?
Riya: Oh, I felt my heart racing the entire time. But seeing our designs come to life on the runway was beyond surreal.
Rahul: Totally! It's like all those endless hours of hard work finally paid off in that one magical moment.
Khushi: Absolutely. And did you see how the model carried herself? It's like she was born to wear our creation.
Nandini: It's all in the details, guys. Every stitch, every embellishment, it all came together flawlessly.
Rahul: And to think, we were all so nervous backstage.
Khushi: True, but now? Now, we can breathe a little easier. Our dress stole the show.
Nandini: And the judges seemed impressed too. This could be our big break!
Rahul: Let's not jinx it, but yeah, I have a good feeling about this. Now, let's get ready for tomorrow. We've got another show to conquer.
With renewed determination, the team gathered their belongings and headed home, eager to rest and recharge for the next day's challenge.
Once others left Khushi and Nandini headed towards the parking as she was going to drop Nandini home.
In car:
Nandini: Whew, what a day! I can't believe we pulled it off.
Khushi: Yeah, we rocked it! But hey, before we part ways, promise me you'll grab something to eat. You skipped lunch, remember?
Nandini: (laughs) Oh, don't worry, Khushi. I'm feeling a bit hungry now anyway. I'll definitely eat something when I get home.
Khushi: Good! I don't want you passing out from hunger or anything. Take care of yourself, okay?
Nandini: Promise! Thanks for looking out for me, Khushi. You're the best.
Khushi: Aw, anytime, my baby sissy. Now go on, get some food in that belly of yours. We've got another big day tomorrow!
Nandini: You got it, captain! See you tomorrow. Goodbye!!
Khushi: Bubye!!!
She got down from the car.
Back at home, Navya paced anxiously, waiting for Nandini's return. When the door finally swung open, she rushed to her side, engulfing her in a tight hug.
Navya: (relieved) You're back! How did it go? Are you okay?
Nandini: (grinning) It was amazing, Di! We rocked the runway.
Navya: That's great. Did you eat anything?
Nandini: (lying) Ye..Yes Di I ate lunch at canteen.
Navya nodded and then Nandini went in her room to rest for sometime.
Later that evening, everyone gathered for dinner. Nandini sat at the table.
Cabir: (smiling) So, Nandini, how was the competition today?
Nandini: (enthusiastically) It was fantastic, Bhai! We fixed the dress just in time, and it looked amazing on the runway. The judges loved it.
Alia: (proudly) That's wonderful! I knew you guys would nail it. And hey, speaking of food, did you have a chance to eat something after the show?
Nandini: (nodding quickly) Oh, yeah! I grabbed a bite with Khushi before heading home.
Cabir: (smiling) That's our girl, always taking care of herself.
Nandini internally breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that everyone believed her little lie about eating.
After dinner, Nandini retreated to her room to video call Manik, assuring him that she was fine and taking care of herself.
On video call:
Manik: Hey, babygirl! How was your day?
Nandini: (forcing a smile) It was good, Dadda. The competition went really well, and everyone loved our dress.
Manik: (proudly) That's my girl! Did you remember to eat properly?
Nandini: (quickly) Of course, Dadda! I made sure to have a good meal.
Manik: (smiling) That's my responsible princess. Just remember to take care of yourself, okay?
Nandini: (lying) I will, Dadda. Don't worry about me.
Manik: Alright, sweetheart. I have to go now, but I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you!
Nandini: Love you too, Dadda. Goodnight!
As the call ended, Nandini let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Manik couldn't see through her little fib.
Mukbhi walked into Nandini's room, finding her lost in her thoughts.
Mukti: What's on your mind, bacha?
Nandini: (startled) Huh? Di... Not... Nothing.
Abhi: (concerned) Everything okay?
Nandini: Yes, Bhaiyu. Just thinking about tomorrow. Our first day was a success, but we need to work harder.
Abhi: (caressing her head) Baby, we all know you'll do your best. No need to stress.
Mukti: (pecking her forehead) Absolutely, you'll rock tomorrow's show. But, darling, you also need to take care of yourself. We can see you're working hard, but your health shouldn't suffer.
Nandini: (giving an assuring smile) Yes, Di, don't worry. I'm taking care of myself. (Yawning) I'm too tired now. Let's sleep.
Both Mukti and Abhi smiled, pecked her forehead, and Nandini lay in the middle. They hugged her from either side, and soon, they drifted off to sleep.
Nandini: (in mind) I know lying is wrong, and if they find out I'm skipping meals, they'll be upset. But this competition means everything to me. You guys trust me a lot I can't disappoint you all. (to herself) Nandini you can do it. You have to win this competition for Dadda and for Bhai and Di. They all trust you so much, love you, care for you, now it's time for you to do something for them. I will bring that throphy home.
And with that determination she too went to sleep.
That's all for today. Hope you like it.
What do you think about today's chapter?
What do you guys think will happen next?
Will Nandini win this competition?
Will she be able to hide her skipping food from other?
Or if others came to know about her carelessness what will their reaction be? Especially Manik's?
Please vote and comment you thoughts.
Will meet you all in next chapter.