(A/N: Hey! What do you people want in the next update? Let me know that too in the comments. Okay guys, I won't stretch further. If you think this part deserves it, do tap the star and please comment na? Ab ke liye I read each and every comment. Bas reply karne ke liye time nahi milta. But zarur karungi. Love you guys. Thanks a ton again.)

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Manik's glare frightened me a little. I excused myself and followed him. He went to Zyrah's mother and got her sipper. He filled some orange juice in hers and gave it to her.

"Manik..." He ignored my call and went on talking to his baby niece. "Manik, I am talking to you." I reiterated in a louder tone than before. He gave Zyrah back to her mother and walked away without looking at me.

"Manik, stop." I raised my hand before him and he rolled his eyes. "You can't show me your attitude okay?"

"Isn't it clear when I walked away from there, that I don't want to see you?" He turned and I ran around him, trying to block him.

"What happened all of a sudden?"

"Let me state it clear to you. You want to marry me yet you aren't over your ex. What does that mean? You're cheating on me. If I am not wrong, I remember you taking a sip when the confession of betrayal popped up."

"Manik, why are you jumping to conclusions? Firstly, Madhyam and I are just best friends. Yeah we could've been together but I was the one who didn't approve. Yes. I rejected him. Madhyam and I are over now. Okay?" He rolled his eyes in dejection.

"Umm... Manik. Are you free now? I need to tell you something." Manik looked at me from the corner of his eyes. Given that he was already angry with me, he walked with a wide smile along with Alya.

Ayyappa, yeh ladka chahta kya hai? I stomped and followed them. I hid behind a pillar and watched them. I couldn't hear what they spoke but he looked excited and he hugged her tight. I stood there, unlike him of course, trying to decipher the situation.

"Alya you have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you." He pulled her for a hug again and she held him tighter. "Come, let's get something to drink." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked away with her, without even looking at me. My eyes flooded with tears but I didn't break down. Why would I? He can't break me.

I walked towards him faster than they were and pulled his arm along with me. He tried protesting but I had to deal with this for once.

"Nandini, what is wrong with you? Leave me." He tried to shrug me away but Nandini Murthy had her ways. I pulled him behind a wall.

"You love Alya right? You want to marry her, don't you? Of course, she is way prettier, more closer to you, your best friend. Do you need my help in..." He pulled my head towards his and put his lips on mine. I was motionless. I couldn't react. I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck, trying to hold him closer. I needed that assurance. I, then, knew what I had thought about them was wrong. He ran his tongue gently over my bottom lip and I opened my mouth. He turned me such that my back was against the wall. He slid his tongue carefully into my mouth and I gulped.

"Whoa! Whoa! What's going on here?" I heard some noises and Manik let go of me. He stepped back immediately and turned to see our friends standing there. Cabir, Mukti, Dhruv, Navya and Madhyam were standing before us. Perhaps they were searching for us. I shut my eyes in embarrassment and Manik pursed his lips to hide the act.

"Dhruv, tere buddy se kuch sikh le. Mujhe laga ki Manik was going to drop the baby but here he is almost making babies. Voh bhi shaadi ke pehle. First night yahin manaoge kya?" Cabir spat and Mukti and Navya chuckled. Manik hit Cabir with his elbow and Cabir cried in pain. Dhruv blushed profusely. Madhyam was looking at me, with a blank expression.

"Don't kill him. He is stating facts, Manik." Mukti also took Cabir's side and Cabir fake-sobbed on Mukti's shoulder. "Acchha chal. Gussa mat kar. Log wait kar rahe hai. Besides, we're still sober. We need dirty secrets out, don't we?" Mukti winked and Manik sighed. He signaled me to come along, which basically meant we were okay, and I walked behind them, with Navya. Navya went on teasing me as she caught me in the act and I couldn't even deny.

***

"Guys, antakshari khele?" Navya asked, nervously. She was trying so hard to get into their gang.

"No re. It's boring." Manik tried to act cute and I faked a smile.

"Truth or Dare. Please. There are more people now, it'll be fun." Alya suggested and Manik agreed.

"Let's add situation, double dare and burning building too then."

"Fine. But this time, we spin the bottle. Neck points to the questioner and bottom to the answerer." Mukti said and spun the bottle.

"Madhyam and Cabir. Ooo." She hooted and Manik sarcastically clapped. Probably he shouldn't be that mean to him. Madhyam was my best friend, after all.

"Truth hi karde, for a change. Vaise bhi I can't expect a deadly dare from your end." Cabir answered and raised his hand in despair. Madhyam was not their type and they would sure try to embarrass him. He looked at me nervously but I didn't look and Manik snapped his fingers at Maddy.

"Who do you prefer to date among the people in this group?" He slurred and the others chuckled. Cabir glanced at everyone.

"Perhaps Mukti. Others here ain't my type." He shrugged and I saw Navya frown. I didn't take it to heart because I knew he just wanted a reaction from us. "Sorry. Zyada sacchh bol diya." He covered his mouth.

"Whatever. Next." I tried to divert the topic and I felt a pair of eyes gazing at me. The bottle spun again.

"Navya and Manik." Alya jumped and Dhruv smiled.

"Not much hope. Truth."

"How many people have you dated? When? What were their names?" Navya was pretty bold. She had made advances in 11th grade and though he ditched her at the end, it still didn't take long for her to move on.

"None. I believe in love. Not casual flings." He shrugged. Somewhere, I felt a part of my heart jumping with joy.

"But there was a girl who he had a crush on. Kyun bhai?" Cabir mischievously smiled and Manik laughed.

"Yeah, that was just a crush. That too in 9th. But we never dated and all." He looked at me and I just smiled back.

"Name?"

"Naina or something na?" Cabir raised his head in approval. "Haan." The bottle spun again.

"Mukti and Madhyam." Cabir cheered and she smiled evilly.

"Truth."

"Navya or Nandini?" Mukti shot and Manik looked at me. I shifted uncomfortably.

"No. Mukti, change the question. Ya phir I'll ask." He proposed a better idea. But how could Cabir just leave him?

"Manik, wait. Let him answer." Cabir interrupted and Manik shook his head.

"Listen, the question is..." I looked at Madhyam nervously and then at Manik. Madhyam looked at Navya and then me.

"Manik, shut up." Mukti covered his mouth.

"Nandini." He confessed and before I could realize, Manik jerked out of Mukti's grip.

"Saale. She's my wife, you loser." He held Madhyam's kurta tightly and punched him on the face. I tried to stop them but Manik wasn't ready to let him go.

"Nandini, you stay out of this okay? Just back off. Let me deal with him my way, today." Manik pulled him again and hit him on his nose. The poor guy bled and I winced.

"Manik!" I shouted as I got between them and pushed Manik with all the strength I had that he fell to the floor. Some force got me dragging myself down along with him and I landed on his chest, with my entire body between his legs. He gazed into my eyes as I felt his hands gripping my bare waist. Cabir sighed in disbelief and signaled the others to leave with him.

"Yaar, chalo na? Tonight they'll be here only. Let's find something better to do than watch their PDA." Cabir looked at us one last time and shook his head, palming his face. He pulled Dhruv along and walked with him. "My girlfriend ditched me." He sobbed into Dhruv's chest and everyone giggled.

His hands traveled to my face and moved my hair away from it. He tucked my hair strands behind my ear and leaned closer. He stuck his head out to reach me and I put my palm over his mouth. I shook my head and he immediately let go of my waist. I got up and walked quickly to my room and it looked like he did the same.

***

It was almost 4 in the morning yet sleep was not even close to me. I laid in bed, wearing my pajamas and rolling to attract sleep to myself. Just then, my phone buzzed. I immediately checked.

Navya: Are you guys busy? I hope I didn't disturb you during...

I felt my cheeks heat up. Why was it that whenever anyone talked about us, I let it affect me so much? Perhaps for that matter, if I was teased with Madhyam also, I would but it just felt... different.

Nandini: Navya, don't think too much, okay?

The moment Manik and I shared a few hours ago replayed in my head. How did I give in to kissing him? Surely, it made me happy when he said he believed in true love and he would never do flings. It also made me happy that he couldn't stand Madhyam feeling for me.

"She's my wife, you loser." His words replayed in my head. He called me his wife, even before we were officially married. Didn't that mean something? Was I falling for him? But this wasn't how I felt for Madhyam. With Manik around, I felt a need to be closer to him. But what if this was just physical attraction. And what if Madhyam was my true love? What if Manik and I don't have a future? What if...

Manik: Still awake?

I put my brain to a halt, asking it to pause where it was while I focused on Manik's text. He was the only man who kissed me without my consent and surprisingly, I let him get that close, in a hope, that he would stay.

Nandini: Yeah. I'm not sleepy.
Manik: Thinking about me, eh? 😜

I felt beads of sweat on my forehead. My body had become overexcited, talking to him.

Nandini: No. I have better things to do.
Manik: Yeah right.

It was around 30 seconds since I had read his message. I wanted to reply, just to keep the conversation going but I didn't know what to say. I wanted him to be friendlier to me. Perhaps I had high expectations.

Nandini: Umm... I was just thinking about my life.

I knew by justifying myself, I was developing ideas in his head but I still felt the need to explain. At least to keep the conversation going. After a good 2 minutes, he replied.

Manik: Don't stress much about it. Everything will be just fine. Relax.

I felt a small smile mold my lips. Since it was a text, he wouldn't see my expressions. That meant I could be more open to him. Maybe talk to him like a friend. Were we friends?

Nandini: Umm... Can I ask you something?
Manik: Uhh, maybe?
Nandini: What did you mean when you called me your... I mean, what were you thinking?

Even after 5 minutes, I didn't get a reply. You shouldn't have asked him, Nandini. He does nothing but fail your expectations. Frustrated, I threw my phone somewhere on my bed and forced myself to sleep, without thinking about him.

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(Those who think MaNan are fighting over petty things, it's only because they both have their insecurities and these chotu-chotu fights will bring them closer. Thoda hectic schedule hai mera but I'll try updating jaldi. As usual, vote comment share :P Love you all.