Hello Fam :)

My wifi isn't working since morning. Hence, a quick update. Sorry for the possible mistakes. :)

Happy Reading...

It was almost a week since Manik and Nandini talked to the principal. Manik's idea, even though people made fun of and a few were reluctant at the extra activity, was coming out well. A few people already started to talk to their friends and have used the empty classrooms over the weekends. Nandini visited the campus because she didn't want to stay at home. Manik, however, had ignored her message on both the days. She didn't give it a thought since the boy hardly had an idea about the whereabouts of his mobile. He might be hanging out with a new book but when the first bench was empty on Monday, she regretted not contacting Cabir.

"Is he bunking the class?", she asked Abhimanyu.

"No idea", he told, shrugging.

"He might be busy", told Mukti. "I talked to him last on Friday and he said he had a lot of work to do over the weekend."

Nandini snorted. "Mukti, if the guy doesn't have work, he would go find for it. Guess, no point in sitting at the front."

They didn't notice initially but there was someone sitting at the back bench with his head down. And there was no one in the entire college who wore formal shirts to college. Manik. Nandini exchanged glances with her friends, who came to the same conclusion as hers, before walking to the bench and taking a seat beside him. The boy hardly moved. Mukti and Abhimanyu were sitting in front of them with their backs turned to Manik. Nandini called him softly but when he didn't budge, she shook him.

Manik rubbed his eyes and looked at her. "Nandini? Is the college over yet?", he asked.

He was looking tired with eyes so red. If Nandini didn't know better, she would have thought he was drunk but then her gaze shifted to his lap and there she found a file resting on his knees. She rolled her eyes and pulled the file away from him, ignoring his weak protests. "Manik, what the hell?", she asked, exasperated. She wasn't exaggerating when she said he would go looking for work. "Don't tell me, you stayed up all weekend to read this."

"Nandini, that's confidential", he told.

"Manik, I am not reading it. And neither are you", she said and stuffed the file inside his bag.

"I don't have time and I need to figure that out", he told.

"You look like you are sporting a hangover", said Mukti.

Nandini had realized, Manik had managed to break through Mukti's walls too. There was always some sort of fondness and concern whenever she talked about the boy which usually is absent when it's others, including her boyfriend.

"I am suffering from a hangover", muttered Manik. "Why is everyone so loud?"

"Bro, did you finally break your celibacy with alcohol?", asked Abhimanyu. He was excited.

"I need sleep", he muttered before his eyes widened. He looked pained to open his eyes as he stared at Nandini. "Nandini, I didn't drink. I don't drink, I promise."

Nandini nodded. The boy looked delirious and probably drugged. It was really new. "Manik, where's Cabir?", sh asked.

"Cabir left me", he told before slumping forward on the table. Even Abhimanyu looked concerned looking at Manik.

Nandini sent a quick text to Cabir asking where he was and why his brother was looking like he drowned himself on drugs. His reply came within a few minutes and it made her groan. She looked at her friends. "Apparently, he feels the hangover whenever he goes days without sleeping and drowning himself in books", she told her best friends. They sighed. "I would really kick him once he feels conscious enough to frame a proper sentence", she muttered.

They had chemistry during the first period and Nandini didn't want the Professor to make an issue seeing Manik. She informed Abhimanyu of going to the library and forced Manik along with her. If he followed her like a damn puppy, whining and lost, she didn't comment. She found a corner table in the library and asked Manik to rest. "We are bunking the class. You aren't in a position to listen to it."

"You are my hero. You rescued me from the horrible Chemistry class." It was the last thing he said before drifting to sleep.

When hungover, Manik Malhotra talked like a Disney Princess, thought Nandini to herself. She shuffled through the shelves around her. Ironically it was the same section, the class of which they were bunking. Nandini picked up a book and started studying.

It was almost two hours when Manik started shifting in his seat. Sometime back, Abhimanyu sneaked into the library with two cups of coffee, one hot and one cold, to check upon them and returned back to the class after a few minutes of talk. Manik stretched and looked around before his eyes widened in realization.

"Good morning, Princess", whispered Nandini. She pushed the cup of cold coffee towards him and flashed her teeth when he snapped his head at her.

"Nandini? Why aren't we attending the class?", he asked.

"You needed your beauty sleep and I rescued you from the horrible chemistry class?", she whispered again.

"Why are you whispering to me?", he asked, frowning.

She clapped his shoulder. "Because we were being loud. You don't want me to? You need to use your words properly, Princess? Or are you still hungover?"

Manik groaned. "Did I say something stupid? I apologize."

"You damn should apologize but not to me, to yourself, you idiot", she hissed. She felt a bit better when she saw the kicked puppy look on his face and punched his arm. "Don't try that with me. What the hell was so important that you are playing with your health and where the hell is your goddamn brother? Did you two have a fight?"

"What?", said Manik, startled. "Why would I fight with my brother?"

She crossed her arms in front of her and raised an eyebrow. "You tell me, Malhotra. Because it sounded like a damn break up. Cabir left me. Seriously?"

"Cabir went on one of his assignments. He will be back by tomorrow", he muttered. "And I don't sound like that", he told Nandini, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"Oh, you sounded just like that sometime back", she told. She was mad. If the message from Cabir was anything to say, this wasn't a first occurrence. While walking beside Manik to the library, Nandini had felt the heat radiating from his body. It wasn't anything major to force him to a hospital but if Manik had kept going like this, he would have fallen sick by the end of the day. She didn't understand the boy who always made sure everyone around him was safe and healthy, how could he neglect his own health.

"Why are we fighting?"

Manik's voice was weak and barely audible but it broke through Nandini's thoughts. She sighed heavily and refrained herself from throwing another jab at him. The boy didn't need to bear her anger on top of everything he was suffering.

"I am sorry", she told quietly. "I didn't like you being irresponsible about your well-being. Did something happen at home?"

Manik shook his head. "No, but I feel something might happen."

Nandini felt herself stiffened at his words. If it's anything to do with her parents, she would make sure they pay for their mistakes. "What's wrong, Manik?"

"How much do you know about the Singhal business?", he asked.

"I don't remember the first name but there are two. Textile or Hotel, which one do you want?", she told.

"Hotel."

"Fairly well. What do you want to know?", she asked. If Nandini's guess is right, she didn't like the direction in which Manik was about to go.

"We got a deal from them. His mail is very vague and he asked Mom for a meeting to explain his proposal. She had accepted to meet them on Wednesday but right now she is out of town for a brief meeting. She might return by tomorrow or Wednesday in the morning", he explained.

Nandini nodded. "Where did you come in all this? I mean the sacrificing your sleep part." She found Manik hesitating and gave his hand a slight squeeze. "Manik, if you have a doubt about them, you can let it out and I won't judge. If it's genuine, we can discuss. If it's not, I will call you stupid and we will forget about this conversation."

He nodded before pulling out the file from his bag. "I have been researching about them and it was casual. I do that whenever Mom isn't at the office and I get to visit the place. I have checked the mail and their recent projects but I feel they are just perfect on the surface."

"Are you trying to hint at a possible underground scam?"

"Probably?"

Nandini chuckled at his hesitation. "Manik, when you are handling a company, you are allowed to treat everyone as a culprit."

"But I don't want to accuse them of anything they aren't. I can't go to my mom with my gut instincts. Hence, I need proof and I am unable to find anything", he told.

"Even if you are going by your gut instincts, I am sure your mom will at least try to think about it." Nandini was surprised that she actually believed her words. "When there are people dependent on you, you need to be sure you aren't trusting someone who would jeopardize their lives. They shouldn't pay for your mistakes. Hence, guilty until proven innocent works."

Manik nodded. "Do you know them?"

"To be frank, I don't trust them much", she told, with a shrug without actually answering his question. "I have my reasons but they aren't proofs." The only reason she had was years back, they signed up a business with Murthy Industries and it was all the reason needed for Nandini to put them in her black list. She knew Manik wouldn't agree with her reasoning. He was too idealistic to dismiss someone as untrustworthy based on their friends.

"Manik, why would your mom agree for a meeting with someone whose business looks shady? If you have a doubt, maybe, she too has hers?", asked Nandini. Moreover, why are all the shady people trying to strike a deal with Malhotra Industries all of a sudden. Conversation with Manik gave her questions to think about. Looks like she had some answers to find at Murthy Industries.

"Hey, don't think about it", she told him when she found him lost in thoughts. "Maybe, your mom just wanted to give them a chance or probably figure them out? I know I couldn't help you right now but I can try. Give me some time till tomorrow. If it still doesn't work out, you can tell her about your instincts. I am sure she would listen to you."

Manik agreed although half halfheartedly . Nandini knew what her homework for the day was. For now, after Manik finished his coffee, they attended the class for the rest of the day.

Who else skips sleep to read books? or Study? :P

There is an important face off in the next update. Guess who? :P