(A/N: Hey girls and guys! 🙊 Since you guys were DAMN eager for the next part, I have managed to write one part. Also, thanks for understanding the situation. :) If the response is good, I'll post the next part tonight! 😍 Okay now go read and let me know if you like it! Love you all tons. Vote and comment okay? Okay now read!)

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I strolled from the airport, weak and tired. So much happened on that honeymoon. Honeymoon wasn't even sweet enough. I felt good about revealing everything that's been bothering me for a while. Our relationship began on a lie, what good could come out of it?

I needed to be with my parents and family. They needed me the most. Of course I'd consider being with Manik but he never chose me.

I got into a cab, and got straight back home. I stared at the main door for about 10 whole minutes before ringing the bell. All that was running in my head was fear, guilt, and broken trust.

"Amma..." I gleed as soon as I saw her at the door. I hugged herimpatiently and she put a hesitant arm around me. I broke apart and smiled at her with tears in my eyes.

"Yahan kyu aayi ho?" I heard my father's voice and my heart dropped. He'd never been that cold to me ever. I could understand though, I'd lied to him. Manik and I lied to them.

"Phirse jhoot bolne aayi hai." My brother yelled from inside and suddenly, my own house seemed so foreign to me. I knew I shouldn't have come there but I didn't have anywhere else to go anyways. Plus I needed to be around them, to settle things with them.

"Rishu..." Amma warned and moved aside, letting me enter the house. I stepped into the house in a simple salwar, smudged vermillion, a wedding chain, a ring on my left hand and toe-rings, but above all that, the unusual atmosphere was because of the tension between us.

"Nandini..." He called in a moderate tone, the one filled with affection and love. For a moment I got happy. "Apne kamre main jao..."

"Appa..."

"Go to your room, Nandini." He spat, and I quietly went upstairs, to the room that was once mine. It was neat and clean. My closet was empty, the dresser was devoid of stuff, it felt homely but eerie.

"Jhoot kyu bola, Nandini? Itna bharosa kiya hum sabne..." Amma was the only one behaving neutral with me. She was affected too, but she knew I needed her really and that helped a little. She sat on my bed and signaled me to lie on her lap. I slowly snuggled my way, placing my head on her lap. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Amma. Unhone..."

"Unke baare main baat nahi kar rahi hu main..."

"Anyways, Manik aur main... hum saath nahi hai ab." I sniffed as he ran her fingers through my hair.

"Kya hua?"

"Humare beech jo bhi hai, humare beech ka hai. Please..."

"Toh aayi kyun?" My brother scolded. I didn't like the way they were all behaving. I felt so alone in this world so huge, without Manik by my side.

"Rishabh... this is her house too... tum jab tak yahan rehna chahti ho, reh sakti ho." Amma said, with an expressionless face. She placed my head carefully on the bed. I was lying in the middle, curled into a ball. She pulled the sheets over me.

"Thanks, Amma." She walked away without even looking at me.

"Nyonika Mom ko pata hai kuch?"

"Nahi."

"Please don't tell her. Manik se nahi hoga. Please..." I pleaded. After all, that was why we'd parted. My mother saw the helplessness in my eyes and sighed.

"Hmm..." She left the room and I curled up and cried there, yearning and craving for Manik's presence.

***

I looked up to see the time, 6:02. I'd spent an entire week, sleepless, neglected and with improper food schedules. I was in a disheveled state. I needed a change. I couldn't mourn about my decisions the whole day, I needed to go to college.

I jumped out of bed, freshened up, showered, and got ready. I threw some makeup on and braided my hair into a side-fishtail braid. I grabbed some toast and stepped out of the house, all set for college, though I looked nothing like a girl who was going there to study.

For a moment, the times when Manik picked me up flashed through my mind. I smiled involuntarily as I hurried to get an auto-rickshaw to drop me to college.

The first three classes were smooth. Navya and Madhyam weren't there, which made it a lot easier explaining our situation. However in lunch break, I stepped out of my classroom to use the washroom when I met him on the corridor.

I'd missed him so much. It had been 5 whole days since I'd seen him, breathed him, touched him and felt him. In that instant, I captured many things about him that otherwise I'd never pay much attention to. He was wearing a full sleeved royal blue shirt, rolled up to his elbows and chinos. His hair was messy, his stubble was a bit longer and it was like I'd fallen in love with him all over again. It was after 5 days, I was finally living again, breathing, my heart thumping to match his beats.

Our eyes were only on each other, until we crossed by. Not for once did he blink, wink or gesture anything, neither did I. His eyes shifted to my neck, momentarily, where the symbol of our relationship still laid. In his eyes, I could see the way he yearned to be with me, but this was what we'd chosen for ourselves.

"You guys are still stuck on that lame massage thing?" Cabir whispered into Manik's ear but Manik was oblivious. We'd missed each other so much. Cabir repeated his sentence a little louder this time and Manik gaped at him.

"How do you know?"

"Umm... never mind." He turned back to look at me but I was already gone. I locked myself into a bathroom cubicle and cried, in happiness. I'd missed him so much.

After two more classes, college ended at 2:15. I walked my way out, standing outside the college gate, blankly staring at Manik, who was checking himself out on his bike mirror.

"Manik, can you drop me back home?" Alya tapped his shoulder and Manik seemed pissed. However, his attention did turn to me, as he smirked seeking me burn at the sight of Alya taking my place. Don't touch him bitch, he's mine! My heart yelled as she placed a hand on his shoulder and another arm around his waist.

"What is going on?" Cabir howled and the others just watched Manik's eccentric behavior as he tried to make me jealous. I stomped and looked away, as Manik hit the kick-start on his bike.

***

I was still standing there, waiting for an auto-rickshaw. Generally autos come but it was 2:30 in the afternoon and it's generally lunch time; which I remembered I didn't have, because of all this fighting. Manik seriously was very irritating sometimes. I decided to catch a public bus.

Just then, Manik parked right in front of me, with that constant smirk plastered over his face. He gave me a look and then whistled casually as he put his helmet on the bike and stretched his arms as he got back into college. I rolled my eyes at him and almost punched his helmet, thinking it was his head.

I ran quickly to catch up with him and pulled him by his arm. He made a very innocent face, like I wasn't allowed to behave like that but I gave no damn to anything he did. The whole world saw us but who cares? I pulled him to one secluded area in college and began venting at him.

"What the hell was that? Why did you let her get on your bike like that? If you really want to touch her, hug her and kiss her, why don't you just marry her?" I flapped hopelessly at him and he just stared at me. It had been 5 days, 120 hours, 7200 minutes, 432000 seconds since he'd heard me speak. That was a long time.

"What?" He made a ridiculous face and rolled his eyes at me.

"What?"

"Why does it bother you? Tumne hi toh bola it's over." He huffed and I breathed hastily.

"But tumne..." I stopped mid-sentence and Manik looked at me instantly. I paused for a couple of seconds, took a breath and exhaled. "Fine." He shrugged and looked away. "I don't know main tumhe defend karne ki koshish bhi kyu karti hu." I was desperately trying to get his attention by adding more sentences to get more responses. He wasn't really pleased at my accusations.

"Listen Nandini..." He grabbed me with a jerk, closer to him and involuntarily, his hand went to cup my cheek. He scrutinized at my eyes. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?" He asked in the most softest tone I'd heard in 5 days. I felt his hand tracing circles on my cheek and gripped it. I felt his ring poke my fingers and it brought me immense happiness. I closed my eyes and fluttered them open.

"Tum bhi toh nahi soye..." I whispered. He'd stepped closer to me.

"Haan voh main..." He smiled and then stopped, sensing he couldn't. His face again turned expressionless. That broke our moment. I let go of his hand, and he, my cheek. If I stayed a moment longer, I would burst into tears. "I have to go." I said, walking away as quickly as I could to save myself from the pain while Manik stood there, just hopelessly in love. 

***

Manik went home and everybody was in his house. They all needed answers for Manik's stupid behavior; everyone but Alya. Manik walked upstairs to his room and threw his bag on the bed. He fell back himself, holding his head; that was spinning with lack of sleep.

"What the hell, Manik? You actually dropped her home? Why are you behaving so weird? And Alya, what the fuck is wrong with her?" Cabir was shouting at the top of his voice.

"I didn't drop her home. I chucked her on the road next to college. I don't even like her anymore." Manik shrugged irritably. They all turned to Dhruv. "Dhruv..."

"I am apparently not in love with her and neither is she with me." Dhruv shrugged innocently. He probably had chances to go out with Alya but Alya didn't seem to want that. She was stuck with Manik and he was whom she wanted.

"Why the fuck did she tell Nandini's parents, goddamnit?" Manik growled and they all stood in shock. It was only Mukti who'd seen it coming.

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, that bitch told Nandini's mom and dad EVERYTHING. Now they're pissed off at me, because hell, parents can't trust a person who kisses someone else when he loves their daughter!" He spat and held his head again. He was irritated, confused and mainly, he was a child who needed my attention; which he wasn't getting.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Elaborate. I'm confused." Cabir interrupted and Manik heaved a huge sad sigh.

"Nandini and I... we're not together." He breathed and tears filled his eyes.

"Divorce kardia?" Manik gave him an ugly look. Cabir was so stupid sometimes.

"NO! Goddamnit, no! I still love her. I can't do that. We're just apart now; and I'm DYING without her."

"Why are you guys apart? Her parents know, yours don't, right?" Cabir was the only one interested in the conversation. Mukti was happy and Dhruv wasn't bothered.

"Her parents don't want her around me because they're scared I'm hurting their daughter and I don't have good intentions! Like what... and I'm helpless here because my parents need me, and they can't know yet and I love her so much, it hurts." He sniffed his tears away and Cabir sat next to him.

"What the fuck, Alya is creating problems between Manik and Nandini, fucking hell, THEY'RE IN LOVE!" He howled and Mukti interrupted.

"Oh shut up, Cabir! Manik met Nandini what, 1 month ago? We're friends since forever." She rolled her eyes and Manik stood up angrily.

"Guys, can you please shut the fuck up? I'm so damn stressed, goddamnit! If it weren't for my mother, I'd throw you all out..." Just then, Nyonika entered the room and seeing her son so vulnerable, she knew she had to be there.

"Out, everybody."

"Call me if you need anything. I have your back." Cabir smiled faintly and Manik nodded. Nyonika sat beside him and Manik placed his head on her lap.

"Shh... Are you alright, Manik?"

"She doesn't even want me in her life. Like what even? I asked her so many times, zillion times pucha usse, usne kuch bola hi nahi..." She watched him cry and it hurt her. She knew there was something wrong but she didn't ask.

"For how long are you guys going to be like this?"

"I don't know." He said, staring at the ceiling.

"You're struggling, Manik." She ruffled his hair and he closed his eyes, hoping and imagining it was me.

"So is she. She has nobody with her. I'm worried about her. At least I have you all. But then again, she wants this. Sometimes, I can't understand that girl!" He huffed and sighed and huffed again.

"Actually problem kya hai?"

"She didn't say she loves me." He breathed in a sad tone and his mother smiled. He was still that little clingy son; just stronger.

***
Part-2:

I stumbled into the house. I was sleepy and hungry. It was like I was barely living. It was sort of obvious, given I'd taken a drastic step to actually suicide, because given the kind of person I was, I would never do that. I needed to get back with Manik. His absence in my life just changed me. I'm a new person. I'm emotional, tired of fighting, depressed and lonely. My dad walked into my room. "Appa..." I called, hoping he'd respond. "Aap mujhse baat kyu nahi kar rahe ho?" He kept quiet for a while longer and I couldn't help but cry. These five days were hard enough for me. It was true I lied to them; but now I loved Manik. Our relationship was finally true. We loved each other. Just, Manik's family was more important to him.

"Nandini... I never thought you'd do this to us. It's painful. Khud aakar bol diya hota ek baar... we had to get to know through someone else, that too that woman! It's disgusting and Manik ne kya kya kiya hoga uske saath... Abhi call karta hu Rakesh ko..."

"Appa, please..." I held his arm and he stared at me. He tried to get me off him. I withdrew my hands. "Please don't. Manik is already in so much pain. Please, for me." I begged. Though I wasn't on talking terms with them, it was necessary for me to talk to them.

"He deserves it, Nandini. I don't like that man." Appa spat with so much grief. I never wanted Appa to hate Manik that much but now even I couldn't say anything. We'd given them enough reasons to think that way about us.

"But I love him..." I cried. I was a crying mess, all the time; and I hated that.

"You don't deserve him, Nandini."

***

I walked slowly into the college campus, totally lost in deep thought. I was dressed well, with makeup on, enough to flatter any man, forget Manik.

Manik's focus was set on me but I couldn't care less. He was so worried about me, or rather jealous that I looked so beautiful but didn't belong to him entirely.

"Dude, go talk to her..." Cabir nudged irritably. He was having such a tough time dealing with a hypocritical Manik.

"Nahi karni hai usse baat. Voh mujhe nahi chahti hai." He said in a trance, still in awe with me. People were aware of how things weren't smooth between us and they wanted to rub it in my face that they had a better chance with Manik than I did.

"So you and Manik broke up, is it?" A girl snapped at my face. She had a plastic face and repelling red lipstick plastered onto her lips. She was a few inches taller than me and given that she was so close, I could hardly stand her. I stepped away in disgust.

"The whole love-marriage thing was a lie, I heard?" A girl pushed me from the back and I moved away, hitting her hands away, avoiding them.

"Just leave me alone."

"In fact, until the Principal knows, we all have a chance on Manik, they say!" They clapped and high-fived each other and what not? Bitches. I was blocked by a man just as tall as Manik, grabbing one of their arms.

"What? What are you trying to do to her?" He snapped at them and they walked away, faking a smile at him. He turned to me and smiled. He asked me a few questions and I replied with a smile.

"What the fuck is he trying to do?" Manik rolled his sleeves aggressively, his face fuming at the sight of someone other than him protecting me. Cabir smirked and grabbed his arm, stopping him from moving.

"Bro, calm down. Voh toh tujhe chahti nahi hai na?" Manik paid no heed to Cabir's comment. He was only interested in what was going on there. I shook hands with him and was walking to class when I was grabbed recklessly. I stumbled and stood on my feet, with the impact of his jerk.

"What the hell, Manik?"

"You tell me, what was that? Kya tha voh corridor main? Out with it, now!" Manik had his lips puffed up in anger but I couldn't find anything as adorable as his face when he did that. His lips were pursed together tight and he was shooting daggers at me. Of course, amongst the two of us, the guy and I, I had to be responsible for him saving me, like I'd struck some charm on him; and... "Why did you put makeup today? To impress your new boyfriend?" BAM! I was 100% certain he'd make that comment. I wasn't even surprised!

I found the whole scenario funny but if I laughed, I'd be in deep trouble. I resolved to use the reply that could be the most appropriate and irritating reply ever.

"Kya?" I growled, supposedly cluelessly. He gave me 'what-the-hell' expression, and shrugged.

"What was he doing, defending you?" He snapped, stepping dangerously closer to me. His eyes were glued to my lips as he leaned to close the distance between us. Manik ne kya kya kiya hoga uske saath... Appa's words from the previous morning struck me. The fact that he accepted to take her on a bike ride, when I was standing right there, that smirk on his face and that instant, how casual he was acting with Alya, like they were dating; all added to my confusion. I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him away with all my might. He almost tripped over his own feet, and was startled.

"Now all guys are not losers like you, who laugh at girls they're engaged to..." I spat bitterly, not regretting one thing I said. It was true. I was filling myself with hatred for him, because of his indifference.

"You... you can't get engaged to him." He grabbed my arm forcibly. I grumbled and struggled to get away.

"Don't touch me! Get away from me!" He grabbed my other arm and forced both of them behind me, holding them at my elbows. This act only made the distance between us restricted.

"Nandini Malhotra... Don't forget, main abhi bhi tumhara pati hi hu. Mujhe divorce karne se pehle kisi aur ki nahi ban sakti kabhi bhi." He said with lots of power in his tone, stressing on the possessive words just because, hey, I was his wife still, by law.

"Toh sign karo divorce papers." I knew I was taking it to the next level now. This argument was nowhere related to divorce and if he ever gave me that... I didn't know what I'd do. He gaped at me quietly as I said whatever I wanted to say. I was just so hurt with how casually he was dealing with things between him and Alya. After all, it was because of her that we are the way we are today. Instead of trying to mend things, Manik was making things worse and I was not pleased at all. "Ab kya hua, hass rahe the na when those girls were teasing me, mocking me! Mr. Malhotra ko bura laga?" I mocked with a sly smile. Manik blinked, looking deep onto my eyes.

"Ladte waqt bhi chemistry dekho dono ke beech main! Pagal bacchhe!" Cabir chuckled to himself and both of us glared at him. For a moment, we looked really cute, I could tell, by the way Cabir was looking at us with a guilt-ridden expression that stated 'like-husband-like-wife'! Our focuses shifted back to each other. I cringed my face, examining him or rather threatening him and Manik widened his eyes in an attempt to scare me.

"Listen you..." I was pulled closer and I began fighting again.

"Choddo mujhe. Chemistry class ke liye late ho raha hai..." I said blankly.

"Oooo, Chemistry main chemistry huh?" Cabir chuckled at his own lame jokes and this time neither Manik nor I even paid heed. Manik's smirk just widened. I shouldn't have said that. God! He's never gonna leave me now!

"Ab toh tumhe late hi jaana hoga, Mrs Malhotra." He faked a smile at me and I scrutinized angrily. If that's what you want, I won't let that happen! Cabir was the silent spectator, witnessing our childish battles.

"I still don't get it! Why can't things work out between the two of you?" He growled and kicked a trashcan, screaming out loud after hurting himself as he limped off the hallway, leaving Manik and I alone!

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(Hello peeps! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT LOVELY RESPONSE! 😍 Okay, school has started but then until like a few weeks, I can update everyday! Basically in higher classes you don't have a summer break so :/ I thought I'll reply to the comments but I spent that time writing so... 🙊 I'll do that today! Anyways, I'm back with another part. Vote and comment please? (With Manik Malhotra on the top? 🙈) Hope you guys like it!
Question of the chapter: What do two people in a love-hate relationship do?
Think of some answers and drop them below. I'd love to hear from you all. Okay now, bubyee!)