Second Chance At Love - [MANAN] #Book2

twenty one

"Shouldn't you be having breakfast right now? What are you doing here? Did you miss me so much that you followed me here? Awww! Nandini, I didn't know you were this clingy." Manik uttered while giving Nandini a teasing smirk which did nothing except making her want to face-palm herself. This boy was seriously impossible.

"I shouldn't have bothered. I don't even know, why did I even ask!" Nandini grunted and turned around in disbelief, ready to go back inside.

Here she was so worried about him that she couldn't even swallow another bite of her sandwich and eventually gave up at pretending to be fine with Manik leaving the table while fuming. But now the boy was cracking jokes. For god's sake what was wrong with him. 

Nandini knew him well enough to know that he didn't like showing his emotions in front of others especially when something is hurting him rather, he would throw and break stuff like a little kid with tantrums. Either he would keep a poker face all the time or his veins would be popping up in anger as his eyes would turn red like some drunk-on blood vampire. But he didn't need to hide it from her.

He could share anything with her.

He could let her see how much his heart ached.

He could bare himself in front of her.

That was why it broke a piece in Nandini by seeing his ridiculously obvious attempts at hiding stuff. So Nandini decided it was better to give up and go back and have those sandwiches that she had left on the dining table because of a guy she was supposed to avoid, in fact the guy she was supposed to run away from.

Too much for minding my own business, Nandini mocked herself.

"They want me to get married! My- my father wants me to get married.” Manik retorted with a heavy sigh finally feeling a little lighter after letting it out while Nandini just stayed rooted at her place not daring to step a step further. At the moment she felt like someone had just splashed her with cold water.

"What-!" still stunned, no other words came out of her mouth. Nandini had no idea what to say. For God’s sake she freaking didn’t even know how to react at this revelation. This was just too much.

All this time while she had been trying to run away from Manik, never had once it had struck her that his parents would ask him to marry to someone of their choice. It was obvious that one day Manik would have to eventually get married but after listening to him. It just hit her like a truck.

That too when her heart was leaning towards him, yet again. Since they had met again, he was chasing her and although she hated his guts and just wanted to kick herself out of his life, still somewhere along this hating and avoiding, her heart had been growing fond of the guy she claimed to despise.

“When did you get to know? Since when?” Nandini asked while trying hard to stop her lips from quivering so much. But could you blame her, the girl was lost at this moment. It felt like the floor beneath her was wiped off all of a sudden, without any prior warning.

Just like lighting striking when you least expect it.

And this time, she was the victim.

“Since I had that accident.” Manik looked defeated as he saw Nandini’s eyes widen at the realization, now she knew why Manik was yelling at his father at the hospital and why his face would turn red at his father’s call.

“But why? Like out of the blue?” Nandini questioned while trying to stay calm but it was easier said than done because damn the whole situation was anything but nerve-racking.

“For a fucking merger between two companies.” Manik was growing agitated as his father’s words echoed in his mind.

Son you have to get married to this girl, it is very important for our company. His father had said.