Broken But Beautiful

21. I'm Ready, Rain on Me

Nandini

Half an hour of silence has passed since we sat in front of the endless waves of blue pearl water.

The sea takes it all down, hence proven.

I have brought Manik in this lonely beach at the far corner of the city. This place is empty of people almost all the time- but full of large bottle green bushes, grey rock, earth yellow sand, aqua sea and azure sky. None of which is applicable at this time, though- right now it's all midnight blue, black and silver of the moon, which is hardly apparent thanks to the lurking dark clouds. And here we were, sitting in front of sea, watching the tedious tide come and go, sinking our feet deep into the dry and wet sand.

And the deafening silence. A silence made of gentle breeze, onrushing tidal and no voice at all.

Silence never felt so intense.

It was crawling into my skin like slow poison, intoxicating me without alcohol, heightening my senses higher where they were slowly losing their ability to function in order. Every cell inside me screamed to be broken out of this chaining poison- but my heart knew the words are gonna be worse.

And my whole existence was screaming for that worse right now.

"Well," Manik's deep vibrating voice sent sudden chills in my body, "I'm not talking because I can't decide among sorry, thanks and others. Why aren't you?"

I chuckled, glancing at him in the darkness of penetrating silver, "I don't think I need any of that,"

"But I need to," he glanced back, a soft curl plastered on the corner of his hard mouth, "Is your back still hurting?"

"Nah," I leaned on my back, supporting my body with my hands on the sand, "But the blows were pretty hard, you know,"

I know he could do harder, though. With that physique of his extremely trained body.. he had to have controlled himself at some point, or I don't think I'd be sitting here okay right now.

He looked away, but the glint of guilt had shown itself in his eyes already. I sighed, "It's okay, Manik. Just.. this anger- the way you lost control-"

He shook his head, "I don't wanna talk about it, Nandini. I can tell you it has taken me a lot to calm down-"

"Whenever you feel this restless, you can come in here," I looked away from his face.

It hurt now. To look at his exquisite greek god face...

"Yeah," he sighed in the cool air, "It.. the quite beach. It helped, I guess,"

"This beach is mostly deserted of people," I said, looking back at the heavy waves of the sea, almost reaching our feet, "No one really comes here. Maybe that's why I like it even more- it gives me a personal peace. And you should see it in daylight. This place is so beautiful-"

I looked back at him and my heartbeat almost stopped.

Why does he have to stare at me like that, with the scorching heat of his dangerous eyes?

It captures me. Savors me. Burns me melts me vaporizes me. It makes me feel.. so much together that I never knew one could feel together.

Yet, I tried to smile, and vocalize a formed something, "You wanted to tell me something-"

"Truth or dare?"

"Huh?" I laughed, perplexed.

"We had our round pending, remember?" his lips curved into a soft smirk. My heartbeat came back with a thud. "I didn't know we were still continuing with the game?"