Aiyoo Ayyappa- MaNan FF

Chapter 2 Hello again

"Nandiniii...Nandiniii...ennada yen sapidavaralaye? (why why are you not coming to eat?"). 

Amms shouted to Nandini. Nandini lifted her head off the pillow and shouted back "Pasikkalaye...Amms enakku thoonganam (Not feeling hungry...Amms I want to sleep). 

Amms looked at Rishabh with a perplexed expression and asked him "Yenna aachu, Rishu? (What happened, Rishu?). 

Rishab who just came into the room shrugged his shoulders with a perplexed look on his face and sat on the table and started breaking the masala dosa and dipping it into the sambar.

Manik was tapping impatiently on the table in front of him as his eyebrows clouded up his frowning face. "Pick up the phone...U better pick up the phone..." he murmured under his breath as he fumed with anger.

"Hello??" Amms spoke into the mouth piece.

"Hello...yes U tell me, why did U cut the call off before?" Manik hissed under his breath.

"Hello? Who is this?" Amms asked with a perplexed expression on her face.

"Don't act smart...I called U a few minutes back, and U forgot me already?" Manik was fuming as his tapping on the table got even more frequent.

"Who are U speaking? Who do U want to talk to?" Amms raised her voice.

"I am Manik Malhotra. I called a few minutes back. Got me?" Manik retorted.

"Who Manik Malhotra? Whom do U want to talk to?" Amms asked loudly this time.

Nandini who was lying in the bedroom lifted her head off the pillow and a fear spread over her face. "Ayyappa...Amms talking to Manik Malhotra...oh my god...this sounds trouble...I must not let this continue"

Nandini jumped out of her bed and rushed into the hall and ran to Amms.

"Amms..this call is for me." Nandini replied breathing heavily. She herself didn't know if she was breathing heavily out of fear or due to running.

"Nandini...yaaru intha Manik Malhotra?" (Who is this Manik Malhotra?) Amms asked with a doubtful expression.

"Amms...he is my friend." Nandini started cooking up a story.

"Friend?" Amms continued with the suspicious expression.

"Yes Amms..." Nandini whispered as she placed the phone to her ears.

"Hello??? Hello??? Are U listening to me or not?? This is Manik Malhotra speaking! Don't U dare act smart...whoever U are...what's your name by the by??" Manik was continuing to hiss onto the mouthpiece as he walked upto the table to sit for dinner.

"Hello.." Nandini whispered into the mouthpiece as she saw Amms walking away towards Rishabh and serving him a cup of tea. Rishabh glanced at Nandini with a confused look.

"Hello! Yes...tell me what's your name?" Manik whispered as he looked at the tall lady in her night robe enter into the hall and seating herself on the chair a bit away from him slowly serving herself some fried rice and gazing his way.

"I...I am...wait why do U want to know my name? U don't even know me. How you got my number?" Nandini panicked.

"Miss...whoever U are...I think U remember...I dialed U a few minutes back and U praised me a lot...remember??" Manik continued sarcastically "And I...just checked the number dialed earlier. So now tell me..what is your name?"

"I don't want to tell U my name. I don't tell my name to strangers." Nandini retorted back.

"Miss Oversmart...don't act smart with me. Tell me your name immediately or else I am coming to your place!" Manik hissed back.

"My place?? Ha Ha Ha Ha...Mr. Manik Malhotra...U don't know my name...U don't even know where I am from. How are U going to find me?" Nandini retorted with a fake laugh.

"Nanduuu..." Amms shouted...loud enough so that Nandini's friend can also hear it. "Tell your friend that its dinner time and call your friend later. Food is getting cold".

"Yes Amms...I am coming", Nandini replied.

"U...U ...stop calling me Nandu. I only let my loved ones call me Nandu" Nandini retorted angrily

"Mhm..." Manik said as he filled his mouth with a spoonful of fried rice..."only loved ones?? ok...Nandu...can I be one?" Manik asked in a husky tone.

"Manik...who are U on the call with? Kya tum jaante nahi ho? Talking on the phone while eating is bad manners. Cut the phone call now" the tall lady in the night robe hissed.

"Sure Mrs. Nyonika Malhotra" Manik replied staring at Nyonika with a smirk and then dropped the spoon onto the plate..got up from his table with the phone in his hands and walked onto the balcony.

"So where were we? Ah yes..Nanduu..." Manik continued as a smirk spread over his face.

"Don't U call me, Nandu. U are not close to me" Nandini retorted.

"Ok Nandu...I won't call U Nandu..if U tell me your name." Manik replied putting an offer to Nandini.

"I don't know you enough to tell you my name, Mr. Manik Malhotra" Nandini retorted sharply.

"Nanduuu..." Amms called and this time coming out of the kitchen.

"Yes Amms..." Nandini quickly placed the receiver on the phone cradle and cutting the phone once again.

"Are U done with your call, Nandu??" Amms came to her. "Y..Yes Amms...I finished the call" Nandini replied.

"Ok..come I heated up the masala dosa for U. Come and eat now" Amms invited again. "Yes...I am coming, Amms" Nandini said...as she slowly placed the telephone receiver off hook and walked upto the table and sat to eat the masala dosa with a sigh.

Manik was fuming on the other end of the phone as he realized that Miss oversmart Nandu has cut his call once again. Manik redialed the number..again...again...again...but he could only hear one voice "The number you are dialing is either switched off or out of service." Manik rubbed his fingers onto his forehead in fury as he continued to press the redial button. But...Nandu was out of range for Manik.

"Out of service...she must've placed her phone off hook...oversmart girl! But I am not going to leave her. For now..U are safe..Nandu...but not forever" Manik hissed as an amused smile spread across his face.

"But must say...this game is really interesting. I am in for it..Nandu..." Manik said to himself as he walked back into the hallway and sat on his chair in front of the dining table.

"Manik...U are rude...is this how U obey your mother?" Nyonika hissed.

"Oh..Nyonika...mom...when did I ever obey you?" Manik replied with a sarcastic smile on his face. "Manikkk" Nyonika hissed angrily and got up from there and walked away. "Will I ever be able to obey you? I don't think so..Mrs. Nyonika Malhotra" Manik whispered.

"Ramu kakka, clear up the table" Manik said as he rose from the table. He lost his hunger after listening to Nyonika. But then again...Manik lost his hunger long back ever since he lost his hunger for love too.

Eating is for living and to live its not necessary to be loved. Or is it??