Can you take a wild guess before reading
why is the chapter's name hot chocolate?😜
A bumper 4k plus chapter. I had to give up my sleep and free time for it🙈
Enjoy reading 🌸
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|| The right conversation, with the right person can set even the most wrong, right ||
🔹🔹🔹
A nasty storm was brewing over the Arabian sea which threatened to take away the cemented coast with it. With gusty winds and thunderous rains, it looked like the gods were taking out some sort of vengeance on the human kind. Although it was five in the evening, but seeing the dark grey sky one could bet it was midnight.
Mumbai, was already on red alert for the night was going to be the heaviest. The tempest could worsen or get better, there was nothing in between the two extremes. It had flown past that moment where things could balance. It was just this way or that now. Acceptance or denial.
In one of those marvellous high rises, along the floor lenght windows glistened with the reflection of a petite figure, boring its eyes into nothingness, staring at the abyss. Her face remained stoic and devoid of any emotions for her mind housed a myriad of them. Looking at those grey clouds, she was trying to find a silver lining, just one straw of of hope but all what amassed in front of her was heaps of fraught.
Two weeks. It's been two weeks since, the confrontation happened. Two weeks since, Manik asked Nandini to take his hand and let go of the past. Two weeks since Nandini froze on hearing him and watched him retreat through the shiny doors of the same cabin, taking a part of her along and leaving behind a blank canvas of a human. Two weeks since she was in the dilema of whether there is something left of them or her insecurities have cost her everything.
Unlike the perception, she was aware of what she has caused. She very well knew, how her ill temperament and inability to contain her anger and thoughts have ruined whar could be a perfect fairytale for her. She, in her whole life ahead, irrespective of whatever happens, will never forget how those shiny brown orbs, which competed with stars, lost their shine and shimmer, and in its place stood sheer anguish.
The turbulence in her mind, the inner conflict, the agitation that Nandini has went through in the past two weeks was beyond describable. It scared her to even think if these were her emotions then in what turmoil and glum would Manik be.
To take her out from the wallows of grief came Payal, "Nandini ma'am...the clients are here". No matter how troubled her personal life be going, she somehow managed to move forward professionally. Nandini's has always taken the tag of a leader very dutifully. She may give up food and water but will lead her team till she breathes her last, for that's what a leader does!
Nandini gave a small nod to Payal and watched her reciprocate a sympathetic smile towards her. Ah! Sympathy! A feeling she hated. She loathed this word. It used to remind her of her early struggles, where she was helpless and aimless. But, there wasn't anything else that one could offer her right now other than that.
Taking a sip of water, she composed her self a little, rather assembled all the pieces that were left behind of her. And, then with long breathless strides, she followed Payal into the conference room of the office, ready to be a rock.
"Ma'am shall I accompany you inside?", after having worked for Nandini for almost 5 years, Payal was well aware of all her shades. From seeing a hard task stony boss to seeing the blushing teen girl around Manik, she has seen it all, and also heard it all.
That day, when Payal had seen Manik walk out from Nandini's office with deject written all over his face, she had quite understood that the coming days were going to be tough to handle. Yet, she had never thought, she'll be dealing with a completely lifeless person. How she wished she gets back the previous Nandini atleast, she was robotic but not blank, like the Nandini standing beside her.
Nandini gave her a approving nod and then moved inside the conference room, while Payal prayed to god to wake up the voice in her which had gone on mute. She swore that she could count on her fingers the number of times Nandini has spoken in these days.
Nonetheless, putting up a brave face, Nandini entered the room, not quite thinking what might be comimg her way. Could there be something more challenging than what she is already facing? She highly doubted.
Nandini seated herself at her regular head chair at the end of the table and like usual her eyes switched to the chair immediately on her left. The place which was currently empty for the person who it belonged to was miles away.
She did give herself the liberty to smile at his thought, in remembrance of his antiques. She felt a jolt stir up her soul when her inner voice took a mocking jibe at her "You don't even deserve to think about him". Though with a grim sour smile, Nandini did accept the fact. She actually didn't deserve him, and he didn't deserve someone as her .
In these fateful thoughts was Nandini lost when a voice brought her back to the present, "Ma'am...Mr. Surya is here", this man was the last thing she needed. But ofcourse, she couldn't control it. So, standing in front of her was Mr. Surya, with the same appealing smile that he had when she met her last time. That time, the smile wasn't a thing to bother for even Nandini had her reason to smile, but today, it did arise a tinge of jealousy. She thought how happening and gleeful his life would be.
"Ahh!! Ms. Murthy such a long time", Surya spoke in his usual joyful attitude, irking Nandini to the core. She failed to understand why was he always in a mood to rejoice. Didn't he have problems to sort out or his life was problem free?
Payal though, was mighty quick at figuring out Nandini's immediate distress and dislike for the person. "Sir Ma'am let's proceed downstairs. The artists are waiting", she requested taking the matters in her own hands.
On her cue, Nandini didn't even wait for another second before moving out of the door, without having a concern if Surya followed or no. Like it or not but Nandini was like this and Surya too had accepted her like that. He wasn't all surprised and shocked by this for he has been warned by many beforehand of Nandini's ill temper, and he had also been a witness to her detest early on. It was all quite normal now.
“Sour mood eh!?”, he looked at Payal, who was visibly stressed by Nandini's action. “She has been a handful this week”, Surya gave her a knowing smile before, holding the door open for her. Passing on a grateful smile, Payal guided him to the hall, where Nandini was already present and supervising the activities.
When did the two hours pass by, no one knew. Both, Nandini and Surya were too busy supervising the whole song making, to take note of time. Even though Surya kept his distance from Nandini, he would occasionally hover his eyes towards her, trying to sneak in a glance or two. Throughout this, he found her in a different state of mind. Something was not right with her and he could feel it.
Although she did everything like she would have done normally, the usual fire and fierceness that is in her general attitude was missing. She was answering most questions with a nod or in monosyllables. Wherever lengthy instructions were needed, Payal gave them on her behalf.
After making out the anomaly in her behaviour, knowing the reason behind it interested him more. He wanted to know what had led to Nandini dousing her flame of passion for what she does.
God was indeed on his side that day. Normally Nandini never had a visitor bother than corporate guests coming to the office, Aryaman and Manik ofcourse being exceptions, but that say, he saw a girl, who would be a little younger than Nandini, come in asking for her. Going by her appearance, she looked like someone from a well off family. Her face housed a huge smile when she spotted Nandini, quite contradicting Nandini's stunned and frozen expressions.
From the distance he was standing at, he could very well make that they were indulged in an animated conversation which saw no or meek responses from Nandini's side. With his good luck peaking, he was luckily within an earshot and could get an vague idea about what the conversation was.
When Surya heard the word ‘Manik’ in their conversation, his eyes instantly looked up to gauge Nandini's expressions. He did, very clearly remember, the prominent change of expressions that Nandini had last time, when he had mentioned Manik between one of their conversation. A hint of red on the cheeks and bigger than usual pupils. All signs positive.
But today, that change was exact opposite. Instead of relaxing, her body tensed and out came the tapping of foot at the very mention of his name. ‘Very strange’, he thought to himself. Something was up between her and Manik. Something wasn't right between them.
He was just thinking this when he saw the girl leave the room, and Nandini too follow the suit, after she had flashed her eyes across the room, seeing everything was fine and had a very brief eyelock with him. In that flashing second, Surya was sure he saw overfilled eyes of Nandini. In all honesty, that estranged look on her face, pricked a deep wound on his heart. That look reminded him of someone, it reminded him of a time he never wants to remember.
In that very moment, he decided something. He knew it may make things worse but, there were bleak chances that it may set things right too. The stakes were too high. He had to take the risk.
~•~
With tears of distraught, frustration and fear, Nandini wandered around the premises of the building, not quite bothering where she was going. She just wanted an escape from the stuffed room. It was getting too suffocating for her to stay there, specially after having a brief conversation with the guest that came.
Walking towards the end of the corridor, the sound of raindrops splashing became clearer and clearer. Looking onto her left, Nandini found a beautiful open air seating. There was a dimly lit patio, surrounded by plants. It radiated the same comfort that Manik gives when he engulfs her in his arms, hugging her as if his life depended on it. And why won't it? Afterall it was Manik's idea.
Nandini vividly remember how Manik had requested her to have an area like this, other than the usual cafeteria for the employees to remember. “It is good for their mental health and productivity”, he had given this reason and Nandini had agreed. After it was built, she never got the time to see the outcome.
The bait of ‘Manik like comfort’ was anyday enough to bring her to it. She thus, entered the garden, which any sane person wouldn't do, considering the storm, but doesn't love leave a person insane?
She took the farthest corner, hidden from anyone, and let those tears drop and make their way to her lips. Amyrah had just left after having a conversation with her. Though she asked just two questions, but those had the power to bring Nandini back to the harsh realities and bang it against her.
Amyrah had just asked if Nandini has planned something for Manik's birthday and if not, could she let her plan something? She has, unintentionally, splashed cold water on her face. Icy cold water that peels the skin and sting where it hurts.
Saying that she has forgotten about his birthday would be false, but yes, she did try her best to not think about it, but now it was becoming too overwhelming. At last, loosing the battle, she let those memories of last year flow. On his birthday, Nandini had vowed to bake him a cake. ‘Death by chocolate’, his favourite flavour. She did remember the mess she had made of the kitchen for she wanted to do it without any help. It was a tiring hour or two, but the reaction paid off the efforts.
Manik had gone nuts tasting it. Though it tasted a bit too sweet and doughy, Manik had not hesitated before labelling it as the ‘best cake ever baked’. She had generously been awarded that night in the bedroom.
But the highlight of that period had been that tight hug. That hug conveyed everything that Manik felt and that hug she craved for right now. But how unfortunate she was that right now she doesn't even know if Manik is still someone who she can call hers?
Even with this bitter thoughts in her mind, she could still smell cocoa and marshmallows somewhere around her. The aroma was undeniably strong, but she couldn't care less until, a white marble mug was thrusted in front of her eyes. Shifting her eyes to her right, she saw the man who she was least expecting to be here, standing with another mug in his hand.
The person quite comfortably, without thinking about Nandini's reaction to it, took his place beside her, sipping quietly from the mug. Nandini ignored, both the man and the mug.
“You should never ignore hot chocolate with tons of marshmallows in it,”, he did once again manage to turn Nandini's head. He had his eyes closed shut tightly, for he expected her to blast on him for distributing and being nosy, but nothing followed.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the pleasent sight of the cup against Nandini's lips and she taking a small sip. Nandini almost puked out the drink, cringing at the level of sweetness, which she obviously wasn't used to. There was a time when this was her comfort food, but that time was long ago.
She remembered having mugs of this together, when sitting with her father, talking about random things. Any problem, any grief they faced, they would talk it out with a cup of hot chocolate beneath the starry sky. Whenever she asked why hot chocolate she would get the reply that
“You know chocolate releases dopamine which makes you feel good”
Nandini almost suffered a heart attack on hearing him repeat the exact same sentence. She gave him a sharp stare, but he just smiled back. A smile Nandini was aware of. A smile Nandini is very familiar with. A smile that always reaches the eye. It was her father's smile. The barrier that were in her heart for him, melted away in that moment, and in its place was a connection. A connection she couldn't name and did not even want to. A comfortable silence prevailed between the two, with random sound of sipping.
“Is something wrong between you and Manik?”, he broke the silence and looked at Nandini, with hopes that she will reply. Nandini gave a mocking chuckle. “I don't know if there is a Manik and Me anymore”, she did not even meet his eye. It remained focused on the floating marshmallows.
“You made a mistake?”, he asked again. “I made the gravest mistake of pushing him away from me, not understanding what he meant. Not controlling my anger and thinking rationally”, though she stopped, he knew more was to come. Therefore, he kept quiet, waiting for her to proceed.
“He...he just wanted me to let go of my past. Let go of the false inhibitions, but I...I was so sick minded that I took it against him. Called him arrogant, egoistic and whatnot when it is me who is the dumbest”, the trails of tears were compelling him to wipe them away, but he knew best not to disturb her and let her get the steam out.
“How can I even think that the tag of marriage was important to him? How can I not be humane enough to give him time to overcome a heartbreak? How can I refuse his proposal?”, her tears weren't stopping but the heartache that she was suffering from, did reduce.
“Why did you refuse Nandini?”, he asked as calmly as he could. “I was...I was scared”, and she wasn't lying. The fear was too evident in her eyes to not notice. “I have seen people get destroyed because of marriage. I have seen how marriages consume the better person in the relationship. And it scares me to think that Manik can be in that place”.
“I can bear anything for him, but I can't see him struggle because of me, my burdens, my past”, a beautiful smile rested on his face. Two people, selflessly trying to think about each other's betterment, torturing themselves for the other. He has seen it before. He knew what it takes to be in Nandini's place, and also what might Manik be feeling too. Fate was playing a dirty game with him, for the history has repeated itself.
“Nandini Manik knows your past right?”, he asked as softly as he could. Nandini too replied with a nod. “Then don't you think he is upto this task? He willingly wants to take it”, Nandini stared hard at him. “But isn't being selfless for another called love?”, she looked at him like a clueless child, showing her vulnerability.
“Sometimes you need to be selfish in love. You need him and he needs you too. This selflessness can kill you both sometimes. With you, Manik will conquer everything, and so will you but without each other you both will be just bodies without soul. I have seen Nandini, how selflessness can destroy lives, don't do the mistake I did Nandini, don't”, no one in the whole wide world could understand Nandini's situation better than the person in front of her. Years before, he became the architect of destruction.
“The burden that you live with the rest of your life is too heavy to carry Nandini. You'll die everyday knowing you could have saved a fairytale but weren't able to. It will make you breathless and insane. It's not easy Nandini, it's not easy”, Nandini saw something similar in his eyes. The same fraught, the same fear, the same fire, but additional to it was one more thing - regret.
“Is it too late now Surya?”
(Surprise surprise!!😬 I know it isn't most of you guessed it)
The newly found hope could be heard in her voice, and seen on her face. He let his reply be of a smile. After their heartfelt talk, the silence had once again taken it's place around. They sat down, finishing their mugs of hot chocolate with Nandini not cringing her face at the sweetness and mildly loving it.
The light of the dawning sun, marvellously reflected on their faces as the storm subsided, giving way to a beautiful sky, mixed with shades of violet, orange and pink. The worst of it over and it was safe to imagine that the future held brightness and hope.
~•~
Brussels, Belgium.
It was a chilly night in Brussels. The night sky was covered with dark clouds hovering in patches across the city. The locals predicted the night to be one of the coldest of the season and there were possibilities that they may wake upto a winter wonderland the next day.
Irrespective of the icy winds blowing across, which have kept almost every sane living being in the confines of the four walls, Manik stood in the balcony of his hotel room, back from a hectic day at sets. Another proof that love does take away your sanity.
Usually, the burden of the shoots is not felt on Manik's shoulder or reflects on his face, but it was the heartbreak and the distress, mixed together which took away the sheen from his face. From the patches of cloudless sky, Manik could see a few twinkling stars, looking straight at him.
Those stars were a sarcastic reminder of his life analogy. Stars lighting up the darkening sky. He left out a chortle. Where was his star now? When will she come to lighten up that sky which she darkened? Does she even remember him and his state? He had so many apprehensions but no answer to any.
"Sir...please have your dinner", Maddy, who has been a witness to his state of mind, requested Manik. "You go and have dinner Maddy. I will have it after sometime", Maddy was going to revolt, but Manik's eyes suggested he wasn't taking any excuses. That smile that he has been wearing since the time he has landed, was utterly fake. Most people were fooled by those, but Maddy wasn't going to be. He knows his Manik sir in and out. He knows the pain inflicting on his pure heart. He so wanted to go and shake him out of this reverie but, he ofcourse couldn't.
"Okay sir", He was walking back, thinking what to do so that the old happy go lucky Manik would be back, but his mind turned blank. He had no ideas, but he knew too that only and only Nandini can do something to turn this gloomy imp into the genie that he is. If only Nandini were here.
After making sure that, he was alone, Manik finally let out a sigh. He finally shed the facade he has been donning. He finally let go of that tear that he has been trying to suppress making his eyes red in the process. He finally let those shoulders drope that he so bravely has been keeping up. He finally let those inhibitions come up to the surface, no more powerful to hid them.
The clock struck 12, and his mobile came to life. Thousands of notifications and messeges light up his screen, while a notification from Twitter told him the trending hastags in India at that very moment.
#HappybirthdayManik, #Happybirthdayourstar,
#Heroturns30
#Manikweloveyou
Woah! It was his birthday. The realisation dawned upon him. How in the heaven has he not taken notice of the tags his fan pages were trending since weeks. The mentions he has been repeatedly getting. He was still taking it all in when Maddy came back running with a laptop in his hand. "Sir...sir...", he took Manik's attention away from his mobile.
The laptop screen was filled with the faces of Raj and Nyonika, Mukti and Abhimanyu, Dhruv and Alya, Cabir and Navya and Hades and Aryaman along with Amyrah, who screamed, "Happy Birthday Manik!!", as soon as he came in the camera. Manik stared at Maddy, not understanding what was going on. "They wanted to wish you together", a sly smile on Maddy's face told Manik that he has very wisely betrayed Manik. If there was anything beside Nandini which could lighten up his dull moment was them, his family.
"Thank you so much guys!!", he smiled at the beaming faces. His eyes searched every screen, trying to find that face he has been dying to see. But, she was still missing. "Bhai cut the cake!", an overly excited Amyrah exclaimed from the screen. "i don't have a cake Ammu", her looks told Manik she was upto something.
It did not take long for him to find out as Maddy walked out to the balcony with a small and simple but delicious looking cake. "That is the best I could arrange at a short notice", both Maddy and Amyrah gave Manik a sweet sheepish smile. "But in my defence, it looks similar to the one Nandini baked last year for you", Amyrah just did the last thing that Manik needed.
The cake indeed looked like a better made version of Nandini's cake from last year. But it won't even come remotely close to the taste. However bad it was, it was made with Nandini's love and dedication to surprise Manik. He remembered the havoc created in the kitchen by her, he remembered the anxious expressions of Nandini while he cut the cake and tastes it. He remembered the extra sugary taste of the cake, because she did an overdo of sugar. He remembered the almost falling apart structure of the cake.
Along with all this, he remembered the hug that he gave her after that. A hug that had all in it, love, passion, gratefulness and a bit of every emotion. People say things don't change, but Manik couldn't ridicule this statement more than he does right now. Everything has changed for him and he no longer knows if they are ever going to be right or no.
***
Don't have much to say, with the response shown to the last episode. The next part would be up sooner for i really want to move on with the plot. It's going to get interesting and emotional and romantic too.
Anyway,
Did Nandini's reason tell you her depth of love for Manik?
Do you agree with what I wrote?
Is love always about selflessness?
Doesn't all you need to be is selfish to save things sometimes?
Will Nandini go to Belgium?
What is Surya's backstory?
Didn't Maniks condition make you emotional?
Waiting for the response.
Stay safe people🌸