Hustle For Love |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

6. The One Where We Kissed

A/N : Hello readers! I'm slightly happier seeing a couple more of you have added this book to your reading list! Thank you for giving this a chance, and I do hope you read and if you find it a nice read, than vote and show some love!

Thank you to the existing readers for the continued love and support, you are the sole reason why I decided to continue with the story, despite such low readership.

Much love,

A.

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S.P.A.C.E. Academy, New York circa 2011

(Common kitchen, S.P.A.C.E. Residency)

Nandini Murthy

I have to count my stars lucky to have had such a mind blowing Christmas morning even in Uni, when I thought this was going to be the saddest Christmas of my entire life! Thank-you, Ayappa! You're not that annoying I suppose! Anyway, so I walked back to my residency with all my gifts that I unwrapped the moment Harshad and I woke up in the morning! Even Harshad got me something, it's a red jumper with Rudolf the reindeer embroidered on the front, with his big red nose popping out! It's damn cute. So, with a happy grin plastered across my face, I entered the kitchen, Ayappa it was so damn cold outside! My hands were freezing and I could do with a cup of hot chocolate for sure! (Yes, I will start watching my diet after the holidays!)

As I entered the kitchen, I stopped startled. Manik was sitting on the chair adjacent to the dining table, with his head down, resting on his arms on the table. Was he sleeping? Why was he sleeping here? What happened to his 'oh so sexy' Christmas party? Jerk. I muttered under my breath; why couldn't he hang out with us, if he was alone anyway? Anyway, I didn't want to be angry first thing in the morning, so I decided against waking him up and moved to the kitchen counter to make myself some hot chocolate. It had barely been five minutes that I started my preparation with a happy smile on my face, that I felt someone pull me by my elbow from behind! I was surprised and as a result I was disbalanced as I turned; I was about to fall when a pair of gruff hands held onto both my wrists. Manik.

"What's wrong with you, Manik?" I asked huffing in annoyance as I regained my composure and looked at him. He was giving me the death glare. Umm, what exactly did I do now Mr. Busy Bee?

"What's wrong with you, Nandini?" he asked me instead as his hold on my wrists grew tighter. It hurt me and I winced, as I tried pulling my hand out of his grip, but need I say Mr. Hercules was a hundred times stronger than me? Anyway, I stared at him with confused eyes, not sure how to respond to Mr. Crackhead or his lame question, when he reframed the question that was directed at me.

"You spent the night with Harshad?" he asked gruffly.

"Umm, yeah" I replied, still unsure how that could cause him so much vexation. But one look at his eyes, and suddenly I realised the deeper meaning of his questions, as his chocolate brown orbs turned into liquid onyx at my answer. Oh my God. This is what Mr. F*ckboy thinks of me?!

"Oh no, no, no. Not that way! We were just hanging out!" I quickly clarified, and for a second he looked slightly pacified, but wait, why was I explaining things to Mr. Nutjob here? Did he effing explain when he spent his day with the brunette from Cafe Nero? Hmph.

"Lies" he mouthed after a few seconds, and there the menacing glare was back.

"Excuse me?" I asked perplexed first and deeply angered next, how could this boy call me a liar on my face! Not that I would appreciate him calling me one behind my back either, but on my actual face? The nerves!