The next morning Nandini and Manik were the only ones to get up, due to the tiring journey, the rest all were still asleep.
They both freshen up and leave for college as it was a class day. They leave a message for them, asking them to see them at the Café by 12 o' clock.
"Whats your day going to be like?" he asks her.
"Class until 11, then 11-1 break and then phir se class until 2. That's it. Uss ke baad I need to go to the library for tutoring, until 5. Hufff...batane mein hi ithnii time lag gayi pata nai kaose kar paoongi" she said.
"It's okay, you'll be fine. Make sure you drink lots of water okay?" he says.
"Okay boss! Here is the bottle" she shows him the water bottle in her bag.
He parks the car, and then both part ways to their own classes.
Nandini meets William, who was seen with Jessica.
"Morning Will" she calls out for him.
"Morning butterfly" he walks to her, holding Jessica's hand.
"Jessica, I know you've met her like a lot of times, but let me introduce to my best friend, Nandini, whom I call butterfly. And Butterfly this is Jessica" he introduces them to each other.
"Call me Jess" she says and hugs Nandini.
"Congratulations you both" Nandini says and gives them both a greeting card and a chocolate.
"That's such a sweet gesture. Thankyou Nandini" Jessica says her name with a lot of difficulty.
"You guys owe me a party. Will, you promised!" Nandu reminds him.
"Yes, I was actually waiting for Matty. It's about time for the class" Will says looking at his watch.
"Why don't you ring him up?" Jess says.
Nandu calls him, and he picks up and says he is about to reach the class.
"He's almost there, let's go in and save him a seat" Nandu says and they all go in.
Meanwhile, Matty and Lisa also reach, and the lecture begins.
Nandini was interested in Accounting, so she pays attention to the class, while half of the class is seen texting.
The class ends, and Matt immediately nandu's notes frm her.
"Will you back in a while. Thanks" he says and outs it in his bag.
They all go to the café, to have lunch.
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Manik
I was walking to the café from the class, when I got a call from Judy. Why is she calling me?
"Hey Judy! How are you doing?" I asked.
"How are you doing Manik?" she asked in return.
"Great! On my way to the café to grab some lunch" I said.
"Okay, sorry for bothering you, but do you have a minute?" she asked.
"Of course, tell me" I said.
"Okay, we have a new student from India, and he is a Music major. He would need some help from you, and I see he is enrolled for a couple of classes you teach, so I was wondering if you have a minute, I can introduce you to him" she said.
New Indian student?
"Sure, Is he in your office?" I asked.
"Yes" she said.
"On my way. I will see you in five" I said and hung up.
I sent a text to Nandini asking them to have lunch as I didn't know how long it would take me with this meeting. She replied an Okay with a sad emoji.
I walked to Judy's office and then knocked at her door.
"Manik?" she asked from inside.
"Yes!" I replied.
"Please come in" she said and I went in. then I see this guy sitting in the chair across her. I remembered my day 1, when I was waiting for Nandini in the same chair.
"Thanks for coming Manik, and yes met him, Varun. He is the new student I was talking about" she said.
Varun? Ek second, is he the same Varun Nandini was talking about last night. Freak if he is, then am I going to be his instructor? I don't like this.
"Varun, this is Manik. He's from India as well, one of my favorite students. He's one of the stars of our college, Captain of the Basketball team, Prom king, Class topper, and one of your music instructors" she introduced me.
I was feeling good, well I don't like to be praised but probably because I was feeling jealous slash possessive since last night, it felt good that he is getting to know I am not just another normal student.
"Varun! It's a pleasure meeting you" he said shaking his hands.
"Manik. Welcome to WSU, I hope you'll like it" I said.
"Sure! Thanks" he said.
"Okay so Manik, I hope you remember all the formalities Nandu helped you with when you were here, I want you to help Varun finish them all. Could you please do that for me?" she asked me.
"Of course, consider it done. Uhmm..Varun, let's go" I said.
"Fab 5 kaa Manik Malhotra right?" he asked as we got out of her office.
"Pehchaante ho?" I was a little surprised.
"Of course, tumhe kaun nai pehchaanta. Waise who is this Nandu Judy was talking about?" he asked,
Pooch liya beta? Nandu sorry princess tumhaara wohh gaadi bungalow waali dialog mujhe batana padega.
"Nandu is Nandini. Another Indian student" I said.
"Oh wait, I guess I know her, she's this cute and short girl right. I have actually seen her at the grocery store yesterday. Pata hain, Blueberry ice-cream ki dibbe se baat kar rahi thi, blue-berry tum kaha ho aisa bolke, god that was so cute, and those eyes of hers, south indian hogi tabhi ithnii badi eyes, waise tum use jaante ho?" he asked.
My blood was literally boiling. Anjaane mein hi sahi, he has no right to say such things to my princess.
"She's my wife" I said with a straight face, tinge of anger in my eyes.
"Dude you gotta be kidding me. I know she's beautiful and you probably like her, but iskaa yeh matlab nai ki tum bol do she's your wife" he said. What the heck?
"And why do you think I would be joking around you? She is my wife. So you better" I stopped from finishing my sentence seeing her from afar. She was sitting with her friends.
"Jo karna hain kar, Good luck and have fun" I said handing him all his registration forms, and left from there.
How dare he say that!
"Yeh coconut face banaake kya ghoom rahe ho?" Nandini asked looking at me.
"Forget it" I said and settled down on one of the chairs.
"Mr. Coconut water, Thoda Manik ke pet mein jaao and cool him off" she said giving me the coconut water bottle.
"Who on the earth talks to bottles and boxes? You are crazy. Stop being all cute and grow up! you say that to me right,, but it's you that applies to" I scolded her.
Kisi aur kaa gussa kisi aur pe nikaalna....sab se gandhi baat. And I couldn't even realize that at the moment.
"Manik mein bas tumhe hasaane ke liye" she was about to say something.
"Apni yeh cuteness kisi aur ko jaa ke dhikhaao I am not interested in it right now. Bye" I said and got up from there grabbing a sandwich that was on the table.
I was angry. I know she is cute, bachhi hain, par mere saamne theek hain, sab ke saamne aisi harkatein karegi toh sab ki cute lagegi na, and I didn't like it at all.
------------------
"What's wrong with him? Butterfly what did you say to him?" Will asked Nandu. She was sad.
"He's an idiot. Tell him I hate him when he comes back" she says and walks away from there.
"I guess you need to go behind her" Jess says and he follows her.
"Butterfly wait. Hang in there" he was going behind her, but she was fast.
He finally gets her.
"What's wrong? Why was he yelling at you?" he asks.
"I told you right, he's an idiot. I don't know what goes wrong with him at times. Will, take me home" she says. They go back to the café, pick their bags and Will, Jess and Nandu leave together.
They drop Nandu at home and drive back.
She opens the door, and the gang was almost ready to join them at the café for lunch. They were surprised to see her home at that time, and that too with a sad face.
"Nandu? Tu ghar aa gayi, hum bas abhi nikal ne hi waale the. Cabir mahaashay uthe nai toh late ho gaya" Navya says.
"Navya mujhe aadhe ghante mein uthaaogi plese, I have a class at 2" she says.
"Haan uthaa dhoongi" Navya says, they all got to know that there's no lunch plan as such.
Navya goes into the kitchen and starts preparing some food with Alya and within 5 minutes, Manik also comes home.
"Leh, ab tu bhi aa gaya. Ithni lambi note likh ne ki kya zaroorat thi jab ghar hi aana tha tum logon ko?" Cabir says.
"Tub hi matlab?" Manik says.
"Aap ki premika bhi aa gayai, aadhe ghante mein uthaao bol ke sone gayi" he says.
"Kab aayi?" Manik asks.
"Bas paanch minute pehle, soyi nai hogi mere khayaal se, jaake dhekh" he says and Manik tried to open the door, but finds it locked.
He looks for the key, but since last he couldn't find his key, so entry restricted.
"Jhagda hua?" Dhruv asks, seeing him worried.
Manik nods in positive,
"Aur galathi kiski?" he asks.
"Meri toh bilkul nai" Manik says.
"Maan liya" Dhruv says, and Manik could get the sarcasm behind it.
"Ise dharwaza kholni nai toh theek hain, jab class ke liye late hogi tab pata chalega" Manik says and leaves.
"Cabir" Dhruv calls out for him.
"Kya hain Dhruv?" Cabir asks. He goes to him and tells that the love birds are in a fight again.
"Nandini ke ayyaappa! Kya karoon mein inn donon kaa?" Cabir says.
-------------
Inside the room
Nandini was crying lying on the bed.
"Kya ho gaya ki aise achanak sab ke saamne chillaaya? What did I say that was so wrong?" she was contemplating.
"Mein nai roungi uske liye, Ab tak sorry bolne bhi nai aaya na" she thinks.
Use chakkar mein aadha ghanta khatam and Navya knocks the door from outside.
"nandini Aadha ghanta khatam jaldhi utho nai toh class ke liye late ho jaogi" she says.
"Uth gayi! Thankyou navya" Nandini says opening the door, she eats some food Navya prepares, takes her bag and goes out. And Manik's car was there, right infront of the gate.
She sees him but goes away without noticing.
"Get in" he says lowering the window.
She doesn't get bothered.
"Nandini get in the car" he says again, and she keeps walking.
He gets down the car, and runs up to her, and holds her hand.
"Leave me Manik" she jerks off her hand. "You cannot just do it your way every time. How could you yell at me in front of everyone? You know how humiliating it was? Now please don't make another scene on the road" she says and walks off.
"Listen I am sorry" he was trying to tall but she leaves.
"To hell with your sorry" he hears her say.
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