Next day, everyone gathered around breakfast table. Nandini also came and took her sit after greeting all. She looked around but couldn't spot Abhimanyu. Manik looked at her and sighed.

"He left." Said Manik to which Nandini gave him confused look.

"Your brother. Abhimanyu. He left yesterday night only." Nandini's face fell which was noticed by everyone. They looked at each other and gestured something.

"Arey barbie. See, it's a sunny day. Mausam bada achcha hai yaar. Let's play cricket outside. What's say?" Said Cabir diverting her attention.

"But birji cricket-"

"Oh Cabir, chod yaar. Usey kaha aata hoga cricket and all. Ladkiyon ke bas ki baat thodi na hain ye." Said Manik giving hifi to Dhruv. Aliya glared at him.

"Oh mister, dare not to challenge us. Don't underestimate the power of girls." Said Aliya to which Manik and other boys laughed.

"Baby, have a look at yourself. Bat utha bhi paogi? Poor floor will get hurt." Aliya fumed more hearing Dhruv along with Mukti and Nandini.

"YOU-"

"Oyy chirkut! Jyada bak bak mat kar samjha? Mere ball ko khelke toh dikha nahi tera mooh tod diya toh naam Mukti nahi lagaungi." Said Mukti giving a challenge. Ansh laughed.

"So your next name will be looser, right? Ms. Looser Vardhan." Said Ansh while laughing giving hifi to Cabir. Mukti glared at him angrily.

"Oh hello, no need to flaunt yourself so much okay? NM ki batting ka mukabla hi nahi ho sakta. Rok sake toh rok lo." Said Nandini with her never ending attitude to which Aliya and Mukti gave a hifi. Boys rolled their eyes.

"Cool then. Let's have a match. Boys versus girls-" before Cabir could continue Aliya spoke.

"Wait a minute. 4 boys and 3 girls? Isn't it unfair?"

"Why, you are so much pro in it. Or are you getting scared now?" Asked Dhruv. Before anyone could say Nandini replied.

"Let it be, Aliya. We are enough for them." Manik raised his brow at her with a smirk. She flipped her hairs.

"Ahm. No. Let's make it fair. Me, Ansh and Dhruv in one team. Golu, Mukti and Aliya in another. And Cabir, you do wicket keeping and umpire roll." Cabir bowed down at him agreeing while all others nodded.

"Done then. 5 overs for both team. Who will make highest run will be the winner." Said Manik to which everyone replied.

"Done!"

Everyone gathered on the ground.

"Our Captain will be Manik." Announced Ansh. Nandini made impressive face. Manik smirked.

"And our Captain will be Nandini." Said Mukti to which Manik made 'tch tch tch' wala face. Nandini glared at him but smiled at girls. Both the captains came ahead and Cabir tossed.

"Ooooooh" Girls let out a disappointed sound as boys won the toss. Boys hooted.

"All the best, Mr. Captain. Be ready to face our attack. Aaj toh tumlogo ke definitely paseene chutne vale hain." Said Nandini shaking a hand with Manik. Manik gave her loopsided smile.

"Ah, thanks Ms. Captain. And let's see. Kaun kise paseene dilata hain. Hmm?" Said Manik to which Nandini gave him a look and turned away going to her team. Manik smiled rubbing his neck.

______________

"Arey yaar Dhruv! Kya kar raha hai? Concentrate damn it." Said Manik who was batting with Dhruv as opening batsman.

Aliya smiled mischievously. Mukti looked at her and winked. She threw the ball at Dhruv and at the same time Aliya gasped loudly and Dhruv's attention diverted. He looked at her who was looking down with a shy smile and..

Bowled!

Girls squealed happily while Mansh glared at Dhruv. He returned back and Ansh came for batting. Both Manik and Ansh played well and made 48 runs. It was the last ball and Ansh hitted it which Nandini caught and threw on stumps. Ansh was run out. Girls squealed and hugged each other while Manik patted Ansh's back. So the final score of boys was-

49/2

It was girls turn of batting and Mukti along with Aliya came for opening. They needed 50 runs to win. Play started. Dhruv was balling and Aliya, Mukti scored 7 runs in a over. Ansh took ball in his hand and looked at Manik who showed him a thumbs up. Mukti was on strike. Ansh threw the ball and winked at her. Mukti widened her eyes in shock and before she reacts-

Bowled!

Boys jumped on each other hooting while Mukti fumed looking at Ansh who bit his lip looking at her smiling like a fool. Soon Nandini came and gave a look to all. Nandini did a fantastic batting throwing 3 fours and  2 six in 2 overs. Aliya was helping her while taking 1 or 2 runs. At the end of 4 overs, their score was 44. It was Manik's over and Nandini was on strike. He gave her winning smile which she ignored royally.

First 3 balls got wasted. She couldn't play as Manik was balling very effectively. Next ball she played and could take only one run and Aliya came on strike. Both Mukti and Nandini got tensed as they knew Aliya can't play so well. Manik threw the ball and Aliya played. She tried to take run while Ansh threw the ball on stumps but oops! He missed the target. Strike came at Nandini. Last ball, and 4 runs to win.

Manik threw the ball and Nandini picked the bat. Ball went in sky while Manik ran to its direction to catch it. Nandini threw the bat and started jumping on her place folding her hands and closing eyes tightly. Manik who's sight went on her, smiled beautifully looking at her cute antics. Ansh widened his eyes and shouted seeing him lost.

"Manik, watch out!" Manik suddenly came in sense and jumped to catch the ball but it went out of boundary line and he fell down with a thud.

Girls squealed loudly and hugged Nandini but Nandini's sight went on Manik and she shouted throwing the bat away.

"Maniiiii!"

She ran towards him following by all others who had hurted his hand badly. She sat beside him and held his hand to which he shrieked in pain.

"Aaaooww!"

"Shit! Mani, mani are you okay? Bhai khoon.. see blood is coming. Call doctor fast. Mani, get up slowly." Said Nandini panicking while Ansh ran to call doctor and Cabir, Dhruv helped him to move towards his room. His knee was hurted too.

_______________

Doctor dressed his wound and gave some painkillers. Thankfully there was no fracture. All were sitting around Manik while Nandini was standing near bed with silent tears flowing from her eyes. Cabir was sitting beside Manik and Mukti another side. Manik looked at Nandini and sighed.

"Golu-"

"Shut up. Don't even try to talk. What was the need to try this stunt? Kya jarurat thi voh monkey jump marne ki?" She scolded him while sobbing. Fab 3 giggled secretly hearing her and Manik sighed helplessly looking at Ansh to which he shrugged making innocent face.

"Golu, I'm fine see. Chotu si-"

"Chotu si? Chotu si lagi hai tumhe? Look at your hand and knee. How badly hurt it is. Kya jarurat thi han? Kaunsa Olympic jitne wale the? Dekha abb. Lagi na chot. Khoon nikla na. Voh bhi kitna saara." Said Nandini sobbing loudly.

Ansh who was standing beside her took her in a side hug and rubbed her back. Manik shook his head smiling at her cute scolding.

"Golu, idhar aao aap. Mani ke paas. Come." Said Manik spreading his another hand which was not hurted.

She looked at Ansh who nodded at her smiling. Everyone left the room smiling giving them a privacy. Nandini slowly sat beside Manik keeping a distance. Manik pulled her near him from his hand. Nandini gasped.

"Mani, no. I'll hurt you. Let me-"

"Golu can never hurt her Mani." Said Manik looking at her intensely. Nandini looked at him while sniffing. Manik wiped her tears with his hand and kissed on her forehead.

"I'm fine Golu. Look at me. This is small wound and will get heal very soon. Don't cry please. You know na, I can't stand your tears? Hmm?" Asked Manik caressing her hair a bit. She nodded and looked at him after wiping her tears. Manik smiled but she gasped seeing his bruised lip. She was too busy to notice this.

"Mani, this wound? What happened to your lip? When this happened? Kaise laga ha? Aur-"

"Arey arey. Relax baba. It's small scratch. Voh.. I was sleeping on table while reading book toh.. umm.. while getting up table's corner hitted there. It's fine now." Said Manik avoiding looking at her. She narrowed her eyes.

"I need truth, Mani."

"Golu I'm saying tru-"

"Mani, truth!" Said Nandini sternly on which Manik sighed.

"Yesterday when I went after Ansh and Abhimanyu to solve their fight, Abhimanyu punched me." Nandini gasped loudly keeping hand on her mouth. Manik looked at her.

"He- he punched you?" Manik nodded. She gulped the lump formed in her throat.

"Did you, I mean, he and you, means you also-"

"I didn't. I did nothing. He left after that." Said Manik and she sighed a bit. She caressed his lip with her thumb while Manik was looking at her deeply. Her tears fell.

"Is-is it paining, so much?" Manik nodded in no with a smile.

"Your magical hands took all the pain away." Nandini sobbed loudly and hugged him. Manik hugged her back with a smile.

"I'm so sorry, Mani. I'm so sorry." Nandini mumbled in between her sobs while Manik forcefully broke the hug.

"Hey, why are you sorry? You did nothing. It was just heat of the moment-"

"But because of me only na. Because of me he got angry on bhai. Scolded him. Bhai kitne upset the. And you too. Because of me only, he punched you na. Blood also came. I'm sorry. I'm sorry it's all my-" Manik placed is finger on her lips while she looked at him. Current passing through her body.

"Sssh. Just shhh." Nandini kept looking at him and he wiped her tears.

"I'm absolutely fine and dare you blame my golu. She has no fault. Now please, if your crying session and sorry session got over then feed my tummy something. I'm damn hungry." Said Manik rubbing his stomach with a sad pout. Nandini giggled.

"I'll get your lunch now. But don't you dare to step out of this bed. Understood?" Said Nandini showing him her finger. Manik rolled his eyes and bowed his head a little.

"Okay my highness."

"Hmm. Better." Saying this Nandini giggled and left. Manik closed his eyes with a beautiful smile lingering on his face.

_____________

"Mani, jaldi se aa karo. Chotu baby ho kya? Ye kya zidd hai? See I made this all for you and you have to eat it." Manik made crying face while Nandini feeded him strictly like a teacher.

"You are very bad. Who makes khichdi on trip?" Whined Manik to which Nandini glared at him.

"I made. And it's for your good. See because of your injure hand and leg you won't be able to move so much. So this khichdi will help in easy digestion. Just for today, okay?" Manik made faces and had it.

"Everyone had their dinner? And what about you?" Asked Manik to which Nandini nodded.

"They are having it outside. I asked butler to prepare different food for you and them. And I asked to send mine here only." Manik made bad face and nodded. Suddenly they heard a knock. Butler came inside with a plate.

"Ma'am, your dinner." Nandini nodded.

"Yeah. Place it on table and you can go." Butler obliged and left. Manik looked at her plate and stopped eating at once.

"What happened, eat na." Manik looked at her and then at her plate.

"Why are you eating this khichdi and sabji?" Nandini looked here and there and laughed a bit.

"Voh.. I.. hmm. I wasn't feeling like to eat so much oily. And it's healthy na. So it's okay." Manik looked at her deeply.

You care for me so much. You can not tolerate seeing me hurt. You can't see my pain. You didn't even left my side since I'm hurt. You get jealous when I talk with other girls. You can not share me with anyone else. You fear to lose me. You love to get pampered by me. Nandini Murthy, whats happening with you? I am smelling love from your each gesture. And now I guess I know what I have to do.

Thought Manik and smiled looking at her who was washing her hands while talking continuously.

Screen freezes.