The Bet - [Manan] #Book1 | ✓

four

~ Leap of 2 years after college came to an end. ~

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** Nandani's pov **

I was in my room, sitting near the window and watching a movie when suddenly I heard a opening of door but I didn't budge to look at the person and kept my attention in movie only. I had always loved watching movie at weekends so I was enjoying my Saturday night with my all time favorite movie "3 idiots". I was so engrossed in it that I didn't notice the person standing behind me until she put the cup of hot coffee at the window pane next to me.

I looked at her, and could not thanks enough to the woman who had always been there with me since I left Mumbai and settled in Delhi with Navya. Yeah I don't live in Mumbai anymore and my chacha and chachi respect my decision, although I miss them a lot but can't give them frequent visits, to have a family time with them.

Rishabh too has started speaking now, I wasn't able to handle my joy when for the first time after that dreadful incident he took my name and it hardly bothered me that it was on call not in person.

Yeah I was a bit sad as I wasn't able to see him while taking my name but still the happiness was so intense and enough to remove the sadness. I came back to present when she shook me, she was sitting beside me and I took her in a tight hug.

And spoke, "you didn't sleep till now?"

She just gave me a sheepish smile and said, " I wasn't feeling sleepy." and shrugged her shoulders.

I grinned and replied, "nice, that means I have got company." and signaled towards the playing movie.

She gave a seriously - not - this movie - again look and made herself comfortable to watch the movie with me. We both enjoyed movie a lot with pop corns, jot coffee and gossips with teasing in between. Overall a perfect Saturday night for me. Cause I am not the one who would go to pub, get drunk and come back after having a disco party and end up with a terrible hangover.

I don't like crowd and hustle bustle specially at weekends so I prefer to stay at home and enjoy my alone time. I am my best friend and now I have another one too navya.

She would kill me if is got to know that she doesn't stand first in my best friend list, I let out a small laugh at that thought which made navya curious and she raised her brow on a gesture of asking what happened but I composed myself and made a innocent face giving her nothing at all look.

Though she didn't bought it and was about to say something when I hushed her and asked her to focus on movie. She narrowed her eyes and started watching movie again. After sometime she stretched her body and stood up to go as the movie ended. But stopped at the door and looked at me for a while before saying

"will you go tomorrow?"

I gave her an uninterested look and said shrugging it off, "may be."

She glared at me and spoke, "you can't say NO now nandani if you didn't want to go on date with aryaman then you shouldn't have said YES at the first place." she was angry by now with my kiddish attitude and not caring about other feelings sometimes.

I shook my head in understanding, went to her and replied while squeezing her hand in assurance," I know you are right navya. Sorry for being reckless. I will go with him. Happy now." and she melted with my innocent face and said in a serious tone.

"don't carry baggage of past with you nandni. Let it go."

Saying these words she creased my hairs and left immediately before I could process anything. Her words were ringing or to say hammering my head badly. And the question raised in me, am I still carrying baggage of my past? Haven't I moved on?

Sadness and confusion was building inside me when suddenly my jar of fireflies caught my eyes. But there was no glow, no shine. And how would it glow or shine when there were no fireflies instead it was just an empty jar now.

I looked at it with teary eyes and with my chocking voice all I managed to say was, " I hate fireflies the same way I hate you."

And let out a dry laugh thinking how things had changed the fireflies which I used to adore doesn't fascinate me anymore.

** End of Pov **

Nandani gave jar a last glance and went to bed. She switched off lights, covered herself with duvet and closed her eyes tight in a hope to get proper sleep which she had been deprived of since the day she had stepped in Delhi.

Earlier she thought it will help her mind to forget him. But still after listening to navya she was confused if she really succeeded in it.

After some struggle her eyes got heavy and her thoughts came to a halt as her body relaxed in sleep.

Sunday

Nandani woke up with puffy eyes and slight headache as yesterday her mind gave her a tough time so she wasn't able to give her body some rest because she slept late.

She stretched her body with a yawn and went to freshen up.

And there in Mumbai Manik woke up with a hangover due to the effect of countless drinks he had yesterday. Although sun was shining spreading hope but for him nothing was new. He was staring at the wall blankly. Ticking sound was reaching his ears which reminded him of his lose.

He took a photo frame from bed side table and hugged it close to his heart and spoke with a heavy sigh, "I wish I could turn the clock."

Knowing that this wasn't possible, he sadly got on his feet and went to washroom to have a shower, in case cold water would wipe his grief.

Whole day passed in no time with daily routine works and finally the evening arrived for which navya was more excited than nandni, and this made nandi giggle.

"navya I really doubt if its me who has a date or you."

Navya replied while hitting her lightly, " you madam. I don't date dumb people like aryaman."

Nandani's eyes got wide at this and she spoke in utter shock, "did you just call him dumb navya!"

Navya just shrugged her shoulders, "yeah I did. Cause he is one. Otherwise a wise person won't choose you as his date." and let out a small laugh in the end.

" hoooo how mean navya wait I will show you."

Nandani ran after navya with a pillow in her hand and navya stuck her tongue out while running in whole room. Both were laughing, enjoying their not so harmful pillow fight but stopped when they heard sound of a car horn.

Both paused and navya went to window to see who had come. She jumped and spoke teasing smile, "Go miss your Prince charming has arrived."

Nandani gave her a disbelieving look and after making herself presentable she went downstairs navya unlocked door for her. Aryaman took her hand in his and opened passenger side door of car for her to get in. Both got sit and he drove car to towards the destination.

Hope this date will come up with a good change. That's all nandani could wish for while looking at the breath taking view from window of car.

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So that's all for now. Hope you all liked it.

A/N: a big apology for short update guys. I was caught up guys so couldn't write more then this.

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