Nandini lived alone with her mother after her father cheated on them with another lady. In an accident, she loses her mom (refer to first three chaps), and is stuck with her father and his daughter, Amelia– also called Mia.
She isn't on the best terms with her father, although she is fond of Mia.
Manik was her bestfriend Aliya's boyfriend. He goes to great extents to be friends with Nandini which she finds suspicious and mistakes it for his sympathy. He ensures her he just wants to help her (chapter six and seven ). After two days of school, she realises she can't sleep at night without having nightmares, and so her father offers therapy
She refuses but after a big fight with her dad when she tries cutting her arms (chapter eight), she agrees for therapy after Manik insists ( chapter ten)
She was an artist but as she couldn't paint anymore, he pushes her towards writing (chapter ten)
They will leave for New York the day after (in the book) and the gang is at Nandini's house for a surprise sleepover.

I've left out a lot of details, and if you feel you don't remember the book, it'll mean a lot if you could go through the chapters yourself before reading ahead.

Happy Reading!

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Pull me further,
Further till I reach your soul,

Hold me harder,
Harder like I've never been before, oh,

I think I'm drowning,
Drowning under this heavy rain,

Why don't you run faster,
Faster to take me to the shore?

// Nandini's diary
vanshu24680

Nandini

"So... what do we do all night now?" Aliya asked, as we all settled on the floor of my room after dinner.

"Horror stories," Mukti suggested with a smirk.

"No." Manik established.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Is someone scared?" Aliya looked at him with a teasing smile.

"What I meant was, it's too early for horror stories. I think we should do that like at... 2 A.M. or something," Manik corrected, rolling his eyes.

My eyes widened. "2 A.M?"

"How about three if you don't like two?" He looked at me with a cheeky smile, almost winking and I scrunched my nose playfully hitting him.

"How about... Truth Or Dare?" Cabir suggested.

"We're not kids, Cabir," Mukti said.

"Yeah, so like... with a twist. If you can't answer slash not do the dare, you take a shot," Cabir smiled evilly.

"I don't have booze here, genius," I reminded him.

"So how about I get it?" He said, "I mean, I live the closest, so I and Mukti can go drive and get booze from my place."

"Sounds good," Manik agreed and I simply shrugged.

"But I don't want to come, take Aliya instead," Mukti cribbed.

"Nahi, not me," Aliya denied.

"Then why should I go?" Mukti argued like a kid.

"Girls! Girls!" Cabir laughed, literally putting a hand on both their mouths and while Aliya gently pushed his hand away, Mukti bit his palm and he shrieked, hitting her arm in return. "Since both of you are dying to come with me, both of you will come!"

"But I don't want to go," Mukti said, folding her arms.

"Shut up," Manik said this time, "All three of you shut up. Tumko nahi jaana hai na, math jao. I and Nandini will go."

"Me?" I asked in surprise.

"The last I checked, tumhaara hi naam Nandini tha," he gave me a side eye. I rolled my eyes, "Yeah okay."

"Bye-bye, I'll eat something until then," Cabir smiled lazily.

"Cabir, we literally just had dinner," Aliya scolded him.

"Tum dono jao na, dekh kya rahe ho," Mukti smiled, an unknown shine in her eyes as she almost made me get up by force and pushed the two of us out of my room.

Wow. I am being told what to do in my own house.

I led the way out of my room as Manik silently picked up his car keys from the stand by the kitchen before he followed me down.

"I'm sorry I took your name without asking, figured you could use a little fresh air," he said, as we got downstairs.

"Yeah, didn't mind," I smiled back, and then as I looked ahead, before I could open the door, it opened from outside and Dad and Mia showed up.

I knitted my brows, "You're both back so early?"

"Yeah," Dad replied, "Half way through, we got a text that the kid isn't well and they decided to go to a doctor. So we came back."

Mia pouted as she went inside and sat on the couch, holding her cheeks grumpily.

I suppressed a smile. Such a drama queen.

"Where are you upto?" He asked us.

"Uh," Manik scratched the back of his head, "I forgot something, so I'm just going to grab it from my house and Nandini said she didn't mind some fresh air."

"Ah," Dad raises his eyebrows, nodding, "Alright then. Don't stop on my account. Off you both go."

"Mia?" He called after his younger daughter, "It's okay sweetheart you'd get to have the play date after a few days."

"But I wanted to go out, make new friends," she cribbed. Can't blame here, she was still a kid.

"I... I have two people who'd love to be your friends," Manik volunteered. I looked at him in surprise.

"Do you?" Her eyes twinkled.

"Yes, come here," he called her and she came by hopping.

Manik kneeled for her height, "I am Manik Malhotra. Would you like to be my friend?"

She giggled, taking his hand, bobbling her head. Manik looked up at me. I stared back confused before I got the hint.

I kneeled by his side too, "And I... am Nandini Murthy. It's nice to meet you."

She shook my hand enthusiastically. "Dad, I have two new friends!" She laughed.

"Yes darling you do," Dad smiles back before looking at us, "Thank you, Kids. Now off you both go."

"Actually... um... Mia can come with us if she likes," Manik offered, "She must be bored at home all day, and I'm sure she could use a little fresh air and some time with her elder sister."

Dad looked at me with raised eyebrows. I was too much into a shock to reply anything, but I did nod.

"So I get to go with you both? YAY!" She jumped at her place before running outside. I sighed before we followed her.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask beforehand..." Manik started again.

"No, that's... that's okay," I cut him off, "I don't mind spending some time with her as well."

I smiled at him as he unlocked his car. I let her hope into the back seat and secured her with a seat belt– something I'd always seen my mom doing to me, before getting into the passenger seat and doing the same for me.

Manik drove off.

"How long ago did you learn to drive?" I asked him, starting conversation.

"It's been a few months since I turned eighteen, but I know how to drive since I was sixteen, so two years," he said, surprising me.

"Are you serious?" I ask, and he deligently nods. "But that's early... why did you learn driving so early?"

"You can get a driving license at sixteen?" He replied in an obvious voice.

"Doesn't mean everyone knows how to drive, most people wait until they complete high school," I rolled my eyes.

"I learnt it because.... well, I'd show you one day," he winked at me.

"Show me?" I ask in confusion, but he doesn't answer my question, just smirks.

I took a deep breath and shrugged, looking outside, when something strikes me.

"Manik... we... we missed the left to Cabir's house," I gently remind him.

"Yes genius," he smiled, "But we don't have Cabir's house keys. We're going to my place instead."

"Your house is far!" I almost cribbed like a child.

"And you're afraid of spending time with me?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.

Yes. "No."

"Manik! Nandini Di!" Mia suddenly called, making me snap my eyes at her behind, almost speaking my neck. The accident hasn't left me very flexible.

"Yes?"

"There's a Baskin & Robbins!" She points outside, "Please!"

"I'm sorry darling, it's night time and you may catch a cold..." I start but Manik was already parking the car.

I glare at him.

"It's ice-cream," He bargains.

I give him a stare of disbelief.

"Please!" He bats his eyelashes innocently.

"Please," Mia begs again.

"Please!" They both repeat.

"Okay! Okay!" I raise my hand in defence, "Whatever."

They both exchange wicked smiles and fist bump each other. Wow, this definitely was a bond I didn't expect. When did this even happen?

Manik leaned backwards and unbuckled her while I got out and she hopped behind me, holding my index finger with her left hand. I gave her a playful glare, pinching her nose as Manik came by and led us into the shop.

Mia almost jumped in, sticking her nose to the glass and reading out all the options. I chuckled looking at her pronounce most names wrong very proudly as I sat in the chair.

"Let me help you choose," Manik said and she surprisingly hopped into his arms and he raised her for her to get a better view.

I opened my phone, switching on my Instagram and browsing through, letting them be.

"I want this," she enthusiastically pointed at something, "And this! And this! And this! And this!"

"You don't get so many missy, choose one," I instructed without looking up from my phone. My Instagram was most bare except one notification.

Manik Malhotra has requested to follow you.

A small smile spread across my face as I accepted the request and followed his open account back.

Then, I looked up to see what the naughty duo were up to, and there Mia was, walking towards me with a grin on her face.

And in her hands, there were five scoops of different ice-creams piled one above the other.

I gasped in horror. "Manik!"

"What?" He chuckled as he followed with the same five scoops for himself. If my eyes could fall, they probably would have.

"What am I going to do of you two?" I ask myself, playfully slapping my forehead on my palms.

"I don't know," Manik answered seriously, "You can keep us. Feed us. Love us."

"I don't know about love, but I am having thoughts on leaving you both," I sigh.

"You can't," Mia grinned.

"Yeah?" I laughed, before glaring at Manik, "Promise me this is a one time thing."

"Ofcourse, we were just signing our new friendship... with ice-cream. But a one time thing, I swear," he replied innocently. I chuckled.

"They never listen, ma'am," I heard the server say, as he laughed lightly, "Sorry, I don't mean to be eavesdropping... it's just an everyday thing now, to see the fathers pamper the kids and the moms getting angry. They always promise it is the last time, and it never is."

"No! No!" I revert back, instantly, "We are not her parents."

"Oh?" He says, "I'm sorry, you all didn't look like siblings."

My eyes widen. "Not siblings!" Manik declares immediately, "They are not my sisters."

"Oh," The man grinned, "I see what you're doing there. Winning the girlfriend's sisters heart along with the girlfriend. Nice trick, man."

"Not girlfriend," I squeak, "You know what... leave it."

He shrugs, getting back at his cleaning.

"Look at your face," Manik chuckled.

"You look horrified," Mia added.

"Yeah you do," He teased, "Would it be such a horrifying thing?"

"What?" I retaliate.

"To be my girlfriend. Would it be so... I don't know, horrifying?" He raises his eyebrow.

My heart felt heavy. "Y–Yeah," I stammer, trying to sound confident.

"Why?" He almost looked betrayed.

"You dated my bestfriend, Manik. Ofcourse it'll be weird," I trying sounding casually and not like my heart was breaking into a hundred pieces.

He glared at me with fake anger, "Let's see how you resist my charms."

"Oh, don't try me," I tease.

"I will," he smirks, "Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"No," I smile.

"Then what is this?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Definitely not a date," I tease.

"Hey man!" He called the server. I felt like hiding somewhere. "Do you think this beautiful girl here could pass for my girlfriend?"

"Absolutely bro," the server grinned.

Don't say another word.

Don't say another word.

Don't say another word.

There it goes. "You two do look pretty good together, like made-for-each-other types," he added.

I rolled my eyes.

"See," Manik grinned, turning to me.

"Still no," I retaliate, laughing.

"You both do realise I'm still here, right?" Mia raises her eyebrow at both of us.

"C'mon beautiful, you're not helping. You think your sister should go on a date with me?" Manik asked.

"Totally," Mia nodded and then bent towards Manik whispering softly, "Only if I get ice cream every week."

"Deal," Manik whispered back and they did some weird hand shake. I stared at them with a half open mouth.

"Too fast," I nod quickly, "When did this," I point at both of them, "happen?"

"When you were asleep," Manik shrugs.

"Literally," Mia smirked, and they fist bump. Again.

"You know what?" I look at them pointedly, "I'm done here. You both can come when you feel like. I'm waiting in the car."

I grab his car keys and get up.

"Date?" He smiles sheepishly.

"Still no," I let my voice trailed as I stomp out.

"She'll say yes soon," Manik self spoke as he got up behind me as did my half-sister.

"Maybe you just need to bribe her with icecream too," Mia suggested in a whisper.

"I don't eat ice cream," I called out, still pretending I'm not paying attention to them as I walked towards the car.

"How about flowers?" Manik shouted back.

I glare at him, "Nope! Not happening."

"C'mon," he insisted, "One date?"

"NO."

the most deadly wars
are often fought within oneself
when
your head says no
but your heart says yes

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Questions:

1. Liked the update?

2. Rate it on 10?

3. Manik, Nandini and Mia. Would you like to see more of them?

4. Do you think Nandini will ever say yes for the date? ;)

5. For Nandini's therapy, these are the topics I have short listed:

- anxiety
- depression
- finding happiness
- moving on

Is there anything more you'd want me to add or any topic you'd like me to stress in particular? :)

✿  ✿  ✿

Thank you for reading.

Please do vote, comment and share.

Love,
Heer.