Manik comes out of his car and shoving his hand in his pockets went inside the restaurant. He walks through the corridor and almost bumped to a girl. He turns around and looks at the girl who looked in rush. He shrugs his shoulder and carried on walking.

He found his entry and greets everyone who returns the greeting back. He was happy to see Navya there and asked about her and baby health.

He looks at Mukti who hugs him. He pressed his lips against her head and smiles.

Mukti : I'm so happy you made it Bhai. Thank you for coming.

Manik broke the hug and looks everyone who was happy to see him there.

Manik : how could I disappoint my friends? I can never say no to you Mukti. I had to come here.

Abhi : at least you came Manik. I didn't even think you would make effort to come.

Manik glares him and pulling a chair an empty chair sat down and looks around finding his sister.

Manik : where is your sister? Didn't she come?

Abhi : she isn't like you Manik. Obviously she came. She went to washroom. She should be back.

Mukti : Bhai, can you please stop being mean to him? He's my boyfriend. I don't you being mean to him. It makes me sad.

Manik : I wasn't being mean to him Mukti. He isn't just your boyfriend but my friend too. He also deserves this kind of treatment because he dared to date my sister. He should what happens when a guy dates Manik malthora's sister.

Everyone looks at Manik and shakes their head knowing he would not stop being protective over Mukti. Nothing can change Manik.

Abhi : I wonder who will tolerate you Manik. I feel so pity for the girl who will get married to you.

Manik : what the heck are you talking about me? Who said I will get married? I won't get married.

Cabir : we will see that Manik. Very soon you will deeply love in love with a girl. You don't realise how beautiful is to fall love but when you do, you will realise important of love.

Manik shook his head and ignoring cabir's lecture love calls for a waiter who comes there and taking his order left. Manik took his phone out and thought of calling Arjun. He stood up in corner and calls Arjun.

Nandini returns back from washroom and her eyes falls on Manik who stood by the entrance back facing her. She frowns and thought who would might be. She looked so lost in her thoughts didn't realise when Manik looking down his phone reading some messages walks towards her way and crashed into her body. She stumbled back but Manik's hand immediately went around her waist preventing her to fall down.

Her eyes tightly closed fearing to falling down but she didn't feel anything, she opens her eyes and looks into their pair of eyes that was on her mind all the time since that day. They both stared into each other not knowing about their surroundings.

Everyone snapped their head looking at them when they heard Nandini's voice as she let a small yell out making them worried but when they turned back and looks at them got shocked seeing them like this.

Cabir smirks and looks at Manik who was so lost staring Nandini and thought of something. He quickly took his phone out and took a picture of them. Cabir was going to tease Manik hell out.

Mukti also stares her brother who wasn't blinking his eyes but she protectively holding Nandini. Her eyes wondered to Abhi who wasn't getting angry but smiling looking at them.

Nandini felt her heart pounding so fast being so close to him. His cologne was so strong. Her eyes didn't blinked looking away from him.

Manik's heart and mind was going crazy seeing the same girl who met few days back at coffee shop. He felt everything seems to be stopped. He couldn't look away but felt drowning into those pair of eyes.

He looked away when he heard voices. He looks at her with concern when he removed his hand up and made her stand back. She also looked away.

Manik : are you okay? I'm sorry I wasn't looking. Did I hurt you?

Nandini looks at him and opens her mouth to say something but got shocked when she heard loud gasped from behind. She turns around and looks at them who shockingly stares Manik. She looked so confused when cabir stood up and comes near Manik touching his foreheads.

Cabir: am I dreaming Manik? Are you okay Manik? Do you have fever or what? Did I just hear you right? Did Manik malthora apologised without a mistake?

Nandini looks at cabir then Manik when the realisation hits her. The guy she bumped into at the coffee shop and fascinating was unknown than Mukti's brother. She looks at Manik who was already staring her but quickly looked away.

Nandini ( mind) what was i thinking? This is so embarrassing. How could I even something like this? How will I be around him now?

Her thoughts were broken when she felt Abhi side hugging her and looking at Manik with a smile.

Abhi : Manik meet my baby doll. Nandini Murthy.

This time Manik looks shocked and his eyes widened when he stares Abhi first then looked at Nandini.

Nandini avoids his gaze and those butterflies in her stomach forwards her hand towards him.

Nandini : hi Manik. Nandini Murthy. It's nice to meet you too . Also I'm sorry for other day. I didn't mean to drop the coffee all over your shirt. I felt so guilty about that. Please accept my sorry.

By now the rest was surrounded left their food and got surrounded by them. Manik looks at Nandini shaking her hands gently which again shocked everyone who stared Manik like a fool.

Manik : hi. Nice to meet you too Nandini. Manik malthora. It's alright mistakes happens. You don't need to feel guilty about that day.

Mukti : what is happening? Am I seeing something different? Is this really my brother?

Alya : Manik! Are you okay? Did something happened to you? You are behaving so strange.

Manik looks at his friends who had all potential to ruin his images front of Nandini. He discreetly passed a glare to them but it didn't stopped them from questioning especially Mukti and cabir who looked very suspicious about Manik's intentions.

Cabir: isn't this first time you both are meeting? Did we miss something Nandini? Please tell us.

Nandini : i will tell you what happened. Actually I met Manik at the coffee shop few days and bumped to him spilling my coffee over him. Trust me that day I didn't knew who he was. I even said sorry that day.

Fab 4 glanced at each other smirking at Manik who palms his face digging his own grave knowing his friends won't leave him. He looks so embarrassed.

Nandini looks so confused staring Manik and at the rest who was smirking and chucking.

Nandini : did I say something wrong guys?

Abhi : no baby doll! You didn't say something. It's okay. Guys come let's sit down back and finish our lunch.

Manik excusing himself rushed to washroom leaving them to burst out laughing whereas Nandini looks so confused.

The whole lunch with bickering and laughing but in between Nandini and Manik didn't leave any chance to steal glances of each other. They finished the lunch and was decided to go for shopping then beach in the evening suggested by the girls.

Everyone comes out the restaurant and walks to their cars. Manik wasn't very much engaging but walked behind Nandini who was talking to Alya regarding some brands. He wasn't able to understand what was happening with him.

Mukti : Bhai, aren't you going to join us for shopping?

Manik looks at Mukti then glanced at Nandini who immediately looked away. Manik shoved his hand in his pocket before answering Mukti.

Manik : no! I can't come Mukti. I have some work depending. You guys carry on. I'll meet you all very soon.

Alya : this is not fair Manik. Try to come with us.

Everyone tried convincing Manik to come along with them but Manik didn't listened to anyone and looking at them last time was about to walk to his car but stopped when he heard Nandini's voice. He turns around and looks at her who starts to fiddle with her fingers. He hid his smile looking at her.

Nandini wanted to say a lot of things but nothing came out of her mouth. Manik understood her silence nodded his head making his friends stare at him with a wicked smile on their faces.

Mukti : wow! I didn't knew this was a way to convince my brother to join us for shopping. Now I will use this trick on him afterwards.

Manik rolls his eyes and walks to his car sitting in and rolls the window telling them to hurry up.

It's been hours since they arrived to shopping centre and the girls were shopping and the boys were trailing behind them into every shops. Manik looked least interested shopping but he even couldn't say no when she really wanted him to join them.

He stood in corner with his hands in his pockets and staring the girls who was laughing on something while going to another a shop which seems to be a Jewellery shop. He thought to follow them.

He walked into the store and found the rest of the boys helping their girls buying some types of jewellery's and Nandini standing at one section alone. He taking an advantage went to her and stood beside her. She looks at him when she felt his presence.

Nandini : what are you doing here Manik?

Manik : I thought to help you since the rest of boys us helping their girls.

Nandini didn't a word but she felt so happy when he offered to help her out. Nandini starts looking but didn't find anything good. She looks at Manik.

Nandini : I don't like these. I might come back another day. Can I request you something?

Manik: do you mind if I select something for you? Yeah sure. What do you want to say?

Nandini : no! I don't want to buy it but there is something else you can do to help me.

Manik looks at her and gestures her to continue.

Nandini : I really want to try Indian street foods. I have always wanted to try it when I was New York but Bhai won't let me because of hygiene. Can you please ask him? Please I want to eat pani puri and many other street foods. I'm trusting you Manik.

Manik looks at her and thought how to disobey her. He wasn't going to let her allow to go and have streets foods but he also don't have a heart to say no.

Manik: Nandini! Okay. I'll help you convincing Abhi.

Nandini smiles and rushed from there calling Abhi's name. Manik chuckles and rubs his temples. He follows her and looks at his friends.

Nandini : Bhai, can we please have pani puri?

Abhi : no baby doll. I would told many times you can't. Why do you always try it when you the answer?

Nandini: please Bhai. I won't ask you anything else. Please Bhai. Just one time. Pretty please.

Abhi shook his head and said no making Nandini sad and Manik couldn't take it so he steps in.

Manik: Abhi stop being harsh on her. Let her have it.

He didn't even looked at his friends or bothered to react to their actions who looked so shocked and surprised by his behaviour. They cannot believe it's Manik malthora saying yes.

Abhi : she will fall ill Manik. You don't understand. How can you allow this? You are also against it. You always fought Mukti regarding this. There is no way i am going to allow this. Baby doll I know, you might told him to convince me but I can't even say no to you. This is only last time I am going to allow you. You can have it but not today because we are going to beach. I'll take you out some other day. Okay.

Nandini nodded her head happily and smiles hugging Abhi muttering a thank you to him. Abhi smiles and kissed her head. He look at Manik and muttered some curses for him in his mind.

Manik looks at them with smile and kissed her head who side hugs him. They broke the hug.

Nandini: thank you Bhai. You're the best. Let's go to beach now.

Everyone nodded their head and sitting in two cars headed to beach. Manik was taking his car and abhi's his. Manik called his driver and told him to pick cabir's car.

In Abhi's car was Mukti, Nandini and himself whereas in Manik's car was cabir, navya, Dhruv, Alya and Manik himself.

Nandini taking her shoes and leaving it in the car steps outside resting her barefoot on the sand and closed her eyes feeling so good. She didn't realise when Manik was standing beside her.

Nandini opening her eyes looks at him with a smile.

Nandini : thank you Manik convincing my brother. I also want to thank you joining us.

He smiles and took his blazer off and wraps it around her shoulder when he noticed her body shivering up due to cold breeze hitting her body.

Nandini felt her stomach filled with butterflies when he wrapped the blazer around her shoulder. She cheek also got warmed up. She looked away and started to walk fast catching up with her brother.

Manik let a chuckle out and followed her. He stayed right behind her and got lost in her beauty.

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Hope you liked the chapter.

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