At 9pm-

Abhimanyu called nandini..

Nandini picked up the call as she entered in her house..

Nandini: hello?

Abhimanyu: haan nandu where are you?

Nandini: mein baas abhi ghar ayi..

Abhimanyu: acha sun hum saab yaha dhruv ke ghar mein hain..watching a movie tu aa ja..

Nandini: abhii? Noo i cant..you guys enjoy

Aryaman from beside shouts: nandini you are comingg!

Abhimanyu: haan please come..you never come..

Nandini: please abhi..

Abhimanyu: noo! 

Nandini: acha kon kon ho waha? 

Abhimanyu: me,mukti,alya,dhruv,aryaman and cabir..

Nandini: aur koi nehi hain na?

Abhimanyu confused: aur kon hoga?

Nandini: nehi koi nehi..acha i will come

Abhimanyu: okay aryaman will go to pick you up

Nandini: okay..

Abhimanyu cut the call..

Abhimanyu: she sounds distracted

Mukti: guys do u think there is something going on between manik and nandini?

Cabir: manik and nandini?

Mukti: haan they both seem weird around each other..i dont know just felt

Alya: could be...waise navya and bhai..abhi and aryaman you guys should save your friend before its too late! Bhai is not the right person..

Aryaman: navyaa! Godd she doesnt listen..

Mukti: samjhao samjhao...

Manik came in just then whistling

Manik: oh hello everyonee

Aryaman: hi bro..

Mukti: manik tu jake nandini ko pick karke le ayega please?

Manik: mee? Nandini? No way

Mukti: please manik! Please

Manik's pov: actually i could just talk to her..

Manik: umm..thik hain..

Cabir looked at manik all surprised..

Manik: coming..

Manik left..

Scene shifts to nandini's house-

Nandini took a shower and then came out wearing a red tops and a black cardigan above with black jeans..

Nandini stood infront of the mirror wiping her hair with a towel..

Nandini: thankgod manik waha nehi hain..jaldi se jake i will come back..

Nandini went infront of her table and poured water from a bottle in a glass..

Suddenly the fireflies started glowing..nandini looked surprised at the jar of fireflies..

Nandini: aab tum sab kyu glow karrahe ho?

The door of her room opened and someone called out nandini's name..it did not take her time to realiZe that it was manik's voice..nandini turned around and looked at him with her eyes widened..

Nandini: tu..tu..tum yaha..

Manik: bhoot dekh liya kya?

Nandini spoke softly: kuch kam nehi ho..

Manik: what?

Nandini: no no..nothing..tum yaha?

Manik moved forward towards her and nandini's heartbeat started increasing..she leaned back to the table and manik came very close and stood..

Manik: i missed seeing your face so much..toh dekhne chale aya..

Nandini shocked: whatt?

Manik smirked: to pick you up..chalo..

Nandini: ohh..

Nandini was still breathing heavily..

Nandini: upar kaise...

Manik: rishabh ne kaha..

Nandini: hmm..

Nandini moved aside and took her bag and phone..

Manik moved towards the gate..

Nandini looked at the jar of fireflies still glowing..

Nandini: what? Abhi bhi glowing..stop glowing..not manik..

Manik turned around and looked at her

Manik: pagal ho kya?

Nandini: nehi..sorry..woh chalo..

They both went down..

Nandini: chachi mein ja rahi hoon..

Chachi: thik hain beta..jaldi aa jana..

Nandini: okay chachi..

Manik: bye chachi..

Nandini looked at manik surprised.. They both came out..

Manik: kya?

Nandini: how were you so nice?

Manik: matlab?

Nandini: you said bye chachi! Wow not so monster manik haan?

Manik held her arm and pulled her closer

Manik: you want to see monster manik?

Nandini stammering : no no..

Manik moved to his seat and nandini sat beside.. He started driving the car..

Nandini's hands were sweating and she was looking outside..

Manik looked at her all nervous..he gave a sigh and then broke the silence..

Manik: woh..

Nandini looked at him: woh?

Manik: aaj ka lift incident...

Nandini's pov: aiyappa please no..

Just then her phone started ringing and nandini gave a small jump..

Nandini: sorry woh..

Nandini took the call..

Navya: nandu kaha ho?

Nandini: kya hua navya? You seemed worried?

Navya: mujhe tumse baat karni hain..its very important..abhi mein nehi mil sakti hoon kal college jaldi ana..

Nandini: haan thik hain lekin kya baat hain navya?

Navya: iss harshadji ka game khatam! Aab humara game shuru..

Nandini: what?

Navya: mein rakhti hoon..bye

Navya cut the call..nandini looked so confused and manik could see that..

Manik: kya hua?

Nandini: tumhe kyu batau?

Manik: goddd..cant you talk properly with me?

Nandini: i dont think so..

Manik stopped the car instantly..

Nandini: manikk kya problem hain?

Manik sat there looking outside..his face clearly reflected that he was pissed

Nandini: manik mein tumse kuch puch rahi hoon..gari kyu roka?

Manik: my car..my wish..

Nandini: tum akele nehi ho tumhare car mein..meim bhi hoon na..

Manik: tum toh mujhe hate karti ho..mein tumhari baat kyu suno?

Nandini: hate? I dont hate you..

Manik: toh kya karti ho?

Nandini opened her mouth to say something but then she stopped.. She looked at manik with no expression on her face..

Manik: good question haan?

Nandini: haan..

Manik smirked: thanks..

Nandini: matlab no..why should i tell you?

Manik: rightt...

Manik kept smiling..

Nandini: dont smile

Manik: cool..

Nandini: manik gari chalao..

Manik: nandini madam! Do u know what you sound like right now?

Nandini: kya?

Manik: you sound like a completely irritating girlfriend who is ordering her boyfriend..

Nandini loud: whatt?

Manik: yess...change your attitude please

Nandini: oh hello! I dont have attitude problem you do! Kabhi khudko dekha hain? I am manik malhotra..mein jo kehta hoon wohi hota hain..blah blah blah...

Manik: hey you idiot! Shutup

Nandini: you idiot!

Manik looked at nandini with an angry look an then started laughing..

Manik: lagta hain you want to spend the entire night with me over here..i dont see any nice nandu speaking..

Nandini: manik chalo yaha se..

Manik: where is the nice nandu?

Nandini: oh god manik!

Manik: cool we will stay..

Nandini: manik pleasee?

Manik: didnt hear anything..

Nandini politely: please manik?

Manik looked at her and smiled; good..

He strted driving the car..

Nandini's pov: wow! First time he smiled looking at me..

They soon reached and both of them went insidee..

Abhimanyu: finally dekho kon ayaa..

Abhimanyu went and hugged nandini and nandini smiled..

Cabir: hello nandinii!

Nandini: hi guys..

They welcomed her very nicely and they all sat together to watch the movie..to nandini's surprise manik came and sat beside her..

Alya: chalo lets start..  

The movie turned out to be very boring and it was a 3 hours movie..nandini had texted chachi that she would be staying over..
At a time everyone around them slept and only manik and nandini were staring at the tv..

Nandini could not sit up straight..she was so sleepy she couldnt even keep her eyes open..

Manik was looking at the tv when all of a sudden nandini rested her head on his shoulder..

Manik looked surprised at her..

Manik: what...

Nandini moved her hand around his arm and held him tight and slept..

Manik's heartbeat increased...

Manik hit his cheSt

Manik: dont! Stop!

Manik's pov: fucckkkk! Whats wrong with me what what what? Stopp!!!

Manik's phone vibrated and he quickly took his phone out..but nandini's sleep broke and she opened her eyes..it took nandini some time to realize that she was holding the monster's hand and was sleeping..

Nandini quickly jumped and stood up..she was so embarassed.. Manik stood up too..

Manik softly: its okay..tum kamre mein jake so jao..i wll sleep here..

Nandini: no...its okay..

Manik: what okay? Go sleep..

Nandini looked at manik..

Nandini to herself: ek minute nice dusre hi minute monster..

Manik; kuch kaha?

Nandini: haan..pani..

Manik: kitchen mein come..

Manik and nandini went to the kitchen..

Manik gave her a glass of water and nandini drank..

Manik opened a drawer and took out a nescafe packet..

Nandini: tumhe coffee banana ata hain?

Manik: haan.. Ofcoursee..

Manik started making coffee but nandini clearlt understood it was not his cup of tea..

Nandini smiling: manik mein bana leti hoon..do mujhe..

Manik: no its okay..

Nandini: toh de do..i will make it..

Nandini made coffee for both of them.. She then poured the coffee in a mug and gave it to manik and took one for herself..

There was an awkward silence between them and both looked at each other making awkward eye contact..

Manik:so..

Nandini: manik terrace mein chale?

Manik: terrace kyu?

Nandini: kitchen se toh better hain na?

Manik: haan..thikhain chalo..

They both went to the terrace..