Crazy, Stupid, Summer Sparks |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

Chapter 16: 'Us', 'Them' & The Big Green 'J' Factor

2:16p.m. [I am starting rehearsals for the next round from today. At Galleria, it's five mins from yours. You could come, if you're not baby-sitting Aryaman of course."

Nandini stared at the message, it was from Manik; she was hurt at his cutting tone. He really was going out of his way to be mean to her, and she was really becoming annoyingly sensitive to each and every move of his, she thought irritated as she rubbed off the hot tears spilling down her eyes. No, she wasn't going to let Manik be mean to Aryaman, when his anger was at her for whatever reason; he wasn't going to trouble Aryaman, who was going through a low patch in life anyway.

2:20p.m.[Would have come, but guess I can't. Not with Aryaman tonight; instead, completing the revision notes for you. I suppose it is 'baby-sitting' anyway; one way or the other. But you carry on :)]

Manik's fist curled at her sarcastic tone, oh so now she was bitter doing his notes? Why? Because it was coming between her Aryaman-time; he wondered in irritation.

2:31p.m. [Don't worry about those notes Nandini, Soha here will take care of them now. You suck up to your Aryaman.] He typed furiously and sent it.

Nandini sighed, of course, why would Manik behave nicely with her now? He didn't need to anymore; he had Soha now who would do her bidding, who was Nandini to him? She laughed at herself cruelly, how dumb was she? He never considered her a friend, he only acted friendly when she had snapped last time, such that he could get her to help him and support him; her game was over in his mind now she thought as fresh tears threatened to come out.

Manik sat down on his couch with force after holding his phone and waiting for a response from Nandini for the last five minutes; she didn't revert back. He scratched his head with a frown on his face; did he overdo it this time? He unlocked his phone and re-read the message, oh-ho, he did go overboard with the 'go suck up to Aryaman' bit. Now he was feeling low, arghhh Nandu! He sighed, and then decided to make truce with her; after all she didn't really do him any harm, on the contrary she had always helped him; what was wrong in dating Aryaman? And what was wrong in wanting to spend the time with her new boyfriend? About not confiding in him, who knew, maybe she did try but he was only too busy with rehearsals and his confession to Soha then; what if she never got a chance? In fact, wasn't she trying to tell him something that day in the auditorium? When he left suddenly because Soha was waiting? Was she going to tell him this? SHIT.

"Hey dude, whatsup?"

"Hey bro" replied Aryaman nonchalantly over the phone.

"Help me. I got your girlfriend to be really mad at me, help me fix" even though he had forgiven them for not telling him, somehow, referring to Nandini as Aryaman's girlfriend was not quite right, she somehow didn't fit it, something was off about it, and it made him jittery. Aryaman's head shot up, how was Manik so cooly referring to Nandini as his girlfriend? Was he really not bothered beyond friendship?

"Err..what have you done with Nandini now?" Aryaman asked shakily.

"God Aryaman, I haven't DONE anything to YOUR Nandini. AS YET.  I just snapped at her, real bad. Can you help me fix this, or not?" he asked annoyed. What did Aryaman think? Nandini was sole his property now? How could he ask about her with so much authority? Wasn't he, Manik, a friend too?

Aryaman smiled at Manik's retort; that was definitely not friendly protectiveness. He could hear Manik's jealous voice, when he used his authority over Nandini. He grinned, and replied on the phone.

"Don't worry dude, she will forget to be upset at you. We are going for our first movie date tonight! And if she does happen to remember which is unlikely, and mention it, I will cover up for you! Chill now" he said and hung up.