2 MONTHS LATER....

"Manikkkk.....!!! you moron , idiot , stupid , duffer... aisa koi karta hai kya..?" She shouted on him , throwing all the cushions on him one by one.

"arre yaar.. please na.. sorry.. but ab to kar diya.. please ab help kar do." he said catching the cushion in air which was coming towards him.

"Aahhh..." she screamed in frustration bringing her closed fists at the sides of her face and eyes tightly closed.

"seriously manik ; time dekha hai tumne.?" she again shouted on him in irritation.

"its almost 2.30.. " he said checking his wrist watch and replied making an innocent face.

"yes ; 2.30.. and FYI agar tum bhool gaye ho to ye 2.30 din ke nahi raat ke hain." she continued her roaring.

HALF AN HOUR AGO - AT AROUND 2.00 AM

nandini was talking to navya over phone as it was Navya's birthday. The best friends were so engrossed in their chit chat that they didnt noticed the time. Suddenly Nandini heard some weird sounds. She disconnected the call and went towards the balcony of the bedroom to check on the sound, but there was nothing to be found. Sound did not stop so she went towards the living room and slowly started walking towards the balcony. She was scared and forgot to switch on the lights. As soon as she approached the balcony, she witnessed the balcony door open which did nothing but to make the breath stuck in her throat. She somehow moved more forward, and the sight in front was enough to dry her bloods in her veins. She saw someone standing in the balcony and trying to enter the living area. Due to dark , she could not see the face.

Gathering some courage she picked up an artefact that was kept near the door. Before she could do anything or sense anything , there was a sudden flash of light due to which the artefact fell down and her vision also got blocked. She was about to shout when the person covered her mouth.

"shhh..!! chillao mat.. its me .. Manik.." And she opened her tightly shut eyes to look at his face in the flashlight of the cell. Her big doe eyes became more bigger after seeing his face and she creased her brows.

"relax.. main hoon.." he said calming her down and removing his hand.

"kyun ho..?" she said as soon as she caught her breath.

"hain..?" manik looked at her in confusion

meanwhile she switched on the lights , "Manik.. have you gone mad..? like really mad..? all crazy..? tu kar kya rahe ho itni raat mein yaha..? aur tum .... tum andar kaise aaye..? " she asked him in surprise and shock.

"wo main.. haan.. wo actually pipe se.. you see jo pipe fix hain over there , beside every balcony , with that. And you know it's quite easy.. I thought I won't be able to but see i am here. I did it." He exclaimed his happiness of being successful enough to climb a pipe.

Nandini stood there all confused. She could not understand what was happening. Narrowing her eyes with a frown on her forehead and her mouth shaped in a big O ; she tried to figure out what was he actually talking about.

"what..?" she managed to say that only.

"arre what kya what..? You didn't got it..? aacha come I will show you the way , the pipes , with which you can easily climb up." He grabbed her arm to bring her to the balcony but she jerked it away.

"Mr. Manik Malhotra.. ye mera ghar hai.. why would I need to climb up the pipes to enter in my own house..? and beside tum pipe se kyun aaye..?

moreover tum itni raat aaye hi kyon..?" she asked him in all mixed up emotions of frustation , anger , surprise , shock , fear.

"woh kya hai na .. firstly I thought to come from front but then you see itni raat mein kisi akeli ladki ke ghar jaana... you know what I mean right. What if koi dekh leta ..??? I didn't wanted ki people should gossip about you so I thought this way." he explained in a very calm tone.

"And you think , usi akeli ladki ke ghar mein pipe se aana , that is more good na..? " she retorted as soon as he finished.

He thought for a while , and seeing him thinking over it made her more angry. She gave him a " I don't believe you look " and again shouted ; "Manik..!! will you please tell ki tum itni raat ko , pipe se chad kar yahan kyon aaye ho..? what was so important..?" she asked in her frustration.

"haan woh..!!!" he looked at her sheepishly and paused.

"woh kya..??" she said and widened her eyes.

"woh actaully , .. nandini.. I mean.. main woh.." he started stammering

"kya hai Manik..? say na..?" she asked him again.

After gathering some courage , he finally he a deep breath and started , "Nandini , actually I came over here , because....(he took a pause again )

because I was starving.. starving like hell.. and ghar par kuch bhi nhi tha.. I thought many ways round but kuch samajh nahi aaya.. so finally I decided to come over here...haan..!" he said all in one go and took a deep relaxing breath.

Nandini was now more shocked , she stood there like a statue trying to figure out what is going on.

"Dekho ye look tum na mujhe baad mein bhi de sakti ho.. abhi please help me.. I am starving" he pleaded her.

She came out from yet another shock , and gave him a deadly glare. He was standing at some distance from here. She started looking here and there to find something , without moving from her place. Manik got confused as to what is she up to now.

"Nandini , what are you looking for.?" he asked her but she gave no reply instead gave another deadly glare to him and then suddenly looked at her feet.

She stretched her lips in a fake smile , and took out the slipper from her feet.

Manik was noticing her actions and the moment he saw picking up her slipper , his eyes drew bigger.

"NO nandini... relax.." he pleaded to her.

But she was in no mood to listen and picked up her slipper in her hand and ran behind him. The scene was nothing less than the live show of tom and jerry.

"Wait na.. I'll feed you ... aache se..!" she shouted on him while running behind him and he kept on pleading and saying sorry.

When she couldn't catch him , she threw the slipper from her place at him , which he missed by bending down and she took out the other one and did the same which to Manik's dismay landed on his back but did nothing to his strong , muscular body.

When done with the slippers , she started throwing cushions on him and cursed him in all manners she could.

PRESENT.. i.e. AFTER HALF AN HOUR....

"OF COURSE I know ki raat 2.30 baje hain.. warna main pagal hoon jo yahan aata" he said making a puppy face.

She stared him with as much anger she could have.

"Nandini please yaar... I am starving like hell... please please please help me..." he kept on requesting her.

"And why should I..?" she angrily asked him.

"because... because... haan ... because my mom says , ki kisi ko paani pilana ya khana khilana ..... " and he paused after that , as he forgot what was the complete sentence.

"sabaab ka kaam hota hai.." she completed the sentence while making faces to him and walked towards the kitchen.

"ya.. right..that actaully.. sabaab.." he said smilingly and walked after her in the kitchen.

While she was figuring out what to serve the hungry monkey at this hour , he was lost in thinking about something , making weird faces and pointing his right hand index finger here and there in air.

"what's sabaab actually..?" he finally gave up his thinking process and asked her patting her shoulder.

"mera sir.." she shouted pointing her hands towards her head and walked passed by him to open the refrigerator.

Not getting her taunt and sarcastic answer , he said.. "no..no..no..Nandini .. you are got getting actually.." he was trying her to explain the meaning but was stopped in the middle as she getting out hell irritated with him , took out the chopper from the drawer and pointed towards him.

His breath got stuck seeing that big chopper in her hand and that too so close to his neck , "one more word Mr. Malhotra , and I swear I'll kill you , no actually .. I'll slaughter you." she said grinning her teeth.

His eyes widened in fear and immediately kept his right hand's index finger on his lips.

"Better..!! " she replied .. "Now get out of my kitchen.. I'll arrange something from you." she continued but he just nodded his head in no.

"what..?" she asked but he spoke nothing and indicated towards his finger on his lips. "say Manik.." she said removing his hand.

"I can stay here na till you arrange something. Bore ho jaunga bahar." he said .

She nodded her head in disbelief ," fine .. sit there.. but don't eat my head.. " she said pointing towards the other slab.

He nodded his head and smiled at her. Without irritating her further , he quietly sat on the other kitchen slab and got busy in his phone while she found some boiled potatoes in refrigerator and started preparing for aalo parantha.

After around 15 minutes , she was ready with her first parantha and placing it in the plate , she bought it in front of his face. Seeing his one of the favourite item , he instantly showed his milky teeth and was about to take the first bite , when she stopped him .

"ab kya..?" he asked making a puppy face.

she said nothing but took but some butter and curd from the refrigerator and applied the butter on it. Placing a small bowl of curd and some pickle in the plate , she said "ab khaao.."

He smiled to the fullest and tore a big bite from it.

"ummmm.... yummy....!! Nandini.. you know.. you are the best... like really..seriously..." he said with his mouth stuffed with parantha.

"I know..." she said proudly and continued with other paranthas.

After the 3.00 am dinner , they both went off to sleep as in these two months , it was not new for Manik and Cabir to sleep over at her place.

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A/N :- Guys I have updated chapter 1 of "TIED BY DESTINY - A PANI FF". PLEASE DO HAVE A LOOK AND ADD THE STORY TO YOUR READING LISTS.