(A/N: Thanks for all your support guys. Loads of love to you. Here is the next part. Do vote and comment. Cheers.)

Status : Edited

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"Cheer louder! Nandini... Nandini..." Everyone chanted to get into the good books of the 'Fab 5' gang. I was stuck in the middle of a circle they created–I didn't like it. To keep myself far from the negativity, I closed my ears and eyes. Manik was leaning on one of the pillars of the campus, avoiding the crowd. Cabir was with his camera, Navya and Madhyam I couldn't see and didn't want to. I'd never imagined being treated so cruelly, like a pawn in their game. Then again, I was Fab 5's new target. I wasn't sure how long they were going to continue torturing me but I knew I could only do it for so long. 

"And here..." Mukti came forward with a glass bowl of some sort, flashing all her teeth at me. I didn't even want to know what was in it; not until they flung it on me. The rest of the students gasped as they jumped back. And then it happened three more times. Alcohol, mixed with mashed up banana, sour cream were what I could identify from the smell and texture. I gagged, hurrying to the nearest bathroom to clean up whatever I could before anymore attacks.

Surprisingly, I wasn't in tears. I wasn't helpless. What did they think? They could shake me down with bullying? Fab 5, my face. I got engaged to their friend yesterday and instead of being nice to me, they were bullying me?! Were they thinking I wanted to get married to Manik? Bitches, I ain't gonna trap anyone, calm down!

The part most alarming was Manik knew none of that was true, but he still actively played a role in it! So insensitive, Ayyappa. I wonder how he was born to such a beautiful family. Gadha. How would I survive my entire life if he is that dumb? 

I cursed him under my breath as I entered home. Rishabh was back from school, playing on the iPad and Amma was busy in the kitchen. I walked into the kitchen and sat on the countertop next to Amma, my usual spot.

"Beta, when did you come? Today I made pakodas. I heard that you're fiancé loves them." She was all smiles in terms of my darling fiancé. I didn't have the energy for another encounter with that pyscho. "He's coming over this evening. Someone special is coming too." I ignored the last sentence. Manik is coming, nothing special can come ever close–unless it was another nasty trick. 

"Why is he coming?" I asked, a little louder than I intended as I jumped off the countertop.

"Why matlab? He is going to be our son-in-law. We need to spend some time na? To get to know each other. Appa bhi jaldi aa rahe hai. Tujhe kya problem hai?" (What do you mean by why? Dad's coming home early too. What problem do you have?) Amma sensed something suspicious. I widened my eyes and shook my head.

"Nahi. Main bahut thak chuki hun. Toh bas..." (Nothing. I'm just tired. So...) I looked around.

"Acchha chalo. Fresh hoke aao. He'll be here at 4." (Alright, go freshen up.) Climbing up the stairs in a lazy fashion, I locked the door and fell on the bed.

"Why is he coming? I don't want to see him. Monster kahika. Chee. Humesha mujhe hurt karta rahta hai. Shaadi kyun karna chahta mujhse? I swear I know exactly how to ruin my life in the worst possible ways. Zindagi bhar main usske saath fight nahi kar sakti. Nahi karna hai mujhe usse shaadi." (Monster! Chee! He always keeps hurting me. Why does he want to marry me? I swear I know exactly how to ruin my life in the worst possible ways. I can't keep fighting with him my entire life. I'm done, I don't want to marry this guy.) I shoved my head into the pillow. I felt weak, which was an okay emotion to feel in solitude. I sobbed only until I heard a knock on the door.

"Dii, are you done?" It was my brother.

"Ri, give me 2 minutes. Main aa rahi hun." (I'm coming.) When I heard his footsteps recede, I stood on my feet and went to the bathroom. I took a shower to get rid of icky feeling that went untouched in the college washroom. A bell in my head suggested I change into a saree. Alright, which one? Mint green and mustard or the peach georgette one with flowers on it? 

I got dressed and went to help Amma in the kitchen. She was in awe with how womanly her daughter looked. After all, for parents, their children are always children. She pulled me into her room to adorn my hands with some of her most precious bangles. "Do you know? I saved these for Rishabh's wife, but that won't be happening for a long time now!" I pressed my smile as her hands pushed the diamond studded bracelets through my wrist. 

The doorbell rang. It was surely him. Rishabh opened the door and welcomed him. Amma touched my face affectionately before leaving the room. I stood at the edge of the door, watching him greet and take each of their blessings. Damn, he was a fine looking man. From grey mustache socks, to his messy hand-combed hair, he was literally dressed to impress. "Nandini, coffee leke aana beta." (Nandini, bring some coffee.) 

I felt Manik's eyes on me from the second I left my parents' room downstairs. Was I looking that gorgeous? It was a grand saree with embellished gold on the yellow strip and on the bodice of the saree, agreed, but was it me he was staring at or something about me? I tried to check my back for any marks... ah shit, the milk... The stove was saved right on time. He giggled, stopping before I glared. "Uhh... Champ, what do you study?"

"I'm doing my 10th at Cathedral and John Connon. It's pretty hard to cope since I joined halfway through first term but yeah, it's okay. Nice campus there." Manik really wasn't paying attention. Maybe he was wondering how I held it all together after the humiliation I went through that evening. He must've expected me to stay locked in my room, avoiding him. If only he knew I had better things to do.

"That's nice." 

Appa came just then rushing through the doors followed by a familiar figure. Abhimanyu! "I'm sorry, Manik. I got stuck in traffic." Appa apologised incessantly and Abhimanyu smiled at me. He was the only guy I had by my side now. My favourite cousin. 

"Arre Uncle, it's fine na? Hota hai. Humare beech kya 'sorry' kya 'thank you'." (Uncle, it's fine! It happens. There's no 'sorry' or 'thank you' between us.) Oh really? So that rule applies for everyone except me, eh Monster Manik? When I told him 'thank you' the other day, he had absolutely no regards for it. And now? Hypocrite.

"Nanduuu..." Abhimanyu walked towards me and I hugged him from the side. Manik glared at Abhimanyu's arm around me.

"Hey buddy. I'm Abhimanyu." Manik faked a smile.

"Manik Malhotra. Her fiancé." He stated while pointing at me, and I rolled my eyes at him. The audacity he had, to behave that way in front of my parents! I mouthed a 'he-has-lost-it' to Abhimanyu and he chuckled while I heard Manik stomp his foot. Moron Malhotra.

Amma got pakodas for us and placed them on the coffee table. Manik was gleaming. "Aapko kaise pata tha?" (How did you know?) Amma smiled victoriously. "Wow. You're so smart Aunty. Matlab, kaise kar leti hai aap? Thoda apni beti ko bhi sikhado, akal hi nahi hai usme." (Like how are you so smart? You ought to give your daughter some of your brain, she has none.) Excuse me? Amma chuckled at the fact that he 'loved me enough to be entitled to make comments on me' when actually he didn't know shit. Not surprising. 

"Coffee loge? Abhimanyu, you?" ([to her husband] Will you have coffee? Abhimanyu, you?)

"I'll help her." I told you, Abhi is an angel. 

I poured the decoction into five cups. "I'm so mad at him!" He reached for the sugar.

"I'd be surprised if you weren't." "Wait... leave his cup here!" The idea sounded quite thrilling. In fact, it served him right. So purposefully, I planned to hand Abhi his coffee with a smirk, then Appa and then Amma. Abhi grabbed his, but when I got to Appa, he handed his over to MANIK! 

"Guests first." Oh, for heaven's sake! Manik was all puppy eyes and touched by the gesture. Goddamnit!

"Maama, usme cheeni nahi hai!" (Uncle, there's no sugar in that cup!) He was a saviour! 

Manik grinned. "It's fine, Uncle. I don't like sugar." 

"No no, at least have a little sugar; we don't serve the groom anything bitter." But he was just that, bitter, he deserved it. Then another idea struck me. I swapped his sugar with something else before bringing his cup too. 

"Coffee..." He eyed me innocently before picking up his teacup. I took a seat right beside him, pressing the side of my body to his. He shifted uncomfortably, before choking on his coffee. "Dheere... dheere..." I was patting his back but meant none of it. Yep, his coffee was overdosed with salt. Amma and Appa were both confused. 

Manik flapped his hand. "I'm fine... I just... I'm okay!" He took slow sips while engaging with my parents. My heart felt something... regret. It tasted so bad, I could imagine, and he was still drinking it. What exactly was the reason for him agreeing to marry me? My eyes softened; my hand settled on his back. It wasn't until a couple of seconds later when he realised that I withdrew. 

"How is the coffee?"

"Nandini made it, how can it not be good?"

Abhi paved way to something new. "Do you need to use the bathroom?" Manik nodded while making eye contact with me. 

"I'll show you the way." His forearm I clasped and yanked him towards my room. His eyes alternated between my hold on his arm and Abhimanyu scanning us while we climbed the stairs. Rishabh also teased the two of us with his eyes. 

I stepped into the room and just as Manik entered, he slammed the door shut and pinned me to the wall. He put one arm close to my face, on the wall and the other was on the doorknob. I was caged in between. He leaned closer.

"What is your problem? Haan? Since the time I've come, I'm trying to interact and you aren't even budging." I pushed his chest, but he was much stronger to move a muscle.

"I think mujhe tumse puchna chahiye ki tumhari problem kya hai. Jaise ki tumhara decision tha, to get married for your parents, I also agreed for my parents' sake. But you have no sympathy, hai na?" (I think I must ask you what your problem is. Just like it was your decision to get married for your parents, I also agreed for my parents' sake.) Something in his face changed. Maybe he just got the answer he so badly wanted. In a way, he was the one person who I could express myself to, because he was in just the same situation as I was. A lone tear left my eyes. "Manik, I can't do this... whatever you do to me, I can't do to you. I feel like a bad person, hurting someone on purpose..." He looked at me somewhat lost, though he then had a clearer understanding of what kind of a person I was, emotionally. "I have no intentions to trap you or whatever your friends think it is. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time."

His rough palm grazed my cheek. Shaky hands drew my face in and his fingers drew circles on my skin. It was an adoring hold, intimate even. Two souls were speaking to each other–it felt like we were on a break from fighting. His eyes caught onto my eye makeup that I fucked up a little. 

"So now do you accept that I can make your life hell?" He smirked. I held his hands that were on my face. 

"You did all this for that one challenge?" His smile got wider. "Manik Malhotra, you are the sickest human being I've ever seen!" 

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(A/N: Phew! Who does your heart go out for? Manik or Nandini? Do vote and comment please. Okaythanksbye.)