"Bhai your girl is sucking up to my guy way more than my liking. As I promised you, I won't mistreat beh- err Nandini, but why don't you take care of this? Keep her away from hovering over my Manik, else I will have to take the matter in my hand it wouldn't be a nice thing for your lady love" Soha huffed over the phone to a mildly amused Aryaman.

"Don't worry behen-ji, I will take care of it. I won't let Manik lurk around my Nandini for too long" he replied chuckling.

"BHAI, Did you just call me behenji!?!?" she asked shocked. No one had ever called her with such a demeaning name.

"Err.. aren't you my sister?" laughed Aryaman as he hung up on an infuriated Soha.

Aryaman wondered, how he could take care of the situation, so far the plan had worked, but this was the tricky part, if he let Soha intervene, she would cause hindrance between Manik and Nandini, and their bond hadn't acquired the strength yet to sustain a blow like Soha; if he had to stop Soha, he had to interrupt them then, and he didn't know how that was possible with Manik literally staying at Nandini's unless of course... Aryaman smirked mischievously.

***

The day was passing chirpily at Nandini's. Apart from Mukti's extra feminine behaviour around Manik which got him cracking up thus upsetting Mukti, otherwise everything was pretty much in order; Manik and Nandini had revised all morning, and after lunch, Nandini sat back to start revision for her elective examination paper which was due the next day; while Manik decided to relax a little by watching a movie; both were living complacently in each other presence, it felt like there never really existed a hollow in their hearts.

In the evening when Nandini was more or less confident about her preparation for the exam next day, she finally decided to relax a little by taking a break; she came to the living room to witness Manik watching football, he was taking a break too. She was just about to go join him for a bit, when the doorbell rang; she went to get the door and was met by a cheerful face outside her apartment; she was surprised.

"You?" she exclaimed surprised.

As Aryaman walked into her apartment and saw Manik sitting on the couch and watching football, his smiled broadened and he waved at Manik. Manik looked at him startled, what was Aryaman doing here? It was almost night time; was Nandini going for a date, even one-day before her exams he thought infuriated. But then he noticed a handbag that Aryaman just dropped on the floor; was he going somewhere? Maybe he came to say bye? Thought Manik hopefully, but their exams were to start in two days, why would Aryaman go anywhere, unless of course it means - Oh My GOD - he stared at Aryaman in disbelief, completely sure that this time his guess was right.

"Hey Nandini, I came to stay here too! We ll prepare together for the exams now!" he announced and hugged her from the side; surprise was plastered all over her face as she looked at Aryaman. Aryaman was also staying here? What was happening? But before she could retort, they heard Mukti mutter darkly from behind them, "Great one more MAN around" after that none of them could help laughing.

Aryaman crashed next to Manik and was watching the football, and trying to make light conversation with Manik; he wanted to see Manik's reaction, but surprisingly Manik wasn't reacting, he just sat there darkly and kept watching football; and no-matter what Aryaman told him, he replied in grunts.

After dinner, when Aryaman suggested that it was late and he and Nandini should retire to their bedroom, it was then that Manik reacted, much to Aryaman's satisfaction.

"What, now you guys need to sleep together too?" uttered Manik in irritation.

"Bro, have I ever asked you that in Soha's context? You do what you guys like, and I do what we like" he retorted pointing a finger at himself and Nandini. Manik just scowled, he truly didn't have a reply, but he somehow didn't want to wait and see Aryaman and Nandini enter the bedroom together. After giving a very scandalized looking Nandini a dark look, Manik continued, "Well bro, in that case you gotta sleep with her in the couch, cause she had offered me her bed and since I don't fit in the couch, I am using the bed; unless of course you don't fit on the couch too, then you can join me in the bedroom of course and let Nandini take the couch"

Aryaman was satisfied with Manik's jealous instinct, now he didn't play further, he acted let down and agreed to accompany Manik inside. Manik sighed in relief; that bloke Aryaman wasn't safe anywhere else; he needed him right in front of him to keep an eye on him so that he couldn't flap around Nandini. Nandini didn't need all of this one night before her exams he thought protectively.

***

As Nandini finished her exams, she didn't want to go back to her apartment where Manik and Aryaman both were there; she wasn't sure why she felt thus, but the once best friends seemed oddly cold with each other for some reason, she wanted to talk to Aryaman, why was he staying with them? But so far with Manik hovering around them as a shadow, she couldn't ask him; she loved her friend Aryaman, but she couldn't help feeling a little annoyed with him in her apartment, when she just had these many days with Manik; she also noticed whenever Manik was talking with her, Aryaman had a tendency of coming and talking in between putting off Manik; something was amiss she thought and hoped she would get an opportunity that day to talk to Aryaman.

Manik was in the college canteen, he hadn't told Aryaman back at home that he was coming to college lest he joined, he wanted to have a private word with Nandini; he wanted to tell her that she shouldn't goof around with Aryaman during semesters finals; he knew how important academics were for her and he wasn't willing to let her score less because of her new found relationship; truth be told it was an excuse, Manik knew Nandini to well, she would surely be able to balance both, but this way, he had an opportunity to throw that annoying Aryaman out of their house; oh, he meant Nandini's house of course.

Manik was waiting, it was half an hour past her exam time, she was still nowhere around. Manik decided to wait for some more time before calling her, but as he waited, he spotted Aliyaa and Dhruv sitting in a table a little ahead of them; he decided to drop by and greet them, as he went close to their table, what he heard made him stop.

"Please Dhruv, you have to convince your parent's to postpone this. I mean right now I cannot break our relation, but once di and Aryaman have spoken to our parents for their relationship and taken consent, we will break-up then; so where does the question of our roka come from? We both know that this is an arrangement and we will break it off at the earliest, you are helping me as a friend and there is nothing more right?" said Aliyaa. Manik was taken aback, arrangement? No relationship? Di and Aryaman? Favour as a friend? Something was fishy. He decide to sit in the adjacent table and eavesdrop, he felt he needed to know this. Aliyaa and Dhruv was in such a deep conversation that they never noticed Manik around.

"Aliyaa, I understand but our parents don't know all this nah? They want us to get the roka (pre-wedding ritual) done, what can I tell them?" reasoned Dhruv.

"Tell them it's too early, Aliyaa wants to complete second year atleast and roka can happen during the term break next year not now; by then Di will be done and I am sure she ll get enough time to talk to our parents about Aryaman" she replied.

"Aliyaa, Aryaman now loves your di, then why can't you take me in your life? It's not like Aryaman will return to you after all this nah, how much ever you love him" sighed Dhruv. When Aliyaa didn't budge from her point, he patted on the back of her hand gently and walked away.

Manik gasped in shock. What was going on here, this Aliyaa loved Aryaman, and Aryaman loved Nandini? Aliyaa is for some reason faking her relationship with Dhruv? No, something was more than just fishy. He decided to intervene and confront Aliyaa, true they weren't at each other's pockets, but if it involved Nandini, he had to know.

Aliyaa got up from the table only to bump onto a sombre faced Manik; one glance at him and she knew that he had overheard everything. As much as she tried acting bubbly and making a dash from there, she couldn't. Manik just held her by the wrist and made her sit; she knew, if she didn't talk, he wouldn't let her go. She folded her hands and looked straight at him.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"I need to know everything concerning Nandini. She is my friend" he replied without faltering.

"How does it matter? You love Soha right?" she asked with a slight smirk.

"Nandini is special. I am protective of her; my relation with Soha is independent from this one"

"Manik, why are you keeping Soha in the dark? You like di, it's written all over your face" she replied, happy to divert from the actual topic.

Manik though stumped at Aliyaa's blatant comment, decided to set that aside for another day, "Why are you faking your relationship with Dhruv? Since when do you love Aryaman?" with the mention of Aryaman's name, Aliyaa lost track of her plan, she gasped.

"Manik, I don't want to talk about this" she said shortly.

"Well I will have to ask Nandini then" he replied silkily, with her choked expression he knew he had won this round.

"No! Wait. Okay, I will tell you this, but promise me that you are not going to tell anyone about this, especially di"

As Aliyaa left the table after narrating her story, Manik calmly looked at her retreating figure. What was that, he thought, perceptions could be so distorted? Aliyaa and Aryaman loved each other? But Nandini loved Aryaman; hence Aliyaa sacrificed her love for Aryaman, for her sister? Nandini had actually come in between Aryaman and Aliyaa? It really did seem like Nandini truly loved Aryaman, the way Aliyaa narrated. He didn't know why that knowledge felt like molten iron on his skin; but Aryaman? If he was so hopelessly in love with Aliyaa, then how did he, so suddenly fall out of love for her and in love with Nandini? Did he love Nandini at all? Nandini wasn't Aryaman's rebound right? He can't make Nandini his rebound when Nandini loved him thus! Again, his fist curled at the thought of Nandini loving Aryaman; but he will see to it that Nandini wasn't hurt. As for Aryaman, he will now face him; Manik felt bad for Aliyaa, he had liked her from the very first meeting, childish, bubbly and lively; she was how Manik always wanted Mukku to be, he felt protective of Aliyaa too; Oh wait! What? Dhruv had dumped Aliyaa for Soha when Aliyaa had met Aryaman first, isn't that what Aaliya just mentioned, in all the Nandini drama, he almost overlooked this tiny detail? Did she just say that?? Soha? Dhruv? When did that happen? Manik's mind boggled at this bit of information that didn't even register in face of the others initially; but he was going to be doing a little bit of snooping around now.

Wow, Nandini really loved Aryaman; still it didn't sound worthy of Manik's approval. Nandini should have waited for better men, much better ones who loved her too; someone loving, caring, sensitive, soft, and understanding; someone like...err not him, maybe..could it be him? He wondered...

He was Loving - err. Not sure

He loved her - Check

He was Caring - Nope

He cared for her - Check

He was sensitive - Woho who was he kidding?

He was sensitive towards her - Check

He was soft - No way

He had a soft corner for her - Check

He was understanding - Not so much

He understood her - Check

Wow, he was no match at all, he thought with a dampened spirit; what chance did he have? He wasn't the right guy for her, he knew it too; he sighed. And of course she loved Aryaman.

"Nandini" he sighed.

"Er..how did you see me coming from behind?" came a response. He turned to look at her standing clutching her books. "What are you doing here Manik? You didn't have exams today?"

"I came to pick you up. Let's go" he muttered not meeting her eyes and walked ahead. Somehow Aliyaa's revelation had given birth to a lot of questions in his mind; he couldn't look her in the eye without clarifying those.

A bewildered Nandini followed without the slightest clue of things, but she blushed quietly; Manik had come to pick her up.

***

A/N : So Manik going wonky over lady love without realising he is in love with her? Isn't it the most common theme of a college romance? That's why I thought this chapter should pay ode to this theme of 'Too much teenage drama' :D

Guys please read, love, support and vote! We don't have many chapters before the wrap up, but I'd like to know how you felt about this story. Hoping for a few comments too :)

Much love,

A.

WORD COUNT : 2,255