Nandini reached home.
She freshened up and quickly got ready in a blue sleeveless knee length dress.
She straighten her hairs and kept it open doing a side puff and took matching earrings and put it .
She applied kajal ,mascara, lip gloss as usual. She wore her watch in one hand and high heels along.
She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.
Nandini took her purse and checked her cards and cash.
Her phone rings.
"Bull are u ready?",manik asked her on the phone.
"Yes i am almost.", nandini said him.
"Okay come down. I will reach in 5.",manik said her.
"Aren't u coming inside to change ur clothes. I am not going for lunch with u if u wear ur formal boring suit whereas i am wearing a dress.", nandini said him warningly.
"Will u come out?, I am almost there.",manik said ignoring her warning.
"But man..",she protested but he cut the call.
She stamped her feet in annoyance. She took a last look of herself and then went down taking her purse and phone.
She came outside and just then manik reached.
She went and sat in the passenger seat.
"U are looking beautiful.",he said her.
"Thanks and why did u cut the call?, I wasn't finished talking.", nandini asked him smiling with little irritation.
"Well there was no need to talk anymore and i was driving.",manik justified himself.
"U could have just said that u already changed in the office instead of cutting the call.", nandini said him sadly.
"Ok fine. I will do that next time.",manik said her and she smiled.
"So where are we going?", nandini asked him.
"My favourite place.",manik said her.
"Is it near?", nandini asked him.
"Yes, it will not take much time to reach. The food is amazing, u will love it.",he said her.
"Hope so", nandini said and looked out.
There was a silence for a while before nandini realises something and turns to him.
"U still didn't say me if u liked my designs and presentation or not.", Nandini asked him.
"Took u so long to realise that.",manik asked her smirking.
"Are you telling me now or not?", nandini asked getting impatient.
"Its not needed now as ur design are already selected.",manik said her looking at the roads due to traffic.
"It means u didn't like it.", nandini asked a bit sadly.
"I never said that.",manik said her.
"I want to know right now. Tell me straight forward. U like it or not.", nandini asked him glaring at him.
"Okay i like it.",manik said to her with a smile and then turned to road.
Nandini smiled and then frowned when he didn't say more.
"That's it and nothing else. U aren't going to tell me anything more like what was more good and where i was wrong. Nothing more just a simple' i like it'.", nandini asked him angrily.
Manik chuckles.
"U asked me to answer straight forward if i like it or not and now when i answered u still u are not satisfied. What do you want me to say?",manik asked her raising a eyebrow at her.
"Manik stop teasing me. U very well know what i am saying. I am a very impatient person. So, will u please?", nandini asked him annoyed.
"Okay, we will reach the place in 5 and i will tell u then.",manik said her.
"Fine.", nandini said and sat on her place silently.
Manik parked the car.
"Should i be a gentleman and open the door for you?",manik asked removing his seatbelt.
Nandini giggled.
"No u don't have to. I don't like someone opening the door for me or pulling the chair for me and if the person doing this is u, for me than it will be very difficult for me to control my laugh.", nandini said him with a big smile.
"I am a gentleman. ",manik argued.
"U will be but please don't be formal with me. I will be fine without it.", nandini said him still smiling .
"Okay, come let's go.",manik said and got down from the car.
Nandini too got down.
They both moved inside the 5 star hotel.
Manik went to the reception with nandini.
"Good afternoon Mr. Malhotra.",the lady wished him.
Manik nodded at her.
"Are the tables ready?",he asked her.
"Yes, sir. Ruhi will lead u the way.",the lady said him.
"No that's fine. I will go on my own.",manik said and she nodded.
He looked at nandini to see her confused.
"Come.",he said and she nodded walking with him.
Manik stops at the private area with only a single round table.
He gestured her to go inside. She went inside and he followed her.
She looked around and smiled. There was a big transparent glass on one side having the beautiful view of the outside garden.
The interior were very nice with the perfect lighting.
Manik gestured her to sit and she sat down.
He took the seat infront of her.
"U liked the place?",manik asked her.
"Yes, the interiors are amazing here, the person did an amazing job, i would like to meet that person some day.", nandini said him looking around.
"Should have expected this from a interior designer.",manik muttered to himself slowly.
" I heard u.", nandini said him narrowing her eyes.
"U should. I thought that only i was the person who always used to talk about his work but look at u, I asked u about this place and u are praising the person who did the interiors.",manik said her annoyed.
"U see company matters. Now if i stay with u from morning to night than i will get ur habits.", nandini said him smirking.
"So i am to be blamed for it.",manik asked her and she nodded with a smile.
Manik was going to argue more but nandini cut him off.
"Okay, now answer my questions.", nandini said to him.
"Ask",he said her patiently.
"Do u own this place or something because the way u behaved down with the receptionist was not formal. It was like u know her and is used to this place", nandini asked him curious.
"No i don't own this place but it belongs to one of my best friend. I am very used to this place so the lady down knows me, as we all friends used to normally come here for lunch or dinner and this used to be our usual table.",manik answered her in detail.
Nandini nodded.
"Dhruv?", nandini asked him unsure.
"No, another friend of mine. U haven't met him. When he comes to mumbai, i will introduce u to him. U would like him as he is easy to talk and is very friendly like u",manik said her with a smile and nandini nodded.
"About my designs?", nandini asked him.
"Lets order something first. I will tell u in detail till the food arrives.", manik said her.
Nandini frowns hearing him delaying but nodded.
Manik gives her the menu.
"Manik ,u are used to this place. U know better. So, order something for me too.", nandini said him keeping the menu down.
"Okay any specific thing, i need to take care of.",manik asked her picking the menu.
"I am allergic to mushroom and ya order something vegetarian", nandini said to him.
He nodded and gives the order to the waiter who came inside.
The waiter leaves after taking the order.
Nandini stared at manik patiently waiting.
"Don't stare at me?, I am telling you.",manik said to her sitting straight.
She nodded.
"Okay so, u were good out there. U were confident about ur designs and had some good valid points. If we keep in consideration that it was ur first presentation than u were really amazing. I still wonder how?. I couldn't believe when i saw ur design because they were not different from ur previous designs . It doesn't look like u did it with ur left hand or something. So overall u actually impressed me. ",He said her with a smile.
She smiled widely hearing him.
"Actually after i met u in ur cabin. I got a call from bhai and i asked him for some help and i just followed his tips while giving the presentation.", nandini confessed him the truth.
"That explains why u were so good during the presentation. U are a quick learner, i see",manik said her.
"That i am.", nandini said him.
"Okay so are u happy that i praised u enough.",manik asked her.
"So much. Its not everyday u praise me for my work. All u do is to shout or order me.", nandini said him.
"U give me reasons for it. I never do something for no reason.",manik defended himself.
"I know better.", nandini argued with him.
Manik was about to protest but nandini cut him off.
"Okay now keep this work talk aside. I don't want to talk about it. ",Nandini said him.
"Fine. So what u want to talk about?",manik asked her seriously.
"My gift", nandini asked him smiling.
" We will go after lunch and u can buy anything u want.",manik said her.
"But manik its a gift. U are supposed to buy for me.", nandini argued.
"U won't like my choice and see for my treat, i choose the place. So for ur gift, u choose it.",manik said her.
"No, u are buying me a gift of ur choice. It should be me who decide i like the gift or not.", nandini said him stubbornly.
"Bull try to understand.",manik said her.
"No, are u giving me my gift or not.", nandini asked him seriously.
"U know right that u are very stubborn.",manik said her.
She nodded.
"And it annoys me that u have it ur way every time we argue.",manik said her.
"Does it mean a yes?",she asked with a smile and he nodded.
She forwarded her hand to him.
"I don't have a gift. I told u right. I will get u and give u.",manik said her.
"Now stop ur drama monkey. I know very well that u have the gift with u now. Bhai used to do the same thing with me. He used to get me a gift from before but then start having second thoughts on giving me as he thinks i won't like it and he used to behave like u did only. So now give me fast, as i said before i am very impatient.", nandini said to him smiling.
"Okay but if u don't like it than we will go out and get something u like.",manik said to her giving up his act.
"We will see.",she said him excitedly.
Manik takes out a rectangular box and gives it to her.
She opens it and smiles seeing the bracelet.
"U liked it?",manik asked her.
"No", nandini said and he frowned.
"I told u but its okay we will go to mall after lunch and get whatever u want.",manik said to her.
"Manik its beautiful. I loved it. I was just teasing you.", nandini confessed.
"U are lying.",he said her not believing it.
"Why should i?, Its really nice.", nandini said to him looking at his eyes.
He smiled hearing her.
"Why did u got this specially?", nandini asked him moving her fingers on it.
"I was confused on what to gift u first and i couldn't ask for alya and mukti help too. So i was just wondering around in the mall looking for something. I then thought that its better to give u something which is a part of ur daily life routine and i couldn't think anything better than stars. It is ur habit to watch them and clear ur confusions. I thought maybe u can feel little better watching this stars in the day ,when u are confused and u can't find the actual stars in the sky.",manik explained rubbing the back of his neck.
"And moon?", nandini questions him looking at him.
"Well the moon is one of its kind, its beautiful with imperfections too. It stands alone in the sky unaffected by the presence of thousands of stars surrounding it who are different from it. So whenever u are alone and feel depressed, u can motivate urself seeing the moon who is alone and lonely in the sky but is better than the thousands of other stars ,when spreading light on earth is concerned.",manik explained her.
"Such a thoughtful gift. I never knew a simple bracelet can also have such deep meanings. It's amazing why did u ever thought i won't like it.", nandini asked him.
"I don't know. I just thought u won't like a simple bracelet as a gift.",manik said nervously.
"Manik u can be so cute sometimes. Thank you so much for this gift, i loved it.", nandini said pulling his cheek a little smiling at him.
Manik looked at her shocked.
"What?",she asked him smiling.
"Don't pull my cheeks again. I am not a baby or a girl and i am not cute too.",manik said to her sitting straight and adjusting his jacket.
"No, i don't agree with u. U are cute.", nandini said and took the bracelet in her hand and tried wearing it.
Manik frowns and then let it go as he knew that he can't win a argument against her.
He takes the bracelet from her hands and forwarded his hands for her.
She gave her hand in his and he made her wear it in her left hand.
"It matches completely with my dress.", nandini said and manik nodded.
The food comes and they have it talking about some topics.
Nandini was looking at the bracelet while eating too and smiling with a cute frown.
"What's wrong?",he asked eating a bite from his fork.
"U explained everything but what about this blue heart. I am trying to figure out about it.", nandini said eating a bite.
"Its nothing to explain.",manik said focussing on his food.
"Manik i want to know. Tell me please and why blue .Hearts are always red. I am very curious about it.", nandini said to him.
"Well ,Blue heart means stable and solid friendship with trust and faithfulness.",manik said her a little nervous about her reaction.
He looked at nandini and saw her eyes shining with a smile on her face.
"So this symbolises our equation right now.", nandini asked him with a smile and he nodded.
"Blue hearts are cold and lonely too. It doesn't have love in it like red hearts.", nandini stated him.
"I believe that the blue heart is guarded around most people.
But when in love, it gives its everything. It isn't shy or scared. A blue heart makes the best people in the end.",manik said her.
Nandini smiled at him.
"U impressed me with ur words .I just loved ur thought behind gifting this to me.", nandini said to him.
Manik just smiled.
"U know its difficult to believe u have such side too. Truly speaking then when i first met u the only thing that came in my mind is ' He is so arrogant and rude man '. ",Nandini said to him with a teasing smile.
"Well i am just not so friendly with everyone at the first meet. I take my time to know a person and then trust him. This side is just for my friends and family or any other close people. U can say that i am very reserved person.",manik said her calmly.
Nandini nodded.
"And u know the first thing that came into my mind when i met u was ' she is so stupid and ill-mannered girl'.",manik teased her.
Nandini narrowed her eyes at him.
"Well it has changed now except that u are stupid.",manik said her.
She takes the napkin and throw at him. He chuckles catching it and she too smiles.
"So, now we should think about dhruv and alya.",manik said composing himself.
The waiter got the desserts for them.
"Yeah but i think that u should go to dhruv and indirectly try telling him that alya is only ur best friend and give some hints to dhruv that will encourage him to propose alya. I tried telling him but he doesn't want his friendship to affect. So he is backing out.", nandini said to manik.
"That's a good idea and u can also talk to alya and tell her. So that she don't get so upset seeing u two together.",manik said to nandini.
"Done", nandini said to him.
They both finished their desserts.
The waiter came with the bill.
He kept it on the table and stood at a side.
Manik tried taking the bill.
"I said u before, don't be a gentleman here and be formal. It's my treat and also i don't like someone paying for me when i am able to pay for myself.", nandini said glaring at him.
He took his hands back scared of her and she smiled.
She put the cash in it with the tip.
The waiter bows a little and goes away.
"Lets go",manik said and nandini nodded.
They both left the hotel.
Manik got his car and nandini sat inside.
"So how was it?",manik asked her.
"The food was really tasty and the desserts were superb. U really had a great choice in everything. It was perfect.", nandini said him smiling.
"Afterall i am Manik Malhotra. I always do things perfect.",manik said praising himself with a smirk.
"Yes, right. The Manik Malhotra, 'the perfectionist'.", nandini said mocking at him.
They had few talks on here and there topics and reached home.
Manik went to his room and nandini to hers and both got busy in themselves.