Alluring Prevarications

Cabir ?!

Club Ecstasy  10 : 00 pm.

NANDINI

Why me? Why always me?! Fine may be because I can't deny them. Its strange that even after finding all the possible excuses in the world, I ultimately tend to accept the dares they want me to do. 

Ok. So currently I'm moving towards the counter where the jacket is supposed to be kept. I have never stolen even a simple chocolate ever before. And the thought of me stealing someones wallet is making me thrilled. I can tell you guys my heart rate has surely increased up to 140 beats/min....So high than that of normal which 60-100 beats/min. 

Damn you Alya. From where does she gets such crazy ideas from? Sometimes I wonder , How would have been if there was no existence of this imbecile word called 'Dare' ! 

When I reached the counter I saw two jackets at that place. Great! How am I supposed to know which one belonged to 'The not-so-stranger-anymore' ? 

I checked pockets of both the jacket carefully ensuring no one is watching me. But my bad luck both of them were having wallet. First jacket was red colored while the other one was white colored. Well white was my favorite color! But then I thought how could a guy wearing white colored blazer would have seemed happening to my best friends. After all, according to me white meant pure, true, silent yet beautiful , soothing . And red it is really a vibrant color. Its screams coolness. So I took the wallet from red jacket. 

I was heading towards my friends hoping that this sudden adrenaline rush will come to normal level when I'll be with them. I hastily kept the red jacket near the counter. Wow how stupid of me I completely forgot about the 2 cameras. Cameras might have captured me taking the wallet. I turned to take a quick look at those cameras, meanwhile I also looked here and there to know if anyone has seen me....

And guess what?! I found a sitting in opposite corner of the counter looking at me with curious look on his face...We stare into each other for a moment but then I realized what was I doing....I just gave him a toothy smile...He looked at me with an amused expression. I turned around in an attempt to quickly get back to my place. I was feeling a little relaxed as I knew I'll be out of this situation soon...

I was heading towards my friends but I never reached them. Instead I was pulled back by a strong pair of hands. A guy wearing white jacket and blue jeans held me by my shoulders and  said

Guy : How dare you? 

Nandini : What....What do you mean????

Guy (Slyly) : I know very well what you just did... 

Nandini : I...I...

Guy : How dare you steal my friend's wallet... What were you trying to do? Don't think that I'll fall prey to your pretty face and this red dress. Tell me what were your intentions behind it...

Nandini : Excuse me! I'm not a robber ok. Just don't talk to me like that.

Guy : Yeah. Your actions justify everything.

Nandini : You -

Just then we were interrupted by someone's voice. And I wonder why the voice seemed so familiar....

Voice : What's going on here , Cabir ?

Guy(Cabir) : Dude, This girl out here was trying to steal your wallet. Do you thing I would have let her go just like that?!

I also turn to look behind and now I know why the voice seemed so familiar. After all in last few weeks center of every problem I came across was none other than Mr. Manik Malhotra. 

When I turned my eyes met Manik's eyes and he looked at me for a moment being amused.

Cabir : So tell me, What were you doing with his wallet ?

Nandini : Trust me. I wasn't doing anything wrong. It was nothing to do with you or Manik...

Cabir : Now I get it. Who are you? How do you know his name is Manik? 

Manik : Cabir! Just come with me.

Manik takes his wallet from Nandini's hand and drags Cabir along with him towards exit.

Nandini just stands there dumbfounded. After a moment she goes to her friends. By looking at her face, Renuka says-

R : What happened Nanz?

Mukti : Yeah! What took you so long? And what's with that look n your face?

Navya : Are you okay Nandini?

Alya : Speak up Nanz....What happened?

Nandini : Nothing...Its just that, it was again him...

Alya : Him?!

Nandini (Still lost) : Yeah...It was Manik again.

Navya : Manik who?

Alya : Am I dreaming or what? Dr. Nandini Murthy is talking about a guy willingly. 

Mukti : Gosh! You are so lost in him!!!

Navya : But as far as I remember his name was cabir....

Nandini : Cabir is Manik's friend.

Alya : Ughhh..Just tell us what happened there nanz. And who is Manik?

Nandini told them what happened sometime back. And also told them how she knows Manik right from the first dare to him being her lab assistant and today's encounter with them...

Renuka : I must say, the guy is really lucky! He's getting attention from Dr. Nandini Murthy .

Mukti : Exactly , your so called 'sasural'...I mean 'YOUR LAB' where you never allowed anyone one. Not even us ...He's working with you there?!

Alya : That's really a fantabulous! 

Renuka : Apart from this, you seem to have special interest in this guy- Manik.

Alya : Exactly!!! So  tell us already Nanz!

Nandini sighs,

Nandini : Its nothing like that guys.We just have a professional relation.

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Manik's Red Jacket up there.