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"You and I, it's as though we have been taught to kiss in heaven and sent down to earth together, to see if we know what we were taught."

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Flashback

I went to the washroom after the dance and then afterwards when I was coming towards you all, I got a call from an unknown number. I thought it must be an emergency call so I received it, but the music was so loud that I went on terrace to talk. When I answered the call, I came to know it was just a spam call. Just then I felt that someone was hiding there behind the wall.

Nandini- Who is it?

I was getting scared, my voice was breaking but still I tried to not get weak.

Nandini- Whoever is there behind that wall come out! Look it's not funny at all.

And then I saw that person whom I never wanted to see in my life! I was scared to death.

Person- Hello beautiful lady!

Nandini- *trying to be strong* Wh..what are you doing here? Party toh niche chal rahi hai.

Person- *smirking* Arre darling, jab yaha itni sundar ladki akele hai, toh harshad kahi aur kyun jaye!
(So most of you were right, it was Harshad)

He looked at Nandini with lustful eyes and slowly walked towards her. Nandini was feeling disguisted and was going back step by step.

While walking back Nandini's back touched the wall and seeing that Harshad caged her between him. He tried to kiss her but Nandini was trying her best to resist. Still she was too weak in front of this Bulldozer.

Finally Harshad had enough and clutched Nandini's hand behind her and started kissing her shoulder and neck. Her was giving her kisses trailing from her shoulder to arm.

Nandini gave up. She thought it's the end of her! she thought that today Harshad will destroy her soul. But maybe god had some other plans, he wanted Nandini's soul to belng to someone else.

Just when Harshad was about to claim her lips they heard a sound.
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Listening to the sound Nandini found a ray of hope and Harshad got scared, so he went to check.
(how many of you seriously thought that it was Manik?)

Meanwhile taking it as a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Nandini hid behind a drum kept over there. After some time, on not finding the source of the sound Harshad came to the terrace with a stupid smirk on his face.

But all his intentins went into a big GUTTER on not finding Nandini there. So not wasting much of the time over there, in the fear of getting caught he went down and decided to complete his dirty motive next time.

But little did he know that later there will be someone who will never let him succeed. Seeing Harshad going back Nandini breathed out a sigh of relief.

But the next second she started crying hysterically thinking of what could have happened if they did not hear the sound.

She started rubbing her neck, shoulder and arms vigoursly which resulted in them getting red.

Down in the party Manik was feeling restless so he thought of checking on Nandini once. In the process of finding her, he went towards the terrace.

As he reached the terrace he heard some faint sounds and when he searched for the source of that sound his eyes landed on a drum which was shaking lightly. At first some weird thoughts came into his mind but then chucking it he thought to to check.

With slow steps he started moving towards the drum and when he reached near the drum, his breathe stopped. The sight in front of him was enough to shake the floor beneath him.

Listening to the sound of footsteps approaching towards her, Nandini again got scared and started shaking more in fear but as soon as she saw Manik, something got into her and without thinking anything she hugged Manik tightly.

It took some time for Manik to process what was happening but nevertheless he too hugged her. Nandini was crying in his embrace clinging more and more to him.

Manik thought of breaking the hug and calm nandini down. When he touched her arms to separate her, she hissed.

Nandini- Ssss!

Listening to her voice Manik got attentive and looked towards her hand. He found them blood red in colour.

Manik - *panicking* Nandini what happen? This, yeh kaise hua? Bolo mujhe! I won't leave that person alive jisne bhi yeh kiya hai.

Seeing Nandini lost somewhere and not responding, he picked her up in his arms and took her to the nearest room from the the terrace. Reaching the room he made her sit on the bed.

Not even for once Nandini felt scared infact she was feeling very safe with Manik but this weird feeling were unknown to her. Manik came with an ointment and applied it on her hands, neck and shoulder. Once he finished applying the ointment he looked up to see the most beautiful scene.

Nandini was sleeping cutely but there were frowns on her face and her face was looking tired because of continuous crying. Manik removed the frowns from her forehead and decided to wait till Nandini wakes up on her own.

"No leave me! Go away!  I will kill you!
Please leave me, I beg of you!
NOOO!"

She woke up with a jerk all sweating and shivering. Seeing her like this Manik who was sitting on the couch and checking some mails immediately came beside her and hugged her tightly.

Manik- Shhh Nandu, take it easy! See I am here only with you. Calm down! I am here. No one will harm you, don't worry!

In all this both of them didn't realise how close they were and that Manik was calling her Nandu! After getting calmed down a bit, Nandini said like a whisper but it was audible enough for Manik to hear.

Nandini- *blankly* Mujhe ghar jaana hai!

Though he did not wanted to let her go but he had to.

Manik- You can go but pehle go and freshen up, ok?

Nandini nodded slightly and went to freshen up. Later both Manik and Nandini came down and when they were asked about their whereabouts, Manik replied that they were on the terrace.

Most of the guests had already left and only the Murthy family was left. Looking at Nandini's dull face and red hands, Abhimanyu panicked and asked

Abhimanyu- Nandu, what happen bacha? Why are your hands so red? And why do you look so dull?

Manik was about to tell them everthing but Nandini elbowed him and stopped him from saying.

Nandini- Vo...vo..voh ha! I was coming down from the terrace when my hand got rubbed with the wall, So...

(I know you readers must be thinking that how can the reason be so lame. But please bear with it)

Though Abhimanyu was not convinced but he thought to ask Nandini later when they would be alone. Finally after bidding bye to the Malhotra's, the Murthy's were leaving when Manik and Nandini had an eyelock which was broken by Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu - Chale Nandu?

Nandini nodded.

Manik- Bye Abhimanyu , Navya and Nandini.

Abhimanyu and Navya- *smilingly* Bye Manik!

Manik- *in Nandini's ear like a whisper* Bye, take care!

(FAB3 had already left to their respective home and cabir went to his room for some urgent work)

As soon as the Murthy's reached home, Nandini went into her room after telling everyone that she is tired. So Abhimanyu thought of talking to her in the morning.

Next morning Nandini left early for the hospital by giving a reason of important work to avoid questions from Abhimanyu as she knows that Abhimanyu has already noticed some change in her behavior. She was not in a right frame of mind to answer anything to anyone at that time.

Flashback End.

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How was it?

Manik and Nandini and their moments?

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With love,
Radhika😘😘