(A/N: Looks like you guys are getting hooked up to the story. Sorry for the delay. This part was to be uploaded on 4th. Anyways, Eid Mubarak. Tell me how you liked this. With love, your writer.)

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I had classes till 6 in the evening, due to Raghav Sir's disappointment in me and I obliged to attend, even upon Manik's persistence.

Usually, they let us go at 3, but then because of the extra classes I had agreed to attend, I stayed back after college. We had a session on Chordata in our Zoology period. Though I love biology, I wouldn't deny it's a hard task. After a bell rang, a few students from the other batch had also come to attend classes with us. That's when I saw this new girl Maddy was hanging out with. As soon as she entered, Madhyam ran towards her, pulled her in for a hug and wrapped his hand around her waist. He stealthily looked at me and smirked but I paid no heed.

He took the seat right beside mine, and sat with his girlfriend. He kept cuddling with her, giggling, acting cute, talking loudly to get my attention and tried a few more immature tricks on me, which I didn't react much to. We had a 20 minute break and I was getting fed up of their over-displayed PDA. I slid my phone out and texted my not-so-jobless husband.

Nandini: *Hey. Busy?*

As soon as I sent the message, I swiped into the gallery. I scrolled through the pictures Manik and I took the previous evening and smiled. There were a few silly ones, a few decent ones, and a few pictures of a candid me. I smiled at myself in realisation and zoomed in. I was sitting on the sand, with one of my hands on my head. I giggled and swapped to the next picture. I was again sitting on the sand, with my arms around my knees, looking into the distant sky, admiring the sunset. The beautiful sunlight hit my face, making it gleam and I had a faint smile.

Manik: *Hey. Wassup? I'm chilling with beer, friends ke saath. Where are you? College over?*

I smiled and immediately sent a short reply.

Nandini: *I was looking through yesterday's pictures with you. Nope, we still have an entire period left. So boring.*

I thought for a while. Chemistry class only na? Maybe I could sneak and text. A smile crept my face and I was interrupted by a high-pitched voice.

"Hey! I'm Ira." She stretched her arm out for a hand shake and I passed a fake smile.

"Umm... Hey. I'm Nandini." She smiled a plastic smile back at me and I mentally rolled my eyes at her.

"I've heard a lot about you. Nice to meet you." I smirked and turned back to get back to what I was doing. She eyed my bangles. "Married?"

"Uhh... Well, yeah. I don't think it's such a huge crime?"

"Oh well, this ain't a generation that supports child marriage, does it?" She chuckled uncomfortably and I just rolled my eyes at her and got back to pretending to study, to get her off my heels.

***

An hour passed by. Chemistry class was going on but I was doing everything but paying attention. I was sneaking and texting Manik to pass my time and nevertheless, the others were almost doing the same thing. Every time I heard his voice get louder, I began to write gibberish into my book and then look at the board, to pretend I was listening. Just then, I heard a soft whistle beside my seat, on the other side of the window.

I stood up to pretend I was closing it, and took a sneak peek to see Manik there. I looked a little surprised and stunned, and he waved sheepishly at me. A sudden charm enlightened me as I saw him come here, just for me. He signaled me to move and I walked back to my seat, after a few fake struggles. He peeped in to see our professor writing something and he immediately jumped into the room and snuck into my seat.

"Manik, tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?" I whispered, gritting my teeth and he focused on the board, while leaning towards me. He smirked, and spoke.

"You were bored na? Even I was bored. Toh I thought it would be better if I come here. So I came." He shrugged and turned back to the board. I gaped at him in awe and he looked back at me.

"Don't look at me like that. I know I'm hot and sexy and stuff but you don't have to look at me like you're obsessed with me, though both of us know you are." He smirked indifferently and I processed his sentence in my head. As soon as I realized he said 'obsession', I glared at him.

"Obsessed? Who me? And about you? In your dreams." I rolled my eyes indifferently as I found his accusation stupid. I am never obsessed with anyone. Doesn't he know that?

"Nandu... Don't pretend, yeah? You couldn't stay an hour without texting me." He smirked at me and I glared furiously.

"Oh really Mr. Malhotra?" I raised my eyebrows and spoke in a sarcastic tone and Manik giggled. He wrapped his arms around my body and kissed my cheek.

"Acchha acchha gussa mat karo. Okay, you're not obsessed. 'I' am obsessed. Okay?" I faked my anger and laughed as he rocked me gently in his arms. The rest of the class went with him acting cozy with me and trying every chance to prove his territory over Madhyam. Ahh... Manik and his insecurities.

***

I was sitting in the living room of the Malhotra's Mansion, for God knows what reason. All I could hear was some giggles, and all I could smell was something sweet.

In the kitchen, Manik was sitting on the countertop, eating an apple, and Nyonika Mom was making something for us. That was one thing common between Manik and I. Cooking was something we loved to help our mothers with.

"Manik, how is your new life now? Jabse Nandini aa gayi, tum mujhe toh bhul hi gaye." She faked her sadness and Manik immediately jumped off the countertop and stood beside his mother, with his overpowering height. He cupped her face and frowned.

"What do you mean? You know you're my first love, any day. She's my wife, yes, but you're my mother. Always have and always will be. Alright?" He tried to emphasize her importance in his life and she held his hands.

"Manik, tum jante nahi Nandini kitni lucky hai. I know you will be the best husband any girl can ever ask for." She smiled as she patted his cheek and he cringed.

"Mom, it's not like that. Main jitna gussa karta hun, in place of her if there was any other woman, she'd run away with divorce. She can handle me." He stated genuine facts and his mother felt proud.

"Because you love her. She loves you. That's why she can handle you. And you get contented quickly. That's how love is." As soon as he heard 'love', he shifted uncomfortably. To divert the attention, he looked at the kheer Nyonika Mom was preparing.

"Chalo, ab kheer banayen? She hasn't eaten anything from 1 in the afternoon." Nyonika Mom smiled at his concern and they began making the sweet. I was served after about 15 minutes. I looked at her, for why she'd made all that for me.

"After your wedding, it's a ritual from the mother's side, to make something special for the newlywed couple. Last time we couldn't make something. So here." I smiled at her, thanked her and took the bowl of kheer. Manik followed from behind the kitchen with his bowl. He scooted beside me and nudged my shoulder.

"Kaisa laga? Maine banaya. Tumhare liye." He smiled and I smiled back at him. I looked at my bowl, took a spoonful, and ate. Indeed it was good. Why couldn't he cook everyday, if he was this good a chef?
I smiled at him again and kissed his cheek. He blushed and looked away.

"Since you're such a good chef, lunch is on you. Dinner will be on me, as usual. Deal?" I looked at him with hope and he scrutinized to play along.

"As you say, Madam." I hit him playfully and he teased me while I ate his dish.

To be continued...

Part-2:

"Nandu... Remote kahan hai yaar?" I heard him scream from the living room and I looked beside me. I giggled and stealthily shoved the remote into one of the kitchen drawers. I got back to making paneer, pretending to be extremely innocent as I heard him stomping into the room. He turned me around and pulled me towards him. 

"I'm asking you something." His hands were on my arms, holding me in place. I looked at them and he realizing, slowly withdrew.

"Mujhe kaise pata? Main thodi na TV dekhti hun." I huffed and Manik scrutinized. He examined my face closely.

"Jhooti." He whispered against my face and he leaned closer to me. I shut my eyes tight as he pushed me against the countertop, ran his fingers around my waist to the drawer behind me. The paneer was a long forgotten business. He gently tugged the drawer, ensuring I didn't get hurt and my eyes immediately shot up at him. I pushed him away and smiled to myself, as I pushed the drawer closed.

"Nandu... Give it to me now. Come on." He threatened me to return it. I smirked at him as I didn't give in that easily. Anyways, what could he do?

"Nahi." I shook my head to mess with him further. He huffed again.

"I swear, don't mess with me. You'll regret later." He snapped his fingers at me and I giggled.

"NO."

"Nandini..." He pulled me against him by my shoulders and I lost balance. The paneer dish fell off the stove, and onto the floor. I fell on him and he hit against the countertop, with me caging him between my arms. The tie of my blouse came undone and in reflex, I put my hand on my back. He observed me closely and pulled me into his huge figure, as he checked my back. He held the two ends of my blouse tie and tied it for me.

"Your hands are trembling." I whispered against his chest.

"I know." He said in a controlled voice, as he tried it into a bow and examined my face. "Tum teek ho na? Kuch hua toh nahi?" He asked like he addressed a baby and I shook my head negatively. A naughty idea flicked into my head and an evil smile molded my lips.

"Aaahhh..." I cried as I lifted one of my legs, and yelped. He immediately panicked and touched my arm.

"Kya hua? Gir gaya paneer pair pe? Jal raha hai? Kaha na maine, don't mess with me? Wait." He lifted me in his arms, (not bridal style though) and I pressed my smile. I put my hands on his shoulders. He carried me swiftly to the couch, laid me there carefully and sat close to my legs. He lifted my feet and put them on his lap as he started gently massaging them.

"Tum meri baat kabhi kyun nahi maanti ho? Bola tha na maine? Kahan dard ho raha hai?" I felt a little uncomfortable as he touched my feet. But if I told the truth now, I was sure to be doomed. He would get very pissed off. So I decided to play along.

"Thoda left." He touched a different part of my leg. "Nahi, ab thoda right." I signaled him to touch a different side and he looked at me.

"Jhooti. Kuch hua nahi na? You just did that to scare me, didn't you?" He spat and I looked at him with cute, big eyes, my lips pouting to make him less angry. "What the hell Nandini? Do you know how worried I was? You know I hate it when you cry or when you're in pain but still... Ugh." He got up from the couch and stormed into the room.

"Manik, Manik suno... Manik..." I chased him to the room and tried to get his attention but he was beyond just angry. In the fit of consoling him, my foot hit the corner of the bed and I yelped. He immediately ran to me, sat me on the bed and checked my foot. There was a cut and blood was slowly streaming out of it. He pressed his lips in annoyance and then looked at me. I pursed my lips into a sympathetic face and he shook his head in disbelief.

He walked over to the bedside table, grabbed the first aid kit. He sat back on the floor, put my foot on his lap and dabbed antiseptic onto the cotton. He dabbed the damp cotton on my wound and just as it touched me, I winced and his hand immediately withdrew, and he blew on my wound.

"Jalega hi. Sambhalke toh nahi reh sakti." He spat sarcastically and I frowned. He pressed the cotton onto the wound to stay in place and I jerked my leg in discomfort.

"Maine tumse jhoot bola na, that's why I got hurt. Ab toh gussa mat karo?" I tried my best to do what I could to calm him down. Why? "You played a prank on me that morning so I wanted to do the same to you. Isme kya galat hai?" I frowned and he heaved a huge sigh in disbelief.

"Nandini, you think everything is funny. You never listen to me. You don't take me seriously at all. What's the problem in just being careful for God's sake?" He retorted as he grabbed the bandage strip from the kit, spun it around his hand thrice, and then cut it. He unwounded the strip, and began to wrap it around my foot.

"Manik, sorry na? Okay I'll listen to you from now on. I'll take you seriously. Sorry." I was on the verge of crying, out of guilt, out of the pricking sensation of the antiseptic and out of distress that Manik was disappointed. He looked at me and sighed again.

"Fine." He stood up, wrapped the blanket around me and handed my phone over. "Now you sit here, and do NOT move, haan? Meri baat manogi na? Just stay here. I'll be right back." I nodded with a smile and he kissed my forehead, and walked out of the room, dialing a number. I unlocked my phone, peeked out of the window, still sitting on the bed and saw Manik pacing around the balcony. I stealthily clicked a few pictures of him and had a look at them.

I giggled at the picture and mentally captioned it in my head. *Grumpy Malhotra*. I heard his voice and immediately closed my gallery. I put my phone on the bed and patiently waited for him to come back. Just then he walked into the room.

"I ordered dinner. Now I can't have you go make that paneer dish again. You're not going anywhere either. I ordered pizza for us. He'll be here in 15 minutes." He commanded and I shook my head in approval. I had already troubled him enough for the day. I took a look at him and he fell on the bed, holding his head. I pulled my knees against my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

"What happened?" I brushed my fingers over the hair covering his forehead and he pushed my hand away playfully.

"Stop playing with my hair. I don't like people messing with my hair." He smiled and I frowned. I brought my fingers to his face again and brushed his hair and I heard him click his lips helplessly. I did it again to annoy him and he grasped my hand and pulled me over him. His hands brush against my waist and I palpitated at the sudden effect of his fingers against my skin.

"You do everything I tell you not to do, don't you?" I turned away from him and he turned me over, laying me on my back and him over me. "Bolo." He muttered against my face and his minty breath hit me. I pulled him by his shirt closer to me and our chests touched. I heard a soft knock at the door, and Manik leaned into me.

"Manik..." I murmured but his finger pressed my lips, signaling me to stay quiet.

"Sssshhh..." He bent closer and just then the doorbell rang.

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