43• Hide-and-Seek Romance

As Manik left, she received the final exam date sheet for her first semester.

"Shit, my exams are next week, and I haven't studied anything yet. I don't even have complete notes because I skipped college to meet Manik and watch his race. How will I complete the syllabus for all subjects in a week? Please, God, save me." She prayed, joining her hands and lifting her head slightly.

'I'll set a goal, and when I achieve it, I'll talk to Manik, and that's how I'll be able to finish my syllabus.' She made a decision and went to Ethan's room.

"Ethan," She said as she entered his room with a pout. Ethan looked at her, raising his brows.

He was working on the laptop on something important for his meeting, but keeping his laptop aside, he lovingly asked, "What happened, sweetie?" No work was more important to him than his baby sister.

She smiled at his gesture but pouted again. "I just received the date sheet. My exams are going to start next week," she said, sitting beside him on the bed, and she turned off her phone and handed it to Ethan, saying, "I'll take it back from you when I finish my first unit."

Ethan shook his head in disbelief. He was used to it; she used to panic when her exams were approaching, even though she always performed well.

"Sweetie, you gonna rock it like always, don't worry." He reassured her, holding her hand.

"But Ethan, I haven't studied anything. I think I'm going to fail this time." She pouted at him sadly.

"Shut up, you're overthinking. First, calm down and then sit to study." Ethan lovingly scolded her and made her understand.

She nodded at him. "But keep my phone with you." She said, forwarding her phone to him, making him smile at her baby sister's cute request.

"Okay, and all the best." He took the phone from her hand and lovingly kissed her forehead, bringing a small smile to her face.

"I love you, Ethan. Thank you for always being there for me." She gave him a quick hug. That was the much-needed support she needed at the time of her exam.

***

After coming to the room, she didn't waste any time and started studying, but unknowingly she dozed off, placing her head on the desk.

She awoke in the morning and freaked out when she saw the time on the table clock. She was running late for college, and she didn't want to miss her first lecture, which was crucial.

She hastily got ready and went to Ethan's room to take back her phone from him.

'I didn't even inform Manik. He must be worried about me for not talking to him since last night. I'll message him on the way.' She decided.

"Ethan, will you please drop me at college as I'm getting late." She asked him.

"Sure, sweetie," Ethan said, handing her the sandwich.

"You are the best brother," She smiled, hugging him and making him chuckle.

"And you're the cracker of my life." Ethan teased her, flicking her nose and making her giggle.

"Let's go, and yeah, take this also, you can have them in the car," Ethan said, picking up the car keys and also forwarding her a juice can. She smiled, taking both of them.

As they settled down, she immediately switched on her phone to message her hottie biker, but before she could do anything, Manik already started calling her, making her smile, but she had to cut his calls as Ethan was sitting beside her.

"It was a bad idea to ask Ethan to drop me." She murmured and pouted sadly because she wasn't able to pick up his call.

My Kiddo: Manik, I'm going to college with Ethan. I'll talk to you after reaching college.

My Hottie Biker: Okay! And I'm missing you.

She blushed, reading his message. 'Aww! I'm missing you too, my hottie biker.' She murmured, looking at his message on her phone.

"Nandini, what are you doing? Eat the food otherwise, I won't let you step out of the car," Ethan's stern voice broke her trance.

"I was checking the date sheet." She replied and immediately kept her phone in her pocket.

"Oh, okay but first have that," Ethan said, gesturing towards the food. She nodded and began eating her sandwich and Juice like a good girl.

"Bye, my baby sister, and don't take stress, okay?" Ethan said, cupping her face as they reached the college.

"Okay, big brother," Nandini said dramatically, and they both laughed.

She stepped out of the car and waved goodbye, and as soon as Ethan drove away, she took her phone out of her pocket and called her hottie biker.

"Hey, where were you last night?" Manik asked her as soon as he received her call.

"I was studying," She said, and pouted, looking at the time on her watch and continued, "I'll give you all the details after my first lecture as I'm already late."

"Okay, call me when you get free," Manik said.

She giggled and said, "Okay, my hottie," which caused him to chuckle.

"Go, my kiddo," Manik said, smiling after listening to her voice, "love you."

"Love you too, bye." She blushed and disconnected the call.

"Run, Nandini, you're already late." She murmured to herself before dashing into her classroom.

***

She called him after the first lecture and informed him that she had an exam next week and had done nothing to prepare. He assured her not to take the stress and start preparing, she would definitely nail it.

After hurriedly completing his work at the office, he reached his kiddo's college to pick her up. He just couldn't wait to see her after a long day. He missed her a lot.

His face hung down after reading her text.

My Kiddo: I'm so sorry. I didn't wait for you today and reached home because I have to study.

He called her number right away. She was sitting at her study table, lost in her book, when her phone rang, bringing her back to earth.

"I'm sorry, Manik. I'm really so tense about my exams." She answered his call and apologised, feeling guilty because she couldn't meet him.

"Don't worry, baby, your exams are next week." He said lovingly, even though he was also sad that he wouldn't be able to meet her, but for him, her comfort came first.

"And I haven't studied anything." As she cried out like a baby, a smile appeared on his face.

"Just take a deep breath and be relaxed."

"I'm sorry." She apologised to him again because she couldn't meet him.

"It's okay, Kiddo, I understand. Now you study." She smiled softly after listening to his words.

"I love you so much." She pouted, confessing her love.

A beatific smile came across his face as he could clearly imagine her pouting. "I love you more, baby, and miss you," he said lovingly.

"After my exam, we'll spend a lot of time together." She told him because she was missing him like hell.

"I just can't wait. Now you study."

"Bye." She hung up the call.

'These exams are keeping me away from my love. I miss him so much and wanna meet him, but I don't have time.' She pouted sadly.

***

He reached Nandini's house because he had become habitual of her and his day would remain incomplete if he didn't meet her. He thought that he would meet Ethan, and with this, he would also catch a glimpse of his Kiddo.

He went directly to Ethan's room, and when he saw her phone in his room, he thought, 'that's why she wasn't answering my calls.'

"Hey, Manik." Ethan hugged him after coming out of the washroom.

"How're you, Buddy?" Manik asked him.

"You remain so busy these days." He complained, ignoring his question, making him smile.

"Actually, I joined Dad's office." As Manik told him, Ethan's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did this miracle happen?" He asked, having no clue that this magic happened because of his beloved sister.

"I just realised that I was thinking wrong about him." He told him.

"Wow! I'm so glad to know this." Ethan beamed at him.

'Ethan, how do I tell you that Nandini is behind this miracle? She made me realise how wrong I was and returned my father to me.' He wondered with a blissful smile on his face.

They spent some time together after a long time and then went downstairs for dinner.

"You sit here, I'm just coming after calling Nandini for dinner." A smile flashed on his face because he had been yearning to see her since morning, and he finally would get a chance to see his kiddo's shining face, which was his peace.

***

"Ethan, could I have dinner in my room?" She asked him when he entered the room and told her to have dinner. She refused going downstairs, not knowing that her man was waiting for her downstairs.

"Sweetie, just close your book and come downstairs with me. Take a break from your studies because you have been studying since morning. You must be tired." He ordered, and after closing her books, he dragged her downstairs.

Her lips curved into a broad smile and all her stress vanished as she saw her lifeline, sitting at the dining table. She felt like running to him and embracing him firmly, but she couldn't do it. As Manik's eyes fell on his kiddo, he felt as if he got his breath back. They both gazed deeply into each other's eyes with immense love.

"Now sit and have your dinner like a good girl." As Ethan ordered her, they both came back to earth.

***

They were sitting beside each other and stealing furtive glances while having dinner. She was sitting between them.

He noticed that she was drinking more water than eating food, and he was confused about why she was doing that.

She typed something on her phone, and his phone dinged which was kept on the table. She signalled him to check his phone through her eyes after placing her hand on the side to hide her face from Ethan.

My Kiddo: Please, help me with finishing the water from this jug. I can't drink more.

His brows narrowed in confusion after reading her message.

He glanced at her and raised his brows, mouthing, "why?"

She sighed and replied to him through a message.

My Kiddo: Please, just do it. You'll get to know.

He gave her a slight nod before drinking all the water from the jug. Her eyes twinkled with delight, and a smile flashed across his face, seeing his kiddo's precious smile.

'I can do anything for her smile, it makes her look prettier.' He wondered, gazing at her openly, forgetting about Ethan.

Suddenly she started coughing, and he returned to the earth.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ethan asked, rubbing her back, and Manik also became anxious for her, not knowing that his naughty kiddo was planning something.

"Water." She uttered while coughing.

They both moved their eyes to the empty jug, and finally, Manik understood why she wanted to empty the jug.

'I must say, my baby girl is so smart.' He wondered, looking at her.

Ethan stood up. "I'm bringing water." As he dashed towards the kitchen, Nandini instantly stopped coughing and hugged Manik tightly.

"I missed you so much, Manik. I know you have come here for me, you're best." She broke the hug and kissed his cheek, and he just smiled at her.

"By the way, I like your plan." He pecked her lips, and she giggled.

"I love you so much." As she again hugged him, he kissed her hair, and their smiles never wavered.

They instantly pulled away as they heard Ethan's footsteps. She again started coughing, looking at Ethan, and he stifled a laugh.

Ethan gave her the water and she finally stopped coughing. "Thank you, Ethan." She placed her head on his chest and beamed, looking at Manik from the corner of her eyes.

"I love you." He mouthed, and her smile broadened.