Hello Fam. Nandu's dress is in the media-box. If you didn't like it, please imagine your favorite dress. Yaar khud ki shopping nahi karti. I am very bad at this. :P
Everyone except Dhruv gave Nandini a smile. Dhruv missed the party as he wasn't well. Nandu went to her gang ignoring all the looks by the people around and twirled.
Nandu(excitedly): How am I looking?
Alya(squealed): This is the most prettiest Barbie gown I have seen.
Cabir(proudly): You are looking stunning.
Nandu(surprised): tum meri tareef kar rahe ho?
Abhi(adored): Babydoll tu sach mein itni khoobsurat lag rahi hai. Use toh tareef karna hi tha na.
Navya(cooed): Haan, kisi ki nazar na lage tujhe aaj party mein.
Mukti(fumed): Khoon na kar dun kisi ne Nandu par nazar dali tho.
Everyone chuckles. Nandu pouts seeing a frowning Manik.
Nandu(sadly): Tujhe achi nahi lagi? Tu kuch bol kyun nahi raha?
Manik(frowned): Tu mere bina shopping chali gayi?
Nandu(chuckled): Pagal hai? Duniya khatam na ho jaye us din. This was gifted to me by my Barbie doll.
Manik(pouted): Mom ne gift kiya? Mujhe kyun nahi dikhaya.
Nandu(whined): Mujhe nahi pata. Tu bol na, main kaisi lag rahi hun.
Manik(smiled): Idhar aa.
She goes and stands in front of him. Touching her ear softly, he says,
Manik(staring into her eyes): Agar mein 90s ki aunty hota tho tere kaan ke peeche kala teeka lagata.
[A/N - Trust me. This chapter was written long back. And this kala teeka one was a coincidence with that in the trailer. Hence, maine copy nahi kiya :P]
Nandu grinned.
Manik(chuckles): Lekin na hi main aunty hun aur na hi tu kajal lagati hai. So, just stay with someone of us. Don't go here and there. Dekh sab kaise ghoor rahe hai tujhe.
Nandu looks around and finds everyone staring at her. Pecking her forehead, Manik goes to meet Raj, who was calling him.
After half an hour
Meanwhile, Aryaman and Soha too joined the gang. Everyone was engrossed in talking when Nandu got bored.
Nandu(excitedly rubbing her palms): Chalo, let's do something.
Cabir(upset): Nandu yaar, Uncle ne especially warn kiya hai not to do anything that will damage their reputation or this party.
Nandu(pouts): But I am bored.
Soha(grinned): Let's play a game. He won't stop us for playing a game, right?
Cabir(praised): Soha yaar, matlab hamesha itne brilliant ideas kahan se laati ho? But kaunsa game khelenge.
Soha(declared): Truth and Dare. What say, everyone?
They all agree but Nandu frowns remembering the similarities. Manik who just came joins them.
Manik(raising an eyebrow): Well, hello again guys. Nandu, kya hua?
Cabir(informed): We are playing truth and dare. Nandu tujhe nahi khelna?
Nandu looks around and doesn't find Harshad in the party.
Nandu(sternly): I will play if it's only in between us. No dares should be given which would include any other extra person.
Everyone agrees. They start playing and give each other some stupid dares when the bottle stops in front of Aryaman.
Cabir(questioned): Truth or Dare?
Arya: Truth.
Soha(battling eyelashes): Cabir, can I ask him from your side?
Cabir(amused): ok.
Soha(dared): Aryaman, confess your feelings.
Arya(shocked): What?
Cabir(chuckles): I agree this is a dare and not truth but Aryaman tumhe kaun pasand aagayi? Feelings? Confess now.
Manik(happily): I agree with him. Dude, you didn't even tell us? Who is she?
Arya(bewildered): What feelings?
Soha(announced): Don't lie, Aryaman. I know you have feelings for Nandini. Now confess.
Aryaman closes his eyes to calm himself down while every other person present there, were shocked beyond limits, the most being Manik and Nandini. As soon as she heard her name, Nandu glances towards Manik and found him already looking at her. Aryaman stands up and goes towards Nandini. He takes both her hands into his while she was numb in shock.
Arya(confessed): Nandini Murthy, you are one of the most adorable and pure-hearted people I have ever met. You bring smiles to the faces of people who are around you. I know we fight a lot. We tease each other. You make me and everyone around you a part of your craziness. Apart from all this, what you don't know is I don't want to lose you ever. Nandini, I love my mother a lot. I don't like if anyone else gets close to her. But if I am given a chance, I would love to share my mother's love with you. Will you be my sister, Nandini? I promise to protect you till the last breath of my life.
Everyone around was dumbfounded. Nandini who was scared at the beginning had tears in her eyes. Manik was giving proud looks to both Nandini and Aryaman. Nandu smiled between her tears and nodded her head in a yes before pulling him into a hug. He pecked her hair and patted her head.
Soha(accused): But this is cheating. You said you love Nandini.
Arya(glared): Soha, it was you who was assuming that I have feelings for Nandini since evening. I don't know how you came to this conclusion but these are the only feelings I have for Nandini.
Soha nodded her head being scared and Aryaman sat beside Manik.
Cabir(teased): Matlab Aryaman, hamesha har waqt tum itni complicatedly kaise baat kar lete ho? Instead of saying, ‘I love you as my sister’, tumne itni badi speech suna di. Kabhi insano ki tarah baat nahi karte tum. ‘I would love to share my mother's love with you’. Waah, kitna deep line tha.
Nandu(chuckled): Yeh teri bas ki baat nahi hai, Cabir. Tujhe 7th janam aur uthane padenge Aryaman ki tarah baat karna seekhne ke liye.
Cabir(glared): I was trying not be mean to you. Tu aaj mere par joke nahi maar sakti.
Nandu(coolly): Tere par bhoot sawar tha Cabir. I am normal today.
Abhi(cheekily): Lekin phir mera kya?
Nandu(pulling his cheeks): Aww...Abhi you will always be my first brother. I love you both equally.
Abhimanyu grins making Cabir roll his eyes at both of them. While they were on their regular banter, Manik and Aryaman were having whispered talks.
Manik(proudly): That was the sweetest thing, Arya. You almost gave us a heart attack.
Arya(sincerely): Manik whatever I have said to Nandu is applicable to you too. I don't want to lose you either. You both are the bestest things that happened to me here.
Manik(winks): I love you too, brother.
Someone calls Manik and he leaves. The gang resumes their game. While Aryaman too leaves for having water along with Abhimanyu, the bottle stops between Soha and Nandu.
Soha: Truth or Dare.
Nandu(confidently): Dare.
Cabir(whispers to Navya): Ab dekhna ye truth degi.
Soha(smirked): Nandu, you have to go to Manik and shout in front of everyone that ‘he is not your best friend anymore’. And everyone should believe your words, so you can add any extra words.
Cabir(angrily): Soha, what's this?
Soha(casually): It's just a dare, Cabir.
Nandu(glared): Are you mad? I am not doing it.
Mukti(furious): Yes babydoll, mat kar. Koi zaroorat nahi hai.
Soha(mocked): Darr gayi, Nandu?
Alya(disbelief): Soha, shut up.
Nandu(gritting her teeth): No Alya. It's ok. I will do it.
She gulps down a glass of water and walks towards Manik, who was talking to some of the business clients along with Raj and Raman. Reaching them, Nandu calls Manik making him turns towards her with a smile.
Nandu(stated emotionlessly): Manik, I know we have been friends since childhood but it's not a compulsion that we should be friends even in future, right? I am tired of you protecting me always. I hate the fact that my parents love you more than me. I hate it, that if I look into my life, I feel your presence more than mine. I hate it that I need you at every point in my life. I am nothing without you. I hate you, Malhotra. We are not best friends anymore?
The last words came off as a question more than a statement. Though she started with her normal tone, by the end her voice turned inaudible. She looked towards her side and found a confused Raj and a glaring Raman. Manik was standing without any expressions, with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows cringing into a frown. Giving a final glance to everyone, she ran off from the party place.
No abuses. No crying. No tamatar, chappal phenkna ayojan. Keep calm and just enjoy.
How was Aryaman's confession?
Did you expect Nandu's outburst? What do you think about her mini-speech?