Hello Fam :)

Happy Reading...

Nandini hated the way her college administration worked sometimes. Since it was Friday and Saturday being their college anniversary, the classes were suspended. The sudden declaration resulted in a swarm of students scattered all over the college as many of them basked in workless hours with their friends.

Nandini was looking over the last minute arrangments, instructing the workers and yelling at the students to give her the way. Common sense was really rare these days. When her head was aching and she struggled to interpret the work plan inside her head, she decided to go to the canteen and have some coffee. It came as a relief when she saw her friends at their usual table. Slumping down on a chair beside Mukti, she rested her head on her best friend's shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment. Abhimanyu was sitting beside Mukti.

She was surprised when Manik instead of going home, was sitting opposite to Mukti and reading a novel. The answer came in the form of the scrapping of the chair. Nandini peeked an eye open and found Cabir taking a seat beside his brother and directly in front of Nandini. She closed her eyes again. This was an energy-sucking monster.

"Bhai, do you know what's the news going around the campus?", asked the monster, breaking the peace but didn't wait for anyone as he continued speaking. Nandini distinctly heard the sound of a book being kept on the table. Manik. "It seems the head girl has blasted off staff and students alike and everyone who is crossing her path is in grave danger. Do you think I am in danger as I am sitting directly in front of her?"

"Cabir, keep quiet", Manik whisper yelled and Nandini thought, bless the kid, he deserved every happiness in the world for not making a noise when her head was blasting off.

The last bit of her patience got exhausted when the monster stomped his foot. "Listen", she started, pointing a threatening finger at him when Abhimanyu cut her off.

"No, you listen to me. Stop straining yourself and sit down quietly for two minutes", he told, sternly.

"Abhimanyu, yaar", said Nandini and ignored the whine in her voice. "I have lots of work to do and no one is working properly. On top of that, I don't know whose brilliant idea it is to cancel the classes of the students. They are all over the place. Won't even give way to those who are working", she ranted. Too bad. She wasted too much of her energy and her best friend, the idiot who promised a forever, didn't even twitch a muscle as he continued to stare down at her sternly.

"I know how things are going on but I don't want my best friend to fall down working. So, how about I get you your favorite cheeseburger and a cup of hot steaming coffee to get your brain back to functioning?", he told.

Unable to resist her favorite cheeseburger, she nodded half-heartedly. Cabir was about to comment something but was cut off by Manik's glare. Interesting. Never knew he could glare down the monster into silence, thought Nandini. Abhimanyu, who probably had noticed their interaction, dragged Cabir along with them to get their orders. She leaned her head back on Mukti but then felt a pair of eyes on her. She sighed. "Stop staring and speak up whatever you want", she asked Manik, without opening her eyes and heard him chuckle.

"Why don't you take help from the head boy instead of burdening everything upon you?", he asked.

"I don't have enough free time to search and argue with him. Anyway, he didn't cross my path since morning, so, I guess he didn't come to college", she told.

"Of course, as always on the day he had to work", cursed a pissed off Mukti as her hand stroked Nandini's hair. Seriously she was lucky with just these two in her life.

"What if he isn't there?", asked Manik, again. "We could help you, right?"

Nandini made a conscious effort to sit straight and looked at the boy. He was biting his lip and nervous? How could someone look so genuine all the time? "Listen, hero. I know you are sweet but these are head duties. We have been appointed to manage these things, not you." When Manik looked conflicted, Nandini sighed. "Please don't argue now. I am too tired", she said.

Manik nodded instantly and went back to his book after muttering a faint apology, his ears turning red. She turned to Mukti, who was casually scrolling through her mobile, and saw her best friend didn't have a reaction to the redness on the boy's face. Mukti is clearly missing out on the fun.

Her thoughts must be all over the place because the next thing she wanted was a mattress so that she could sneak in some sleep. She has to complete the arrangements by the evening and get approval from the principal. That would leave only, what exactly was the time now? She checked her pockets but didn't find her mobile. She was sure she had it in her hand sometime back. "Mukti, give a ring to my mobile. I can't find it."

"My battery is dead. Manik?", called Mukti.

When the boy didn't respond, they glanced at him and found his shoulders hunched over his book as a creased formed on his forehead. Seriously, how can someone switch off their surroundings within seconds? He was talking to them a while back.

Nandini rolled her eyes and grabbed his mobile that was kept on the table. It's not like he keeps a password to it. She dialed her number but as the number got connected, she fumed at the display name and banged her hand on the table, gaining the attention of her culprit. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Cabir and Abhimanyu walking towards them. Cabir frowned as he looked at Nandini but his arm went around his brother's, taking him in a side hug.

Nandini internally smirked looking at the frightened look that appeared on Manik's face. "Why is my number saved as Nandakishore in your contact list?", she asked, displaying his mobile for her friends to see.

Manik's eyes widened while Cabir burst out laughing. "What?", he asked, incredulously.

Abhimanyu was shaking with uncontrolled laughter and Mukti was biting her lip. Nandini glared at everyone before turning to Manik. "And you? Explain."

"I was scared if mom checks my mobile. How does it matter because even Nandakishore can be called as Nandu too? And you are Nandini, Nandu", he explained.

Nandini groaned audibly. "You know what? I am stupid enough to ask for an explanation to you. What's my name?"

He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"My name", she asked again, gritting her teeth. She was a moment away from losing her patience.

"Nandini"

"Repeat it. Five times."

"Nandini. Nandini. Nandini. Nandini. Nandini."

She cuffed his head upside. "Save it in your brain." She turned to her best friend forever. "Abhi, I lost my mobile."

In an instant, he took it out of his pocket. That idiot. "I will give it to you, once you finish eating your food."

"Abhimanyu", said Cabir, "it's the esteemed cheeseburger. You don't have to bribe her."

Nandini would have filed a complaint on him to the police department for making an offensive comment which includes her favorite cheeseburger and herself if Abhimanyu wasn't pushing her on a chair as he dumped the plate in front of her.

She ignored the Malhotras brothers in favor of her food. After the break, they went back to her home while Mukti and Abhimanyu chose to stay back. By the end of the evening, she had finished with her work and the principal was satisfied.

"I don't know what the college would do if not for you, Nandini", he told.

"I just did my duty, sir", she said and the way he smiled at her, she knew he wanted to comment something but held himself back as he always did. For some unknown reason, the principal was fond of her. During the first year, she thought it was because he knew her father and never quite believed him but after once witnessing how sweet her father could in front of his friends, she couldn't judge him. He was a nice person.

Probably not because he was hesitant while he handed her an envelope. "Nandini, I know, you have literally managed everything single-handedly and I am just increasing your work. This is an invitation to our trustee. I would have given it to him myself but who better than his loving daughter, right?"

"Of course, sir. I will hand it over to him", she told.

The principal patted her head before leaving and not a second later, her best friends were by her side. "You don't have to do this, Nandini. Why don't we ask him to give this job to someone else?"

"And create unnecessary doubts?", she asked and sighed. "Abhimanyu, he is the trustee and my father. Of course, there are overlapping situations and I can't ignore them."

"But at what cost?", asked Mukti. When Nandini shrugged, she let out a sigh. "How about we accompany you? He wouldn't stoop down too low in front of us?"

Nandini chuckled and shook her head. "But he would definitely after you go back or at the earliest opportunity he gets. Mukti, let me handle it." Abhimanyu had a protest, he always did when it came to her parents, so, Nandini hugged both of them. "Thank you for sticking with me all these years. It means a lot to me."

Without giving them a chance, she went to get her car.

XXX

Now, the big interaction, thought Nandini. She called a butler and asked, "where are my parents?"

"On their way from office", he told.

"Why? Don't they have a party today?", she asked, faking a smile at him and the audacity of him to glare at her. "You would be finding another job before you think of glaring me again and you know your bosses wouldn't come for your rescue", she threatened and waited until he bowed his head down. "I will be in my room. Call me when they reach home."

Without turning back, Nandini went to her room. She was surrounded by so much hate in this place that sometimes she felt suffocated as if she could smell it all over the area. She needed a shower badly.

There was a knock at her door. After taking a hot shower, Nandini rested her head with the music blasting through her speakers. It helped her in switching off her surroundings. She looked at the time and realized it was already two hours since she returned from college. She was sure, her loving parents had diverted their route after knowing she was waiting for them. Rubbing her head, she switched off the music and went downstairs to meet them, all the while thinking about the payment she had to make for attending the event tomorrow.

"Father", she started, when she saw him in the living room but was cut off by the man.

"Not now, daughter. If you can't see, we are hungry. We will talk after dinner", he declared before storming off to the dining hall.

Like hell he was hungry. It was only seven in the evening and they ate only after ten when they returned from their 'meetings' or 'parties'. Her mother smirked and followed her husband. Nandini too, since she didn't have an option. The dinner was uncomfortable, as always. Nandini usually avoided their timings or skipped food when she couldn't but today she had them to do something. She gulped down some food in order to divert her attention from the knowing smirks the Murthy couple were throwing at her.

"Meet me in my office room", told her father.

As Nandini followed him, she was stuck with an idea and she smirked to herself. She was brilliant. Her whole demeanor changed from sulking to the brat her father had known her as. She handed him the envelope when they reached his office and stuffed her hands in her pajama pockets.

"Finally, my daughter has recognized me as her father?", he asked.

Nandini snorted. That would be the last thing she would do. "You wish", she told him. "It was my principal who thought it would be brilliant if our trustee could be invited by his daughter, all thanks to your brilliant acting skills."

"Shouldn't you be proud of me?", he asked.

Nandini nodded. "Trust me, you amaze me with how efficiently you pull off that double face of yours."

He shook his head as he laughed. "Shall I get the cheque then? How much are you ready to sign?"

"None", she told and smirked. "My principal wanted you to come. Why would you think that I want the same? Do me a favor and please don't come tomorrow. Let me for once enjoy my college function in peace. I could even give an excuse to the principal on your behalf. Goodnight, father." She strutted out of the room.

She called Abhimanyu as soon as she reached her room and locked the door. That idiot must be waiting for her call. A smile appeared on her face when he picked up at the first ring and asked if she was fine. "I am fine. I didn't give him enough time to answer", she told him.

"What about the invitation then?", he asked.

"I asked him not to come tomorrow. Knowing him, he would definitely turn up."

"How are you so sure?"

Nandini laughed but it was hollow even for her own ears. "Because, my dear best friend, he loves to make my life hell. Goodnight, Abhi. See you tomorrow."

I am not promising but another chapter might be on your way in a day or two. ;)