Hello people. Before going into the update I want to share something.
I have started this story few days back and because of low response I was in dilemma whether to continue with this or not. But this wonderful person made me continue this story and gave me strength. She is saminthelostworld You people might be knowing her. She is an amazing writer and a great soul. Thanks sammy for this. Aapne disturb karne ka permission diya hai, so you can't scold me now. 😂😋

And the second thing. Yesterday total no. of votes on this story was 44. Then came a hurricane. Apne saath puri votes ki baarish laayi. Pura hungama macha diya and now the no. of votes are around 120. Nearly 70 votes in a day. She is none other than Itz_Me_Adi (ofcourse the credit goes to sammy too.) Thanks a lot Aditi. 😄😄
(*Writer is feeling shy and peeping through the curtain*)

Finally, thanks a lot to all the people for patiently reading this story and this note too. 😂😄
Note khatam.

Happy reading.

After having pani puri, Manik drops Nandu home.

Manik : So

Nandu : so

Manik : so, good night. Kal milenge? Take care.

Nandu : good night (gets out of the car).

Manik starts to leave when,

Nandu : Manik thank you for today.

Manik : I thought you were smart. But no you are not.

Nandu : what?

Manik : What nahi stupid. Friend ke saath time spend karne ke liye bhi thank you bolti ho? Waise I need to say thank you to you.

Nandu : mujhe kyun?

Manik : Actually, mein jab bhi pani puri khane jaata hun tho Cabir ke saath jaata hun. Aur vo hamesha meri puri kha jaata hai. (With a pout)Today I got a company in you. Ab mein tumhare hi saath jaunga.

Nandu : (laughs out loud) Manik tumhe dekh kar koi nahi bol sakta ki you are CEO of a company.

Manik : Ajeeb ho yaar tum bhi. Kahi likha hai kya ki CEO's pani puri nahi kha sakte?

Nandu laughing nods in a negative.

Manik : good. (In a serious tone) Don't hurt my feelings ok. Food is my first love.

Nandu couldn't control herself and burst out laughing. Manik too was smiling seeing her happy. Finally when she stopped laughing,

Manik : toh main chalu?

Nandu : hmm

Manik : bye.

Nandu : bye Manik.

Manik leaves. Nandu waits till the car disappears and then goes inside.

(Introducing Ramu kaka - servant in Murthy mansion. He was there with Murthy's even before Nandu's birth. Treats Nandu as his daughter. Lives in Murthy Mansion along with his family.)

Ramu kaka sees Nandu coming with a smile, which is rare and gets happy. Usually, Nandu is lost in her thoughts.

Ramu kaka : Nandu beta, khaana laga dun.

Nandu : Nahi kaka bhookh nahi lagi. Maine bahar kha liya.

This came as shock to him as Nandu doesn't go out much.

Ramu kaka : Sab thik hai na bacha? Tum bahot khush lag rahi ho aur bahar hokar aayi ho?

Nandu : haan bas friend ke saath gayi thi office ke bad. Aap khalijiye ga. Mein room mein ja rahi hun.

Ramu kaka : thik hai beta. Aur haan Abhi baba ne phone kiya tha aapke liye.

Nandu : acha? (Checking her phone) shayad meri battery dead hai. Main call kardungi use.

Nandu leaves. Ramu kaka blesses this mysterious person because of whom Nandu is happy.

After going to room Nandu goes for freshening up after putting her mobile at charge.
After coming out she checks her mobile and finds few missed calls from Abhi and some unknown number. She decides to call Abhi first. He picks her call in the first ring and

Abhi : Nandu are you fine? Kitne baar call kiya tujhe, you didn't pick up? Ghar par bhi phone kiye? Ramu kaka ne bola tu nahi aayi. Where did you go? Kiske saath gayi? Say something baby doll..

Nandu : Abhi relax. Tum bolne doge tabhi tho bolungi na. I went for meeting right. Uske baad Manik took me to our school and then we went to eat Pani puri. Tho bas late hogaya and my battery was dead. I just realised it after coming home.

Abhi : Whom am I talking to? Is this Nandini Murthy? I guess this is some wrong number.

Nandu : Abhi have you gone mad?

Abhi : kaun mein? Haan shayad. Mujhe kuch ajeeb ajeeb sa sunayi de raha hai like you went out with Manik jiske saath kaam karneke liye tum kal ro rahi thi and today you had pani puri. I mean maine tujhe itni baar bola tha bahar chalne ke liye and you never came. Aur Manik ke ek baar bolne par tum chali gayi.
Matlab meri tho koi importance hi nahi rahi na tumhari life mein.

Nandu : Abhi, hogaya ya aur kuch baaki hai?

Abhi : arey hai na. Tum..

Nandu : (cutting him off) Abhi listen. Manik mujhe lekar gaya tha, usne mujhse pucha nahi. I thought we were heading home. I was a bit tired so I closed my eyes. And we were there. That's it. Tumhari koi importance chali nahi gayi. Happy now?

Abhi : Not yet. Tumhe mujhe promise karna hoga.

Nandu : Promise? Kaunsa promise?

Abhi : Tum mere saath bhi bahar chalogi.

Nandu : Acha fine. I am tired. Kal milenge.

Abhi : ok baby doll. Have a nice sleep. Aur haan phirse koi book pakad kar mat bhaith jana?

Nandu : ok. Good night.

Nandu thinks of writing her diary so goes to bring it. But as soon as she opens it, she gets another call from the unknown number. She thinks of ignoring it.
But it rings again so she picks it up thinking it might be important.

Meanwhile, at Malhotra Mansion -

Manik was stopped by a voice as soon as he reaches,

Person : So you are finally back? Kidhar chala gaya tu? Matlab aise gayab ho gaya tu, I thought of giving a police complaint.

Manik : Cabir, police complaint? Like seriously.

Cabir : Then say na where did you go? Matlab meri tho office mein koi importance nahi hai, atleast ghar par to diya kar? Or do you want to get rid of me?

Manik : Cabir, mujhe andar to aane de. Kitna bakwas karta hai yaar.

Cabir : haan haan ab to tujhe meri baate bakwas hi lagengi.

Manik : Cabir, stop with your drama yaar.

Cabir : (laughing) acha bata. How was the meeting? And what took you so long? I was trying to call you.

Manik : Meeting was good. And then I took Nandu to our school to ask for friendship.

Cabir : Good going bro. Aage bata. Thapad tho nahi maar diye?

Manik : Cabirrr.

Cabir : ok don't shout. aage bata. Kya bola usne?

Manik : (blushing and looking down) Cabir tujhe kuch batana hai.

Cabir : wait..mujhe kuch batana hai and you are blushing? Tu mujhe propose tho nahi karne waala? Dekh Manik break up ke baad ye sab nahi chalega ok?

Manik : You know what? Just forget it. Mujhe tujhse baat hi nahi karni.

Cabir : acha ab muh phulake mat bhaith ja. Tell, what did Nandu say?

Manik : (blushing again) Nandu still remembers me. She didn't forget me after school.

Cabir : (a bit shocked but happy) Really? I mean the nerd Nandu ne tujhe itne saalo tak yaad rakha. But why was she crying yesterday to work under you.

Manik : That I don't know. But one thing is for sure. This girl hasn't seen any life yet. Can you imgaine she didn't eat pani puri in her whole lifetime?

Cabir : What? She didn't?

Manik : I am now damn sure she doesn't know half of the places in Mumbai. Yaar yeh ladki asli mein hai. I thought yeh only fictions mein hi hoga.

Cabir laughs but frowns after realizing something and asks Manik,

Cabir : Manik what did you people do after that. (With a frown)

Manik : We went to have pani pu..

Cabir couldn't complete the sentence as he was awarded by a flying pillow

Manik : Cabir dimag satak gaya hai kya? Maar kyun raha hai mujhe?

Cabir : Saale, you changed your partner. Instead of me its Nandini now. How could you do this to me, to us, to our pani puri yaar. Dost dost na raha..

Manik : Cabir shaant hoja. Agli baar hum jaayenge?

Cabir : Better. Acha chal let's have dinner. Subah office bhi hai. Anyways it's late. So I am inviting myself for dinner at your place.

Manik : Of course. Jahan food, waha Cabir. Right?

Cabir : Right. Waise bhi abhi life mein bas food hi bacha hai. Tu tho gaya.

Manik : Cabir yaar why don't you join in some hindi soap operas? You know you can make lots of money.

Cabir : right. But no money equals my love for you.

Manik : Cabirrr. (Cabir laughs and is joined by Manik. Suddenly Manik stops laughing and asks Cabir)

Manik : Cabir (stammering badly)vo main..vo Nandu..yeh sab..

Cabir : Manik relax. Nandu won't leave you ever. Bas tu use apni life mein le aaja jaldi. Just spend some time and let her trust you. Aur tune hi bola hai na that Nandu didn't forget you since school, I think she will be with you in all your ups and downs. But for that you need to work hard. As far as I know, Nandu doesn't opens up to people that early.

Manik relaxes a bit and hugs him tightly. He feels blessed to have a friend like Cabir. Friends who would understand you even without you saying anything. They have their dinner with lots of drama, courtesy Cabir and retires to their respective rooms.

Precap :

Nandu's Pov.

How was the chapter?

How was Abhi?
How was Cabir?

And the surprise that I was talking will be revealed by tonight.