Second Chance At Love - [MANAN] #Book2

seven

"We are here." Nandini announced to a half asleep Manik when they reached the so - called - favourite - restaurant of Manik's choice. All the traces of slight sleep he had in his eyes were thrown out of the window. This time instead of letting Manik struggle with the passenger door as it would waste her more time so she came close to his seat. Close enough that he could feel her breath fanning his face lightly getting Manik completely frozen at his place while Nandini bent a little over and opened the door for him.

"Here you go." Nandini smiled totally unaware of how she was giving Manik shivers. The poor guy coughed feeling his throat dry. Manik walked out of the car hurriedly to get some air so he could breath and also to hide his burning red face.

"When am I suppose to come to pick you sir?" Nandini asked Manik in her fake sweet voice as mentally she had stabbed him a thousand times for keeping her busy since earlier and now even killing her lunchtime. Besides now that she was free with no pending work she was planning to go home in half day and lay on her cozy bed with a cheesy movie playing in her laptop.

"What?! You think I came all the way here to eat alone. How weird will it look for me to eat by myself. People will think I am some pathetic loner." at this Nandini got frustrated to the point of pulling all her hair and go bald. She felt like banging her head to anything strong she could find near her.

" You didn't have lunch too. Just join me. "Manik suggested casually not knowing the rage Nandini was in right now.

" But... "Nandini opened her mouth to protest.

"No but(s) Miss Murty. Besides we gotta finalise every other thing for Jason's proposal. Like a budget, hotel and all. " Nandini just nodded and followed Manik while dragging her feet which felt like rooted at one place and too heavy to move mostly because she had absolute no interest in waving bye to her sweet bed and cringy romantic movie. But now that it was regarding work she couldn't even say no.

They entered the lavish restaurant and waiter showed them way to an empty table. They didn't have a prior reservation but Manik happened to be their VIP customer so it wasn't any big deal to go there unannounced. Well perks of being rich. That arrogant monster was lucky enough to be born with a silver spoon.

They got comfortable on their seats. The waiter passed the menus to both of them and waited for them to choose. When Nandini looked at the rate of those dishes her eyes widened at how expensive everything was.

Well it wasn't like it was an everyday thing for her to sit in a beautiful luxurious hotel and have lunch. She found it unreasonably expensive that she was like 'I Better just survive on water here.' so she didn't order while Manik causally order god knows what dishes as most of the names she had never heard.

It striked her hard again.

Indeed they were from two freaking different worlds.

And their parallel world had happened to cut ones and maybe that was the last time.

Not like Nandini cared about it anymore. Because she didn't want to have anything to do with Manik. But that didn't mean that she wasn't awestruck and startled everytime she happened to step in his world or riches, mostly because he dragged her into his life. It always reminded her how exactly big their differences were. Earlier she would have done anything to clear that difference, to decrease it but now it just didn't matter.

"You didn't order till now?" Manik asked with his brows furrowed as he found Nandini lost. Not knowing that she was lost in her string of thoughts which were no less than a tsunami for her.

"Umm... Ohh- Well most of the dishes are I even know of and besides I am not hungry." Nandini tried to reason while trying to make it sound like a joke. And it was in fact half truth, those dishes were new to her and not to forget way too costly also. But she was hungry and she was just afraid that her stomach will end up growling and her act will drop directly into the hell.

" Come on it won't be nice if I will be the only one eating and you will stare at boredom. You don't know the dishes it okay. Let me order something light for you then as you aren't that hungry." Nandini opened her mouth to protest but before she could utter a word Manik already ordered for her and sent the waiter away to get their order ready.

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

"You know a pizza with pineapple topping is a sin I mean how can -" Manik was cut off between his rant due to his mobile ringing. Nandini too saw the caller ID before Manik declined the call. It was his father, again. Last time when he had got into the accident, that time also his father was calling him and now again and what was even weirder was the fact that both the times he just glared at his mobile screen and declined the call. What was going on? Nandini wasn't able to grasp the current situation.

Nandini could see how the entire atmosphere was changed how Manik had frozen at his father's call and how he was blankly staring at the screen at the moment like some maniac. For a second Nandini thought that if Manik continued to look at the screen he will literally end up drilling holes in it.

She felt like he had no intention of picking up the call, fuck maybe he didn't even want to get that so called call in the first place for whatever reason. But unlike last time, this time he was quick to decline the call and got back to his usual self and Nandini could sense that he was pretending like it was nothing. At least he was trying to. Not knowing that he was miserably failing and that Nandini could see right through his act.

"You know if something is bothering you, you can share with me." before Nandini could realise those words rolled out of her lips. Though this time she didn't regret it because she actually felt like Manik needed someone to let it all out. If it wasn't something that serious than Manik sure would have shared it with someone and maybe he did, maybe he told Cabir, Soha or anyone. Someone. But if he hadn't told anyone then she just wanted to let him know that she could be his last straw to hold on to.

"Wow that's new. Is Nandini Murty worried about me?" Manik smirked, damn now here was the cocky Manik.

"Forget it I shouldn't have said it." Nandini rolled her eyes at him which got him laughing.

"Hahaha just kidding. Everything is okay. Chill!! But I am glad that you asked." Manik said with a faint smile on his lips, his genuine smile of happiness.

After a short while their food came. They devoured the dishes while discussing about Jason's proposal as he only had chose how he wanted it and now it was their work to set up all things and make it happen. Nandini was so excited as it was her first to work on such a project. She had never planned any proposal so her body was getting all fuzzy and fluttery as she couldn't wait for the D-day.

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Hehehe so here is another update. Did you guys miss me? Man the exams and practicals had me so busy but finally I managed to dig some time. How are you guys doing? What's going on in your life? Hope its all good. Anyway enjoy.