Best Mistake.

Chapter 12

Finally the day- Bal Mela.

I might sound excited, not lying, I am excited but today I'll meet a person I am going hate for no particular reason.

The day started on an exciting note. We reached school by 07:30 as usual and decorated our stalls. Though decoration is not a difficult thing but boys will be boys- Always clumsy and fussy about such things. It won't be wrong if I say that we girls actually did the whole thing while boys were busy playing pen fight with boys of other section.

School arranged almost a hundred stalls all over the playground and gave us tables to keep our stuff. Playground looked colourful, decorated with paper flag strings and balloons with big banner posters hung down from the auditorium windows saying- 41st Annual Bal Mela.

The fair started finally by 10 am and people started to come. We have games like fishing the bottle, hold the wet brick for two minutes straight, dart games and fetch your soft drink by the puzzle. The seniors have put up food stalls which also includes tandoori stuff. There are students of grade 9 who have transformed a class on ground floor into horror house. We have a few stalls by senior art students which is basically painting the tattoo on the skin. An announcement stage under the banyan tree, which is also playing songs when no announcements are made. Cash is exchanged into coupons at the main entrance and people have to use coupon currency to buy and spend. We have our first customer who tries the brick game and looses it, earning only a condolence toffee from us. We all soon get very indulged in looking after our stalls.

We sneak out simultaneously to see other stalls, eat food and check on 'rival stalls' about their status (lol). I and Radhika got temporary tattoos for 10 points, not forgetting clicked a lot of pictures as Radhika got her phone.

When I was bored of doing the inside of stall stuff, I changed my duty with Aviral, which was to call and tell people about our stall, open advertising sort of. And as expected, Manik came from behind, following me.

"I am so excited to show you my parents!" he says cheerfully.

"... stall no. 43, thank you! Even I am excited to make my parents meet you and everyone" I tell him smiling.

"Yes, well, did you try the Nutella Shake from FoodViz?" he asks.

"No, FoodViz.... Shrishti di' stall?" I ask.

"Haan. Achha wait, I'll bring" he runs away and brings it after five minutes.

"Manik, your shirt..." I point while sipping the drink from the straw "Oh! Its really good!"

"Haan. Arey, a person pushed and this got spilled" he says strocking the stain from his hand.

I pass him my handkercheif and he taked to clean when Yash comes and says "Manik your parents have come, they are calling you."

Manik turns to me and smiles "Lets go!". I walk behind him and reach the stall. I see a couple.

What anyone would suppose as Manik's elder brother, he called him as Dad, eyes exactly as Manik. Beside him a lady stood, and trust me- the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. Clad in a pink lace kurta and kolhapuri, long black hair and big eyes, she looked so pretty. She was talking to my friends.

"Mumma!" Manik called her she hugged Manik. "How's my baby doing?" she asks cupping his face. I stay behind him awkwardly smiling, not knowing what to do.

Breaking the hug, Manik looks at me and gestures to come and stand next to him, and I am very nervous not knowing what to do.

"Mumma, she's Nandini." Manik introduces me and I smile looking at her.

"So, I finally meet you" coming closer to me and whispers in my ears "Manik talks a lot about you" she says and spares a hand on my head. I smile looking at her thinking what was there to say it in my ear.

I notice Manik's father still busy on his phone. He just smiled lightly at us and then leaves. Soon Manik took his mother for tour of other stalls and I sit down to drink water and talk with Mukti when suddenly a box of donuts slides on the table and comes in front of me. Looking up, I find Daddy looking at me, grinning.

"Daddy!!" I say and hug him. Doesn't it feels awesome to find your parents at school looking at you happily?

"Princess! How is your business going? Having fun with your business partners!?" He says kissing my head while others giggle on his compliment. My Daddy is the best!!

"Daddy, this is Radhika, Alya, Mukti and that is Aviral, Yash, Cabir and Manik....? Oh he has gone to show aunty around" I say delightly.

"So because of so much work, my warriors would have got tired so I bought them this. I made them. Try and tell how is it!?" Daddy says. Daddy loves baking and he makes amazing donuts.

I see Manik coming and standing behind me.
"Where's mom?" I ask. "She's with Rishab and to you I suppose to be Manik" he says smiling at Manik.

Manik looks at me with confusion in his eyes.

"Yes Daddy, he is Manik". I say and Daddy passes a cheeky smile to him and ruffles his hair. "Hello handsome man. So what's on your stall?" he asks and we all get busy entertaining him, munching on the donuts he made, also earning compliments from my friends.

The day was fun yet tiring. We danced, hooted, ate a lot of things, got fake tattoos painted and conversed a lot. A flash mob was done by the seniors who danced on 'Live While We're Young' and we all danced from inside the stall.

Finally the clock showed four and school called it a day.

Mom and Daddy were waiting so I was packing my bag hurriedly when I felt a tap on my left shoulder and Manik's 'Booo!' from right side.

Keeping a hand on my heart, I say "Don't scare like that!"

"Today was a nice day, no?" he asks sitting on the table, in front me.

"Indeed, I'll never forget this day" I say smiling at him.

" I heard you got a tattoo, show" he asks.

I show him my left wrist. A star with galaxy painted inside. "Wow! And what about this?" he shows his wrist with the exact same tattoo that looked like mine was a cut out of his tattoo.

"Manik! This is so beautiful! Exactly like mine." I say grinning.

"Glad you liked it. You know I had to manao-fy her so much to make this. She was not ready to make." he tells me.

"Then you could have asked for other design" I say.

"But then our tattoos wouldn't be same no. Achha, you know, Mom liked you. She said you are very cute." he says winking.

"Huh? Oh, say thank you from my side. Achha, Manik, do you tell everything to your mom?" I ask. Her whispering is still ringing in my ears.

"Yes. I share everything with her. Besides, your Dad is very cool and cute. You look exactly like your Dad. Chubby cheeks!" he says pulling my right cheek.

Removing his hand, I smile and say " Yeah, I know. A lot of people say this. Thank you."

"I can never forget today's day. It was the best day." he says.

"Yes. Best day ever!" I say and leave waving him bye and reminiscing the day.

Little did we know, the tattoo intended-

You complete me.

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A/N: Writing on a phone is a really tough job. The chapter is not edited. Do point out the mistakes. It will be a great help.

Hope you all enjoyed.

ramisa2002 I did it for you.