Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

16. Baby Steps To 'MaNan'

~ Just walk with me....where to go, we will figure out later!~

" What happened Manik?", Nandini questioned and Manik looked at her trying to hide his stunned expression. He didn't know what to say, how to react to her question. Or if he needed to react?

" Nothing. It's just that I have never seen Kabir so free with any person and he got so comfortable with you na, that's why", he answered with a smile but not looking at her. Instead he focused on the ice-cream stall behind her.

"Let's go for a ice-cream again?", He asked her moving towards the stall when a petite hand stopped him in his tracks.

"Manik, I can't go round and round, I don't know how to. I also can't sugar-coat things. But I am not blind either. So I am asking again, dircetly. What is wrong?", She asked again, acting persistent though he tried to avoid the conversation. Manik stood still, not knowing what to answer her, rather how to answer her again.Certain things are best kept hidden in the deppest corner of our hearts and it pains us to resurface them.

"Manik, I had observed you since the moment you stepped in. You had this huge usual grin on your face but there is still something wrong. I can see it in your eyes. You are trying hard to hide it and all but you failed....", She spoke sternly and it made him laugh. Like really laugh.

"You know you are sounding like a primary grade teacher!", He chuckled at her and she gave him a glare.

" Manik!!", She gave him the ultimatum this time and he sighed.

"Let's go to the beach and talk?", He asked slowly and she nodded for beach is always the best place to have heart to heart talks.

" Okay" , she agreed and both got into the car. After a 15 minutes drive with a deafening silence, they reached the beach and both sat on the slightly wet sand.

" Manik, I know we are not still very close but you can share. You can trust me...", She spoke timidly this time and he chuckled, she just couldn't guess if it was sarcastic or genuine.

" Nandini I might not be close to you but you are very dear and close to me and I don't have to give it a thought about trusting you. I already do...", He talked his heart out and Nandini stayed mum.

Sometimes she felt blessed to have him and at times she pitied him for having her. She could never love him the way he loved her. Or maybe, she could not Yet.

"Nandini it's just..!", He trailed off as soon as he started and this time Nandini turned to face him and was stunned to find his eyes already moist. She could never imagine that face with a wide grin and goofy smile so vulnerable and so pensive.

"Manik...!", She moved closer to him absentmindedly and held his hands in her.

" Nandini...it's just that yesterday Kabir heard me talking to navya and Rishab and he misunderstood things......", Manik went on this time, telling her the events of yesterday. He shivered at the thought of Kabir being hurt and Nandini could sense the deep hurt and pain the he held inside him. She didn't question him or interrupted him and heard everything patiently. She let him speak until he himself trailed off and even after that, she held his hands in her, close to her.

Nandini was not so good with words and she had no idea how to console him or for that matter anyone. Also she had many questions regarding Manik and his family after listening to him, but she couldn't decide whether her asking would be called probing too much or not and hence she kept mum. But Manik was overwhelmed to have someone to listen to him that way.

All his life he had been the listening shoulder, to his parents, to Kabir , to his friends but none ever had the patience to listen to him and his thoughts. And now finally getting someone who was more than ready to do that, he felt lighter. So even though Nandini said nothing, in a way she gave him the exact solace he was seeking.