Thank you all for your votes and comments! It always motivates me to continue writing. Hope you continue to enjoy the story!

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Manik updated his friends about Nandini.

Cabir : "We have been following her daily activities for the past few days. She is either at the college attending her classes or she is at the volunteering club. Rest of the day she is at home, she is leading such a boring lifestyle."

Alya : "In order to lead an exciting life, you need wealth. Probably she is yet to find someone with whose wealth she can enjoy."

Cabir : "Why would someone join a volunteering club voluntarily? Most of them are forced to be there as a disciplinary action."

Alya : "She would have trapped so many people and broken so many relationships in pursuit of wealth. This might be one way of washing away her sins. Or this might be a way she is using to impress people by portraying that she is very good."

Manik : "Why should we bother about what she is doing and why? Let's focus on what we have to do?"

Cabir : "That's what I was arriving at, but I got sidetracked. We can speed up our plan if you join the volunteering club."

Manik : "You know that isn't my cup of tea. Mom wanted me to join her in her volunteering activities several times, but I always avoid it. Think of some other option."

Cabir : "That's seems to be the only way you can get close to her. She isn't going to come to us and join our music club, so you will only have to go to her, and this is the only option I could think of."

Manik : "If I join that club, what about our club?"

Cabir : "You don't have to worry about it. I and Dhruv will take good care of it in your absence."

Manik once again agreed unwillingly since no one could come up with better ideas.

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Manik met the president of the volunteering club at the their next meeting.

President : "What brings His Highness here?"

Manik : "I want to be a part of your club for a short time."

President : "May I know what is the reason for gracing us?"

Manik : "What will you do by knowing the reason? Just get my work done, partner me with Nandini."

President : "Why her? Are you targeting her for some reason?"

Manik : "You are right. How did you guess?"

President : "You aren't someone who would go behind girls. Last time too, you got her name cancelled and added her to your club, so I figured out. What did she do to you, and what are you planning to do with her?"

The president was a little concerned.

Manik : "Why so much concern for her?"

President : "I don't want to lose a volunteer because of your actions."

Manik : "If she leaves, someone else will come in her place. There is no dearth for people."

President : "You know very well that very few people join our club on their own and she is one of them. She is very dedicated and I wouldn't want to lose someone like her. But I can't deny you either, I will make the necessary arrangements soon."

Manik figured out where Nandini was and went up to her. She was immersed in what she was doing, so she didn't notice him.

Manik : "Hi!"

Nandini raised her head to see who it is.

Nandini : "You? Here?"

Manik didn't want to raise doubts in her mind as to why he was joining the club all of a sudden.

Manik : "I am forced to volunteer here for a short time."

Nandini : "Forced to? .. But.."

She thought of something but didn't tell it out.

Manik : "But what?"

Nandini : "Nothing."

Manik : "It isn't good to leave something incomplete, so complete it."

Nandini : "From what I have heard people are forced to volunteer here only as a disciplinary action. Whether that's the case or not, it wouldn't be difficult for you to get it cancelled, so I am wondering why you didn't do so?"

Manik : "I am not here due to a disciplinary action, but what makes you think that I can get it cancelled?"

Nandini : "You were able to get my name cancelled from the list, so you could get your name cancelled too if you didn't want to be here."

Manik : "You haven't forgotten it yet. Let bygones be bygones. Now that we will be in the same club for sometime and may have to interact more often, it would be more pleasant if we leave those things behind."

From their past interactions, it was clear to Manik that Nandini didn't trust him. She had actually made correct assumptions too, and he had to redirect her thoughts. He didn't want her to doubt his intentions, so

Manik : "By the way I am here because my parents wanted me to take part in the volunteering activities. I came here to meet the president regarding that and I saw you here, so I just stopped by. So what are the activities the club is working on now?"

Nandini : "An orphanage is planning to organize a charity event and we are helping them with it. We will be visiting the orphanage again the day after tomorrow."

Nandini continued to explain some more, but Manik wasn't paying attention to her.

Manik's thoughts : "In pursuit of taking revenge from her, I joined this club. Next, I will have to step into the orphanage too. I didn't get involved in these things even though Mom wanted me to, but now I am forced to do this because of her."

Manik's thoughts: "This isn't the only thing I am forced to do. I am forced to be polite though I don't wish to. I am forced to control my anger and stay calm though I want to explode. I ended up pursuing a girl to drop her though I have refused to drop girls in spite of them requesting me. I even ended up carrying her in my arms and helped an enemy. I have met her only a few times and I have been forced to do so many things that are so unlike me. I have to meet her more often from now onwards, I don't know what else is in store for me, what else will I have to end up doing. What did I get myself into? Do I really have to go ahead with this? .."

Nandini had no idea of what was going on in Manik's mind, but she could sense that he wasn't interested in listening to what she was saying.

Nandini : "If you don't like being here, why don't you let your parents know? Or if you don't want to volunteer at the orphanage, you can join the club later when they start with the next activity."

Manik was lost in thoughts and hadn't realized that it was obvious that he wasn't interested.

Manik : "I don't want to disappoint my parents. It is just that I haven't volunteered before, but I won't go back on what I have agreed upon."

Manik's thoughts : "I can't go back on what I agreed and disappoint Mukti. I haven't backed out from anything which I have committed to, and I am not going to do so now."

Manik's thoughts: "This is definitely going to be a challenge for me, but I will complete this whatever comes my way. I have to focus on the end result not on the obstacles."

Manik asked her to continue and he paid attention this time when she explained. He left after sometime.

Nandini's thoughts : "Though he doesn't wish to, he is doing so for his parents. .. In a way even I am doing the same.. though I don't wish to, I am trying to live my life .. for .."

The president came to Nandini and interrupted her thoughts. He managed to convince Nandini to partner with Manik.