"Destroy your illusions so you can see reality. Destroy your fears so you can take risks. Destroy your ego so you can see life. "
                                     Maxime Lagacé

_________________________________________

Inline comments please 😁

Enjoy...

_________________________________________

SPACE University
Mumbai
6:05 pm

Nandini entered the campus in her tracks, after a tiresome day. She had to assist Abhay in 3 long surgeries today and also had some files to study. And with all that, this Basketball training kept her tensed. She had to face SPACE students and handle them......and that was something she would never be very fond of.

Entering the basketball court, she saw some students already lined up. She inhaled deeply to calm down her nerves, before walking towards them.

" I heard its some new trainer today?", she heard one girl ask the boy beside her who nodded.

" Yeah. She's here to cover up for Proffessor Batra. Some Nandini Murthy she is.", he said gaining the attention of the two boys and one girl standing a little away from them.

" Gosh! I'm so excited to meet her!", chirped the second girl making her two friends nod excitedly and the first two look confused. From their conversation Nandini guessed that may be the three were from MBBS.

" Why are you so excited?", asked the first girl and the three looked at her with disbelief. " You don't know her?", asked the second girl. She had a expression of horror much to Nandini's amusement.

" She's the Gold Medalist in MBBS batch 2009. She was the captain of SPACE Basketball team and two times winner of the 'Best Sportswoman trophy' in 'Zest'. Others say that she would have won it a third time too, only if she wouldn't have been too busy in her last year of PG to participate.", she explained making the first two widen their eyes and Nandini smirk. Seems like it won't be that difficult.

" Maybe you could get us the trophy this time Miss.", she said walking upto them, making them all startled. The girl who had been ranting about her all this time gasped on seeing her, her eyes twinkling. She hopped on her place making others chuckle.

" On time already? I guess SPACE is finally getting some disciplined students now. Well...nice to meet you guys. I'm Nandini Murthy, your temporary trainer. I'm here to prepare you for the IBC as you know already. We...", she was cut off in the mid by a hoarse voice. " You think 'you' will train us? You 'lady'?", asked a young man of 20, entering the court like he owned the place, his four friends....more like his dogs, sarcastic smiles evident on all their faces.

" Behave Samarth! She is....", the girl who fangirled Nandini started only to be interrupted by the arrogant boy.

" Oh come on Shalini. I don't want to know who she is. Just look at her. This delicate lady is here to teach us Basketball? I doubt she would be able to stand 5 minutes in the court against me. I just don't understand whats with you girls trying to play these sports meant for men only?", he mocked and the girls present there glared while Nandini had a smirk on her face. Oh she has faced many like this. And she very well knew how to handle them.

" Well...in that case, why don't you check it yourself Mister?", she said with a slight smirk and the boy chuckled.

" You really want that? Do you even know who I am?", he said walking few steps with an intimidating expression. But who was he playing at? It was Nandini Murthy in front of him. Huh!

" Well I don't think another round of introduction is necessary, for you have already given me one. You being a spoilt, mysognist, brat? ", said Nandini with her no nonsense attitude wiping the smirk off Samarth Khurrana's face.

" You've got a sharp mouth han. Come on then. Lets see how you face me on ground. ", he said sending one of his friends to get a ball from the case, and Nandini smirked taking off her jacket.

*
*
*

FWEET!!!

The sound of the whistle echoed the whole underground court as Nandini and Samarth ran for the ball. Samarth immediately got it and started dribbling running towards the basket, Nandini following closely behind.

Very cleverly and swiftly, blocking his path, Nandini took the ball from Samarth while he looked around in shock of what happened. Before he could run after Nandini, she had already made a basket making the whole crowd, except Samarth's team, cheer out loud.

Seeing Nandini getting an upper hand boiled his blood and he attacked her with more force this time. Taking the ball he dribbled it fast in order to reach the opposite post. He was so focused on the basket ahead, that he didn't even realise when the ball had slipped from his hands and Nandini had effortlessly made another basket, while he stood there numb. Her speed shocked him hard. He had never seen someone play so well before.

" Lost your focus Young Man? Not to worry. I'll teach you how to manage it.", Nandini said sweetly, breaking Samarth's trance and he clenched his hands. Although he now admired Nandini's skills, he can't afford to loose from a woman. Ego you know.

" I'll give it back to you Lady.", he growled in anger and Nandini smiled.

" Bring it on then.", she said before taking her position waiting for him to take charge. Samarth was a good player having higher potentials. She had known it well by now. But his ego was something that would always stop him from being best. And Nandini was hell bent on breaking it today.

Samarth took the ball and Nandini once again tried to take it from him. But this time, Samarth was blinded by anger. He kicked her legs from behind making her stumble, ready to fall..........only to be held by strong arms around her.

.
.
.
.
Nandini was shocked to see Samarth's move. Before she could understand, she was falling. But wait...she didn't fall. She felt someone hold her tightly, preventing her from hugging the floor. She lifted her head to find the 'someone' glaring at the young man in front while helping her stand. But what shocked her was......who he was.

" Malhotra?", she wishpered making him look at her and pass her his handsome smile, before turning to Samarth again.

" Uh oh...My boy. Kya kiya tune ye?( What did you do?) You dared to kick Murthy? The Nandini Murthy?", he said with eyes wide and a 'hawww" face making Samarth scrunch his face in confusion.

" Do you even know what she can do? She can make you feel the tortures of hell even before dying dude. Jhoot nahin bol raha. Experience hai mera.( I'm not lying. I have experienced.)", he said dramatically making Samarth stare at him in shock while Nandini rolled her eyes.

" Okay....so Nandini....I'll leave you to deal with him. Come on guys...lets enjoy the show. ", he said looking at the little crowd, leaving the ground, not before winking at Nandini who rolled her eyes yet again. Uff! Can't this man be less dramatic sometimes?

She turned to Samarth who was standing there....nervous? Well it seems he was..a bit. Samarth Khurrana had never come across someone like Nandini, a lady who can crush all your confidence in seconds. And thats what he was feeling right now.

Nandini's eyes were blank. He couldn't even find flames of anger in them. And that made him more scared. Yes. Samarth Khurrana was scared. Scared of The Nandini Murthy.

" Kicking your opponent to make her fall. A clear foul. Do you know what it can cost your team?", asked Nandini in a calm voice and Samarth just stood there silent. He was shuffling in his place, a clear sign of nervousness.

" Let me start from the start. You were overconfident about your skills. You didn't even find your opponent competent enough to get the ball from you. You lost your first basket." , she said and Samarth looked here and there in embarrassment. Her voice was calm, and that hit him harder.

" First task for you: Never underestimate your competitor. Whether its a girl, or a boy, they can be 100 times better than you.", she said firmly and Samarth nodded shocking everyone except Manik who was smiling. He very well knew Nandini's power. The firmness and authority in her voice can make anyone bend before her. And right now, he very well knew that by not being angry on Samarth for kicking her, but by pointing his mistakes in his game, she had already made him follow her. Nandini and her ways......

" Next. You were so focused on the basket, that you didn't have any idea of your surroundings. You never knew when your opponent took her chance to snatch the ball from you. You lost your second basket.", she said and Samarth closed his eyes. He was so wrong. Just because he thought he was the best.

" Second task for you: Improve your focus. A good player should always have his/her focus on the whole ground while he/she dribs the ball to the basket.", she said and he again nodded. He was coming on the straight line and Manik smiled seeing it.

" And the last thing. You got angry when you lost two times and took a harsh and unthought of step. You did something which could have cost your team a very hard defeat. Aggressiveness in game is good only till it makes you play efficiently. The moment it turns harmful, you have to control it. ", Samarth closed his eyes in shame as Nandini said the last thing. He knew he had done a big mistake in his anger and he was guilty for it.

" Third task for you: Learn controlling your temper when on ground. Your team doesn't deserve to pay for your faults", she said and Samarth nodded yet again.

" Now you may leave. I'll train you only when you complete these three tasks. Till then, you're not allowed in my class.", she said with finality in her voice and Samarth nodded, leaving the ground.

" Samarth!", he turned to a voice, only to find Manik smiling at him. " Never think that girls are weak. They are stronger than we can even imagine. If in doubt, ask your Mom how she brought you in this world.", Manik said and patted his back before turning back and going towards the seats, leaving a guilty Samarth behind.

Manik was angry on him for trying to hurt Nandini. Although he knew Nandini was strong enough to handle this, he just couldn't come to terms with the fact that, she could have had a dangerous fall if he wouldn't have come there at the right time. Nandini was special to him and he could never see her hurt.

He wanted to beat the shits out of that boy. But he controlled himself. Because he very well knew why Samarth did it. Even he had gone through that phase.

Even he had that 1000 kgs ego in him, which all crushed under a single force....Nandini Murthy.

The girl who had the courage to challenge him in his every step.

The girl who had the ability to shake his whole confidence with just her mere presence.

And today he found Samarth in his shoes. Nandini did make him realise his real place. Hah! Murthy!

.
.
.
.

" Oh just shut up Cabir! Don't irritate me now. You are hungry na? Guys lets go to the canteen.", said a really irritated Aliya Saxena as Cabir was continuously passing comments on the wrong shade of her lipstick. Oh our Makeup Queen!

" Oh my God! Aliya! For the first time in life you said something that I like. Thank you so much for thinking about my first love. ", Cabir Dhawan the prankster said making his friends roll their eyes at his drama as the five of them headed towards the canteen.

It was their 2nd day in their dream University. SPACE. Having completed their higher secondary in Warrior High, they finally took admission in SPACE, in the fields of their interest. Manik went for a BBA course while Dhruv and Mukti opted for Hotel Management. Cabir followed the path of his parents and joined B-Tech, Civil Engineering and Aliya went for her favourite area Fashion Designing.

Happily settled in their respective areas, they were more happy for being together in the same campus, given they can meet during breaks. The five friends had always been inseparable and they were hell bent on following that now too.

Right now, they were having their lunch break and they decided to meet as always, when Cabir found Aliya's new dark maroon shade of lipstick highly amusing and started passing comments on it, irritating her.

" I'll place the order.", said Dhruv as he moved towards the counter, while the other four got seated on the round table. Aliya, Mukti and Cabir were continuously chatting while Manik just sat there observing his surroundings. Thats when his gaze fell on a petite girl sitting two tables away. Her back was facing him as she sat there talking to someone over phone. She was time to time looking towards the counter, maybe waiting for her friend.

Manik was instantly attracted to the girl who was clad in a simple blue kurti. An urge to see her face grew in him. No reasons listed. Just pure magic. Her hairs were the ones he loved at an instant. Long and straight. Natural.

His eyes found her right hand where she was wearing a beautiful silver star bracelet. And an abstract thought came to his mind. Can she be his star? He shook his head to clear off his thoughts but his eyes didn't leave the girl.

His trance broke by a scream and he turned immediately to find Mukti screaming, holding her hand which had hot coffee spilt over it.

" Shit Mukti! How did this happen?", he rushed to her while Aliya wiped off the coffee from her hand. It had turned slightly red and soon that reflected on his face.

" This girl! She...she spilt coffee on me. This bloody commoner!", hissed out Mukti, and he turned his gaze to another petite girl in pink kurti standing there holding her hand which was also burnt with hot coffee. She looked scared, but that raised his anger more. How dare she hurt his friend!

" I'm....I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. It was just an accident.", said the girl but Manik's anger rose seeing Mukti's red hand.

" SHUT UP! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU HURT MY FRIEND?", he yelled at her making her cower down in fear as tears fell from her eyes.

" Manik calm down. She's scared.", said Aliya, trying to calm Manik down seeing tears in the girl's eyes, but Manik was blinded. Mukti was like his sister and he was overprotective towards her.

" She should be scared. She dared to hurt Mukti! See her hand. Its all red. ", he growled and the girl cried even more. She was also having burning pain in her own hand and Manik's scoldings were not even helping.

" You know what? You'll have to pay for this.", he said and looked here and there, finally picking up the bottle of chilled water Cabir had brought with him. He raised it to throw the ice cold water on the poor girl who cowered down to save herself........but......nothing happened.

Silence.......

Pin drop silence fell over the place as everyone's eyes widened in shock at the sight.

Manik was about to throw the water on the girl when he felt a soft hand stop his. This boiled his blood finding someone going against him. He turned in anger only to be shocked.

There stood in front of him, the girl he had admired a few moments back. Her face was as beautiful as he had thought it would be. But there was a blank expression on it. She had a slight frown on her face. But her eyes were cold.

She jerked his hand down not before snatching the bottle from him. She moved to the scared girl with a concerned face.

" Navya you okay?", she asked her, wiping her tears while she just nodded.

" Nandini. It was just an accident. I swear. I was just getting your coffee when I collided with a boy and stumbled. And the coffee fell on our hands.", she said pointing at her and Mukti's hands. Nandini saw both their hands and nodded. Moving towards Mukti she sought for her burnt hand who jerked her hand off immediately.

" Trust me. It'll be fine.", she said softly while asking for her hand and finally Mukti forwarded it to her. She carefully poured some cold water on her burnt hand making her hiss. But the burn immediately reduced making her sigh.

But in all this, someone's anger had been boiling above the highest levels. How dare she? First she dared to stop him. And then she's ignoring him? What the hell does she think of herself?
His ego was hurt and that made him burst.

" WHAT THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!", he yelled at her dangerously. But her expressions didn't change at all. Seems like she was not a percent scared of him.

" Nothing much. Just making the right use of things.", she said casually, before pouring some water on Navya's hand too. But Manik's anger rose seeing her being so casual.

" Just Shut up! Do you even know who you are talking to?", he again growled at her making her turn to him finally. She sighed keeping the bottle back on the table before she crossed her hands at her chest.

" I don't think I would need that ever. You know you've already given such an amazing introduction of yourself. A rich, spoilt brat. How does it sound? Oh ya! Let me add.....Barking. ", she said with a sweet smile and Manik fumed. Fab 4 were shocked at their places to find someone standing so fearlessly in front of a fuming Manik. They were not able to form any words and chose to better stay silent.

" YOU BLOODY....

" Awaaz niche! I'm not your slave that you'll talk to me in this tone. You know what, you don't even have the proper standards to talk to me. First clear that filthy mind of yours and then come to talk to me.", she said cutting off Manik's words in between. Then she turned to Mukti and her expressions softened. " Please do apply some ointment there before it aggravates.", she said and left from there dragging Navya with, leaving behind a raging Manik and a shocked Fab 4.

" Malhotra."

" Malhotra!"

" MALHOTRA!"

And Manik was pulled out of the memory lane by a shout from none other than Nandini Murthy who was now sitting beside him shaking him to gain his attention.

" Where were you lost?", she asked and just shook his head smiling. Those were golden memories he would very often drift back to.

" Nothing. Just thinking about some stuff. You say. Packed up already?", he asked and she nodded.

" Offcourse. Haven't you seen the time? Its 8 already. ", she said and his eyes widened as he looked at his watch. He was so lost in his thoughts that he had completely lost the count of time.

" Okay tell me. You here? I mean you reached last night right? You should have rested.", she said in a concerned voice making him smile.

" I rested enough Murthy. Met others too. But heard you were here. So just came over to meet you. Well I loved the way you crushed that boy's ego hmm....the Mini Monster Murthy.", he said and Nandini laughed shrugging it off.

" Leave all that. Tell me Malhotra. How are you?", she asked and he blinked at her.

" Just as fine as always. Ready for a new start in life. ", he said and Nandini nodded.

They sat there in silence for some time watching some students practicing there baskets when suddenly Nandini asked, " Now what?"

" Umm..how about a night stroll around the campus? Just like old times?", Manik said making her smile widen more and she nodded excitedly.

" I'll just send a message to Amma.", she said turning to her phone as Manik stood up wearing his jacket.

Soon they both walked out of the basketball court, strolling beside each other, talking about anything and everything. This was not something very special. It was just their thing. A Manan thing.

_________________________________________

Another update done.

Liked it? Loved it?

Finally Manan meet.

How did you find both their meets?

Nandini's attitude?

Samarth?

Malhotra?

Excited for next update?

Coming soon then.

Till then, keep voting and commenting your views.

Stay safe
Stay healthy

Yours Writer