MaNan: We Aren't Meant To Be Together

Chapter 14

Nandini

They say a new day brings new beginnings and new chances, but here I am, still stuck in the past incident.

Here I am, not being able to think about anything else that doesn't include Manik with that 'unknown girl'.

Questions roam in my head. Questions that only Manik can answer, but how will he, and especially why will he do that, when everytime he's tried to come close, I've pushed him away.

When I turn my head to the alarm clock saying 6:15 a.m. I throw aside the duvet covering me and get up from the bed, while rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands and walk towards bathroom.

Is that girl Manik's girlfriend?

Ugh! Stop thinking about that Nandini.

But, what if he took her on a date, that's why he didn't come the rest of the day.

So what? I don't care. No, I don't care at all.

Like this, another mind battle takes place and it only breaks when I walk into the the bathroom door, slamming my forehead.

Such a good way to begin my day.

I rub it with my left hand while with the right one I open the door and walk straight to the mirror to begin with washing my teeth, completely ignoring the dark eye bags under my eyes, that I'm planning to cover with the make-up my mom has kept in her wardrobe.

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When I'm all prepared, the clock marks 7:15 a.m. which meant I still have 30 minutes to kill, so I just pick my mobile and start scrolling through some apps to find something interesting, but as always end up reading some memes until the doorbell rings.

I put my mobile back on the table and picking my bag, I open to the door, only to be greeted by Manik's grinning face.

God! Since when the hell I started to hallucinate Manik!? I really need to see a doctor soon.

I close my eyes, and open them back to the same sight as before.

I furrow my eyebrows and slowly taking both my hands behind me, pinch myself.

Still the same sight.

"Done?"

"Huh?" I look up into his eyes and for the first time ever, I notice how his eyes look mesmarizing with the sunshine falling in them.

"I said, are you done?" I nod with my head while looking at the floor, when I realise that he's actually real.

My head snaps back up and I wide my eyes when I realise that he's standing right in front of me and I'm not hallucinating or anything.

"Tum! Tum yahaan kya kar rahe ho?" This time, he looks at me like I'm not from this planet and inspects me from head to feet.

I shift on my place, feeling a little self conscious, when he opens his mouth, "Is your brain okay? 'Cause physically you seem fine."

My mouth hangs open by the time he's completed his two sentences, and I'm throwing daggers at him with my eyes.

"What? Don't look at me like that. You're the one who's being weird." Just as he closes his mouth, I take no time to reply back, "Me? I'm not being weird. You are."

This time his jaw drops, making me think he's just trying to imitate me, "Don't give me that look."

"So what look should I be giving you, when you're just making false accusations to cover the fact that you just made out of yourself."

"I didn't make any fool out of myself."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did, Nandini."

"No, I didn't, Manik."

"Yes, you-"

"CAN YOU BOTH SHUT UP!?" I wince a little at the loud voice, while Manik looks taken aback as well, and when we look behind, there's Navya standing with her hands resting on her sides and her face looking like she can eat anyone right now.

Me and Manik glance at each other, and then back at her, who starts coming close to us.

Once she's near enough, she looks at Manik, "Just go, start your car."

Navya and English, kabse?

When Manik goes away, I look at Navya with kitten eyes, hoping to melt her and that slightly works. Slightly.

I take a deep breath and with a smile I hold her hand, "Let's go, Navya. We're already late because of that looser."

When I take a step ahead, she tugs at my hand, "Hum Manik ki car main ja rahein hain."

"What? Kyu?" I know I'm shouting, but I could care less about that right now.

"Kyu ki, main abhi bhi theek nahin huyi hoon achi tarah se, isiliye Manik hum dono ko car me lejayega."

My jaw hangs at my best friend's words, but I know for a fact, that Manik had to do something behind this.

I just nod my head and hold her hand properly, slowly making our way towards Manik's car, "Agar headache ho na, ya aur koyi bhi pain ho, bata dena. Zada stress matt lena. Aur-"

"Nandu." I close my mouth listening to her stern voice, "You're my best friend, not mom. So please, maa ki tarah baat matt karo, unho ne subah se ye lecture dass baar sunaya hoga."

I chuckle at her words and nod my head, making her climb in the backseat, but when I'm going to get in, Manik's voice stops me, "Oh hello, madam, I'm not your driver, so just come to the front."

I grit my teeth feeling the smirk behind his voice, but I still give in and slam the door as hardly as I can.

He opens the passenger seat door for me to get in, which I unwillingly do and he gives me a triumphant smile.

Damn this guy for messing with my head.

My nose flares, once he starts the car, but it calms down when Navya speaks, "Tumhe pata hai Nandini, Manik ne papa ko convince karliya taaki wo mujhe tumhare saath Manik ki gaadi main aane de. Main toh shock hi hogayi thi jab papa ne haan kaha, tum toh jaanti ho wo kaise hain."

I turn my head back to look at her, "Uncle ko pata hai?" I know she just told me that, but I really need to confirm that twice.

Navya's dad is the most strict person I've ever known and him letting her come in a guy's car really shocks me.

"Humein abhi takk samaj me nahi aaya ki is ne Hindi kaise boli papa ke saath, par humein usse kya jab takk humein school takk chalna na pade."

I nod my head with a slight smile, but when I'm about to turn, she calls my name again, "Mujhe lagta hai ke iske dil mein kuch hai tumhaare liye."

I wide my eyes in shock and glance towards Manik who looks unfazed, as if he's not understanding anything.

"Aisa kuch nahi hai Navya. Aur agar huya bhi toh mere dil main kuch nahi hai hai uske liye. Kuch bhi nahi." I give her a lip tight smile before turning to look at the road in front of me.

I know you understand Manik, and I hope you get that inside your head once and for all.

I have so many questions for you Manik, everyday more then the last, but I don't even know if I'm ready to hear the answers.

The rest of the car ride is spent in silence, which breaks once Manik stops on the usual spot to let us down and then park his car.

When me and Navya walk inside the school, we dissolve ourselves in the crowd of many other students, hoping to have a good day ahead.

But is that even going to be possible when I know that Manik Malhotra is going to stick around today.

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Update!

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Keep smiling :)