The next day when Manik and Nandini walked downstairs, the dining room was already bustling with laughter and chit chatters of their friends. Everyone except for Cabir and Navya were already there.

As soon as their eyes fell on the couple, they knew they were not going to be spared today. And as on cue, Aryaman was the first one to speak.

Aryaman: look who has decided to grace us with their presence!

Nandini blushed red, not being used to all the teasing while Manik just looked smug walking beside her. He had his fingers entwined with hers and when she tried to pull her hand away, he only tightened his hold with a glare that was more for show and dramatics.

Nandini: I told you they are going to tease us!

Nandini whispered to him.

Manik: Let them, Are you going to leave my hand at little teasing?

Manik pouted, in the middle of the stairs making her stare at him in surprise, all previous shyness flying away.

Nandini: And you are what? Five years old?

Manik shrugged and pulled her even closer.

Mukti: Is he trying to dissolve her inside himself?

Aryaman: Ew, they are gross. I never thought I would see Nandu being romantic like this.

He faked gaged to display his surprise.

Madhayam: Awe, aren't they so cute?

Three voices took their attention. Manik smiled at Madhayam and glared at the other too even as everyone else laughed and agreed with them.

Just as they sat down, Cabir and Navya came rushing in from the opposite ends. They were near the table when they both bumped into each other. Everyone else looked all ready to tease them when suddenly Navya pushed Cabir away, standing straight and leaving the dining room without another word.

Cabir said nothing even as hurt flashed across his face at Navya's behaviour. He simply sat down, as if pretending that they just didn't witness Navya pushing him away rudely. For a few moments, he avoided all of their gazes and concentrated on eating.

Manik: What was that?

Cabir: Nothing? Isn't the food too delicious today?

Manik: Cabir -

Nandini held his hand in mid and shook her head. Manik sighed but understood. Cabir didn't need to hear him advice on love. He knew already, and he was trying. Sighing, he tried to cheer Cabir up along with everyone but in vain.

°°°

Manik: I really thought things were getting better between these two.

Manik exclaimed, surprised and a little upset that he had failed to see how upset Cabir had been over the past few days. Cabir had always managed to read him like an open book but Manik couldn't do the same.

Nandini didn't agree with him.

Nandini: No. Navya doesn't want to accept her feelings, Manik. She told me. She thinks it is just infatuation, it is too soon to be loved.

Manik shook his head in dismay. If Cabir and Navya falling for each other was infatuation then what would one say about him and Nandini? About Mukti and Abhimanyu? Was it all infatuation?

Manik: Why don't you try and talk to her?

Nandini let out a sigh. Of course, she had done it already and countless times. She had tried her best but her friend was way too firm on her assumptions to even consider Nandini's words.

Nandini: I did, Manik. But Navya is still hurting from whatever happened in the past. She still blames herself.

Manik fell silent. He could not argue because he did still blame her friends for leaving her side back then. However, it also didn't mean he thought they were not deserving of love. Everyone deserved to be loved. Unless they were Niyonika Malhotra.

Nandini: I do have an idea though. We can help them.

She smiled, and Manik read the mischief in his eyes. He almost rolled his eyes but the smile covering his lips betrayed him. Nandini laughed as she told him what they had to do and if Manik thought the idea was way too cliche, he wasn't going to convey the same to Nandini.

Nandini and Cabir had different bonding He would let them sort it out later on their own.

According to Nandini's plan, and with a little involvement from their friends, Mukti and Abhimanyu pretended to fight. Aliya suggested shopping to cheer up Mukti and Nandini agreed. The girls just needed to pull Navya in.

Navya did sense something weird about them but she couldn't exactly pin point what it was.

Navya: You know how suspicious you are all being?

Nandini: We are not. It is you who is going paranoid because of someone particular, Navya.

Nandini chuckled and when Navya raised a brow, she shrugged her shoulders. Navya then turned to Mukti and Aliya who had no reply for her as well. Mukti instead started a string of complaint against her husband which Navya could not believe.

Abhimanyu was not insensitive. He made sure to shower his wife with time and love. Navya huffed but then let go of the matter. After all, after so many days they were hanging out and they were all happy, except for Mukti but Navya believed it wasn't a big deal. By the end of the day, Mukti will be romancing her insensitive, busy - according to her - husband in some random corner of the house.

All the while, Navya ignored the hints of lingering sadness in her heart. She knew what her heart wanted and she was aware the only one stopping her was her own mind. She couldn't accept Cabir.

Cabir. His name alone managed to bring a smile on her face. Cabir was everything Navya was not, or everything she was before but had left behind now. He was cheerful, a contrast to her present strict self. He laughed without thinking, opposite to her own self who weighed every single word before speaking.

Cabir was a rainbow in her sky that had witnessed the worst of rain, like Manik was a light in Nandini's darkness, Cabir was in hers but while Nandini held the strength to embrace the light - late but there, Navya didn't have it in herself.

She was too broken to be able to love someone like him. Someone who looked past her mistakes, who wanted to love her despite her wrong doings.

Navya was so lost in her thoughts that the time went in blur for her. They shopped, laughed and teased each other except, Navya could hardly participate.

It was not until they walked in the cafeteria when Nandini's phone rang flashing Manik's name and she picked it up with the brightest smile only for her smile to diminish in seconds.

Nandini: What!? Cabir?

Nandini looked so shocked as she heard Manik from the other side. The girls frowned and before Navya knew, she was looking at Nandini with questions on the tip of her tongue.

Navya: What happened to Cabir?

When Nandini didn't answer, Navya moved closer to her.

Navya: Nandini, what's wrong? Is he fine?

Nandini shook her head in no, looking down and a tear and two escaped her eyes.

Navya: You are scaring me, Nandu. Tell me, is Cabir fine?

Nandini: Cabir- Cabir got into an accident, Navya. We need to go. It is nearby but there's a heavy traffic jam. Manik is coming along with other guys! We need to reach him!

Navya's eyes widened and within seconds she was running out of the cafeteria zone and the mall, pressing her phone against her ear to ask Manik the exact location.

°°°

Cabir was stupid. He should have known better than to let this stupid woman have her way with him. Seriously, Cabir had shut up his school teachers, college professors and even his principal on multiple occasions. He could win against anyone but the woman he had grown so fond of.

When did it happen? He had no idea. Why was he running in the middle of a traffic jammed road? He had no idea. Where was his phone? He had no damn idea.

Navya got into an accident. Manik's words echoed in his mind again and again. Cabir was sure Navya would drive him insane one day. There was a time when he didn't even look at a woman with that gaze, and now here he was, running in the middle of the road for Navya Thakkar.

Amidst the crowd that looked at him like he had grown two horns on his head, Cabir's eyes fell on the figure running towards him. Navya looked no better than himself with tears streaming down her face.

She must have seen him too for she stopped at a safe distance from him. Cabir would go crazy if he stopped right now. That's why he pushed forward and slammed himself in her arms.

Cabir: What the fuck is wrong with you?

Navya gasped in his arms, confused and shocked. What was even happening? She pushed him away, and ignored the way his scanned her whole, as if making sure she was alright.

Their friends presence amidst the forming crowd around them was ignored.

Cabir: Navya -

Navya suddenly pushed him back with a hand against his shoulder. Cabir tried, but she pushed him back again.

Navya: I should ask you this. What are you doing here? Accident? You got into an accident? You would have gotten hurt! Are you an idiot or what? Do you not know how to walk on the road?

Cabir frowned.

Cabir: I got into an accident?

Navya: So did I get into one!?

Cabir: Yes! Do you know how worried I was? I ran all the way here, I didn't even know which mall you were at!? I was going crazy!

Navya: You -

Navya couldn't complete for Cabir was already reaching forward and kissing her, right then and there. She gasped again, and her eyes wandered around to spot their friends. They all looked happy, grinning and even recording them.

It took a few seconds before the whole thing registered in her brain but by then Navya was already past hesitation. She pulled Cabir closer, closed her eyes and kissed him back with equal force.

°°°

Abhimanyu: That was fierce.

Manik: I didn't know Cabir could be so romantic, wow.

Cabir ignored him, too busy fuzzing over Navya while his friends looked at in surprise.

Nandini: What are you talking about? He has always been like that.

Dhruv: Exactly and you both don't get to talk. You are even worse.

Harshad: You are no better honestly? Do I need to remind you how many times I catch you with my sister? You both aren't even married!

Aliya: Bhai!

Harshad shrugged.

Madhayam: Honestly, who says you need to marry to do such stuff?

Sid: I agree.

Aryaman: He is saying that because he has a thing for his secretary.

Sid: Hey, I don't! It is her who asked me out.

All he got in chorus was 'and you agreed' from Aryaman, Madhayam and Harshad. Nandini and Navya now stared at him in surprise.

Manik: Okay fine, guys. Let's go and eat? I am hungry!

They all agreed and decided to eat at a restaurant nearby. Nandini's phone rang the moment they entered in and she excused herself to take the call while the others walked ahead.

However, when even after fifteen minutes Nandini didn't return, the others got worried and Manik came outside to check on her only to realise Nandini was nowhere. He checked the entrance, the parking and then the washroom too, all the while calling Nandini again and again but in vain.

On the third try, the call didn't connect. Manik's hands were shivering and he could hardly take a step by the time he reached the others. At the end, after several futile attempts to call or find her, they all decided to check the cctv footage outside the restaurant, hoping all the while that it wasn't what they were thinking.

But alas, life doesn't go as we plan. In the morning, Manik had Nandini wrapped in his arms, he was kissing her forehead and she told him she had plans for them in the evening.

But now, Manik was staring at the screen, the cctv footage showing Nandini talking on the call and someone bumping into her. Her bag fell down and when Nandini bent down to pick it up, she was out of the frame while the man who sat down to help her was taking out a handkerchief and a small bottle from his back pocket before he lunged forward.

It was all they got.

Nandini was kidnapped.