That's it

I can hear noise and can feel movements near and a person speaking rather shouting can also be heard. I tried to open my eyes, it was total black and my eyelid refuse to separate from each other and after a long time struggle I opened my eyes to see a person sitting in his knees. The picture is not so clear and slow the blur image cleared and able to see the person kneeling besides. As everyone's guess it is Manik Malhotra who have now changed his dress, gelled his hair as if he was ready to walk on a ramp, only missing is the confidence that was taken over by worry. Wait Manik is sitting in front with his dress dried, so who helped me from drowning and carried away from the sea?

"Nandhini, if you have expected someone might have rescued you like in cinema then you are wrong, the actual heroes saved you are those two" I rolled my eyes to Cabir's comment and it doesn't need Einstein brain to guess whom he has mentioned about. Cabir nowadays started to tease me and Manik in public and so fearless.

I just turned my head to sea who actually saved me then it was those two people who are sat back of my head, Mukti and Navya.

"Are you ok?" Mukti and Navya asked at the same time with concern. I just nodded and assured with eyes.

Abhi is standing near Mukti with so much worry and smiled at him and his stiffen posture relaxed.

Manik helped me to sit straight and as soon as I sat, he started to shout.

"What's wrong with you, if you don't know swimming then why did you jump from the edge" Manik yelled at me. What's wrong with today's climate? Everyone is shouting from the morning.

"It's my prayer to my Aiyappa, if I come to lonavala then I will jump from high point not bother about my life" I said irritation.

"What?"

"Then what? Who will jump if that person don't know swimming, one people who lost their mind like you will do that"

I know Manik is shouting at me because of the concern but at least he should redefine his question rather than these dump ones. He was glaring at me.

"I was just standing at the edge and seeing below and I lost balance and felt. It is like something pushed me from behind" I told him.

"It is not something it is someone" Mukti announced and her eyes splitting fire at Veebha who is feeling guilty standing beside Alya.

"Who is that someone" the irritating idiot now shouting at Mukti.

"Wo..." Veebha tried to speak. after taking some time to relax herself she started speaking.

"I am sorry Nandhini, seriously I didn't do it deliberately, it was just an accident" Veebha told and I felt someone pressing my right and turned my eyes to that direction.

Navya nodded her head and hold tighten her hold in my hand to inform me that what Veebha saying is true. Before our sign language the irritating idiot started his investigation with Veebha.

"You pushed her?" Manik asked Veebha with half accusation and half doubt.

"Manik, it was an accident. When I was bending and taking my wet clothes kept there, the stick in my hand accidently pushed Nandhini" Veebha tried her best to explain but Manik's glare making her weak.

"Why did you bring that long stick there?" He asked her again.

"Manik, she told it was an accident why you are shouting. Sure my ear drum need a treatment"

"Nandhini, I was asking her..."

"Manik you definitely need to know difference between shouting and asking"

"Nandhu, he is shouting just because he is worried for you, why are you fighting with him?" Abi my peace maker anna spoke.

"Abhi, I am fine now right? Then why need to worry, it was an accident just leave it here and go..." I side hugged him and he understood what I didn't spoke.

During our return our banter continued. First he fights with me to come with him in his car. Then he fights with me to lie on the back seat there was a small injury in my waist because of my great fall. It was so small and he made big issue out of it. I love sitting in passenger seat while travelling in car but this guy is not allowing. Seriously this guy will makes me one-day crazy.

------------------------------

"Nandhini, I am going for shopping with Soha tomorrow evening, you are coming?"

"Navya, seriously last Sunday you went with Fab5 and its not even 2days, you are going shopping again?" This girl seriously crazy.

"Don't say you forgot coming Sunday it's Soha's birthday?"

"Aiyappa, how did I forgot. Thank you so much Navya, you just saved me

my life otherwise I don't know what trick Soha will use to make me join her crazy club" Seriously Navya is my saviour. For last 3 weeks Soha tried lot ways to add me into her Manik fan's club. It seems lot of friends have moved due to their career and there was shortage of members due that the area president not allowing them to contact any meeting.

I wonder what they speak in those meeting?

If she by chance know that I forgot her birthday then Nandhini Murthy will be emotionally blacked to join that crazy club.

"So now you know, what have you decided to gift her?"

"It is kind of surprise for her that I decided long back, before that I need to confirm something" With that I dialled Manik's number.

"Manik, are you free this Sunday?"

"I guess so, wait..." He made conference call with his PA and asked about his appointment and he disconnected his PA's call.

"I am free after 1 pm, why you are asking?"

"So we will have lunch on coming Sunday, is that ok?" I was so happy that he is free.

"oh..oh.. hold on Nandhini, why you are so excited, what's special this Sunday"

"I told you my friend who is Crazy about you and she is the one who made me to listen your song, you remember"

"oh yeah I remember, her name is Soha right? She is crazy fan of me watches all my shows interviews. So you are bringing her with you for the lunch"

Why he is now so excited now, arg.

"Manik, name any of your fan now."

"What, why suddenly?"

"Just say any name of your fan, except Soha"

He took sometime but he could not say any name.

"You don't remember any name and how come you remember Soha's name"

He didn't remember Jennifer, one of his fan who made a crazy video of her's proposing Manik in social video two weeks before. It went so viral and Soha was the one showed me the video. He remembers Soha's name that I told two months back but not Jennifer's .

"Nandhini is your and the one who unofficially introduced to me and my music to you, how can I forget her, she is so special and I am so excited she will join the lunch..."

"First of all it's her birthday coming Sunday and we are having lunch and Navya and myself will also join the lunch. For god sake stop your excitement as if you are going dinner with your girl friend alone."

I was so irritated because of his excitement. Why this stupid is so excited?

I am definitely going to kill him.

Should I cancel the lunch.

I have not said anything to Soha, so still I can cancel the surprise.

Yes, that is the better one, I will say Manik that she went to abroad to celebrate her birthday with her parents.

Aiyappa why I am behaving like a jealous girlfriend.

What got into me so sudden. No, Nandhini you are doing wrong. Soha is your friend and she is crazy fan of Manik, she will be so happy if you made her join lunch with him. She is your friend, Nandhini.

I felt a strong stare from back of my head like drilling hole in my head.

Aiyappa, in all mess between Manik and Soha, I just forgot Navya is standing here, please save. By now she must have question bank of 100 page that I don't have answer for even one question.

"Áre you sure, you and Manik are just friends?"

60.Her birthday

"Ahhhhhhhhh" a heard loud feminine voice shouting and I immediately jerked from my nap. I was working in my laptop and didn't realize when did I snooze.

I hear the noise again and I am sure the 4th remote going to be shattered today. In this one month Abi brought 3 remotes which was broken due to my and Navya's fight. She very well knows I have this wired kind of phobia or loud noise but to still irritated me she will increase the volume to highest.

Do you know she is doing all these as revenge for not preparing her so called coffee. I was busy these days that I don't have enough time but she should be understanding friend and help me but big NO. She is just adding the problem to the already existing list.

I quietly came to the hall where the almighty is watching the TV without making the noise. It seems that the almighty is really watching TV that she was so into the scene, may it is some climax I guess, where some villain is chasing the heroine and the heroine tried to help herself and at last she went inside a room and locked it. And outside the hero is coming in the bike, of course to protect the heroine. The villain is trying hard to break the door of the room and for sure the villain cannot break till the hero reach even the villain is so gigantic and strong or villain will only able to break the door only few seconds before hero entry so that the hero can help heroine. If this is same scenario in between the film or starting of the film, we cannot guess but if it is climax we can be sure that hero will definitely protect the heroine. This is the logic I cannot understand with these stupid movies, so dramatic, so illogical.

I take my mobile took picture of the TV and then created an add in OLX for selling a TV. Let's see what will be Navya's next target to irritate me.

I sat beside her and she saw me doubt eyes that may be wondering why I am not shouting at her for the high volume. Abi came home after his shift and rested in the couch besides me. Abi is working hard in these three weeks that he started to go hospital even in his holidays. I know the doctor profession is dough and always keep them busy but Abi is still intern and he could at least rest for one day.

"Why you are straining so much, take rest tomorrow, don't go tomorrow" I started to massage to his head and he slowly slide his head to my lap.

"See you are so tired" I tried again but I get a smile in return from him and I know there is no use further.

"Says who is skipping the meals for that stupid project. Impossible both sister and brother" Navya glared at us and now my turn to give that sly smile to her.

"Wednesday is holiday for both of you?" Abi asked and I don't have any idea and turned towards Navya.

"What makes a big difference? Holiday or no holiday both of you going to work anyway then why you are asking?" We didn't react as now a day when we started to speak about our work we never we consider Navya all of sudden become invisible that whatever we started to be mum whatever she complains about busy schedule. If we try to defend our self, then it like voluntarily entering into enemy's tent without weapon.

I heard the same noise girl shouting while a man chasing her. Does Navya seeing the same movie once again, today it is not end of the remote but Navya's. I get up from the bed but didn't heard the noise now, and the time now is around 3 am, so Navya won't be watching TV, that means I am dreaming about that scene.

Did I become sick that I am dreaming about the scary scene not any other good one?

But my dream seems like Déjà vu.

I drank water and tried to sleep again cursing myself, who can I curse for my stupid and idiot dream.

Again I am getting same scene but I can see myself running and a Jumbo is chasing me and I went into a room and then I find some secret path and going inside and I hit on a cupboard and a book or rather dairy like thing fell down.

That's it, I woke up.

I get blurred image of the same again and now I get why I felt that it seems so real. It was same happened to me while I was staying in Manik's guest house and what about the dairy think?

I saw some notebook there and it seems like diary to me same like my dream but whose dairy is that?

It seems like that the notebook needs to be hided otherwise why they kept in that dark underground but rather that hiding that they would have destroyed it.

It seems like that dairy like thing need be hided and also protected.

Aiyappa, I should have joined CID, why you become software engineer?

'Your aspiration for your career changes every month, better hope up with what you have'

I heard the voice and decided to shut up.

But I want to know more about the notebook, is it related to Manik?

"What are you doing this Sunday afternoon" I asked Soha and her face instantly become bright.

"Why do you have surprise for my birthday? I am so excited, this Sunday afternoon..." the instant brightness become to disappear slowly and I can she have some plan. Thanks Aiyappa for my proactiveness that I asked Manik for dinner also what if Soha have some other plan for lunch after all it her birthday.

"I even ok with dinner also"

"For dinner also, I have some plan...." She dragged now and I know clearly she is doing purposely to irritate me.

"I planned the best surprise for you definitely you are not able to forget either this birthday or my surprise. It's ok, if you are not free, it's your loss." I played along.

I thought Soha don't know meaning of word patience but actually she doesn't even aware of the existence of word patience. From day I told I have surprise for her, every one hour she called me and ask what is my surprise for her. Such a kid she is. Thanks to Aiyappa today is Sunday, she will be kept busy whole day and she won't be able to torture me.

I have this habit of getting the exact time of a person's birth and call that time and wish them and if it is at night then I will call at the time of sun rise time. Amms used tell me that a new day starts only when the sun rise, so I will call most of them at morning at sun rise to wish for their birthday.

I called Soha morning wished her and asked her to come the venue and informed her to come well dressed. What if she come in her casual and see Manik and she will fry me in pan without oil.

I asked Navya to inform the timing to her new brother. If you wonder who is Navya's new brother it is none other than the great Manik Malhotra.

"It's you surprise right, then you have message or call, I am not involving in it" She very well know we had a fight and we are not speaking though she has the guts to say what she said, urghh!!!

I messaged him to remind the time and venue.

Immediately message pop in my mobile.

Monkey Malhotra: I remember exactly what I need to do and when I need to do unlike someone who forgot having lunch and dinner.

If again wonder, why we fought then it is simple issue but Manik has the power to see small petty thing as big one.

I used to skip meals when I was stressed or sad. These two weeks I am continuously working on my project and as usual I skipped lunch and dinner continuously for two days. I really have no glue have Manik knows and out of nowhere he called and shouted me for one hour without telling the reason. In that one hour I have no idea why I am like dump hearing all his scolding and at last he told the reason.

I know I should have kept my mouth shut as mistake is at my side but my impulsiveness acted and shouted at him and we are now not in talking terms for three days.

Though Navya says that she informed Manik accidently not intentionally but I have doubt that she would have told him intentionally, after all she is Navya and she knows I am not reacting to her scolding's which I am almost used to it so she used her another way and that is her new lovely brother.

As informed Soha reached the hotel on time with her red with black off shoulder dress and black combination and swirl at the end. Have you remember this dress, this is the same dress I choose for myself for Pongal and Soha order the same dress with little different in design for her birthday. Crazy Manik Malhotra fan.

She is wearing red and it's his favourite colour, I don't know what how he will react and I also asked Fab5 to come so that he won't tease more. Nandhini with Manik and Soha that with presence of Navya, I really can't bear them so I called other Fab5 also to join little later which will be surprise for Manik and Navya.

It's been 30minutes but Manik didn't came, no sense of time at all.

I messaged him.

Me: Someone told that they know what they need to when they need to do everything but it doesn't seem like that.

Monkey Malhotra: Just turn to your right and you will know automatically.

As soon as I turned my right there standing the dashing Manik Malhotra with extra handsomeness.

Why?

Of course he very well known to irritate me. Soha was speaking to Navya that she didn't realize his presence and once he moves forward and Soha saw him, I automatically closed my ears and eyes knowing she will shout like a hell, but for 5minutes there is no response from her, I saw standing like statue.

Once I open my eyes she started to shout and cry, expected reaction but why late that after I removed my hands from my ears?

She was crying and jumping and Manik is feeling uncomfortable, Navya somehow controlled her and suddenly she hopped and reached me.

"This is your surprise?" she asked before nodding she hopped on me to squeeze the life out of me.

She was saying thank you's and hugging me and then continued same to Navya.

And she turn towards Manik, and asked..

"can I hug you?" as usual before the response she squeezed his life out of him.

If she is not waiting for response then why that stupid asking the question, idiot.

I can say he is totally not comfortable but flashing his fake smile to us.

"Happy birthday" once he told Soha left him, why he took so long to say.

"Omg...omg ..omg, you are real right? Or I am dreaming?" she asked him and he nodded his head with smile which is genuine now.

"You just try murdering by hugging still you have any doubt that whether you are dreaming?" She turned toward me and pouted for that Navya and Manik laughed and sit on the chair.

"We four are here then why you booked 10-member table?" Navya asked me before I could answer Fab4 and later Abi joined later.

Soha once again squealed and hugged all Fab4 and I introduced Abi to her.

Though Soha is new to everyone but she easily mingled with everyone. We enjoyed as usual with enjoyed our time and out of nowhere they decided to play truth or dare.

"Guys, for all your information if you want game to interesting then no truth to Nandhini and Abi" Navya told.

"Why this partiality for us alone?"

"What why partiality, watching porn is crime for you and for your brother even bunking class and bitching about teacher is biggest crime, then what is the use of truth to both of you"

Everyone laughed as if it is some brilliant joke, I stare at everyone and they tried to control their laugh.

"Then add one more to the list" Alya told and paused and Fab5 alone laughed now except Dhruv.

"Okay then it is dare for Abi, Nandhini and Dhruv and for rest it is normal" Mukti announced.

Everyone enjoyed and after long time I felt relieved and forgot about my project.

After Fab5 exited, Soha once again hopped on me to squeeze my life out.

Soha was so happy and I could see that in her eyes and that's all what I want for her and I am sure it is one of her memorable birthday.