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"Guy, which guy?" Nandini tried to act ignorant

"The guy because of whom you left Mumbai, because of whom you are here in Chennai, whose memories you are running from." Nandini looked up and could do nothing but gape at Arjun. Before she could say something Arjun continued "so what is your story? Did he leave you for someone else? Did he cheat on you? Did he..."

"Stop" Nandini did no let him complete. She could not hear baseless accusations for Manik from anyone. She tried to speak and defend him but the alcohol was taking a tool on her senses and she stumbled backwards but Arjun caught her before she fell. He held her and decided to take her back home. He bid farewell to his friends and exited from the club. Once outside the club he realised that he did not have his car keys. He asked Nandini to wait for him and not go anywhere and he left to get the keys.

Karan had a devious plan in his head and he could not let Arjun ruin it for him. So he gave Arjun's car keys to another friend to buy a few minutes. He came out of the club when he found Nandini alone.

"Nandini" Karan called and Nandini turned .The closer Karan got to her the wider her eyes got. 

"Nandini Nandini Nandini aren't you just so beautiful?"  Karan smirked and walked closer to her.

"Listen stay away ,don't come close to me"  The moment Karan lifted his hand to touch Nandini, she puked all over him.

"What the fuck?" Karan could not contemplate what had happened.

"Shit Shit Shit, I am so sorry" Nandini mumbled .She puked more but this time on the sidewalk. Arjun ran to her and patted her back, gave her water and his handkerchief.

"Are you alright?" Arjun asked

"Yeah I am fine "Nandini said looking up to see Karan's situation.He was drenched in her puke with anger dancing on his eyes. That's when Arjun also noticed him .He laughed out loud on his first instinct.

"Oh my gosh .Karan" Arjun said between his laughs. All their friends joined them outside the club and tried to analyse the situation.

"That is a very beautiful birthday gift man' one of Arjun's friend patted Karan's back and teased him. All of them could not stop laughing.

"Okay enough" Karan shouted "Nandini, how dare you? "

"Chill dude .Arjun take her home and let us take Karan inside to freshen up" another friend tried to rationalize things.

Arjun settled a half conscious Nandini on the passenger's seat and drove back home. He took her to her flat, settled her on the sofa and went to the kitchen to get her lime water.

He found Nandini sitting still on the sofa immobile as if she was in some deep thought.

"Nandini, lime water" Arjun offered the glass to Nandini that she took.

"You fine?" he settled beside her and she nodded.

They sat in silence. None of them spoke anything for a while.

"Manik" Nandini murmured

"What?" Karan asked confused

"His name" Karan frowned listening to this.

"The guy you were asking about. It's him, Manik. The guy because of whom I left Mumbai, because of whom I am here in Chennai, whose memories I am running from" Nandini said while smiling and looking straight at precisely nothing.

"Nandini it's ummmm......" Arjun tried to assure her.

"But he never cheated on me, he loved me and so did I." Nandini started.

"Then"

"He left me .He went away" Nandini gulped the entire lime water and kept the glass on the table.

"Left you?" Arjun questioned bewildered.

"Yeah he went away, he went far far away from me. So far that I could never even find him" Nandini tried to explain with hand gestures. She was drunk and Arjun understood that she was blabbering because she did not have control on her senses anymore.

"Nandini I think you should sleep " Arjun tried to get up but Nandini pulled him.

"Nooooooo listen to me .you know that Monster Manik left me, you please don't? Nandini pleaded like a kid. Arjun decided that he will patiently listen to whatever she has to take out of her system and she will eventually get tired and sleep.

"Okay"

"Good" Nandini continued "that Manik Monkey Malhotra" she made faces as she spoke "what does he think of himself? He thinks that just because he is The Manik Malhotra he can do anything."

"No" Arjun sat still listening to whatever Nandini ranted. He could feel her as he was going through the same situation.

"Exactly but he did. He told me that he loved me but he left me all alone to deal with this pain all by myself." A tear dropped from her eyes as she spoke in memory of Manik.

"Nandini at times we choose the wrong person to fall in love with and It's okay. After all we are humans and we only make mistakes." Arjun tried to calm Nandini down.

"You don't understand Arjun"

"Actually Nandini I do. A month ago my girlfriend broke up with me. I loved Maya a lot .I made her my life and I made sure nothing ever happens to her but in return she cheated on me with my best friends. So trust me Nandini, I understand. "

Nandini looked at Arjun and shook her head." No Arjun. You don't. At least you can see Maya, you can talk to her, you can fight with her, loving her or hating her is a choice for you. You have a choice Arjun, a choice that I don't and never will have."

"What? I don't understand "

Nandini smiled slightly "Manik is dead."

This shocked Arjun. He did not have words. Nandini said nothing after that and neither did Arjun. The conversation was over. Nandini got up and left for her room and Arjun closed the flat's door behind him to leave for his own flat.