Hustle For Love |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

41. The One Where You & I Became 'Us'

A/N: Hello readers, I am back again with a new chapter, which I think you will love; it has drama, angst, romance & even a little bit of darkness in it; but mostly it has a whole lot of MaNan! I know you folks like it that way! ;)

Anyway, I was really hoping for some more buzz on the 'Maha MaNan Milaap' chapter I published last week, but erm..that didn't happen :(

Coming back to this chapter, I hope you guys like what you read & show me some love! See you at the end of the chapter!

Happy Reading! <3

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West Hollywood, Los Angeles circa 2018

(Lounge, Fiona Apartment, Unit 102 , 375 N LA Cienega Boulevard)

Manik Malhotra

It was an awkward moment to say the least. Firstly, the last night still kind of seemed too unreal & dreamlike in my head & even before I could really get to accepting the fact that Nandini & I were together & it was for f*cking real for the first time ever, we had to dive into the charades of it all, as we went back to her apartment. Why? Navya Saxena was the answer.

Navya & Abir were back of course with Nandini & they were waiting for us in the apartment & as much as I didn't want to let go of Nandini's hand as we entered the apartment, but I had to. I had to, because after the excruciatingly long day that we had, I didn't have what it takes to sit back & explain things to Navya right then; especially knowing how manipulative she could get!

Although I hardly slept even after stepping into my room, since Nandini & I decided to behave like excited silly teenagers who called each other across rooms & spoke sweet nothings until the very crack of dawn. We realised we wanted to experience everything that we missed out on all these years, we wanted to experience the teenage rush of hormones at the flash of each other's name on our phones, we wanted to go on romantic dates, dinners, long drives, I wanted to spoil her silly with gifts & flowers & for once behave like the romantic fools we have been abhorring all our lives. However, all our mush had to be on halt for a brief morning now; Navya was of course still in the picture & that meant AK was also lurking closby; the Bonnie & Clyde of my life! So Nandini & I had decided, we will clear everything with Navya & AK right in the morning so nothing grew into a potential misunderstanding between us; you see, we have a great history there!

So this was the said morning of awkwardness where Nandini & I sat like criminals who were to confess their crimes before a jury, as Navya sat like a hawk before us with a hard glare clearly aimed at me. AK on the other hand looked visibly curious, but not too geared up for any hustle.

"Um..hmm..er.. Navya.." Nandini began with clearing her throat uncomfortably. I sighed thinking what was the point of giving her those public speaking cues all night about confidence & body language! This Nandu naah..I clutched her palm & pressed it a little, while she glanced at me & I nodded, assuring her that I am there with her; she looked a little pacified, but Navya looked more irked than ever. Guess the cat was out of the bag?

"Nandu, I think I know what you want to tell me but I have to say, as your best friend & well wisher, I am really very disappointed in you today. After all the inhuman things..." she began her rant but it was AK who stopped her before I could.

"Navu, let her speak yaar. We are her friends & support system right, then how is it correct to judge her so soon. Let her talk, please?" he explained to Navya & then turned to Nandini & smiled at her encouragingly. Nandini relaxed her posture in moments seeing him. I stared hard at AK. This man just knew how to infuriate me, even without trying! I mean, he was talking in our favour, yet I hated to see how he could easily easen out Nandu's tension with just a smile from more than a feet away. I hated to see how there was this easiness there between them; I knew it couldn't do us any harm, but it bothered me. I ignored it for the time being & looked at Nandini.