Next Morning

Manik woke up to see Nandini floating above him, her face about an inch from his.

"AAAHHH!" Manik shouted, jumping out of bed.

"Arre...kya hua Master?"

"Tum...pagal ho kya? Aise mere kamre mein kya kar rahe ho? Woh bhi itna subha subha?" Manik asked.

"Woh kya hai na, main toh humesha jaldi uth jaati hoon aur main ghar ka kuch kaam kar rahi thi jab zor zor se ek daravna sa awaz aayi mujhe." Nandini explained. Manik looked confused. "Main toh bohot dar gayi thi aur mujhe laga ki Agni shayad vapas aa gayi hogi.....toh main aapko bachane ke liye aandar aayi lekin PHIR maine dekha ki Agni nahi hai...aap toh bas kharate maar rahe they."

"Wha- I dont snore...kuch bhi bolti ho." Manik refused to believe her.

"Ek minute..." Nandini said.

Snap.

A screen appeared infront of Manik showing him sleeping in bed and snoring very loudly. Manik was surprised and also embarrassed.

"Main itne zor se kharate marti hoon kisne bataya kyun nahi?" Manik asked. Nandini shrugged.

"Anyways, aap uth ke tayyar ho jayiye, main nashta bana deti hoon." Nandini said.

"Ok but...wait, Im out of groceries.....Nandini!" Manik called out but Nandini poofed out of the room. "Oh yeah...she's a genie."

He then got up to take a shower and change into fresh clothes before going into the dining room. Manik's mouth dropped to the floor as he saw the table filled with tasty looking food. There was a plate piled up with pancakes. A bottle of maple syrup on the side. A glass of orange juice. A plate of fruits and nuts. An omlette and much much more.

"Um...Nandini, tumne pure neighbourhood ke liye nashta banaya hai kya?" Manik asked.

"Of course not Master." Nandini giggled. "Yeh aapke liye hai."

"Pura? Nandini main itna nahi khaa sakti, Ill explode!"

Nandini's eyes widened and she gasped. 

Snap.

A bunch of men wearing a special thick suit and mask appeared and ran towards Manik.

"What the- who are you?"

"Bomb squad....sir, do you know hum yahan kaise aaye?"

"One sec...NANDINI!!!!"

"Yes Master?" Nandini grinned.

"Yeh kya hai?" Manik asked.

"Bomb squad...aapne kaha tha na ki you will explode?" 

"I DIDNT MEAN LITERALLY!" Manik yelled. "Send them back."

"But..."

"NOW!"

"Ji Master." Nandini replied innocently.

Snap.

The men disappeared and Manik sighed in relief.

"Ab aap khaa lijiye...jitna bhi aap khaa sakte hai. Bakki main vapas bhej dungi." Nandini said.

Manik sat down to eat and saw Nandini just floating there. "Tum nahi khaoge?"

"Haan aap khaa lijiye uske baad." Nandini replied. Manik rolled his eyes and made her sit on the chair beside him.

"Look...this Master business is ok and all but tum sach much ka mera slave ya naukar nahi ho. So just sit here and eat with me."

Manik took a fork, cut a piece of pancake and then moved it towards Nandini's mouth. Suddenly, he realized what he was doing and stopped.

"Kya kar raha hai tu Manik? Hathon se khila kyun raha hai tu isse?" Manik wondered to himself. Just as he was about to put the fork down, Nandini stopped him and ate the piece of pancake from his hand.

"Mmmnn." Nandini licked her lips. "So yummy! Chocolate chip pancakes meri favourite hai!"

Manik watched her amused as she started eating...practically stuffing her face.

"Yeh toh puri Cabir ki female version hai....lagta hai pichle kisi janam mein yeh uski behen hogi." Manik chuckled as he started eating too.

"Master.."Nandini spoke up.

"Hmm?"

"Aap aaj busy ho kya?"

"Nahi....kyun?"

"Mujhe shopping jaani hai."

"You're a genie...just conjure some clothes up na." Manik said.

"Haan...kehne ko toh I could...lekin usme koi mazza nahi hai." 

"Seriously? Mujhe koi shopping vopping nahi karna." Manik refused. 

"Pls."

"No."

Nandini pouted and her lip quivered.

"Oh god not that again! Tum jaan bhuj ke kar rahe ho na?" Manik asked.

"WUAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!" 

"No...shush! Nandini my neighbours will call the police! Shhhh!!!" Manik begged her but she kept crying.

"OKAY! Ill go shopping with you."

Nandini stopped crying and grinned happily. "Thank you Master. Aap kitne sweet ho."

"Yeah she's def doing that on purpose. Great job Manik, you're being manipulated by a genie." Manik sighed in defeat.

"Yeah whatever...lets go."

**************

Manik took Nandini to the mall and then spent the next few hours following her around and somehow ending up holding all her bags. She of course made herself visible so she could shop. People were watching in shock as the Rockstar Manik became a coolie for this unknown girl. 

"God Im so hungry right now." Manik mumbled.

"Oh...main abhi kuch laati hoon Master." Nandini was about to snap her fingers but Manik stopped her.

"Nandini....the food court is right there." Manik pointed infront of them. "Wahan chalke khaa lete hai...vaise bhi, tum sabke samne magic use nahi kar sakte remember?"

"Oh haan....sorry Master." Nandini said.

"And dont call me Master in public."

"Toh kya bulaun?" 

"Manik."

"Chi Chi...main itni besharam genie nahi hoon. Apni Master ko naam se nahi bula sakti main."

"Then...call me sir or boss. Ill tell people tum meri assistant ho okay?"

"Boss....hmm...I like it." Nandini agreed.

"Great...now sit at this table aur main kuch leke aata hoon. Kahi mat jaana....yahi pe rehna."  Manik told her. Nandini nodded and he left to get food. 

He was waiting in voice when he suddenly heard a voice from behind him.

"Manik?"

Manik turned and came face to face with two people he never wanted to see. His father, Raj Malhotra & his eldest brother, Karan Malhotra. Raj & Karan looked at him emotionally but Manik kept his face expressionless and just turned back.

"Manu...beta-"

"Dont!" Manik sternly looked at Raj and shrugged his hand off his shoulder. "Just...dont! Koi beta veta nahi hoon main aapka....aap ne hi mujhe disown kiya tha, yaad hai na?" 

"Im sorry beta....mujhe paata hai ke mujhse galati ho gaya." Raj apologized.

"Galati?" Manik scoffed. "Galati...is an understatement. Forget it...mujhe aapse koi baat nahi karna hai. Just leave me alone."

"Chote...yaar ek baar baat sun le humara." Karan spoke up.

"Aap logon ne sunna tha kya? Nahi na...so why expect me to listen?" Manik asked.

"BOOOOOSSSSSSSS!!!!" They were suddenly startled as they heard Nandini let out a screech. Manik looked across the food court and saw Nandini run towards him. 

"Boss Boss Boss Boss!" Nandini yelled as she ran to Manik and jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Raj & Karan just stared in confusion and manik felt selfconscious since everyone was looking at them now.

"Nandini...what the hell are you doing?" Manik gritted his teeth.

"Woh...woh...wahan.....woh.."

Mani rolled his eyes. "Firstly.....get off me." 

Nandini obeyed. 

"And secondly...saaf saaf shabdon mein kaho ki kya hua?"

"Woh...wahan cockroach hai." Nandini replied. Manik just blinked at her.

"Seriously...yeh genie ho ke ek chotu se cockroach se itna darti hai?" Manik thought. Seeing her terrified face, Manik couldnt help but burst out laughing. "Hahaha Haha Haha hahaha!"

"Aap hass kyun rahe hai?" Nandini pouted. "Maine sach main cockroach dekha!"

"Yeah....and how big was it? Ittu si?" Manik showed the size with his fingers while laughing. "Cheek toh aise rahi thi jaise paata nahi koi serial killer tumhare piche bhaag raha ho. Hahaha haha."

"You're so mean Ma-Boss..." Nandini whined.

"Yeah yeah..." Manik remembered who he was standing beside and stopped laughing. "Anyways, lets go."

"Par...apko bhook lagi thi na?"

"Not anymore." Manik gave his father & Brother a look before grabbing Nandini's wrist and pulling her away from there.

"Manik...sunn toh." Karan called after him. Nandini turned and saw him. 

"Boss...wahan woh bhaiyya aapko bula rahe hai."

"Dont call him that!" Manik yelled. "Bhaiyya nahi hai woh tumhare."

"Par woh-"

Manik ignored her and dragged her away.

***************

Cabir had arrived and let himself into Manik's apartment.

"I def left my watch here...shayad sofa ke piche hoga." He bent down behind the couch and was looking for his watch when Manik entered followed by Nandini.

Manik's stomach grumbled loudly.

"See...apko bhook lagi hai na Master?" Nandini asked. "Aap waha se chale kyun gaye?"

"Its a long story...can you...you know." Manik motioned for her to conjure up some food. Cabir who had heard Manik and Nandini's voice stood up just in time to see Nandini snap her fingers and lots of food appeared on the table.

Cabir gasped out loud and Manik spun around to face him.

"Cabir! Tu yahan kya....woh...yeh..I ..I can explain." Manik stammered. Nandini stood there not knowing what to do.

"The....food....that girl just...and then the table...empty tha par ab nahi hai...itna khaana kaha se.. Abhi toh nahi tha..." Cabir muttered. He swayed in his spot for a second and then fell back unconscious.

"Cabir!" Manik ran towards him and started fanning him with a magazine.

"Yeh bhi behosh ho gaya?" Nandini said.

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Thoughts?

What do you think will happen now?