I Need U To Be There.. For a little more then Always!!

Hello lovelies....
So here I m back with another update!!

But yes, this one is gonna be special! A surprise awaits u at the end of this part😘😘😘...

Hope u enjoy it...

Part 79:
Cabir: Are u or are u not going to tell me where the hell r we going?
Cabir asked for the 10th time as Manik kept on driving. And again Manik ignored him as he picked up his phone and searched something.

Cabir: Manik, for God's sake keep ur eyes on the road Man... First its this left hand drive thing, which we rn't used to... And then u r using ur phone...

Manik: Stop whining like a girl Cabir.... I was better off alone, I don't know why did I get u along!
Manik said rolling his eyes.

Cabir: And u r still not telling me where r we going!!!
Cabir asked again when Manik pointed at something in front of them and pulled the car into the parking.

Cabir followed his gaze and then turned back towards Manik with a confused expression on his face. Manik turned off the engine as he got out.
Manik: Come on!!

Cabir too moved out after him as they moved towards their destination.

Two hours later, Manik and Cabir reached at the address that Abhi had sent them. 'Moorthy' read the nameplate as Manik pulled in. He parked the car as they got out.

Manik: I would need ur help Cabir....
Manik said moved towards the main door with cabir at his side. Cabir smiled broadly at him as he patted Manik's back.

Cabir: Always Man!!! Always....

Manik rolled his eyes as they entered the house only to smile at the view in front of them.

There in the living room, Nandini was lying on the couch with her hair on Rishab's lap as he gave her a head massage. Right next to her on the ground sat Abhimanyu who along with Mukti was laughing at something which Nayan was telling them. While Abhi kept on feeding some popcorn into Nandini's mouth from tym to tym. Indeed she was getting a princess treatment by both her brothers and the plus point was, both of them seemed to be happily doing it for her.

Manik: Woah... Someone is being treated quite well!!

All of them looked up at his voice as Nandini smiled broadly.
Nandini: Oh... U r finally here!!

Manik: Yes I m Ur Highness.... As I promised, back before u even realise!
Manik smiled at her as he took a seat on the couch, right next to her legs. While Cabir took the sofa and picked up Nayan in his arms.

Mukti: But where were u both??
Mukti asked taking up everyone's attention when Manik waved his hand.

Manik: Oh... Nothing important!! By the way where are the others?

Nandini narrowed her eyes at his sudden change of topic and looked at him as if saying, this-is-not-finished-yet, but Manik immediately looked away hiding from her gaze.

Mukti: Oh yeah... Dhruv and aliya had been quite cosy all through the cad journey, so Nandini sent them for a long walk around the sea.....

Nandini: Well that reminds me.... I guess the walk actually turned out to be quite long!! They hv been gone for over 2 hours now....

All of them chuckled at this.
Manik: And where is Anjali Bhabhi?

Rishab: Ohh she is getting the lunch prepared...
Rishab replied to Manik, who turned towards Nandini and teased her.

Manik: Nandini.... U should help her na! She is working alone and u r relaxing out here...

Nandini was about to say something when Abhi interrupted.
Abhi: NOOOO.... Not the kitchen... Kiddo not the kitchen!

The expression on his face took Manik, Cabir and Mukti's attention while Rishab bit his lip to control his laughter.

Cabir: Why do u say it like that?

Abhi: Ohhh it gets quite hot when Nandu takes up the kitchen...
Abhi said fanning his hands as he received a smack on his head by Rishab.

Manik: Hot... As in HAWT.....
Manik said teasing nandini making her kick him while the others laughed.

Abhi: At 9, Nandini suddenly wanted to become like Amma and she decided to cook. Having no knowledge of it whatsoever she started boiling water and lets say she ended up boiling herself too, along with me and bhai as well!!!! Quite a hilarious episode if u ask me....
Abhi narrated to them as the two brothers started laughing while Nandini pouted.

Nandini: It was NOT my fault.

"Yeah Right!!" came a reply from both of them simultaneously as the other laughed.

Nandini: Haww.... U both r supposed to support me being my brothers...
Nandini said as she got off Rishab's lap glaring at the two of them. She turned herself to the other side as she lied down again, this time lying her head over Manik's lap.

Nandini: U don't need to listen to them....

Manik: I know... And well, It feels good that its just me here who has tasted the delicious food that u make....
Manik said smiling down at her as his fingers laced down her hair, just the way she likes. His smile got reflected over to Nandini who smiled back at him.
Abhi: What?? U learnt cooking??
Abhi said shifting back towards her with shock over his face. Nandini looked at him and then shifted her gaze to Rishab who took looked the same, though he was more surprised than shocked.

Nandini nodded at the two of them smiling broadly.
Nandini: I started learning it from Simi, Manik's servant back there. But the Dadi got to know and she started teaching me, though it was very difficult to do all that hiding from Manik, as back then I was just his PS and I knew he wouldn't like me spending so much time with Family..... But still Dadi taught me. And then I had Amma's recipe book with me, so I tried making all those South Indian stuff as well, which Dadi too liked a lot. Manik who still had no idea about all this, praised the chefs for those dishes a lot and then I started cooking frequently for him.

Rishab smiled broadly at her while Abhi looked up at Manik with a straight expression which Nandini noticed.

Nandini: Abhi... Why r u looking at him like that??

Abhi: Why does he gets to eat food made by u before me??
Abhi said whining making all of them laugh when Nandini felt Rishab's hand on her foot.

Nandini: Bhai....
Nandini said moving her feet away when rishab held her.

Rishab: What???. U forgot ur foot massages that u used to force me to give u...

Nandini smiled broadly at him as he held her feet over his lap and started massaging.

Nandini: Wow.... Am I lucky or Am I at the top of this world??
Nandini said smiling broadly looking around her.

Rishab: U deserve all of it....
Rishab said to her when they heard Anjali's voice.

Anjali: Lunch is ready.... Come on everyone!!
---------------------------------------

Mukti: Hey hey hey... I hv an idea! Lets play Rapid fire! Songs will be fun....
Mukti said excitedly but Cabir threw a cushion over her.

Cabir: No ways.... Not songs again Mukti, and we r not 5 years old here..

Mukti pouted at him while the others laughed. After spending almost the entire evening running along with beach and swimming, they all were now lying at the back side of the farm house.

After lunch, they all decided to move to the beach. Attacking the water first they all had a lot of fun, which was followed by an amazing match of volleyball on the beach boys vs girls, which surprising the girls won. The boys kinda took their revenge by throwing the girls back into the water leading to another swimming round. Heading back to the house, totally exhausted they all had their dinner along with the continuous round of chit chat continuing.

But in all, the day seemed damn embarrassing for Nandini, as Abhi and Rishab didn't leave one single stupid incident of hers. They narrated each and every single one of it to the group, that too going into mighty details overlooking the fact that she was young and idiotic at that time.

But the smile leave her face even for a second. The credit would go to the three guys who seemed to be doing each and every thing they could to make her happy.

Soon Anjali put Nayan to sleep and they all decided to sit and relax at the back side. So now they all were sitting around the bonfire. Manik, Abhi and Dhruv were missing from the group as they had gone to get the drinks for all of them.

Aliya: Come on yr... Think something good Cabir! I always keep praising u that U make parties interesting and see what u r doing now...
Aliya said making Cabir pout as Rishab and Anjali chuckled.

Anjali wrapped both her arms around his left arm and rested her head on his shoulder as he dropped a kiss on her forehead.

Nandini: U both r so cute!! Nothing has changed between u two since u got married.
Nandini smiled at them when Rishab's expression changed into a sad one at her words.

Nandini noticed Anjali too look up at Rishab who was now staring at a distance.

Rishab: It did.... Everything had changed!! And it all happened bcoz of me...
She heard him say when Anjali looked up at him and shook her head.

Anjali: I don't blame any of it on u Rishab... And Its time to forget it all....

Rishab smiled at her softly kissing her forehead when they heard Nandini saying slowly to herself,
Nandini: It changed bcoz of me...

Rishab: No nandu.... U hv already suffered enough, to take this over urself. It was just that I was so much guilt ridden that knowingly or unknowingly I just started cutting off from everyone. Appa had made me promise him, that I would take care of u more than my life, and after what I did.... I didn't even know if my sister was alive or not.

Tears glittered in his eyes as Nandini rubbed them off.
Rishab: Though Nayan made it a little better.... Did u notice, her eyes are totally like urs??

Nandini smiled at him and nodded making Anjali smile too.

Manik: Hello Amigos...
They all turned around to see the guys walking towards them.

Abhi: And as no celebration is complete without a bottle of champagne... Here u go!!
Abhi handed over a bottle to Mukti.
They got 4 bottles as Mukti and Manik took up one each.

Mukti: To friendship!!

Manik: To family... And to love!!
Manik said looking at Nandini as they popped open the bottle. They poured down the drink into glasses as Abhi passed them to the others.

Cabir: And now that the drinks are here.... We r gonna play, Never Have I Ever!!

Mukti: Correct.. The evergreen fun game!
Mukti high fived Cabir as the three guys took their places.

Manik sat next to Nandini, abhi took the place in between Manik and Aliya while Dhruv sat on the other side of Aliya. So the seating now was Anjali, Rishab, Nandini, Manik, Abhi, Aliya, Dhruv, Cabir, Mukti and then Anjali again.

As Manik sat Nandini immediately moved closer, sitting in between his legs resting her back on his chest as he wrapped his left hand around her neck.

Rishab looked over to them, his gaze fixed over the smile on Nandini's face as a small smile crept on his face too. He looked up from Nandini to see Abhi too smiling at them. The two brothers looked at each other as Abhi nodded when Cabir's voice took their attention.

Cabir: Ohk ppl.... Lets start the game! Abhi, u go first.

Abhi: Ohk... So Never hv I ever... Snooped into anyone's bedroom!!
Abhi said after thinking a bit.

Cabir: Woah... Good one dude!! A lot of stories coming out.
Cabir smiled as he took a sip from his glass he looked around him as everyone but Aliya, Dhruv and Anjali took a sip each.

Cabir: Woah... Rishab bhai!! U gonna speak up first!
Cabir pointed out as Anjali looked pointedly at Rishab.

Rishab: What?? Don't look at me like that.... I had a younger brother and sister! It was kinda obvious for me to keep a check on them.
Rishab said shrugging, and well, the look on Abhi's and Nandini's face was worth watching.

Abhi: What the hell...

Nandini: U checked through my stuff??

Rishab smiled sheepishly at the two of them when Nandini threw a cushion over him.
Nandini: Bhai... U r not supposed too go through a girl's room!

Rishab: I had my reasons... Plus u r my sister, so its allowed.

"NO its not..."
Came a reply from all the four girls at the same time when Cabir said,

Cabir: Ohk ohk moving on... Manik??

Manik: Well... Mukti and I once sneaked into ur room during clg!
Manik winked at Mukti while Cabir's jaw dropped.

Cabir: Why would u do that?

Mukti: Well we had suspicions that u were into drugs or something. We had to check!!
Mukti shrugged her shoulder when Manik asked,

Manik: One second whose room did u sneak into?

Cabir's cheeks reddened at the question as he looked away and muttered,
Cabir: Navya!

Aliya: U snooped into ur girlfriends room??
Aliya asked as all the others burst out laughing.

Cabir: Hey I was just looking for something specific! But then a lot of things came into my hands and it continued...

All of them laughed at him until they finally calmed down and Mukti said,
Mukti: Ohk abhi... Pick the next one!

Cabir: Wait wait... We hv one left!! Nandini madam... Whose room did u get into?

All the gazes turned towards Nandini as she bit her lip,
Nandini: Manik...

She looked all around to see everyone looking at her with a blank expression before they all burst out laughing except for Manik who was still shocked.
Manik: Why the hell would u do that?? U always had full access to my room!

Nandini: Off course I did that before we got together Manik!! In fact I did that shortly after I started working for u!

Manik: What??

Nandini: Come on... U were almost like a machine, U were rude, u always kept on working and then I met Mukti and then all the stories and all... I was confused about u! And then that day u left me alone in ur room and I just couldn't stop myself....
Nandini said biting her lip looking guilty.

Manik: I still can't believe it!

Nandini: Suck it up Manik... U should be happy that I did that otherwise how would I get to know about Fab5. And imagine... U still would hv been the same, Monster Manik!!
Nandini said to him as she snuggled closer to him and a smile crept over Manik's face listening to her calling him a Monster.

Cabir: U r whipped!!
Cabir muttered which was heard by everyone while Manik glared at him and asked to continue the game who choose Anjali next.

Anjali: Ohk so... Never hv I ever... Been arrested!

All of them laughed out loud at this as Fab5 and Nandini took a sip each from their drinks.

Nandini: Intentional Celebrity chaos at an media event....

Manik: Organising an impromptu concert at a heritage fort without any permission...
Manik said as Fab5 chuckled.

Mukti: That day was fun guys!!

Cabir: Can never agree more with u....
Cabir smiled.

Anjali: Ohk Dhruv next!!
Dhruv smiled at her as he thought for a second before saying,

Dhruv: Never have I ever..... Flirted with anyone to get my way through!

All of them laughed out loud at this as they took a sip of their drinks. And surprisingly there wasn't even one of them, who hadn't done it.

Dhruv: Ohk... Mukti next!!
Mukti: Umh umh... Time to grow up in this game ppl!!!
Mukti said giving around an evil laugh.

Mukti: So never have I ever done it!!

Aliya hooted at her question when cabir said,
Cabir: Kya Mukti.... Why did u waste ur question like this?? We hv freaking two Married couple sitting along with us, its just Abhi about whom u could not be so sure and if u wanted to know about him.... I m sure He would hv answered u personally as well...

Mukti turned red at his words as she threw a cushion at him.
Mukti: Buzz off Cabir.... There is nothing like that!!

Cabir: Whatever lets u sleep at night...
Cabir sang aloud as he sipped his drink. Dhruliya, Anjali and Rishab followed soon when Cabir said,

Cabir: See u got ur answer.... Abhi hasn't too!!
Mukti hit him again as she continued,

Mukti: Ohk so next-

Aliya: Hang on....
Aliya said stopped her as she turned towards Manan.

Aliya: Manik... Nandini!!! OMG u two hvn't done it yet???

"WHAT???" shouted Mukti and Cabir together while Nandini turned completely red while Manik looked away.

Cabir: But... All these months, u guys.... Hvn't u guys been using the same room?
Cabir asked unsure.

Manik: Ohk guys enough... Lets move to the next!
Manik said clearing his throat as he wrapped his arm tighter around Nandini.

Mukti: Don't change the topic Manik... I mean, u guys r always together, sticking to each other like glue, so we thought it would hv been-

Nandini: Mukti.... Can we plz change the topic?? I m not gonna discuss my sex life when I literally hv both my brother sitting on my sides!
Nandini said loudly making everyone chuckle as Mukti raised her hands understanding her point.

Mukti: Right!! Sorry... Lets move on! Cabira.... U go next!

Cabir smiled broadly at it sitting straight as if he had been waiting for too long as he said,
Cabir: Never... Have.... I... Ever....

He paused in between looking at all of them one by one when Mukti kicked him,
Mukti: Oyee drama queen... Jaldi bol na!!!

Cabir glared at her and then looked up again,
Cabir: Never have I ever been proposed to!!

Mukti: Chii yr!!
Aliya: So boring one...
Abhi: Such a bore Cabir!

Mukti, Aliya and Abhi said together as Aliya took up a sip from her drink followed by Rishab.

Dhruv: Rishab bhai???

Nandini chuckled at him as she replied,
Nandini: Bhabhi had proposed.... Apparently my brother was scared as shit!!!

All of them laughed out loud at when Anjali turned towards Cabir to continue the game but found his eyes fixed at something. She followed his gaze as she saw Manik pick up Nandini's glass in front of her and making her take a sip.

Nandini: Manik... What are u-
Nandini said confused by his actions when she stopped in between her words only to widen her eyes.

Anjali: OH MY GOD!!!
Anjali gasped keeping her hands over her mouth taking in everyone's attention. They all followed her gaze to look at Manan, as they saw Manik holding a up a beautiful ring right in front of her while Nandini seemed speechless, with her eyes fixed over it.

Pin drop silence spread all around them as Manik slowly held Nandini's hand and turned her around making her sit on his lap now with his eyes fixed over to her.

Manik: I know this could either be a shock for u or a surprise.... But today, I just couldn't stop myself from doing this. U know I m not at all good in giving speeches or expressing my feelings in words, so I hvn't thought of anything to say to u....

His words finally made Nandini look up from the ring, into his eyes. Her face clearly telling how stunned she is by this as Manik continued,

Manik: "U may call me selfish but today I don't care how much ur brother loves u, how much time he has waited to be with u, how much desperately he wants u to be near him. All I care about is that I can't let that happen. Coz even if there is a slight possibility of u staying back here with him, and away from me, then I can't let that happen.

I don't know how to express the anger and anxiety I felt within myself the moment, I heard him saying that he would keep u close to himself, treating u like a princess.... Well, Nandini Moorthy, I don't want u to be his Princess... I want u to be my Queen, and I want to do everything that he wants to do for u!!!

All I know today Nandini, is that the love that I feel for u is far beyond any other feeling that I hv ever felt. And just the thought of being away from u scares the shit out of me, cuz I Need You To Be There with me, for a Little More Than Always... So Ms. Nandini Moorthy, here I m... Proposing to u, in front of both ur brothers who could possibly kill me after this.... So Will U Marry Me??"

Manik looked at Nandini unsure about her answer, her face gave nothing away other than the initial surprise. His could literally hear his heart beat loud and clear as he waited for her to respond.

No matter how much he wanted to look around him, to gauge the expressions of everyone else, but his eyes seemed to be failing him, as they stood fixed over Nandini. Not moving even a bit until she suddenly leaped forward, throwing her arms around him.

He was taken back by her sudden attack as he moved back but still balanced himself up as he heard her soft chanting,
Nandini: Yes... Yes... Yes... Yes...

He released a breath at her words, which he didn't knew he was holding. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back as he dig his face into her neck, hiding between her long black traces.

Nandini: I love u.... I love u so much!!
Nandini said back to him making him smile.

Manik: I love u too...
He whispered back to her as he dropped a kiss on her neck.

None of the two broke the hug for what seemed like forever until Manik finally remembered the ring and broke apart. He saw a broad smile on Nandini's face as he slowly slipped the ring into her finger.

Aliya: U guys r so cute....
Aliya chipped making them realise the presence around as Nandini immediately moved away from him.

Cabir: And here we go!!! Well, I hv a full video prepared for ur kids to see how Manik didn't even bother to prepare a proper speech...
Cabir said as he kept his phone aside after after recording the entire thing.

All of them chuckled at him while Nandini had her eyes trained downwards as she played with the ring on her finger.

She looked to her side to see Manik already looking at her as they both smiled. They looked around themselves to see everyone having broad smiles on their faces except for two.

Manik gulped at it as he whispered,
Manik: Shit.... I m dead!!!

-------------------------------------------

Manik Proposed......

And she said Yes!!

How many of u expected that ppl???

So How many of u liked this proposal...
Without those lovely poetic words... 💝💞
Without a proper setup...🌌🎀🎊🌉
Without getting all dressed into beautiful party dresses...👗👔💃
Without going down on the knee...💑
Without a soulful kiss to end it with...💋😘

I hope I did justice on my part, with all the emotions that I tried to depict in the part!!! (Well, fingers crossed for that)

Do do share ur views guys! It really means a lot to me.....

Love
-Navya😘