Manan - Hold My Hand

Chapter 35

She felt sad for him and guilty too realising she kind of did the same to him.

"I am sorry.",Nandini said and he chuckled.

" Why are you sorry for?",He asked and she looked at him.

" I kind of did the same thing to you. Got your hopes high and then rejected you for some other guy.",Nandini said guilty and he smiled at his luck sadly.

" It's not your fault. I knew what I was getting in and took the risk. When I saw you at the cafe that day. You looked so beautiful lost in thoughts having your coffee. It was the first time in years someone other than Sia had caught my eye. I wanted to talk to you and after you rejected my advances I was curious about you more. I had fun with you and was happy after so long. You took away the stress of office and facing Sia. I felt like I can be myself again. You made it clear the first day that you didn't want to do anything with me but I was determined you know. I didn't want to get rejected from every single girl I show interest in. I knew in the back of my mind that I was fighting for a lost cause but I didn't want to give you up. Even if we don't date. I wanted us to be friends.",Ishaan said and she smiled hearing his confession about her.

"We will be friends always. I promise.",She said with a big smile on her face and he smiled back hearing her.

"And what if your boyfriend has a problem?",Ishaan teased her pressing on the word boyfriend and she blushed a little.

"He won't.",Nandini said and Ishaan laughs a little.

"I love messing with him. I will enjoy our meetings more from now on.",Ishaan said with mischief reflecting in his eyes and she smiled.

" Are you okay with Sia now?",Nandini asked after a while and he looked down before looking at her.

" She had tried to talk but I am kind of ignoring her. I don't know if I am still ready. It scares me that if we talk then I will get the closure and then the only thing that is connecting us will break.",Ishaan said and she smiled understanding exactly what he meant.

"I understand what you mean.",Nandini said with a look of understanding on her face as she looked down and he studied her.

"Someday when you are ready. I would like to hear your story too. I have always felt that our stories are similar.",he said and she nodded with a small smile.

" Let's go for a walk in the park. I will buy you your ice cream and drop you back home later. ",He said and she nodded smiling wide hearing ice cream.

They paid the bill and took a walk in the park across the cafe talking about things mostly he talked about Sia and work teasing her in between about Manik.

He drove her back home and she enters the house and saw Navya sitting alone watching something.

"Where's Goofy?", Nandini asked and Navya smiled.

"He had something to talk about with Manik. ",Navya said and Nandini nodded before smiling thinking about it.

"You know what. I have few things in mind we can do together.",Nandini said and Navya nodded excited.

"Let me just get changed and then I can give you a head massage while we have fun.",Nandini said and Navya nodded.

"I will bring in some snacks and put on our favourite show.",Navya said and Nandini nodded as she went inside her room.

She quickly changed and then looked at her phone and picked it up.

"I reached home some time back. I will call you at night."

She dropped a message for Manik and waited for his reply.

"Okay will talk to you later. Mukti and Cabir are here."