"Chutki baat toh-" Abhi called after Nandini but she just left from there. She went back to the breakfast table where the rest of the family were already seated. A bit later Manik came and sat down and a bit after that, Abhi came and sat beside Mukti. Ishita & Preeti served the breakfast and Ishita made sure to give the roti made by Nandini to Manik. 

"What the...Mom, yeh kya hai?" Manik picked the roti up and stared at it. 

"Roti hai...teri Nandini ne banayi hai." Ishita replied. Manik was about to say something but was nudged by Yuvraj.

"Yaar...chup chap khaa le. You are supposed to be in love, remember?" Yuvi whispered in his ears.

"Oh...Nandini ne banayi hai. Phir toh def khaunga." Manik just ate the roti.

"Manik...aaj shaam ko tum dono ki reception party hogi." Raman informed them.

"What?" Manik & Nandini looked surprised.

"Shaadi ke baare mein already bohot logon ko paata hai ab agar humne koi reception ya kuch nahi di toh log baatein karenge." Raman replied. 

"But Dad...."

"Its final Manik!" Raman said firmly.

"Reception?" Nandini whispered in Manik's ear. "Matlab duniya ke samne bhi humme natak karna hoga?"

"Dad manne wale nahi hai...we have no choice." Manik whispered back. After eating, everyone left to do their own things and Nandini was wondering what she could do next when Navya walked upto her.

"Hi Nandini....bored?" Navya asked.

"Haan thoda sa..." Nandini agreed.

"I have an idea....lets go shopping."

"Shopping?"

"Yeah...humari ghar ki nahi bahurani ki wedding reception hai. Tumhare liye ek jhakaas outfit kharidna toh banta hai." Navya said. "Aur obviously mere bhai ke liye bhi."

*****************

The girls went shopping and Nandini was trying on different dresses while Navya kept rejecting them all.

"Navya...tum toh saare dresses reject kar rahi ho!" Nandini groaned.

"Haan toh inme se kuch bhi mujhe utne special nahi lag rahe hai na....thats why." Navya replied. "Dusre dukhaan mein jaate hai."

Navya dragged Nandini around to 10 diffent shops, she rejected about 60 dresses and bought 8 for Nandini and 8 matching outfits for Manik. Nandini just stared at all the shopping bags.

"Reception mein mera dress change hoga kya? Matlab....itne saare dresses, ek raat ke liye?"

"Woh, these are the ones that look good....lekin ghar jaake hum decied karenge ki shaam ko kya pehenge. Usme Mukti aur Riya madat kar sakte hai aur uske hisab se Manik ke liye bhi kapre hai."     Navya explained. "Lets go."

"Home?" Nandini asked hopefully. 

"No of course not...abhi kahan? Abhi toh hum jewelry, bags....etc karidenge har ek dress ke saath matching and then hum nail salon jayenge to get our nails done...phir hum salon jayenge, facial vagera ke liye....AND THEN hum ghar jayenge." Navya replied. Hearing her, Nandini felt like crying. 

By the time Navya & Nandini were done, it was already evening time and everyone else was home from their work. Nandini went straight to Manik's room and just plopped herself onto the bed in exhaustion. Manik was already in there with Cabir & Abhi and just looked confused.

"Nandini? Are you ok?" Manik asked. Nandini hadnt seen Cabir & Abhi yet and had her eyes closed.

"No...tumhari behen na pagal hai puri. Im dead." Nandini groaned. "Itna shopping maine apni life mein nahi ki jitna Navya ne aaj karwayi hai ek reception ke liye."

Cabir started laughing loudly and thats when Nandini realized they were there. She opened her eyes and sat up straight.

"Oh....Im sorry. Mujhe laaga sirf Manik hai..." Nandini was embarrassed. "Woh..I like navya par mujhe shopping pasand nahi hai."

"Thats ok...actually meri biwi ke saath ek bada sa Caution Danger wala sign aana chahiye. DO NOT SHOP WITH THIS WOMAN, SHE IS CRAZY....Like that." Cabir joked and Nandini giggled and high fived him.

"Hey! Tum log meri behen ki burayi kar rahe ho...literally right infront of me." Manik placed his hands on his hips. "Im not gonna let that happen."

"Thik hai...tum jao. Hum tumhare jaane ke baad karte hai." Nandini replied and Cabir laughed even harder.

"You....argh, whatever. Badimom made some rasmalai toh tumhe dene ke liye boli hai. here...have some." Manik held out a box of ras malai.

"She cant have that, woh lactose intolerant hai." Abhi spoke up. Manik & Cabir  turned and stared at him and Nandini glared. Abhi then realized what he said.

"What? Tujhe kaise paata?" Manik asked.

"Actually...maine subha hi toh bola that." Nandini lied to cover it up.

"Kab bola?" 

"Subha...nashte ke time. Tumne sunna nahi? Ishita aunty kuch puch rahi thi tabhi maine mention ki thi ki main lactose intolerant hoon." Nandini replied.

"Yaar mein itna bhulakar ho gaya hoon kya?" Manik whispered to Cabir. "I dont remember Nandini saying anything like that."

"Haan mujhe bhi yaad nahi...par shayad mention ki hogi. I mean....why would she lie?" Cabir whispered back.

"Ahemmm....guys? Kya soch rahe ho?" Nandini asked.

"No nothing. You guys should start getting ready." Cabir said.

"Wait!" Navya said from the door. Behind her stood Mukti & Riya. "Nandini will get ready with us....chalo Nandini bohot kaam hai."

As Navya grabbed Nandini's arm and pulled her away, Nandini turned to the boys and mouthed. "Help Me!"

Manik just smirked and waved at her. Nandini got irritated and decided to wipe that smirk right off his face.

"Itna khush mat ho...tum tab tak tayyar nahi ho sakte jab tak main tayyar nahi ho jaati." Nandini warned him.

"What? Why not?"

"Kyunki tumhara outfit Nandini ke saath match karega na?" Mukti answered his question. "So just wait here....we'll give you your clothes once Nandini is ready."

"What! NO No No No No wait...guys!" Manik called after the girls. Cabir & Abhi were laughing their heads off at his situation. "What the hell...you know what Cabir, you're right teri biwi sach mein pagal hai aur saath mein Abhi teri biwi bhi! God knows yeh log kitne waqt lagayenge and Im just supposed to sit here til then?"

After about 2 hours, Mukti came an handed Manik his outfit. Everyone got ready and went out to the back where the reception was taking place.

"Manik? Nandini kaha hai?" Preeti asked.

"Huh...I think Mukti, Navya aur Riya abhi bhi usse tayyar karwa rahi hai." Manik replied with a shrug.

"Phir toh party ke baad hi khatam hogi....bechari Nandini." Deep joked.

"Mehmaan puch rahe hai...jao jaake usse le aao." Raman said.

"Oh...woh rahi!" Ishita smiled looking at the stairs. Manik turned and his mouth dropped to the floor....he was stunned. Nandini came down wereing a long white and beige bejeweled gown. Her long hair was in curls pinned back with some flowers and the makeup really highlighted her features.

Manik & Nandini's Look. 

Nandini came down with the girls and stood by Manik.

"Haaye...dekho toh mere dono bachon ko. Kitne pyare lag rahe hai....bilkul Ram Sita ki jodi." Aarti gushed. Ishita took some kajal from her eyes and applied it behind Nandini's ears. Manik was still just admiring Nandini and wasnt paying any attention to anything else.

"Chalo...wahan chal ke baitho. Sab tumse milna chahte hai." Ishita told Nandini. She led them to the couch that was on the stage. As they sat down, guest started coming to them and introducing themselves and congratulated them.

"Arre yaar...Rockstar Manik ki wedding reception hai. Ganna shanna toh bant hai." One guest said.

"Ya! One song Manik!" 

"Nandini...tum bhi." Ishita said.

"Lekin...mujhe gaana nahi aata." Nandini said.

"Ya Mom, yeh kyun gayegi?" Manik asked.

"Chup kar...reception sirf tera nahi hai, dono ka hai toh dono saath mein perform karega." Ishita insisted.

Finally after everyone begged him, Manik agreed. "Ok Ok Ok! Ill start the music!"

The music started and Nandini joined Manik awkwardly in the centre. Manik smirked as he had purposefully chosen a song that Nandini wouldnt know...or at least he thought so.

https://youtu.be/ruEQPQX90fI

(No offence to any Salman Khan fans but I dont like him like at all. However this movie and Bajrangi Bhaijaan are two Salman Khan movies that I like and Ive watched many many times and I LOVE this song...its fun.)

Kudiyon ka nasha pyare
Nasha sab se nasheela hai
Jise dekho yahaan woh
Husn ki baarish me geela hai

Ishak ke naam pe karte
Sabhi ab raas leela hai
Main karoon toh saala
Character dheela hai
Ho main karoon toh
Saala character dheela hai

Manik started singing and dancing along, happy that Nandini would embarrass herself because there is no way she would know this song and if she did then its not the type of song she would sing infront of her in laws. Nandini narrowed her eyes, as she figured out what Manik was doing.

Ladko ka nasha pyare
Nasha sab se nasheela hai
Jise dekho yahaan woh
Husn ki baarish me geela hai
Ishak ke naam pe karte
Sabhi ab raas leela hai
Main karoon toh saala
Character dheela hai
Ho main karoon toh
Saala character dheela hai

Nandini started singing and Manik's eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell?....how..." Manik thought to himself.

She also started dancing along and Manik was speechless.

Like it like it...

Hai simple sa yeh formula
Hai love ka funda khokhala
Mujhe bas pyaas tu hi de
Cool cool cool rehta hai

Nandini swung her arms around Manik and winked at him as she sang. Kind of like she was challenging him.

Kisi ka haath tham ke
Hridaya kyun baad naam ke
I love you forever koi
Fool fool fool kehta hai

Isse pene se hai matlab
Jo yuwan santarila hai
Farak padta hai
Kya baahon mein
Munni hai ya sheela hai

Ishak ke naam pe karte
Sabhi ab raas leela hai
Main karoon toh saala
Character dheela hai
Ho main karoon toh saala
Character dheela hai

Yeh charcha faceboook pe hai
Maza bas ek look pe hai
Haseen cheehre ka kaun
De dar dar dar dar karta hai

Manik continued the song and everyone, although surpised by the sonng choice was enjoying their performance. Raman however was getting angry at both Manik & Nandini for embarrasing him like that. He just left from the place and seeing him, Ishita went after to calm him down.

Jo dil ka photoframe ho
Wahan photo bhi same ho
Calendar ki tarah use
Roj roj roj roj change karta hai

Nandini made a heart with her hands as she sang but out of the corner of her eyes she noticed Raman & Ishita leaving and felt like it was her fault so now she didnt really want to sing anymore.

Soon the song was over and everyone clapped and cheered but Nandini's mind was not there. She excused herself and went after Raman & Ishita. As she got to their room she heard Raman's voice.

"See? This is why I was so upset about this wedding. Kaisi ladki apne sasural mein aisi gaane pe dance karti hai?" Raman yelled. "Ek baar bhi humare izzat ke baare mein nahi socha uss ladki ne!"

"Raman shant ho jayiye...koi sun lega. Aur isme Nandini ki galati hai? Ganna toh Manik ne choose ki thi aur ussi ne lagaya." Ishita defended.

"Haan...tumhara ladla beta toh hai hi aisa, aur ladki bhi apne jaisa leke aa gaya...BESHARAM!" Raman fumed before storming into the washroom and slamming the door. Nandini was in tears and turned to leave but stopped after seeing Manik there. From his expression she could tell that even he heard what Raman said and he felt bad for Nandini. 

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

Note: Thoughts?

Will Manik defend Nandini infront of Raman?

Will Raman ever accept Nandini?

What do you think will happen next?