In His Custody ✎ | (MaNan)

✰ 53 - ek muskaan ki chamkaan

Are you guys tired of this book? Reads and responses are dropping, so I want to know what you think in case you see this note and would like to share :( If you are one of those who are still here because you enjoy this book, please drop your feedback on why <3

I think this is one of my favorite chapters. No kidding!

4314 words! Enjoy <3

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Nandini

Bangalore was well known for its milder summers and cooler monsoons, which was why it had been oddly gloomy to see clouds covering the sky all morning. My deadline for showcasing my project to my supervisor was right around the corner, and despite the time-pressure, I did not feel like getting any work done. Instead, I wanted to be wrapped up in my bed, watching a cringy rom-com and bawling my eyes out at a happily ever after I could never have.

"T."

The sudden sound of Smaran's loud voice broke my daydream, and conscious of his volume being a bother to me, he cowered... only exposing the sort flock of immobile curly hair over his head. He was only some centimetres taller than me, and was one of the two Biochemistry students who were offered an apprenticeship in our lab, by one of our department coordinators.

"Okay, let me think..." said Inaaya from across the room, engrossed in her task. She worked on a Cosmology project within our department and was often the more playful one in our five member lab. "T... T... Tunisia!"

I smiled at her unconventional pick for a place, that trapped their opponent – Smaran's team – back on 'A'. Places starting with A were the first to get exhausted, after the six continents, some Indian cities and states were claimed. The game had naturally helped them pull through the otherwise dull day without completely distracting themselves from the deadline at sight.

"A... Argentina," said another labmate from Smaran's team, while verifying something from his records, which Inaaya came around to and doubtfully cross-verified. She had to make sure it wasn't an actual atlas or something which had the places alphabetically marked out.

"Wait wait, Argentina's already been done," Inaaya blurted as her opposing teammate bit his tongue and scratched his head.

He did not think she would remember that from four rounds ago.

"Alright, umm..."

"Aruba," came my suggestion before I could even filter the thought. All eyes snapped at me.

Inaaaya scrunitised and raised an eyebrow, shooting me a questionable look. "And where's that?" For a moment, she reminded me of the school version of Alia.

"Netherlands, I guess? I don't know." I shrugged, regretting opening my mouth. Those guys were not necessarily my friends, they knew and interacted with each other on a regular basis while I just secluded myself from all other human contact outside my immediate family. In no way did I have any say in how the group's games were played, so I should not have said anything.

I should have learned that lesson from my experiences with Fab 5, especially after Manik's warning surrounding Dhruv and the rest of his friends, all of whom had ulterior motives for being nice to me.

"Does that geographical detail matter? It sounds like a real place," defended Smaran's teammate, beyond glad that he was being saved in a moment of crisis.

"Wow!" Smaran hollered and jumped up from his bench, all the while grinning like a child who had just won a prize. "Nandini's on our team guys, we called it!" My chest instantly swelled with the warm fuzzy feeling of being valued enough to be celebrated.