Kaisi yeh Yaariyan Season 3

Chapter 18

Nandini was feeling much better by the next morning. Neel and Navya took her home.

Her eyes were sore from the crying and her heart heavy with Manik's thoughts. She had to finally confess her sudden break down and hospitalization. Everyone at home was worried, they surrounded her. Rishab hugged her tightly.

"I want to rest." Nandini wanted to be alone.

Chachi: "Haan haaan nandu, tu upar jake rest kar. Main tere liye khana aur haldi wala dudh lati hun."

Navya: "Chachi, main Nandini ko lekar jati hun upar."

Navya held Nandini as she climbed the stairs to her room. She helped Nandini take a shower and change into her night dress. It was bright outside so she drew the curtains.

Navya: "Pata hai Nandu, meri maa bolti hai haldi wala dudh peene se na banda ek minute mein think ho jata hai and larkiyon ke liye to yeh especially acha hai, pata hai rang kitna nikhar jata hai."

Despite her weakness Nandini smiled. She leaned forward to hug Navya. "Itna maska marne ki zarurat nahi hai Navya, main pee lungi. Waise you know I am lucky, very very lucky that I have a friend like you. You have always been with me, bhale hi kitna hi bura waqt ho."

Navya: "Nandu, pata nahi kyun par mujhe aisa kyun lag raha hai ki tum mujhse kuch share karna chahti ho"

Nandini was taken aback. So Navya had gotten a sniff of her inner storm. You can't hide much from your best friend, they can read you like a book.

However, she assured Navya that she wasn't hiding anything from her.

After Navya had fed her some hot food and tricked her into drinking the haldi wala milk, Nandini literally forced her to go home and take rest. The bestfriends together had had a sleepless night.

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Their friendship goes back a long way to the time when they both stepped into the SPACE academy. In an urban crowd of rich and spoilt teenagers, they both came from small towns and carried a naivety that was rare in their peers. Together they had witnessed and withstood so much. From the intense ragging of FAB5, to falling in love and suffering heartbreak, from jamming together in their initial days at SPACE to their current jobs and everything in between, they had always watched each other's back.

There were no secrets between them, that is until now. Nandini did feel guilty for lying to Navya, for keeping such a big secret from her but sometimes life puts us at a crossroad and we have choose one way. It may be unfair to others, but we still have to live by our choice.

There will be a time, Nandini was sure, when she would be in a position to confide in her best friend but till that time, it would be solely her mission...mission Manik Malhotra. She had to uncover his truth..

A buzz oh her cell phone shook her out of the reverie.

"How are u Miss Tipsy?" Her face lit up, even though for a split second.

"just reached home. Thanks for yesterday MnM." She replied

Manik: "Of great. But Whats MnM???"

Nandini : "U don't know MnM??? Bachpan mein james nahi khai kya, colourful..chocolaty"

Manik: "Oh you mean MnM candies? But iska mujhse kya connection?"

Nandini: "The cake u got me yesterday was topped with the candies. Bet u didn't notice, did u?" That was utter bullshit. But she couldn't tell him that MnM meant Monster Manik, could she?

Manik: "It's a stupid name Nandini Murthy but I don't argue with sick kids. Get well soon and we can discuss this later. And don't forget, U owe me a treat.

"I won't, Nandini promise."

She kept staring at the screen but there was no further response. Manik still cut conversations abruptly. Some habits die old.

If the same thing had happened three years ago, Manik wouldn't have been texting her. He would have been right by her side, in her room, holding her tightly in his arms and repeatedly cursing himself for her breakdown. He would have fed her, and kissed her on the forehead and run his fingers through her long strands to put her to sleep. He would have sung to her in his magical voice and then after she fell asleep, he would spend the entire night sitting outside her door, in case she woke up and needed him.

Nandini forced her eyes shut. She didn't have the strength to cry anymore.

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