"I mean you just walk to them like that and then ask them out," Manik asked Harshad while Harshad smiled to himself.
"It's charm of Harshad, you know," Harshad bragged while Manik frowned.
"By the way, since when you are interested in all this?" Harshad inquired and Manik almost slipped into his quilt.
"I am not interested. I was just asking out of curiosity you know," Manik answered briefly and then closed his eyes.
Harshad sighed and then switched off the lights. It was dead dark then. Manik opened his eyes and blinked a few times to adjust with the darkness in the room. It was beyond his capability to think that how he was going to ask Nandini for ball and that too like she was a girl. Well, she is a girl. But they were never like that. He frowned as he stressed more that why would she put such a stupid condition. He knew it was going to be hardest task he had ever done and he was not at all ready. He tossed from one side to another all night thinking various ways to ask her out. His eye lids got heavy and that was the time when night itself got bored with him and he was sent to deep slumber.
Manik looked at her as she entered the academy. She was looking heavenly gorgeous in that white dress. It reached her knees and she looked different. She captured his eyes like never before. He looked at white Lilies in his hand and then at her. Her red lips formed a smile, smile he knew but was redefined. She halted somewhere talking to some new face and that was when he took a deep breath. He was sure he was going to do it. As he took a step towards her after a few stolen glances, he heard a dark familiar laugh. He peeped out and saw Daadu standing there with his ever so famous laugh.
"She would throw it on your face or maybe stuff them in your mouth," He warned aloud. He looked at Nandini who was still talking to someone with a big smile.
"You came up with white lilies?" Daadu asked accusing as if Manik had let him down.
"Don't you know she would screw you?" Daadu added and Manik frowned. He was right, she might probably decorate those lilies in his hair and then would laugh like maniac.
"Didn't you know whom you were asking out?" He scolded as he walked closer. Manik couldn't apprehend how come Nandini wasn't listening to any of his word. It was so unreal. He rubbed his eyes as Daadu walked even closer with angry frown.
"Yes, Manik, Wake up," He heard Harshad talking. Wait, from where Harshad came from. He looked around but didn't find him.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty," Harshad again uttered with affection.
"It's just a bad dream," Harshad added.
"Dream?" Manik asked all bewildered and Daadu started to disappear. Even girl in white dress wasn't Nandini. He rubbed his eyes harshly and then it was so much of white. He closed his eyes as it hurt bad. He opened his eyes just to see Harshad standing at his head with a worried expression.
"Wake up," He said and that's when Manik understood he was having a dream-looking nightmare.
"That was a dream?" He asked getting up.
"I bet it was bad, wasn't it?" Harshad asked handing him a towel.
"It was weird," Manik answered wiping sweat off his forehead.
"Dude, you should consult a doctor," Harshad said walking across the dorm.
"Doctor?" Manik asked perplexed.
"About your nightmares," Harshad cleared and Manik dipped his head in towel to avoid the topic. He couldn't let anyone know how this one girl was hovering his mind since months now.
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Throwing the 5th dress in some aloof corner of her room, she brought out fresh pair of dresses out of her wardrobe. It would be a lie if it was said that Nandini was having a good morning. Sleepless nights hardly give good mornings. She had measured the size of her bed drawing random pattern of it and that was a first. Nothing in world could make her toss in bed, not even stupid fights of their parents. But now when she had played a strange tune previous day, she ought to dance no matter how stupid it was. She was still in disbelief that she had asked Manik to ask her for ball properly. What had she said? Oh yeah! He had to ask her out like she is a girl and he the man. Now what this girl category was supposed to mean?! She was apprehensive about the day already. Imagining Manik doing all the stupid stuff was going to be so much embarrassing.
She picked a denim and white frilled top after undoing her entire closet. White overcoat should do just fine with it,, she thought. She stomped inside restroom to have a shower to finally have some peace of mind.
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"Girls like white lilies?" Manik asked Harshad as they tried to read in library.
"They do," Harshad answered without even looking at Manik.
"She would certainly not like it then," Manik murmured to himself totally losing himself to one and only topic in his life.
"She would like it," Harshad remarked and Manik turned the pages of book rapidly to sound very busy.
"Don't worry I won't ask," Harshad assured and Manik sighed.
He held his head in hands giving up. He closed the book and walked out of library making a mind to consult the brigadier. He had to do that.
Knocking the cabin of Daadu, he rubbed his palms to gather all his might.
"Come in, Manik," Daadu replied.
"How did you know it was me?" Manik asked baffled closing the door behind him.
"I knew you would need me," Daadu replied taking a deep breath.
"You are too naive to pull this off," he added.
"Pull off what?" Manik asked all nervous. There was no way now Daadu too knew what Nandini had asked him.
"She would hate white lilies," Daadu uttered making Manik all shocked.
"I heard you asking that dickhead," Daadu himself cleared making Manik relieved.
"Think original," He suggested.
"Think what she would like," He added.
"She likes to make me cry. Shall I sign an agreement to be her subject for life?" Manik quipped.
"She is a girl at end of day who is very much a girl at end of day," Daadu said and Manik frowned.
"What does that even mean?" He asked.
"Think Manik," Daadu said.
"I am thinking, Daadu," He answered and again dived into his messy mind.
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Nandini entered the academy all dressed to kill. No matter what she wears, she has to be most good looking person in any given arena. Boys sighed aloud as she passed by bunch of idiots. She smiled shaking her head to greet the obvious. That day was going to be even more awkward. More flowers, more boys, more stupidity and on top of that Manik, she had to put up with everything. She reached Daadu's cabin to drop his medicines and saw two men all lost in thinking something very serious. Manik and Daadu were sitting quietly with fine-lines on their foreheads and that was hilarious to watch.
"Is someone dead?" She asked as she closed the door behind.
"You are here," Daadu exclaimed.
"I was supposed to be here," She said tossing the medicine kit to him.
"Even Manik is here," Daadu tried to draw her attention towards sad man in the room.
"Thanks Daadu," Nandini mocked, "I wouldn't have seen him if you hadn't told."
Manik grinned brainlessly at her and she shook her head.
"How many pounds have you lost since last night?" She asked sitting in chair.
"Huh?" He asked still in daze.
"You look pathetic, Manik," She remarked.
"I haven't asked you to ride a horse. So calm down," She uttered.
"Horse riding!!!" He exclaimed and looked at Daadu.
"Horse riding?" Daadu asked bit unsure.
"Horse riding!!!" He got up on his feet with a grin.
"Horse riding?" Daadu asked again.
Nandini kept looking at both of them with open mouth. It was unbelievable to see them behaving so stupid over a stupid thing she had said.
"Boys," She said and walked out of room.
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Manik wore the headgear as Daadu gave him some last minutes tips on how to do a trick on horse. He was sure that was only way he would be impressing her.
"Just don't do something stupid," Daadu said as last thing.
"I never do something stupid," Manik answered rubbing his hands.
"Just don't break your bones," Daadu said patting his back as he walked back to stand.
Manik warmed up as he saw Nandini coming out of stable. She was smiling her heart out while talking to Major. Daadu wished him good luck by raising his thumb and Manik took a sharp breath to get it done. He walked to horse and climbed it. He patted his horse as if trying to win him so that trick he was going to do goes all fine.
He reined horse and horse started to walk. Manik rode him to one end of ground. Reining him hard, horse stood up on its hind legs and neighed loud enough to draw attention of Nandini. She looked at them with a serious face as if trying to decipher what they were up to. Manik smiled charmingly as she saw them without blinking. He rode the horse in her direction while she folded her arms accepting to be his audience.
Manik paced his quarter horse as it leaped towards empty ground. Looking back at Nandini, he gestured her to look at him while she just chuckled at his antics. Leaving the rein of horse, he tried his first trick. Both hands up in air as his horse ran in great speed. Nandini curled her lips up appreciating his trick and then looked down. Her heart was definitely pounding in throat as he rode that horse without holding its rein. His arms folded neatly across his chest, his chin held high, he surely knew what he was doing. A boyish grin touched his lips as he reached end of arena. Nandini who was watching him all this while smiled wholeheartedly. She shook her head accepting that he couldn't be the man when he was adorably a boy, maybe just the way she would like. She breathed deep as thought sunk in.
He turned around his horse and again started his stint. This time he looked apprehensive and Nandini looked keenly at what he was going to do. As he tightened rein of his horse at a particular angle, she knew what he was going to try. Colors flew away from her face as she tried not to panic.
"Sirrrrrrr," Daadu heard Harshad panicking. Harshad was called by Daadu to help Manik in case he needed some.
"Should I call ambulance?" He asked in tone full of trauma.
Daadu whose mouth was open gulped hard as he heard Harshad.
"Shut up, you idiot. I myself would take him to hospital," He said making Harshad more scared.
"Don't try this, Manik," Nandini mumbled under her breath as he bent at his right side with his arm stretching to touch the ground. His horse angled himself to accommodate the pressure while Manik gripped hard on stirrup using his feet. Nandini closed her eyes for a moment as he stretched his arm with a force to pick something. Horse neighed loudly and she opened her eyes to see him getting something from dusty ground. As he gripped something white in his palm, he smiled winningly and Nandini just prayed he doesn't fall due to his weight. His horse took a sharp turn making Manik gather his previous posture. Manik straightened himself on saddle as he cheered for himself. Nandini sighed in relief noting in mind to kick him later for attempting suicide.
Before she could even relax, she saw him coming towards her. He hinted her through eyes as if trying to warn. She looked at his stretched arm and she knew what he was saying. There was no way she would back out being a master at it. And she was assured with she being there, there was no way they won't make it. As he reached her, she took his hand and he pulled her up. Crossing her legs across horse, she got settled facing him. Her back was facing the view while she was facing him as she sat at front clutch of saddle. Wrapping her arms across his neck, she got her desired balance while he just gasped aloud with ultimate sense of success. He shouted in joy while she just saw him celebrating. They heard two more people hooting. Nandini didn't bother to even look.
"You are mad," She uttered looking at his celebrating grin. They both were panting hard. An apprent thrill was in air as they both kept looking into each other's eyes.
"Not more than you," He answered breathing on her face.
Handing her white lilies who were almost muddy, he asked, "Would you come with me to ball, Nandini?"
His breath in his throat, his joy having no bar; he just had all the courage to ask.
"Stunts to impress me, huh?" She asked and he looked away as if trying to hide his blush. Their horse having its own course while those two were busy chit chatting.
"White lilies wouldn't have done, right?" He countered and she chuckled throwing her head back. Her giggle sounded like a yes to him.
"Is that a yes?" He asked biting his lips.
"What do you think?" She asked looking at his red face.
"I think I deserve a yes," he said shouting a bit to make his voice audible in between sound of wind.
She looked away shaking her head and then back at him.
"Pick me up tomorrow night for ball," She said and he shouted in joy again. She could just gape this mad boy while he celebrated wholeheartedly. He wasn't owner of much expressions and when he was now smiling in joy, she could feel her heart warming up.
She pulled the rein of horse to make it halt and climbed down it.
"See you tomorrow, Malhotra," She said as she walked backwards.
He just nodded his head wearing a proud smile.
She turned around to leave the ranch. As she reached the exit, she turned around and shouted, "By the way, I haven't received invitation basket from my date, so you know."
Manik closed his eyes as he had totally forgotten about it. She chuckled and then left the arena.
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"I still can't believe Nandini Murthy said yes to you," Harshad said for nth time as they walked back to dorm.
"You were too cool, dude," He added clasping Manik's neck between his arm.
"You are repeating yourself, Harshad," Manik said chuckling.
As they reached the dorm, boys surrounded Manik to know about what they had heard. It was matter of shock as news reached every ear how Manik Malhotra had asked Nandini Murthy and she had said yes. Manik's stock value had shot to sky.
Manik shooed all of them away by being himself. That wasn't difficult. He took out the invitation basket out of cabinet. It had a bottle of champagne and a nice scroll invitation. He looked at clock. It was past time when any cadet go out. Tomorrow was going to be off day as all the boys were supposed to go shopping for the ball night. She wouldn't be coming to academy. He put it back in cabinet that he would find a way. Though, it shouldn't be a problem even if he couldn't deliver the basket but when she had mentioned it, it should get delivered. It was unusual of her to ask for it. Maybe she was liking the idea of ball.
Manik stretched his leg and yelped a bit as his muscle pained. No one knew what it had taken to try that second stunt. He had hardly mastered two-three tricks and he didn't know he would be using them that soon. He smiled amid of aching business as at last it had paid off. She had said yes. This Affair was so important to Manik and he hadn't even spared a thought why it was that important that he takes her to ball. He had combated the argument at beginning only by saying it was just she shouldn't be going with any other men. Unreasonable enough.
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Nandini reached her room and threw her bag on couch. She looked at herself in mirror as she opened the buttons of overcoat. There was this smile on her lips, not a big one but this static one. Her heart was nothing less than chirpy living room. She should have hated it but noise was somehow exciting. She bit her lip as she remembered the feeling when he had pulled her up. She had done that trick all her life but today it had thrill of another level. She herself didn't know what she had meant when she had asked him to ask her out properly. She didn't know what to expect. But now when he had, it was feeling like something had changed. It wasn't mere fun anymore, it was illegible pleasure as if there was a party inside her heart. She changed herself into night suit and dipped into her queen sized bed. It was going to be a good night.
And yeah, the basket! Hell yeah, she needed it now. She was excited to know how it would reach her. With the thought, she dipped her face in pillow.
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Unedited*