Are you attentive or oblivious?

✰

Nandini was scrolling through her phone, ready to message Manik because it had already been fifteen minutes and she was getting nervous thinking he was not going to turn up.

Was she going to get stood up?

"Nandini?" She looked up and found an unfamiliar face looking down at her.

"Yes and you are?" It was Avinash who asked him instead of Nandini. He kept looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"Cabir. I'm Cabir Dhawan." Nandini frowned immediately and looked at him confused. Avinash looked at Nandini's expression and found something wrong.

"I'm Manik's friend." Cabir cleared after seeing Nandini's expressions and her frowns eased but she still didn't looked pleased.

"Where is he?" She asked looking up at him and saw him glancing at her brother.

"He's outside, waiting in his car." He informed and yet again Nandini frowned. Who is he waiting for when she was inside?

"What for?" Avinash asked and Cabir sighed in return.

"For you. He said he'll get your green signal first before meeting her." Nandini smiled at last and shook her head but she was sure that she respected him more.

"What about my sister?"

"I'll accompany her." Cabir shrugged and sat on the chair opposite her. Avinash looked at Nandini and she assured him with her eyes that she was fine.

"Alright which car is it?" Avinash got up and looked at Cabir for the answer.

"Black. Audi." Two words and Nandini's eyes widened as he looked at her brother who seemed equally surprised.

How rich is he? And most importantly, who is he?

After he left, Nandini felt more awkward sitting there with Cabir as she knew nothing about him and also she never knew how to start a conversation.

Suddenly her phone rang and she answered it immediately to avoid any another awkward moment with Cabir.

"There are so many black audis here." Avinash grumbled into the phone and Nandini couldn't help but giggle. She looked at Cabir who raised his eyebrows in question to which she forwarded the phone to him.

"He couldn't find which Audi." She smiled and he took the phone.

After Cabir gave the car's number to her brother, he handed the phone back to Nandini. She kept it back on the table and again started looking around.

"So you know Manik?" Her head jerked in his direction and she shifted uncomfortably knowing he was trying to start a conversation.

"Not really. I just have had a few conversations with him on WhatsApp and on call. I'm yet to find out who he really is." She replied and Cabir nodded seemingly impressed by her answer.

"But didn't you find him a little familiar by his name?" She frowned at his question. Why would she find him familiar? Infact she had heard this name for the first time.

"Uh no! I heard this name for the first time." She said the same thing that was on her mind and Cabir looked at her surprised.

"Really? Do you know his full name?" She nodded a no at his question and found him a little excited for God knows what.

"Manik Malhotra?" He was trying to make her remember something but what when she had no clue. Making a confused face she stared at him and he sighed.

"Forget it. You really don't know who he is." He mumbled under his breath and even though she didn't know what it meant, she let it pass.

"Well so let me introduce myself properly, I'm Cabir Dhawan ─Manik's best pal or you can say his most reliable friend." Cabir grinned proudly as he introduced himself and Nandini remembered that Manik had once mentioned about him.

She smiled more like chuckled in return and shook hands with him.

"Hi Cabir. I'm Nandini Murthy, your best pal's WhatsApp friend that too by mistake." She joked and Cabir chuckled along already liking her.

"Yeah I know your story. You messaged him thinking him as some Ahaan right?" He asked and she palmed her face, embarrassed at that.

"I did. But in my defense, I was misled as I was given the wrong number so I'm not to be blamed." She shrugged and Cabir muttered something like 'who is even blaming you─ He's thrilled'

"I'm sorry?" She asked and Cabir looked at her startled.

"Nothing." He said too quickly but then his phone buzzed and he checked it immediately while her phone pinged too.

She frowned feeling lost at his message. Why did he call her an idiot? And what even happened at their meet?

She was lost in her thoughts when her phone pinged again.

This time she got angry and was going to reply him when Cabir stood up.

"So Nandini, it was really nice meeting you but I'll have to leave for now because Manik is arriving and he has ordered me to scurry away." Nandini laughed at the last line and stood up as well.

"Pleasure meeting you Mr. Cabir." She smiled at him and he shook his head chuckling to himself.

"Just Cabir is fine Nandini. And I know we'll be meeting more often." Saying so he winked and left from there leaving her in her thoughts.

How did he know that we would meet more often?

She waited for another five minutes, toying with her phone. She wanted to called Avinash and be mad at him for what he texted her earlier but dismissed it not wanting to spoil her mood.

"So finally I get to see you." Her eyes went wide and breath hitched as she sensed him standing behind her.

She couldn't understand in that moment if she should stand up and turn around or wait for him to come ahead and sit infront of her. Her mind was too messed up and her heart failed to coordinate with her.

This is so weird!

✰

Still not there :p