"Bhai" I whispered

"Nandini he"

"Shh it's okay, I jsut want to let you know I am going to go send the night in the orphanage. Please don' question anything and let me be for a bit"

"Nandini but its your"

"Its okay bhai" I interrupted him

He gave me a sad smile so I leaned up and kissed his cheek

I packed a few clothes and my notes which I had photocopied for manik as well. I went out of my room and saw bhai standing there.

"Bhai get him to have some healthy food"

"Nandin please don't"

"Its not because of him, I just need some time alone"

"But"

"Please bhai"

"Fine" he said

I didn't even go to check up on manik, I asked bhai to drop me at the orphanage and he did.

"Im coming back to pick you up tom" he said

"Bhai"

"Shh count to 10" he said

"Why"

"Do it"

I pouted but nodded counting to 10.

"10" I said and he smiled

"Happy birthday cutie" he said kissing my head

"Thank you bhai"

Yup it was midnight, it was my birthday today, a day I used to enjoy a lot with manik becasue he always was the first one to wish me and the last one to wish me before the next day.

Its funny how fast nights change and how quickly others become priority but hey at least bhai remembered.

"Nandu ill stay with you" he siad

"No bhai it's fine"

"Tomorrow afternoon im coming back to pick you up" he stats

"Okay but please don't say anything to manik"

"But he"

"Please" he nodded.

He sat down at the orphanage with me for a little bit but then I forced him to go back home. The orphanage has a lot of good memories for me so the aunty here loved that I was back for a day

I just laid down and distracted myself with notes as I studied but my head was going back to manik's words and how he feels suffocated.

it was kind of like he didn't care what I said but there was one thing that had to be told to manik and I will tell him tommorow. I mean I tried before too but he refused to listen and said I was losing it but tommorow when I go back I will tell him again

The whole night I studied and then the next day I went to college and walked in my bio class which I had with manik and soha.

There was a flicker in my heart, a hope that he will remember what day it is but I was wrong. He walked inside with soha and his eyes met mine for a split second but he looked away.

I took a deep breath and wrote my notes as the prof lectured. Once the class was done I walked over to manik's desk and soha smirked at me

"Don't smirk at me girl" I said raising my eyebrows at her

I was done being the nice nandini

"Excuse me" she said

"Tell you what, you have mhmm about 5 hours to tell him the truth or I will" I said and manik's face hardened a bit

"What truth" she asked

The smirk on her face was gone making me smirk

"You know soha"

"Nandini what are you doing" manik asked

"I wasn't talking to you manik" I said walking away from them

The rest of the day was blah and bland, after classes I went home becasue bhai texted me and asked to come home.

As soon as I entered confetti bursted through making me shiver a little but seeing everyone was there wearing birthday hats made me smile

"Happy birthday cutie" they all screamed making me smile wider

"Thank you" I whispered

mukti came and put a birthday hat on me and navya brought out the cake

I cut the cake as they sung happy birthday for me, I took the first bite and walked to manik like every year

"You forgot me manik but I would never" I said feeding him the first bite

A sad smile covered his face, I knew he was sad but I was hurt. I had been hurting for a while, 6 months to be exact.

I fed everyone the cake except soha, we were all sitting down when manik got up and walked to me sitting beside me

"Butterfly" he whispered

The whole room went silent hearing him, my throat closed a bit as I chocked on the emotions. Its been 6 months since he has called me butterfly

"I think you have lost the right to call her that" bhai said

i saw manik's face drop.

"Manik are you okay" soha asked coming closer to him and sitting in his lap

"Im fine" he said but he wasn't

God, even a child could tell he wasn't fine, but his own girlfriend can't figure that out

"He isn't fine yet but he will be after you tell him the truth or should I soha" I asked

"What truth" she asked

"Manik" I said and he looked at me

"Soha doesn't love you" his face didn't harden, his face didn't change expressions

It was almost like he didn't care

"I do love him, what makes you say that" she asked getting off his lap

"Mhmm I don't know soha maybe we should call aryaman"

Her face drained blood hearing aryaman's name

"Aryman who" bhai asked

"Oh just her actual boyfriend and manik's competitor for the next match that he has" I said

"What, no what are you talking about" she stammered

"Ya it took a bit to find out but maybe you shouldn't have been making out with him with the janitor's door open" I said smirking at her

"What the fuck" Manik asked

"No baby nandini is lying, you know that she doesn't like me anyways" soha said flattering her eyes at him

I got up and squatted in front of Manik.

"Manik she is cheating on you, you can believe me if you want but you don't have to. its up to you but I want to tell you the truth and all of it"

"What truth" he asked

"I know she since I was 10, she was in my class till a couple yers ago. She bullied me every day, when I came home with bruises and you asked why, it wasn't that I fell while playing, it was her. She hurt me a lot growing up but I never said anything becasue I knew you'd worry, I knew I would worry everyone. But then she left and moved school, I started healing again until you started dating her. I still didn't say a single word because I knew you liked her but I have realized that she isn't making you a better person she is actually making you worse. Your anger has gotten so much worse, you have lost weight, you have been focusing on her and nothing else"

"Nandini it's not"

"Shh, its your choice. You are old enough to make your own decisions. Just know that if she stays in this house I am not staying here" I said

Everyone gasped at my words

"It's fine, Manik and I will move out" soha said but my eyes were on Manik

He got up and grabbed soha's hand walking to the door

"Get out" he said pushing her

"What" she gasped

"Get the fuck out of my house now" he roared

"Manik you cannot do this for her. You are chasing her over me and for what" she asked

he chuckled a bit

"Soha she is right, I lost a lot in these 6 months, I lost the most important and precious thing I had. i was blind that I couldn't see your real face"

"So you have chosen her" she asked

"I will always choose her" Manik replied shutting the door in her face

He turned around walking back to me, he grabbed my arm but I wiggled out of his hold

"Don't" I said

"Nandini"

"Manik don't" I chocked with emotions

"Im sorry love" he whispered

"Let me go" I whispered as his hold tightened on my arm

"Manik let her go now" bhai said

He let go of my arm and I ran up to my room shutting the door