(Nandini's attire)

(Manik's attire)

(Avneet's attire)

(Siddharth's attire)

"You just wait and watch Nandini will like my gift more this time." Sid told proudly looking at the wrapped packet in his hands and smiled proudly.

Avneet made a bad face. "Huh! Your gift! Listen I know very well what kind of gift you can get. Do you remember the last time on Manik bhai's birthday, what did you get for him?"

Sid was about to say something but Avneet cut him and continued herself. "You got him a box of cotton. Like a box of cotton! I don't know what you were thinking while selecting the gift. And you're gonna gift something good to Nandini di? I can't even imagine how disastrous your gift is gonna be. I pity di that she will have to bear your gift." She turned her head to the other side.

"Avneet! Mind your words I'm warning you. Don't try to insult me." Sid uttered gritting his teeth in anger. The little girl in front of him was seriously getting into his nerves. "Fine. If you trust yourself so much, then let's make a deal. What do you say?" He spoke seriously.

Avneet looked at him with the corner of her eyes making a pout. "What deal?"

"If Nandini likes my gift more, then you'll do one thing of my choice and vice versa. Agree?"

Avneet agreed with him immediately.

It was early in the morning and Siddharth was already there at Kapoor House. Thankfully, Nandini and Avneet's father wasn't at home. He had gone out of town for a month for some business work and there's still a lot of time left before he would be back. So, they can celebrate Nandini's birthday the way they want to and they could also enjoy their moments.

Nandini was still in her room. Last night she slept with great difficulty. This morning when Avneet found her sleeping peacefully, she didn't have the heart to wake her up even though it was her birthday and she wanted to wish her. Because nothing was more important than the peace on Nandini's face for Nandini. So, she let her sleep as much as she wanted to.

But a few minutes later, Siddharth arrived at their place and she narrated the whole scenario to him before they ended up fighting about the gift among themselves. No one was ready to back off.

Back upstairs in Nandini's room, she was sleeping forgetting the whole world. After her conversation with Avneet last night, she was feeling light. That's why it says that we should share our heart with others, it lessens our pain.

The morning sun rays were falling on Nandini's face trying to break her slumber. But she didn't wake up. She groaned a little and turned to the other side hiding her face in the duvet wanting to grab some more sleep. But to her luck, she couldn't do so. She could hear some noise from downstairs and she knew it was Siddharth and Avneet fighting with each other once again.

Having no other options left, Nandini woke up in a bad mood. She took out her towel and changes and directly went to the washroom to freshen up. She took shower and moved downstairs as she could still hear their voice.

Nandini was coming down the stairs closing her ears. "Ugh! What's going on here? You're making so much noise that if anyone passes through here, he would be scared thinking something is wrong inside here. I could hear your voices inside the washroom too. Why were you both shouting so much?"

"Nothing. You don't have to know this. It's between me and him." Avneet replied glaring at Siddharth.

Neelima Malhotra, Manik's Malhotra had just come out after taking a bath. She was going to work when her eyes fell on time. It was 11 in the morning. 

"God! Manik had asked me to wake him up at 9 but it's 11 already. It totally slipped out of my mind." 

Neelima thought in mind and went to Manik's room where he was sleeping on his stomach forgetting the whole world. She smiled seeing her son. She went to remove the curtains from the window letting the full sun rays fall on Manik's face. 

She went and settled beside Manik. She was caressing his hair slowly. "Manik, get up fast. It's 11 already. I've so many works left."

Manik opened his eyes hearing his mother's words. He slowly got up and sat beside her mother. He was about to leave but stopped at his pace hearing Neelima's voice from his back.

"Manik, did you wrap the book you got for Nandini? Don't forget to write something inside the book." Then she left from there. 

Manik just nodded his head in reply as Nandini's thoughts occupied his mind again so as whatever Siddharth had told him. 

As Neelima retired from his room, Manik tried to remember what he did last night. He could remember that he had written something in the book in his drowsy eyes but he couldn't remember right now what he had written exactly. He sat back on the bed once again without caring that he was already late and he had to reach Nandini's place soon. 

His mind was replaying Siddharth's words from yesterday again and again. 'What Sid said last night is it true in anyway?' The same thought came in her mind again. 

Chucking all his thoughts, Manik got up hurriedly and went to get ready. Nandini was already not in some pleasant mood, now he was late again. He couldn't think what she would do to him today. Another thing came in his mind that maybe she won't even talk to him properly. Maybe she would try to ignore him the way she has been doing since last one month.

Back in Kapoor House, Siddharth and Avneet were arguing over the menu of Nandini's birthday who was sitting on one side holding her head seeing these two grown ups fighting like kids. She tried to stop them but that was of no use. 

She got up hearing the door bell. Nandini looked at them once, then went to open the door. Her breath was stuck seeing Manik standing behind the door. As their eyes met, it felt the time stuck there only. Nandini didn't know what to say. Every time this person comes in front of her eyes, her mind goes blank. They failed to think straight or process anything. Something like the same happened then too. 

Manik was lost in Nandini as well. He couldn't turn his gaze away from her seeing how beautiful she was looking even in that simple state. It was her birthday yet she chose to dress up in the most simple manner. But this simplicity only defines Nandini Kapoor well. Even though she was the daughter of one of the richest businessmen still she never used his name.

"See Manik is here too. We'll ask him. Then we'll finalize the menu." Siddharth stood beside Nandini.

That's when Manik and Nandini both came back to their senses. Nandini turned her gaze away from him and looked down trying to hide the red hue which was appearing on her cheeks. 

"Let him come inside first." Nandini uttered in a low tone and moved inside without waiting for anyone to say anything. 

Avneet dragged Manik inside and made him sit beside Nandini who was startled with the sudden act of Avneet. Nandini showed eyes to her but she cared less. She asked Manik about his opinion on the menu. 

"Stop, both of you." Manik uttered in a higher voice than usual. "It's Nandini's birthday. So, we should have the menu of her choice. Did you both ask her anything?"

Siddharth and Avneet shared a look and bit their tongues for not thinking of it. They turned towards Nandini who was having an awkward smile on her face.

"I don't know. You guys decide." 

That's how Nandini was. 

Siddharth and Avneet finally decided everything of Nandini's choice. They were thinking of giving their gifts to Nandini but Avneet stopped them. "We'll hand over the gifts to her later. Let's cut the cake."

She got a cake with 'Happy Birthday Pretty Lady' written over it. 

Manik smiled seeing the cake. It was simple just like Nandini also beautiful as hers. Avneet lit the candles and asked Nandini to make a wish and blow the candle. 

"Di, cut the cake." Avneet handed over the knife to Nandini.

She smiled taking it from her. Manik, Siddharth and Avneet sang the birthday song for her and Nandini cut the cake. Now it was time to feed the cake to them. At first, Nandini fed the cake to Avneet, then Siddharth and at last she stood in front of Manik. 

Till now they didn't exchange even a single word. But as soon as she stopped in front of him, she felt all the sorrows buried in her heart seemed to be coming up to her throat. With great difficulty, Nandini plastered a fake smile on her face. She didn't wish to show her heart to anyone. Faking a smile, Nandini held the cake in front of Manik.

Even though Nandini managed to get a fake smile but Manik didn't smile at all. He was only staring at Nandini's face, he felt her smile was not from her heart. But he couldn't find the reason behind her fake smile. 

While feeding the cake to Manik, Nandini felt she was drowning in Manik's eyes. Suddenly she got the thought in her mind.

"Is Avneet right? She can't ever forget Manik!"

That's all for today. I hope you all liked it. Next chapter is gonna be really firing.

•A word for Manik, Nandini, Siddharth and Avneet.

•Are you all enjoying the Sidneet's banter?

•What do you think gonna happen next with Manan?

Vote and comment on this chapter. I really need to know what you guys think of this book.

Thanks.

14.10.2022