THE PASSIONATE EGO

6: UNEXPECTED

Let's start with a little flashback. Shall we?

Flashback

Manik was immersed in his work at his office when Cabir walked straight inside. 

Typical Cabir. Never knocks.

Cabir came ahead and made himslef confortable on one of Manik's sofa watching sheepishly at him. Even though he looked wierd and Manik couldn't stop analyzing his stupid friend. cabir on the other hand was lost in a diffeent imaginative world. fed up of ths awkward situation in the room, manik called out to him.

" Cabir bro? Are you okay? Do i need to call a mental hospital? " Manik asked raising his eyebrows trying to figure out his buddies body language.

 " Bro we are going on a trip. A freakin awesome TRIP " Cabir replied with a huge smile on his face. 

 " So go pack for you trip. Wait! What do you mean by "WE"? Holy s**t,no I am not going anywhere. I have lots of work and meetings to attend. " Manik replied sternly. 

" Work? Manik stop fooling around with me, i know you. Everytime i look at you, you are always busy daydreaming about THE GIRL. So don't give me your s**t speech about work" Cabir taunted him. 

" Oh shut up. I am not going anywhere and that's final" Manik spoke with a rigid voice trying to end this conversation.

 " Please bro come along with me. You know i can't go anywhere without you" Cabir requested making a puppy face. 

" So don't go. Hardly matters" but Manik was adamant. 

" Bro you're not understanding, even Navya is coming along. Please this is the last time i am asking a favour from you. You'll like her i swear and we'll be accompanied by her friends too. Focus Manik two new girls with us on the trip and i have heard from Navya that they are extremely hot. " Cabir tried every possible way to convince him and at last victory was in his court. 

" Cabir- Ohkay, fine. I'll accompany you but this is the last favour i am doing on you. " Manik finally agreed. 

 " Yaya last favour on me." Cabir mimicked him, " I know who the favours are, that are getting you on this trip".

 "Get lost before I change my mind. " Manik replied with annoyance while Cabir laughed and left his cabin with a victory smirk on his face leaving Manik lost in his thoughts.

Flashback end

So getting back where we left.

Here in office the three best friends were super busy trying to figure out their entire work schedule before leaving for their vacation when they heard a voice that put a smile on their faces.

"Am i interrupting some work?" Cabir asked standing at the door with a coffe holder in his hands.

" Cabirrr " Navya chirped happily and threw her arms around him and he too lovingly wrapped his arms around her. 

Mukti smiled seeing these love birds. And she was happy for them, finally Navya was getting what she deserved and Cabir was a good guy. The scenario was too sweet to handle until a loud thud of a file on the desk was heard and everyone looked at a fierce Nandini looking right through the couple's soul.

" Excuse me Mr. Dhawan can you please leave us? I think you can make out from the mess here that we are quite busy. " Nanz spoke annoyingly with her arms folded infront of her.

 " Oh looks like the superwoman is angry with me. I know i made a mistake and i am sorry for that. I was very busy in office so i got no time to hang out with you guys. Even me and Navya didn't get enough time since the past 3 days. " Cabir explained his side of the story. 

But was it of any use. NO. It was bad enough that he went all MIA on them excaept Navya and to add on that he missed thier movie night too.

 "Please my little one. We'll have a blast on the trip. I swear. No work.' Cabir tried his luck for the second time and as they say Two time is a charm. 

" Trip? " Nandini upped her brows. 

 " Yes the trip. Haven't Abhi informed you guys ? He planned a trip " Cabir tried to explain. 

" Oh so you are the other friend or rather the surprise" Nanz spoke with a huge smile on her face after cracking the great code.

 "Yes i am the surpirse and- well let that be , i hope you guys have packed enough. So we'll pick you up from home ok? " cabir said enthusiastically 

"aye aye captain" The three girls gave him a big salute while Cabir went away laughing at him bundle of joy.

P.S: Cabir has no idea about THE MYSTERY GIRL of Manik. He has never really given a thought about her as he thinks it's some random girl that Manik is obssessed over for just some days. He can never imagine Nandini to be that girl because Nandini choose to keep herself away from the guy trouble because of a few instances of her life.

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Manik POV

Me and Cabir got off at the airport and unloaded our bags while the others hadn't arrived yet. I do hate late comers but it's not their fault this time it's my best friend and i***t Cabir sir's fault since he got us here half an hour early in his super excitement. Sometimes I really doubt if he really is a guy.

Cabir brought me back from my thoughts and we proceeded ahead settling ourselves at Starbucks. WEll what can i say coffee keeps me going and steady.

"So?" Cabir said 

 "So?" I snapped at him irritatingly.

 " So what do we do now ? Any ideas how to pass time?" Cabir asked.

"Oh ofcourse i have a great idea. We can do one thing" I replied with a surpirse in my voice.

"And may i know what that is?" He asked me.

"You can shut the f**k up and not interfere in my work" I replied taking him back at a sudden.

 For a minute silence prevailed between us. I was in no mood to say anything more and well Cabir took his own little IQ time to register my words. 

" Damn bro. Now you'll shout at me. Me? Your greatest and the most affective buddy. It's just half an hour that we hve to kill. Not a lifetime. " Cabir finally said something and i shot a look at him at him mention of mere 30 minutes. I mean i can get a deal in that much time. 

 I pulled myself up to reply a solid ass shot at him when he interrupted me.

 " Forget it. Let's talk about something" He suggested.

" Yup the only thing i needed today" I murmured under my breath. I mean no matter how much angry i am at him, he is still my favourite buddy.

" So?" cabir spoke again 

" so ?" I snapped back.

 " You know what? Let's order something" Cabir said rubbing his palms like a little kid. 

"Always hungry" I murmured.

 But he was right this stupid hadn't even let me eat anything nacl at home so, " Ok " I said.

We ordered our food and it arrived sooner than expected. Maybe because the airport was a lot more vacant today.

After some good 5 minute peace in my life Cabir spoke " So? " again.

Can i just kill this man.

 "So?" i snapped for the millionth time. Literally feels like a millionth in my mind.

 " so what now ?" I continued.

 " you are so dull Manik. I am getting bored, if i had Navya here, she wouldn't have let me get bored. " cabir said 

" So what do you want me to do? Make out with you ? " I said angrily

 " Yuck Manik. Don't you have any shame. I never knew you were gay." Cabir said teasingly 

"Cabir don't irritate me " I said.

" so ?" cabir started his game again and I quickly shot an angry glare at him but before I could say anything he continued " so whats up with your- What was that girl? That journalist's name ? " he asked 

" Nothing. It's because of you that i am not able to find out more about her" I said annoyingly because I was getting more irritated with the mention of her. Already she was all the time roaming in my head since the last week and now for just a  few minutes I was able to get her out of my mind but no, how can this i***t see me in relief.

 " Tell me! What's her name. Navya and her friends are journalists too. May be they can help you find her" cabir spoke and this got my attension. Finally something worthy from him but before i can start my interrogation on him, a girl came running and covered his eyes with her small palm. I wasn't able to watch her face as her long black hairs were covering her face and seeing her like this I can clearly say she is someone close to cabir. Maybe she was Navya.

But no. No. She wasnt Navya. She was Nandini.

Cabir caught hold of her hands and shouted minion while she just jumped up in his arms and replied "Buddy".

Thank god my space is safe.

When she was finally out of his arms, she noticed me and her facial expressions moved from a smile to clear annoyance. The other two joined us too and Cabir started to introducing us.

"Guys this is Manik, my bestest buddy." He introduced me to the girls. 

Mukti and Navya nodded their head positively and shaked their hands with mine while i caught hold of Nandini's. Since Cabir was busy chatting with the other two nobody noticed this little act of mine. Not that i cared but let's just say it's best for the trip.

Nandini kept giving me angry glares but who cares. Yup that is exactly what i thought until he scratched my hands with her long nails. Stupid girls with long nails. And a shriek left my mouth. Great exactly what i wanted right now.

"Bro. Are you okay? " cabir asked mewith concern.

" Nothing just a stupid mosquito" I replied 

Nanz giving me angry glare said "Let's go it's almost time "

We reached the final checking counter and there I met an unexpected person. Abhimanyu. I hugged him. 

"Damn Abhi. How are you man? Long time. Looks like you've changed alot. You don't even talk to me anymore. " I said cheerfully rather teasing him 

" Nothing man. Just stupid office work. You know how harsh it can be" He said 

 " So you liked your surprise" Cabir interrupted our conversation and hugged him.

Ohh yeah... Cabir's surprise 

"i Like it. I mean never expected something good from you" I said teasing him and in the next moment we heard the announcement for our flight.

" Let's go " Abhi said to all of us but Nandini was still in shock with the entire scenario that happened a few seconds ago.

 So Abhi went towards her and said " What happened? Let's go my baby orelse we'll get late. " Nanz shook her head positively and moved ahead with him. 

But this time I got stuck to my place.

What in the hell was "BABY".