Maniks classroom
With a shy smile, Soha went towards Manik and patted his shoulder.
Turning his body to face Soha, Manik cheerfully asked " abhi taak ghar nehin gayi? ???"
Soha ( battling her lashes ):nehin. ...woh bass tumse ek favour chahiye tha. ....
Manik ( attentively ) : haan. ...bolo naa
Soha ( with a fake smile ) : darasal ....maths project ke liye maine ek presentation baanaya hai. .....agar tum usse ek baar check kar lete. ....toh bahut accha hota! !!!!
Saying this, she provided a pen drive from her purse.
Taking the pen drive from her, Manik happily said " I will do it. ....aur joh necessary changes honge. ....main woh bhi kar dunga. ..."
Soha ( happily ) : thank you so much Manik. ....thank you so much for helping me. ...
Manik ( calmly ) : it's okay Soha. ....thank you bolne ki koi zarurat nehin hai. ....tum toh meri friend ho. ....aur aapne friend ke liye main itna toh kar hi sakta hu. ...
Saying this, Manik left from there. While, Soha was busy in her dreamland, smiling wickedly.

The Apartment.
6 : 05 pm
As soon as Manik entered the apartment, he found Nandini, standing with her I - am - the - devil -look.
Me ( pissed ) : you are 35 minutes late Mr Malhotra! !!!!!!!
Manik ( helplessly ) : I am really sorry. ....woh kuch kaam aa gaya tha. ....
Me ( sternly ) : do you think I care! !!!!......yeh hotel nehin ghar hai. ...next time agar late hue naa. ...toh main tumhe tumhare pillow ke saath apartment ke bahar bhej dungi! !!!!.....am I clear. ....
Manik innocently nodded his head in a yes and mumbled " sorry ".
Angrily, I moved towards my room, trying really hard to calm myself.
Me ( pov ) ( scared ) : ayyappa. ....yeh ladka kisi din meri jaan hi nikal dega! !!!!.....I really got scared ....ki pataa nehin kyon isse ghar wapas ane mein itna time laag raha hai! !!!!.....upar se yeh mera stupid sa heart. ....pataa nehin kaise kaise darawne khayaal aa rahe the! !!!!!

Maniks room.
After taking a quick bath, Manik came and sat on the bed.
Manik ( pov ) ( smiling like a fool ) : pataa nehin ....meri pagal fiance ke dimaag mein kya kya chalta rehta hai! !!!!
Taking Soha's pen drive, Manik lazily attached it to his laptop. He was about to open the folder, when Manik suddenly remembered, that he had left the bathroom tap open.
Manik immediately rushed towards the bathroom, like a cheetah.
After thinking for few minutes, I finally peeped in Maniks room.
Me ( nervously ) : Manik. ...
Maniks voice came from inside the bathroom ' kya hua? ??????"
After being satisfied, that Manik was not in the room, I enterd.
Well, I have to admit, that Maniks room was more clean and tidy, than mine. It was even more colourful, with his intoxicating scent in the air.
I immediately scolded myself, not wanting to be lost in 'Maniks World '.
Me ( pov ) : focus Nandini!!!!!!!!!
Me ( taking a deep breath ): woh. ....mujhe tumhara laptop chahiye. ....mera wala kharab ho gaya hai! !!!!!
Manik, still inside the bathroom "okay. ..."
Without thinking anything, I picked up the laptop and dashed out of his room.
Once, getting inside my room, I started to take deep breaths.
Me ( pov ) ( confused ) : no....no. ....in future. ... Manik ke room mein ghusna is risky! !!!!...... his scent is all over the place. ...which literally gives me goosebumps! !!!!.....focus Nandini. ....focus. ....
Coming out of my trance, I settled on the bed, with his laptop.
Well, there wasa pen drive attached to Maniks laptop.
Me ( pov ) : Pervert ka pen drive! !!!!!......zarur kuch important hoga! !!!!
Absent mindedly, I opened the folder.
It took me few minutes to register, what the heck I was seeing on the laptop screen.
And finally when I realised, my cheeks turned red due to anger.
Picking up the laptop, I marched towards Maniks room.
I entered Maniks room, without even knocking, taking him by surprise.
On seeing Nandini's face, Manik could easily make out, that something was wrong.
Manik ( tensed ) : kya hua? ?????
Without uttering a word, I set the laptop on Maniks study table.
Playing the contents of the pen drive in a slide show, I annoyedly looked at floor.
Unable to gauge Nandini's expression, Manik looked at the laptop screen.
After realising what it was, Manik immediately shut his eyes.
None of them, was ready to speak. While, the semi nude pictures of Soha, keept on playing in a slide show, on Maniks laptop.
Opening his eyes, Manik pleaded "Nandini. ....please meri baat sunno. ..."
But, to avoid any further confrontation, I sarcastically spat "khene sunne ko ab kuch bacha nehin hai. ......YOU DISGUST ME! !!!!!!"
Saying this, I ran out of his room, trying really hard to control my tears. While, Manik frantically followed me.
Entering my room , I banged the door on Maniks face.
Switching off the lights, I sank on the floor, with my head on the door.
Manik continuously screamed, yelled and banged the door.
Manik ( helplessly ) : Nandini. ...please open the door! !!!!.......for God's sake. ....please open it yaar. ..... I can explain. ....
But, I was feeling to lazy, to listen to his explanations.
Adjusting with the darkness of the room, I finally realised, that this is my life - all dark, empty and hollow.
Thinking about this, tears started rolling down my cheeks.
I don't know why. ....but it really hurts. It feels like ,as if someone has stabbed me.
From the beginning only, I very well knew, that Manik and I are never meant to be. Then why the heck I am feeling so helpless now? ????? Why does it hurt so much? ????
My entire life, I had tried to avoid any kind of attachment. Then, why is it so different with Manik? ?????
Now I realised. ...ki dil tootne pein koi awaz nehin hota. .....
Manik mujhse kabhie pyaar karta hi nehin tha. ....hum dono toh bass. .....ek majboorie ke rishte ko nibha rahe the. .....sorry! !!!!.....iss rishte ko sirf main nibha rahi thi. ....
Pataa nehin kyon mujhe laaga ki humare iss rishte ko ek mauka dena chahiye. .....magar main yeh bhul gayi thi ki. ...iss rishte mein hum doo log hai. ....main akeli nehin! !!!!
Pataa nehin humara future kaisa hoga? ????......kya hum saari zindagi. ....iss bematlab ke rishte ko kheechte rahenge? ????....kya hum mein kabhie pyaar nehin hoga?????
Now this relationship was something more than just a responsibility.
Sobbing like a baby, I didn't realise, when my eye lids became heavy and I fell asleep.