(A/N: Guys! 21 July today. What could be a better occasion? 2 years of KYY and for those who actually know me, they know what day it is for me today 🙈 So for a treat, here you go with this Five-Shot. It's gonna be beautiful I guess. Let's see what the response will be. Loads of love. Thanks for all your wishes girls. Means the world to me. This is the best birthday of my life. Thank you #PagalFamily, #T23, and my Fabulous F4 for making this day amazing. So here's the treat. This story will be completely based on Manik's POV. Hope you enjoy. And yeah, I need a cover for this story so if anyone can, please do. You can send it to my Twitter handle: thelovesickteen and I will surely give credits. Vote, comment and share if you can. Thanks. With love, Sahana.)

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It was autumn break. That meant a whole week and a half of holidays and how could it be that her friends wouldn't use it to their advantage.

"Nandini, hurry, it's getting late." Her best friend Navya screamed as she waited impatiently. It was a little beyond seven in the evening and their train was going to arrive at 9:30 sharp. She trembled as she looked at herself in the mirror for the last time before leaving. After all, it was the first time she was going to see a place beyond her Mumbai colony and she was a little frightened. Her friends had all planned for a trip to Kodaikanal for an expedition and she was just tagged along though they knew she was afraid of such things.

She was dressed in a beautiful white and blue kurti and dark blue leggings. Her hair was loosely parted to the side, and her layers brushed my unrevealing shoulders. She wore a few blue bangles on one hand and ran her fingers along my charm.

"I'm doing this after almost forever. You know na?" She whispered and Navya began shouting again. She grabbed her blue tote and pulled her suitcase and left their room. She headed towards the main dorm door, locked it, handed the keys over to their warden and ran behind the voice that was calling her.

"Nandini, how long?" Navya barked and she apologised with her eyes, that said so much more than she could've ever said. She looked to her side to find someone unexpected. "Umm... Hey Nandini." He waved with a cute smile and she smiled back.

"Nandini, he's Madhyam. He's joining us for the expedition but I heard he's a little lonely." Navya frowned and she nodded empathetically. They might've not known each other before but she was a pure girl at heart and never tried to let any harm affect someone because of her.

"Oh, that's alright. We're here. I'm Nandini Murthy, B.Sc Biology first year." She raised her hand forward for a formal handshake. "Madhyam Singhania, B. Arch second year. So out for the autumn break?" He asked as they walked towards the entrance gate. Navya was all the more quiet for God knew what reason and that made her accountable to his answers.

"Yeah, pretty much. I won't be there the entire vacation. Have a few projects and assignments lined up. I'll be returning in a week. My friends will be staying until the end of the break." She spoke as they walked on the cobblestone slabs that paved way for the footpath.

"Ahh, that's nice. So how's college in general? Hostel and all, don't you miss family?" He asked and Navya gaped at her. She looked at her charm, that held some special belief for her and smiled to herself.

"I don't miss them because they're always there with me, in everything I do." She said to herself and Madhyam felt a little sorry. They reached the gate and her girlfriends were over excited. They immediately clasped her in their arms and she smiled meekly.

"Nanduuu, can you believe it? Our dean actually let us go! Our very first trip." They were a group of three girls, Navya, Aisha, and Nandini. She introduced Madhyam to them and Aisha introduced Madhyam to her boyfriend, Rehan. They all boarded the little van and headed towards the station. The little ride turned into an icebreaker and hence, everyone got along well. They reached the station and hustled around to find the train. It was only after 20 minutes of searching that they found the right train and searched for their compartment.

"Yep, A/C coach 3. This is the one." She pointed as they ran into the compartment. It was a hell of a hassle finding the platform and seat and she really found it overwhelming in the literal sense. They all occupied the line of berths and sat exhausted. They had some dinner and were munching on snacks, chit-chatting and gossiping about teachers.

After about 45 minutes, I reached the station. My friends and I had saved money our entire semester for that vacation. After a lot of consolation and disapproval, our parents let us go. We were literally running like mad dogs to get to the platform. As soon as we found it, we found the train hooting and slowly leaving.

I shouted a goodbye to my friends and the other three of us ran to pick up with the train. Cabir and I were going on the expedition and my gang was stuck up with their placement tests and sadly, had to work their asses off the vacation. I jumped into the running train, into some random coach and shouted.

"Bro, don't worry. Even if you fail, you'll have Prerana always. Main call karke bol deta hun tujhe akela mat choddne ko." Rahul took his shoe in his hand and threw it across to hit me. I dodged and laughed at him.

"Saale. Vapas aa tu, phir dekhna Alya ke saamne kya karunga." He shouted and the platform was coming to an end. Cabir and I jumped off the train, hugged our friends, bid them a final goodbye and jumped back. We cursed each other with bad Hindi words. We waved until we could no longer see them.

"Chal, ab seats dekhte hai." I frowned at Cabir and picked the ticket. That jerk had to book the tickets in the last minute out of all times.

"A/C coach 3. Dhoond ab." I nudged him and he fake-cried as we searched for our seats. "Seat number 11, 12, 13. Yaay!" I cheered to myself and searched. 7... 8... 10... 11... "Yes, this seat." I pointed and just then, a woman blocked me as she tossed a little bag over the side berth. I was instantly charmed. Her beauty flattered me. I was instantly frozen. The whole world suddenly, seemed still.

She was about two-thirds my height. Not to boast, but yeah, I was 6"2. Her hair flew beautifully as the slightly humid Mumbai breeze flew on her face, along with a few drops of rain. It was drizzling. She instantly grit her teeth and hissed, shutting her eyes closed and it all seemed like time was frozen for eternity. Her slightest gestures brought a gleam to my face. I didn't know I was gaping at her until her eyes met mine.

"Excuse me Madam, this is our seat." Cabir intervened and I broke eye-contact. The other two girls looked at each other and frowned. "What the hell was that, Manik?" Cabir grit his teeth as he spoke in an inaudible tone, just to me. I didn't know what to say. What was that feeling like?

"Umm... We're here together. Could we please take these seats? Please?" One of her friends, who I suppose was Aisha, pleaded. My eyes were glancing at that girl, who was the first girl I'd looked at for so long, without even realizing.

"What? Even we're here together. We cannot move. Sorry." Cabir always got furious in such situations and it pained me that he was acting so immature being 20.

"Please. Nandini, bolo na?" That girl nudged her. Nandini. What a name! What a girl! Nandini turned to us and my eyes found her eyes.

"Can we please have these seats? We have 1 of ours booked in 23. If you can..." She had a sweet voice and it was such that Cabir itself calmed down a little. She looked at me with hope and I nervously smiled.

"Uhh... Ye-yeah... Of course... Umm... We can..." I looked at Cabir and he cringed in disapproval.

"What? We're ruining our expedition already, and it hasn't even begun." He whined and I grit my teeth. Sometimes he had to be so difficult.

"Hum bhi ussi expedition pe jaa rahe hai. Perhaps it would be of great help if you could adjust now." Her other friend Navya popped in bur Cabir didn't seem convinced.

"Sirf ek raat ki baat hai, bro." I hit him on his back playfully but he didn't seem to find it funny.

"I can't go there." He complained and nagged again and I frowned. Couldn't he do that much for my girl? Oh wait, 'my'? She wasn't mine then but yeah, I get it.

"Cabir, please bro." I nudged him to listen and he sighed pathetically. He left and Nandini thanked me. Cabir and I sat on seat 11 and 12 temporarily and I just couldn't keep still. Cabir sensed my restlessness and pulled me closer.

"Manik, ho kya raha hai tumhe? Ek ladki ne keh diya aur tumne maan li? And what was that eye-lock there? You never look at any girl in the eyes. You always look at her..." I stamped his foot to shut him up before he could complete the sentence and he groaned. I didn't wanna listen to any of his vulgar comments, especially with such a beautiful girl around.

"So you all are from the same institution?" I asked as I tried to avoid looking at her only.

"Uhh... Yeah actually, all of us are from St. Xavier's, Mumbai."

"Oh... Well, we're from MU. University of Mumbai. Besides, I'm Manik Malhotra, second year B. Arch student." I introduced myself and smiled, trying to see if my manners impressed a 'special someone'.

"Ahh... Even Madhyam is B. Arch. second year. I'm Aisha, B. Com first year. He's my boyfriend, Rehan."

"Cabir Dhawan. B.A. second year."

"Nandini Murthy, B.Sc Biology first year." Nandini Murthy. It was stupid yet fascinating that in a matter of seconds, I was finding every minute thing about her, amazing.

"Oh so you guys are here for vacation."

"Yeah, actually Nandu never left the city. So we're all here to show her some beautiful places in the country." One of her friends said and I couldn't care more. I stole a look from her and saw her looking at her hand.

"Nice to know." We had our dinner quietly while the St. Xavier's students were having a nice time with themselves.

"Nandu, aa jao. We're going to play Truth or Dare." Navya called and she politely rejected but then everyone compelled her and so she joined the game.

"Madhyam, Aisha." So Madhyam had to dare Aisha to do something.

"Dare." She smirked at us but Nandini didn't seem like she understood.

"Confess something, something you've dreamt of but never could do, yet." He asked perhaps being innocent and I knew something was cooking in her head. She smiled cheekily at her boyfriend and said the word.

"Oral." Everyone made ridiculous faces and started laughing and the two of them began giggling. Nandini looked a little clueless. Was she seriously that innocent?

"What? Seriously? Man, you guys are dating for heaven's sake." I chuckled as i coughed violently, choking on my food.

"Oral? What oral?" She looked at me and then at the others for a clue. The others, including Cabir laughed and she frowned.

"Nandini, tum rehne hi do." Rehan showed his palm to her, signaling her that it was beyond her level. She frowned and climbed to her bed.

"Acchha acchha Nandu... Come I'll tell you." Navya tried to trick her into playing or rather, I'd like to think she was a nice friend and didn't wanna let Nandini feel excluded.

"Nahi jaanna hai mujhe. Jao tum. Khelo." She frowned and pulled the bedsheet over her head. A small smile played along my lips as I admired her.

"Nandu..." She called again but looks like the girl of my choice was stubborn as hell.

"Good night." She turned her little lamp off and I felt a little sad for her. While the others continued playing, I was more into talking to her. I wanted to make a good impression in front of her. I wanted to be the one she needed. I was in love. Love at first sight.

I casually asked her friends some things about her and I learned that she'd faced a lot of issues from childhood. Somewhere, I felt myself falling deeper for her. I made a few excuses and went to my upper berth. I lied down, on my blanket that Mom sent along with me so that I wouldn't miss her, and watched her.

She turned to the side, the side I could see and snuggled into her sheets. Her lips were parted and I was tempted but again, she was so beautiful, I couldn't even think of touching her because it could hurt.

I watched her as she slept in peace. For a moment, she opened her eyes and made eye contact with me, and immediately afterward, turned to the side. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting sleep consume me. From then, I knew my life changed. Those 7 days with her felt beautiful.

I spent 7 beautiful days with her. 168 beautiful hours. It felt like a love song.

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(So this is the start. One down. 4 more to go. I will continue if you guys like the story. Thanks a ton to everyone again. Bro, if you're reading this, you know I'm referring to you and yes, now I am back. This is for you. Thanks a lot for everything. Happy KYY 2nd Anniversary. Guys, please do let me know how you like it. Thanks. Love, Sahana.)