Chapter 3

Nandani felt the mattress sink as Manik lowered his weight on the edge of the bed.

Manik hunched towards her so his brown eyes were peering into hers. They were lighter than they looked downstairs. "I remember when Zeenia Steven held her thirteenth birthday party the same day as yours, even though her birthday wasn't until the week after. Everyone knew she did it just to spite you. Half the class missed your party. It was a dick move, but you didn't let anyone see that it bothered you. You masked your feelings perfectly, Nandani."

How could Manik possibly remember that? Nandani had nearly forgotten it, though it had made her feel like crap at the time. Now that he reminded her, she could recall Mukti's indignation. Mukti had later started a rumor that Zeenia had paid people to go to her party. It had ended with Zeenia in tears and half the eighth-grade class demanding compensation the first week of school.

"So what you are saying is the world has been out to get me for eight years and I should be used to it by now?" she asked Manik.

"I am saying that you don't need to have it together all the time. No one expects you to be perfect, Nandani."

Wow. Nandani felt that he sounded way too smart for his age. And even if he was utterly wrong, his heart was in the right place.

Manik offered his arm, and she blinked.

Whether it was the booze, the confrontation with Aryaman, or just the unfamiliar feeling of a kind person wanting to help, Nandani leaned in. He wrapped his arm around her and she breathed in deeply against his chest.

It should have been weird. But it wasn't. There was no tension in his body. As his calm seeped slowly into her, she felt the knots in her stomach start to relax.

It was nice just to be held. It had been a long time since she'd had that. Manik's shoulder was warm and he smelled like home. With her face pressed against his dark hair, he could have been any nice, normal guy. She could have stayed like that forever. Instead, she forced herself to sit up.

"Thanks, Manik. For...you know." And she really meant it. "This crap with Aryaman, though it won't happen again. I am swearing off guys."

"Switching to girls?" Manik arched a dark eyebrow questioningly.

"I am leaning towards celibacy, Manik. Girls are crazy too."

"Sounds like you have some plan. I know of a great convent if you have planned to become a nun," he teased Nandani.

"Please. I would love to have one outfit to choose from in the morning. Eat porridge for breakfast. Gain experience through other people's drama." She then cocked her head. "Though I am not sure I want to go to any convent you are...familiar with," She said to Manik.

It took Manik a minute to catch up. "What are you saying. You think I am a playboy?"

"I am sure I am not the only one," Nandani replied.

"Seriously?" His eyes darkened and clouded. "You don't even know me, Nandani. Not really."

He was right. He had been nice enough to come and make sure she was okay, and here she was giving him shit.

"Still I wasn't a total pushover," he said.

So that rumor about the Principal Maam, suspending two cheerleaders for fighting over you in the hall in junior years wasn't true?"

Nandani had never paid attention to his social life since they moved in different circles.

Except when the gossip made Mukti's radar, and she discussed it with Nandani.

"Not my fault." Manik's gaze hardened. "You can't hold me accountable for the actions of those hormone-ridden teenagers, especially ones I wasn't even dating."

"I don't know how we ended up talking about me, anyway. I came up here to talk about you. But as long as we are, can you do me a favor, and just forget everything you think you know about me for a second?" Manik said to her.

"I will try." Nandani's voice sounded wary.

"If it helps my image, my social calendar is absolutely empty at the moment" he volunteered. "And with your ringing endorsement a second ago, is it any wonder? You know, girls are crazy, and all."

The tension that had arisen at the mention of high school rumors seemed to leave his body again. He seemed to be a bit relaxed now.

"Sure, but I bet you broke a lot of hearts back there in Houston when you came here. It is funny, though, now that you mention it, I can't remember you dating in high school. Did you never bring girls around?" she asked him.

By 'around' Nandani meant Manik and Mukti's place. She had spent more time there than her own.

"You don't remember because you and Mukti were so much cooler. If it wasn't about clothes, or football players, or celebrities it wasn't on your radar. What if I told you, Nandani, I haven't had time for girls?"

Nandani rolled her eyes, one immature habit she had never been able to break. She shoved his shoulder or tried to, her hands were barely able to move him an inch. "Yeah right. No time for girls? Even when they are pulling each other's hair out over you?"

Manik's eyes fell over her floral bedspread, and he seemed to be lost in his thoughts again. But then his eyes flicked back to hers, and when he spoke again his voice was matter-of-fact. "Pretty much. I needed a full scholarship to study further. It wasn't an option for Mukti because of her grades. But Mom and Dad lost some of their savings, and they couldn't afford to put us both through. I logged about twenty hours a week in extra credit projects and tutoring, in my senior year. Between that and rugby, the guys begged me to stay on the team, so they could have a run at the State level. I didn't have time for dating that year. Or anything else, really," Manik said to Nandani.

"I thought I might get a rugby scholarship but messed up my knee midway through the season. Therefore, when I got an academic scholarship to Houston, I jumped at the opportunity," Manik concluded.

Nandani was floored by his words. Everything had seemed to come easily to him. Though she hadn't seen much of him the last few years, she had always assumed it was because of partying and crazy stunts, and not academic and service commitments.

He misinterpreted her reaction.

"Believe me, my parents were just as shocked as you are that I managed to score the scholarship." Manik looked uncomfortable like he was surprised he had confessed to her. "But don't say anything to Mukti, okay? She doesn't know. I mean, she knows about the scholarship but not about the money thing."

Nandani nodded, not understanding why he had told her. Or why it was so important to keep it a secret.

Manik and she had grown up on the fringes of one another's lives with only the odd intersection. She had never figured there was much beyond the talk. He had been a paradox. The bad boy with enough mass appeal to become popular despite his screw-you-all exterior. She had pegged him as being so focused on cars and girls that he had no time for scholarships, like most guys his age.

"So why did you come back?" she asked him.

"I always wanted to be here, at this University. But the scholarship and other things made Houston look pretty well last year. I studied my ass off hoping to get a transfer closer to home. Guess my luck did work," he said to Nandani.

He let out a breath. "In any case, I am glad to be back. And maybe if I am lucky I can have a semi-normal college experience."

Nandani tried to lighten the mood with a smile. "Well, Manik, you got your wish. A good-looking kid like you will catch up on the extracurriculars in no time."

Somehow it didn't have the desired effect, causing him to frown instead.