Hey guys…sorry for late updates..
Three days have passed since Nandini was attacked in the market… It’s just today’s night and the next day,they all will be divided into their own houses… Cabir will have to return to his own house… MaNan and Navya may separate into different houses… So now there’s only one night left… And Manik is determined to know something… But from whom??
They all are sitting in the common room… Busy chit chatting and doing their work…
Few things have changed since they have been attacked…
1) Manik is 90% sure about Nandini being able to read minds… He just needs to confirm whether she is his mind reader or not…
2) Nandini has a doubt about Manik being her mind reader but she is not confirmed yet… She thinks that they are friends now so he would have told her about him but on the second thought,even she didn’t told him about being able to read minds…
3) Nandini was never left alone… Since she have been attacked twice…
4) Vanshika is having a very strong instinct that MaNan are hiding something from them so she is trying her level best to know it but without any success…
5)Nandini has observed the existing coldness between Manik and Raj during this whole week and she is getting stomach pangs to find out about it…
6)There have been no attack on Nandini since then…
Manik was thinking deeply about how to confirm about Nandini… Suddenly all bid each other good night and went to room… Except Manik and Navya… She stayed back to complete an assignment… So does Manik… Nandini proudly proceeded towards her room…
Abhi :They both have their assignments to complete… Where are you going??
Nandini :Bhai… You always underestimate me… Your sister doesn’t have tortoise speed like her friend and twini… I completed the assignment the day it was given… Tomorrow is the last day for submission… And if not then Mom’s gonna take their class so they are doing it…
She laughs… Abhi joins her…
Abhi :All the best both of you… Mom is really good but when it comes to herbology,no one is as strict as her…
They both also go…
Manik looks at Navya and he recalls that Nandini is her best friend and also twin… She must be knowing about her… He thinks to make her say everything without giving her a chance to doubt…
Manik :Navya…
Navya:Hmmm??
Manik :Why no one ever told that Nandini could read minds..???
Navya at once looks up at him :You got to know it!!! How??
Manik :On the attack day… She said that she read the attacker’s eye and that’s why I guessed it… But she doesn’t know that I know…BTW, if it’s so,she should have told us… But why she didn’t revealed it…
Navya remembers that Nandini asked them not to disclose the truth to anybody… She then recalls the reason for it and the explanation… But all this while,she was looking into Manik’s eyes… She was unaware that Manik too could read minds like Nandini and so,while Navya was looking into his eyes and thinking, Manik read everything….
He was more than elated… His face,at that particular moment had another level of glow…. He wanted to shout,jump and dance to express his happiness but he controlled himself… He even got to know the reason why Nandini hid this fact… If he had wished for anything else on this Earth,it would have also been granted to him… He felt himself that lucky… But poor boy!! Cannot even express his happiness… Else how will he surprise his Nandini?? Yeah… Now he can rightfully claim her his… Coz she belonged to him… And infact that was the promise he had made to his brother and sister … And promises should never be broken… But his chain of thoughts were definitely broken by Navya’s voice…
Navya: Oh nothing serious… It’s just that you know Nandu… How mischievous she is… She wants to play some pranks and do mischieves using her power… That’s all…
Manik giggles Ok… BTW, don’t tell her that I know this… If in case I am going to be the prey,I will try to return the prank back to her…
Navya chuckles Even you aren’t less… Ok… I won’t tell her that you know it now… But please don’t reveal it to Mukti or Cabir…
Manik nods (in mind) Am I fool to inform them and make them tease me… Anyways they tease me regarding Nandini and when they will know that she is my Ms. Mystery,then I don’t know what will happen… It’s better for them to be unaware of it…
They both continue doing their assignment….
THE NEXT DAY….
It’s the house division day… All are excited… Abhi, Cabir and Mukti are seated in their place as they are now the seniors…
Cabir is busy clicking pictures for doing something special for the freshers party…
Mukti is busy questioning Abhi…
Mukti : Abhi… Are you asking me out as a date for the fresher’s party or not?? I swear I won’t come with you if you won’t ask me now… Party is in the evening and you haven’t asked me yet!!!! Will you ask me now??
Abhi (teasingly) :No… I won’t…
He then smiles seeing fuming Mukti …
Cabir (whispering to Abhi) :Bro… Ask her out else she won’t give you any attention…!!
Abhi:That won’t happen… She will go with me only…
Mukti: So you won’t ask me?? (Abhi shakes his head) Fine… Now I won’t go with you… I will go with someone else…
She flares her nose and looks the other side…
There Aryaman is constantly staring Mukti …
Harshad notices it :Aryaman… It’s the right time… Ask her out to be your date for tonight’s party… This chance won’t come again!!
Aryaman nods :You are right… I will ask her soon after the house division… This time I will… BTW,with whom are you going with??
Harshad (lying) :I don’t know know… I have not thought yet… I am finding… In case you find someone plz tell me also…
Aryaman nods… Harshad secretly looks at Nandini and smirks…
In the freshers crowd,all are excited and chit chatting…
Riddhima :So Soha … Excited for the fresher’s party tonight?? Whom are you asking out as a date??
Soha :Well… Soha Khurana never asks anyone out but since it’s a special day and the person is also special,I will asks Manik after the house division… BTW whom are you asking??
Riddhima :No idea… Infact if someone asks me,I won’t deny… (In mind) I just hope Abhimanyu Murthy asks me out…
MaNan and Navya are standing are also chit chatting…
Nandini (teasingly) :So Navu… Cabir asked you as his date or not??
Navya (blushing) :Yesterday only…
Manik :What!! Yesterday!! When?? I mean we were doing assignment till late night… And before that we were together!! I remember he didn’t asked you…
Nandini :Manik … Cabir’s way is different from us… He is in Athena for a reason… Tell Navu,how he asked you out?
Navya (blushing even more and smiling) :I don’t know when and how he kept it there but there was an red coloured letter in my herbology book which was blank… When Manik went to his room,I picked up the book and the letter fell… I used the revealing spell and there it was written WANNABE MY PARTNER FOR TOMORROW AND ALWAYS??… When I looked up, Cabir was standing there keeping his hands in his pockets waiting for my answer… I wrote the answer in the letter and sent it back to him…
Nandini :OMG!!! He proposed you!!! And you are telling this to me now!!! Navya!!!
Navya :Sshhh Nandu… We are in the assembly!! I was about to tell you but you asked it before hand only…
Nandini gets convinced and hugs her…
Manik :Now I knew why he wanted fresh air at midnight..!! I was so sleepy that I couldn’t follow him!! BTW what was your answer??
Nandini :It’s obvious Manik … Who could deny cute proposal?? Right Navu??
Navya blushes… MaNan smile…
Manik :You like these kinds of proposals??
Nandini :No… It’s cute but I am Nandini Murthy … I want the most unique proposal for me… Just like I am…
Manik thinks something and smirks…
Navya :Nandu with whom are you going to the Fresher’s party??
Manik looks at once at Nandini …
Nandini :I don’t know… I am surprised no one has asked me out yet!!
He relaxes…
Navya : They must be afraid… Who knows if you didn’t like them and they had to face the slug curse!!
Nandini and Navya laugh doing hi five… Manik just smiles seeing her…
Vanshika comes up on the stage and once again puts her wand as her microphone…
Vanshika: Good Afternoon my budding witches and wizards… Welcome to the new session of Hecate… Today you all will be admitted to your individual houses which will decide which house are you going to represent for the interhouse competition…
For your every good work,you will be awarded with the house points and similarly for every offense will lead to loss of points… House points can be given to individual student by any faculty member whether teaching or non teaching… Points will be automatically tallied up there at the points board the moment it is added or subtracted… Though you all know till now but still I am making it clear once more…Each house is known by it’s particular characteristic… And you will be admitted according to the chracteristic you posses… You can see the points table up at the ceiling now that’s something which you should take care of from now on as the tension free week is over… From now on each of you will be responsible for the increasing or decreasing of a particular liquid… And V.P Malhotra’s wand will decide the colour you are responsible for… (Calling Nyonika) VP Malhotra …
Nyonika nods and comes up on the stage…
Nyonika :Good afternoon students… You all already know about the rules and regulations of the college till now… So before starting the house divisions,I would just remind you all that no matter in whichever house you might be… You are always going to be a Hecate Student above all… Your house should never effect your unity… Now coming to the house divisions… The first name is… SOHA KHURANA…
Soha smiles and goes up on the stage… Nyonika points her wand upon her and casts the spell…
After the magical dusts uncover her,a green coloured snake tattoo is visible on her right shoulder…
Nyonika announces the house :Daedalus!!!
Everyone claps… Soha goes and sits beside her brother Aryaman… He Pats her shoulder appreciating her…
Nyonika :NAVYA MURTHY..!!
Navya goes up on the stage… Nyonika casts the spell…
A crown is tattooed on the back of her neck…
Cabir claps the loudest out of excitement… MukBhi giggle seeing him… Then they notice MaNan clapping equally loud…
Mukti :Why are they so happy?? Do they knew it from before..??
Abhi :What?? That the three of them will be in same house??
Mukti ignores Abhi for she is angry on him for not asking her out… Abhi remembers it and chuckles…
(They don’t know that CaVya are in a relationship now…)
Nyonika :Athena!!!
Navya joins Cabir and MukBhi on the table…
Nyonika :RIDDHIMA VARDHAN!!
Riddhima goes up… Nyonika points her wand and casts the spell… The green coloured snake is tattooed on her right shoulder as well…
Soha hoots and claps loudly for her… Riddhima is one side Happy for being with Soha but slightly sad as she wanted to be in Abhi’s house…
Nyonika :Daedalus!!
Riddhima goes and sits beside Harshad… She does high five with him…
Nyonika :MANIK MALHOTRA!!
Soha prays that Manik is in her house… Well many girls pray for Manik being in their house… And why won’t they… He is a common heart-throb of all the girls in college… Because of his looks, intelligence and bravery… Yeah!! Everyone knows what happened in knock-turn alley… Such news cannot be suppressed if happens publicly… Same with Nandini… She has everything which a guy wishes for… Right from the looks to intelligence,dareness, boldness, sense of humor, mischieves everything… They are the dream partners of everyone…
Nyonika points her wand at Manik and casts the spell… The magical dusts comes out of it and surrounds him…
Manik can’t see anything around him for there are glittery dusts everywhere and a slight tickling sensation on his whole body… The dusts her surrounding him and rotating around him like a very light tornado… It’s taking longer than usual…
Nyonika looks at her wand in bewilderment… She is sure that she didn’t read the wrong spell… Then why is it happening like this??
Here, Manik’s friends get worried… They suddenly remembered the attack… They all are about to react but just then they notice the pile of dust vanishing and Manik standing there as before… Safe and unharmed…
Nyonika also relaxes…
Manik opens his jacket and looks at his bicep… There it is… The silver sword… He is in the house of bravery…
Nyonika :Arete!!!
Manik proudly walks and joins his friends…
Soha is upset… Riddhima feels bad for her…
Nyonika :NANDINI MURTHY!!
Nandini thinks finally she is called… She walks up on the stage…
Nyonika follows the process… Nandini looks on eagerly… Same happens with Nandini as it happened with Manik… It’s taking more time than usual…
This time Manik gets restless… Rest all others are calm…
Manik :Why is it taking so much time?
Navya :Relax Manik … Even at your time it took this long!!
Manik :But I didn’t feel it!!
Abhi :How it feels??
They all give him a ‘Are you serious’ look…
Manik :Really Abhi?? Weren’t you admitted here in the same house exactly a year ago???
Abhi smiles sheepishly… All shake their head unbelievably….
The dust around Nandini diminishes and she is visible now… All look on curiously…
Nobody notices Manik but he has his fingers crossed under the table…
Nandini turns around and moves her open hairs to the side… She doesn’t checks anywhere else… She was confident about being where she wanted…
All witness the silver sword tattooed on the back of her neck…
Nyonika proudly announces her name as her house tenant :Arete!!!
All clap for her… Manik was very happy… So was Abhi … Both thinking of being together with her (of course in different ways)…
Soha clenches her fist angrily… For MaNan are in the same house… She recalls all her encounters with Nandini … Yes,They faced each other more than once now… And none of them were pleasant… For Soha always wanted to stick to Manik and Nandini being possessive always failed her plan… In all this Manik was the one enjoying… First two beautiful girls were fighting for him… Second his girl was possessive for him… He always smirked and stared Nandini whenever they had a face off…
Nandini comes and sits beside Manik…
Vanshika sees MaNan together from her seat smiling and thinking :I knew it… This wasn’t strange for me at all… It was obvious that the wand was confused about which house it should allot them… They have the capability of being in all the four houses at the same time… But it cannot happen… It had to wait till it knew their choice… After all choices matters… Their journey and path depended on their choice… And I am glad that they made a good choice… Of being together… At the right place…
The house division goes on…. After it’s done, Vanshika again addresses the assembly…
Vanshika :Students… So the house division is done and hence from now on you will be living in your house hostels… Your prefects will guide you to your hostels after your lunch and you need to listen to them and abide by the rules and regulations of your respective houses… Just remember any indiscipline on your part will make your house loose points… The point tally will start from tomorrow’s sunrise… Do as much fun as you want coz you have just one night… And luckily,your seniors have decided to keep this night as the Fresher’s night… Professor Ansh Murthy will share the informations related to it…
Ansh nods and comes up in the middle :Good afternoon fresher’s and congratulations and welcome officially to the Hecate… Well as you know it’s your special day… The Fresher’s night so there are some things which you should remember…
1) No entry without a date… Everyone must have a partner with them… Even the teachers (he looks at Mansi and winks… Mansi glares him but the blushes… Mukti looks at Abhi but he intentionally ignores her… Cabir and Navya look at each other and smile… Manik steals glances of Nandini … So does Riddhima of Abhi… Aryaman and Harshad are busy staring Nandini and Mukti…)
2) Now you have a partner but not the correct dress code,then also you won’t be allowed to enter… So following the dress code is a must…
3) For you my charming boys… It’s formal suits and any accessories you like…
4) My pretty girls,Ethnic Gowns for you all…
5) Once you all are in at the party area,everybody has to dance… No matter what…
So… I am done… Is it clear?? (All nod…) Good then… See you all in the e evening… Have a good day…
After he goes,all have their lunch…
They all are doing to their hostels when Aryaman comes to Mukti …
Aryaman :Mukti … (She turns… Infact all of them turn) If you don’t mind,Will be my date for the evening???
Mukti was hesitant in answering… She then looks at Abhi who is not at all reacting… He just stands their and looks casually as if he doesn’t cares…. This angers Mukti…
Mukti :Why would I mind Aryaman?? And on a second place who would deny such a sweet gesture… I would love to be your date for this evening…
Aryaman gets elated… He thanks her and tells her that he will pick her from her hostel… Mukti nods… Aryaman goes…
Mukti turns to look at rest…
Four of them are standing there open mouthed… While one is in utter shock…
Manik :Mukti??? You?? Just now?? Really??? But Abhi???”
Mukti:I swear Manik I am not getting a word…
Navya :What about bhai?? And how could you agree to Aryaman when bhai is there??
Mukti (smirking at Abhi) :Actually some people have taken me for granted… They think that no matter what, Mukti will stick to them… So it was to make them realize that Mukti Malhotra has a much bigger and better attitude than many people!!
She is still smirking…
Cabir :Nandu?? Did you say those lines just now from Mukti’s mouth??
Nandini glares him :She is my friend..!! We are bound to be same in some cases!!
Abhi’s ego is hurt… He never thought that Mukti would such with him… He was just teasing her… How can he go without her but she!! What she did was too much… Now he will show her the charm of Abhimanyu Murthy…
Abhi :Just wait and watch now…!!
Mukti Crosses her arms looking at him carefree… The rest four are tensed…
Abhi goes from them a few steps away but he is audible…
Abhi :Hey Ms. Beautiful Vardhan…!!
Riddhima turns :Well thanks but it’s Riddhima.
Abhi :Wow you are as melodious as your name… (Riddhima blushes) BTW, someone asked you out or not??
Riddhima :No… Still no invitations… I am still waiting…
Abhi :Thank God… I still have the chance… So Ms. Vardhan,may I have the pleasure of taking you as my date for the Fresher’s night??
Mukti straightens her arm… The tension increases among the four… Mukti is fuming now…
Riddhima gets elated… She got what she wanted… Abhi is asking her out finally…. Her happiness cannot be expressed… She nods vigorously in excitement…
Abhi :Ok then… Be ready… Coz we are going to blow the minds together…
Abhi goes from there to hostel smirking at Mukti … Mukti Stamps her foot and goes to hostle as well…
Navya :I think I should go to Mukti…
Cabir :And me to Abhi …
They both rush behind them leaving MaNan alone…
Nandini :Well that was really unfortunate…
Manik :I am sure Mukti must have started this… Coz Abhi is sensible…
They are interrupted by Harshad …
Harshad :Hey Nandu …
Both MaNan look at him questioningly… Manik doesn’t like his way of calling Nandini … He has not called her like that… How dare he!!
Nandini :It’s Ms. Nandini Murthy for you…
Harshad :I am sorry…. Ms. Nandini Murthy … (Nandini nods) Well I just wanted to ask you out for this evening… If you are not having a date already, may I have the privilege???
He speaks while spreading his right hand asking for her approval… Nandini looks at him…
Manik (in mind) :Will she agree?? No… She won’t… But what if she does!!!??? No!!! I cannot let the same happen with me which happened with Abhi!! We are not even in relationship that she will have the excuse to say him no… No… I cannot just stand here and stare like spectator as Abhi did at Mukti’s time… I have to act..!!
He immediately puts a hand on her waist by side and pulls her closer to him…
Nandini looks at him shocked…
Manik :Sorry… She isn’t free… We are each other’s date for the evening… So you cannot have this privilege now as I am the Lucky one here…
Nandini (in mind) :He just called himself Lucky for he is going with me tonight!!! Did I hear right or was I dreaming??
Harshad nods being shocked and embarrassed and leaves from there… He didn’t expect that will happen… He feels humiliated in front of Nandini … He comes to his friends…
Aryaman :So bro?? She agreed??
Harshad :No… She is going with Manik Malhotra!!
He fumes… So does Soha…
Soha (in mind) :This Nandini!! She again came between Manik and me!!
Riddhima :Now even Soha doesn’t have a date… So Soha, why don’t you and Bhai go together??
Both look at each other… Aryaman agrees to it… Both of them nod…
Here MaNan are looking at each other…
Nandini :When did this happened now??
Manik :Just in that way by which our group for potions assignment was formed…
Nandini smiles… So does Manik….
Nandini :But I have a problem with Soha…. Everyone knows…
Manik :Ok then even I have a problem with Harshad … Now is it ok??
Nandini nods… She steps to go but realizes Manik is still holding her…
Nandini :Mr. Malhotra, you will be able to take me for the evening only if you leave my waist for now…
Manik at once releases her… Nandini smiles and goes from there…
Manik (smiling widely) :Look now… Your Mr. Frowning Arrogant Brat Malhotra has become Mr. Lover Boy Malhotra … And you have made me this Ms. Nandini Murthy …