I want u to be there... For a little more than always!!

Part 20:

Manik walked backwards straight to his room,

"I think Cabir is in love with Nandini........ Cabir is in love....... In love with Nandini....... In love with Nandini...... Cabir with Nandini!!!!"

Mukti's voice was continuously revolving in his head continuously. He banged the door of his room and lied down on his bed. He couldn't understand what should he fell like, should he be happy for his friend or go on with the sadness that was not prevailing in his heart. And amidst all these emotions, the one which came out was..... Anger!!

He picked up the vase from his side time and smashed it onto the floor letting out all this anger. Within the next few minutes, almost half of his clothes were out of the cupboard and on the floor, along with two more floor vases and the pillows from his bed.

Exactly 10 minutes later, he heard a knock on his door and he shouted,

Manik: Get lost!!! Go handle the party... I'll fire the entire staff if anything goes wrong down there!!

And as he said so, the door opened up a bit and he heard a voice,

"And what will u do if anything goes wrong over here..."

Manik immediately knew who was it but he didn't turn around. He had absolutely no idea how he would react so he simply said,

Manik: Not now... Go back to the party!!

"I know why u r sending me off... But u also know that u need me here to calm ur mind... Or else this won't help u!!"

Manik: No i don't.... Just go!! I'll talk to u later cabir!!

Yes, it was cabir... He knew Manik would react this way after listening to Mukti and thus, he had come after him. Cabir entered the room and sat next to Manik.

Cabir: Wanna say anything??

Manik just turned to look at him and caught him smiling, and just that smile agitated him so much that has it not been his best friend he would hv actually murdered him.

Manik: Cabir..... I'm not in the mood for any of ur crap... So plz!!

Cabir: I very well know what mood u r in.

Cabir said motioning all around the room, looking at the mess.

Manik got further irritated by his cool mood and snapped,

Manik: What the hell are u smiling for?? STOP smiling!!

Cabir: Yr.. Now u can't even see me smiling... Seriously!!

Manik: urgh... Y do i even say anything to u?? U knw what... Just leave me alone!!

Cabir: Ok then as u say...

Cabir got up from the bed and moved back towards the door. He reached the door and this time he burst out laughing.

Manik: CABIR....

Cabir: Sry yr manik.... But seriously i can't do anything but laugh at it condition.

Manik: What??

Cabir: ok ok i m leaving!! But before that an advise..... Just think, why r u sitting here?? Why does it matter so much to u?? What is this anger really for??

And before manik could register his words, cabir left his room. As he went away manik said to himself,

Manik: what was that??

Just then cabir came back running and peeped into the room and said,

Cabir: Ohh yes... I forgot to mention, i don't love her. I don't even like her... I mean i do like her, but not the way u r thinking... All that was just a prank!!

Manik: WHAT!!

But before manik could pounce over him, he was again out of the place. Manik kept on looking at the door with a blank expression for a few minutes and then immediately he got a bright smile on his face realising that cabir isn't in love with nandini.

Manik: Cabir and his pranks.... God what all i was thinking!!

Just then he heard his phone beep with a new msg, he picked up his phone and his smile grew wider seeing her msg,

Nandini's text:

Sir.... Where r u??

Manik's text:

Why?? Someone missing me already??😉😉

Nandini's text:

Oh absolutely... Someone is dying to see u!!

Manik's text:

Really??

Nandini's text:

Yes... Dadi is waiting to see u from so long!!! She has asked me quite a few times about u...

Manik's text:

Oh Dadi!!

Nandini's text:

Why?? Were u expecting me to take someone else's name Sir??

Manik's text:

Well i do expect a lot of things nandini... But i guess I'll have to wait for that!!

P.s. i m coming in two!!

Nandini's text:

Yes U'll have to wait coz the guests have started learning for now 😉😉

P.s.: Someone's waiting!!

She sent the msg to him and started taking to Aliya when suddenly, she saw him walking out of the house, she could see his eyes looking for someone when their eyes met, he started walking towards her and winked at her. Nandini smiled at him and hid her blush.

Manik was walking towards her when his eyes caught mukti. He winked at nandini again and then walked towards mukti. As mukti saw him coming, she immediately started moving backwards. Manik moved faster and the next minute everyone heard mukti's voice,

Mukti: Sry sry sry... It was cabir's idea yr... I just played along.

And the very next moment Manik was running behind both of them while all the guests admired their friendship. Soon Aliya also excused herself from there and joined the others. Nandini moved towards the guests.

10 mins later, she was sitting with Dadi along with a few other friends of her.

Aunty: Nandini... Ur Dadi talks so fondly about u. It's like we all know u very well.

Nandini just smiled at it when another one said,

Aunty: and i really wanna try yr special tea.

Nandini: of course aunty... It will take hardly 10 mins.

Nandini was about to move her chair backwards when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she didn't need to turn to know who was it and a smile crept on her face.

Just then she heard him saying,

Manik: Yeah right... Just 10 mins, but i m afraid that u'll he to wait for it until the next time u visit aunty!!

All the aunties smiled at him along with Dadi, but nandini said,

Nandini: Arey no need Sir.. I'll get it right now!!

Manik: Nandini... Not today!! And that's an order not a request. U r not entering the kitchen till u get back in ur feet.

Nandini made an angry pout listening to him which made him smile and Dadi said,

Dadi: Nandu... Manik is right!! U should take rest for a few days, the kitchen can be dangerous.

Nandini couldn't contradict on Dadi's words and gave manik a glare. Manik smiled at her and slowly whispered in her ears,

Manik: Someone was literally dying to see me i guess... That's why she can't just take her eyes off me.

Nandini immediately lowered her gaze, while manik went away as someone called him.

Soon the party was over and the guests left. As soon as manik saw nandini moving inside, he moved forward and rushed towards her. He reached her and held her chair,

Manik: Leave it... I hv got u!!

Nandini blushed at his words making sure he can't see her and left the wheel, as manik took her to the room. As they entered, manik said,

Manik: So finally... It's done!! Satisfied???

Nandini: huh... I don't know why r u asking me??

Manik: It was u who was planning this from so long, even in this condition. It's u who arranged it all... So I think it's u only who should be answering this question.

Nandini: I did it for Dadi!! It's her happiness that matters, it's all worth it if she is happy.

Manik: Dadi's happiness was clearly visible in her eyes... All thanks to u!!

Just then something hit nandini's mind and she said,

Nandini: Oh shit..!! Sir, i had asked simi to keep ur card on Dadi's bed. U hv to go there behind her if u wanna know whether she liked it or not.

Manik: Nandini.... Relax!! Dadi is still in the living room.

Nandini: But she was just about to go!!

Manik: Fine..m i m going!! But u hv to promise to take rest now. We also have to go to the doctor in the evening.

Nandini: Promise....

Manik smiled at her and immediately picked her up on his arms, nandini yelped suddenly, as she had not seen it coming.

Manik moved towards her bed and made her sit comfortably, while his palm skimmed through her bare back. Nandini shivered under house touch which didn't go unnoticed by Manik. He immediately left her and stood up,

Manik: I'll send Simi to help u change. After that plz take rest for sometime we hv to go to the hospital as well.

Nandini smiled at his concern and then said,

Nandini: I will... Now go!!

Manik moved out of her room and straight rushed to Dadi's room after talking to Simi to go to help Nandini. He reached her door to see Dadi just picking up the large card in her hands.

He stood there itself silently watching her as Dadi caressed the picture on the center. Manik personally didn't like that particular picture much as it was the one of his first day at skul in which he was crying sitting on Dadi's lap. But Nandini had forcefully stuck that picture over there. And he understood the reason when Dadi smiled looking at it with tears in her eyes.

She turned through the card and the next page has a beautiful photo collage, it mostly had many candids of Dadi and Manik along with a family picture with his parents also in it. He could see how she is noticing each and every photo reviving the old times. She took a good time of about 10 minutes in just one page containing that photo collage and then turned the page to find a quote written in a beautiful handwriting by Nandini,

"Uss bhagwaan ne mujhe bahut kuch diya,

Par aap jaisa koi nhi diya!!

Kush Kismat mante h hum apne aap ko,

Ki aapke rup me khuda hi mil gya h hume...."

"Happy Birthday Dadi!!"

And the rightmost corner had a small subscript as,

"From Manik..."

Manik again remembered last night when he was having an argument with Nandini.

Flashback:

Manik: Nandini... U hv made this card all by urself and u r writing my name. It should be from both of us.

Nandini: Sir... Firstly, it's not just my work, u too hv helped a lot in this and then secondly, I had this idea for ur gift towards Dadi, it is a personalised card.

Manik: But Nandini...

Nandini: No buts... And moreover, when u were busy with ur arguments, i wrote it already. See!!!

And just like that the discussion was over.

Flashback ends!!

Dadi smiled fully looking at the entire card as again a few tears escaped her eyes.

Manik: Happy birthday once again sweetheart!!

Dadi looked up listening his voice, to see him standing at the door itself.

She gestured him to get in and sit by her side. Manik entered the room and took his place next to her and took her in a side hug. He wiped her tears and said,

Manik: It wasn't supposed to make u cry...

Dadi smiled again between her tears and said,

Dadi: Ohh son.. These tears are of happiness, let them flow. This is the best gift u could ever give me!!

Manik smiled at her and thanked Nandini again in his head. Soon Dadi got comfortable on the bed and Manik lied down with his head in her lap as she narrated how she enjoyed the party and what all her friends said about Manik and Fab5.

They talked for a long time when Dadi said,

Dadi: Thank u for today.... I know it was not the type of celebration u prefer and still u did!!

Manik heard her and held her hand tight, still having his eyes closed.

Manik: Dadi... U r happy, u enjoyed.... It's all that matters, after all this is ur day.

Dadi: And what about the reason of this smile of urs.

Manik: What reason??

Dadi: U can't hide it from me Manik, i can read ur face clearly. Pyaar ho gya na usse??

Manik immediately opened up his eyes and looked at her shocked. Dadi smiled at his face and said again,

Dadi: what r u thinking?? Tell me, do u love her??

Manik came out of his initial shock and then thought about Dadi's words.

So what will Manik say?? Has he realised his feelings for her or will it take more time? Socho socho... Keep thinking and keep waiting till the next chapter!! 😘😘😘