"Nandini Murthy you are the youngest in the family that doesn't mean all of your demands will be accomplished." Sushmita yelled at nandini who was sitting on the recliner listening to her.
"Mom atleast listen---" abhi started to say but she cut him off.
"Don't you dare support her in her childish demands." Sushmita glared at abhi.
"Excuse me" nandini yelled who had it enough. "This is not a childish demand I'm serious about my dreams and carrier. And you were the one who asked me about my future plans so now what's the problem?" Nandini yelled in frustration.
"The problem is you are still a kid and you can't handle yourself alone!" Sushmita said calmly which angered nandini more.
"How do you know?" Nandini questioned but before she can answer she again said. "Have you ever gave me any chance? Have you?" Nandini said and sushmita didn't say anything.
"You always said that I'm weak but have you ever game me any chance to prove myself?" Nandini asked and everyone stayed mum because she was right.
Sushmita didn't say anything but got up and went to her room quietly. Abhimanyu shook her head at two stubborn women. He went upto nandini and put a hand on her shoulder but she jerked his hand and ran to her room angrily.
"Give them some time abhi!" Mukti said hugging him abhi sighed.
After an hour of thinking sushmita was disturbed by a knock on the door.
"Your mood is that bad or can I come in?" Manik asked mischievously standing on the door.
Sushmita cracked a smile seeing him and gestured him to come in.
He slowly walked inside and sat in front of her.
"Why won't you let her go sush?" Manik asked softly holding her hand.
"She's so immature and she won't be able to handle herself." Sushmita sighed sagging her shoulders in defeat.
"Give her a chance, trust your daughter she won't disappoint you i promise." Manik assured her and she scrutinised him.
"Are you okay with this? Are you okay with her going away?" She asked unsure and sadness flashed on his face.
"I wasn't and I'm not still but we wouldn't be fair to her if we didn't give her a chance. She deserves it sush doesn't matter how much it hurts to let her go like this." He said with a sad smile.
"So will you give her a chance to prove herself?" Manik asked after a while.
"If you can let go an inseparable part of your life for her own good then why can't I?" Sushmita said with a smile and his smile widened.
"Is that a yes?" He asked excitedly and she laughed and nodded.
"You know you are the best right?" He pounced on her hugging her tight and she chuckled at his reaction.
Nandini who was sitting in her room grumpy crushing her pillow in frustration was disturbed by her best friend.
"You shouldn't punish that poor pillow sugar plum." Manik said squeezing her face with his hands and she jerked his hand.
"Go away manik don't irritate." She yelled and he put his hands in surrender.
"Whoah! Calm down." He said and she gave him a look which said 'don't piss me off or I will punch your shitty ass face'
As if that's gonna stop him.
"I just came here to tell you that you are going to Mumbai." He shrugged and nandini's head snapped to his direction.
"What did you say?" She asked unsure of what he said.
Manik who was going to exit the door smiled wickedly. He turned around making an innocent face and walked upto her.
"Mom allowed me to go?" She asked standing up from the bed.
"Yes." He said putting his hands in his jeans.
"Oh my freaking god." She yelled in excitement.
She ran to him and hugged the life out of him by wrapping her legs around his waist. He lost his balance at this sudden attack and fell down on the bed with her on the top.
"Thank you so much manik you have no idea what it means to me." She mumbled with her face hiding in his neck.
He stroked her hair and smiled.
"I know sugar plum." He said with a sad smile. Manik was being selfless by letting her go. He hid his pain just for her happiness.
Manik tightened his grip on her absorbing her presence. She moved her face from his neck and looked at him. There eyes got locked and their faces just inched away from each other.
He put a strand of hair behind her ear. He moved his face a little closer to her and she immediately closed her eyes. He trailed kisses from her jaw to her neck. He kissed her neck and her hold on his shoulder tightened.
He smirked at her reaction and was going to move further when a voice interrupted them.
"Nandini" Mukti's voice broke their trance and they got up hastily totally embarrassed. Nandini straightened her top continuously looking down.
She left the room biting her lower lip and manik just stood their smiling like a fool.
Sushmita, mukti, abhi, manik and nandini were gathered in the living room.
"Nandu your tickets have been booked and you will be leaving tomorrow afternoon." Abhi informed and manik gasped audibly.
"Tomorrow so early why?" Manik literally yelled.
"Because my classes are going to start soon." Nandini whispered who was standing besides him and he made a bad face.
"Your accommodation has been arranged so there shouldn't be any problem and you will be having roommates too." Sushmita said and she nodded.
Sushmita never pampered or spoon fed her kids. She always tried to made them strong so they can face any hard situation in life.
With that everyone dispersed except manik and nandini. Mukbhi were busy packing as they were leaving for their honeymoon to Manhattan tonight.
Nandini entwined her fingers with his and gave a squeeze to it. Manik looked at her with a sad face.
"How am I going to survive without you?" Manik asked pulling her closer and she chuckled.
"Spend your time with those bimbos who are dying to be with you." She said lowly.
"I would trade the world to be with you." He said pulling her closer if that's possible because they were literally glued to each other.
She smiled widely and gave him a big fat noisy kiss.
"Let's have my farewell." She said moving away from him.
"No yaar nandini it's too depressing for me." He whined.
"Shut up meenakumari let's buy some food." She said pulling him outside to go to big mart and he made a bad face.
"What are we going to do besides stuffing are face which we do all the freaking time?" Manik asked as they sat in the car.
"Watch a movie?" She suggested.
"Which one?" He asked as he ignited the engine and Little mix blasting through the speakers.
"The Fault in our stars." They both yelled together and laughed.
"I'll let you come take the wheel, long as you don't forget-- WHO GOT THE POWER" Nandini sang the lyrics actually yelled while slapping his arm telling him she's the boss.
"I think we were through about not hitting the driver while driving." Manik glared at her and switched off the radio.
Nandini gasped.
"You did not Malhotra. You cannot switch off the radio when my favourite song is playing. Is that too much to understand for your thick skull." Nandini yelled and he rolled his eyes at her drama.
He switched on the radio again to make her shut because he know there will be no end. The rest of the drive was not so much quite with nandini yelling time to time but thankfully for manik they reached in no time.
He thanked god for not having a slow, painful death where his ears would bleed. Well well perks of having Nandini Murthy as your best friend.
After a lot of junk and booze shopping
they came back in late evening and bid bye to mukbhi who were excited for their honeymoon.
Sushmita was already in study room working on one of her projects.
Manan sneaked to nandini's room for their little party and it was already mid night.
Nandini played the movie in her home theatre and sat besides manik on the bed covering them with a blanket. He immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she wrapped her arms around his waist. It came natural to them.
They were watching the movie for the umpteenth time but that was 'their' movie. They never got bored while watching it like never because it was a love story of true love.
Nandini took a swig of booze and so did he from the same bottle. The movie was coming towards the end and their emotions were on the edge.
They have watched this movie so many times that they know the dialogues are by heart.
"I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You have me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful." Nandini repeated the dialogues along with hazel while sobbing incorehently.
Manik tightened his grip on her and she rubbed her nose on his shirt. Talk about true friendship.
No matter how many times nandini watch this movie she always cry and as always manik is there to wipe her nose.
The movie was on it's climax and the food which they bought was finished. Wrappers of chips and bottles of booze lying on the floor.
They were a little tipsy by now and nandini was almost lying on him with her head on his chest.
Manik started saying the dialogues and nandini looked at him. There eyes met.
"She's so beautiful. You don't get tired of looking at her. You never worry if she's smarter than you: you know she is. She's funny without ever being mean. I love her. I'm so lucky to love her. You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices. I hope she likes hers." Manik said the entire dialogue looking staright in her eyes and her eyes twinkled. And a few tears escaped from her eyes.
She quickly rubbed the tears and with that movie ended.
"We must be sadists who watch this movie again and again." Nandini said playing with his fingers.
"Tell me 'bout it." He agreed.
After that nobody said a word. They just lied down holding each other absorbing each other's presence because after that there won't be any meenakumari or sugar plum.
***
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