MaNan: It all started with a lie

A Moment That Changed Everything

Nandini

It's been almost 15 days since Bhai and mukti got together and boy! they are just perfect together. The smile that Bhai has on his face when he is with mukti is the brightest and I wish it always remains intact. I was talking to my aiyyappa praying for my bhai's happiness and his and mukti's togetherness when my phone buzzed to life. It was a message from manik.

Message convo:

Manik: hey nandu I'll be reaching ur plc in 5 so be ready if u don't wanna be late for clg.

Nandini: monster! U know that I'm very punctual so puh-leeze 😑 its always u who makes me late

Manik: whatever makes you happy sweetheart.😉

Sweetheart like seriously! Huh aiyyappa!!

Nandini: u know what just forget it! 🙍

Manik: u shud hv known that u can't win over me😏😋

Nandini: manik drive and get here soon! I don't wanna be late. Bye!

Manik: bye! 😘

This has become our daily schedule now. Manik picking me up from my place and we going college together. Our fake relationship drama is still on and doing wonders. Everyone has believed it and even soha thinks that we are a real couple much to manik's satisfaction. Now its been like this only, me and manik spend most of our times together and let bhai and mukti spend time together so that they get to know each other and get closer. Mind you huh! This is all our dear manik's plan to bring mukbhi (as he says) close. I really don't know if it would work but yet am contributing how much ever I can because I will be the happiest person on earth to see Bhai and his love happy and even more happier if I was the reason behind it. Manik now spent all his time with me, telling me about his great ideas of bringing Bhai and mukti closer and giving  lame excuses that I am his best friend so it is his right. I just roll my eyes at it and give sarcastic replies. He used to spend time with fab 5 too but would always drag me with him in all their parties or meetings where I call navya to give me company so that manik spends most of his time with his friends who are more than a family to him. Sometimes I feel that I'm coming in between him and his friends and that I have even told to manik but every time I talk about it he says the same thing 'nandu you are just over thinking so chill'. I don't get much convinced but then manik knows his friends more than I know them so I guess I'm not causing any problem.

Today was just another day where I and manik entered holding hands in the college and everyone was drooling over us with open mouths. Manik like always got possessive and pulled me closer to him by my waist and pecked my cheek lightly, making it turn crimson in embarrassment. I wasn't shocked. It was usual now, he does this every time. He says that this shows how much we both love each other and that I'm only his. Aiyyappa is ladke ka kuch nahi ho sakta. I sighed deeply. We entered the fab 5 jam room where I guess a serious discussion was taking place which stopped abruptly as soon as I and manik entered. Now that's weird. I jerked my thoughts away and put a smile on my face.

Manik: hey guys wassup! Kuch important discuss kar rahe the kya?

Nandini: ya guys did we miss something? I mean as soon as we entered you guys stopped talking.

I asked putting forward my confusion and cabir replied putting a hesitant smile on his face.

Cabir: no no...n...not at all nandini. We were just talking randomly...yeah just some random talks. Right guys?

Cabir asked. It sounded more like a plead to me as if asking them to just give in to whatever he was saying.

Alia: yeah nandini....cabir is right

Even alia said the same but I wasn't convinced. Her voice clearly depicted that she was trying to hide something.

Dhruv: come on nandini chill out....stop thinking so much.

Manik: yeah nandu stop whacking your chotu sa brain so much

Nandini: ohhkay

I replied still not sure if they were speaking the truth.

"Oh JUST STOP IT NANDINI! JUST STOP IT! stop faking this innocence of yours all the time. You can manipulate manik or the others but not me" suddenly mukti said, who was standing silent all this while. But why was she saying this? What did I do? I was confused. "What are you saying mukti?" Manik asked amused by her sudden outburst while the others looked everywhere but at us. It confirmed my doubts, there surely something very wrong. "Manik, you are not getting it but she....she is manipulating you. She is using your feelings for her as a weapon to separate us manik.....to separate fab 5" Mukti completed and I was shocked to the core, I was numb. K did not know what to say or do. She was accusing me of stealing manik from them, she was accusing me of breaking fab 5! Never in my wildest dreams I had even thought to do so. Fab 5 is manik's family, his dream and I can never ever think of breaking his dream but I guess I did it, unintentionally though. I had always feared that I was coming in between them but manik always calmed me. Mukti burst his bubble. She continued "Manik maine notice kiya hai....jab bhi we think of spending our fab 5 time, nandini always sticks to you. Yeah I know she's your girlfriend but she should give you space right?" "But..." Manik began but was cut in mid sentence by mukti "please manik nandini ki side lene ki koi zarurat nahi hai....even I know that you can feel it that she is wrong. She's just using your feelings manik" I was numb to react. I was using manik! No way! I can never do that. "ENOUGH MUKTI" came a voice from behind and we all turned around to find Bhai fuming."How could you speak such shit for my nandu mukti!?" Bhai said glaring at her. "Abhi she's blinded even you by her love and innocence but trust me Abhi she's just using you and manik" Even navya had reached there and was trying to console me but I was numb. I could not register anything around me. I came back to my senses when I saw Bhai raising his hand at mukti but before he could do so, I stopped him. "MUKTI!" "NO BHAI!" "BHAI SHE'S RIGHT , I'm your culprit....in fact I'm everyone's culprit here. Its all because of me and I deserve this Bhai" I said trying hard to convince him and not break down in front of everyone. Tears were already brimming my eyes, ready to fall any moment. "Abhi....you....you don't trust me?" Asked mukti in a broken voice. "Mukti...." Bhai tried GI say but stopped when mukti showed her hand asking him to stop. "Manik, its your turn now.....you have to select any one from us.....ME OR YIUR GIRLFRIEND" "Mukti...." Manik tried to speak but mukti cut him. "ME OR NANDINI MANIK?"

Sorry for the cliffhanger but what do you think? Whom will manik choose? Nandini or mukti? Tell me your thoughts by your comments. Happy Reading! N yeah keep thinking. 😋