Hustle For Love |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

12. The One Where I Was Found Guilty

A/N : Dear Readers, thank you so much for poring in so much love for this story and affection for Nandini! As mentioned earlier, this wacky innocent version of Nandini is my absolute favourite, and I'm so glad you guys love her too!

About Manik now! :D :P

I know he's done some BADASS stuff and you all are angry! I get it, but how about we give him a little chance and see what he has to offer? I mean who knows, you might start liking him too! :D

On that note, I thought of updating a little early today,  I know many of you will be excited for Holi & the extended weekend, but do give this chapter a try - this one will make you laugh a little, I promise!

LASTLY, Happy Reading, and Happy Holi & Shaab-e-Barat in advance! (for the unaware, Holi celebration is symbolic of life, colours and a fresh new beginning of spring in Hindus, and Shaab-e-Barat is the day of the Muslim calendar when it is believed that God writes the destiny of all men and women for the coming year!)

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S.P.A.C.E. Academy, New York circa 2012

(Manik's apartment, S.P.A.C.E. Campus, Staff Accommodation, East Wing)

Manik Malhotra

I was staring at the door and gaping at the visitor for a full minute before my smile broke out! This was unexpected to say the least. Would you imagine, it was ten minutes back when the incessant ringing of doorbell woke me up, I was cursing Cabir for screwing my Saturday morning sleep, as I trudged out of bed to get the door, but guess who was standing on the other side of the door with a wide grin and twinkling eyes plastered on her face?

Mukti.

Yes, my dear older sibling, Mukti.

It took me a little time to run the motors of my brain, to register her presence; but as the reality hit me, I forgot to welcome her in and engulfed her in a tight bear hug right at my doorstep! I was seeing her almost after a year and half! No, don't get us wrong, it's not like Mukti & I share a hot and cold relationship, not at all - she is the only family I acknowledge and we love each other to the moon and back; but as children from dysfunctional families would understand it better, the thing is we were never taught to stick together as a family. Throughout our childhood, we both kids have played along to the whims and fancies of our parents. Sometimes, mom would have me with her, and dad would have Mukti, and sometimes the other way around - only very occasionally would there be a time when either of our parents would take pity on us kids, and have both of us together under one roof - these are the times we'd cherish, these are the times we'd bond. So you got the gist, right? Mukti and I are very attached, but we are used to staying absent in each other's regular lives, our relationship thrived in minimal maintenance - thanks to the joke that was our 'family'!

"What on earth are you doing here, Mukti?" I asked, bewildered and she chuckled to her heart's content having successfully implemented her plan of surprising me!

"Arre, where else would I be? Not everyday does my young boy turn twenty! I am here for your birthday week, little bro!" she replied, breaking the hug and finally entering the apartment.

"Seriously? You're here for only me, for the whole week?" I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice. Again, another anecdote on children from dysfunctional families - we kids, aren't taught to do stuff for each other, it doesn't come to us naturally either. Hence, for me it was perfectly acceptable to have Mukti come over, for celebrating my birthday week with me, because she had to come to NYC for some work or the other, and coincidentally my birthday week fell around the same time - but to actually plan out time just for me?