~ t h i r t y s i x ~

                                    

                                          
आज थोड़ा प्यार जाता दूं क्या,
तुम मेरे हो, सबको बता दूं क्या?"
Nandini heard the doorbell ringing and looked at the clock which was showing just ten minutes past two in the afternoon. She glanced at Ishita and Anahita who were trying to inflate the balloons and they were trying for two hours now. She shook her head at them and wiping her hands dry with the towel moved to open the door. She sighed when on the way everywhere there were balloons. 
Shooking her head she opened the door but shrieked when the balloon Ishita was inflating bursting and she jumped on her place and was about to fall due to the balloon on the floor when a strong arm was curled around her waist and she shivered with the touch. She opened her eyes which she had closed in fear, only to meet with those amber black eyes staring right into hers. 
Manik looked into her deep eyes, which were always his favorite. He could see the fear in those doe-shaped eyes replacing with relief and then something akin to peace. He kept gazing into those beautiful pair of eyes that were blinking at him. 
Meanwhile, Manik's friend who has come with him was staring at the two lost souls with a smirking face. They were surprised by the fact that even Nandini was in a daze. And that's exactly what shocked Ishita too, seeing Nandini not flinching with his touch. She smiled at the two. While Anahita was looking at those two tilting her head and a small smile on her face. 
Soon enough Nandini came out of trance and wiggled in Manik's arms due to which his daze was also broken. He carefully made her stand up and both looked here and there awkwardly. But the silence was broken by Anahita who came jumping to Manik making him smile and he kneeled in front of her.
"Loktal!! You came?" 
"My Princess called, how couldn't I? Happy Happy Birthday Princess." Anahita grinned cheekily and Manik kissed her forehead lovingly. Hearing Manik, Nandini looked at Ishita who smiled and shrugged looking at Anahita, making Nandini sigh. 
"Thank You!!!" Manik smiled at her and stood up to greet Ishita who blessed him as he touched her feet. They looked back at Anahita who was now saying Thank You to his friends, who were wishing her. And then Fab Four greeted Nandini and Ishita too. 
"Well, we came early to help in the preparation, it's okay naa Aunty?" Ishita nodded her head at Cabir who smiled back at her. 
"So, what's the theme Anahita?" Anahita furrowed her brows in confusion listening to Mukti and looked at her mother.
"There's no theme, Mukti, it's just a small celebration type with Anahita's classmates n all." Fab four nodded and Manik looked at Nandini. She was looking pretty in that simple attire too. The hairs which were coming on her face from her loose messy bun were making her look more beautiful. He looked at Anahita who called her to help her in inflating the balloons, and he readily joined her.
Nandini stared at him as he would flick Anahita's nose and she would scrunch her nose making him laugh. She smiled seeing his usual playfulness and heaved a sigh of relief. Then she went into the kitchen to get something for Fab Five, however, this staring session didn't go unnoticed by five pair of eyes. 
It has been an hour since Fab Five was here, and to say the house was full of loud noises would be an understatement. Cabir had put music on and as everyone was decorating and preparing everything, they were grooving on the music beats too. Most happy was Anahita in all this. And hearing her giggles from the hall, there was a constant smile on Nandini's face.