Weekend update may not be possible. Sorry and miss me !
~~Shopping Spree, Hide and Seek~~
Third persons POV
Manik calls Nandini telling her “Sorry I can’t come today. I m busy.” He was lying because he had finally realised he can’t do shopping with a girl.
“By the way you went shopping last week right ?” He asked her still on the phone.
“Yeah. But that was for my colleague. Manik you have to come. I need you with me.” She said rolling her eyes.
“ugh. Fine” Manik says as he was left with no option. Poor Manik.
They reach the mall with Mukti, Abhi and Aliya. Mukti, Abhi and Aliya as per the plan get lost in the crowd. Manik tries calling them and Mukti picks up telling. “Bro. Aliya is just going whammy. I needa control her. You stay with Nandini.” But the reality was Aliya actually got lost. But Mukti was used to it, as Aliya loves shopping.
Manik follows Nandini at the jumpsuit collection. Nandini pulls out a couple trendy ones. Manik is back being busy in his phone.
“How’s this Manik ?” Nandini ask holding them up.
“hmm. Good.” He replies and chuckles at some funny message on his phone.
“are you even looking ? If you are not interested, please act like you are.” Nandini says.
“Hoe do I act ‘interested’ ? Please elucidate. ” Manik asks.
“see. You can’t be interested. You have to act interested. I guess it was you, the other night, who promised to be with me during this shopping.” Nandini states. Manik sighs, realising there’s no point in arguing with her. He has to be ‘interested’ even he was not ‘interested’. He puts away his phone and looks at the two jumpsuits in her hands.
“Try the black one. Orange is too ordinary.”he says. Nandini holds them in the mirror and looks at them.
“But I think orange one is cute. I ll try the orange one, yeah.” Nandini says and keeps the black one back in the stack. Manik wonders why she had asked for an opinion then. Nevertheless, he just shakes it off and follows her.
Nandini now enters the dress section. She picks out some in shade of pink and shows it to Manik. But Manik is again busy with his phone. He quickly puts it away as Nandini shoots him an annoyed look.
“Sorry.” He says and Nandini sighs. She puts up the four different dresses in front of him.
“which color should I go for ?” Nandini asks.
Manik sighs and rolls his eyes. They are all pink. How’s the color going to matter anyway ? “You want me to chose among these. Pink, Pink, Pink, Pink.” He says pointing at each one of them.
“No Manik. Look at them properly. you are so color blind. This is rose pink, salmon pink, carnation pink and hot pink.” Nandini smiles and Manik mentally groans but keeps a fake smile on his face to please her. “Cabir was right. I shouldn’t have agreed in the first place. Now you gotta suffer Mr. Malhotra. Act ‘interested’.” He mutters to himself.
“Okay um. Hot pink?” He says or rather questions pointing at the dress. He thinks Nandini is gonna use her own brains anyway. So what’s the point in running his own brains.
“Are you sure ?” She asks.
“yes Nandini.”he says. He seems to be already exhausted and was mentally cursing himself for saying a ‘yes’ to her plan yesterday.
“but I think rose pink goes well with the heels I have bought…..” Nandini frowns. Manik is frustrated now. Yet somehow he is just standing there with a blank expression. ACTING ‘INTERESTED’.
“well then you try that one.”he says. Nandini sighs and puts three of the four dresses back.
“but you said hot pink na. I ll try that for you.”she smiles and blushes to a little tinge of pink. Both walk towards the changing room. There’s only one room as the store is not so huge. Nandini walks to change while Manik sits on one of those little chairs.
He is scrolling down his phone to check the messages from his phone. He reads out Abhi’s message ‘Bro. Mukti is shopping like a girl today. I m really bored.’ Since both the boys are bored, they decide to chat for a while.
Suddenly the curtain opens diverting Manik’s attention. He looks up to see Nandini in the black jumpsuit. Its plain black with a golden metal belt in the middle. Its simple and elegant.
“How’s it ?” Nandini asks striking a pose.
“Beautiful. Take it.”he says. He sounds disinterested but he is mesmerised by her beauty.
“Well really do I look fat ?” Nandini asks. Oh that regular girly question. Do I look fat ? In reality, she had a well toned body but once Manik joked about Nandini being fat. {A Phone call }
Manik rolls his eyes.
“If you think you do, then you must be blind. Just take this one. Already you look pretty.” He says. Nandini smiles satisfactorily and walks back inside to try the other dress.
Meanwhile Manik’s phone rings. It’s Abhi calling. He answers it immediately.
“How’s shopping going on ?” Abhi asks from the other end.
“Dont even ask mate. Girls and their shopping.. It’s never ending. How about you ?” Abhi laughs.
“Don’t even ask me. I just brought her here so that she could try on some jewellery but she didn’t like any. And now she’s in the Forever 21 acting like a 3 year old kid. She’s really excited for the engagement I guess.” He says, Manik laughs.
“Acha. Ho kaha abhi ?”Abhi asks again.
“Ground floor. Inside Vero Moda.” Manik replies.
“okay come out na. I m around too. Mukti is gossiping with Aliya.”
“Oh poor man. You wait there. I m just coming.. right now.” Manik leaves to meet Abhi.
Meanwhile Nandini got changed in the hot pink dress. Its too short, stopping just a few inches above the knees. Also it’s backless. She wonders how she is looking ? She walks out of the changing room only to see an empty chair. She decides to call Manik. But bad luck, she realises her phone is in his jacket.
“heck” Nandini curses and is about to go inside when someone catches hold of her hand. Thinking it must be Manik’s prank she turns around. But its not him. In fact it’s someone, she doesn’t even know.
“Excuse me ?” She asks.
“Can’t excuse you babe. You are looking too hot in this dress.” He says. Nandini is disgusted by his comment. She tries to squat his hand but he is holding it too tight.
“What are you doing ? Leave me alone.” She grits. He shakes his head and pins her back to the wall. What makes the situation worse is that the trial room is at the corner and the store is too small so there are not many workers around.
“How can I leave someone as hot as you ? I am Aryan by the way. And you are …?” He asks in a husky tone.
“That’s none of your business.” Nandini says.
“It’s babe.”
“I have a boyfriend.” Nandini lies to him. But it barely affects him, as if he already knows the incorrect fact.
“I know. I saw that idiot Manik Malhotra following you like a dog. I m so much more fun than him.” He smirks.
“I – I m not that kind of girl. Just get off me. I m warning you.” Nandini says sternly.
“What if I don’t ?” He challenges Nandini. As she is about to speak a voice interrupts her.
“If you don’t.. you will he found dead in a hospital. Now get off my girlfriend before I beat the crap out of you.” It’s Manik. He is standing behind the man. His words came out as a warning. A deadly warning. But his tone is really polite. Nandini could see him holding back his anger. The man quickly moves back.
“Dude I was just having some fun.” He shrugs. Nandini cant believe the heights of being disgusting.
“Really ? So can I have the same kind of fun with your girlfriend and sister. Oh wait, maybe you don’t even have one. Now just f**k off from here and don’t you dare do what you did today again.” Manik says. Now he really sounds angry.
“Whatever man.” The man shrugs and walks away cursing Manik and Nandini . Nandini sighs in relief once he is gone.
“Are you okay ?” Manik asks. Nandini nods.
“Of course. It was not like he was a serial killer or something.. Thanks though.” She smiles.
He smiles and comes closer to her. “What for ? If anyone touches you, you know, I will cut him into pieces.” Manik says, damn serious. Nandini chuckles.
“Don’t act like a real boyfriend now.”
“Oh I guess, you started the lie. Anyways that guy was a creep. He was right though. You actually look hot in this dress.” He tries to flirt with her. He is confused thinking ‘How could a girl look hot and cute at the same time.’
“Now you stop your flirting business.” Nandini yells at him.
Manik goes out of the room and Nandini changes in her previous dress. She thinks, ‘Maybe all boys are not that bad; Manik is definitely different from others.’
Manik is now panicking as the stores are now getting crowded and if people identify him then there will be a fan frenzy situation. A girl notices him and starts fan-girling and shouting.
“Nandini. We have to hide but I have no idea where people cannot find me !” Manik whispers in Nandini’s ear.
“Follow me !” Nandini orders and forcefully drags him. The game of hide and seek begins but the fans are smart enough to spot him everywhere. Nandini finally takes her to Ladies restroom as the fans wouldn’t have the faintest idea that he could be in the washroom.
“Ee. Ladies washroom Nandini ? Like seriously ?”
“You may leave.” She says with a big smirk.
“Fine. But how will we be out of here ?”
Nandini points towards the exit through the washroom and they hurry there. Luckily no one spots them and they give each other a high five !
***
Next part : ~~Mukbhi’s engagement
I wish all boys are like OUR Manik, so ready to break bones of cowards and jerks.
I hope you liked reading this update. So little little ‘feelings’ are popping from their hearts. I hope you are not bored. Don’t forget to comment 🙂