A little thing called FIRST LOVE ft.Manan

Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

As Nandini and Navya head to their seats in class, Manik pulls Cabir aside, his face clouded with frustration.

"Are you serious, Cabir?" Manik whispers fiercely. "Nandini must have misunderstood everything by now. I don't even know what she's thinking. What if she—"

Cabir raises a hand to stop him. "Bro, did you even see her face when I mentioned you were in love with someone? She looked so pale. She loves you, Manik. And trust me, whatever I did is the right move."

Manik hesitates, but Cabir cuts him off before he can protest again.

"From now on, just follow my lead," Cabir says, his voice firm. "I'll plan everything. You just do what I tell you, got it?"

Manik sighs, still uncertain, but nods. "Fine. But if this backfires, you're dead, Cabir. Remember that."

Cabir smirks, giving Manik a reassuring slap on the back. "Relax, Manik. This is going to work."

With that, they head into the classroom. Nandini glances up as they enter, but the moment her eyes meet Manik's, she quickly looks away, pretending he doesn't even exist. Manik, oblivious to the fleeting moment, sits down beside Cabir, lost in thought. Cabir, however, notices Nandini's reaction and smiles to himself. His plan is already working.

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Evening settles quietly over Malhotra Industries, casting a warm glow through the glass walls of Sidharth Malhotra's office. A knock at the door breaks the silence.

"Come in," Sidharth says, his eyes still focused on his computer screen.

The door opens, and a young man steps in. "Good evening, sir."

Sidharth looks up, arching an eyebrow. "Oh, you finally showed up. I thought you weren't coming back," he remarks with a trace of sarcasm.

The man offers a nervous smile. "It's not like that, sir. She recently moved, so it took time to gather all the details about her."

Sidharth nods, intrigued. "Alright, then. Tell me about her."

The man hands him an envelope. "Everything's in there, sir."

Sidharth opens it and pulls out several documents, along with a photo. He studies the picture for a moment—it's Nandini.

"Sir," the young man speaks up hesitantly, "I thought I should mention... Manik sir cares about her deeply. I've seen it myself. He's different around her, happier, even if he hasn't said anything yet. It's clear in his eyes."

Sidharth pauses, absorbing the words, then dismisses him with a curt nod. "Thank you. You can leave now."

As the man exits, Sidharth looks down at the envelope thoughtfully. He slips it into his bag, his mind now elsewhere, yet unreadable. After a moment, he sighs and turns back to his work, his expression serious, but a hint of something softer in his eyes.

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Nandini tries to focus on her books, but her mind keeps drifting back to the morning's conversation with Cabir. Manik loves someone else? The thought makes her heart ache in a way she doesn't understand, and her confusion grows. Finally, unable to keep it to herself any longer, she picks up her phone and calls Navya.

"What's up? Calling me at this hour?" Navya answers, sounding surprised.

"Navya... I'm confused," Nandini begins, her voice uncertain.

"About what?" Navya asks casually.

"Actually, it's not me—it's... my friend," Nandini stammers, trying to cover her hesitation.

"Friend? Last I checked, I was your only friend. Who is this mystery person?" Navya asks teasingly, but her curiosity is piqued.

"Oh, uh... Sidharth's friend!" Nandini blurts out, trying to think quickly. "You know, he told me about this friend of his, and, well... this friend's friend told her that he loves someone. But now she's feeling weird about it. Like... she's restless and can't stop thinking about it. Why would she feel that way?"

There's a pause on the other end before Navya replies, holding back a laugh. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah, what do you think?" Nandini asks, trying to sound casual.

"Well, it's simple," Navya says, a smile in her voice. "She feels that way because... she loves him."

The words hit Nandini like a jolt. "What?" she practically shouts, her heart pounding at the realization.

"Nandini!" Navya exclaims. "Why are you shouting?"

"Nothing, I'll call you later!" Nandini says quickly, hanging up, leaving Navya smiling, fully aware of what just happened.

Nandini sits there, her mind racing. "I... love Manik?" she whispers to herself, stunned by the possibility. Her mind resists, trying to make sense of the feelings that have slowly crept up on her. "How could this happen? No, Navya must be wrong—she's never even been in love, so what would she know?"

Determined to find some clarity, Nandini hurries outside, heading toward the one person who might help her make sense of her feelings—her mother figure, Neela.

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"Ma!" Nandini calls out, her voice tinged with urgency as she shouts several times.

"Nandini, I'm in the lawn!" Neela's voice comes from the garden where she's busy digging small holes in the soil, preparing to plant new flowers.

Nandini hurries over, finding her mother working calmly in the dirt. "Can I ask you something?" she begins, curiosity bright in her eyes.

Neela glances up, a little surprised. "What is it? Go on, ask," she says, patting down the soil.

Nandini hesitates, then takes a breath. "Yours is a love marriage, right? How did you know you loved Papa?"

Neela looks at her with a teasing smile. "What's going on with my daughter today? When did she find time for questions like these?"

Nandini rolls her eyes, her cheeks flushing a bit. "Maa, please, just tell me."

Neela's expression softens as she thinks back, a nostalgic smile crossing her face. "Hmm... yes, ours was a love marriage," she says, her tone warm with memory. "I knew I loved your papa because I felt happiest around him. When I went home, I'd find myself remembering every little thing he said, smiling like an idiot. He made me feel safe, understood, like no one else mattered when we were together."

She places a new plant into the soil, carefully pouring water over it. "Love grows like this plant, Nandini. It needs time and care—trust, friendship, understanding. And... I'd even find myself laughing alone, like a fool, just remembering our moments together. It's the small things, the everyday things, that stay in your heart."

She looks into Nandini's eyes, noticing the hint of curiosity there. "So, does that help you understand, or are you maybe trying to figure out your own feelings for someone, hmm?" Neela asks, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Nandini's cheeks turn pink. "No, it's... it's nothing like that!" she stammers, feeling caught. "I'll... I'll go now."

Neela watches her leave, noting the change in her daughter's expression but deciding not to pry further, simply smiling to herself.

Back in her room, Nandini closes the door, her mind replaying her mother's words. Feeling safe, understood, laughing over the smallest things. She thinks of Manik—how being around him makes her heart race, how even the smallest memories bring a smile. Her face heats up as a slow, shy smile spreads across her face, the beginnings of realization dawning.

But then, as if breaking herself from a spell, she shakes her head. "No... he already loves someone else," she murmurs, a painful reminder. "Whatever this is, I can't let him know. I won't ruin things... we're just friends, and that's how it has to stay."

Even so, as she tries to sleep, her mind drifts back to those moments with Manik, her resolve wavering, each memory making it harder to push away the feelings she's only just beginning to recognize.