No one is allowed to enter the apartment unless you tell them whose house you are going to and unless that particular person approves you off. Nothing as such happened here, well, that was what i wanted too. So i had to deal with the watchman in my way.

"Nandini ke ghar jaana hain, second floor mein rehti haina" i said
to him.

"Saab ji, baahar waale andar nai jaa sakte hain, lekin aap ko na bolne kaa mann nai kar raha hain. Madam jaanti hain ki aap aa rahe ho unke ghar?" he asked.

"Nai, use surprise dena hain isi liye nai bataya" i said.

He was scratching his head.

"Kyun mein tumhe chor lagta hoon? Jo tumhaari madam ji ke ghar
jaake saare saamaan chori karloon?" i asked. Way to go Manik!

"Chee sab ji bilkul nai. Aisi baat nai hain. Acha mein upar tak
aap ke saath chalta hoon. Kya haina, management mein se kisi ne dhekh liya toh meri naukri chali jaayegi" he said.

"Aisa kuch nai hoga. Tu mere saath upar aayega toh neeche kaun
rahega? Mein toh acha bandha hoon jo tum se pooch raha hoon. Chor aise nai karthe hain, seedha peeche ki raste se ghus jaate hain" i threatened him.

"Sahi bol rahe ho, Kisi ne pooch liya toh sambhaal lijiye. Waise aap ko kaun poochega" he said.

"Haina. Toh mein jaoon? Ye phool kharaab ho rahe hain dhekho" i said showing him the bouquet of red roses i got for her.

"Sorry saab ji aap jaaiye. Mein dhekh loonga, second floor mein 205 hain Nandini madam ke ghar ka number. Lift se utharthe hi right side mein aakhri ghar" he said.

"Thankyou. Aur yeh tumhari beti ke liye, de dena. Bohot cute
bachhi hain" i said giving him a chocolate.

Nandini! Here I am!

Okay! Second floor check ✔️

Right side check✔️

205, the last house check✔️

And "Ding dong"

Dying to see her expression. And i hope there's no one else
inside, not the one from last night atleast.

And there she is. I heard the click of the door, and then the
twist of the knob and bang! She was there.

Still in her pajamas, mouth stuffed with....urmm..pop corn i guess
coz that's what i see in her hand, and now, ooops, on the floor.

She dumped the entire thing on the floor, covering her feet and
almost the entire doorway and i could hear the background music of Tom and Jerry show running from the TV. She is such a cutiepie.

Wait why isn't she saying a thing?

"Manik Malhotra"

O-H-M-Y-G-O-D!!!!!! Never did my name sound as beautiful as it did
from her mouth.

Her eyes, as big as headlights and her mouth hung open, she was
taken by extreme surprise seeing me at her doorstep. That too after the awkward collission we had last night.

Honestly, i myself am surprised to find myself standing there,
par kya karein.

Pyaar hamein iss mod pe le aaya!

"Before someone sees me, and mob around or question you about my
presence in your house, will you please let me in?" i asked with utmost decency and sincerity.

She was still standing there, like a statue. And the moment i finished my request she did the most weird thing. She pinched me.

"Ssssssss" i hissed in pain.

"Are you for real? Or is it something like a Manik version 2.0?" she asked.

What? Version 2.0?

"This is for real" i said.

"So you aren't any look-alike and there ain't any mask behind your
face?" she asked and i am still at her doorstep wondering what if someone walks in.

"Absolutely not. Are you going to believe if i wave from my window
and then come back and make another appearance?" i asked, with this smirk i am super famous for. (Okay a little self praise in between does no harm)

"Window? So you are for real. Oh my god! What are you doing at my
place? Who let you in? I never said you'll be coming for me. Isn't the watchman downstairs? Did someone see you coming toward my house?"

Okay! She had dozens of such similar questions.

"Well, no one has until now, but i am afraid if i stand here for another second, then someone surely will. So may i?" i asked her for one last
time if i could get in.

"Please" she said giving me way.

"I am sorry about the mess, it's... like a panic attack. You know you are one of the least expected guests i have ever had. So, welcome home" she
said walking me in.

"Make yourself comfortable, and i need a minute, excuse me" she said and ran into her room.

The house looks so beautiful. A small staircase in the living room, just a few steps, decorated with flower pots, super comfy looking couch, huge tv, and just a few wall decors that makes the room look extremely cool. For a busy girl like her, keeping the house this clean is commendable.

And the only thing negative right now is the pop corn, spread all across. I made my way to the kitchen to find the microwave door open, bottle of coke with the cap open. God how can she drink it without fizz! Two small photo frames, might be her parents. The fridge door had no room to accommodate even a thin hairline. It was full with sticky notes, things to remember and do, pictures, scrap drawings and magnets. A part of the house looks like "Beautiful" and the other part, especially the kitchen looks like "Super cool". She has some really good taste.

I went back to the living room, and then there is small area, with a billiards table, impressive, and then there were two tennis rackets and a carom board. She is something.

"Hello there" i heard her voice and went back to the living.

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

Nandini

What the heck! How did this happen? What is he doing in my house? Is he here to talk to me about last night? I am so confused.

I dropped the entire popcorn at the doorway, making a fool out of myself, and my mouth stuffed with pop corn, my house filled with pop corn everywhere. He looks dapper in that dress (One of my personal favourites)

and i look like the maid of this house, wearing these loose pajamas.

Why did he talk about the window? So he does stare out there, looking at me, every morning. It wasn't my assumption. Nandini, you actually did cast a spell on The Manik Malhotra!!!!!!! Unbelievable.

I let him in, took to my heels and ran into my room the very next moment.

Quickly changed into a jeans and shirt that was hanging to the door knob and finally stepped out, taking a deep breath.

"Hello there" i said walking out.

"So....would you mind explaining, what brought you here?" i asked.

"Sure. Have a seat, this is your house" he said sitting on the couch.

Manik Malhotra sitting on my shabby couch.....dreamy sigh!

He picked up the few pop corn that were on the couch, and put them in the bowl.

"Looks like you love pop corn" he said.

"Yeah" i said. I was feeling so under-confident.

"Is this the way you spend a Sunday?" he asked.

"Yeah" i said the same answer.

"No friends?" he asked.

"Yeah" i said.

"Yaay or nay?" he asked again.

"Nay! No friends" i said.

"Don't worry, i am not here to eat you up" he said with a smile.

A smile worth millions!

"You still haven't told me what brought you here" I asked again.

"Getting there" he said, removing off his jacket. He put it on the couch hand.

"So, Nandini" he said looking straight into my eyes.

Okay! I am twenty three years and half years old, and never did my name sound so soothing and musical.

"Yes" i said with a tinge of blush which probably cannot go unnoticed by him.

"I am here because" he said.

"Because" i asked.

"Because of last night" he said.

Okay! I expected this one at least.

"What about last night?" i asked.

"So you were there at the launch of my new song" he asked.

"I was there, but not for the launch" i said.

"On a date?" he asked.

Damn! He is frank.

"No!" i said pretty clearly.

"Then?" he asked.

Well, it was kinda intimidating. I didn't like the way he was interrogating me but then i need to clear the misunderstanding.

"It was just a dinner" I clarified.

"So that guy, he wasn't your boyfriend" he asked. I chose not to reply.

"Sorry, I think that was too direct" he said.

"He is not my boyfriend" i said.

And i could see him relaxed.

"Is that why you came here?"

"Not exactly. I have been waiting to come here for a while now. It's just that i didn't have enough courage to do that. I wasn't sure about a few things"

"What things?"

"Let's take it slow. Do you have any plans for the day?"

Wow! Manik Malhotra is asking about my day.

"Uhmm..no. I don't do anything on Sundays, i kinda prepare for the week upfront"

"Professional much! Do you wanna go out?.... Uhmmm... With me?" he asked.

How can he be so casual in the first meeting itself.

"I am afraid i cannot. I had a long week and then last night, was super duper long. I couldn't sleep. So i better stick indoors" i said.

Why did i have to tell that i hadn't slept last night. What if he asks the basic question, why?

"Why hadn't you slept?" here you go!

"nothing specific. Some nights are bad nights, and last night was one of them" i said.

"Bad as in?" he asked.

Why going into details?

"I had got nightmares" i lied.

Actually, his fierce looks last night at the mall, not less than a nightmare. How i wish i could say that.

"Do you like pizza?" he asked.

"Yes"

"Should we order pizza? For lunch? See mom is away and i had to anyway order food, so why don't we have it together?" he asked.

"I have a bad stomach. I can't eat pizza" i said, hoping he would change his plans and leave.

"Okay! I have a solution for that. Excuse me" he said and made a call.

"Hello Indu aunty, mein Manik bol raha hoon. Mein ramesh ko aap ke ghar bhej raha hoon, can you make some light food, like khichdi you make when i fall sick?" he asked.

What is he doing?

"Manik" i called him.

He asked me to wait.

"Ji aunty. Half an hour mein aa jayega thankyou" he said and cut the call.

"Manik" i said again.

You don't have to do this" i said.

"Nandini listen, i don't know what you think of me, but i am straight forward person. I don't like keeping things to myself and i wonder how i hid this all this while from you" he started.

"Hid what?" i asked. Is he going to confess already? I am not prepared.

"That i like you" he said.

A four letter word but not the one i expected. Thankgod.

"Manik, relax. Breathe! We just met" i said.

"Really? I don't think so. We have been seeing each other, like literally seeing each other for three months. I know you kinda stalk me, you know everything i do, every place i go. But what you don't know is that even i try to know everything about you. The only difference is that, my life is an open book. You know anyone can try reading it, for I am a celebrity. But Nandini, you can't imagine how difficult it is for me to know about you. It took me 15 days to know your name" he said.

"Manik, you gotta be kidding me" i said.

"Do i look like? Even after three months, all i know is your name is Nandini, you work at Microsoft. You live in Express Towers 205 second floor last house" he said and that made me smile. He tried to know about me.

And all this while i thought this was just a look look game.

"Yeah another thing i know about you, all thanks to SRK is that you speak to your dad every morning standing by the window" he said.

"SRK? SRK who? Don't tell me you got me spied" i was shocked.

"You don't know who SRK is? So he talks only to me? Okay i get it now. Let me introduce him to you" he said getting up and walked toward my room.

"Stop" i said.

"What?" he asked.

"That's my room" i said.

"I know that" he said obviously.

"You can't get in. It's a girl's room, you cant just walk in like that and above all it's messy" i said.

"Okay, no issues" he said coming back.

"Manik, please tell me this isn't some kind of a joke"

"Nandini, what do i do to make you believe in me? Last night, all i was thinking was if you would come to the mall. I don't even know if you listen to my songs, if you like them, if you would want to see me. I was so confused. And then, i saw you in the mall. I couldn't see the guy then though. I was happy you came but then you were gone, like in a wink. I thought i assumed you were there. But then when i saw you with him, outside, i felt bad. I thought may be i should have approached you first, before him" he was speaking and i was getting lost.

Little did i know there were strings attached to our morning eye locks. I am happy as a horse.

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

Manik

I dont know what got into me. I thought of taking it slow, but she is not ready to believe in whatever i say. So i had to do it. All at once.

Her expressions were priceless, she must be feeling nice about it.

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

Nandini

He made me feel very special with every word he uttered.

"Manik he is just a colleague. He was insisting on a dinner, and i had no choice but to agree. When i got to know from those banners that you're going to be there, trust me Manik, i wanted to chuck that dinner and come right to the crowd and stand there to see you. But then i was afraid, what if i get unnoticed like every other girl, to whom you just wave and then forget about after going home" i said.

"You are a fool to think that way" he said hitting on my head.

"Acha tell me something, do you listen to my music?" he asked and just then my phone rang. The ringtone was my answer to his question.

It was the instrumental version of one of his super hit songs. I looked at him and there was a smile on his face. It was dad's call.

"Hold on. It's my father" i said and walked into my room.

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

Manik

This seems to be one the happiest days of my existence. She feels the same about me. And when i asked her if she likes my music, i got the most beautiful answer, instrumental versions of one of my songs is her mobile ringtone.

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

Nandini

"Apppaaa!!!! Naan romba happy dhaaa"

(Dad i am extremely happy)

"Ennachhi kanna? What happened?" he asked

"Appa, you won't believe who just came to my house. Make a guess" i asked.

"You know i am bad at guessing, come on tell me who it is" he asked.

"Appa, Manik. And you know what, he said he likes me. Can you believe it? Appa finally it happened" i am sure dad could understand the happiness in my voice.

Did i tell you guys he knows everything about my super huge crush on Manik? He insisted to go talk to him when he visited me last month, he was ready to talk to his mom as well.

"Really? Kanna this is great news. How did it happen?" dad was equally excited too.

"Appa last night, i went to have dinner with Shivam, you know the guy from my office, he is so creepy appa, and i got to know it in the end. He hugged me, and that moment Manik was there, he saw me, toh i guess jealousy game worked and subah hote hi chalaa aaya asking if Shivam is my boyfriend" i explained the entire ramkatha.

"Shivam? Is it the same guy who offered to drop me at the station when i visited you last time?" dad asked.

"Yes! I need to be careful, so i dont land up in such awkward situations"

"You're right. Aise ladkon se thoda careful rehna padega. Ab toh you have a bodyguard so not to worry" Appa said.

"Bodyguard? Hawww! That's so mean" i complained.

"Acha, can i talk to him? Promise kuch bhi zyaada nai boloonga. Just hello" he asked.

"Nai, and i will call you back before i go to bed, wohh ghar pe hain and it is not good manners, to keep him waiting. Chalo bye now. Love you"

"Love you too Kanna, and yes, one thing. I know you are my daughter and you're responsible. Just be careful, and take things slow. Okay? Call Appa anytime if you need help" he said.

My appa is the best.

"Sure Appa. Bye" i disconnected the call.

"Sorry, so where were we?" i asked.

"So is your stomach still feeling bad or was it an excuse to go out with me?" he asked.

"It's really not an excuse" i said.

"Okay then, let's just go on a drive, pick up food from Indu aunty's place and then get back home. Yaay or nay?" he asked. He sounds like an excited kid. And whenever he says yaay or nay, it's even more cuter.

"Where are you going to take me to?" i asked.

"Get ready in, 20 minutes" he said looking at his watch.

"Wait 20 minutes is too less, i need to wash my hair" i said.

"Okay 10 more, so 30 minutes. On your marks. Get set go!" he said and i really ran into my room. I could hear his laughter from behind.

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

Manik

I decided to drive along the city, show her my favorite spots, talk to her and know her better.

First outing with Nandini. Yayy!

Right on the 31st minute, she was here.

[I felt it kind of a sentiment, so I chose the same outfit for Nandini, the one she wore when she met Manik for the first time in ABTMM, for their first outing in FanGirl :):) ]

"You look...beautiful"

"Thankyou" aaahhh that smile again!

Sometime soon i am going to tell her the effect of that smile on me.

"Shall we?" I asked picking up my jacket and keys.

"Sure" she said and before I walked to the door,

"Hey listen, let me tell you something. I believe I am a strong girl and hence i make my own choices. My dad supports me in whatever I do, coz he trusts me" she said.

I didn't know what to say, i mean I couldn't get the timing of that dialogue.

"I trust you Manik" she said. And that moment, i was sure i found the girl of my life.

"I never said this to someone, except to my dad. For the kind of a status you hold, or for the kind of a person you are to the society, I really never thought you would come to me, like this. And say all the things you just said" she said.

"What do you want me to tell in return? Nandini i don't get what you're trying to say" i asked her, not sure if she was expecting a reply.

"I don't want you to tell anything Manik. It's just that, don't break my trust, please. All this...this is no fun to me. When i told my dad about you, he was happy. Don't ruin this. YOu still have time, if this is something kind of a prank or if you are doing it for a tv show or something, i really won't mind. But please do tell me, if it is" she said. I could sense that feeling of fear, trust and honesty all together in her voice.

"Nandini, I can put my whole existence on stake, to make you believe all this is true. I promise I will never break your trust, nor I will ruin your happiness. You gotta believe me" I replied. I hope she figures out the sincerity in my voice too.

And hope turned true.

Result:

O-U-R ❤️❤️ F-I-R-S-T❤️❤️ H-U-G !!!!

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

@shivu_05....... Bittu I'm gonna pray for you tonight. Get well soon. I hate hearing things like "ronaa aa raha" from you... Louuuuu you and get well soon. This super feel good update is for you.... To let you know that I'm your biggest FanGirl ❤️❤️❤️❤️