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The first two classes on the next day of the second years were canceled due to some unavoidable official meetings. Manik, though half-heartedly, sighed in relief as he wouldn't be facing the nightmarish chemistry professor.

On the other hand, when Abhimanyu realized that Nandu was ignoring him since the previous day but was okay with Mukti, he plans ways to strike a conversation. He heard the girls were talking about going to the canteen and having some breakfast before their classes resume.

When they picked up their bags and started moving, Abhi tried his luck and questioned. "Are you going to the canteen?"

Rolling her eyes, Nandu turned her back towards Abhimanyu. "I don't know what's more pathetic. People trying to eavesdrop or in their desperation pretending to be deaf", she told Mukti.

Ignoring the taunt, he grinned, hopefully. "Can we join you?"

She doesn't turn and again spoke to Mukti again, "I have nothing to do with any of these creatures. If you are interested, you can join them as well. I am leaving." She walked away without glancing back at any of them. Mukti slapped her head looking at her two best friends. Giving an 'I-can't-help-you' look to Abhimanyu, even she followed Nandu.

As Abhimanyu, involuntarily, took a step to follow the girls, Manik stopped him. "Don't. She is dangerous and scary as it is. Now, she is angry too."

"Who? Nandu?", asked Abhimanyu.

Manik nodded, looking around as if she would appear from thin air making Abhi burst out laughing.

"She is sweet. Don't be scared. Just a little bit angry", assured Abhi, picking up his bag, "Come. Let me introduce you to her."

Not really confident about the result of Abhi's idea, Manik sighed in relief when he gets a call. "You move ahead. I need to take this call", told Manik to Abhimanyu.

"Are you sure you can find the canteen without getting lost? Do you want me to wait till you finish the call?", Abhi suggested, ready to drop his bag from his shoulders.

"No. I have seen the canteen. I will be there in a few minutes", Manik gave him a smile, meanwhile, sliding the green option on his mobile. Waving his hand at Manik, Abhi left the room.

After Manik finishing the call, he started rotating his mobile between his fingers, thinking whether to join his friends at the canteen or not when someone hugs him from the back. He broke the hug and turned around to face the person. Seeing the girl in front of him giving him a creepy smile, he instinctively took a step backward. "What are you doing here?", he snapped without bothering to soften up his tone.

The girl ran a finger across his face. "Why are you so shocked to see me here, baby? Am I not the one to recommend this college to your mom? Come on, give me a hug now, baby", she tried to wrap her hands around him but Manik was quick to push her away.

"I told you, I don't like these things. Leave me, please. I have to go", he pleaded, pushing her hands off him again but stubborn that she was, the girl still tried her advancements. She was the only one who made him regret his choices of burying his nose in the books instead of working out like his brother. He really wished for Cabir. Cabir would have saved him as he always does. He was into his rant, trying to maintain the distance between them and failing miserably when a voice boomed through the empty classroom.

"ALYA SAXENA, HE ASKED YOU TO LEAVE HIM"

Alya looked offended. She scowled at the source. Relief washing over his face, Manik does the same where they found Nandini with her hands shoved in her jeans pockets.

"Listen, Nandini, this isn't a matter of your concern. So, just stay away", Alya passed a disgusting look at her.

Shaking her head, Nandu laughed at her. "You are so funny, Alya. Who, in their proper senses, even want to come close to you? You are stinking, girl. Did you even take a bath before coming to college or are you too eager to shoo people away from? It's working though."

"You are messing with the wrong person, Murthy", Alya pointed her finger at Nandu, furiously.

Nandini leaned back on one of the tables. "You wish, Saxena. But you know, I have some standards. I won't ever."

"You..."

"I think we can meet after you get some words to complete your sentences", Nandu straightened up, a stern look on her face. "Till then, bye." She grabbed her mobile which she accidentally left under her desk and started leaving the class, dragging Manik along.

"Where the hell are you taking him?", questioned Alya, glaring at her.

Ignoring her, Nandu faced Manik. "Do you want to stay here?"

He shook his head in a no, his voice betraying him in the presence of two overly dominating 'weird' girls in front of him.

Nandu smirked at Alya. "Aww...poor you. Even he doesn't want to stay with you. Do you want to go give a complaint to the principal about him? All the best, Saxena. And yeah. Please, stop hanging out in science classrooms. I am sure, the arts block is on the other side of this building."

She dragged Manik out of the classroom and stopped only after reaching a table in the canteen where Abhi and Mukti were waiting for her. They were surprised looking at her and her grip on Manik's hand.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! What happened, Murthy? I thought you went back to get your mobile?", Abhi smirked looking up and down at Manik, "How did it grow into this 6 feet human?"

A pissed Nandu left Manik's hand and warned Mukti. "Listen Mukti, ask this pretty idiot of yours to shut his good for nothing mouth otherwise I have my own ways to do that."

Abhimanyu pouts. "I am not pretty. I am handsome."

Slapping his head, Mukti said, "Abhimanyu, do you want to get beaten up by her?"

Scared, he shook his head. "Definitely no."

Nandu growled, "then just shut up. And you," she turned to face Manik now, "what was that in the classroom? Do you know her?"

"No. Yes. I think no", he stammered. Seeing Nandu's glares, he explained in a timid voice, "She is my mom's friend. I mean her parents are. And she visits our home regularly. But it's not like what you are thinking. I don't like her. She is weird."

"The girl is sticking like a leech on you and all you say is, 'she is weird'", she scowled in disbelief and took a seat beside Mukti.

"Woah, bro. Not bad. Aate hi ladki pata liya. Waise hai kaun yeh ati vichitr mahila?", said Abhimanyu, giving an impressive look to Manik. [You have impressed a girl already. Anyways, who is this weird girl?]

Gritting her teeth, Nandu warned Mukti, "Mukti, ye tera chamchaa agar apni hindi ki dictionary bandh nahi karega na toh Mumbai ki nagarpalika mein bharti karwa dungi. Phir apne aap sudhar jayega." [Mukti, if he doesn't close his Hindi dictionary, I will get him admitted in Mumbai's municipal corporation.]

"No, I am not talking again," Abhimanyu muttered and animatedly sealed his lips.

Glaring at him, Nandu shifted her attention to Manik. "And dude, she is clearly interested in you. If you are too, just go and talk. If not, go and explain to her."

"Interested in me? Am I a book or what that she is interested in me?", Manik frowned.

Abhi burst out laughing while Mukti gaped at him. Nandu nodded her head in disbelief. "What's your name?", she asked Manik, an amused look on her face.

"You were fighting with me since the day we met. How can you yell on a stranger all these days without even knowing my name?", asked Manik, confusedly.

Nandu banged her fists on the table. "Are you the Prime Minister of India?"

"No"

"Then? Name?"

"Manik"

"Look Manik, things will become complicated later. Go sort your feelings with her. And if you really want to take advice, just stay away from her. She isn't a girl of your interests", Nandu advised cautiously to the boy she met a few days back, feeling hesitant of offending him.

"I know. But she never gives me a chance to speak. She lied to mom that we are friends", he complained much to Nandu's relief but his words did trigger the anger in her.

"So? Did someone stick your mouth with glue? Why don't you go and tell your mom, you aren't friends with her and she is forcing herself on you?", she yelled in irritation as she leaned over the table.

Instinctively, Manik stuck more into his chair. But the whole scene made Abhimanyu smirk. "Aren't you a bit more interested in him than necessary?"

Nandu took a glass of water and threw it on Abhimanyu's face. Both Manik and Abhi stood up due to shock as Mukti facepalms herself. Giving a tissue to Abhimanyu, Manik mustered all his courage to question the fiercely looking Nandini sitting in front of him. "Why did you throw water at him?"

"Why don't you ask him? Abhimanyu ji, do you even want to know the reason?", Nandini smiled sarcastically.

Abhimanyu gulped his saliva down. "No, I am absolutely fine. Thank you."

Manik patted his back sympathetically. "Don't be scared, Abhimanyu. When you haven't done anything wrong, never be afraid of anyone."

Nandu slapped his hand that was there on the table. "Oye, textbook. Just shut up, okay." She passed a glare in his direction before glancing at Abhimanyu. "Mr. Abhimanyu Thakkar, where the hell were you sleeping on the day you decided to ditch me?"

His eyes widened. Not every day did The Nandini Murthy gets angry at her best friend and provide the much-needed entertainment for her fellow students who were already speculating the possible reasons. Praying for his life, he tried to keep his tone obvious. "I told you, Mukti was sick, didn't I?"

"Mukti was sick. And as far as I know, you are not Mukti unless you had undergone a gender transformation day before yesterday, the possible reason for you to skip the college."

"Okay, listen. I know you are super pissed right now and hence you have the worst logic at the moment. But do you really think that with gender transformation you would still have the privilege of listening to this gorgeous voice of mine?", asked Abhimanyu, which even to Manik felt like asking for a death wish.

He must have noticed the death glare Nandini was passing him and chuckled. "That isn't working I guess", he gulped his saliva down in fear. "Mukti was sick and well, as you didn't have any idea about it and I remember you telling me about some meeting with the principal, I stayed back to take care of her." He blabbered in a go and took a deep breath.

Nandu rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. You were taking care of her. From where? Uske room ki khidki ke bahar se, right? Because you don't have the guts to go inside her house alone."

"What am I supposed to do when her parents are in?", he pouted.

"You could have messaged me. I would have skipped the classes," she too pouted, sadly. "You know how bored I was?"

Manik jumped into the conversation just remembering their fight the other day. "When were you bored? You didn't even bother to stop yelling at me since that day."

Nandu glared at Manik. "I asked you to shut up, didn't I?"

Abhimanyu took the cue to apologize properly and grabbed both her hands. "Sorry, Nandu. It won't happen ever again. I am really sorry from the bottom of my heart. Ab toh maaf karde apne is bechare se saathi ko."

Nandu suppressed a smile. "But on one condition." Abhimanyu raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Please apni iss Hindi dictionary ko bandh kar."

"So, we are fine right?"

Nandu nodded in a yes. He flashed his teeth at her and stood up from his seat. Walking up to her, he picked her up and twirled her around. "MURTHY, I MISSED YOU SO MUCH."

She spread her arms out, giggling. "THAKKAR, I MISSED YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN EVEN IMAGINE."

Their screams grabbed the attention of fellow students present in the canteen. Some smiled at their friendship while others rolled their eyes being jealous but none dared to utter a word. They have an idea about what happens if someone messes up with Nandini Murthy or her friends. Mukti and Manik smiled at them as Abhimanyu puts her down. Grinning, Mukti too jumps into the hug turning it into a group hug. Confused about the trio's emotions, Manik stood awkwardly in his place and waited for them to break their hug. Their small get-together was interrupted by Hariprasad, the college peon.

Nandu beamed at the peon.

"Hari bhaiya, baitiye na", she said, pulling a chair for him as she herself sat on a chair.

"Nandini beta, aapke papa aaye hai principal sir se milne. Aapko bulane bheja tha mujhe yahan. Aap milne aayengi unse?" Getting a nod from Nandu, he leaves the canteen without caring about the sniggers from the other students in the canteen. [Nandini, your father has come to meet the principal. They are asking for you. Will you come?]

Nandu smiled widely at her friends. "So, my loving dad is here. Let me not make him wait. See you soon." Manik noticed the disturbed looks on Abhimanyu and Mukti but found Nandu winking at them. Thinking it as some inside joke of theirs, he went to order some food for everyone.

A/N - Honestly, every time I am editing any chapter of this book, I am ending up writing different versions of each either because of the Pov or because the chapter feels uneventful. This learning phase and the new writing style is messing up my drafts. :P

I don't know how the chapter is but there is Alya. As I have already said every character is only a minor one used only to move the story forward except Nandini and the Malhotras including our very own Alya. Sorry, if you didn't like this one. I didn't so, it's fine. 

Spoiler - A major reason behind writing this book will be revealed in the next chapter. Until then, keep guessing. ;)