MANAN- Strings of love

13.He Can Only Smirk Not Smile

 Thank you so much for the multiple votes and comments. Silent readers please vote. Please don't be hesitant while voting.

  Messed was the one word I would explain. There stood Lalitha. Saxena with tears arguing with Mahesh. Saxena about my birth. I could feel her pain by standing at safe distance where Aliya was arguing with Harshad. Shikha watched everything with curious eyes and I had to ask Druv to help me. Successfully distracting Shikha, Druv took Shikha to gardens and I stood there with guilt. I knew this would happen if I entered to this house. Aliya may have accepted me whole heartedly, but what about her mother and brother? About Mr. Saxena, I cared less.

  "No more arguments. Nandini go and rest!" saying this Mr. Saxena moved out of the house. Aliya helped me with my and Shikha's bag. Manik helped me to my new room to arrange the luggage. "Nandini, take rest. We need to talk something important. I will come at evening." He said and went away. My bed was calling me to sleep, so I slept.

  When I woke up it was very awkward. In my house I would just go and have anything I like but I was so hesitant here. Hell, I was feeling nervous even walking in the house. I dressed and went downstairs where breakfast was being served. Shikha sat happily with Aliya who was talking with Druv and this little girl was eating Harshad's head with all sort of questions. I didn't know where to sit and as there was no place I took the second chair from the head chair of dining table.

 It was the most worst decision, because I was sitting beside Mrs. Saxena and Mr. Saxena took the head chair. Everyone was silent but the little girl Shikha cared less and started her questions from question bank. "Shikha what did I tell you?" I asked sternly and lowered her head eating the breakfast silently. The hell with the awkwardness, I don't care if it is awkward or anything. If I don't eat this instant the mice in my tummy will kill itself so I ate like a cave man. 

 "Where is Navya?" I asked once I thought it is not lady like thing to eat without break. "Kabir took her to a lunch meeting." Druv said smiling a bit. "Poor Navya" was all I said before diving into the food. "I have an announcement to make." Mr. Saxena said and Aliya rolled her eyes. "As Aliya had made it clear that she will be marrying Druv I am keeping their engagement this week end. I am announcing Nandini's and Manik's engagement on that party." I chocked on my food hearing it. Shikha looked at me like I have grown two heads. 

 "After engagement does the people marry?" Shikha asked Harshad who nodded furrowing his eyebrows. "God bless future husband of NI to tolerate her craziness." Shikha said joining her hands and closing her eyes. "Amen" Navya said entering the dining room. "Navya and Shikha!" I called, both looked at me in confusion. "You both are cleaning backyard of the house." I said smiling sweetly and the other two had a horrified face.

 Shikha and Navya are in shocks, Nandini rocks. "No!!, Please not that one. We will do anything." Navya said and I wanted this. "handle Shikha for a week." I said and went to wash my hands. I came outside and Shikha was keeping the curry leaves outside her plate. She don't like curry leaves, so she does this when I am out of sight. I came and made her to eat with my hands. I can distract her by telling stories and some silly jokes. My eyes landed on Mr. Saxena who was staring at me with great intensity. I averted my gaze.

 Manik came in evening to talk. I was in gardens when he came to meet me. "hey" I smiled, but he just nodded. "Manik, learn to smile!" I said and he nodded again. I am fed up of his attitude. That's it, I stretched his lips to teach him how to smile? "You need to smile like this. Now try it without using your hands." I said and he tried to smile but it turned into smirk. "Manik you need to smile not smirk." I said annoyed by his behaviour. "I look more handsome while smirking." he said still smirking. "You know girls throw themselves on me only to see this smirk." I want to bang his head. "I think you will also like it. How can you not like such a sexy smirk?" I looked around and spotted a broom. I took it and ran behind Manik who asked me to stop while running.

  "You think so high of yourself Malhotra! I will remove that smirk now!" I shouted and ran faster behind him. He entered house and Druv was with Aliya who started laughing seeing me and Manik. "Stop! Manik, if you don't stop I will hit you with interest!" I shouted only to receive squeals from him. "Nandini! Nandini! Nandini!" cheered Shikha clapping her hands. "I had predicted the future. See, from this instant NI has started her craziness." I stopped and spotted Shikha who saw me and started running. 

  I dropped broom and started to tickle her when I found her. "What am I? say it" I said tickling her but she nodded no even while laughing. "Okay then suit yourself" I tickled her and at last she accepted her defeat. "Oka----ok yo---you are......great." she said and I left her. I looked at everyone who had smiles except Manik who was smirking. I looked at Harshad who had a smile and he quickly covered it when he saw me staring at him.

  "What do you wanted to talk?" I asked Manik who gestured all of them to move out.We were in the room now. "As you know we are having a party this weekend. We have to answer media so we need a story." he said and I have very active imagination. 

 "I have a story. We will reveal everything about Druv and Aliya till she eloped and came to our house. Me acting like transmitter for you guys. We won't reveal the contract thing, but we will say we fell in love having each others company for two weeks." I said and clapped my hands excited by my fabulous idea. "This is ridiculous idea. Why will they believe in the love which happened in two weeks?" Manik scowled at me.

 "When love can happen in first sight then why not in two weeks?" this time I scowled at him. He sighed and nodded. That's my power to make everyone defeat in front of me. Ha Ha Haaaaaa...