Channa Mereya.....o piya❣️

Chapter 3: Friends....??!

"Nandani...so I am making a plan to go out with everyone. But you at the end moment pretend that your foot has sprained. Somehow convince Manik to stay back with you. At least by doing this Aaliya might stop thinking about Manik as he won't be around. And then on the beach, I will take Navya and Mukti away so Dhruv and Aaliya can spend time alone. What do you think?" Cabir asked Nandani.

"Sounds like a good plan....but me and Manik, I mean....how will I be able to stop Manik. Things are not so good between us." Nandani hesitated and spoke.

"Well we have to do this. We need to make Aaliya believe that you and Manik are very much happy with each other. Only then she will feel unwanted in Manik's life. You can also try getting things out of Manik? Please figure out a way...maybe try becoming his friend. Maybe then you can talk him out of it." Cabir explained to Nandani.

Nandani was unsure about this but still agreed. Cabir had now laid his plan and convinced everyone to go to the beach. "Ahh..." Nandani screamed as they all just stepped out of the house.

Manik rushed to her as soon as he heard her. "You okay?" He asked as he examined her foot which she held.

Nandani felt weird at his reaction but remained calm in her act. "I am fine." She said and took her foot away which Manik had held.

"Let's go..." Manik said as he backed off.

"I don't think I can come along with you guys. My ankle has sprained. But you guys carry on. Please don't spoil the fun because of me." Nandani said.

Manik looked at Nandani wanting to deny this and stay back. But he was held back, he didn't know if he had that right, so he remained quite and turned his back to Nandani unwillingly.

"But Nandani, you shouldn't be alone here..." Cabir said knowing neither Nandani nor Manik would make the attempt. Manik looked at Cabir, hoping that somehow Cabir suggests his name and he gets to stay back. Cabir knew what he wanted and he followed the plan. "Manik you stay back, we will go." Cabir said.

"Areee but we all can stay back..." Aaliya said.

"No no, it's fine. Manik is there, I will manage. Besides you guys will get bored with me." Nandani said. All those words went flying high through Manik's head. He was not able to digest the change.

Manik's POV
"What is all this?" I asked furiously.

"I have hurt my foot, how could I have possibly gone out?" She replied very calmly. This is so not her.

"Then why did you ask me to stay back?" I asked. Why? Why, after all?

"I didn't ask you, Cabir did. And someone would have stayed back so I just agreed with Cabir. I am still not comfortable with your friends, or rather Aaliya is not." She replied.

"Stop..! Not a single word for my friends." I said and she limped inside the house and sat down on the couch in front of me and so did I.

I switched on the TV to remove the awkwardness between us. 'Kuch kuch hota hai Anjali, tum nahi...' I changed the channel. 'I love you...' changed it faster than I could. 'Ahh...oh yeah...more..' A make out scene, seriously. 'Ek tarfa pyaar ki taakat hi kuch aur hoti...' Switched the TV off. Like seriously...only love related stuff is airing on tv today. I looked at her and she was busy in her magazine as if I didn't exist. It just pricks my heart and I don't even know why. In frustration I stood up to leave but stopped when I heard her voice.

"Manik." She called out to me. I didn't say anything but looked at her in response. "We had happily agreed to form a deal back when we got married. Things were fine then but why have they changed now? Why can't we just be normal....you know like...friends at least. We do have to spend our whole lives together." She said. It felt as if the ground slipped of beneath me. Does she really want to make peace between us?