"Your scars are not your shame"
He said.
"They are your story and I love stories!"

Manik's P.O.V.

After Cabir told me about Nandini's parents and she ignoring me for some reason. I really thought that he had a point. It gave me a hope. Hope of healing Nandini. My Nandini.

Cabir then said, "Guys kya ye auntyon jaise gossip kar rahe ho. C'mon let's play something."

Navya said very excitedly, "Haa haa chalo kuch khelte hai!"

Mukti asked, "but khelna kya hai?"

"Truth and Dare!" I said but I heard someone accompanying me in saying these words. A voice which makes my heart flutter. So soothing and so melodious. I knew who it belonged to. My girl! I looked at her and found her already looking at me. Our beautiful eyelock was broken by Cabiraa.

"Aaj tum dono ka kuch zyada hi coincidence nahi hora?!" He said suppressing his laugh.

I glared him and he shut his mouth.

Then cabir again said, "I'll go and bring a bottle." He quickly ran out of sight.

I looked at my angel. She was talking to Mukti. My eyes landed on her lips. The way her lips parted and moved when she speaks. When she made that 'o' shape face and damn that pout! Whyyy Nandini? Why do you have to test my patience so much. Try to understand your Manik doesn't have so much patience. Please don't pout in front of me. I fear I'll loose my control and kiss you baby.

After some time Cabir returned playing with a bottle in his hands. "So guys let's start!" He said keeping the bottle on the table between all of us.

The game started. Cabir spinned the bottle and it landed on Navya. She chose truth.

Mukti asked the question, "So Navya tell us the name of the person whom you want to punch from the bottom of your heart but cannot."

Navya without thinking for a second took Cabir's name. Cabir was staring her with a shocked face.

Mukti asked, "Navyaaa! Cabir tumhara boyfriend hai. Tum use kyu punch karna chahti ho?"

Navya replied in a bored tone, "Is bandar ki harkato ki wajah se. Humesha pareshan karta rehta hai. Aur hume to jaise khana banane wali bai samajh rakha hai. Jab dekho tab koi nayi recipe lekar aa jayega aur hume bolega ki ye bana kar do. Khud bass khane ka kaam karega. Aalsi Joker." Navya huffed.

Everybody was literally rolling on flour. Laughing like maniac listening to Navya's answer off course except Cabir.

He said being irritated, "aye Madhubala ghar ki baate ghar tak hi rakha kar na. Harr jagah meri izzat ka faluda banati hai."

"Teri izzat bhi hai?? Kya mazak kar raha hai Cabir!" This was me.

Everyone laughed even hard after this. Navya too laughed. But my laugh stayed in my throat only after seeing my girl's laughing face. She looked so beautiful. Her eyes shined. She looked so carefree. I so wish her to be like this all the time.

Soon everyone composed themselves. The game again started and the bottle landed on me.

Cabir asked me, "So Manik Baba truth or dare?"

"Dare." I answered.

Cabiraa nodded and said, "Very well. So your dare is that you have to make a confession. You have to confess something to anyone of us sitting here. No need to mention the name just the confession." I knew what he was trying to do. I nodded. I thought this is the perfect opportunity to let Nandini know that I care for her.

I roamed my eyes. I looked at everyone's faces. All had curiosity written on their faces. Then my eyes landed on her. She too was curious, I can see that in her eyes though she didn't showed it on her face. My curious cat.

I took a deep breath and made an eyelock with Nandini. "The person whom I am talking about is very good in hiding pain. But I saw that in that person's eyes the very first day we met. That pain really attracts me. I know you won't allow anyone to peep inside your shielded heart but I want to. I want to peep inside and settle there. I want you to share that pain with me. I want to support you. I want to heal you. I want you to talk to me. I know you are scared to open up not only to me but to others too. I can see that in your eyes. Your eyes is a open book for me. Please open up. Don't keep everything inside you. I'm not forcing you to open up I'm just saying that when you'll do it, you'll feel relaxed. You'll feel Better." I said everything by looking into her eyes and she listened everything by looking into my eyes. I concluded by saying, "Trust me I care for you. A lot."

She looked at me intensely. I can feel a turmoil is going inside her. She didn't for once blinked her eyes. I knew everyone was staring at me like I'm some alien. But I didn't care. I just kept looking into her eyes.

Then finally Mukti came out of the shock and shouted, "What the fuckk!! What was that Manik?"

Then everyone came back to their senses. This time Alya asked, "Exactly Manik. Kiske liye tha vo?"

Now Dhruv's turn, "Haa buddy bata na who is the person?"

Ab kya bolu inko mai. I looked at Cabir. He understood that I need an escape. He then said, "Guys guys guys! Maine pehle hi bol diya tha not to mention name. Kyu puch rahe ho. Agar vo name bata dega to maza kya reh jayega. Tum log guess karte rahoge asli maza to usme haina?"

Everyone nodded in understanding. He looked at me and blinked his eyes telling me that he always has my back. I so love my Biraa for this.

Then Navya said, "Let's continue the game people."

Then everyone played more. When everyone was bored with playing Alya said, "Guys let's dance na."

All the boys including me made a bad face. And we all said in a union, "Nooo!"

All the girls made a bad face. They insisted us to dance but we were reluctant too.

Then Nandini said, "Girls listen. Hum bhi kya in ladko ke peeche pad rahe hai. Esa to hai nahi ki inke bina hum dance nahi kar sakte. Inko yahi rehne do. Hum log chalte hai. What say?"

All the girls said yes and they moved to the dance floor. Hum sab ladko ke muhh khule ke khule hi reh gaye. Aise kaise humko chod kar jaa sakte hai ye log?

The girls started dancing. I saw Nandini dancing. She was swaying with the beats. Damn she looked so sexyyy!!! She closed her eyes started moving in her own accord. She looked carefree. I guess dance did that to her. She was dancing so well as if she's a professional dancer. She was a great distraction for me. My desires were rising each second by looking at her dancing figure. In order to distract myself from her I went to bar counter and took a drink. I was drinking when I saw Dhruv and Cabir moving to the dance floor to the girls. Cabir gestured me to come there too. I took a deep breath and walked to my girl. And then what happened next I never expected it to happen.

There you go with Chapter 7.
Please batana kaisa laga. Specially that confession.

Words: 1269

Thankyou!
Lots of love❤
Dhruvi.