MaNan - Relationships? Grrr.

Chapter 25.

I woke up in manik's arms.
I nudged manik and said, "Wake up manik!" "Nandini, lemme sleep ya! Do you have any idea kal kitni mehnat ki mene." He nagged in sleepy voice. "Really manik?" I asked him. "Haan na, do you even know how hard it is to lit candles, I tried, tried and tried but failed, then I googled, it said, you need to turn off your room's fan before, phir na hogaya." He said and made a face. I giggled. "Hass kya rahe ho?" He asked. "Manik, tumne fan.." and I started to laugh hard. "Whaaat!" He yelled in irritation. "Manik Malhotra doesn't know how to lit candles, ayyappa!" I giggled. "Bohat hasi aarahi hai na? Wait! Abhe batata hoon!" He said and sat on the bed holding me with his legs and one hand and started to tickle me. I laughed, cried but he didn't let me go. "Manik.. bas.. me.. me marjaaungi.." I said, but it was not intentional, he stopped as he heard 'marjaaungi' and looked at me angrily. "Sorry sorry, I didn't mean it." I tried to make it up before he starts yelling at me for letting out such horrible phrases. "Better." He said and got up from the bed, without turning back he rammed inside the washroom picking up his stuff.

I sat on the bed, playing with my phone. Then I received di's message.

"Nandini, mom is really happy with the plan, she just can't wait! She said if you can pay a visit to Malhotra mansion before his birthday?"

As I read her message, a smile crept on my face. I typed my message.

"Di, so I am. I just hope this plan works. And about visiting Malhotra Mansion, I don't think it's a good idea in my eyes, as I can't lie to manik anymore! We met because I had to plan this thing but now, Nandini murthy will enter Malhotra Mansion with her man only. 😊"

And I pressed the send button. I didn't wait for the reply and walked towards the my baggage.
"Chalo baba, manik malhotra ke cupboard me apni jaga banate hain." I giggled. And placed my stuff in his cupboard and pulled out one dress for the day. Manik came out dressed and I went inside passing him a smile.

...

We had breakfast and he dropped me to my office and moved towards his.

...

The whole week passed like that only, discussing about manik's birthday, over phone calls and messages. We didn't plan so much, just four of us; me, di, manik and his mom and not to forget manik's cute little nephew. I talked to him over phone, he seems pretty excited for his mamu's birthday.

"Nandini murthy, All set?! Yes, Manik I know tum gussa hogay but I have to this, for you, for your mom." I said as I moved out of my office. I took a cab to the nearest bakery to buy cake, I had one crazy plan for his birthday till I met di. So now I'll go for the decent one. I bought a cake, and moved back to home.
Thank god, I was the first one to reach. I had ordered some gifts for manik, I collected them from my neighbor's. Yeah I gave her address as we don't stay at home whole day and I really didn't wanted manik to receive them. I thanked her for helping me out. I entered my house and checked the arrangements. I removed my phone from my jeans pocket and dialed a number.

"Yeah cabir! Manik is with you right?"

"Mrs. To be malhotra, na hello na hi. Directly, manik is with you na?

I blushed a little on hearing, Mrs. Malhotra, erm to-be! Well.

"Shut up cabir, pull my leg later on, right now you know what you've to do?"

"Yes boss! I'll safely deliver manik malhotra to his place at 11:55 PM."

"Yeah. Thank you so much cabir!"

"You're welcome nandini. But mujhey cake milega na?"

"Haan, bhukkad milega! Aajana."

"Yeah okay, but nandini.. are you sure about this plan?"

"Cabir, I'm not planning something destructive, just cake cutting."

"Nandini, I'm not talking about this plan, but the one you're gonna execute tomorrow. You know na, what can happen? You and manik are together after so long, this can part you guys again. You know manik's anger and you're gonna trigger that tomorrow intentionally."

"To be honest, cabir I'm kinda ready for this one, I know his anger but I know and I trust our love, our relation. Manik gussa to hoga, wo shayad mujhey jaane ko bhe kahe, but he can not let me go. I trust him, I trust this relationship and phir jo hoga tab hi dekhenge."

"Wohoo! Miss philosopher. Bas bas. I can't buy it anymore."

"Haha, okay now. You concentrate on your work and lemme concentrate on mine."

I bid bye and hanged up the call. I made manik's favorite dishes, decorated the room with candles and flowers. Girly much but then it's okay. 😂
I read the time it was 11 PM. I went to change. I came out dressed in floral knee length dress.

"Manik, your life is gonna change tomorrow! I just hope ki kal ke baaad tum complete hojao - your family." I thought to myself, it was 11:45 PM, my heart beat started to race. I double checked all the arrangements. I didn't plan so much as I was busy planning the great plan, 'Bharat milaap'.

Soon cabir and manik reached, I heard the knock on the main door. I eyed the clock, "Wow cabir dhawan! On time." I said and moved inside the living room, obviously I wanted him to unlock the door and come inside.

"Tu kahan aaraha hai?" I heard manik's voice.

"What mein kahan aaraha hoon? Obviously I'll come wo tera bi.." I slapped my forehead, "Cabir Dhawan tumhara kuch nae hoskta." I sighed. "Wo tera nae teri girlfriend se milna hai, wo meri bhe to kuch lagti ha." He covered it up. "Thank god!" I said and hid behind the curtain, holding a party popper in my hand.

"Nandini!" I heard him calling my name. "Ye.." I stopped realizing what I was about to do.

"Manik, chod ke bhaag gayi tujhe, kitna irritate karta hai na tu ussay!" Cabir laughed. Ugh, this guy!

"Seriously? Shut up cabir." Manik retorted.

"Dude aur nae to kya? Can you see her around? Did she appear on your call? She definitely ran away?" Cabir said triggering manik's anger, too bad for him.

"Nandini, where are you?" He called out my name once again. "I guess she slept." He continued.

"Manik, lets go na, lets sit in the living area." Cabir said, huff! Finally god gave him some brain cells.

"Why! Lemme go and check in the bedroom, wo so kaise sakti hai, it's my birr.." Manik started but cabir didn't let him continue and said,"Nahi soyi meray baap! You come with me. " Cabir said knowing manik - he knew he would go in our room to check, I saw the time it was 12 AM as cabir and manik stepped in, I popped the popper, It was my plan even cabir had no clue about it, the sound scared both of them. I wished manik happy birthday on top of my voice, this is how I used to do in college and jumped on him. We didn't fall, now manik is strong enough to bear my weight. I laughed and hugged him tight. He held me up in air,"Nandduuu, thank you so much!" He sounded really happy, like really. I did a little but that touched him deep. "Manikkk, put me down, I'll fall." I said. "No, we'll fall, like always." He said and faked a fall, and pulled cabir down as well. "Guys? why me always?" Cabir cried. "Because we love you idiot!" We both said in unison and laughed.
"Come here guys!" Manik said and engulfed both of us in a hug.
"This is my family, my real family! Thank you so much guys!" He said. "Manik, I'm not saying we are not but some people are missing, the puzzle is incomplete, I'll complete it! I promise." I thought and smiled.

"Chalo lets cut the cake, bohat hua! I'm very hungry!" Cabir said holding his tummy.

"Chal bhukkad!" Manik said and they both got up, I didn't.

"Dude be a gentle-man forward her your hand." Cabir mocked, when manik was about to give me his hand.

"Ha ha ha, me to channay lene ke lye hath de raha tha na?" Manik said. He forwarded me his hand, I got up. 

We cut the cake, more like played holi with it. We had dinner and cabir took a leave. I lied down on the couch thinking about what's gonna happen in next few hours.