MaNan: It all started with a lie

Hey Matarani!

Nandini

Next day begun with a new sunshine forgetting every worst thing that happened in the past and beginning it all over again with a new hope.

I was sleeping peacefully on my plush bed when the sun kissed my face wishing me a bright morning. I lazily opened my eyes and stretched my arm but something stopped me. What is this heavy thing beside me? I thought and moved my head sideways to see manik sleeping peacefully with his one arm upon my waist clutching it tightly like I was his favourite teddy and it was then I realised that I was at his place and slept here while watching the movie. All the events of the previous day came in my mind and a smile played on my lips remembering how manik cheered me up and added one more good memory in my memory lane to cherish so that I don't get any nightmares. Yes! I used to get nightmares.

Shocked!? That a girl so bubbly and carefree like me can also get nightmares. Why?....
Well....it all started after my parents died. I could not sleep properly and always used to wake up yelling and crying calling my parents. Somehow amms and Abhi made me calm every time I used to get one and slowly they stopped. You know as people say 'time heals everything' that's exactly what happened in my case and I could again sleep peacefully but this peace wasn't too long...it was short lived. Those horrifying nightmares returned again when chacha chachi made an attempt to kidnap me. It was a dreadful memory which had already made its home within me and was really difficult to remove but anyways I survived through it. I slowly grew up with my past still haunting me in the back of my mind but I fought with it to again become the lively and cheerful nandu that I was but then.....then something big happened which affected me deeply, which still brings goosebumps to me and cold sweat starts dripping down my forehead.

Nandu?...nandini?? Earth to star!?
Manik's voice broke my trance and I came back to reality. Seeing manik so worried about me made my heart sink and I plastered up my most genuine smile and he smiled back.

"Nandu....where were you lost....do you know how worried I was?!" He said out of concern and I went all aww over my monster best friend. "Manik its nothing like that.....its just I was thinking if I could make new friends in space or not" I replied hiding my real thoughts to which he cringed his eyebrows in confusion looking as adorable as a kid and said " but my dear nandini as far as I remember fab 5 are already friends with you and you know that my friends are your friends and you even have Abhi by your side then why worry about making friends?" "Because manik malhotra I want to make as many friends as I can....don't you know me?" I replied wittily moving my brow upwards questioningly. He sighed in defeat.
Yayy!! I win as always! I did a small happy dance in my mind which soon came to an end when manik asked me to freshen up as we were getting late for college. I was really excited and thrilled as it was my first day if we see practically because yesterday I just filled up some admission formalities and had a look around the college. That's it.

I started moving towards the washroom when I realised something and stopped dead in my tracks turning around almost abruptly and yelled "MANIK!!" He was almost out of my room but stopped with a jerk listening to my shout. "What happened?? Are you alright?" He asked. "Uh yes....actually I just remembered that I don't have any clothes to wear here so I need to go back home" I voiced my thoughts awkwardly. " oh god nandu....you scared me. Just check the wardrobe and you'll find your clothes and ya don't you worry those are exactly the type of clothes you prefer wearing and gives you comfort" he replied simply before moving out of my room. I went inside the washroom and took a cool shower letting my body relax and got ready wearing a white tank top paired with my black harrams. I made my hair into a braid,applied some mascara and finally touched up my light make up with my strawberry gloss and stepped out of my room to see manik already ready looking sinfully hot in his white shirt and jeans looking like a complete Greek god. Wait! What!? What the hell are you doing Ms. Murthy!?!? You are checking out your best friend! Like seriously! You are a girl duh! And you have the right to get attracted to your opposite sex!" reasoned my subconscious cynically. I shooed away these thoughts and moved towards manik. As soon as he saw me his mouth hung open. " woah! Woah! Beauty queen whom are you planning to kill in the college huh?" He said making me blush a bit. I just ignored his comment and dragged him towards the door reminding him that we were getting late.

We rushed college in a hurry as I hated getting late very unlike manik. The drive was mostly passed in manik talking about fab 5 and space while I heard him patiently. We reached college in the next fifteen minutes. As I stepped out of manik's car I was greeted with weird and amused stairs coming from people which were surrounding the car. Manik simply asked me to avoid those and held me by my waist much to my surprise. " manik..." "Hmm?" I eyed towards his hand on my waist and he got my point " oh that.....you remember ( coming closer to my ear he whispered huskily) you're my girlfriend?" I remembered how yesterday manik claimed me his girlfriend in front of everyone and later explained me that he did so only so that soha poha does not stick to him the whole time. I snapped out of my thoughts and corrected him "FAKE girlfriend",emphasising on the word fake. "Yeah yeah" he said sounding uninterested and we walked inside woth manik's one hand still holding me by my waist. Everyone's eyes were literally out of their sockets seeing me and manik walking together so...uhm...we can say...cozily. We soon met fab 5 who were busy smirking at us or rather at manik. We were having our small chit chat session when a very familiar voice called out my name and pounced upon me like some wild cat. And here she comes...my bff from US originally from Patna.... the one and only Navya Naveli.

Introducing veebha anand as Navya Naveli. A sweet, innocent and fun loving girl full of filmy drama. A total dramatic person who worships her matarani just like nandini's aiyyappa.

"Nandu!!" She called and hugged me with all her force and I responded with the same enthusiasm while the rest looked at us with their jaws dropped staring at us weirdly.