It was a lazy Sunday evening in the Bose House, and Sonakshi was sitting by the balcony, sipping coffee and admiring the picturesque sunset. Her admiring session was interrupted by the ringtone of her phone, Manik was calling. She answered, "Hello... before you say anything, tell me if I am talking to the Manik I met the first time, or the Manik I met at the opening ceremony?" Manik smiled and said, "Dono alag alag hote hai kya?" Sonakshi then answered, "Ha mere liye toh hai hi...acha by the way, I was going to call you, is Ashok uncle alright? Actually mai do baar clinic gayi thi and receptionist ne mujhe kaha ki he isn't coming to clinic since long..." "Papa...ha Papa thik hai, woh last 2-3 weeks thode hectic hogaye so he's staying home... anyways Papa ki baat kaha lekar beth gayi tum, I called you because I wanted to meet you", replied Manik, quickly dodging the unnecessary conversation about Ashok. "Meet me? Why?" "Hume har baar kisi party mein milna zaroori hai kya?" Can't we meet randomly... Like friends? I think utni normalcy toh establish ho hi gayi hai humare beech!" Manik answered Sonakshi. "Ok fine! Where do we meet?" "The fries junction, near the bank I work in... actual tumhare it's just next to your hospital." "Ok cool, see you." Saying so, Sonakshi cut the call. 'I think Mr.Obhodro is now learning to be Polite.' she thought to herself, and left her house, bidding goodbye to her confused family members. Kaushik whispered to his dad, "You think Sona has a boyfriend?" His dad retorted,"Shut up! Sona having a boyfriend, without informing me, not possible!" Sona's mom interrupted, "No way, she wouldn't tell YOU if she had a boyfriend, you would scare the poor guy away!" And Kaushik and his mom had a good laugh.

***

At the fries junction

Manik and Sonakshi greeted each other and Sonakshi asked him, "tell me now, why this sudden meeting?" "Patience Sona! You have a seat, and tell me what will you have?" "Plain fries." Sonakshi answered as they moved towards the table. Manik nodded and returned after placing the order. "Now will you tell me?" Sonakshi reiterated. "Ok, so seriously, the way I spoke to you the other day... You know...I actually spoke about what I felt... and I know it must be a small thing for you... But I've never done that before..." "Ofcourse you haven't... You should get some time off your flirty comments to have a good conversation with a girl!" Sonakshi responded. "Sonakshi I'm serious... anyway...ha so what I was saying is, since I'm different with you, and I feel open with you, can we have something more than just brassy conversations and taunting sessions...I mean I..." Sonakshi froze in her place and looked at him in surprise with her widened eyes. 'Is he going to propose?! Do I have to say no and break his heart!?'she thought to herself. Manik noticed the look of horror on her face and said, "Baba don't look at me like that... I love you nahi bolne wala...I was asking if we could be friends...and talk and meet and catch up often?" Sonakshi took a sigh of relief and said, "Ya ok... I'm surprised you wanted to meet for this little thing!" "Well I haven't actually had to go through this anytime before, and I didn't want to lose the closest thing I had next to a confidant...who I could open up to naturally... If something went wrong...I would've lost a lot." Manik replied, as the waiter approached them with their order. "So cheesy!" Sonakshi commented, making a disgusted face. "My answer or my fries?"Manik questioned "Both!" Sonakshi answered. She later added, "Being friends with a nutritionist can have it's disadvantages by the way!" "Like no more extra cheese?" Manik asked, teasing her. Sonakshi smiled at his comment and then they began to chat about how they spent their weekend, their work lives and so on for about an hour. It was the beginning of a new friendship between two people who are poles apart... The universe smiled as it's years old law- 'opposites attract'- seemed to be coming true once again...

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