Hey Guys. Back with a Short Story. Originally an OS, but then I changed my mind.
Hope you'll like it.

If you find any grammatical errors please don't hesitate to point them out. I'll be more than happy to rectify them.

Happy Reading.

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Hmph.

Nothing is going as I had planned. Just yesterday I was attending office and now, I can't even leave my nest. I mean my apartment. I am originally from Mangalore but then my job placement is in the City Of Dreams, Mumbai.

Oh. Am so stupid na? Poora introduction de diya but I didn't mention my name, well I am Nandini Murthy.

I entered my kitchen to make some tea but then I couldn't find sugar anywhere. Damn, I should have bought extra sugar. This nationwide lockdown is no good for me.

Being a spinster, all I have to do is basic shopping. Minimum ingredients required. But my phooti kismat, before I could buy the groceries, I got trapped.

Chini toh chahiye mujhe. I never thought that China ka maal would prevent me from doing something in my whole life. You know what I mean?

"I'll ask Aunty to give me some sugar."

Thinking this, I took a bowl and rang Aunty's doorbell.

Nobody opened.

But where would Uncle Aunty go? After all it's all India lockdown.

I rang the doorbell again.

"Aunty woh-" I stopped in the middle seeing a tall handsome guy standing in front of me.

What a beauty.

Being super confused I asked, "Nyonika Aunty?"

The guy was rubbing his right eye with his left hand. And let me tell you it was a super cute sight to watch. And did I mention he was looking sinfully hot in his black vest and blue boxer?

"Umm who are you?" he asked. His morning voice was super sexy.

"Nandini. I am your neighbour, I guess."

How come I never saw this tall guy earlier? He must be Nyo Aunty's son.

"What do you want?" okay now he is sounding really rude. Aise koi apne guest ka swaagat karta hai kya?

I think he has never heard of the phrase 'Atithi Devo Bhava'.

"Arre Nandu. What a pleasant surprise please come in," this time I ignored this six feet long khamba and went straight in on Nyo Aunty's insistence.

"Aunty actually I was making tea but then I found out that I am short on sugar, could you please give me some?" I asked with a puppy face.

"Okay Drama Queen. No need of that puppy face," she said and laughed and I joined in, she took the bowl from my hand and went into the kitchen to get some sugar for me.

I turned around and saw the Hulk sitting on the sofa with one of his legs on the other.

"Nandu sit na," Aunty shouted from inside so that I could hear.

"Sure," I shouted back.

Nyo Aunty always liked me. I don't know if there's any particular reason but then I guess helping her with her shopping bags whenever I met her in the parking lot, sharing the food I used to make with her and Uncle helped.

Nyo Aunty's son was dozing off on the sofa when Aunty brought his cup of tea and placed it in front of him.

What was surprising was she kept a cup of tea in front of me too along with the bowl of sugar.

"Aunty this?" I asked her puzzled.

"Beta you only said na that you were making tea for yourself so have it here only na," she replied with a soft smile.

"Aunty I really don't wanna be the reason for the exhaustion of your ration," I reasoned myself.

"No need to be so formal Nandu, I know how much you love your morning tea. We were having that only, join us na. Even Manik cannot live without his morning chai," Aunty finished and sat beside me while I nodded in agreement.

Manik. Nice name.

Just then Sri Uncle walked out of the bedroom all fresh.

"Good morning, everyone. Arre Nandini beta you are also here. Good morning," he wished me too after seeing that I was also present there and generally I wished him back.

''Manik kuch toh seekh le. See she is looking so fresh like a flower early in the morning and look at you. Ja fresh hoke aa," Uncle said giggling.

"Please Sri he has just woken up. Don't trouble my son," Aunty defended Manik while I was all the while smiling at their little banter, missing my family.

How I wish I could go back to Manglore and stay with my family during this period.

"Arre Nandu beta, where are you lost?" Aunty asked me.

"Nothing Aunty I was just thinking about my family. It sucks working here all alone," I replied in a very fed up kinda tone.

"Make a boyfriend na."

*Cough Cough*

Oh no it's not me it's Manik. Apparently, he chocked on his tea.

Uncle patted his back while looking at me to continue the conversation.

"Well I could make one but ache ladko ki kami ho gayi hai na market mei Aunty," we both had a good laugh over it.

"Don't you do ONS?" Aunty asked.

"What's an ONS?" I questioned back.

She leaned closer to me and said in a hushed voice but loud enough for all of us to hear, "One Night Stands."

"Mom!"

"Aunty!"

"Nyo!"

All three of us exclaimed together.

"What? It's very common nowadays. Kya itni formality kar rhe ho tum teeno. Kyu Manik?" Aunty said sipping on her tea.

"Why you asking me? Mei aisa waisa kuch nhi karta," Manik replied flabbergasted by the question.

"I think we can talk about my that life later. Chai peelo sab. It's getting cold," I suggested earning a nod from everyone.

We were talking casually when I asked, "How come I have never seen you around Manik?"

"Actually he always gets late for his office and then returns late at home. And then Saturday night he directly goes to his friends' home to party with them and then goes to office on Monday morning from there itself," Aunty said looking at Manik with a *What will happen to you* look.

"Thanks Mom." he said with a sarcastic smile, "Nandini it's nothing like that. Mom never wakes me up in time that's why I get late. Nhi toh I am very punctual." he reasoned himself.

"Oh please. Zyada hero mat ban. You are always late. Period. Look at Nandini, she leaves early in the morning and comes back home at the right time." Aunty threw more allegations at him.

"Whatever. So Nandini could we be friends? Actually abhi lockdown mei kuch karne ka bhi nhi hai. I can't go anywhere also. We could keep each other company you know? What say?" he asked me rubbing his palms together.

Uncle leaned in closer to him and said, "Bohot fast nikla tu toh. Akhir beta kiska hai." they thought I didn't hear what they were saying but I did. I have quite the Rabbit ears.

Manik glared at his Dad and looked back at me.

"Sure. Why not? Even I don't have anything to do." After all who wouldn't like to be friends with a Greek God?

"Done then. I'll come to your apartment later today?" he said in a doubtful tone.

"Fine by me."

"Wait a second. Why in her apartment? Why not here?"

*****

I leaned in closer to Dad and whispered in his ears, "Dad, why are you being the villain? Privacy bolke bhi kuch cheez hoti hai."

"Hmm okay."

"Acha I'll make a move now. I have wasted a lot of your time. Bye Uncle. Bye Aunty." Nandini said getting up from the couch with the bowl of sugar.

"Arre no beta. It was lovely having you here. Keep coming." Mom said.

"Yes beta. Aate rehna." Dad supported Mom.

As always.

She walked to the door and twisted the lock and was stepping out when she turned around and said, "Bye Manik."

"Bye Nandini." I replied in a daze waving my hand at her.

The door closed and Mom jumped on me.

"Ladki pasand aayi? Shaadi ki baat chalau?" Mom said being extremely excited.

"What? We are just friends. Abhi toh mile. I wonder where I used to be all these days." I told her being confused.

How could I not have noticed such a cute girl earlier? Woh bhi meri neighbour. Where was I?

"Matlab ladki pasand hai?" this time it was Dad.

"Oh God. What happened to you both. Minutes earlier, you, Mom, were telling her to have one night stands. Like seriously?" I asked her frustrated.

"Why do you care?" Mom retorted but I had no answer. She was right in a way. Why would I care? She's an adult. She can take her own decisions.

Then why am I not able to digest the fact that she can be with someone else?

"Because.. We are friends. Yeah."

"Chalo Sri let's go to our room. Ho gaya kalyaan tumhare bete ka. Chalo." Mom taunted me and left to her room with Dad behind her.

When I first looked at Nandini, all I saw was a blurry small figure. Well it was because I was rubbing my eyes. She was asking for Mom and looking at me like I was a robber or something.

So I behaved like a total asshole then. Only if I had seen that pretty face earlier. Nevertheless, Mom called her inside and I got to know that she came here to take some sugar.

I sat back at the sofa and kept looking at her talking to Mom in a very polite way. Mom offered her to have her morning tea with us, she tried denying but then gave in.

I didn't realise when I had started appreciating her chubby cheeks and big eyes and those lips and her figure in the name of just taking in the appearance of a guest.

My father also came and then she was being pampered by them whereas I was being taunted.

I lost my shit when I heard Mom telling her to make a boyfriend.

Why would she need a boyfriend when I am here?

I had chocked on my tea literally. Dad had to pat my back.

I heard her saying that nowadays good boys are hard to find.

True that.

But I lost my shit even more when I heard mom suggesting her to have one night stands.

What the fuck? I mean seriously is she my Mom?

She very swiftly avoided that topic which is a good thing. Who would like to discuss their personal like the most intimate stuff with their neighbours? Nobody.

It was 3 o'clock now. Time passed so quickly thinking about her. I thought of why not just hang in with her. Hang out toh kar nhi sakte na.

I quickly got ready in my shorts with a t-shirt and a jacket over it. I was leaving when my Mom called me.

"Where are you going? It's lockdown period. You know that right?" She looked at me as if I was an alien.

"Of course Mom I know it's lockdown. I was just going to Nandini's home." I answered back.

"Toh itna saj dhaj ke kyu jaa rha hai. She lives here only. Leave this jacket. Stupid." she scolded me like I was an eleven year old.

"Uff okay." I left the jacket on the couch and left for Nandini's home.

I knocked on her door two times and heard her melodious voice shouting from inside to wait.

I waited for a few minutes when Nandini opened the door and looked at me from head to toe. Same goes with me, she was wearing a cute half pants with Batman print on it and a long T-shirt above it which was almost covering her pants too.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked me out of the blue after staring at me for a while.

"No actually I came to hang in with you."

"Wearing this? Looks like you are going to a beachside party or something." she said and chuckled.

Thank god I didn't wear the jacket. It would have been so damn awkward for me.

"It's called creating an impression with good dressing sense." I said puffing my chest up a bit.

She laughed even more and said, "In case you don't realise I have already seen you in boxers."

Damn.

"Just chuck that alright? Or do you not wanna hang in with me? Okay I am going back." and I spun around to go back when she held my hand and said, "No no. Come inside."

I was wondering how to start up a conversation with her when she asked me, "So what all do you like?"

"I like partying with my friends, sleeping, eating but most of all, stargazing." I said with a bright smile on my face.

"Well in case you wanna know, I like fireflygazing. I don't know if that's even a word or not, just made it up, but you get the idea."

Cool she likes fireflies and I like stars. Hayee kitni sundar jodi hogi humari.

We talked randomly about all the irrelevant topics, whatever came to our minds. It was almost 6 o'clock and we were nowhere near to call it a day.

"So tell me what booze do you like?" I questioned her.

"I don't drink. Nandini Murthy doesn't drink." she replied with her head held high.

Wait a minute. She doesn't like drinking and that means she doesn't like boys who drink too.

Ab kya karu?

"So you drink?" she asked me with a dull voice.

"What? No. Of course not. I was talking about tarbooz. Watermelon you know. I love it." I replied but she made an amused face and said, "Nice try Manik."

"What?"

"Manik it's fine if you drink. I don't have any problem if you drink." she said with a small smile.

"Then why did you sound low?" I questioned her again.

"It's just that my parents don't like guys who drink and all. But you don't worry I'll convince them."

                               *****

"Convince them for what?" he asked and I froze for a second.

Shit. Did I just say that?

"Nothing. Aren't you feeling hungry? I toh am famished. Let's cook something. Come." I immediately diverted the topic and pulled him into the kitchen to make some sandwiches.

All the while I was cooking, I could see Manik looking at me adoringly through the corner of my eyes. I am sure he saw the blush on my cheeks.

Come on. Which girl wouldn't blush if a guy as nice as Manik stares at her?

Taking the sandwiches in our plates we moved to the balcony.

The air turned awkward again because of me mentioning my parents and him staring at me.

We finished the sandwiches in silence glancing at each other once in a while. I could feel something in me. Something really unfamiliar. I was fidgeting with my fingers trying to figure out what is was.

I guess I have a crush on him.

No. I think I like him.

It can't be love so fast. Right?

"You know I like you right?" he said looking at the setting sun.

I left out a sigh and replied, "You know that I like you too right?"

He looked at me and continued, "You know that I wanna be with you right?"

"Well I didn't but I know now." I replied turning fully towards him with a smile.

"Then you also don't know that I don't want you to have one night stands." he turned to face me and took my hand in his hand.

"You still thinking about that?" I said giggling at him.

"Yeahh. I can't imagine you being with anybody else." he said genuinely, his eyes portraying only care for me.

"I want to be your one night, two night all the night stands. I want your day to end with me and begin with me." he entwined our fingers together and looked at me with his hazel eyes.

"And I want you to convince your parents to accept me."

"I will." I said nodding at him.

"So is it a yes?" he asked me with hopeful eyes and I simply nodded my head in a yes.

"Yess thank you thank you so much Nandini. I will always keep you happy. I promise." he was blabbering when I placed my finger on his lips and he looked at me with those captivating eyes.

Suddenly the air in the room turned hot.

"You talk too much you know that?" I asked him leaning close to him.

"Um hm? So why don't you shut me up?" he said looking at my lips now.

"With pleasure my man." and with that I placed my lips gently on his and sucked them lightly. He pulled me closer and picked me up still kissing.

He laid me on the couch with utmost care and came on top of me. His hands had reached the border of my t-shirt when

Ting Tong.

The bell rang. We got startled and he sat straight on the sofa and helped me sitting up too. We looked at each other before moving our eyes down.

The bell rang again and I quickly straightened my hair and dress and went to open the door and Manik followed.

I opened the door only to see Nyonika Aunty standing there with a casserole. She looked at me and Manik and asked, "What were you guys doing?"

"Umm we were just chilling Mom." Manik replied instantly.

"Okay. Actually I brought pasta for you guys thought you'll be hungry wait a second."

"What happened Aunty?" I asked being concerned about my now potential mother-in-law.

"Is this a bite mark on your neck Nandini?" she asked pointing at a place on my neck. I immediately covered it up and said hysterically, "Bite? What bite? Manik toh didn't bite me."

I saw Manik face palming himself and Aunty looked at me with naughty eyes.

Did I just get tricked?

"Nyonika why you disturbing them? Privacy bolke bhi kuch cheez hoti hai haina Manik?" Uncle came and winked at Manik.

He gave us the casserole and said, "Take this you'll need it. Bye bye."

"Have a beautiful night." oh god can Aunty for once not tease us?

They left and we closed the door. I looked at Manik apologetically.

"Chill yaar. Anyways I would have told them. No big deal." I gave him a vibrant smile as we sat back on the sofa.

"Manik. I was thinking you know in everybody's life there's something or somebody who plays the role of a cupid. Who do you think was our cupid?" I asked him snuggling in his chest.

"Well I think this Lockdown's Our Cupid. Don't you think so?" He replied pulling me more into him.

"Mmm hmm." I just made a sound and closed my eyes feeling his warmth.

Oh how I love this lockdown thing.

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3130 Words

Nope it's not the End. I have some chapters lined up.

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Published On- 13 April 2020