"I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had." —The Notebook

When you love someone, you want to find as many ways to show them as possible. But sometimes, simply saying, "I love you" just doesn't feel like enough.

Suddenly Manik got up and took Nandini in his arms. "Manik, what are you doing? Put me down." She scolded him.

Manik just shrugged his shoulder and walked towards his room ignoring her pleadings. In between he just pecked on her lips to shut her mouth. Nandini's eyes went wide with his act. She started blushing. Manik noticed her face. He smirked looking at her.

"After my birthday night, you're still blushing." Manik asked near her ear in a husky tone.

Nandini went more red hearing his talk. She closed her eyes and hid her face in between his neck. Manik chuckled seeing her. He walked to his room and closed the door behind with his leg. He made Nandini sit on the bed. 

Nandini looked at him being confused. "Manik, why're we here? When'll you drop me home? Uncle asked you to drop me home, then?" She again bomber him with all her question.

Manik nodded his head in disbelief hearing her. He settled beside her and pulled her in his embrace. "Why? Don't you want to spend time  with me?" He rose his eyebrows.

"I didn't mean that, Manik. Of course , I want to spend time with you. I was just asking." She replied with a smile. 

Manik placed his head on Nandini's lap and he lied down there staring at her face. Nandini was ruffling his hairs softly. 

"I got so busy in the album that I could not manage time for us. I am sorry." He said genuinely.

Nandini smiled hearing him. "It's okay, Manik. It's a matter of a few more days then you will be free. Then you can spend with me." 

Manik looked at her being amazed. "How do you always manage to do this? I always knew that wives are attention seekers and you are here not even complaining when I'm saying it." 

"I am not your typical wife, Manik. I can understand, you must be really busy else you won't ever ignore me. I trust you." She stopped for a while then again said. "Appa also used to be busy most of the times in his laboratory but amma never complained because she knew that's important. When he will be done, he would be back to us only."

Manik smiled hearing her. With one hand he was holding Nandini's one hand. His other hand went near her face. He was caressing her cheeks softly. He removed her hairs which were falling on her face. 

He could see the vermillion on her hairline. It was not visible properly. She had managed to hide it quite well. He removed her hairs a little more then it was clearly visible. 

"You look perfect with this." Manik said pointing towards her vermillion. "It makes me feel that you are only mine."

Nandini placed a peck on Manik's forehead. "I am also proud of this."

Manik smiled. "I can't wait for the day when I will be able to declare you as my wife in front of the whole world. When you don't have to hide it from anyone."

"There is still time for that. Now stop thinking about all that." Nandini said blushing a little with the thought of being called as Manik's wife in front of everyone.

They talked for sometime more with Manik time to time teasing Nandini. Then he went to drop her home.

N A N D I N I' S    P L A C E
Manik stopped his car in front of Nandini's home. Nandini was about to come out of the car when Manik stopped her holding her hand. Nandini gave him a confused look.

"What? Why are you giving me this look? I've dropped you home safely that too on time. You didn't even thank me." Manik said making his voice serious. 

Nandini looked at him with wide eyes. "Thank you, Manik."

Manik made a bad face hearing her. He pulled her more close making Nandini's eyes more wide. "You know your thanks can be better. You're my wife. So, think of some other way."

"Thanks can be better? In different way?" Nandini asked giving him an innocent look. 

Manik bobbed his head. "Yeah... Think of it..." 

A wicked idea hit Nandini's mind. "Okay, close your eyes." She said with an innocent smile on her face.

But Manik's eyes sparkled. "You still need me to close my eyes?" He asked naughtily with a smirk on his face.

"Manikkk...." Nandini shouted his name gritting his teeth. "You want your thanks or not?"

"Of course, I want it...." Manik said hurriedly and closed his eyes. 

Nandini wanted to chuckled hard seeing his face but somehow she controlled himself. She moved her face near Manik but her one hand was moving towards the car door. Manik could feel her hot breath on his face. Nandini unlocked the door without making any sound. 

She whispered in Manik's ear. "Thank you, husband." Then she pecked on Manik's cheek and didn't wait longer. She opened the car door and ran inside.

Manik was startled for a moment that what happened. Before he could say anything to Nandini, she was already inside. Manik bit his lower lip and ruffled his hairs. "You need to pay for this, wifey." He said to himself and looked out towards Nandini's window. 

Nandini was standing there grinning. Manik threw a fake angry glare towards her and drove away from there.

C O L L E G E

(Nandini's attire)

Nandini was walking through the corridor. She was actually looking for Manik. He didn't contact her after last night. Nandini thought may be he is angry that's why she was searching for him. But there is no trace of him. He is not even picking up the call. Nandini was passing through one of the sequestered room when someone pulled her inside the room.

(Manik's attire)

It was so sudden that Nandini didn't get time to react anything. Her eyes were tightly shut. When she didn't find any movement for a long time, she slowly opened her eyes only to meet with a pair of familiar eyes.

"Manik!!!" Nandini whispered.

He was standing in front of her smiling with all his aura. She was pinned with the wall and he had his arms placed on the wall caging her in between.

"What was that, Manik?" Nandini asked after recovering from the shock.

Manik's lips now curved into a smirk. "Shock..." 

"What?" Nandini asked being confused.

"Yeah..." Manik moved his face close to her. "The same way you gave me a shock last night."

Nandini's eyes went wide hearing her. "You were taking revenge for last night?" She asked innocently.

Manik went all aww on her innocence but didn't reveal that. "Nope.... I was just settling the score."

Nandini made a bad face hearing him. Then she realized their position. She tried to come out of his arms. But he didn't let her do that.

"What are you doing, Nandini?" Manik asked raising his one eyebrow.

Nandini gave him an 'are you serious' look. "We are in the college what if someone comes and sees us?" 

Manik's hands went around her waist and pulled her close to him. Now their bodies were touching with each other. "Chh!!! You don't know no one comes to this side? So, just relax. No one is going to see us."

Nandini didn't say anything. She knew there is no way Manik is going to leave her now.

"By the way why were you looking for me?" Manik asked suddenly.

Nandini turned towards him with a jerk. "How do you know?"

"Just the way you know everything about me."  Manik sais with a smile on his face.

Nandini too smiled and took out something from her bag. It was her vermillion box. "You didn't make me wear it since last few days. You had promised me, you'll make me wear it everyday."

"Sorry, it won't happen again." He apologized and took a pinch of the  sindoor. Nandini moved her hairs a little. Manik put the vermillion there. Then placed a soft peck on that place. "You look so beautiful with this. I wish you didn't have to hide it."

Nandini hugged him.

C A N T E E N
Fab4 was sitting together. They were sipping their drinks. 

"Where is this Manik, yaar? He is again late." Mukti asked making a bad face.

"Mukti, can you see Nandini around?" Cabir asked instead of replying her. 

"Why? Don't you have your eyes? Can't you see, she is not here?" Mukti said being irritated with him.

Cabir shrugged his shoulder. "Then how did you expect Manik will be here right now? What's wrong with your common sense, Mukti?"

Alya and Dhruv chuckled hearing him.

That time Navya and Aryaman entered into the canteen together. Fab4 saw them. 

"Navya..." Alya called her. 

Navya smiled and came near them. Aryaman also came behind her but he stopped a little away. Fab4 also saw him.

"Who is he?" Cabir asked pointing towards Aryaman.

"Oh, Cabir... I said you about the new guy in our class. It's him. Aryaman Khanna." Navya introduced him to the group.

"Hi, guys..." He greeted Fab4 who just nodded their head in response. 

That time Nandini came inside the canteen and saw all of them together. She was a little confused seeing them like this. She moved near them. 

"What's happening here?" Nandini asked standing beside Navya who passed a smile to her.

Cabir's eyes fell on Nandini. He smirked seeing her. "See Nandini is here. Now just wait, Manik will also be here." He said in a low tone so that only Fab4 could hear that.

As he just finished his sentence, they saw Manik too entering inside canteen. They smirked looking at Manik. He came near them and settled on they empty chair beside Cabir.

"What's up, guys...." Manik said.

"Fan..." Mukti replied and high fived with Cabir. Manik made a bad face.

"What kind of boyfriend you are, Manik?" Cabir said suddenly.

Manik rolled his eyes. "Why?" 

"Look there your girlfriend is standing and you just came and sat here. You didn't even ask her anything nor you let her sit. Why so?" Cabir said giving Nandini a pitiful look while she was busy in talking to Navya and Aryaman. 

"Unless you were with her till now. Were you with Nandini?" Mukti joined Cabir.

Manik glared at both of them. "Shut up, guys."

Fab4 laughed out loud hearing him.

"By the way, Manik, did you meet Aryaman?" Alya asked.

Manik nodded his head. "Yeah, Nandini told me about him."

"Nandini..." Manik called out her. 

She turned towards him and passed a smile. "What happened?"

"Don't you have class right now?" Manik asked.

"Yes, I was about to go." Nandini replied.

"Call me after finishing your classes." Manik instructed her.

Nandini nodded her head bidding bye to everyone. Navya and Aryaman too left. 

Fab5 were spending time. Mostly they were pulling Manik's legs. 

"Let's go, guys. We need to jam. We have another song to make." Manik said while getting up from his seat.

Fab4 too nodded and they walked towards their jam room.

When they were going towards their jam room, a lady wearing formal wear coming towards them while talking over phone. Before she could bump with Fab5, a peon called her. 

"Nyonika mam, someone is calling you. He is in your office." 

It's Nyonika. She left with him and fab5 went to their jam room.

Other side Nandini and Navya was sitting together in the class. Aryaman was sitting a little away from them. 

"Nandini, what do you think of Aryaman?" Suddenly she asked.

Nandini looked at her being confused. "Why are you asking this?"

"You say first." Navya asked again.

"Nothing much. It's not long since I know him nor we talked much. So, I can't tell anything like this. He seemed to be a nice guy but a little reserved." Nandini said as much as she knew.

Navya nodded her head.

"Why did you ask this, Navya?" Nandini asked being curious.

"Today you were not coming so I thought you must be inside. So, I was passing through the store room when I heard him talking to someone over phone." Navya said.

Nandini frowned. "What did you hear?"

"He was talking about keeping eyes on someone and he'll handle him in his way. Nothing can stop him and he will fulfill for what he is here." Navya said thinking about that time. "I could not hear much as someone else had come and Aryaman cut the call."

Nandini got worried hearing Navya. She was in deep thought thinking about whom Aryaman must be talking and why is here for. It sounds he has some big reason for coming here. She started thinking of ways how to get to know about it.

Precap: facing Nyonika....

That's all for now. How was the chapter?

Did you like Manan moments?

How was Fab4's scene?

What do you think about Aryaman? Why is he here?

Do share your favorite scene.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Bye.

14.10.2023