Strings Attached/Manan FF / CHAPTER 50 page 147/ 05th may - Page 71

THE PARTY DAY...

Manik reached Arpit's place and started looking for Nandini and Cabir. Though he was furious on her but she being front of his eyes would always work as a healer for him.

When he found both of them missing, he called Cabir.

"Where are you Cabir? I have already reached." Manik said as Cabir answered the phone.

"Will be there shortly. Actually I came to pick Nandu as her car was in service station. So I am just waiting for her and will be there soon." Cabir informed him.

"Ok. Come soon. I am waiting." Manik said and disconnected the call.

Nandini was not in a good state of mind to attend any parties but Shreya being one among few people she got along with, she had to agree to attend the party.

Manik after talking to cabir met everyone present there, waiting for Cabir and Nandini to arrive.

Soon Nandini and Cabir arrived at the party.

As soon as she entered, her eyes searched for Manik and when she spotted him, the scene in front of her eyes did not please any for senses at all.

Manik was sitting and laughing with one of their colleague Sana over some talk. Seeing him so freely talking to her, Nandini was very disappointed.

Sana was one girl in their office who was more famous for her looks and body than her work. She had a huge crush on Manik and even proposed him much before Nandini and Manik became friends. But Manik said no to her. Nandini personally did not liked her as she was one among those girls who always try to throw themselves upon the boys.

Being the guest of the party, she did not created any scene about it but was very disheartened. Cabir too got busy with the other people and Manik noticed Nandini was sitting alone. He once thought to join her but then stopped himself from getting close to her.

The party was going on in a smooth way when Cabir got a call. He became tensed while talking over the phone which didn't get unnoticed by Manik and Nandini. They both reached him as soon as he ended his call.

"Cabir! All ok? You look tensed?" Manik said in his concerned tone.

Cabir looked up from the phone screen and found both his friends standing with concern on their faces.

"What's wrong Cabir?" Nandini asked him

"Nothing serious guys. You remember my cousin Ananya, who has taken admission here in Delhi in the MBA College. She's down with high fever and the call was from her hostel warden. They have admitted her to the hospital and wants her guardian to be there." Cabir informed them.

"So what are you waiting for? Leave quickly." Nandini said before the other two could even say a word.

"You want me to come? Should I?" Manik asked him.

"No, that would not be needed. Thanks but I guess nothing is serious so will manage." Cabir informed him.

He thought of something and turned towards Nandini, "Nandu, how will you go back?" Cabir asked her.

"Don't worry about her. I am there for her. You just take care of Ananya." Manik replied back on her behalf before she could even open her mouth. Nandini was amazed on listening such thing from Manik after so long. She felt a sudden rush of blood on her body due to this tiny little happiness after hearing him say like this.

Composing herself she replied back, "Yes Cabir, Manik will drop me. Don't worry. You just go safely and inform us about her health." Nandini replied back.

"Ok then fine. I will let you guys know. Bye." Cabir replied them and after meeting after meeting Arpit and Shreya, he left the party.

After Cabir left, Manik again went back to the group he was sitting earlier with, that had Sana too. Nandini's face again became gloomy after seeing him go back to Sana again.

Manik purposely sat on the couch in such a way that he could keep an eye on Nandini but without letting her know this.

Nandini was feeling bore in the party. She was sitting alone on a couch in corner and checking her phone. Manik knew she was upset and also getting bore but still didn't talked to her. He somehow made Shreya notice Nandini and soon Shreya took Nandini with her and her mind was diverted. Manik felt relaxed seeing her smiling and again got busy with his own talks.

Both were talking to the people they were sitting with but were all the time paying keen attention at the other. Nandini was observing Manik who was all the time engrossed with Sana.

Manik had no wrong intention and neither had he done all this to make her jealous. He was talking to her generally but Nandini was getting hell upset on that.

The hosts announced the dinner and soon everyone started with their dinner. That time also, Manik did not talk to Nandini and he sat with other colleagues.

Coincidentally he was again with Sana and this time Nandini's anger knew no boundary. She was angrily watching Manik but he at that time was not paying attention on her.

Nandini did not ate her dinner. She was standing near the dining table where the drinks were kept. She looked at the table and at the same time Manik looked at her. He saw vodka kept near her and feared that she should not drink it thinking it as water like the last time.

He did not wanted her to suffer after getting drunk so he moved towards her to stop her from drinking it but before he could reach her, she gulped down a full glass of ... WINE!

"Nandini, are you mad? Do you even know what was it?" Manik yelled at her but in whispers as he did not wanted to create a scene.

"It was wine. I know." Nandini replied casually.

Manik frowned and looked at her confusingly as he knew Nandini does not drinks and even does not like his and Cabir's habit of drinking.

"When you knew it, then why did you drank? Are you out of your mind?" Manik furiously asked her.

"Why? What's the problem? Sana can drink but I can't?" Nandini gave a lame excuse to him and moved from there grabbing another glass of wine.

Manik stood their confused, understanding what she said just now. He looked at her and saw her drinking again which made him even angrier.

"Nandini will you stop drinking? You don't drink and it will not suit you. Come on, give the glass back." Manik tried to snatch the glass from her. She had moved towards the balcony and Manik too came over there so no one was able to watch them.

"Go away." Nandini shouted at him and was not ready to give her glass back. Manik was about to hold her hand but she pushed him a bit and drank the wine in one go.

Manik watched her in shock and she faking a smile, held his hand and kept the glass on his palm. She moved inside and Manik was surprised witnessing her changed attitude.

"What's wrong with her?" he murmured to himself and moved inside to witness a scene which made him slap his forehead hard. Nandini bottomed up her third glass.

Manik knew it was too much for Nandini to handle. He decided to take her back before she could get out of control.

"Nandini come on we have to leave." Manik announced at soon as he reached her.

"Leave but why? No I don't want to leave. You go." Nandini replied back.

Wine had started showing its effect and Manik did not wanted to make her feel embarrassed once she gets normal.

"Nandini you have to leave with me and I am going so just come." Manik held her hand and dragged her towards the exit where Arpit and Shreya saw them.

"Guys, you leaving so early. All good? And did you guys had dinner?" Shreya asked them being in the conduct of a host.

"All good Shreya. Just that Nandini has not got her car and her brother is not well. She just got a call so we have to leave." Manik tried to be genuine but that was surely not wanted by someone.

"Really? When? When did I received a call?" Nandini replied, making him hell embarrass.

"Come on Nandini, it's not the time for joke. Abhi is waiting for you. We need to be home soon." Manik said faking a smile to her to which she frowned.

Nandini was about to say something but luckily they got a call from one the guests. Manik assured them that they have eaten their dinner and left the party venue.

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Manik and Nandini were walking towards Manik's car.

Nandini was enjoying the pleasant weather but Manik was clueless what to say to Nandini.

He was angry on her for drinking knowingly but also knew that saying something to her at this time will be only a waste of energy.

Manik was walking ahead and reached his car first.

He unlocked it and opened the passenger's side door for Nanidini and gestured her to sit.

Nandini looked at him and then at the car. "I don't want to go in the car." she said making faces.

Manik rolled his eyes and said, "So should I call a plane for you?"

"No not plane, let's walk. You know late night, walk and talk and walk and talk, hehehe" She blabbered lost in her own world and laughed like a kid on her own talk.

"Nandini just shut up ok. If we will walk we will reach your home tomorrow morning only, so just keep quiet and sit in the car." Manik shouted on her in anger.

"Array I told you na I don't want to go in the car. I want to walk like before. You remember that night, we walked; we talked, you remember na." She said remembering the rainy night when Manik dropped her home and which was the start of a new equation between them.

"No I don't remember anything and now please get inside the car." He retorted back at her in anger.

"hawww Manik ! You forgot that night, that rain, you forgot us?" she said being in her own world but it left a mark on Manik's heart.

All the memories flashed in front of his eyes from good to wonderful, to bad, to being worst.

"I have not forgotten us Nandini it's you who have forgotten me, forgotten us, forgotten everything. I don't know what is wrong with you. You are not same as before." he said softly looking into her eyes but she got least affected.

Manik held her arms and bought her closer to himself but Nandini surely had some other plans.

"Manik leave me and what are you talking about? Don't you want to go home? Come on." she jerked his hands and started walking ahead of him.

Manik groaned in anger when he came to the harsh reality and shouted, "Nandini stop being ridiculous. Come back and sit in the car."

But Nandini was in her own world. She kept on walking and finally Manik gave up and ran behind her.

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?" he shouted as soon as he reached her but she didn't answered him back and kept on walking. After few steps she tumbled upon a stone when Manik held her arm before she could fall.

"When you know you can't handle drinks why on earth you have to drink It." he shouted on her as soon he grabbed her arm." He shouted on her as this time he knew she did it knowingly.

"Why can't I drink tell me? When that Sana can drink and you can talk with her flashing all your 32 teeth then why can't I drink haan? Why? Tell me? Why? What is wrong in that?" she said dabbing her hands on his chest.

Manik was confused with her talks as she was again and again taking Sana's name.
He was not getting any idea what was wrong with her.

"What Sana, what are you talking about?" Manik asked her being all clueless.

"What Sana? Really? How innocent Manik!" Nandini replied making faces at him but poor him had no idea what blunder he has done by spending time with Sana

"Nandini what are you talking about? Say it clearly?" Manik asked her.

"What I am talking about? What were you talking about with Sana, tell me? What was so important that you did not bothered to check on me and neither talked to me. Tell me what you were talking to her. Talking kya, you were toh laughing with her showing all your yellow yellow teeth... cheee!" she said in one breath poking her finger on his chest and making faces.

"My teeth are not yellow ok." He jerked her finger off his chest and replied.

"And besides what connection does my talking with Sana and your drinking has? You mean to say that you drank knowingly because I was talking to her not you?" he tried to fix the broken puzzle.

Nandini smiled widely and started clapping. "Wow Manik Malhotra, so intelligent you are!" she said and Manik's expression changed to stern.

"And why do think I should have been with you? Remember it was you who wanted me to stay away from you." He replied back to her.

"You know what Mr. Manik Malhotra, I hate you... I --- HATE ---- YOU!" She shouted her lungs out and Manik was shocked.

"You are very bad, like really bad. You always, always shout on me. I hate you. You are very bad." She said faking crying.

"Come on now, stop your drama and get in the car." Manik said in a casual tone and started moving back towards his car.

Nandini glared him from back and sat on the road folding her legs. "No, I won't. First you say sorry. Then only I will come, otherwise I won't." she said resting her elbows on legs and cupped her cheeks with palms.

"Nandini enough ok." Manik forcefully made her stand on her feet and dragged towards the car. But Nandini freed herself and pushed him away.

"I don't want to go with you. Why should I go with you when you don't care about me at all? Who are you to me?." Nandini shouted in anger and Manik too glared her in anger.

"You shouted so much on me that day. You know I cried the whole night. But why will you bother? You only know how to shout, that's it. You never tried to ask me the reason why I said all that. all you did was to shout at me. You are very bad Manik, really bad." She remembered that day when they both had to meet for the dinner to express their feelings and started sobbing.

Manik listened to her carefully and witnessed her sobbing which made him even more furious on her. He came near her and grabbed her arms tightly.

"Listen Nandini , I should be the one who should be getting an apology and you here in the middle of the night , at the middle of the road asking me to say sorry for making you cry ? Like seriously?

you think I was happy doing that? Nandini, you forced me. You very well remember what I did and say to you but do you even remember what you said to me? I waited for you so long that day and in return I got that bloody answer that I..." Manik stopped in between as he did not wanted to repeat those words which she said.

Nandini was staring him with teary eyes and said, "And you believed what I said."

This statement made Manik softened his looks and loosen his grip on her.

"You claimed to know me more than myself right? Then why didn't you understood me this time? I said and you believed it. Not for once you tried to ask that Nandini, why are you saying this?" Nandini said while tears were continuously from her eyes.

"Nandini..." Manik looked into her eyes but couldn't speak anything. He knew what she was saying was true. He was so much angry from her words that he didn't realised why Nandini said all that after knowing her so well.

"You just saw what I made you watch. But you never tried to know the reason behind it. Manik, you knew that much only? You always knew what I wished for, what I wanted, what I am thinking; then why didn't this time Manik? Why didn't this time?" Nandini continued and her sobbing turned into incoherent crying.

Manik was numb, speechless. He was just all perplexed. While he was trying to fix the broken puzzle, suddenly Nandini hugged him with all her force.

"You mean a lot to me Manik, really. I don't want to lose you Manik, I just can't. You were so angry with me, so rude to me. It killed me every second Manik, it really did." Nandini spoke keeping her head on his chest and kept crying.

Manik slowly broke the hug and wiped her tears.

"Stop crying Nandini. Am sorry. You are right. I was so into myself that I didn't noticed that you cannot say all that just like that. Am really very sorry Nandini. I am really sorry." Manik said looking straight into her eyes while his own eyes got moist.

"I know I didn't asked that time but now I am asking. Please Nandini, at least now tell that why you said that. What are you hiding? I know that night, that meeting, it was just a formality. We both knew what we wanted from each other. But still all that happened. And now I know it was because of some reason. Please say what is bothering you. I am there na. I will sort out everything. Just say it. Please." Manik pleaded her in a soft tone.

Both were crying at that moment. Nandini in her pain and Manik after realising his mistake and seeing her condition.

Nandini just kept on staring him and said, "I don't want to go away from you Manik. I don't."

Manik cupped her face and said, "You will never go away from me. I promise. Am sorry baccha for making you cry. For hurting you so much. For pushing you away but not anymore. Just for once say what was wrong. Why you said all that?"

With this tears rolled down to kiss Manik's cheeks too. He pleaded to her with moist eyes but she kept on staring him with teary eyes.

He stepped ahead covering the negligible distance between them and touched her forehead with his lips.

She closed her eyes taking in all the warmth, love, comfort, care; which he was trying to pour out from his heart upon her in that kiss.

As his lips lingered over her forehead, not ready to back off, tears found their way out from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Manik looked at her and wiped her tears with his thumb still cupping her face between his palms.

"Nandini.. Please stop crying. Baccha... I am here na. At least tell what is bothering you. You know na you can share anything and everything with me and I won't be ever judging you. Before anything else, we are friends; best friends and we will always remain that. Tell me baccha what's wrong, what are you hiding?" Manik spoke softly caressing her face and hair looking straight in her eyes.

She drowned herself in his deep orbs and found immense love floating there for herself.

Guilt empowered her heart even more and she hided herself again in his arms which were nothing but heaven to her.

"ssshhh... relax...Ok I won't ask anything but just please stop crying." Manik whispered in her ear rubbing her back as she sobbed incoherently in his arms.

Manik sighed in disappointment, closing his eyes as things were just going out of his way.

He now knew one thing for sure that Nandini was hiding something really big that was stooping her from coming close to him.

His several attempts to stop her tears were going in vain as she was just not ready to stop and neither was ready to leave his embrace.

He kissed her hair numerous times to assure her that he was there with her.

Tired of crying and under the effect of alcohol, she slept in his arms.

Feeling her weight entirely upon him, he slowly broke apart to look at her face.

Dried tears mark were still there on her face which pierced his heart every moment.

He caressed her face and drooped a feather kiss on her forehead.

"No matter what Nandini, I am here and will always be. Whether you want it or not." He whispered softly looking at her face and picked her up to take her to the car.

He laid her on back seat carefully and drove away for her place.

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