TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-27: Old Times

Nandini sat on her balcony, sipping her coffee and letting the cool evening breeze play with her hair. The city was slowly transitioning from the hustle and bustle of the day to the quiet serenity of the night. She wrapped her hands around her warm cup, her thoughts drifting back to her time with Manik. Memories flooded her mind, bringing a bittersweet smile to her face.

Flashback,

"Okay, team," the science teacher announced, "for this project, you'll need to create a volcano model. You'll present it to the class next week."

Nandini looked at the assignment, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She glanced at Manik, who was doodling in his notebook, completely unfazed.

"Hey, Manik," she whispered, "do you have any ideas for the volcano project?"

Manik looked up, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yeah, we can make the coolest volcano ever! We'll use baking soda and vinegar to make it erupt. It'll be epic!"

Nandini hesitated, unsure if his idea would work. "Are you sure? It sounds a bit risky."

"Trust me, Nandini," Manik said with a grin, "it'll be awesome. Just wait and see."

Over the next week, they worked together on the project, spending hours after school at each other's houses. They laughed, argued, and teased each other, forming a bond that grew stronger with each passing day.

"Nandini, this is going to be legendary!" Manik whispered as they hid behind a bush near the principal's office.

"I don't know, Manik," Nandini replied, her heart racing. "What if we get caught?"

"Relax, we'll be fine," Manik assured her. "Okay, on the count of three, we release the balloons."

They had filled several balloons with water and hidden them in a net above the principal's door. The plan was to release the net and let the balloons drop as soon as the principal walked in.

"One, two, three!" Manik counted, and they both pulled the string.

The net released, and the balloons fell, splashing water everywhere. The principal, who had just walked in, was drenched. Manik and Nandini couldn't contain their laughter as they watched from their hiding spot.

The principal looked around, trying to find the culprits. "Who did this?" he shouted, but Manik and Nandini had already run off, giggling uncontrollably.

Later that day, the whole school was buzzing with the news of the prank. Everyone knew it was Manik and Nandini, even though they never admitted it. They became legends, and their classmates started calling them Rahul and Anjali, after the iconic characters from "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai."

One day, they were caught sneaking into the teacher's lounge to leave a surprise for their favorite teacher's birthday. The principal had been furious.

"Manik, Nandini, what were you thinking?" he demanded, glaring at them.

Manik, always the brave one, stepped forward. "It was my idea, sir. Nandini just helped me. If you're going to punish someone, punish me."

Nandini's eyes widened. "No, sir, it was my idea too. We both should be punished."

The principal looked at them, seeing their determination. "Fine, you'll both stay after school for a week. And you'll clean the science lab every day."

They accepted their punishment without complaint. As they cleaned the lab together, they laughed and joked, making the best of the situation. Their bond grew even stronger through those shared experiences.

It was one of those lazy afternoons when the sun was too warm and the classroom too stifling. Manik and Nandini sat at the back of their math class, barely paying attention to the lesson. Manik nudged Nandini, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous idea.