The Passionate Ego

39: REVIVAL

MANIK'S POV

I looked at the man as if he's grown up some horns, like the devil appeared. Lucifer is that you, well the joke's on me that the girls have left leaving me and Cabir with the doof man who once acquired my girl, My Nandini. Damn that is the reason she was super comfortable in him holding her waist and all that smiles and bicker.

"So you've dated Nandini." Cabir decided to break the ice and i was ready to drown that man's ship. Fuck being away from this women. Fuck showing the facade that this doesn't affect me cause in the freaking hell it does.

"yeah we did during our college times. We were pretty dope. Lasted for about 2 years." he replied in a proud voice. 2 years my ass.

"woah that's quite long." Cabir looked at me with tease and i replied with the same intensity in my eyes but with anger.

"I know, everyone still gets angry over our break up but we did what we had to. It was partially mutual i would say. We had different aspirations, she wanted to pursue her love for journalism while i was always interested in acting. "  he answered with sincerity, that i know but that doesn't change the fact that he dated her.

"Well looks like you both achieved it." i spoke this time in a hard tone making him well aware that i do not appreciate his presence here.

"And i am glad about it but what drove you guys away?" he asked pointing at her first and then me. Her, the women i was trying to protect from my own self stood talking to the newcomer entreprenuer, most probably trying to interview him as a professional. Her hair falling on her face that i wanted to tuck behind her ear so mad.

Maybe my non-chalant attitude was visible to Cabir as he answered the question for me.

"Manik ditched her." Not the bestest buddy.

"You dumped HER." Austin scoffed, "damn that needs some guts but who am i to judge, even i parted my ways from her like a dumb-ass." he spoke.

'Maybe you're." the words left my mouth even before i understood them, " i mean she was great but i was never a lion to be tamed." i brought my old jerk self back.

"It must have been tough" he asked looking at her. It sounded more like a statement.

"what?" i encouraged him to speak.

"To not have fallen in love with her. I mean look at her. She's perfect. She's everything you'll ever want in your life. Your need of every lifetime." he spoke with a look on her that maybe was identical to mine. Nandini was eternal from her looks to her soul. She's made me a person that cared for no-one to someone who now had the ability to feel emotions. The way she smiled at even the slightest jokes and answered with the purest heart but yet had a bitchy edge to herself that said back off, i am not here to play.

As if sensing the vibes that were delivered to her direction, she turned looking at the both of us as she waved at Austin, not at me but at Austin. I had lost that credit in her life. Cabir kept a hand on my shoulder as Austin excused himself and walked to her.

NANDINI'S POV

It felt like Manik's gaze was calling me, for some odd reasons my heart was beating so fast as if it might explode. From the moment that i saw him, it had been super hard to control myself from holding his hand, pulling him to my side and kissing him as if their was no tomorrow but alas i know i couldn't. We've moved on a very long way. 3 months i grilled myself to get over him and get a hold on my life. But i can't ignore the fact that he looked ravishing in blue like always. 

Turning around my doubts were cleared when i saw him gazing at me like he wanted to say something, i turned my eyes away towards the man standing beside him, Austin. Austin meant the world to me, my home until we decided to part ways. I got my heart broken because i supported his decisions of moving away to a different country and chase his dreams. I had to. I was his friend even before i was his partner, his girlfriend but last night when i saw him, i felt like home again. We had shared everything together, he knew my past, he knew the best and the worst me and i knew him. I waved at him as he smiled at me. Last night he said he was excited to be back here because of me. He came here for me.

Not to renew our relationship but to renew our friendship. We were like oxygen to each other in a good way. He was the Joey to my Chandler. The Charles to my Jake. He was my bestfriend.

He soon walked over to me with the smile that always said i am proud of you as the guests pawned over the well known actor.

"Girls i tell you." he teased as we all laughed.

"Ofcourse. The girls." i laughed as i continued with our fun. These were my people. Happy and lively. Navya, Mukti,  Sofie and Austin, my squad. Ofcourse i don't forget Edward.

"babe is everything ready?" Mukti asked me in a low voice.

"Ofcourse. This is going to be the best night ever." i smiled a genuine one in a long time.

"care to get me in." Austin made his space.

"Shh it's a surprise." i shushed him trying to sound as low as possible.

MANIK'S POV

She looks happy right, maybe happier than she was with me. You See this is why i drover her away. If it would have been me, then i would have broken her heart or made her sad like i did during the Ball. The way i went away with Katie leaving her alone, i had my reasons i know but the look on her face was that of hurt. HUrt that she was left alone. Maybe it is better this way. From far away.

I noticed how she blushes and giggles when Austin is beside her , gushing with her on something. The way her eyes shined bright while telling him something.

"You've been gazing for too long." Cabir pats at me.

"I know and now i won't" i replied picking up a glass of wine from the table.

"Maybe you can just go and ask her to dance with you." he suggests.

"i've lost that and you know it." i smiled sadly at him.

"Brother atleast tell me why you did that to her because i can very well notice that you're still pawning over her." he pushed a nerve trying to make me vomit the truth.

"Nothing. It's just me and my boredom from girls. You know me." i reply signalling him for his act.

"We'll talk about it soon. You can't run away from this." he spoke making his way to the back garden.

The lawn was perfectly lit with candles like he had planned and i could see the girls bring out Navya from the glass door with a hand on her eye. Nandini was smiling from ear to ear as she spoke sweet things in her best friends eras. I patted Cabir's back in order to push him at the centre. It was his night tonight.

"I am gonna let you go now. Okay?" Nandini spoke as she slipped her hand from Navya's eye.

"Nandini i still don't-" Navya started complaining until she realised her surroundings, her eyes went wide open when she saw Cabir on his knees with a right box open in his hand.

"Cabir!" she exclaimed.

"Navya, the love of my life, will you marry me?" Cabir finally asked the most important question that he had been pawning over for a week.

"Say yes!" the girls chimed trying hard to control their tears. Girls and their emotions.

"yes! A thousand times yes." Navya replied as Cabir slid the ring into her finger and they hugged while the others shrieked hugging each other, congratulating.

I was happy for my brother, he finally got his happiness. I looked over towards mine, who was hugging Austin as her eyes shed some happy tears. She blushed at something that he said and i adored her as Austin kept side hugging her. They both looked over to the now engaged couple as Cabir kissed Navya. I smiled at them but my heart kept racing at the imagine of Austin and Nandini until i looked up to find her looking at me.

You can imagine any actor to be Austin in this story. I don't have a particular one picked out so i am leaving that imagination on you guys.