Manik realized what he had just said; he looked at Cabir, who had a shocking look on his face. "Aise kya dekh raha hai?" asked Manik as he tried to put on the calmest look possible on his face.
"You just said that you love Nandini's presence" said Cabir.
Manik laughed "dude! U can't even get sarcasm" said Manik as he looked away.
Cabir sighed in relief and thanked God. "You almost gave me a heart attack, maine socha that u accepted me as ur saala ; accha I have to go to class, that Raghav has given me a burden of work" said Cabir.
Manik sat on the chair and held his head "uff that was close; sorry Cabir I can't tell u anything at this moment at first I need to sort it out with Mrs. Malhotra" said Manik as he thought about Nandini with a smile on his face.
At the locker room,
"Harshad, I am really frustrated, this Mukti and Cabir's dumb and slow plan is not helping. I want Manik...now" stomped Riya.
Harshad smirked and ran his hand through Riya's bare arm "I know you are desperate baby; and I can help you..Mukti and Cabir are still child, but I have a plan for the grownups" winked Harshad.
"Really, what is your plan?" asked Riya with excitement as she held Harshad's arm.
Harshad grinned evilly "host a party at your place and invite everyone" said Harshad.
"If there will be everyone then how will Manik and me be together?" asked Riya with a frown.
"You just go and invite fab5, Nandini and Navya and leave the rest to me. I promise you will get Manik by tonight" said Harshad.
Riya jumped in joy and hugged Harshad.
Navya witnessed the hugging and her jaw dropped "Riya iske saath vi? Chih kaise hai woh; and Mukti ko pata chalega toh kya hoga?" thought Navya.
Nandini was walking along the corridoor with thoughts running in her mind. "Aiyappa what's wrong with me, I want to see him then why am I running away from him?" thought Nandini.
She walked up to the library and there she saw Riya and Manik, both were smiling together. Nandini clenched her fist in anger and attempted to walk away, when Riya called her "hey Nandini! Actually I was coming to you only, I have this small get together at my house, fab5 , Navya and Harshad are also coming, you also come okay bye" she said and went to Manik, she whispered something in his ears and went away.
Manik looked at her but she went away. Manik got angry "now this is too much, she is avoiding me since morning; she is not answering my calls either. Fine Nandu, be like that! Even I don't want to talk" said Manik.
At Riya's house,
Cabir and Mukti had reached earlier "Riya, what is your plan? And sabko kyo bulaya? Manik ko akele bulana tha" said Cabir.
"You guys are useless, now I will go according to my plan" said Riya.
"Cabir I have a task for you, just make sure that Nandini comes here and don't ask any questions" said Riya as she went inside.
"Yar Mukti, yeh ladki pagal hai kya? Kya ulta plan bana rahi hai, is she interested in Nandini? Meri behen nei kya kia?" asked Cabir in confusion.
"Mera dimag kharab ho raha hai, I'm going to grab a drink, you go and pick Nandini" said Mukti.
At Malhotra Mansion, Manik’s room,
He barged inside his room and opened his jacket feeling frustrated. “What’s wrong with her? She did n’t even wait up for me at the parking?” said Manik angrily. Manik was unbuttoning his shirt just then he heard a knock on his door, he turned to open the door a smile formed on his lips as he saw Nandini.
“Nandini, come in, you don’t need to knock” he said and went inside. Nandini followed him “umm…Manik actually, a peon came and handed me this confidential file I thought to give it to you direct….” she was attempting to say something when she saw that Manik was removing his shirt, she put her hand on her eyes and yelled “What are you doing? I am still here” she told.
Manik looked at her reaction and smiled mischievously “What? this is not the first time you are seeing me like this? Remember that night your home, I was just in towel” he said with a naughty smile.
Nandini blushed as she remembered about that night. He inched close to her and removed her hand from the face; he kept her hand on his chest and raised her chin so that their eyes met. “hmm I guess we are not playing tom and jerry right now” he said and that made Nandini smile.
“Manik..actually I was not sure, I did n’t know how to face you” she managed to say. Manik leaned close to her, and she closed her eyes in ecstasy. He kissed on her eyelids and whispered in his deep voice “are you confused about me?” Nandini could not say anything; his closeness had made her lose her voice. Then he touched her waist and dig his fingers in there making her sigh, she clutched arm for support. His hand made his way to the zipper of her top and he slowly unzipped it. Nandini clutched his arm more tightly sighing all the way. He stroked her bare back and placed kisses on her shoulder. She felt so weak that she rested her face on his chest. Manik stopped and told “Nandini, it’s not just physical attraction, there is something deeper than that, there is a relation of trust and care between us” he said.
Nandini looked up to him and touched his cheek “you are right Manik, but somehow I feel that it’s too quick and I..don’t know” she said. Manik moved away from her “you don’t know? Nandini how can you say that? We have something for each other from the very 1st day” said Manik.
Nandini did not know how to handle the situation and again she ran out of Manik’s room. Manik held his head in frustration “I am not going to give up! I will make you say that you love me” said Manik in a confident tone.
Nandini ran to her room and breathed heavily, she was clueless her mind and heart were giving her different directions. Her phone beeped and it was a message from Mukti “Nandini, where are you? come to Riya’s party” said the message.
"Mujhe nahi jana koi party mei?" she uttered and threw her phone. Navya rushed inside Nandini’s room “tumhe pata hai aj humne kya dekha? Yeh Riya aur Harshad kuch karne wale hai and they were hugging each other” said Navya catching her breath.
“Ok relax, sit down and have a glass of water” said Nandini. Navya sat down.
“Yeh Riya chahti kya hai? She is being extra sweet to me, Manik kei kareeb aane ka try kar rahi hai, but what’s with Harshad?” asked Nandini in a confused tone.
“Nandini, hume lag raha hai kuch bara plan kar rahe hai woh dono, ab plan kya hai yeh toh party mei jake hi pata chalega” said Navya.
“Ha, you are right, mujhe nahi jana tha but now I will go” said Nandini.
“Thik hai, you get ready, I will wait here, uss Riya ka patta cut karte hai” said Navya.
Navya was watching tv in the hall room, Cabir thought it was Nandini “tumhare bina party mei mai akela kya karunga meri jaan, chalo na mere saath” he said. Navya was shocked her eyes became wider “yeh Cabir ko kya hua” she thought.
“See bhag bhag ke aya just for you” said Cabir and Navya felt weird “Hey bhagwan kahi iss pei koi bhoot prêt ka saaya toh nahi” though Navya as she clutched the pillow and started murmuring some bhoot bhagao mantra.
Nandini came down from the stairs and patted on Cabir’s shoulder. He jumped out of shock “Nandu, tu yaha fir sofa pei kaun hai? Bhoot toh nahi?” uttered Cabir as he went behind Nandini.
“Tum bhoot ho” yelled Navya as she came close to Cabir.
Nandini laughed “ho gaya tum logo ka, ab chale?” she said and went out of the door.
Navya pulled Cabir’s hand “woh sab kya tha? Nandini sei tum kabhi aise baat nahi karte” said she. Cabir came close to her and looked at her eye “ha, kyo kai mai …” paused for a second as he felt something different.
“Tum pagal ho” said Navya as she pushed him and walked away .
Cabir cleared his head “dude, focus! tujhe kya ho raha hai?” he said.
At Riya’s house, Parking,
Cabir, Navya and Nandini came out of the car. “Guys, mom ka call hai; you guys go ahead and I will join you” said Nandini.
Navya and Cabir nodded their heads and went inside.
“Ha, mom mai thik hu” said Nandini on the phone and her eyes spotted Manik “accha ma, I am in a party toh will call u later” said Nandini as she hung up the phone and went near Manik.
She pulled his hand and cornered him near a wall. “Yeh sab kya ho raha hai? Tumhare aur Riya ke beech mei, u knew mai party mei nahi aungi, fir vi tum kyo aye” said Nandini as she frowned.
Manik smiled as he liked the possessive attitude of Nandini, she had a tone of ownership in her voice. Manik held her waist and brought her close to himself. Then leaned in and whispered in her ears “you are so strange! That time you told that there is nothing between us and now you are all charged up and fighting with me” he said. Nandini sighed and moved away from him but he again pulled her, this time he leaned and their noses touched “Can’t you read my eyes? Can’t you see that it’s you for whom I expend these intense looks?” said Manik as he smiled mischievously.
Nandini did not know what to say she was still very unsure.
Manik’s phone rang, he picked it up and cursed the wrong timing “Mukti, I can’t come, what you have seen my car, ok fine! I am entering” said Manik with a frowned face.
Nandini bit her lips feeling tensed, he looked at her affectionately and he just loved it when she did that with her lips. Both of them entered into Riya’s house.
Nandini immediately got separated from Manik and went to Navya “Kaha thi tum, phone pe itni der tak baat kar rahi thi?” asked Navya.
Nandini just gave a faint smile and looked around, Riya’s house was big but small compared to Malhotra Mansion; she thought just then she saw some dancers in shiny costumes and her jaw dropped. She pinched Navya “OMG! Yeh toh belly dancers hai, What is Riya up to?” uttered Nandini. “Tu kyo itna pareshaan ho rahi hai? Ohh tujhe bura lag raha hai kei Manik inko dekhega?” winked Navya. She was right, after seeing those dancers the first thing that came over Nandini’s mind was Manik can’t watch them.
To be continued...