As the plane took off, Manik opened his seat belt and bent down to pick up his laptop bag planing to watch some movies that are saved in his laptop to pass the time... Its going to be a long journey after all, while Nandini was busy looking out the window taking in the beautiful, mesmerising scenery around her different shapes of white clouds passing by in the clear blue sky.

Manik takes his laptop out and switch it on displaying a wallpaper on the screen.

"Who are they ?" Nandini asks pointing at the screen, which was showing a beautiful happy picture of Manik along with a group of people who looked like the same age group as him .

"My friends and brother." Manik said with a beautiful smile while looking at all their faces, he was missing them already .

Nandini nods when she noticed Manik with his arms wrapped around the waist of a pretty looking girl, they looked great together.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Nandini asked.

"I think, Was."

"You think! ... Why What happened ? If you don't mind me asking." Nandini said just trying to keep the conversation going and also because she was slightly curious and interested to know more about him maybe...

"I proposed her and asked her to marry me before I left to study MBA... She said no." Manik replied while continuously looking at her and his picture together.

Nandini's eyes saddened seeing Manik, his face was expressionless showing no emotions but his eyes were sad.

"In front of our families, friends and their families." Manik continued to speak as if he was reliving the moment once more.

It was a shocking, heartbreaking, embarrassing moment for him because he never expected Disha to say No to him. They were always together in the past from the moment they met each other in childhood and he thought that they will still always be together in the future too.

"Ouch! " Nandini exclaimed, not knowing what else to say to him at the moment.

"Yup! We dated each other for four years and We knew each other since we were little kids... So practically we Knew each other our whole life. "

"And you thought SHE WAS THE ONE ." Nandini asked.

"Yeah!"

"Well, maybe she'll come around and you guys will get back together again in the future if SHE IS REALLY THE ONE . Or maybe, YOU'LL FIND SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S PERFECT, MADE FOR EACH OTHER AND MEANT ONLY FOR YOU . " Nandini states as she stares deeply at Manik.

Manik slowly nods his head as he kept on staring into Nandini's big, beautiful, expressive eyes... Getting lost in them for few seconds.

The plane suddenly began to shake a little because of a small turbulence and stopped after a minute bringing the two out of their cute eye lock.

"So why are you Going to California?" Manik asked next, to change the topic and remove the spotlight from him.

"Well... " Nandini starts to say as she glance at the air hostess talking to one of the passenger about something, "My parents are very busy people... They're always busy and most of the time I am all alone at home. So a few weeks ago, I told them that I wanted to persue my dream to become an author . They felt bad because they're always busy and can't give proper time to me, so they said yes and is sending me to live with my Chacha chachi who stays there in California so that I don't have to live alone anymore and I ll be safe and protected staying with them and from there I will complete my masters degree and also accomplish my dreams ."

Manik simply nods his head while listening to her .

"My parents love me very much . It's just that their profession requires them to be busy almost 24/7. My mother wanted to quit her job once for me , but I didn't wanted to be the reason behind her quiting the job for which she has worked so hard all her life, giving her sweat and blood to it." Nandini said while thinking about her family, whom she is leaving behind in India.

"So Are you happy with this choice?" Manik asked seeing her little lost.

"It's a mixed feeling actually ... I am feeling both happy and sad at the same time. I'm sad that I'm leaving my family behind even if they are always busy and also my one and only friend, Janvi the girl I mentioned to you before. We were friends since first grade, so I will miss her and our time together very much . But on the other hand I am happy and excited too to start a new chapter of my life in America. I can meet new people, explore new things, places, different cultures and everything...and also will be meeting my Chacha chachi after a very long time, they're a very sweet, jolly, funny, loving people, they don't have any children of their own so they consider, loves, pamper and cares about me as their own daughter only... So yaaa my emotions are all jumbled up together right now. " Nandini said while smiling cutely at Manik, who smiled charmingly back at her.

After that they both got busy in their own world.

Nandini took out her her iPod and earphones and started listening to music while reading a fashion magazine kept there in the plane.

And Manik got busy in watching one of his favourite action movie.

While both Manik and Nandini at the same time thinks in their minds that, 'Maybe sitting next to her/him won't be so bad after all... '

Few hours later...

Nandini opens her eyes when Manik taps her shoulder.

"Huh?"

Manik points at the flight attendant standing next to them.

Nandini takes out one of the earphone as Manik turns his attention to the woman.

"Hello sir and mam... Would you two like anything to eat?" the air hostess asks as she hands them a menu.

Nandini opens and shows it to Manik .

"I'll take the non-veg meal and a glass of wine," Manik ordered, the girl nods before looking at Nandini to write down her order .

"Can I get a veg cheese sandwich and some fries along with it and a diet coke... " Nandini says as she looks over the small menu and continues, " Oh and also some chocolate cookies without any nuts."

After that she hands the menu back to the air hostess who takes it, before walking away.

"You sure do eat a lot compared to your size and figure. " Manik teases her, making Nandini glare at him before shrugging her shoulders .

"I am not one of those girls who starve themselves to maintain their figures. I LOVEEE my Food." Nandini said and then looked out of the window admiring the full moon glowing beautifully in the night sky.

"Ahhh! I see, we are at least alike in this category, I also LOVEEE my food. " Manik said with his infamous smirk on his handsome face, listening to which Nandini began to giggle and smirked back at him, before she started playing games on her mobile phone while waiting for their dinner.

That night

The other passenger were already asleep. The only people who were still up were the pilot, a couple of flight attendants, Nandini and Manik who just now completed watching a comedy movie in Manik's laptop.

"okay it pretty late now, so Good night Manik." Nandini said and wished him as she draws the cover up her body till her shoulders , provided by the plane and leaned her seat back so that she can sleep comfortably.

"Night." Manik wished back

Nandini smiled her beautiful smile at him, before closing her eyes and getting lost in her la la land.

Manik closes the movie and before shutting down the laptop he once again looks at the picture of Disha and him with the others kept as a wallpaper.

When Nandini's words started repeating inside his head...

'Maybe she'll come around and you guys will get back together again in the future if she is really the one. Or maybe, you'll find someone else who's perfect and meant only for you.'

Manik sighs and mumbles to himself, "Let's see what the future holds for me..." as he changed the wallpaper into a random picture before shutting down the laptop and putting it inside the bag.

Manik turned to his left and looked at Nandini's cute, adorable sleeping face one more time before drifting off to sleep.

The Next Day...

Manik slowly starts to open his eyes when he hears a soft, melodious voice talking close to his ear.

"He has such soft hair . I want to run my fingers through them and play with them too." the voice whispered as the person's hand touched his hair lightly.

Manik opens his eyes fully, to see Nandini bent over him while playing with his hair like a little kid with a pouty face making her look so adorable like a doll.

"Ahemm... "Manik cleared his throat to gain her attention and make her look at him.

"Oh sorry! " Nandini said and bit her lower lip cutely as if being getting caught after doing some mischief and immediately pulls her tiny hands away from his hair and sits back in her seat nicely.

"Sorry. It was-I was, your hair it's thick and soft... really beautiful and pretty," Nandini blurted out in little nervousness as she looks at Manik who raises an eyebrow up at her.

He sits up properly while Nandini looks away from him and busies herself in reading a magazine, while trying to hide her blushing face away from Manik with her long hair, 'Seriously Nandini Murthy... Pretty and beautiful, who calls a guy pretty and beautiful...'

"It's okay. You have soft hands. " Manik says next before inwardly shuddering, 'Really You have soft hands. couldn't you think of anything else to say Manik Malhotra.'

Manik then looks down at Nandini who has a small smile on her face and trying to hide her pink rosy blush from him.

'This girl is weird but cute and interesting , and maybe I like it. ' Manik thinks with a smirk.

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to California... We'll be landing shortly, please fasten all your seat belts properly. "

"Wooo!"

Manik shakes his head as some of the passengers look at a clapping Nandini sitting beside him .

"You're embarrassing sometimes... You know. " he says as he rubs his forehead.

Nandini giggles and ignores his comment, as the flight landed and she watched the people stand up and get off the plane.

She turns to face Manik with a smile on her face, "It was nice meeting you, Manik. " she said as she holds out her hand. Manik shakes it while giving her a wide smile.

"It was nice meeting you too, shorty."

"lamp post."

"childish kid."

"boring old man."

"Irritating, uncute potato."

"Arrogant, rude jackass."

"Excuse me mam sir, but it's time to get off the plane. " a young flight attendant states softly.

"Oh! Sorry for the trouble. " Nandini says as her and Manik finally stands up and gather their belongings.

Manik turns around and starts walking towards the door when Nandini calls his name.

"What?" Manik asked with a raised eyebrow as he turns around and looks at her.

Nandini walks towards him and slams something into his chest.

"Here's my number. You can call me if you want to talk or roam around the city and hang out."

Manik looks down at her, before placing a hand over hers and said , "Thanks. But I probably won't."

"Fine with me if you don't ."

"Good."

"Great."

"Fantastic."

"Fabulous."

"Amazing."

"Extraordinary."

"Awesome."

Nandini smirks before slowly dragging her tiny hand down his chest and bringing it back to her side.

"Bye. " Nandini says with a giggle and a wink and walks out of the plane.

While Manik watches her go before looking down at the piece of paper.

"Tch... Maybe I might just give her a call."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Precap: leap of some years...

How was today's chapter... Few words for it... For Manik and Nandini?

Bye and stay safe,

Love you all,

Ria ❤️