Narrator:

Everyone wishes to have a delete button in life. Delete some people. Delete some memories. Delete some feelings because sometimes even though it seems an easy thing to do, we can't kill painful memories by creating memorable ones.

"Dad, what do you want to say?" Manik kept the empty cocktail glass down on the little table.

"No one knows and will never know how much hurtful it is to a father to see both of his sons being thirsty of each other's destruction." The old man knew the pain.

"I'm unsure which pain is worse...the burden of lies of the past or the truth of the pain that you will get in future, because Dad, we all have come too far now to stop." Manik was sharp enough to snip his father's hopes in tiniest of pieces. The son looked around a little when they ran short of conversations.

"Do we have something else to talk about?" Manik queried drawing lines on the edge of his phone and his father lowered his face stopping Manik's movement.

Manik looked at the empty glass on the table for quite some time thinking there was really nothing else to talk about before he stood up grabbing his jacket.

"Alright then," His body hugged the jacket and feet neared the door.

"How are you doing, son?" Manik sighed facing the door.

"I thought you would ask me this the minute I came." He stared at the knob. "I am as I should be. Thanks for asking though, Dad."

"Wish I could explain how helpless this father is and you know, Manik this helplessness is a sickness which paralyses you seeing your loved ones in pain. Worse, when you can do nothing about it." His father uttered while Manik smirked, a little sadly.

"And there's no cure that I know of." Manik walked out leaving his father behind in a pool of despondency.

Walking up at warp speed, he stood at the little pool-bridge outside the house his father and brother owned. Holding the wooden railing, he exhaled a thick smog of melancholy. Manik looked up at the dark night sky with gloomy eyes seeing the twinkling dance of the infinite stars before closing the view.

'Manik are you crying?'

Wrenching, he opened his eyes to have a look around. Not finding the source of such melodious voice nearby, Manik wilfully shut them wishing the voice fills his void ears again.

'Manik are you crying?'

'No mom, men don't cry.' A seven year old Manik flexed his lean arms to his mother who chuckled in return hearing her kid transform into a 'man' at that tender age.

'Aww.. But you know what my son, even men should cry at times. You just need to let go of what are you holding back inside of you before that starts hurting you real bad, boy.' She ruffled his hair.

'But mum, my friends call me a girl because I cry.' His mother giggled and placed her hand on her little son's little heart.

'Do what this says.' She tapped his heart.

'And let people call me a girl?' Little Manik pouted.

'A girl?' She pressed her lips to control her laughter as her little son scowled like a chocolate deprived pregnant woman.

'That's a serious problem we have here then. Umm.. what do we do?' His mother asked while Manik turned the other side crossing his arms, grumpy.

'Okay listen, whenever you feel like you are at the verge of crying, look up at the sky and start counting stars which will take your mind off your hurting, alright? But Manik, you will cry whenever you need to, okay?' She kissed his cheek.

'And if it's daytime?' He asked innocently.

'Then think of this.' With that she pecked his forehead, cheeks, chin, neck and bursted into giggles.

Manik opened his eyes and found himself alone once again but this time, he looked up at the stars batting his lashes.

'A graveyard of stars..' he murmured looking at the sky.

"Often I have heard that when people are near to losing, they lose their minds and start blabbering to themselves. Seems coherent now."

'And like always he's born to ruin my peace.' Manik whispered to himself. Unwillingly, he turns around to face Aryaman smirking at him.

"I'm the enemy you can't live without, isn't it?" Aryaman faked a laughter at his brother's remark.

"Some of the most poisonous persons come to life, as brothers, right?" Manik snickered in response.

"Glad you are not writing cliche hate songs about it." Lifting his shoulders in a light shrug, Manik rolled his eyes leaving.

"Seeing you lose to me is something I don't like watching, Manik." Manik turned to him confused at Aryaman's change of heart.

"But sad enough that you winning over me is something I cannot live with as well." Manik drew air sharply through his teeth, vexed.

"The biggest slap to you will be after I win The Best Actor this year at the Screen Awards, defeating you like I have been doing since past 4 years." Oh what a confidence did Manik show!

"Time has changed, Manik. By the way, I have my good luck charm this year." Manik laughed as he heard his twin speak.

"A..what?" He laughed. "Good luck charm? What are you, ten? To face Manik Malhotra and win over him, you need some charm? Quite intimidating must I be." He guffawed.

Aryaman smiled.

"About that, brother.." Manik clenched his jaw at the mention of the 'brother' "You are an actor and obviously you would know that at the end, it's the hero who always wins."

He wiped away a little cotton feather off Manik's shoulder as Manik glowered at such physical contact. With index finger, Manik lowered Aryaman's hand down his shoulder and off his body.

"What's the benefit of such dreams which never will be fulfilled? When you fight with a monster, you are at the risk of becoming one." Manik sniggered and turned to leave.

"And bring the best good luck charm you can have and after losing, do send it to scientists to figure out what went wrong." That was Manik being the usual douche.

"One's good luck charm is nothing apart from his honesty and noble work but how would you know about such a thing?" Aryaman said that a little higher for his brother who was sliding into the backseat of the car to hear and burn.

The window on Manik's side switched down and Manik's slender fingers dashed out forming a 'L' shape leaving a very sniggering Aryaman behind.

⚘

N A N D I N I

Grey Petals,
11am

I glanced upon a picture of God beside my desk as I was about to start another day with this monster.

"Maybe there's some lacking in my prayers only that you are suddenly so busy turning my world upside down, Almighty. Not fair at all!" Enjoining my palms, I prayed.

"Nandini, the reason is it's you who have betrayed your Lord first." Aalya stood bending over my desk, eves dropping.

"Enlighten, please?" I gave her a pretentious smile.

"Till yesterday there used to be Manik Malhotra's photo on your desk and kissing which you started your day and see the magic, with one swipe your God reminded you who you should worship, my sweetpie." I rolled my eyes.

"That photo you are talking about, honeypie is still there in case you haven't seen except it's on the lower shelf today." Her eyes followed the second shelf where rested Manik's mini poster of his third movie secured in a frame. Aaliya shaking her head in disbelief left without a word.

"By the way," She turned around addressing me. "You are coming at the party tonight, right? I'm not taking a no from you. Everyone starting from scratch till top notch of this film industry will be there." I stared at her, thinking hard.

"Um I don't think I'll be able to make it." Of course, there will be Aryaman too inviting my death. And oh, his brother who left me crying on the floor last day. Was I ready to face him today? I don't know but something for sure changed after yesterday's incident.

"C'mon now, don't start with your usual tantrums." She puffed air out of her mouth.

"Not in a mood." It was true.

"Fuck your mood, Nandini. You are coming and I'm picking you up at 7. Period. Bye." Waving, she ran away.

⚘

"Nandini, sitting here and biting your lips isn't gonna glamourise you more!" Aaliya hit her head against the steering wheel.

We have been sitting outside the party venue in her car since past twenty minutes where I kept fidgeting my fingers and the scathing the hell out of my brain whether to enter or not.

"Aaliya, I don't think I can go inside." My palms were sweaty. Thankfully, I didn't have to see Manik today for he was busy shooting somewhere. God, I can't believe I said the word thankfully. But anyway, seeing him here if he is present is going to hell lot of scary for me.

"What's even wrong with you, Nandini? Forget it, I know exactly what to do." The smirk never leaving her face.

"And what that exactly means?" I stitched eyebrows close.

"I'm gonna call Dhruv and ask him to tell his boss that since he is there you are not going inside." My jaw dropped.

"Are you psycho? Why would you do that?" I snatched her phone hurriedly. "It will hurt him!"

"I'm sorry?" She looked at me smirking. "Hurt him? And you care, why?"

"Um," I lowered my gaze. "Not hurt him but um you know, his ego. He is a superstar, after all." I tried reasoning. She keeps giving me impatient glares and puffing air out my lips, I closed my eyes, nodding.

"All right. Fine. Let's do it. I mean, how worse can it get, right?" I nodded assuring myself.

"That's like my girl!" Giving me a fist bump, she jumped out of her car and timidly, I followed.

⚘

"Earth to Nandini?" Aaliya,'y wicked friend waved her hand before my eyes as I seemed to be lost in my bubble seeing Manik Malhotra laughing with his friends at the bar counter. That was a rare scene to witness and trust me, when he laughed he looked so younger and full of life.

My lips automatically formed a smile as I saw Manik Sir's smile reaching his eyes when he kept shaking his head and moving his finger in a no denying something that his friend said. How could someone ever be so damn perfect? His black blazer tight at his biceps gave an exact idea and view of how well built he was and the white shirt which was buttoned from the third gave ample view of his toned and hard chest. Every ounce of his perfection made me question my imperfections. He wasn't any prince but insanely royal which made him class apart.

The moment his eyes touched me, my knees liquified although we stood twenty five meters apart. While Manik Sir's eyes were on me, my self-consciousness made me do stupid stuffs like pulling my dress up till my lower thigh, fixing my wavy hair, pressing my glossy lips against another but soon, he averted his eyes back to his friend. Why did I do all these for him forgetting how he treated me yesterday? Maybe because he had control over me more than I had on myself.

"Nandini!" I felt a slap on my back which derailed my train of thoughts.

"Why don't you kill me at once?" I asked, a little bated.

The decoration was sophisticated including the people. Some danced, some laughed, some tried gaining contacts, some just looked perfect like Manik Sir and some, stupid like Aaliya and I.

"Same old boring faces." Aaliya sighed not catching Dhruv's face nearby.

I thought of utilising the time by texting Navya but without intimation, Aaliya nudged me having me lose my balance until I got hold of corner of one table to save myself from any embarrassment.

"Are you totally insane?" I glared but she immediately elbowed my abdomen making me groan. "What on earth-"

I could say no more when my eyes followed her almond eyes. There was someone approaching us with a drink in hand and the more I watched him coming, my head started spinning. Aryaman Malhotra was walking up to me like it was the most natural thing to do and tilting my head as I glanced over someone who had no idea of anything happening because he was busy chatting with his friends. Manik Sir.

Aryaman, please stop right there. There were many eyes already on us and knots started forming in the pit of my stomach.

"Hey." Aryaman smiled and I couldn't help but return it with genuinely.

"Hi, Aryaman." Aaliya stifled a cough at my sweet response.

"How are you?" He was wearing a nice checkered suit in grey and dark blue which kind of complimented my carbon grey dress.

I managed to glance over Manik who was busy talking which meant I could keep conversing without any fear.

"I'm good. And, you?" He sipped on his drink.

Sensing the little awkwardness growing, Aaliya took the easy way out and left with an excuse of finding Dhruv. When I also offered her to join in Mission Finding Dhruv, widening her eyes she glared.

"So Aryaman, got anywhere with the proof?" If we were talking then why not talk about something useful.

"Sahai admitted things to me." He said with a faint smile which mostly mirrored hurt.

"He did what?" People were talking about us but I couldn't care less. "Why did he do that to us?"

"First, he is selfish and second, it was not him alone in this." He looked here and there cautiously saying things to me.

"What are you saying? Who else could be doing that?" My pulses raced.

"See, now is not the perfect time to discuss all this. Here are people and they have mouth." I nodded lightly understanding what he meant.

"Wait, why is the uptight lady without a drink?" He offered me one cocktail stopping a server in motion. "Don't worry, I haven't spiked that." He added and I scoffed taking the glass.

"How are you liking the party?" He asked looking over the people while I sipped on.

"Do you want me to be honest?" I danced my eyebrows.

"What makes you think I'm fancied by dishonesty?" He smirked.

"Well, this party..ugh it's a little dull, I'm sorry." Taking a larger gulp, I stated.

Suddenly, he stretched his hand. "Dance with me?"

"You are kidding." I laughed but seeing him raise one eyebrow confidently with that sly smile at the corner of his lips, I fretted. "There are people." I reminded him, whispering while his hand was still asking mine.

"And I have never cared. Question is, do you?" I nearly choked on my drink.

Seeing me expressionless, he sighed not withdrawing his hand. "C'mon, you can do a lot better than refusing Aryaman Malhotra for a dance."

"My boss is gonna kill me." I whispered with a playful smile trying to make it sound daunting.

"C'mon, love? You can die a little for me." Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes. Seeing his persistent confident smirk, I gave in my hand in his but before he could pull me to the dance floor, gesturing one finger, I gulped the entire drink down my throat before keeping it on the table nearby.

With my hand in his, Aryaman twirled me to the floor which made a lot of ladies red and hurt. It was true that being with Aryaman made me happy and I could use a little happiness in my complicated life. Manik was still oblivious to his brother and his least favourite employee dancing and honestly, at that moment I didn't care even if he found us. Guess, it was not me but the alcohol in my system speaking.

When my hands were on his broad shoulders and his on either sides of my waist, my eyes found faith in his. When the music changed, how gracefully did he manage to make me match his every step. He being himself felt rare because he could effortlessly bring me out being myself.

"Okay, so..people are really staring at us, just to let you know." I murmured to him whilst his eyes never left my face.

Quickly, he twirled me again having me giggling. His face was near the crook of my neck when he whispered, "Advise of the day - listen to what people don't say."

When he rotated me, I was pulled a little closer and my eyes fell on Manik who yet now was heedless of things happening around. One actress was standing in between in thighs  running her sharp nails on his thigh while he was stroking hairs on her face. Nothing about it felt platonic because they had hunger to rip off their clothes written in their eyes. My heart sank a little at the sight but why was I even afraid when he was nothing close to being called mine.

My hurt eyes met Aryaman's who seemed to be enjoying the soft music but as he rotated me again, I felt my zip slide down till middle of my back. Instantly, my hand went to my back and excusing myself hurriedly leaving him very puzzled, I ran looking for the washroom.

⚘

The mirror before which I stood saw a very disturbed Nandini Murthy whose hands were not reaching her lower back where the zip was hanging. The more I tried stretching, the lower it slipped. Leaving it that way which not only exposed whole of my back but a good amount of cleavage, I dialled Aaliya hoping she will come and help but one cannot help you if her phone is switched off. Now, who was I going to call for help? Definitely not Aryaman. I waited sometime for any lady to enter who I could ask for help but none did.

The air I was breathing abruptly got stuck in the middle of my throat as I felt the cold touch of few fingers on my zip. My fingernails dug into the marble of the basin I was leaning over and looking into the mirror anxiously, my world stood still. It was my boss before who I stood exposing a bare back and a lot of cleavage. Damn.

"Um I.." I tried holding sides of my dress above my shoulders narrowing the gap but he shushed me through the mirror with one finger on his lips. Our reflections together looked good though.

Silently, his fingers started working on my zip and each time they came in naked contact with my back, I wasn't tantalised but surely ruined. My whole body began trembling as I processed it more in my little head that Manik Malhotra was fixing my goddamn dress.

He said no word; neither did he smell exotic because every breath of his smelt like alcohol. Time and again, I caught his eyes roaming on my back and I had to bite my bottom lip suppressing a sensation which his touches were giving me since he accidentally ended up brushing his fingers on my skin. Manik Sir, through the mirror watched his effect on me and I can say it gave him a lot of pride that he was leaving me breathless like that. Sure he was helping me, but he was taking five minutes to do the job of two seconds because he was loving the sweet torture being inflicted on me.

"It's done." Leaning over, he whispered on the crook of my neck and electricity sparked my whole existence. His chest being pressed against my back like that reminded me of every reason why one bad day with him was not going to change my feelings for him. I could burn like that all day and night although my eyes were closed but his stayed on me on the mirror. When I fluttered my eyes open and our eyes met; that was the moment I felt in my heart that maybe, we were not meant to be together but we were not meant to be apart as well.

With his eyes lingering on me, I saw through the mirror Manik sir bringing his lips right beneath my ear until he whispered, huskily, "You are shivering."

Inhaling a sharp breath, I closed my eyes for fee seconds and just as I opened, I opened them to find him gone. The thought crossed my mind if I was hallucinating and swiftly since my hand touched my zip, it was done. And, Manik Sir did it but then again, he was gone in a way that made me question if he was ever present. But why did he help me at all when he disclosed his motive of making things hard for me?

⚘

Aryaman and I stood in the parking lot where the loud music was barely a whisper to us. It was breezing gently more fully because the grey clouds cleared up.

"I think with trusting you, I'm going in no wrong direction." My words brought a mild smile to his lips.

"Thank you. I will try my best to not disappoint." He sounded exhausted. "But one thing I can assure you is that, the truth will itself walk up to you soon."

I curled my bottom lip, "Hope it doesn't get too late then."

"It's never too late." He blinked.

"So, how will you go home since I saw my assistant leave with that friend of yours and I'm sure they are not waiting here somewhere for you?" My eyes hurriedly hunted the place where Aaliya's car was parked only to find the spot empty.

"I'll book a cab or something?" I opened my purse to grab my phone.

"This is a VIP party, Nandini. They won't let any cab enter the valet. So if you want to take a cab, you will have to walk in those heels for some fifteen minutes to say the least, to get to the serviceable area." My eyebrows arched. "But we have an easy way out to save you the hassle, my car is parked right there in case you change your mind."

With a polite smile, I shook my head in a no. "Oh, thank you so much. But please don't bother. I'll manage."

He stared at my face, "Are you sure?"

"Very." I assured. "Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight." He smiled turning around but not with two steps gone, he rotated shrugging his shoulders.

"Let's cut the upcoming drama of the next five minutes and allow this man to drop you home, will you?" He danced his eyebrows.

"Um.." I stared at my feet.

"Your apartment exactly is not on the opposite way to my house. So no, driving you with a detour of five minutes is not adding up to my list of troubles in case you are worried about that."

Stifling a chuckle under my breath, I took a step ahead allowing him to lead the way.

⚘

Narrator:

There was no cosmic confusion brought about by the parked cars on the streets to a curious Manik who was watching the scene of Nandini following Aryaman to his car. She was doing nothing new to Manik because he knew innocent faces like her could do the most betrayal. Nandini didn't surprise him to say the least because Manik never expects anything out of anyone because to him, all that matters is himself.

'It would be nice seeing this romance turn into horror.' That's the only thing Manik said to himself stretching his arms standing by the huge window on the second floor while unaware of being watched, Nandini and Aryaman settled in his car and sped off unknown of what's to come their way in nearest future.

•• So people, Team Manik or Team Aryaman?