(A/N: Ahh. Long time. I am sorry for all the trouble and inconvenience. Loads of love to all you patient beauties for waiting for this update. I don't know if I've written enough or if it's worth reading but I've tried my best. Actually I had a writer's block lately so I am just trying to get a part done for you all out of the ideas I already had. Hope you like it. Loads of love.)

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Manik and I were getting ready for the ceremony when the doorbell rang. I pulled my hair into an updo, curling extra strands to fall on my face. The doorbell rang repeatedly countless times and I walked impatiently towards the door slowly, with that heavy orange saree. I unlocked the door.

"What the hell? What are you guys doing here?" I asked to his friends. Who called him now? Of course, that idiot. They pushed through and called out for Manik.

"Manik! Manik!" Manik walked out of the room, adjusting his sleeves and I glared at him.

"Aaya." He screamed, still not caring about anything. "Wow! You guys came? Good. Nandini, pick a cab and come to the wedding hall, okay?" He ordered while hugging Mukti. I put my hands on my waist.

"Excuse me? I am your wife. You can't treat me like that." I snapped my fingers at him and he smirked.

"I, sure can." I thought for a while and then nodded.

"Well, it's okay. Navya, Madhyam and I anyways had plans to go together and hang out together so... yeah it's fine. Have fun." I dialed Navya's number and he grabbed the phone from my hands. He cut the call and frowned.

"Why is he coming?" I didn't realize when he had his arm around my waist. His bare fingers wrapped around my waist. I hit his chest lightly but he wasn't giving in. He leaned closer to me.

"It's my best friend's wedding. When your friends can come, why won't they come?" I shouted and pointed at his friends and shrugged out his grip. I walked to my room, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Guys, I'm sorry I need to go. Just take my car, yeah? Thanks. See you guys." He gave his keys to them and ran back into the room. His friends looked at him, clueless. 

"What is this guy going to do now?" Mukti put his elbow on Cabir's shoulder. Cabir turned towards Mukti and winked.

"Obviously. To manofy his wife." Manik came running into the room and shut the door.

"Nandu... Nandu listen. Nandini." He pulled me by my arm and I made eye contact with him.

"Exactly. That's what you'll call me. Nandu is only for friends." I snapped at him and he loosened his grip on my arm.

"Look I didn't mean that, okay?" I took a deep breath. Why did he have to be that bipolar?

"What is your problem? I'm sick and tired of fighting with you. I need a break. Or let's just entirely stop this game. I'll just tell Amma and we'll part ways. I think that is better for both of us." I was literally crying. I had fought long enough but my pain crossed all bounds. I didn't like the way he treated me. I was not a toy for him. Manik looked a little petrified at my sudden outbreak and he put his hands on my shoulders.

"Nandini, ssshhh... Okay stop crying now." He pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I didn't move an inch. I neither protested, nor gave in. I stood doing nothing and then with all my strength, I pushed him away.

"Manik, just stop it. Stop acting like you care. There is a limit to which I can bear things. Your bipolar attitude annoys me." I screamed into his face and tears ran down faster. He shook his head slowly and came closer again.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry Nandini. Please stop crying. Listen, I care, okay? You are my responsibility. Its just that too much is happening too early." He touched my cheeks carefully and wiped them off. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pushed myself onto him for a hug.

***

Our way to the destination was dead silent. He obviously tried to initiate some small talk but I totally ignored it. I hated when people faked themselves in front of me. That way, when they're actually genuine, I can't differentiate. We reached and Manik dropped me and then parked the bike. He followed me inside, moments later.

"Yaay! Nandu... Sup babe?" Aryamann greeted as I entered the hall. He pulled me in for a hug and I could feel Manik tense up. I uneasily distanced myself from Aryamann and had a glance at him. He looked pretty different, completely dressed in Indian attire. It took me a few seconds to register him like that in my head.

"Hey Arya! Umm... Manik, this is Aryamann, my best friend and Arya, this is Manik. My husband." I said the last sentence a little softly and shyly. It was not often that I addressed him that way. Aryamann had a look at him and Manik faked a wide smile at him. Aryamann pulled me closer.

"Babes, your husband is actually hot. Mujhe laga voh Maddy ki tarah hoga but I was so wrong." He whispered and I registered those words in my head. Did everyone know about my feelings for Madhyam? He formally shook hands with Manik and I shot a question to clear the awkward atmosphere.

"Ladki kaun hai?" Aryamann gave me an evil smile and I raised my eyebrows in an attempt to tease him. He called out for someone.

"Evelyn, here honey." She turned around and walked towards us, slightly waving. Aryamann looked a little lovestruck and I rolled my eyes.

"Ahem."

"Ev, Nandu. Nandu, Evelyn. And that's her husband, Manik." He pointed at Manik and she sparked up in happiness. She walked towards him and leaned into him.

"Hey!" She almost put her arms around him when I stood between the two of them, blocking her.

"Umm... Yeah, hi." I waved awkwardly and she looked at me in an obnoxious manner. She winked at him and walked towards her to-be husband and I turned towards him. I passed a cruel glare at him and then walked away. I felt a hand tug mine and I was pulled onto something hard.

"Baat kyun nahi kar rahi ho mujhse?" He whispered against my face as he pulled the hair strands on my face behind my ear. I looked into his eyes and then turned away. I almost took a step ahead but he pulled me back.

"Look, agar tum abhi bhi gussa ho, toh kuch bhi karlo, but ignore mat karna. Okay? I am sorry. But I can't be friends with you. I promise, I'll try being nice though." He pleaded and kissed my cheek. "You look beautiful." I smiled faintly and walked away, to help Evelyn.

***

"Hey. What's your name, handsome?" I heard Mukti's voice as I went around searching for Manik. Amma wanted me to stick around with him all the time and I had no other option. I went to find him to introduce him to the people I knew. That was when I spotted Mukti. She ran her fingers along Abhimanyu's chest and I felt him shift uncomfortably. I walked towards them.

"Umm... Mukti, he's my brother." I tried to stop her from whatever she was trying to do to him. Abhimanyu wasn't like that.

"Oh. Your brother was the same guy I was dared to seduce in Manik's bachelor's party." She revealed and I looked at him for approval. He tugged my hand and persuade me to leave along with him.

"Nandu, let's just go." He grabbed my hand and pulled me gently. Mukti kissed him in the air and he walked a little faster, to avoid her.

"What happened?" I asked him after the coast was clear.

"I don't know. I don't really like her. She's weird." He turned back to her and then sighed in relief.

"Oh well, I don't like anyone in that gang." Just then I spotted Manik, walking with ice-cream in his hands. I waved my hand helplessly to get his attention and then walked towards him.

"Manik, Manik..." I held his shoulders and brought him to a halt. His nose was slightly coated with the vanilla cream and his eyes gleamed for some reason.

"Hey Nandu, I was looking for you. Here." He handed one to me, while eating the other. I put his hands down and pulled his arm to come along.

"Voh sab choddo. Come with me."

"Arre... Nandini, ice-cream toh khane do. If you don't want, it's okay. I'll eat them both." He pulled back and continued eating. I stopped along with him and turned around in annoyance. As soon as I saw his face, my anger vanished. He looked adorable with cream on his nose. I leaned closer to reach him and I brought the end of my pallu towards his face.

I gently brushed the cream off his face, while he seemed a little lost in me. His hands were lingering around my waist because of the ice-creams and a smile embraced my lips.

"At least khana toh teek se khao." I gave him a piece of advice and he gazed at me.

"Uske liye toh tum ho na?" He whispered and I looked into his eyes. I cringed my eyebrows in confusion yet a naughty smile molded my lips hearing his comment because whether I was right or not, that sentence meant something.

***

"She smiled at me. She smiled at me." Manik kept saying to himself and at every reiteration, his smile got wider. There was something about that smile which I knew had an effect of him. From nowhere, Cabir appeared and fumed.

"Bro, what the hell are you doing here? I was searching for you everywhere. Where is the ice-cream I asked you to get?" He looked at Manik's hands, only to find two half-eaten cones in his hand. He punched Manik in the shoulder for his attention and Manik turned dreamily.

"Cabir, she smiled at me." He said in a trance and put his arm over Cabir's shoulder. Cabir scrunched his nose ridiculously and pressed his lips into a grunt, to express his annoyance.

"Who? Oho. Dulhan eh?" Cabir shot a sarcastic comment and Manik hit him on his chest.

"Kamine. I was talking about... Her." He pointed towards me and Cabir looked at me and dramatically turned to Manik, to observe his expressions. After a few moments, Cabir got his answers.

"Nahi voh kya hai na, subah se main dekh raha hun ki dulhan is a little too interested in you. Toh laga ki kuch..." Cabir flapped his hands in the air to show gestures and add life to his sarcastic comments and Manik listened, munching on a cone.

"Have you lost it Cabir?" He said with his mouth full.

"I should be asking, have you lost it, Manik Malhotra? Kabhi kisi ladki ko smile karte hue nahi dekha hai kya?" Cabir grabbed the other half-eaten cone and munched on it. Manik put his elbow on Cabir's shoulder and pointed at me.

"She smiled." He whispered and Cabir muttered something.

"Jerk."

***

Aryamann was on the mandap, reciting his vows for the bride. I was sitting with my group of friends, lost in deep thought. "Uske liye toh tum ho na?" Did he mean what I was thinking? Did he want me to take care of him? Did he like it when I did that? Could I see a ray of hope in our relationship? Nah. Perhaps it must be one of those word games he always comes up with.

"Vahan akeli akeli kya smile rahi ho? Kya scene hai?" Navya nudged at me and I realized I was sitting a little away from my friends. Amma and Appa went to help Aryamann and Evelyn which meant I was a little free for now.

"Nahi. Voh... Actually Aryamann never dresses like this. So it's kinda funny." I came up with a ridiculous excuse and faked a laugh. Navya scrutinized at me and I consciously controlled myself.

"If it's funny, then you must be laughing. Not smiling. Bol. Manik ne kuch kiya?" She nudged again and my eyes shot up at her.

"Manik? Manik... kyun kuch karega? Nahi. Not at all." I was trying to act indifferent about the situation but obviously, everyone knew how bad I was at lying in such situations at least. My body language gave a clue about how restless I was and Navya chuckled.

"Perhaps tumne kuch kiya? Vahan dekho." She shifted her focus to somewhere behind Aryamann and I could see Manik standing there, awkwardly posing for selfies with girls. "The flirt... Is shying huh?" She nudged me again and I shook my head indifferently.

"Navya... Aisa kuch nahi hai. Don't crack your head." Just then I saw Amma passing by. I called out for her, to avoid the situation I was in.

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(A new beginning starts from here. Again, I tell you, this is not going to be a cliché story with all that cheesy romance but yeah, there will be a reminiscent of MaNan throughout this story. I'll try my best not to make it cliché. Thanks for cooperating and patiently reading this part. Loads of love.)