Stars and Fireflies - Manan

Chapter 26

Nandini's pro

I kept sitting there quietly with tears streaming down my eyes.
"Ayiappa why, why it hurts so much kyo mujhe Alya ki baat ka itna bura lag raha h sach hi toh bola unhone. Agar mere bhi mummy papa hote toh sab kitna different hota. M bhi unke saath bachpan m park atte, apne birthday's celebrate karte, sab festivals manate, holidays pe jate...par aisa kuch nahi h" I thought with immense pain in my heart. Ye ek aisa pain h jo kabhi nahi jaega.

I was busy in my thought when I felt someones presence beside me, calming myself down I peeped beside me to look who it is.

As soon as I saw the person beside me I lost my control ony emotions, the hurt, the pain the loneliness suddenly consumed me with so much intensity that it become difficult for me to breath. His brown orbs were looking at me with an unknown emotion. Not being able to control myself anymore I immediately wrapped both my arms tightly around his neck while pulling myself near him as if asking him to hide me in his arms and cried my heart out.

I pulled myself so close to him scared that he will vanish away. Hiding my face in his neck I cried my eyes out.

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Writer's pro

"Shhhh shhhh nandini" manik whispered in her ear trying to calm her down. Seeing her crying like this pinched his heart. Her pain was ripping his heart apart.

"Don't leave me please" she whispered while tighting her hold on him.

"I got you. I m not going any where" he whispered making his hold tight on her.

"Acha shh shhh stop crying. Come on look at me" he pleaded helplessly getting worried for her.

"Hey..look at me na" he whispered again while moving away from her.

"No don't go" she shouted scaredly while tighting her hold on manik as soon as he tried to move away.

"Relax shh I m not going anywhere" he said sensing her vulnerability. He placed both his palm on her cheeks making her look at him with year filled scared eyes.

"Please don't cry" he whispered helplessly and wiped her tears softy.

"Vo .....m..... I m sorry" she said. Her chin wobbled as new stream of tear started flowing down her eyes.

"Why are you sorry ha??" He asked confusingly.

"Mujhe ghar jana h please mujhe orphanage chod de please" she pleaded.

"Par" he was about to question her but stops hearing her plead.

"Please" she again pleaded while holding his blazer tightly.

"Ok come" he said. He made her stand and grabbed her bag from the bench and took her to his car. He opens the passenger door for her and made her sit. After assuring her comfort he run towards the other side and quickly sat in.

He hurriedly drove off to her orphanage while time to time looking at her, who was aimlessly looking out of the car.
The silence in the car suddenly breaks by the ringing of manik's phone making nandini's bones jump due to the sudden voice.

"Ha Cabir" he said while answering his call hurriedly.

"Ya I m out somewhere" he said looking sideways towards the shivering figure of nandini.

"Ok I will be there bye" he said and ended the call hurriedly.

Soon they reach the orphanage. He stops the car and turns towards nandini who was still shivering.

"Nandini" he called making her jolt in fear." Relax relax its me".
She looks at him with glassy eyes.

" Kya hua h, ha tell me won't you share" he asks softly. But she kept quite and continues to look at him.