Best Mistake.

Chapter 6

"Are you serious!?"

"No, I am Manik"

"See, I am in no mood to joke right now!!"

"You are never in a mood to joke. You always wear the facet of a frown when you can actually crack good jokes, and logical too, you know" he says so casually that I really want to dislocate his all bones.

"Manik, tell me na seriously, why do give me chocolates when you never gave anyone? Please don't lie na, please..." for some unknown reasons, I gather a few tears in my eyes and my voice breaks. Something happened to me back in the class when Alya said about Manik and chocolates that I felt extremely scared and nervous. I gathered some courage by inhaling some oxygen and pulled Manik out of the quarrel he was in. Holding his hands I drag him out of the class, shocking him as well as everyone in the class.

"Nandini, tch, see, don't cry. I'll tell you..." Manik sounded worried but I was much angrier than his concern.

Wiping my tears, I look at him, my nose all red.

He sees my nose and his eyes suppress laughter because he very well knows that once his lips take an upper curve, I'll smack his head real bad.

Taking a deep breath to push his laughter down his throat, he says "Nandini, listen. I have no answer why do I share my chocolates with you when I never did with anyone. It's just I felt like doing so. When you came in the class that day, I didn't have two chocolates and Cabir snatched the one and swallowed it in a go. I asked Vitish to give you five but he gave only one so I had to step in." Manik says calmly.

"That is not what I am asking Manik. Why only me?" I question again irritated.

"I don't know!" he says a bit loudly than expected. 

Closing his eyes, he takes a sharp breath and speaks again "You are my very special friend Nandini. When you smile, I feel so good. I suddenly feel so happy Nandini. I don't know why but I don't want to share you with anyone. I don't want anybody else to make you laugh. That's why I don't allow you to talk to anybody else, especially boys because they all are morons." Manik says plainly.

"Shhh! don't say that word Manik! Don't say. It's a curse word" I suddenly say with saucer eyes because I can hardly say the 'b' word even in front of my reflection in the mirror and Manik said the wrong word so casually.

Manik chuckles and continues "Nandini, when I give you chocolates na, you smile and that's what I like. I have never seen a beautiful smile like yours except for my mother's. She also smiles like this when Dad gives anything to her. I have seen Dad getting super happy after seeing my Mama smile. You smile like Mama, Beautiful." He ends dreamily.

"So, I am like your sister..." I say lost

"WHHAATT!!??? NOOOOOO!!!!!!" Manik shouts shocked.

"Haan Manik, tch, people say na- you smile like your mother, your eyes are of your father's, that way." I explain "So, if I smile like your mother, that means I am your..."

"NOOO!!! Don't say that word!!" He shouts again horrified cutting me in between

Not letting me speak Manik continues "Nandini listen to me. I can never be your brot... WHATEVER! Not every male- friend needs to be bro-zoned" Manik says offended, looking directly in my eyes, his ears all red.

"Bro-zone...?" I ask slightly knitting my brows together.

"When you declare or believe that your male-friend is a like your brother, you bro-zone him" Manik explains.

"Don't do that to me Nandini, please. I swear I won't trouble you, ever. But please don't bro-zone me" Manik pleads holding my hands, his voice somewhat breaking.

I chuckle looking at him in that state. I hold his hands and bring them up "I can never bro-zone you Manik. I can assure you on that" I say seeing Manik. 

Isn't he the super-est cute-est best-est special friend?

"And never ask me not to give you chocolates, I like doing that, please?" he requests again.

"Achha baba, I won't. But what will I say to Radhika, Mukti and Alya if they ask? I question.

"I give chocolates for you to have or them to have?" he says frowning

"Arey, but Manik..?"

"Shut up, you are very silly. Don't share it with anyone. I don't like it. And if you are not able to have it, take it home, but the condition will be same. You won't S.H.A.R.E, share! Am I clear?" he says dominantly.

"Okay fine!" I say and my eyes go to his red ears, which are still the same. I raise my hands and touch his right ear-helix, which feels hot.

Sensation runs down his spine and he presses my hand tight between his tilted head and raised right shoulder. "What are you doing!? I feel ticklish!" he says suddenly speaks laughing

"Ooo!! So you feel ticklish!" and I tickle him more on his stomach.

"Nandini!!" he shouts laughing and runs away. I run behind him trying to catch him.

Laughing we come back to our corridor and find half of the class standing out. Confused, I go and stand beside Mukti and Manik stands in front of me beside Yash.

"What happened?" I whisper.

"Shalini ma'am saw us fighting and playing in the class." Alya tells. Shalini ma'am is our Sanskrit teacher.

"Then she asked us about homework which nobody did, she threw us all out of the class." She adds.

"But she didn't give any homework" I whisper again.

"She's taking surprise oral test; people who are not able to answer are standing out." Mukti speaks.

"You mean the whole class" I suppress my laughter. "Luckily, yes." Mukti giggles.

"She got heartbroken when Yash also didn't answer" Radhika speaks and we all chuckle.

"Thank god we were not in the class" Manik sighs dramatically. "I escaped the mental torture" he says and we all control ourselves from laughing out loud.

"Hey buddy!" Cabir shouts stepping out of the class so happy.

"CABIRRR!!" Shalini ma'am roars from inside the class and we all try very hard not to burst into laughter as Cabir rolls his eyes.

"We don't need loudspeakers and mics when she is in school" Cabir sighs dramatically standing beside Manik on the right.

"I feel you bro" Manik says consoling.

"Waise, where were you both?" Cabir asks Manik looking at me.

Manik sees me and I suddenly feel so shy. He smiles teasingly and I turn my head towards Alya, trying to ignore him completely.

"O Ho!!" Cabir says a little loudly and everyone again suppress their laughter, not knowing the reason.

I look at Manik once again after a few minutes and find him looking at me already.

"Thank you, special friend" he mouths me.

I smile and blink my eyes, gesturing a welcome.

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A/N: This is the cheesiest chapter I have ever written. 

Anyway, I hope you all like it.  Do comment and don't forget to vote.