Second Chance At Love - [MANAN] #Book2

twenty three

"But yesterday your lips had something else." Manik smirked while a look of horror was plastered on Bella's face. He was talking about yesterday's kiss. The talk she didn't want to have at all let alone this soon. She swore at herself for ever stepping out of her room for that freaking breakfast. She knew it, she should have starved herself instead.

Too late now...

"I- that- it was nothing." Nandini cursed herself for stutter. Why the hell it was so god damn hard to lie with a straight face. She knew that at the moment she must be looking constipated, well too much to keep a poker face.

"What do you mean nothing?" Manik's jaw taut as he groaned internally with his fingers clenched into a fist. He inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to not to lash out at Nandini. He was angry, he was pissed. So damn pissed that it was so fucking hard for him not to punch the nearest wall until his hand would go numb. Numb to any sensation. Numb to the hurt he was feeling at the moment. Sure, he was anxious, he was frustrated but more than anything he was hurt. Upset? Or sad maybe? It pierced his heart to think that Nandini only had initiated 'that kiss' because she was drunk.

But was that really the reason?

He didn't know what to make out of it. His mind and heart were having a battle of their own. He didn't know which one to side with. His mind was screaming that Nandini hated him and wanted him out of her life while his heart whispered in low voice that there were still lingering feelings.

That she still cared for me. And still loved him, maybe? He had no idea whether to listen to his mind or heart. Would he be too much of an optimist if he were to listen to his heart? Or would he be a stupid to not see her obvious cold glares she would throw at him every now and then.

He was losing it.

He becoming a mess.

Too close to giving up.

So, he was pissed... pissed at himself.

He didn't know how long would he be able to stay hopeful and keep on trying to mend Nandin's heart when all his attempts had led him to nowhere. She still hated him; she still didn't want to see his face. Isn't it? Nandini was confusing him. Her words and actions would contradict almost every time if not always since they had crossed path again.

Again, for the second time. And Manik was hoping for a different ending this time than the first time. But nothing had seemed to have changed so far. They had part ways on a bad note and things only seemed to be worsening between them until now.

"Look I was drunk. I wasn't in my senses. It was a mistake I shouldn't even had come to your room." Nandini spoke hastily and turned back to Manik so he won't see her glossy eyes. It was killing her to say those words to him. She wanted to turn around and wrap her arms around him tightly. She wanted to smell his wood and musk perfume while snuggling into crook of his neck as she would tell him how her heart was drawing back to him.

Yet again ready to be played. She wanted to admit it to him that even though she was drunk. That even though she wasn't in her senses. Still that kiss wasn't a mistake. If anything she had cherished it more than she could ever explain in words. After that one kiss yesterday night, after all those years. Her lips were carving for taste of his lips, again. She couldn't look at him without wanting his touches since then. She knew she was doomed.

She was falling for him yet again.

Or maybe she had never fall out of it to begin with.

"Oh I get it. It was nothing. IT WAS FUCKING NOTHING BUT A MISTAKE, right?" Manik retorted while those words bitter on his tongue as he laughed like some maniac who had gone crazy.

"Okay then. I apologise Ms. Nandini Murty there would be anymore mistakes. I will be sure to never cross the line again. Let's be co-workers. That's what you wanted us to be isn't it! Let's do that then." Manik roared while still laughing like a madman. Everything seemed to be spinning in front of him as he felt his head throbbing so badly as if someone had been hammering him.

He was losing his shit. First his father who was adamant to get his son married to some strange and now Nandini. He was feeling as if his heart was being shattered into a thousands of tiny pieces which were impossible to bring together and make his heart whole again. He was going crazy. Not being able to stand it anymore Manik rushed out of the farmhouse. He needed some fresh air. If he were to stay there any longer, he feared he would die out of suffocation.

Nandini stayed rooted at her place. Completely stilled. She wasn't able to take a single step forward. She allowed her tears to slide down her cheeks the moment she realised Manik was gone. She fell on the ground with a thud as soon light sobs turned into hysterical cries. She stubbornly tried wipe off her tears nonetheless as she violently rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand to get rid of tear stains.

"Manik I hate you... but I despise myself too. I don't know what is wrong with me. I don't know what I should do. Is it right to forgive you after what you had done to me. After you had tossed me like some trash after the bet. After I had become a laughing stock for everyone in our college. After they had those people bullied and treated me like a whore. Can I... no, should I really forgive you after the bet you made to play with my heart. Is it really right to give my heart away to you for the second time when I still can't forget what you did with it in the first time. Does you saying that your love was and is really cut it. Does you apologizing now really make it okay that it had started with the bet when I still wake up in the middle of night from those nightmares that your for-fun of a bet left me with. The scares that you gifted me with in return for loving you with all of me." Tears didn't seem to stop as Nandini finally broke down. She didn't bother to wipe off her tears anymore. She was having it hard and this time with no one around she didn't pretend to be fine when she was not.

She could see his love, but was she ready to move on from her demons of the past was question. Will she ever have the courage to look at Manik without flashes of her past haunting her mind? Will she ever be able to love him fully without worrying if it was yet again another game for him to win?

Will she be able to believe in herself and in his love for her without having any seconds doubts? She was so broke that she couldn't trust her wounds with someone who had given it to her. Will she ever be able to find it in herself, the courage to love him again? Courage to give him second chance at love.

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Here is another update. And let me tell you guys that things are about to get ugly due to upcoming twist and manan's journey towards finding their way back to each other. I hope you guys will enjoy what I have planned ahead for the story.

Anyway what is that one cringe thing you have done becoz of your crush on someone?

Let me tell you mine first. So back then when I was in school I had this huge crush over a boy that I used to count ( yes like literally count) our encounters at school because we were in different sections. (damn so freaking embarrassing and stupid now that I think about it.)