❤ You Belong With Me ❤

Part 1

Part 1
15 years later -
Looking at her watch, the girl sighed again. Tucking her fringes behind her ear she said "Mumma see! Abhi is late again! He always does this. Never on time!"
Her mom smiled and replied. "Nandu beta, let's wait for 5 more minutes. If he doesn't come, we'll hire a - " as she was cut off by another voice.
"Arey maasi why fear when Abhi is here!" Abhimanyu said sheepishly, running his fingers through his hair, as he hugged his aunt and uncle and took their blessings. Then turning to Nandini, he said, "Woah. Look at you... all grown up from that clumsy little girl to a CLUMSY YOUNG LADY."

"Hawww! I am not clumsy okay! At least don't mess with me in the first hour we meet. And you come here now!" Nandini said as they gave each other a bone-crushing hug. The brother-sister duo were meeting after 5 long years and being so close, that fact made it an emotional reunion though none of the two would show it to the other how much they missed them.
Sitting in the car, Abhimanyu exclaimed "Arey Nandu by the way I forgot to tell you this! Be ready at 8 p.m. sharp. We have a party to attend." "What party? Listen, tumhe pata hai na I don't like going to parties. I am not coming." Nandini said frowning, looking out of the window. "Come on yaar Nandu, not fair! Maine sabko bol diya hai ki meri little sister aari hai and everybody is very excited to meet you! And plus agar tu nahi jaegi na toh I am also not going to my so called Graduation Party! Is that okay with you!?" Abhi stared at Nandini, with hope in his eyes. "Aiyappa! Look at his melodrama! Kaise emotional blackmail kar raha hai. Ok. Fine. I'll be ready" Nandini said, giving in to his pleading face while Abhi, turned back and gave Mr. and Mrs. Murthy a victorious smile, that they reciprocated.
Finally dropping the Murthy's at their new house, he left. And Nandini, being very tired and jet-lagged, took a leave and went to her newly designed room. She liked it. Abhi's friend, Navya who was an interior designer, had done it all. The walls were painted in a combination of coral peach and white and had Nandini's picture frames hanging on it. Pictures of her horse riding, laughing like there was no sorrow in the world, and of the times when she won the singing contests, holding a trophy smiling with the front two teeth gone. Nandini looking at them smiled, already missing her carefree childhood that was full of happiness and giggles. As she moved towards the balcony, moving aside the satin white curtains with dangling strings of crafted butterflies, she saw windchimes hanging, chiming with utmost calmness.
She went out and stood there for a while, clutching the railings as wind blew her hair out of her face.
A lone tear escaped her eyes, followed by a few more. "No, I can't fall apart like this. I can't let my guard down. Nandini, please be strong. Be strong." She thought to herself, shutting her red battered eyes tight, preventing more of those tears to fall down.
Though she felt she had everything, and all of that 'everything' was beautiful, the numbness inside her was hidden from rest of the world. All that she had gone through had changed her in a way that she could not go back to being that cheerful little girl again despite of her tries, OR so she thought.
Calming herself down a little bit, feeling tired, she decided to get some rest. She went inside her room and lied down on the bed. But as much as she tried and wanted to sleep, her time only passed in countless sleepless hours. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.
At around 7 she woke up to a call. It was none other than her brother, giving her a reminder for the party. She went to her closet, picked a navy blue, knee-length peplum dress and began getting ready.
As said by him, Abhi picked Nandini up at 8 and they reached the party that was going on at full swing.
Precap- Manik and Nandini meet✨