FOR ALL THAT IS LEFT - A MaNan ff

7. FOR EACH OTHER

I'm late?

Sorry about it. Caught up with something that is taking my entire creative side. Delaying my writing.

I'll try to be regular, but can't promise for a while.

Happy reading!!!

Manik sat on the bench outside her ward, waiting for her to gain her senses. The doctor asked him not to do anything that might trigger her attack. But, he was helpless here because he doesn't even know that she gets panic attacks in the first place, let alone know her triggers.

But, he was determined to find out.

SPACE,
2013

Manik walked out of the canteen with a small smile on his face. It was after a lot of time that someone talked to him so naturally and without inhibitions or fear.

Manik Malhotra, for SPACE, was the introvert, rich and calm guy with a big brain. He topped all his subjects in first year and proudly entered the next year. He is also the guy with an influential and austere elder brother.

But Manu, as they fondly call him at home, was a frail boy whom everyone handles with care. His family is over protective for him because of one incident that brought a radical change in him.

Now, the scenario is that either people are scared to talk to him or they are just interested in his assets and background or worse... they pity him!

But, Nandini seemed almost..... normal. He craved for the very same and when he experienced it, even for a moment, he cherished it.

Neeyan and Vatsal who were worried for him, came running to the canteen only be pleasantly surprised to see him smiling. It had been long since their Manu had smiled for no reason. Oò⁹

What's making Manu smile so much? Vatsal's gleeful tone broke his chain of thoughts. He found both of them looking at him with large grins on their face. But, he didn't miss the little moisture that was present in their eyes. Emotional brothers!

Nothing, Nee and Vasu. Nothing to bother, he said casually, with his smile dimming. Neeyan couldn't help but wonder why he always becomes gloomy in front of them. Maybe, because they remind Manik of 'her'.

Vatsal, sensing both their moods, diverted the topic. What were you doing in canteen without me, Manik?
Neeyan shook his head in disbelief, while Manik knew what he tried to do and was grateful. Vatsal pulled Manik and Neeyan to the canteen, ignoring his best friend's threats of suspending him for misbehaving with the 'president'.

Uska kehna hai ki, Iska roz ka hai!

Two months passed with the internals for the juniors and case studies and presentations for the seniors. But, there were a few significant changes.

Vatsal found an interesting food partner in Nayan and Mansi developed a teeny weeny crush on Neeyan, as they had to meet often for discussing things being the respective class representatives. Somehow, these four brought the two gangs closer. They ended up spending time in canteen, classes and auditorium... more likely whenever they met.

While Nandini continued to be the 'bindass' girl as the whole of her batch now calls her, but she found new ways to entertain herself at the expense of Neeyan whose major reaction was a fake glare that he sent her way. She made Neeyan question his long standing beliefs about women. Avni was fully immersed in studies giving no time to anything else.