LOST LOVE ✔

A DARE

"Hey dude. Mukti is not picking up her phone. By the way, where are the others they are supposed to be here and even Nandini is not here." Manik asked Cabir as he tried Mukti's cell number for the millionth time.

" Manik. Nan......nan..ndini." Cabir stammered as he looked behind Manik to a heartbroken Nandini who stood at the doorway.
" Why are you stammering like you've seen a ghost right now?" Cabir just signalled him to look behind him and as soon as he turned back, his whole world came crashing down. There she stood in a devastated state with tears flowing continuously from her eyes. Manik's heart wrenched in pain as he saw the hollowness creep it's way within her.
" Nandini. Nandini listen it's not what you think or what you just heard." He tried moving closer to her but Nandini gave no response. She kept crying not because Manik did that all for a bet but because right now she felt foolish of herself. She felt betrayed. To love a person who didn't even cared about her feelings.

Manik moved a step forward towards her but Nandini just turned and left the place trying to control her sov. Manik too went behind her as he held her wrist before she could go away from him.

Nandini tried her hard to control her tears and not let manik see her devastated state but it was getting difficult to be around him , the each passing moment. She was struggling hard to get out of his hold but unfortunately Manik was much stronger then her. 
" Nandini listen. Please just look at me." he begged her this time as she stood their all emotionless with a completely blank expression while he made her face him.
" Nandini whatever you are thinking it's nothing like that." he tried to explain but this was 'it' for her. Firstly she was not thinking whatever he was terming as 'it, rather it was him who spoke those words right infront of her and now he thought that she would listen to him.

Nandini turned to leave only to be pulled by Manik until she couldn't bare it anymore. She faced him, ready to scream what all was in her mind at that point of time.

" Listen.. Whhat listen? whatever i just heard and saw wasn't that enough. I should have thought this before that you are just a playboy. A play boy who only knows how to hurt someone's feeling and you want me to listen. Now what will you say? A new story that Nandini whatever you heard isn't true. Do you think i am so foolish? So naive?" she screamed pushing him away while everyone around stood silent at the drama.

" Nandini it's not that. Yes you are right i am a playboy but i did nothing. That bet was placed a long time ago but as soon as i got to know you i don't know when but i fell in love with you. I genuinely love you Nandini." he tried holding her hand again but Nandini warned him by her finger as she said , "Don't"

" Yes Manik. You are absolutely correct. You are not at fault i was a fool to love you. I thought you genuinely cared for me. I saw a spark in your eyes. But you know what I am an idiot who trusted you." she took a step back as he took one forward.
" Nandini please just be calm and listen to me for once. Let's leave from here and talk somewhere in private." Manik looked around feeling awkward by the n number of gazes at them.

"oh i am so sorry. MR MALHOTRA you are getting embaressed here because of me. Am i right? You did all of this for revenge . So get it done with. Complete your revenge, slap me like i slapped you. Just get it done with." She said picking his hand and moving it closer to her cheek as Manik pulled it back before it could touch her. Just then Aryaman came back after attending a call when a guy got a hold of him and told him about the fight. He ran as fast as he could to reach the place where Nandini was shouting. He somehow made his way through the crowd and caught Nandini's hand to stop her.

" Nandini what the hell are you doing? Stop this." he said pulling her back.
" No Aryaman you don't know anything." Nandini struggled under his hold. 
" Manik. Manik you make her understand. What happened? will someone tell me anything. And Nandini you came here to call manik right." asked a very confused Aryaman.
"Aryaman it's just-" Manik felt ashamed of himself as he tried to explain the situation.
" Aryaman i want to go back home right now." stated Nandini before Manik could say anything further to him.
" Yes Nandini we'll leave but tell me why are you crying and moreover we have our fest today and performance tomorrow so- " Aryaman tried calming her down.
" Aryaman i said i want to go home." her words were clear and crystal right now , hence, Aryaman held her hand and turned to go but Manik held her other hand and stopped them.
" Aryaman you don't have to interfere . Nandini listen to me." Manik tried to reason with her.
" why won't he interfere?" Nandink held Aryaman's hand a little more tightly and moved out with him crying. Navya and the others stood there all motionless not able to register all that what was happening. Manik was all shattered. He had no idea what to do now? how to convince Nandini?

All his friends walked upto him as Navya turned him around before planting a tight slap on his face. Manik held his cheeks as Cabir turned Navya in anger.
" what the hell Navya! Why did you slap Manik?" he asked her in a loud tone.
" Oh yes i shouldn't have slapped him. But maybe i should just kill him. Good for us." she snapped back. 
" Navya. " Manik looked down, his hand still holding his cheek.
" Don't you dare take my name. You did so wrong with Nandini. " Navya pointed her index finger at him as she screamed.
" Navya it's not his mistake. I placed this bet not him." Mukti tried handling the situation.
" and why are you over reacting now Manik genuinely loves her. So what's wrong in that. " Alya added.
" Over reacting?" Navya held Manik's arm and pulled him to the place where Nandini had planned the proposal. Everyone saw it as their jaws dropped down on the ground.
"Navya all this? " asked Manik, scared to know the answer.

" Manik . Nandini did this. All of this just for you. Just to tell you how much she had fallen for you. Look at all these red balloons over here because you like red. Look every thing is according to you over here. She has been up since morning just to make you feel special." Navya showed him around as she threw the dlowers at his feet.
" Navya please. " Cabir tried to stop her but she pushed him away too.
" Shut up Cabir. If Manik is your best friend then Nandini is mine.  And whatever he did with her wasn't acceptable." she warned him before she went from there leaving a guilty Manik behind who was eyeing all the decorations that was for him.

" Manik let me just call Aryaman. Hope Nandini is fine." Cabir suggested as he pulled out his phone but stopped when he saw Manik leaving the room.
" where are you going buddy?" Dhruv stopped him.
" I need to get her back and I'll get her back." replied a determined Manik before he stormed off the room.