Holding On & Letting Go |COMPLETE| MaNan Fiction

Chapter 4: First Time Apart

A/N : Dear Readers, thank you so much for poring in so much love for this story and leaving me with such lovely comments and feedbacks! I truly appreciate this!

On that note, Happy Reading, and Happy Holi & Shaab-e-Barat in advance! (for the unaware, Holi celebration is symbolic of life, colours and a fresh new beginning of spring in Hindus, and Shaab-e-Barat is the day of the Muslim calendar when it is believed that God writes the destiny of all men and women for the coming year!)

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MANIK MALHOTRA

Sometimes I wonder if there will ever be a machine that can catch time, if it's cheating with us. Imagine five minutes of your life - how long does it take to live through it, in a boring college lecture being presided over by an even more boring professor, vis-a-vis in one of my rock concerts? You see what I mean? You feel like you have passed hours in the former and in the latter it feels like it all gets over in a few flashes - So essentially there are two ways in which time cheats us, and I Manik Malhotra a.k.a Rockstar Manik, was cheated by the latter way.

It had only just started between Nandz and me, and here we were, on the last day of her internship. She had come in quietly to get my releasing signature on her internship certificate. She wasn't as bubbly or as messy as usual, in fact she looked slightly grim. I smiled, it reminded me of her grim disapproving look the very first day we met at the elevator. I pulled her by the waist and kissed her on the nape of her neck, under her chin - she got tickled and laughed.

"That's like my Simran!" I smirked. I knew how much ever upset she was maybe in life, a little bit of DDLJ could always lift her mood! She looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"So, my last day here at MMH is officially over."

"Yes, so it seems. Are you going to miss us?"

"Yes. Very much" she uttered softly without looking at me.

"Great! The HR would love to know that" I chuckled. She gave me an exasperated look.

"Okay, I will leave now."

I took her hands and smiled at her.

"Good that your blasted office is finally over, now there is nothing to hinder our time together! No silly client calls, or due reports, or logistical issues. Thank God"

She looked up at me with uncertainty in her eyes but caught my hidden laugh, she laughed out in relief - the sound of her laughter was like the sound of tinkling bells for me, it could make me happy anywhere!

"Come, I have something special planned for us tonight." I whispered.

That night I had taken her to the Haus Khas fort area after dinner. It was around midnight. The gates were shut, the village around was empty, I had bribed the security guard to let us enter the fort area. The place looked very different at this hour, the dim lamp lights, the towering dark ancient structures, the dark lawns, the fresh wind and Nandz in my arms - it felt like the universe was conspiring to make this night memorable for us. I turned to look at her, her face shone like the moon itself in the liquid pale moonlight - her big chocolate brown doe eyes, the stout nose, the soft cheek bones and the full lustrous lip seemed to emanate beauty. I stared shamelessly, it was not the first time, I have done it that other night too, the stormy night when I had kissed her for the first time. I slowly caressed her cheek with the tip of my index finger, her entire diminutive frame shivered at my touch. I was filled with pride. We slowly walked towards the lawns and soon settled under the darkness of one of the mammoth sized trees.

"Manik, did you always want to be a singer?"

"Always. You?"

"No, I had good scores, so management was a good option."