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It was the first time in months that Nandini slept till late, actually very late. It really did not matter as it was Sunday but a change in Nandini Murthy's schedule was a shocker. She woke up with a heavy head. Each muscle in her body pained, it was nothing like she ever felt before. She tried to open her eyes and get a sense of her surroundings but it felt as if someone was pushing her back on the bed. As she lay straight in her bed, she tried to move her hand to find something or maybe to find someone.

"Manik" Nandini murmured as she swayed her hands on the empty bed. She was trying to sit up when someone started banging her bedroom door, as a reflex she put her hands on her ears and asked the person to come in. Arjun came in with a mug of coffee in his hand. Nandini gave him a confused look. She was supposed to be in a beach in Manik's arms, how she landed up here, she did not know. Arjun came and sat in front of her while Nandini continued to gape at him like a lost puppy. He offered her the coffee and she kept staring at him.

"Nandini " Arjun tried to get her attention "Nandini " he clicked his fingers in front of her face twice and that's when Nandini snapped out of her haze. Realization hit her that it was all a very beautiful dream, a dream she wish would come true but never will. She turned around to see an empty bed and blinked several times. The truth dawned upon her, Manik is dead, she is in Chennai and sitting in front of her is her uncle's son, Arjun. Things were getting clearer but still she was confused, what had happened to her, why did everything feel different.

"Coffee?" Arjun offered and Nandini took it obediently.

"Nandini, are you alright? You seem lost"

"My head hurts. I don't know what is happening "Nandini spoke unintelligibly.

"I think you had too much to drink for the first time "Arjun tried to understand her situation.

"Drink?" Nandini frowned, now she was completely muddled. She couldn't remember anything.

"Finish the coffee, take a bath, maybe that will help, I will be outside with Rishabh" Arjun suggested and left Nandini's room.

Nandini scrambled out of her covers, gulped the coffee in one go and rushed to the washroom. She striped and entered the shower. The water was warm and it relaxed her muscles and the events of the previous night started fading in.

Rishabh had gone to the Chopras for a night stay with the girls and Nandini had stayed back in their flat. She had nothing important to do, no assignments to submit, no one in particular to talk to,although she had to call her friends, Amms and chacha chachi but she was in no mood for talking to anyone so she decided to kill her time by watching a movie that she was barely concentrating on.

Nandini was blankly staring at the screen when the doorbell rang. She stood up to open the door and found Arjun on the other side. She was surprised to see him as they hardly ever talked.

"Ummm Hi .Actually dad asked me to check on you, if you are fine. Are you fine?" Arjun asked

"Yeah yeah I am fine "Nandini mumbled

'Join us for dinner?"

Nandini knew better than to say no. She had tried it before but to no avail. Her uncle and aunt won't let her or Rishabh sleep before they eat dinner.

"Yeah let me just get the keys" Nandini took the keys and exited the flat with Arjun.

It was a nice dinner. Her uncle and Aunt were chatting with the girls and Rishabh, Arjun was busy on his phone and Nandini was sitting silently nibbling her food.

"Mom, I have to leave now, I will be late so don't wait for me and I will drive safe "Arjun got up from his seat to leave for somewhere.

"Arjun wait up .Why don't you take Nandini along with you? All your friends are her age .She hasn't been to many places since she has arrived in Chennai." Nandini's aunt suggested

Nandini looked up from her plate surprised.

"I don't have an issue. Nandini would you like to come? It is my friend's birthday party" Arjun asked

"Why would she have a problem, tomorrow is Sunday and she was not doing anything anyways "Her uncle spoke for her .She could not contemplate this fast and boom the decision was made.

"But Uncle, what would I do there? I don't know anyone there and "Nandini tried to get herself out of this.

"You know Arjun and that is enough. Till when will you stay locked up? You will have to get out. You are going and that is final. If you are uncomfortable there, Arjun can get you back whenever you want. Is that fine?" her uncle tried to reason with her.

She found no way out so she nodded slightly.

"Great, so go fast and get ready in 5. I am waiting." Arjun said.

Nandini went to her flat and changed into a jeans and a top, she was in no mood to wear anything fancy. She left with Arjun in his car.

They entered the club where the party was. It was very dark, loud and crowded inside. Arjun pulled Nandini with him and introduced her to his friends. They also wished the birthday boy whose stare made Nandini uncomfortable which she decided to ignore. She greeted everybody politely and after talking to a few people for a while she found herself a perfect corner near the bar counter to hide from the world. She did not have any personal vendettas with anybody but she was just not in a mood to entertain people. She saw the world around her spin as she sat in the corner immobile.

After a while Arjun came looking for her and he took her to the terrace for some fresh air. It was a relief until she saw all of Arjun's friends. Karan, the creepy birthday boy offered her a drink that she was hesitant to take.

"Don't worry Arjun told us that you don't take alcohol. It is just a mocktail" Karan assured Nandini.

Arjun nodded slightly so Nandini took the drink. Arjun did not know that the drink was spiked .After talking about random science stuff ,Nandini left their company.

"So what's your story?" Arjun came at Nandini's side and asked.

"Huh?" She made a confused face.

"Clearly you have a story, it has been a while since you are in Chennai and you have told us nothing about your life in Mumbai and everything that you try hide"

"I am not trying to hide anything" Nandini definitely did not want to share anything with anybody. She did not want to go down the memory lane ever again.

"It's written all over your face. Who is the guy?" Nandini was getting irritated with the constant nag but she said nothing as she started to feel dizzy.

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