Eight months later

Newyork,

"Nandini I need those designs on Monday morning sharp I don't care if you are here all weekend. I need it soon for the fashion show." Alicia barked throwing the file on her cubical desk and nandini jumped because of her sudden voice.

Alicia is nandini's mentor and a really big of a pain in her arse. She's good at mentoring but can be bitchy when she wants to be. Clad in a black fitted dress, beige stilettos and long pink acrylics really screams 'that bitch'.

"Yes alicia you'll get it on time." She nodded her head in confirmation.

Alicia was going to walk away when she smirked and halted her steps in front of her.

"You know what nandini you're working in one of the biggest fashion houses and don't get me wrong you're really talented but seeing you wearing this hideous necklace everyday really makes me question your talent." Alicia smirked and crossed her arms on her chest.

Nandini shook her head with a small sarcastic smile on her face and stood in front of her.

"I'm here because of my capabilities and my talent. And last time I checked what I wear and what not is none of your damn business. So if you'll excuse me I've work to finish." She snapped and continued doing her work.

Alicia fumed and looked around as others were eavesdropping not so discreetly. Her lips pursed in a straight line and she walked away.

"Why do you keep messing with her?" Emma asked as she put the coffee on her desk table.

Nandini met her on her first day and it was an instant connection when they both blazed their dislike for alicia.

She's a petite blonde with green eyes dressed in white halter top with black jeans.

"Because she can't stop pissing me off thanks for the coffee though." Nandini thanked her with a grateful smile and continued editing her designs.

"So what's your obsession with this necklace? I haven't seen you without it a single day." Emma asked leaning on her desk.

"Someone special gave it to me!" Nandini whispered playing with her necklace.

Last day in delhi

It was the day nandini was leaving for NYC as everyone was convinced that she should go and this time she wasn't guilty for following her dreams.

Nandini was checking last minute documents and her passport when a knock on her door disturbed her.

She looked up and saw manik scrambling in her room.

"Aren't you too excited to leave me?" He smirked crossing his arms on his chest wearing a blue plaid button up and a wash up jeans.

"Bet your ass I am" She said poking his hard chest.

"You could have just asked you know? Finding these ways to touch me real classy nandini." His smug face was wiped off when she punched him in the stomach.

"Damn no need to be violent." He immediately held her wrists as she was going to hit him again.

"Don't let your cocky self out in front of me okay" She shook her head and he pulled her as she banged on his chest.

"I got you something" He exclaimed and pulled something out of his jeans pocket keeping his one hand still on her waist.

She looked at him confused when he took a blue velvet box out and gave it to her. She took it hesitantly and opened it revealing a silver pendant with four charms hanging.

"That's gorgeous manik!" She proclaimed in awe her eyes twinkling.
"Will you put it on me?" He took it from her nodding.

She turned around putting her hair aside and he locked her pendant behind.

He snaked his one arm around her waist and pulled her on his chest. He kissed behind her ear and she shut her eyes immediately.

He made her turn around so that they were facing each other.

"Why these charms?" Nandini asked suddenly as she looked down at her pendant.

There were four charms hanging on the pendant- a half moon enclosed in a sun, a water drop, a weird shape which didn't make any sense and a golden removable key enclosed in a heart in the centre.

"Each charm symbolises something. The moon one symbolises that there is one universe, billion of stars, nine planets and yet we found each other." Manik whispered looking straight in her eyes and she shivered a bit at his intensity.

"That water drop here is a 'drop of hope -" He held the charm pointing it out. "Explains that----"

"We will be together one day" She finished for him and he gave that face splitting smile.

"Now who's being corny?" He teased her but she was in no mood to joke so she simply muffled her arms around him.

Manik understood her emotions and tightened the hug. He rested his left cheek on her head.

After a forever later she broke the hug and looked at him woefully.

"Manik I'm sorry and I --" She choked and he cut her off immediately.

"Shh! I know I know!" He gave his genuine smile and she was just glad that he understood.

"And what's these two for?" She immediately changed the topic pointing towards that weird shape and the locked key charm.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out!" He said putting his hands in his jeans pocket and she shook her head at his vague answer.

~~~~~~~

"Hey nandini you ready to go?" Emma asked as it was already six in the evening.

"Um! no you carry on I've work to finish or alicia will rip my head." Nandini grimaced and Emma nodded leaving from there.

Her head was drown in her papers scattered all over the table when a cough brought her back and she jumped on her place.

"I've been standing here for five minutes now and you didn't even pay attention how rude nanz"

Jake is a pretty brunette guy with those dazling hazel orbs crushing on Nandini. She has a clue about it but choose to ignore it.

"I'm sorry Jakey but I was really into my work by the way what are you doing so late?" She looked around and the office was almost empty.

"You were working late so thought of waiting for you" He shrugged nonchalantly.

"How adorable you are!" She teased and pink adorned his cheeks.

"So I was wondering if you would like to go on dinner tomorrow sometime?" He looked down hiding his face.

She immediately went rigid and dropped her pen on the table.

"I'm really busy this weekend have to run some errands but next weekend for sure!" She lied in a flow and his face dropped.

"Yeah okay no problem. If you're done should I drop you home?" He tapped his right foot on the concrete.

"Uh! No actually I have a deadline so you can leave." She smiled and he nodded bidding her bye.

She was finally done with her work and took a subway to home because uber in New York traffic will take a forever for her to reach home.

She reached in her apartment building and pressed the lift button to third floor.

She pulled her apartment key from her bag and opened the door which was dark. Turning on the lights when loud voices were heard and her eyes widened in horror.

"Surprise"

It scared her to death which lead her to scream like a victim getting murdered.

She opened her eyes and saw Navya and Cabir standing there. Everyone had different reactions- Nandini was pale because of near death experience, navya had a worried expression and Cabir was laughing like a maniac and fell down on the floor.

"You guys scared the bejesus out of me I thought I'm gonna get killed." Nandini scowled her hand still on her chest.

"I missed you" Cabir immediately jumped on her and embraced in a hug. Suffocating is the right word.

"Leave her cabir you're cutting off her breathing." Navya intervened pulling him away from her and nandini gave her a grateful smile.

"Hey you're glowing navya I missed you." Nandini hugged her genuinely happy seeing them after three months.

Cabir and navya have visited her before three months back for the first time because they are practically family now. And nandini is closer to them than she is with her own family.

"And I thought the key is for emergency purposes!" Nandini made an akimbo staring at them both with a poker face.

"It's not our fault that you've been depressed for like a month now so obviously we have to come down here and check up on you." Navya shrugged and made herself comfortable on the couch besides cabir who had his feet on the coffee table.

Nandini was too overwhelmed to react because that was true it was too lonely for her here.

"Um Thank you" She mumbled pouring herself a glass of water.

"Yeah yeah we get it you're not good with emotions" Cabir implied with mouth half full of sugary churros which he got from her fridge.

"So for how long you guys are here?" Nandini snatched the churros from cabir's hand which he glared at her.

"Already sick of us nandini?" Navya teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Obviously not navya just asking"

"For a week or so!" Cabir commented.

"That's it?"

"Yeah we can't stay for long this time" Navya looked down fidgeting her hands. Nandini noticed it but didn't say anything.

"Oh! okay I'll go and change I'llbe back" Nandini pushed herself up and disappeared in her room.

When nandini came back dinner was already set on table.

"What do we have here?" Nandini rubbed her hands and got herself seated on the table in front of navya.

"Lasagna and pizza"

"Aw I missed eating greasy, unhealthy food with you both." Nandini gleamed genuinely happy.

"Wish we could say the same" cabir murmured and she threw a spoon at him.

There was a peaceful silence for few moments when navya decided to break it.

"So nandini------forget it" Navya started saying but changed her mind.

"No I haven't spoke to manik in two months!" Nandini answered her unspoken question and twirled her fork in the lasagna.

"Why though?" Cabir asked stopping his hand in mid air as he was going to eat his slice.

"Because last time I checked you loved to bitch about your bitchy boss to him and whine about how you are homesick." Navya knit her brows in confusion.

"I don't know this time difference, work and then he kinda started avoiding me I didn't fight back or anything because I know he wants space from me and I get it." She looked away not meeting their eye.

"Did he tell you that? Were that his exact words?" Navya asked putting her palm on her's to comfort her.

"Nah! not really but you know I can feel the vibes when someone doesn't want to talk to me." Nandini shrugged as if it doesn't matter.

"Yep assuming stuff about each other are your both's favourite hobby so whatever" cabir exclaimed and continued eating pizza.

"Oh! By the way we have this major fashion show this wednesday will you both come?" Nandini changed the topic clapping her palms together with a wide grin.

"Hot chicks and free food why not" He smirked and navya immediately smacked his head glaring.

And he just made an innocent face and continued eating.

"That's weird no smart ass comeback cabi?" Nandini teased him but he just shrugged.

Navya and Cabir were jet lagged so they all just slept early hoping to catch up the next day.