Deceiving Veils

Chapter-16 {Shutting you out}

She took his hand quietly after gazing him for a while. He walked them towards south in search of the camp where they were supposed to go anyway. 

Nandini's insides were curling with thought of not finding Aashi there at camp. What if she and Aryan were not there? She closed her eyes and prayed silently. 

It was almost an hour since they were walking. He didn't even spare a glance at her all this while. She was restless under grip of his hand. Their hands were sweaty. She could feel his uneasiness. She wanted to let go of the grip but that would mean inviting his attention. And she didn't want that. She didn't want his attention in any way. She didn't want anyone's attention for a matter of fact. She was tired of feeling this way. She was tired of carrying this burden that in order to protect her, things go haywire. His quiet was as much aching as his attention. She wanted to know what he was going through. She wanted to console. She wanted to tell him positive things. She wanted to be there. And at same time, she didn't want him to think about her.

Why it was so important?

She had asked herself millions time that why she was severely affected with his everything. He had all the power to make her feel such emotions she didn't even know that existed. What he thought, what he felt; it all mattered when it shouldn't. 

"Would you say something?" she uttered without realizing that she was thinking aloud then.

He gripped her hand tighter and kept walking.

"Tell me, what's going on?" she further asked as she couldn't take his silence anymore.

He took his sweet two minutes when she was finding it had to breathe. 

"Nothing," he murmured and pulled her hand a bit to make her cross a narrow gully. She dangled to his muscular grip and stepped on rock.

"Tell me, please," She insisted as soon as they came back on smoother land. 

He kept quiet but his grip tightened. It was almost a warning for her to be quiet. She didn't care. She was hell worried thinking about all he was going through. 

She pulled her hand in a way that he had to halt. She let go of his hand and stood there infuriated. He finally looked back and she scowled. 

"You cannot just throw silence on me every time. Speak to me. Damn it," She averred.

He sighed and held his waist. He looked around at trees and then at her. His eyes were still warning her. She didn't care. She just wanted him to speak something.

"Manik," she uttered and he raised his finger to make her quiet.

"Don't," he warned and then he turned around to resume his quest.

She took a few long steps in utter frenzy and held his wrist. Pulling him with all her strength, she made him halt. He hissed as soon as her nails made contact with his skin. She couldn't care about this when she could see he was having much more than that inside. 

"You cannot always shut me out and walk away," she raged. 

He twisted his wrist in a such a way that her grip loosened. 

"What's your problem, Nandini?" he yelled. 

"You are my problem. I know you aren't fine. But you won't just speak and tell me. You know how worried sick I am?" she yelled back. 

"It's none of your business. Do not overstep," he raised his finger and reminded her.

"Everything related to me is your business and when it comes to your things, I am just a stupid outsider. Why?" She demanded.