Buzz in the house died slow as other boys looked at Harshad. Manik palmed his eyes totally knowing what was coming next. 

Drama.

Well, nothing could go undramatic in his life. He had started to believe how he was a drama-magnet. What would have it taken? He asked God sighing deep. What would have it taken to spare him a night where he could just be with her without one or other thing going wrong. 

"What?" Nandini mumbled and Manik came back from whatever land he was in. 

He looked at Nandini who was busy louring at audience of an upcoming mini-fight which was taking years to start already. 

Harshad walked to Manik and Manik looked everywhere but at him. Apparently ceiling work was authentic and lights weren't bad either. Manik could list down all the details if that could bail him out of this very awkward situation. 

"Manik," Harshad called through his teeth as he stood an arm away. 

"Harshad," Manik replied with an extra broad smile. 

They had Nandini's attention now as they didn't say a word but kept talking through eyes. She sipped the drink in her hand and tried to understand what was it about. 

"You both can talk, you know," She suggested picking up the corn fritters. 

Harshad finally looked at her and smiled sweetly. 

"There's nothing left to talk," He replied while brushing something invisible off Manik's blazer. 

"I mean party is hot, my friend here has brought a lovely date and I didn't even know," Harshad was going hysterical with all the dramatized expressions. 

"I was about to tell you," Manik whispered in his ear as Harshad wrapped his arm around Manik's neck. 

"I am sure, moron," Harshad replied back with a whisper. 

Nandini noticed the duo carefully and shook her head. There was a whisper fight going on and her cadet was for sure going resolute about it. 

"I can't believe you didn't find it important to tell me...ME...about this," Harshad whisper-yelled and Manik sighed. 

"I was about to," He replied as a matter of fact. 

"No, why would you? I am not needed anymore," Harshad yelled again and Manik pursed his lips in annoyance. 

"Stop overreacting, Harshad," Manik said while pretending to stretch his neck. He was certain how well they were masking their fight. That was another thing how everyone knew what was going around. 

Nandini put the glass down with a thud and they both stopped fighting. Harshad straightened himself while Manik tried to look less annoyed. 

"Tell me when you guys are done," She said and walked away. She chuckled a bit as she made her way through crowd. 

"You couldn't wait?" Manik shouted finally. 

"Exactly how you couldn't tell," Harshad taunted and geared up for a verbal spat. 

"I was the one who was cheerleader to you and you forgot to tell me. When you were gonna tell, after proposing her?" Harshad asked aloud and their friends cheered. 

"Can you please not announce it?" Manik yelled back and Harshad chuckled. 

"Seriously?" Harshad asked. 

Nandini could hear cheers and hoots coming from that corner. She tilted her upper body to peep in and saw Manik in middle of some heated argument. He looked funny. She smiled and enjoyed the silent brawl. She hadn't seen Manik this desperate to prove a point as he argued as if his life depended upon it. 

"Don't show me your face anytime soon," Harshad said before walking away. 

"Gladly," Manik yelled back as Harshad disappeared in crowd. 

Samit laughed his heart out as soon Manik's eyes laid upon him. He laughed more as Manik glared him. 

"WHAT?" Manik asked yelling. 

"You two are such girls," He mocked and Manik strode to strangle him. 

"I mean who does that in house full of people?" Samit couldn't care any less because mocking was life. Manik squeezed his neck in his arm's grip and he threw his arms up giving up. 

"I have bunch of idiots around me," Manik commented letting him go. Straightening his coat, he tried to calm down. 

Taking his coat off, he felt a little less worked up. Harshad had ruined his mood to no extent and there he was yet to realize how his hellion was nowhere to be seen. 

"Nandini," He mumbled as soon as he realized. He looked around and saw people busy in their own world. He walked amid crowd to find her but she wasn't in his sight.

"Have you seen Nandini?" He asked Naman. 

"Who Nandini?" He asked carelessly. 

"Oh your date," He instantly remembered as Manik glared him. 

"No," He replied and Manik walked ahead. 

"I am such an idiot," He cursed himself for getting indulged in stupidest of shits. He had waited for this day and now he didn't even know where she was. As he looked for her around, his eyes found Harshad sulking in a corner. He pitied that dramatic creature who had just chosen wrong time for picking a drama. His date glared Manik and he couldn't care any less. Harshad shook his head showing his disappointment in Manik and Manik looked away. 

"Stop sulking, you two," Harshad's friend tapped his shoulder and Manik walked away. 

"Nandini," He called her name amid noise. Song was peppy and people were drunk. His eyes were aching to see that one face. 

"Where did she go?" He mumbled while getting slapped by dancing crowd. It was like all the youth was there to avail the open house. 

Music intensified and Manik could feel his senses working a little less. Smell of wine, youthful giggles and lights going golden. It wasn't a club to be precise but still who could stop a batch of young soldiers from turning that tavern into one. 

Nandini leaned on striped wall under hanging lamps watching him looking for her and she could wait more. His coat was gone, he was looking lost with that frown on his face. His forehead a bit furrowed as he made his way through the joyous crowd. His eyes roamed and there he saw her standing under golden light. Nandini let her teeth bite inside of her lip as his gaze relaxed. He sighed as his shoulders dropped. She could tell how much he had cursed himself. 

She wasn't a reader, never. She hated observing, always. She never waited, till sometime back. And now she was standing there; waiting, reading, observing. 

He rushed towards her and she clutched the feathery dangling. She didn't know what was so fascinating about the way he strode towards her. Her favorite kitten never had this much on her. 

"Where did you disappear?" He exhaled loudly as he reached her. His hands held her arms instinctively. 

"I was here," She replied looking into his eyes. Her grip over feathery dangling tightened as he mumbled something inaudible under his breath. 

"My friend is a little dramatic," Manik told as he leaned on same wall beside her. 

"I could see who was dramatic," She took a dig and he didn't mind. He let out a chuckle and she followed. 

Nandini slowly let go of crushed feathery dangling and relaxed as they stood under lamps gazing nothing. Wooden roof over them thumped every time someone walked. Those lamps quivered and so did their hearts. 

Manik could sense something sweet forming in his throat which had started to ache. He knew they were on edge of something very strong where they were clueless half of times. They felt a little too much and they didn't know how to exist around that. Her heat was pinching his flesh as she stood right beside him. 

 His fingers touched hers and she looked at their hands. Manik had stealthily slid his hand in hers and now was acting causal about it. He didn't look at her when she gazed him with a small smile. She stroked pad of his thumb and he evidently stiffened. He always was an easy prick. Nandini shifted closer to him and knot of their hands touched side of her thigh. Lacy cloth tingled his skin and he could take that sensation. He too made a move and moved an inch closer now where there shoulders touched. He took a sharp breath and she could hear it in house of deafening crowd. Nandini folded her leg and let her foot rest against the wall. His hand now rested on her thigh. Manik's palm went sweatier as they stood there making tiny advancements. She turned her head to look at him and he didn't take a second to look right back. She bit her lower lip and his lips parted a bit. Golden of light bathed them as they inched closer. 

But then...

Music died and it was time to come back to earth. Nandini looked around to see people annoyed and miffed as music stopped playing. Manik still had his eyes closed, his head bent down and face a bit red. 

"Come on"

"What the..."

"Turn on the music"

Manik opened his eyes listening some out of place lyrics which had no music. He looked at Nandini who was already looking at source of condemnation. He cleared his throat as if that could help in clearing his mind. He took two deep breaths and straightened himself.

"What's wrong?" His voice was supposed to come out confident but it came out hoarse. He cleared his throat further and Nandini looked at him amused. 

"What?" He asked trying to look in control. 

She dragged him along before he could look more hilarious. 

"Where are we going?" He asked murmuring as they cut through the miffed crowd. Manik could hear cadets starting their protest by tapping mugs. 

"Out of here," She replied turning around. She looked in haste. 

As they reached the exit, they saw  reason o abrupt break in the party standing there wearing his famous mustache. 

"Daadu," Nandini mumbled and Daadu smiled looking at his shocked granddaughter. Behind him stood an annoyed Colonel Singh. 

"Carry on cadets," Daadu said aloud and relaxed exclaims filled the tavern. Nandini strode towards him and Manik looked around only to find people already looking at him as a party to the intruder lot of officers. Apparently officers had barged in ruining the feel and nobody was happy about it. It meant no more fun. 

"I bet you knew it too," Harshad whispered into Manik's ear and Manik glared him. 

"I thought you were not going to see my face anytime soon," Manik taunted. 

"You are... you are such a..." Harshad started to utter but then couldn't find an appropriate word which could be enough insulting. 

"Since when you are wearing lip stick?" Manik couldn't let go of opportunity to tease an already annoyed Harshad. 

"How does it bothers you," He retorted and walked away cursing Manik. Manik chuckled seeing his hopeless friend who was behaving like a heartbroken lover. 

___________

"You didn't tell me you were gonna join," Nandini asked Daadu and he smiled wide. 

"Wine and I, wasn't that obvious?" He stated and she rolled her eyes. 

"And he didn't even mind barging into an open house for kids," Colonel elaborated only to make it a point. 

"And he even dragged me here and threatened if I don't comply," He added. 

Nandini looked at her mischievous Grandfather who was already beaming with pride.  

"Stop complaining, Singh," Daadu interrupted. 

"It was you who got threatened by a simple proposal of me joining academy as permanent faculty," Daadu elaborated and Nandini giggled. 

"Why he is standing there like a pole?" Daadu asked looking at an utterly stiffed Manik. Nandini turned around to see her kitten fluffing into something unknown. 

"It looks like someone has given him punishment to stand like a plank," Daadu examined critically. Nandini chuckled. 

"Manik loves to be in discipline no matter what," Colonel remarked and Daadu growled. 

"That's why I hate your methods, Singh, Look at your cadet, he is looking like he is on border when he is in a party," Daadu retorted skillfully. 

"Stop you two," Nandini interrupted and dragged Daadu along. Manik smiled as Daadu approached him. 

"Daadu," He beamed with pleasure seeing his favorite man and Daadu didn't stop him from engulfing him into a hug. 

"I am so glad you are here," He told elated. 

"We need to talk, Malhotra," Daadu said trying not to look happiest person seeing them back together. 

"You have made my granddaughter cry and that demands a conversation," He stated faking a concern. 

Manik nodded sincerely and Nandini simpered. She knew what her daadu was upto. 

"Meet me at Bernard's tomorrow at 11," Daadu instructed and then looked at a prying Harshad. 

"Bring that thing along, he seems to be a party in felony," Daadu said pointing at Harshad and Harshad looked away. 

"Don't start about these two," Nandini exclaimed and Manik smiled nervously. 

He knew he had this night before he needed to do some hard work to bring things together. 

___________________

"He is our finest," Colonel bragged around Manik while talking to his officer friends. Nandini gulped another drink as she heard the monotonous session. Manik looked at her and she looked away. She was irritated he knew. He had brought her to two army events and she was bored in both of them. She excused herself and walked to Daadu. Manik so wanted to chase her but he couldn't just disrespect the ranked officers by walking away. 

Minutes passed and Manik felt like diving into pity sitting there listening everything he didn't want to. Men were talking over drinks and he didn't know why he was supposed to sit there. Nandini was not there anymore and he knew this night was ruined beyond limits. They were supposed to enjoy this party and here he was sitting amid officers cursing himself. 

"Now who is the party pooper here?" Daadu asked joining in. All officers stood up honoring the brigadier Murthy. 

"Who keeps a boy away from fun?" He said patting Manik's shoulder. Daadu was drunk, Manik could tell from that hard pat. 

"I thought he was loving here," Colonel said offended and looked at Manik. 

"I was, sir," Manik replied politely. 

"Then who was frowning and scowling?" Daadu asked meaning the harm. 

"Move your butt, cadet. Go have fun," Lieutenant Smith excusing Manik from upcoming heat. 

Manik stealthily thanked Daadu and Lt Smith for bailing him out. He walked as fast as he could so that he doesn't get stuck somewhere else now. As he walked across the tavern, he spotted Nandini sitting with a man. Tavern was not crowded much now. Most of cadets were already gone cashing the night out. 

He frowned as she listened to that man intently. She looked serious and he didn't like it. he walked closer and realized he had seen that coat. 

"He really loves you," He heard that man speaking and made out it was Harshad. 

"I had never seen him this restless in my life," Harshad kept on blabbering while she listened to him wearing an illegible expression. 

"But then he deserved it," He added and Manik could tell he was drunk. 

"But how could he not tell me that everything was fine," Harshad was back at being broken record. Nandini's eyes darted away and met Manik's. That intent got replaced with anger and she got up. She walked towards him and then past him not saying a thing but conveying it all. 

"Now what happened to her?" Harshad asked baffled and Manik glared him. Harshad had unknowingly become pain in ass for the night. Manik followed Nandini as she stormed out of pub. 

"Nandini," He called out loud as she walked towards dark street. It was so cold outside. 

"What's wrong?" He asked aloud but she didn't stop. 

Manik grabbed her from elbow and turned her around only to find fury in her eyes. 

"How dare you tell him everything?" She shouted and He let go of her elbows. 

"What?" He asked buying some time. 

"No wonder he wanted to know the last part too," She shouted halfheartedly. 

"I...I wasn't going to tell him that," Manik replied trying to hold her but she jerked him off. 

"He is my best friend, Nandini," He replied after a pause as her face relaxed a bit. Cold flurried made her pores go vertical. 

"I know," She replied trying to calm down. 

"I guess I should go," She said looking utterly disturbed and he knew it wasn't about Harshad telling her everything. 

"Hey," Manik grabbed her closer and she tried to get away. 

"There is something else," Manik deduced and sounded certain. Nandini cursed his stars knowing it was hard to be mad at that man. 

He lifted her a bit and made her stand on his boots. She always loved it there and tonight she was way too distracted to be herself. 

"What is it?" He asked again. 

"Four hours and we are nowhere," She stated and he sighed. He knew now what that anger was about. It was about he ruining it all, First for Harshad and later for men's talking session. 

"Believe me I hated it more," He stated and she sighed. That man was walking tantrum machine and how could he let her throw one. 

"I so wanted to be alone with you and then every Tom, dick and harry barged in. I hated it so much. I know you are mad but believe me I didn't want to ruin it all," He was back at being a blabber express.

"Harshad is gonna have it from me," Manik said gritting his teeth and Nandini rolled her eyes totally not getting  a chance to whine because man who was holding her tightly was busy ranting. 

"You walked away and I was like this night couldn't go worse. I so wished to be with you and do things but..." He blurted out. 

"What things?" She asked raising her brow. 

"Did I say things?" Manik asked embarrassed. 

"You did, Manik," Nandini replied annoyed. She couldn't have more time wasted. 

He looked to be in some thought as he cursed himself audibly and she groaned. 

"Now what?" He asked baffled. 

"You are impossible, Stupid Malhotra," She yelled and wriggled to get out of his grip. 

He looked at her with a stern face as she frowned and struggled. He not letting go of her said about his stand.

"Can we not fight anymore?" He asked and she stopped moving. 

As she looked into his desperate eyes, he leaned in to kiss side of her lips. His breaths struck her like thunderbolt as he himself wasn't in charge of his actions. It was some cunning Kitty doing the spell. 

"We still have time till dawn," He stated and she held his shoulders tightly. 

He leaned in and their breaths mingled. She backed off and he gasped. She was swaying between two strong emotions and she didn't know how to give in. She leaned in as he waited for her to make a move. His arms instinctively slid up to level of her upper back so that he could lift her up a bit. He inched closer again but she played a bit. His one hand reached to cup her cheek but before he could apply the desired force, she stopped playing around their mingled breaths. Sensing her still, he leaned in slowly to grope her lips in hers. She groaned out of mixed emotion her heart held at the moment but he gently calmed her down. She was mad, mad at him and he knew. 

Their lips learnt at their own pace how to talk without words and they could go on and on with lessons. He parted away and she pulled him closer cupping his face. He instantly gave in and let her do whatever she wanted. 

Breaking apart, he looked around and found a dark street staring at them. His eyes scanned the place carefully while their wet lips endured the wrath of cold. She put her head on his chest and he felt his cheek burning. Realization of things you do when you didn't even know you were capable of doing them has to be warmest feeling. 

"It's not safe here," He stated and she hummed. 

"Take me somewhere," She demanded rubbing her nose against his collarbone. He couldn't even tell what was going inside him with she being her royal self. 

Picking her up, he walked towards parking. His blush could give competition to girls, she smiled noticing that. Pecking his cheek, she flustered him more. She being she, he being he; even if they walk to a midpoint, it was hard to predict the night. 

_____________________________

Unedited*