Manan FF: The Sketch Artist

Third

Nandini's Pov:

There I see him. The lean guy wearing blue shirt and pants. Well, thats what they've to wear in jail. He has slight bags under his eyes and his face looked pale as if it has lost its glow. His beard is unshaven for long I guess. But still he looks good. Chocolate brown eyes, perfect jawline, though not perfectly visible due to his beard and a perfect smile. But shit, he's not smiling. Why? He would look good if he smiles.

"Nandini, which prisoner smiles?" my inner conscience got me back to reality. He's a prisoner and I was practically checking out a prisoner.
"Well, you can say you were checking out an artist" my conscience told me with a smirk. Arghhh..

I started looking around. There is a stand like thing, he probably draws his sketches there. Apart from that, there is a not so comfortable small bed, an exhaust fan and a jug of water. I don't know how someone as tall as him fits in that bed. Let me tell you, he's at least 6 feet tall. There were a few pencils and other stationary things lying on the bed.

"Ermmm... Hi" he said getting me back from my thoughts. I looked at him and he stood there probably trying to comprehend what these two unknown girls are doing in his cell and is perhaps feeling most uncomfortable right now.

I looked at Navya. I thought she'll start the  conversation but she's busy in her phone at this point of time. Ridiculous.
I poked her and she said,
"Just a minute" like seriously. At this point of time she needs a minute with her phone. Where am I trapped god? And why me?
I looked at him and he is looking at me awkwardly.

"Hi" I said and moved forward to shake hands with him. He took my hands in his and gave me a weak smile and let me tell you, he looks far better than good when he smiles and..
For the love of god, I blushed. Damn it, When did I start blushing? I need to get out of this place. First I was checking him out and now I'm blushing. Good going Nandini Murty!

I smiled at him and took my hand back.
"Hi, I'm Navya and she's Nandini" Navya said as she kept her phone in the back pocket of her jeans. He shook hands with her and said,
"I'm Manik"

Thank god, she got her face out of that phone otherwise I didn't know how would I have started a conversation with this oh-so-good-looking stranger slash prisoner slash doctor slash artist. Gosh there're so many slashes. Forget it.

"Okay, so the thing is we want you to draw a sketch for us." she told him straight. Like she could've tried making a conversation with him first. That was blunt. At least she could've described him the whole scenario.

"You need to take the permission from the officers out there for that since I don't have the right to decide if I can or not" he replied with a polite smile. Were prisoners polite? Well, till now I never thought criminals to be polite and smiling. But there're actually less criminals who are doctors, so we can't say about the special case we've here.

"See, the thing is the authorities or as you say, the officers out there know that we're here and we want you to draw sketch but they know a different sketch and we're here for a different sketch." she tried explaining him in a way that even I got confused about the whole ordeal.

Manik looked at her with a puzzled look.
"What? You didn't understand what I just told you?" she asked as if she had just explained a nursery rhyme.
"Navya, shut up and let me explain" I said.

"See Manik the thing is the prison governor is Navya's father and she told him that she wants help from you for her designing sketches but in reality we want you to draw a sketch of someone else, my boyfriend as his birthday gift which we can't tell her dad for some reason." I explained him in a way I thought that he'll understand.

"Okay" he said looking at me as if thinking something in his head. That's what I get, just an okay. Maybe he doesn't speak much.

"Sorry to interrupt but I said the same thing" Navya said which made both of us laugh and she stood there dumbfounded.

From the corner of my eyes, I looked at Manik. His laugh is so carefree and suddenly a part of me wanted to know what is he doing in jail but I just chucked that thought off my head. Its stupid to think this way for me when I know I'm just going to meet him less than three times in my entire lifetime but I don't know why I'm feeling this attraction towards him. Lets just forget it.

"But I actually need to see the person for drawing a sketch" he said getting me out from my thoughts.

"Can a picture do?" I asked since obviously we can't make Maddy come here.

"Mm.. I'm not allowed to keep mobile phones here and I can't keep a print out with me because they check the cell daily and you just told that the authorities know about a different sketch thing." he explained and this obviously is a problem.

"Can't you try to remember the face from the picture?" I asked in a hope to get a positive answer because I want to just him to draw the sketch now. I don't know why I'm getting these positive vibes from him.

"I can try but still if you can stop by here in between, that would be great since its kind of difficult to remember all the features of a face at a time." he replied.

"Yeah, we'll." Navya said without even thinking anything. What will she tell her father for coming here again?

"Ermm okay, till when do you need this sketch?" he asked with hesitation.  But why is he hesitating? Is he this shy infront of everyone?

"By end of this week." Navya replied.
"So can you stop by here in like two or three days." he asked to which Navya replied in positive.

We bid adieus after showing him Maddy's picture in my phone and were about to leave when Navya stopped and said,

"Mm.. Manik?" he looked up and she asked,

"What did you do to end up in jail?"

and that made the atmosphere of the cell heavy. He stood there looking here and there. Maybe he didn't expect this blunt questioning and why would he actually share something like this with two unknown girls. Stupid Navya!

"Its... umm... complicated" he replied looking everywhere but us.

"But... " Navya was about to say something but I interrupted in between and pulled Navya out saying,

"We'll see you soon Manik" to which I heard a meek yeah. Maybe he is regreting for agreeing about the sketch. I hope he is not though.

Authors's Note:
Hey guys, hope you loved the chapter.
Please vote comment and share.