Almost Not Love! |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

15. Risky Hits And Misses

A/N : Hello peeps! So we have reached exactly mid-way of the journey! This fiction finally has 30 chapters and an Epilogue - so I'd say you made half way through!

So how was the journey so far? Do tell me :)

Coming to this chapter, there is a bit of subtle comedy and some drama in here - not to mention Parth plays a key role here too! ;)

Some part of it has MATURED CONTENT, so kindly read at your own discretion!

I wont rant more and hold you from reading the actual chapter, which is quite long this time around!

Happy Reading!

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It was the night before the engagement, Mukti and Abhimanyu had arranged for dinner at Abhimanyu's place for the gang; it was a big day for Manik , he was going to finally see Nandini after one whole week, the last time he saw her, they fought and she broke their 'thing', he was devastated and angry and she was hurt and upset; but today was different, he was calm, happy and deeply in love with Nandini, he was excited to see her in this new light; true Alia would be there too, and he'd have to act quite a bit, but at least he'd get to see her, talk to her and most importantly see her reactions first hand. He hoped he'd be able to properly mask his real feelings when he'd see Nandini's reaction. It was important Abhimanyu had said, his holding back was of utmost importance to the plan.

Nandini was getting ready for the dinner; she was finally going to see Manik today, she'd finally see if her plan worked, Manik had given love a chance, Alia a chance, right? She smiled at the mirror thinking this; but she noticed her smile didn't look genuine, what was bothering her? Why was she not happy for him? Manik had met her as a damaged man, walking towards the kind of darkness she has always been in, she had saved him, healed him and sent him back on the path of love; she should be happy right? Was she missing their 'thing'? Whatever, even if she did, it wasn't more important than his happiness. Nandini tried smiling again.

When she arrived at Abhimanyu's she was taken by surprise, Mukti, Manik and Alia hadn't arrived, but there was someone there already, it was Parth, he grinned seeing Nandini and came ahead to hug her, she hugged him back; wasn't Parth supposed to fly in with the others' the next morning? As it turned out, he had some work in the city so he had flown in a day earlier and decided to surprise everyone by turning up at Abhimanyu's dinner. Nandini was a bit uncomfortable initially because of the conversation she had had with Abhimanyu regarding Parth, the last night on her way back home, but Parth didn't seem to be imposing at all, and soon enough they were laughing and chatting and reliving their recent Goa trip; in about half an hour the doorbell rang and Mukti walked in with Manik and Alia in toe.

Manik had braced himself for the past couple of hours for this moment; he was dying to see Nandini but his cue was to enter hand in hand with Alia, so he did. Once inside the apartment, his eyes met hers, it looked like she was waiting for him as much as he was waiting to see her. He smiled and walked towards her as Mukti went in to hug Abhimanyu and Alia followed her; Nandini was walking towards him, but suddenly a pair of hands held her by the waist and she stopped and looked at the source; Manik's eyes followed the pair of hands on her waist to the slightly familiar face that followed; he was smiling at him.

"Hey Nandz, I'm new here, introduce me to your friends nah! Abhimanyu is with Mukti now, he's a goner for some time" he grinned at her, she smiled back; Manik gritted his teeth in irritation. Nandini showed no inclination towards removing his hands from her waist. Oh now he remembered this guy, he was the creepy staring guy in red tee from Goa; so he had followed her here? Wait, and he calls her, Nandz?

"Yes, of course. Parth, this is Manik, he is Mukti's brother, and that is Alia, his girlfriend" she said pointing towards her; "And this is Parth, he is our friend from junior college"