A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-29

"Isn't it too cold?" Nandini asked wrapping the muffler around her neck while Manik glared her. 

"Wow, you are not even listening," He complained throwing his arms in air. 

"I am. I am," Nandini assured the freaked out cadet of hers. 

She bit her lip not to laugh at his little frown.

"No, you aren't," Manik replied nagging. 

"You just can't come to academy wearing a mere long sweater," He was shocked beyond limits. 

Well, scene few minutes back wasn't easy for Manik. 

He frowned thinking about those eyes with hearts out. That was how his seniors and batch mates looked at her when she had come to academy. 

Apparently, she was no good news when she walked like that in colonel's office. For God damn sake, colonel was already mad at Manik. He pouted further. 

No it didn't end there. 

She asked colonel if she could take Manik out for a day and surprisingly colonel Singh agreed. Manik could smell a rat. He knew he was having another late night conversation with colonel. 

It still doesn't end here. 

On top of that, Harshad announced it in dorm how Nandini had come to take Manik out. Every boy gave him a bad eye. Harshad readied him like he was a groom. It was embarrassing. 

"You could have called," Manik regretted further. 

"You mean your aunt?" Nandini mocked while taking another rash turn. 

"I am telling you, you would start feeling like my nephew if I don't stop calling you as your aunt," She showed her doubt. 

Manik shook his head reading the horror and she chuckled. 

"It's so easy to set you off," She said putting the jeep into top gear. 

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Standing under the bridge, she demanded him not to look around but her. 

"No don't go far. I feel cold," She said pulling him back where she could wrap herself around his arm. 

"I was just clearing the way," Manik replied shying a bit. It was minutes, she was walking leaning on his arm and he could feel his stomach twisting. 

They were walking on water.

Yes, that's how she liked it to be mentioned. 

It was low stream and water was gentle. They were walking in river which could hardly wet their ankles. 

"Nandini," He started to say something with that singing tone. 

"Hmmm," She replied kicking another pebble. 

"Why are we here?" He asked trying to get some satisfactory answer about their recent rendezvouses. They were meeting frequently for not doing anything. They weren't bantering much. They were being unreasonably quiet when they were around. He knew he was loving it but what about her. 

Was she just upset about her home matters and was finding an escape in him? He undermined his own self. 

"Because I am feeling very cold these days and believe me room heater isn't enough," She replied causally only to leave Manik baffled. 

"Then how wandering in frosty cold is helping that?' He asked shocked, "Let's go back somewhere warm."

"Noooooo na," She protested pulling him closer where she could clutch his arm to her content.