Âmes Soeurs

Chapter Eight

"Nandini! Come inside, my child! You are one of our favorite contributors!" Smriti, the owner of the orphanage *Little Stars* said to Nandini who was a frequent contributor to the orphanage and moreover,this was Diwali.



"Nanduuuu didiii (elder sister)" The children hugged her to which she reciprocated and gave them sweets.

"Ram bhaiya (brother) ?" Nandini called for.

"Ji (Yes) Madam" Ram came up with big boxes inside the room to which the children started dancing.

"Yeha aapke liye dresses, notebooks, New bags, chocolates hai! Smriti di! Aap distribute kardijiye main lounge me baith rahi hu! (There's dresses, notebooks, new bags and chocolates for them! Smriti di, you distribute it to them while I sit in the lounge!)  I need to call someone" Nandini bid bye to the children and went to the lounge which was just a small yet luxury room with two seats.

As she walked off, she still was looking behind to see the smiling faces of the children. She smiled and was about to walked off when she collided with a very muscular chest. She closed her eyed as she was about to fall, two hands snaked around her waist and pulled her to which she collided with his chest. She opened her eyes and her eyes met his. It was him. Her life time saviour.

As he saw her, his grip on her waist tightened. "Manik tum yeha (Manik! You here)?" Her feary smile changed into a wide one when she saw him.

"Yes!! I come on Diwali to meet the kids! Tum (Yeah! I come in Dilwali to meet the kids, you?) ?" Manik's grip on her waist loosened so not to make her uncomfortable.

"Main bhi (Same here!)" She smiled and looked at her eyes which was so pure and full of care.

"Manikk bhaiyaaa" The kids came up and jumped on him while he was laughing with them.

Nandini looked at him with adoring eyes and smiled at him. 

"Chalo bacchon (Okay children!)!  Buh Bye" Manik and Nandini hugged the kids and went to the main gate.

"So! Urm! Mind if I drop you home?" She smiled and literally giggled "Manik! We are going to be married in some months and look at you" Manik bit his lips "You look really very beautiful" She smiled and said "Thank You Handsome"

"Then let's go" He smiled to which she showed him her hand "Wait a second please! Let me inform my driver" Manik nodded and stood near his car.

"Lets go" She said and he made her sit on the front seat while he took the driver seat.

"Manik! Why do you drive? As in I have mostly seen you driving despite being the richest kid?" He giggled "Actually! You know this car, is my favorite and it's the 18th birthday gift from Dad so you know very close to my heart and that's why! No driver allowed" She smiled "This one is beautiful" A Ferrari California it is,  worth 5 crores.

And at last, he dropped her at her gate but promised to meet her soon due to her lots and lots of insistence of entering his *sasural*

6 P.M.

Murthy family along with many other guests entered the *Paradise* (A house of Malhotras  for festive purposes).





Malhotra Seniors came to Murthy seniors and greeted each other while the youngsters started talking with each other, sitting in a secluded place.

Manik and Nandini were sitting opposite to each other when suddenly Cabir looked at the packed box which was there in Nandini's hands.

*You are looking beautiful! Very beautiful* He sent a message to which her phone vibrated and she opened it and blush crept in her cheeks.



*Tum bhi bohot acche lag rahe ho (Even you are looking very good!) * They were being frank to each other, day be day.



"Are Nandini! What's in this box?" Cabir pointed out when he got to know that they were done with the messaging.

"Woh! Urm..Kuch khaas nahi..Urm actually woh! Manik..Manik ke liye gift (Actually.. Urm! Nothing special.. Urm.. Actually! Manik.. A gift for Manik!) " Sonakshi And Dev smiled at each other due to her shyness while Mukti smiled and Cabir hid his smile. And then there was one, who was totally drooled on her. Like a love sick puppy.

"Ha toh do nah (So give ut to him then) " Cabir urged to which she blushed a little and handed over the box to him to which he smiled and thanked her.

"Humare liye kuch nahi (Nothing for us?) ?" Mukti, the other prankster teased her.

"Yeah!! Mom has kept your gifts with the help of Pawan in your rooms!" She said being the innocent one while Manik looked at her adoringly.

"Humare liye tumhare haatho se nahi layi? (But why didn't you bring us gifts with your own hands just like you did to Manik?)" Cabir teased.

"Actually woh..Ac" And everyone started laughing.

She looked at Manik who smiled at her "Never mind! We were just joking with you" Sona said to which she giggled.

"You are very cute bhabhi" Mukti complimented to which she smiled.

"Let's go to the garden! It's cracker time" Shreya announced and everyone smiling went to the garden to burn the crackers.

Everyone was burning crackers when his eyes fell on her. She was a little far away from all and was laughing, burning the sparklers.

He smiled, took out his phone and captured as much as he could. He then walked to her and slowly slided his hands around her hands and held the sparklers.

He looked at her to find any uncomfortableness but she was not. She was blushing and smiling at him.

"Liking this?" He slowly kept his chin on her shoulder to which she breathed heavily but didn't say anything as she was liking her greek god and their new evolving romance.

"Manik! Wow! They are turning red so quickly" No one could ever say that she was a rich kid. She was just like others and very down to earth, very much like him.

"Yes! They are very beautiful! Just like you"  She blushed dark at his comment which Rithvik and Asha saw and smiled at one another.

The duo were burning sparklers giggling and smiling when suddenly Nandini felt something opened on her back. She widened her eyes as she felt her blouse dori got opened. She looked slightly at him as his front was almost pressed with her. So embarrassing.

His eyes went from the sparklers to her eyes which looked tensed and were at him only. He asked *what?* from his eyes to which She felt very embarrassed and bent her body her a little to which he got a view of her dori. He widened his eyes and looked at others. There were loads and loads of people over here and he can't stake her dignity in front of so many people. He blinked his eyes to which she nodded softly. He surprisingly picked her up and started moving inside to which Cabir said "Is everything alright?"

"Just wanted to spend some time with my to be fiance! You people enjoy" He said and walked inside while all this time, her eyes totally concentrated on the gentleman.

Both the families were smiling while the youngsters were hooting but Manik paid no heed and went inside his room. He made her stand up and went out of the room smiling.

After around 10 minutes, "Nandini! Done?" He asked knocking on the door to which she sighed and said "Manik! It's so frustrating!! It's not tying, Manik!" Manik adjusted himself "Should I help?"

Nandini hummed and stood near the mirror with closed eyes while Manik's fingers touched her milky white skin and drooled over the human doll.

He tied the dori and looked at her through the mirror where her eyes were stuck on him too. His hands were holding her shoulder and both of them blushed as the reflection purely depicted that of a married couple.

He looked at her neck and adjusted her hairs from her right shoulders but was unable to. She blushed very deeply and her hands went to her shoulders and She removed the hair strands, eyes lowered down. Manik smiled as he bent down and kissed her shoulder to which she moaned softly but both of them were disturbed by a knock which led them come into their real senses back. Nandini was blushing hard while Manik went to open the door, equally blushing.

"Chachuu..Chachhi (uncle, aunty) ! Everyone's calling you two" Suhana said and ran downstairs while both of them smiled and both went downstairs to have a gala time with their families, stealing glanced in midst.