"Manik sit next to Nandini" the teacher said and Manik looked at the girl sitting at the last bench in corner. Manik walked to her and sat with a blank face. Nandini looked at him and smiled but he didn't smile back
"Hi I am Nandini Murty" Nandini said
"Manik Malhotra" Manik said looking ahead
"Nandini no talking" the teacher scolded. And Nandini nodded.
The teacher started to teach and Manik first paid attention and then got distracted. He hear Nandini hmm and then tuned to see her to see she was drawing floweres in her book with color pens. He rolled his eyes and snatched her pen.
"Stop singing" he whispered yelled at her and she looked at him with pout. He made a bad face and gave her back her pen.
"Tumhara first day hai na" Nandini said
"Chup" Manik snapped at her.
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"Bye baby" Neyonika kissed his cheek and Manik got down from their car. He was walking when he saw Nandini kissing a man who was on bike. Manik assumed that to be his father. She gave another cheek kiss and ran inside the school.
Manik went to the class and saw Nandini sitting in corner, at the last bench. He went and sat besides her. She was looking at him and then pouted but then gave him a smile he didn't smile back.
"Good morning Manik" she greeted
"Oye Manik" someone yelled and they saw someone enter the class. Nandini saw Manik got a full fledged smile "Cabir" he said and ran to Cabir. They both hugged each other
"How come you are here?" he asked
"I got bored in Dun without you. So I asked Papa to send me also in same school as you" Cabir told him and Manik took them with him at the last bench. He took Nandini's back and put it on another bench
"Mera bag" Nandini said standing up
"Wha jao" Manik said "Cabir yaha baithega" he added and she looked at him. They looked at each other.
"Main kyu jau? Yeh mera bench hai. Tum jao" she said and sat there folding her hands near her chest and pouted.
Manik glared at her.
"Jane de. Chal hum kahi aur baithte hai" Canir said
"Par yeh mera bench hai" Manik said
"Toh main kahi aur baithta hu" Cabir said. He gave Nandini her bag. Nandini gave him a beautiful smiled and Cabir smiled back and that widen her smile. Manik saw this but said nothing.
Cabir sat a on the sit ahead of them. Manik sat glaring at Nandini.
As the school progressed Manik and Cabir warmed up with other kids. In math period Manik saw Nandini writing looking at his book and not the black board. He frowned.
"Kya kar rahi ho?" he asked
"I can't see the board" she said
"Toh last bench par kyu baithti ho half ticket?" Manik asked
"Nandini!" the teacher called and she looked up, then stood.
"Are you talking with Manik too. Should I make him sit elsewhere?" Nandini looked at the teacher and pouted cutely. Manik frowned, he was the one talking why is she being scolded
"Don't make cute faces. Come here solve this problem on board" the teacher said and Nandini gestured Manik to move. He moved and she left to board. She started to solve the problem. She did it correctly. The teacher complimented her and she came back and sat. She huffed looking at the teacher and Manik smiled, knowing she was pissed at the teacher.
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