(A/N: Hey! Thanks for the big welcome! Yes, I'm continuing. I do understand that a lot of this story is unexplained, so not leaving anytime soon :P I just hope the response is good, because it's for your requests! Thank you so much for being wonderful and supportive readers. Please check out Illusions too. I update there every Monday and Thursday :') Thanks. Vote, comment and share!)

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It had been a few days since I was away from home. Given Alya's financial status, I decided to take legal action against her, despite Manik's stupid protests otherwise. For him, it was about his friend, for me it was about family. He also knew his friend was wrong, so he couldn't object either. The case had been filed and maintaining that excuse, I'd somehow managed to convince my parents that I had to stay away from home for a few days.

They began suspecting too, so I had to make my move, to strengthen my gameplay. One night, when Manik was happy and had done eating and was relaxing, watching TV while lying on my lap, I brought it up.

"Manik, I have something to say." He muted the TV, looking up into my eyes. His fingers played with my hair strands. "I... have to go. Please..." I wanted to explain myself before I got to witness Mr. Hulk! "Please. Meri baat suno?"

He let out a loud breath. "Hmm..."

"Kuch din ke liye... main vahi rahungi, Amma aur Appa ke saath..." Manik was already fully objecting my decision.

"Main tumhare bina, Nandini..."

"I know... it's gonna be hard, Manik but we have to. Kuch din ke liye, please samjho Manik." I was running my fingers through his hair, feeling those long strands. I pecked his forehead while his fingers caught onto my nuptial chain. He slid one finger into the loop, forcing me to lean closer. Our lips met, briefly but intensely. He let go after some mental struggles!

"Tum jao mat yaar." I wish I could, but now that Alya was handled, I had to fix my relationship with my family. This time, it's Manik's job. I wanted him to prove himself.

***

The FRIENDS telecast just got over. I sneaked back into my room, to check on Manik. Why didn't he call? Should I? After several moments of reconsideration, I made up my mind. As soon as he picked,

"Hello Manik..."
"Wah! Kya baat hai, tum call kar rahi ho? Missing me already or what?" I rolled my eyes mentally. Though he wasn't lying, I just didn't want to admit.
"Nahi! NO, tumko toh time hi nahi hai mere liye." My blame made him more sarcastic!
"Acchha? Aur college main kisne kisko ignore kiya tha, batau?" I flushed at the realization of being caught. I didn't want anyone to know about my patch-up with Manik. At least until everything was sorted, crystal clear.
"Nahi, mujhe kuch aur sunna hai."
"Kya sunna hai tumko?" I could sense him smirking on the other side of the phone.
"I..." I was cut off, as I heard a lady in the background.
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"Mom, Nandini!"
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"Nahi, voh aaj yahan nahi aayegi, kuch kaam hai usko." He was in his parent's house. I smiled to myself. Manik couldn't be alone.
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"Nandu, kya baat hai beta, kuch hua hai?" I didn't realize when she had started speaking instead.
"Nahi Aunty voh... actually..." The door of my room clcked open. I gasped, as my heart raced into my mouth.
"Nandini, who are you talking to?" I quickly cut the call, freaked out.
"Nyonika..." I panted, feeling the heat run down my entire body. What would they do if they got to know the truth? "Nyonika Ma'am, Principal hai na, she called to inform me about an event." I was fumbling which got my mother a little more suspicious.
"Itni raat ko? College main bata nahi sakti thi? Anyways, dinner is ready." I nodded, throwing my phone on the bed and accompanying her downstairs, after giving my phone a long-lost look.

On the other hand, Manik was irritated because he couldn't speak to me longer. "Kya Mom aap bhi, baat nahi hoti humaari yaar!" He was so open with his family, he was so lucky!

"Sahi hai! Last year hai tumhara, seriously padhlo kuch!" She chuckled, hitting his head. Manik took a deep breath, resorting to the only hope he had.

"Mom Mom, I gotta tell you something." I walked on his knees from one side of the bed to the other, catching up with Mom. He summarized our problems, excluding the marriage lie, but including the Alya part. He explained himself too, which Nyonika believed. "Now her parents aren't even allowing us to hang out together."

She gave it a thought. Manik really thought her inputs could help him fix the issues Manik and I were facing, with my affected family.

"Manik, as parents they're trying to protect their daughter. If you were in her place, I wouldn't let you be with her either. Anyways, I'll speak to them and try my best, you sleep okay?" He trusted her, that she'd help him and so he let her. She tucked him into bed and headed to flick the switch off. Manik sprung up again, just to add something.

"Okay... And yeah, when you do, tell them 'my son LOVES your daughter'. Highlight the word, put it into their heads!" His mother smiled at his craze for me. She flicked the switch off and closed the door behind her. Manik was in a world of his own. He smiled to himself, unlocked his phone, kissed his lockscreen a zillion times, and placed the phone beside him, tugging onto it as if it was me.

"This is going to be a tough night for me, baby."

***

I heard the window creak in my sleep. I jumped up in fright. I headed out, just to check if I wasn't being robbed blind. As I headed to the balcony, two strong arms gripped my waist, slamming my back onto a broad chest. Manik.

"Manik, tum..." I was shushed by a loud hiss, as his arms tightened around me.

"Neend nahi aa rahi thi." His face was dug into my shoulder bone. He gave me a wet kiss there, slowly turning me on. I had to stop before we got too carried away! I nudged him away with my elbow, pacing forward to distance us.

"Manik, you have to go! I was so close to getting caught today." I didn't make eye contact because genuinely, I didn't want him to leave either. He was however yawning.

"Nanduuuu, please na, mujhe nahi sunna tumhare lectures! Ab chalo, andhar chalo, neend aa rahi hai." He pulled my arm and hopped into my room, with me following him without a choice.

"Just now you said..." I was smarter than he thought so he resented to his anger, his best defense.

"Nandini!" I huffed and threw myself onto the bed. When Manik approached, I diagonally fit myself in such a way that he had no place to fit. Even then, I was so tiny that it didn't help one bit. He hopped into the free space between my legs, leaning over me with his hands on both sides of me, on the bed.

I was pissed at not being able to control him but not the serious kind. He giggled at his achievements and fell to the side, laughing loud. In admiration, I gaped at his charming face. I shoved my hand into his mouth to silence his laughs that were loud, after slapping him a few times to shut up.

"Nandini..." The way he said my name just caught all my attention. Manik was a blessing. Moreover, he was all mine. I placed my head over his bicep, as his arm wrapped around me.

"Manik..." He hummed, lost in his 'MaNan' world. I was having second thoughts. "Manik, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni thi."

"Kya hai?" He looked into my eyes with passion. His eyes held a warm smile. I didn't want to ruin our moment together because of some jerks.

"Nahi, abhi nahi!" I hugged him, as he pulled the blanket over both of us. We closed our eyes and drifted to sleep, in just a matter of seconds.

***

"Manik, ek aur bite baaki hai bas..." I was running around, chasing my husband like he was a toddler, trying to cajole him to eat. I'd come over early to his place one morning, to look after that grown child. He shook his head and ran, trying to get away.

"Nahi Nandini, time ho gaya hai, I have to go! I'm late." He put his football jersey on and quickly checked himself in the mirror. Immediately an idea struck me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaned to his lips and just as he closed his eyes in the moment, I placed the sandwich between my teeth, and touched his lips. He instinctively caught onto it and opened his eyes, flustered.

I chuckled and hit his chest playfully. He grumbled, made a 'huh-you-betrayed-me' and chewed angrily while I giggled and kissed his cheek. "You're so cute, I love you so much!"

"Chalo match ke liye late ho raha hai, ghar aake surprise milega kya?" He smirked, pulling me into his body by my waist. His fingers fidgeted around my waist as I put my arms over his shoulders.

"Jeetke aao, zarur milega!" He smiled and touched my lips with his.

"Tum na front row pe baitho, aur mere liye zorr se chillana, jeet jaayenge, okay?" I nodded and placed my forehead against his, closing my eyes.

***

The ball crossed the opponent player, while crossing over the line. A loud thump was heard and the ball flew straight into our college team's goalpost, leading to an overall score of 3-1. Manik didn't anticipate that goal at all.

"What the fuck? Abey gadhe ki aulaad, dikhta nahi hai kya, offside tha voh! Saale, teri problem kya hai humse behanch..." He began threatening the referee physically and I was startled. Please Manik, not now. I clasped my hands together hopefully. Manik's teammates had to forcibly pull the two apart. Cabir played a main role in the consolation.

"Manik, Manik, please. Relax. Chill. Jaane do, 30 minutes baaki hai, hum kuch karlenge!" Cabir went on patting Manik's chest while Manik chugged some cold water, distressed beyond compare. He spat a little bit onto the grass there and rubbed his mouth with the length of his sweaty arm.

"Is he fucking blind? That was a foul!" He growled and threw the plastic onto the ground.

"Behave yourself, Manik. Otherwise, I will have to substitute you." The referee didn't do much help either. In fact, it provoked Manik and being the man he was, he wouldn't calm down.

"Bhai, Nandini dekh rahi hai..." Cabir muttered and Manik's head immediately sprang over his shoulder, to see me sitting behind him. I was the only one in the vicinity who could calm him down. I locked eyes with him and subtly blinked. I didn't want him to lose this match. Manik, please; I mouthed out and he shrugged his shoulders in a 'kya-hai-yaar' motion. He was trying his best to control his temper. Navya smirked at us.

"Nandini..." She paused as she swayed from side to side, placing her elbows on her thighs and resting her chin on her own entwined hands. I immediately shifted by focus to her. There were a lot of things I needed answers for, too. "...tell me something honestly?"

"Yeah?"

"How turned on are you by the fact that Manik plays for the college team?" She had this smirk plastered on her face and I, as such, didn't find that conversation really productive. Like everything in love is about sex! I rolled my eyes.

"Navya, this is not the time for this." I huffed as I fixed my gaze back at Manik.

"Fine. Something else then?" It was more like a question to me and I took the perfect opportunity.

"How's things with Cabir and you?"

"I don't know. I wanna end it." That was quick. I was taken aback for a moment. How could she say that so casually?

"What? Why?"

"My parents are suspicious and you know them, right? They're all country-style, they want men from USA or something. Not him." I wasn't really convinced with her explanation. I get it, in India, parents are skeptical about love marriages but eventually, they give in. Didn't she know that already? If she did, why did she choose to love him? Or does she?

"What's wrong with Cabir? Is he not handsome enough? Above all, don't you... don't you love him?" I was pretty hesitant to put that question forth. I was dreading the answer already.

"I don't know." She mumbled and I blinked, blatantly. Ah, games. I'm not surprised.

***

Manik and Cabir were getting back from the locker room, showered all clean and good looking, or rather should I say, smelling! Cabir was on his phone and Manik was going on and on, huffing and venting.

"Dude Cabir, I swear to God I'll kill that referee, fucking dog!"

"Hmm... suno na, main abhi aata hu." Cabir said, with his eyes still glued to his phone. He made a move and Manik stopped him.

"Kahan, oh hello, kya hua? Main bhi aau?"

"Nahi nahi, Nandini aa rahi hogi. Tum yahi raho varna voh mujhe cheel legi!" His eyes bulged out as he shook his head, making a sarcastic 'oh-your-wife-is-so-dangerous' expression. His chuckle, really bland, just added to Manik's despair.

"Theek hai." Manik let him go. He wasn't sure of Cabir. "Kuch theek nahi lag raha!" He said, as his eyes trailed Cabir's retreating steps.

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(Aage kya hoga, jaanne ke liye stay tuned! :P I hope this was interesting and also thoda cute!
Question of the chapter: What's going to happen now?
Have faith in me, and please keep supporting me, here and on Illusions. I have so many ideas and I'm gonna publish them in different books, so I'm eagerly awaiting response on this! Thank you so much <3 Have a wonderful week!)

  
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Part-2: (continued)

Cabir approached the curb on the terrace, where they generally met in private. "Hey sweetie!" He pulled her in for an uncomfortable hug.

"Cabir, just... we need to talk." She distanced herself from him. He eagerly waited to hear what she said.

"Hmm... bolo na?"

"Cabir, I think... I think we should call it off!" She blurted, studying his face.

"What? What... what do you mean? Navya..." He tried to hold her but she flinched. She flapped her hands out to keep him away from her.

"It's not working out. Like you and I, this isn't love. This is just bullshit." Cabir's heart was hurting. She was just throwing him off, just so easily.

"But Nav..."

"Let me finish, please." He nodded, holding himself back, keeping himself strong enough to hear the rest. "I don't feel anything anymore. That feeling, it's dead." That was the end of it for him. "We... I'm breaking up with you." He grabbed her securely in his grip, not letting her go.

"You cannot just leave me like that! You CANNOT!" He had broken down by then. His voice had cracked. Navya was sympathetic but not really involved. "How? How can you say this, so easily?" He waved in despair, as tears clogged his eyes. She took a breath.

"I don't love you, Cabir." The words shook him. He gripped her back again, devouring her into an aggressive kiss. She responded too, which got him further involved. What was she doing to him? She nudged him away after a few seconds, saying her final statements.

"Cabir, goodbye." She walked away from there quickly, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. Cabir ran his fingers through his hair, collapsing right there but not crying yet. Tears were running down his cheeks, but he wasn't crying. He was holding strong, but not for long.

***

My mother opened the door to find Nyonika Mom on our porch. "Mrs. Malhotra, aap..." Nyonika Mom gave her a warm smile.

"Nyonika." She corrected. Amma smiled back.

"Ji, aayiye." Mom walked in and took a modest seat on the living room's couch. Amma was more than happy to serve her. "What would you like to eat?"

"No no Malini, sit! I came here to talk." She pulled her to sit beside her. They had become really close during the whole marriage ceremony. It felt like two lost best friends meeting again. They just smiled at each other, painfully.

"Dekhiye, humko koi baat nahi karni hai!" A voice snapped both of them out of their reminiscence. Appa was out with his overprotective side. He was just leaving to work, but the whole idea of his co-parent-in-law supposedly fighting for her son got him all wild and protective about me.

"Please understand, Manik ko maine aisa kabhi nahi dekha hai kisike liye." Mom was upset. She really wanted my parents to just give in. Class did make a difference in people's opinions. Manik's family was super rich, and these small things didn't concern them, they focused on the big picture. My parents were very close-minded about things. We were middle class and we worried about what society said about us. I'm not saying it's good, but that's how we were.

"Nandini ki zindagi barbaad ho gayi hai!" Appa charged, as if I was the only one hurt in the relationship. He was fully defensive.

"Alya is behind bars, everything is getting under control. Now it's time to sort things out between us. We know this marriage is not just about both of them." Amma gave her a sympathetic nod. She seemed to understand the pain I was going through. Appa could too, it was just that he didn't see the need to sympathize, he was always a fighter.

"This marriage itself is a lie! Your son and Nandini never were in love!" Nyonika Mom was disturbed at the constant picking of Manik. More so, she was disturbed with the new information.

"That's... not true. He loves her. He loves her so much, and she does, too!" Amma nodded. She understood both sides of the story to a great extent, but Appa was totally anti-Manik.

"He has hurt Nandini so much, I cannot... let her heart break again." Amma rushed to him, rubbing his bicep affectionately. "We respect your efforts to revive this connection we have, as two families, but your son has ruined it." Nyonika Mom was agitated.

"If you think separating them will work, you're wrong, Mr. Murthy." She kept her voice low but she was upset with my parents' reactions. "It just shows ki aap kitna jaante ho apni bacchhi ke baare main." Her calm voice seemed like she was pained, not angry, which I liked. She had high respect for my parents, and her body language and the way she spoke gave that out.

"This is all I can say, the rest is upto you. Thank you, we'll hopefully meet again, as two families looking to reconcile." She left and Amma felt dejected, as she recollected a crying vision of me on her lap. Somewhere, she could relate to both Manik and I. Maybe that empathy was a quality every mother had innately.

***

The doorbell rang and a lazy figure approached.

"Chal party kare aaj?" Manik sprang at Cabir's doorstep with two bottles of beer.

"Aaj? Aaj nahi na, meri... Meri tabiyat thodi kharab hai." Cabir sulked and touched his cheeks to feel the heat.

"Dude, subah toh theek hi tha! Kya hua?"

"Thoda... bhukkhar hai shayad." Manik touched his forehead and cheeks, that were rough with probably dried tears. Cabir quickly withdrew himself, moving away and avoiding eye-contact.

"Kuch chal raha hai kya?" Manik leaned forwards to check his expressions. Cabir quickly closed his eyes, and stuttered.

"Nahi nahi, kal tak... kal tak theek ho jaaunga, tu tension mat le." Manik had had enough. He pushed himself through the door.

"Bhai, tu mujhse jhoot bol raha? I fucking saw you both!" He almost shouted and Cabir took a step back.

"B-both? Kaun?" Manik pulled his shirt for his attention.

"Tu. Aur Navya. I saw you guys. Don't even try to pretend, haan?" He was really beyond just irritated and Cabir wasn't helping one bit.

"Yaar Manik, aaj nahi please!" And that confirmed Manik's doubts. It came too quick a shock to him. It was massive information. Navya. Cabir. Together. Kissing. Cabir. His best friend.

"Kaise Cabir? Tu bhi? TU. Tu... mere saath aise kaise kar sakta hai?" He lost it. He broke. If I were there, my heart would've bled; I didn't know if my absence was fortunate or not.

"Manik, really. Main toh batane hi wala tha, sacchme. But..."

"But kya... But kya, Cabir?" He pulled him aggressively. Cabir didn't defend himself.  "Tumko bhi nahi lagta ki main trustworthy hu. Hai na?"

"Aisi..."

"Nahi, aisa hi hai!" Manik let go, with one strong push. He was beyond hurt, by those secrets.

"Manik, please meri baat suno. Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai. Mujhe nahi pata tha tumlog kaise react karoge."

"Tumlog? TUMLOG? Aur kaun hai iss list main?" Cabir took a breath.

"Mukti."

"Nan-" How could it be that Manik would allow a conversation to pass without involving me?

"Usko pata hai."

"Pata hai?" The last bit of sanity was lost. "NANDINI KO BHI PATA HAI? Sirf mujhe idea hi nahi tha, hai na? Sirf main." Manik's eyes were filled with tears,  red, swollen and weak. He popped a bottle open and swallowed massive amounts, so much even Cabir freaked out.

"Manik, stop. You're harming yourself, dude. Trust me, please, I'll tell you everything, just not today. I'll drop you home now."

"No. Main ghar jaau ya marr jaau, kisko kya fark padhta hai?" Manik pushed him away and consumed some more alcohol.

"PAGAL HAI KYA TU? TERE LIYE BIWI GHAR MAIN INTEZAAR KAR RAHI HOGI!"

"Applies to your girlfriend also!"

"Ex." Manik was startled. Shock number 2. "Sab khatam ab!" Cabir flapped an arm in the air and Manik sighed.

"Who cares? Koi aur mil jaayegi!" Manik spoke mindlessly. Cabir stayed silent. Manik slid to the floor against a wall and observed Cabir, who was avoiding eye-contact and restlessly moving about. "Cabir. Cabir..." And only after that did Cabir pay attention. "Pyaar karta hai tu usse?" Cabir looked away. Shock number 3. "Cabirrr! Tera dil Navya pe gaya? Navya? Really?" He slammed the bottle on the floor, irritated and disgusted for reasons I don't question.

He never really liked that girl as much. All he did was use her to grab my attention. Just as girls have intuitions about people their loved ones hang out with, he'd figure out who was good for me and who wasn't.

"Manik, you have no right to make a statement like that, okay?" He seemed really really angry and Manik couldn't process anymore information.

"Pyaar..." He uttered softly as he took another sip. It had to be intense for him to take in that information. Imagine a heartbroken Manik, with strong beer in one hand, not knowing what hurt him more, his friend's secret or his wife's.

"Ghanta! Kuch nahi pyaar vyaar." He pulled the beer bottle out of Manik's hands. "Daaru zyaada ho gaya hai shayad!"

"Toh ro kyun raha hai?" Manik waved his hand lazily, slightly intoxicated.

"Manik, please tu jaa yahan se."

"Mujhe baat... karni hai." Manik slapped his palms to the floor hard, and then squirmed in pain.

"I don't want to. I don't love her, it's over, it doesn't matter!" Cabir pat Manik's shoulder, confused and upset. Cabir held him protectively, giving him a shoulder to cry on. He also quickly sent a text to me saying Manik was safe and with him.

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(Hey guys, pehle jaise I'm consolidating the updates, this was part 2! I hope you guys could find it. Vote and comment agar pasand aaya toh :P)