I want u to be there... For a little more than always!!
Part 18:
Manik: Nandini.. If u remember u hv to make something for Dadi right? Coz i m in no mood to leave u before u say my name and moreover, I feel too comfortable with u sitting like this!😉

Nandini looked at him wide eyed on hearing this, she couldn't believe he was actually blackmailing her for this. But she knew she'll hv to give in to his wrds,

Nandini: Manik!!

Manik smiled listening to it, with that he again jerked her forward, more closer towards him. Nandini who was already just inches away from him, now has her entire body pressed with him.

Both of them were lost in the moment when suddenly manik's phone started ringing,
Manik immediately loosened his grip on her while nandini looked around. She tried to get off him at which manik stopped her and then picked her up and moved her back to the bed.
He checked his phone and saw cabir calling,

Manik: I'll be back!!

He got up and got out of room.
Manik: I need to get a grip over myself... Or this is not gonna lead us anywhere!!!

Nandini sighed a relief as he walked out and said to herself,
Nandini: Ayiappa.... I have to stop this now... I hv to!!

She picked up the things needed and got back to work. While manik moved out and picked up the call,

Manik: Hello..

Cabir: Manik... What took u so long to pick up?

Manik: Cabir it's 12:30 ...

Cabir: Arey i needed to talk to u...

Manik: About??

Cabir: Woah... Actually!! I needed to tell u something.... I think i like someone... I don't know it's just that i just can't get her out of my head.

Manik: woah!! Who is she??

Cabir: She... U know her actually!!

Manik: I do?? Who is she??

Cabir: Yes u do.... But i won't tell u on the phone.... I'll tell u tmrw!! After the party...

Manik: Ok... Sure!!!

Cabir: Chal bye... See u tmrw!!

Manik: Yeah cool.... Bye!!
With this they disconnected the call and manik thought, "Wow... Cabira is in love.... That's nyc!!"

He moved back to nandini's room and totally forgot what just happened in that room a few minutes back. He opened the door and found nandini doing something with some sheets.

Manik: No way.... Nandini are u serious??

Nandini: What??

Manik: Tell me u r not thinking of making a card for Dadi.... Seriously!! What are we like 5 years old??

Nandini: First of all... I didn't know u need to be a child to make a card. And secondly, i can guarantee u that Dadi will love it more than any of ur precious expensive gifts. It will be amazing for her.

Manik: But!!

Nandini: Plz sir.... Do u trust me?

Manik immediately looked up at her and nodded,
Nandini: Gud... Then that means I m making this photo collage card for Dadi... And u too r helping me....

Manik simply smiled at her and sat in front of her. Both of them started making the card together. After a lot of cute arguments, fights, teasing sessions and masti they finally finished it. And not to forget the Cherry on the cake, Manik's constant flirting and nandini's FAILED attempts to hide her blush.

Nandini picked up the card and give it a final look for anything missing and then said,
Nandini: perfect!! I m sure she is gonna love it!!

Manik smiled at her and then said,
Manik: Now for the hundredth time, Nandini plz take rest... I m already not liking that tmrw u r going to attend this party as I know it will mean more exertion for ur leg... But i can't do anything for that!!! So now plz don't test my patience and sleep it's already 3 am.

Nandini: Ok fine!! As u say....

Manik: Finally.!!

Manik got up from the bed and Nandini collected all the stuff together.
Manik: Leave it... Give me!! I'll keep it all here on the chair u can get it sorted by the servants time tmrw....

And the bed got clear... Manik took up a glass of water and gave it to her as he himself went out to the balcony to close the door. Nandini smiled at him and drank it, after which she lied down.

Manik turned around back towards her and thought that she had already fallen asleep. He moved closer towards her and covered her up with the blanket , he was about to walk away when he was stopped her her hand. He turned around and saw her looking up at him and holding his hand.

Nandini: Thank u sir.... Thank u for being there!! Thank u for caring!! U don't show it but i know that u care... And it means a lot to me... Thank u for everything that u hv ever done for me...

Manik: U don't need to thank me nandini... U deserve it all!! Go to sleep....

Nandini kept on looking at him with a smile on her face, as if trying to memorize his face completely... After a long time she left his hand and closed her eyes. Manik turned around and walked out. He closed the door if the room slowly but only after getting a look of her angelic face once again.
.....
The next day, the entire Malhotra mansion was silent. Not even one voice was heard, while the scenario at the back yard was totally different. All the servants and workers were running around to finish off the final preparations for the party. Nandini was sitting in the middle of the back yard on her wheel chair, commanding everyone for one thing or the other, when Manik walked out over there.

Manik: Nandini...

Nandini didn't even turn towards him and said,
Nandini: Sir it's almost done... Don't worry i m sure the final things will also be done in 5-10 mins, and the guests also might start coming in any minute now.

Manik smiled at her dedication and held her chair, turning her towards him,
Manik: Nandini.... The guests might start coming right!! Doesn't that mean that u should go get ready. Or u wanna attend the party wearing this.

Manik said looking at her dress, nandini realised that she was wearing a simple cartoon crop top with a pair of old jean shorts.
Nandini: I totally forgot... I should go get ready.

Manik nodded at her and hit her head playfully.
Manik: Take work out of this head and u'll get urself.

Nandini heard him made an angry pout.

Nandini's pov:
I was busy in checking the final arrangments when suddenly he came and moved my chair to face him, i was about to shout at him for disturbing me in my work when i got the glimpse of him, which was more than enough to make my heart skip a beat. I was so engrossed in making myself normal when i heard him asking me to get ready and all i could do to hide my real expression was to give him an angry glare.
Pov ends.

Manik's pov:
Ohh god that pout, that too with that cute angry look on her face. What not would i do at that moment just to kiss that pout of hers??
What??
What did i just say??
Kiss....
No!! Manik get a grip of urself....
Pov ends.

Soon Nandini moved back to her room while Manik too went inside after seeing all the work done. He asked Simi to check on Dadi and called Fab5 to ask when were they reaching. About half an hour later a servant went to him and said,
"Sir... Almost all the guests hv arrived!!"

Manik: Good... I m coming!! And I'll bring dadi out sometime later.

The servant nodded and was about to leave when Manik asked,
Manik: Wait... Where is Nandini??

Servant: Sir... Nandini Ma'am is still in her room. She said that she'll move out in two minutes...

Manik: Ok u leave!!

With this Manik walked down towards nandini's room and entered after knocking the door. But what he saw inside made his jaw drop. Nandini was sitting in front of the dressing table, with her bare Milky white back facing him. He met her gaze in the mirror and was mesmerized by her smoky eyes looking at him.

Nandini felt his intense gaze on her and unknowingly a blush crept on her cheeks making her look even more beautiful than she was already looking.

She looked down fighting the urge to look straight into his eyes, while Manik finally noticed her entirely. She was wearing an amazing baby pink colour lehenga, paired up with a velvet royal blue backless blouse, tied up on the back with a few strings and a baby pink dupatta around her neck. Her long silky hair moved together to the left side of her neck and left open on her front. Her silver, blue stone earings completed the look completely.

Manik took his own sweet time in taking in her look completely when he realised that they had a party to attend and host.
Manik: Umn... Ready??

Nandini: Yes sir!!

Manik: Let's move outside... Almost all the guests are here!!

Nandini simply nodded at him and turned around to move to her wheel chair. Manik noticed it and immediately moved ahead to help. He made her sit on the chair comfortably but the moment his fingers touched her bare back he heard a gasp escape out of her mouth.

Manik moved behind her and held her wheel chair to help her move out and for the first time ever he was thankful for this wheel chair as it was successfully hiding her back. He sighed a relief seeing that for two reasons, one as that would help him control himself and the second as he didn't want anyone else looking at her.

With this both of them moved outside the house to the back yard where all the guests were waiting for them eagerly. As the servant opened the door for them, all the guests turned towards them to see both of them together as Manik pushed her chair.

Everyone smiled at them while someone standing at one end of the garden whispered,
" I m telling u... I really hv a strong feeling about these two!!"

While Nandini immediately got busy in greeting all of Dadi's friends personally, Manik scanned the garden and finally spotted fab 5. He smiled at them and started moving forward.

Cabir: Chill Mukti... I don't know about Nandini, but i guarantee u that if Manik has got even a bit of feelings for Nandini then i m gonna make him accept those feelings before the end of this day....

Mukti: How??

Cabir: For a guy....No emotion works better than jealousy!!

Mukti turned
Mukti turned towards him with an evil smile as they both high fived each other.