(Hello hello! How are you all? okay guys, y'all need to know this - about the updates, I'll try to update my stories once a week, you all know I was very much regular before but then my studies, health issues and sometimes wattpad; all these issues made me irregular, I apologize for that. Thanks for being patient. Okay now enough of bak bak. I love you all, thank you so much. Happy Reading! ❤)

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

As I reached home clocked ticked 5 PM. "I still have time, thori der so jaati hoon." I said to myself as I read the time on my wrist watch. I called someone from house service and said, "Listen, I'm expecting a parcel to come, it will be on my or either manik's name so just receive it. I'm going to take a nap."
"Ma'am we know how to do it, we've been doing this for years." That lady replied me with a smile, I don't know why but I felt her reply rude. Maybe because manik is being extra sweet with me these days. I don't know. I chose to ignore and rammed inside my room and jumped on the bed throwing my bag and phone on the couch. Just when I was about to drift in sleep my phone started to ring. "AGH! Who is it? Shaanti se koi sone bhe nae deta hai! I muttered some abuses for the caller and picked up my phone, that caller id flashing didn't surprise me much - it was manik calling me. We were together like 30 mins back! I picked up the phone groaning.

"What manik! Can't you see I was sleeping!" I said rubbing my eyes.

"Nandini, I'm not home, how would I know what you're doing, sleeping or dancing!" He said.

"Manik, come to the point! Don't beat about the bush." I said.

"Okay my pretty tigress, I called you to tell you that I'll be late so you get ready around 8 PM, I'll come home, change and leave okay?" He instructed me.

"Manik! Stop being cheesy, doesn't suit your face." I mocked.

"Nandini, you're very sleepy now go and sleep and wake up before 8 okay?" He said. I didn't feel the need of replying so I chose to hang up. I kept my phone back on the table and walked to bed. Just when I was about to sleep my phone started singing again!

"Manik! You. are. so. dead!" I said to myself, walked to the table and answered the call.

"Manik! Agh! What now? I said na I'm going to sleep, samaj nae ata kya? Raat ko you don't let me sleep and even now! Just because I didn't reply to your last statement you'll call me again? Got brain or not? I'll wake up at 7, now please let me sleep! By.." I started grumbling but I was cut in between, that womanly voice wasn't manik's - I brought my phone in front of my eyes and my jaw fell on floor and eyes popped out of the socket!

"MUKTIII!" I said in horror and hanged up the call without even thinking twice.

"SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. Yeh kya kiya maine! Now if manik comes to know about it I'm gone, he'll kill me or maybe turn into that sex animal he was before he met me and just start using my body just to release his tension! OH NO! NO. NO. Nandini that won't happen, I didn't make that big blunder, I can cover it up. Yeah, I can do that. Manik ko to mein pata chalne hi nae doongi! Yes." I started ranting, and then aiyappa put some sense in me and I talked sense to myself! Such a weirdo I am. I picked up my phone and to dial mukti's number, I saw some 4 missed calls from mukti, maybe she wanted to know what I was saying, an explanation from my side. I took a deep breath and dialed her number. She picked up the call in first ring. "Thora late nae pick kar sakte thi?" I thought.

"Hey mukti! How are you? Bitch finally teko meri yaad ayi!" I tried to act normal, but then I forgot she's my main, my bestfriend; she knows me better than I know myself. "What are you hiding Ms. Murthy?" She asked me. Oh man! I'm gone. "Hiding? Me? Nothing. Sorry for not answering your calls, wo I was sleeping just came back home." I tried to act smart but she's smarter. "You think I'm a kid. No? What's up between you and manik?" She attacked. "Dude nothing is up." I said. "Nandini Murthy tell me what's going on, did you guys? Did manik try to touch you or something? Like I hope he's not treating you like.. you know what I mean. Nandini, listen I know he's my cousin and a really close one but please don't let him play with your emotions and your body. You know you can come to me whenever you want to and you can quit this job also, nanny you're dear to me and my responsibility! Please say something!" She said all in on breath. "Mukti Vardhan, relax take a deep breathe and I'll speak when you'll let me." I said to calm her down. "So yeah okay, tell me?" She again asked me.
"So the thing is; what I said it was about, I've to attend a party with manik tonight, he called me like some minutes before you did, to give me some instructions, how I've to dress up and stuff and I just came back home from office, I wanted to sleep but he called so I hanged up without replying him so I thought he called me again to yell at me for not replying. You know how he is." I laughed. "And about touching me inappropriately, you think I'll let him make me do something without my wish?" I took a break and said, yeah I lied to her but then I added that without my wish thing so if later she comes to know about it, she won't be that angry on him. "Yeah okay! I hope you're fine." She said. "Yeah I am fine, don't worry." I assured her. I thought she'll hang up but no Ms. Detective Vardhan had some more questions to shoot on me. "What about 'you don't let me sleep at night too' hmm? Why did you say that?" She interrogated. AGH! In the end she's Manik Malhotra's cousin! I sighed. "Mukti, I meant the work, don't get ideas dude!" I said. "Yeah okay! I don't know, I guess I'm over-thinking." She said. "Yeah don't worry, I'm fine. I'll call you as soon as I land in some trouble." I guaranteed her, and laughed! "Bitch, don't okay? Erm as you said you wanted to sleep, now I'll let you sleep. Bye." She said. "Yeah okay, bye. Take care." I said and cut the call.
I checked the time, it wasn't too late, thought to sleep again, I was damn sleepy so drifted in sleep with a blink of eye.

-----

"AAAHHH! MANIKKK. HELP! Paniiii! Bachaoo." - I yelled as I felt myself drowning in sea.

"What!" He yelled! Ops, My bad, I ain't drowning in an ocean. It's Manik Malhotra who emptied a whole water bucket on me!

"Manik Malhotra, what is wrong with you? Have you lost it!" I shouted at him, wiping off the water from my face.

"You tell! What is wrong with you?" He yelled on top of his voice.

"Manik Malhotra, can your voice tone be a little soft than this?" I cried in pain, he made a 'where am I at fault face' , I glared at him angrily.

"Nandini Murthy, why are you sleeping didn't I ask you to wake up before 8?" He questioned me, I bit my tongue as I was at fault. "Aiiyyooo!" I said sadly, making weird faces. "Sleeping like a rhino!" He said and made a disgusted face. "Aye don't call me rhino!" I retorted. "Have you ever seen yourself sleeping? Soti ho to dubara uth ti hi nae ho! I called you a zillions of times! Do you have any idea I worried I was?! Check your phone!" He shouted, I could feel concern and anger in his voice; which kinda made me smile, he cares for me like no one else, I went into that emotional zone just then he yelled, "Check your phone Ms. Murthy!" I immediately picked up my phone, "50 Missed calls and 20 Messages!" I said and looked at him in horror, "I'm definitely gone now." I muttered to myself. "Yeah you are!" I heard him saying! "Do you have any idea how scared I was! Do you know that 20 minutes ride to home, how horrific it was! Why can't you act a little mature and responsible! " He looked at me angrily, I gulped my saliva down and started, "Manik, I didn't know. Mujhey pata hi nae chala kab yeh time hogaya, Sorry. I was so tired and angry that I slept and jabhe me gussa hoti hoon I sleep like this only. Sorry. " I said, trying to calm that volcano which was about to erupt. "And why were you angry?" He asked. "Wo nothing just aise hi." I said, obviously I'm not gonna tell him what mukti said about him, she wouldn't like me saying it to manik and she has not even seen this side of manik, she knows what he shows to the people, his dark side. No one know the kid inside him; who's scared to loose his loved ones, who wants to protect them from evil, who can not tolerate one cut on me.. I was busy in my own world, he clicked his fingers near my ear to pull me out of my world. "Uh-huh, yeah." I let out some weird noises. "Why are you making these weird sounds? Get up and get ready nandini!" He instructed me. "Oh yeah!" I said and got up from my place, water dripping from my clothes, I was all wet! I glared at manik angrily and said, "Manik Malhotra, you gotta pay for this!" and pointed towards my condition, he let a chuckle out, "I'm ready to pay a HEAVY price for it." He whispered in my ear in his husky voice and kissed my earlobe, I moaned at the touch of his lips. I pushed him and ran inside the washroom to get freshen up and change. Manik took his stuff and went to other room to change.

---

After spending good time on me, I stepped out dressed in a peach color dress, with matching accessories and hairdo.

(Nandini's look. *Thank you so much shri for helping me. I love you. <3*)

I sat on the chair waiting for The Manik Malhotra, "Oh god! Yeh admi to larkiyon se bhe zaida time lagata hai." I said to myself and walked towards the room he was in. I was about to knock but he opened the door himself. The moment froze right there, me and manik we both landed in some other world, he was looking really hot!

(Manik's Outfit.)

"Hogaya ghoor ke?" He said smirking, which broke my trance. Maybe I was wasn't looking that beautiful that he didn't stare at me like the way I was.

"I wasn't ghooring at you." I smirked, trying to cover up my act. "Han han, Nandini murthy's bhoot was ogling at me." He smirked. "Whatever, lets go! Ab late nae horaha?" I mocked. "Yeah okay, chalo." He said. I took a step to move but I was pulled back, next I felt manik's well-built chest on my bare back and his hand snaked around my waist. "You look beautiful, no one has ever looked this beautiful. So pure, so pretty." He complimented with his husky voice which sent shivers down my spine and made me go weak in my knees. I couldn't reply, just moaned. I don't know what but got into him that moment he didn't let me, nor I wanted to. He kissed my ear and then my neck, his hot breath on my neck. I couldn't take it anymore. I turned, surprisingly he let me and I hugged him tight, real tight. Thanks to my stilettos that I could hide my face in his neck. I was breathing heavily.

"Nandini!" I heard him muttering my name. "Hmm.." I said breaking the hug. "Lets cancel this plan and lets party our way." He smirked devilishly, tracing his long fingers on my bare back.

"Manik! What do you mean han? Chup chap chalo!" I pushed him, he laughed. "And I might find someone hot in the party, whom I can date." I winked at him. "Uska hotness me vahi pe khatam na kardu?" He said and passed a disgusted look. "Aye, cute baby you are manik." I pulled his cheeks. "I'm not cute okay!" He nagged cutely. I smiled, "Chalo, Mr. Manik Malhotra we're late already." He nodded, and we left for the party.

(TEEEE-HEEE! 🙌 How was it? I hope not that bad. Party is on its wayyy! It's gonna be real fun. 😋 I won't tell much about it and I won't make you guys wait long either. One update per week, not a bad deal tho, and yes for those who don't follow me, I've published an one shot called "The Nandini Express" If you guys believe in love at first sight, then this one shot is definitely your thing. Tadaa. ❤)