Hustle For Love |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

29. The One Where There Was Hope

A/N : Hello readers, I am back with yet another chapter of this story as promised. Firstly my sincere apologies for not being able to respond to comments last week, the naughty little bun in my oven has been troubling me a little this week, so I just about managed time to write a chapter; I will go back to all your comments I promise & write back soon!

About this chapter, well it is a critical one, it sets a very important tone for the narrative, do read carefully & I promise you a surprise at the end of the chapter <3

Anyway, happy reading! Meet you on the other side!

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Vommuli Island, Maldives circa 2018

(Dance Studio, The St. Regis, Maldives Vommuli Resort)

Nandini Murthy

I was practising my dance steps with Arya & somehow f*cking it up every single time. Damn it! I was probably getting it all wrong because I was nervous today. Ever since I came back from kayaking, no one ever questioned me. I was expecting Navya to let go of her verbal canons on me, but turns out she thought I had a severe headache during the ceremony (she always knew I disliked the smell of henna) & I had gone back to my suite to rest it out so that it didn't hamper my 'Sangeet' performance. I was surprised to hear such a smart cover up & wondered who had my back - turned out Arya had lied to her on my behalf. Why did Arya lie for me? Why was he covering for me? Did he know where I went? If he knew I wasn't around, how was it that he was behaving like he didn't know I had gone all MIA for the last couple of hours? Something was amiss, I knew it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt like the calm before the storm. Now dancing with the same Arya who had a soft smile pasted on his face, it made me nervous. I have never done shady things in my life, it wasn't my shtick; was I that desperate to spend some happy time with Manik, that I deviated from my very core for it? Also what wrong did Arya do, the poor man was still covering up for me, without asking me any questions, didn't I owe him an explanation?

"Nandi, darling if I see you flap your arms once more like an ostrich while doing this step, I promise you baby girl, I will kiss Arya right now & make him mine! Hmph" Priyank's threat crossed my ear & I looked up to see Arya's innocent scandalised face. Even with so much guilt in me, I couldn't help laughing seeing the shock written on his face; shock because by now everyone of our guests knew, Priyank was totally capable of doing what he said!

"Priyank, darling you are freaking Nandini out, with your judgemental glare. Just let her be with AK for a while, they will pull through. She was doing the steps all fine last night, remember?" I smiled gratefully at Cabir, who tried for the nth time in his exasperated voice, to calm the nerves of his boyfriend tonight. Pryiank had taken the success of the Sangeet ceremony too personally & hence hell fire broke every time someone missed a step here or there!

"Priyank I'm really sorry" I mumbled before a war of words broke out between the couple. I knew Priyank was very hyper today, but for some reason Cabir looked tired too. Last thing I wanted was to cause a rift between two people because I was nervous for some other reason altogether. "I am trying, I don't know why I cannot concentrate; but I'm--" I tried explaining myself, when Arya spoke in between.

"Guys, just give us sometime. Nandini is super fluxed because of all of you hovering around her. This way she will never get her steps. We will go out, take a break & come back. I promise she will be amazing then!" Arya assured everyone amongst a couple of 'awws' from the gang!

"God, why are all the cute & adorable men taken by strange women!" I heard Priyank mutter & walk away from us. Cabir rolled his eyes, and Arya chuckled from beside me. I looked up at him, his eyes caught mine, they were warm & comforting. I didn't see questions there - this made me more guilty. Ayappa, this guy! Why is he so damn good to me all the time!?