MaNan: It was love

Part nine

I walked out of the room. Everyone was in the hall. I joined them and kept silent. After sometime Manik too joined us. He was stealing glances at me, so was I. Navya then announced,"Dinner is ready. Come on you all."
The gang cheerfully got up. While having dinner all of them asked me questions that where I was, what I have been doing all this while, and stuff like that. None of them asked anything that would have made situation awkward. They just asked very normal questions. I answered them politely.
While we were having dessert Cabir informed me,"Nandini we all will be going to Delhi for some promotional work. We'll return day after tomorrow. Navya will be here with you don't worry."
Delhi. I still have two days before the competition starts and its been years that I have met chacha and chachi. Chacha and chachi were in delh now. I can go with them. I said,"will you guys mind that I join you all? Actually chacha and chachi are in Delhi these days because of chacha's transfer. You all can do your work and I can visit them."
Mukti happily said,"Nandini that will be great. We girls will have lots of fun."
Aliya too said,"we can shop. I need to shop. I hardly have anything to wear."

Okay. Well this will take time to sink in. I'm not used to friendly fab5, especially the girls. I don't know what has happened in these five years that their attitude towards me have changed. I looked at Cabir. He was looking at me and nodded at me. Telling me to relax. I looked at manik who was silently listening to everything. All this wasn't new to him else he would have been surprised but he was acting normal. This means that they must have talked about me.
After dinner, Aliya and Dhruv settled in a corner, cuddling each other. I smiled looking at them. Manik and Cabir were having beers in the grand sea-facing balcony. The balcony was I mini-terrace. I then looked at mukti and Navya they were gossiping about something. My comfort still lies with Cabir and Manik. I decided to join them both.
I took one beer from the refrigerator and went to join them. I went and sat with them. Manik was staring at me with wide eyes.
I said,"what? Why are you staring at me?"
He said,"why are you drinking? You don't drink alcohol?"
I smirked and said," times change. People change. Habits too change."
He nodded. We silently had our beers. Listening to the sound of water and wind. After a while I realised Cabir wasn't there and Manik was staring at me.
He said,"the gang genuinely likes you. Don't have doubts in your minds. You can make yourself comfortable with them they won't hurt you."
I nodded. I stood up and sat with him. I didn't look at him but just sat there silently. At times silence is the best kind of conversation you can have between two people who have had issues. I didn't realise when I fell asleep. Next morning when I got up I found myself wrapped around Manik. My head was at his chest he had his hands around my shoulders. I smiled at his childish face and carefully got up without disturbing him. I was going back to my room but I saw mukti standing there smiling at us. I said,"its not what It looks like."
She smiled and said,"I didn't say anything. Anyway get ready we are leaving in an hour."
I nodded. We went and got ready. We left for airport. Paparazzi kept following them wherever they went be it mumbai airport or be it delhi airport. Navya and me escaped from their eyes because we didn't want to raise them questions about me given that I'm one of the participants for the deal. We managed to reach the hotel. From there I would go to chacha and chachi's place. I went to their place without informing chacha and chachi. I wanted to surprise them. They had a beautiful home better than the one we had in mumbai. I rang the hell. What came next surprised me!
Rishabh opened the door.
What the fuck!
I screamed,"what the hell are you doing here? I told you not to take an off. How can you be so careless about your career."
Before I can continue Chachi came running and hugged me. She kissed my forehead. She had tears in her eyes, and so were in my eyes. She was like a mother to me. She supported me in everything. I guess she loved me even more than my own mother. I hugged her again. I gave her a box full of cosmetics and one cookery book. Well her cooking can be dangerous at times so I thought of giving it to her.
Rishabh laughed at this. I pulled his ears again. He said,"chill Nandini. I didn't take unnecessary leave. I just came to India for internship for a couple of months. Then I'll go back."
I shook my head at him. Chacha was in the office so we three settled in the hall and talked about our lives. After a while Rishabh said,"its time for fab5's press conference. It's being covered live everywhere. Lets watch it."
Both chachi and RishaBh excitedly switched on the TV. I had no other option but to sit with them. On the TV, All five of them arrived and sat on the chairs arranged on the stage. At first the questions were just about their new project and their search for new talent for collaboration gradually the questions grew more personal. Media asked questions about dhruliya's and cavya's marriage. I laughed whenever Cabir was asked about marriage. I can never imagine Cabir marrying a woman. Shit!
Then a girl asked a question to Manik.
She said," Mr. Malhotra you've had a long string of girlfriends. Who's next on your list?"
I was drinking water and when I heard this question I spilled the water. I recognised that voice. Who is she? Wait NANCY.
I looked at RishaBh. He gave me *she is impossible* look.
I bursted at him. "What the hell are you guys up to? How did she get a press pass?"
He said silently,"what do you expect? We are media students and we'll obviously intern in media sector!"
I looked at the screen. Cabir and Manik  were laughing, while mukti and dhruliya looked angry. Well obviously they didn't know nancy.
Mukti was about to say something but Manik being Manik said,"oh well looking at your beautiful face, it might just be you."
Cabir laughed even more while the rest three looked at them with confused expressions.
Nancy to which replied,"well I wouldn't want that even in my worst nightmares."
Manik said with his fake-flirty expressions,"so is that a no Nancy?"
Everyone understood that these two knew each other given that Manik knew her name.
Nancy said,"a big no with a capital N."
Manik gave her a sad expression and dramatically stabbed his heart. Everyone laughed at this. I said,"come lets go. I want to go there before the conference ends and Nancy messes up even more."
Chachi held my hand,"invite all of them at home."
I nodded. Rishabh and me rushed to the venue. Thank God the venue was just ten minutes from where we were. I called Swati and told her to let me in. She came at the entrance and said to the security people,"they are friends. Here's their invitation."
They nodded and let us in. The conference had just finished. A lunch was arranged for all the invited guests. Swati dragged me there. I said,"can you get that girl Nancy. She is a friend. Don't worry she won't click any pics."
She looked at me. She said,"Manik must be angry with her. I can't risk that."
I said,"they were teasing each other. They know each other well."
She nodded and got her to the hall.
Nancy saw me and happily hugged me but I held her hand. I said,"Nancy what the fuck was all that? You'll apologise to Manik. No arguments."
She nodded. She said,"just for you."
I spotted fab5 standing near the bar. I took her there. She saw Cabir and happily hugged him. She said,"Cabir Nandini is shouting at me."
what the hell. I went upto her and pulled her ears,"and what you did was right? Say sorry to manik."
Cabir said,"Nandini stop it. She is a kid."
I said,"right! A nineteen year old kid! Manik must be so embarrassed."
Mukti pulled my cheeks and said,"aww so cute. Look how worried she is about Manik."
I was embarrassed. Manik was floating, he was on cloud nine. He just hurried towards Nancy and hugged her. Nancy was confused just like everyone. She pulled out from his hug and said,"get off you jerk."
Manik said,"thank you."
She said,"are you mad or what?"
He leaned in and whispered something in her ears. She smiled at first and then got angry.
She said,"well it didn't go as I thought. I didn't want to help you I wanted to make things a little messed up for you."
He smirked and said,"well you can't ignore me. You've been reading newspapers and that too about me. I love that about you nancy." He was teasing her again.
Cabir sighed at their crazy antics and said,"guys chill. Anyway let me introduce you to everyone. Guys this is rishabh, Nandini's younger brother."
Everyone gave him *are you dumb* expressions and said in unison,"we know."
Everyone was now hugging RishaBh. Rishabh happily hugged them back. Navya said,"puberty has been kind to you. You look so handsome!"
Rishabh blushed. Cabir then said,"and she is Nancy, rishabh's girlfriend. In London they were a small family."
Nancy smiled while others still can't get over the conference mess.
Nancy said,"guys I've nothing against you all. Its just that I love making Manik's life hell."
Everyone was still doubtful. Manik came forward. He wrapped his one arm around Nancy's shoulders. Nancy gave him an irritated look. He said,"come on you guys. She is fun. She has every right to be angry on me just like her Nandini di."
When they heard my name, they all looked at me and then at nancy.
Dhruv first came forward. He said,"Nancy welcome to india. It was nice meeting you."
Nancy smiled at him and said,"likewise Dhruv. I'm a big dhruliya fan. You both are so cute."
Aliya too smiled at her. She said,"I like what you're wearing. Nice I like you."
Nancy smiled. She said,"thanks. And mukti nobody carries a rock punk look just like you do."
Mukti said,"damn what were you doing with Nandini all this while. You're our kind of girl."
Everyone laughed at her. Nancy went  forward towards Navya and said,"you must be navya. You know what Cabir complains a lot about your cooking. He said that you make really spicy food."
Cabir said,"Nancy you mean little girl. I won't spare you. Wait."
Navya said angrily,"dare you touch her. I'll not leave you cabir. No food for you at home from now on."
Everyone were just laughing at three of them. I sighed with relief. They've forgiven Nancy.
Just then I remembered that chachi has invited them over.
I said,"guys my chachi has invited you all at home. Will you guys come?"
All of them happily said,"of course."

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A/N
So guys now Nancy is back. I hope you enjoyed this update.
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Thank you so much!

Love, Hugs and kisses
Sasha