"Shall we?" he asked putting out his hand for her which she gladly accepted as they took a walk along the beach side and in that moment Nandini knew that she was falling for him, falling really hard.
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NANDINI'S POV
I was happily lying over Manik's chest as he snuggled closer to me, the room was quite cold but the blanket kept us warm. We came home pretty late last night and decided on a movie marathon, i suggested that we watched 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' and well he being the opposite suggested that we saw fight club. Eventually i ended up winning the debate and we saw the first part of the movie at which Manik would cringe at any lovey dovey scenes and would make faces whenever i went awe after watching Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinskey, i mean that guy has actually set up quite a high bar for boyfriend goals.
Manik looked aesthetically pleasing with slight hairs falling on his face, all i could hear was the laughter that we shared the previous night ringing in my ears but with a slight disurbance, as if someone was calling my name. Quite a vivid voice it was but the laughter in my head got replaced by a shout of Nanz. Wait!!. Is that? Holy crap, that's Navya and Mukti. How the hell are they here so soon.
"Oh my god!!! They are here finally." I exclaimed clapping my hands until i felt them tug under a strong body.
"Holy crap !! Manik, they can see us together." I realised as soon as my surroundigs sinked it.
The last thing i want to happen in my life is for my friends to know that me and Manik are having a thing specially when it is just Friends with Benefits right now cause then they are gonna grill me alot with the 'Are you fucking crazy' lecture and also them being aware means that Abhi gets to know about it. It's just a mess and i'll be the dead meat in that.
I quickly pushed Manik with all my might making him roll over and fall off on the ground. Damn i am strong or he was just not in his senses. But as soon as his head hit the ground a loud groan came out and he woke up holding his head.
"What is wrong with you women?" he groaned in pain.
"My friends are here." I whisperd and shouting in the same sentence if that even makes sense.
"Nanz" came out another high pitch voice from the stairs. Gosh they are coming up.
"So what?" he asked , is he dumb or has just memory loss. Damn did i make him fall too hard.
"They can't know any of this remember." i signalled between us and he finally gave me and 'ooo' expression as the reality sinked in but looks like it was getting too late as i could hear footsteps uproaching the first floor.
"What do we do now?" I asked clearly stressed out.
"How do i know? I never had to hide girls."He replied in the most basic manner as he pulled over a t-shirt on his wellbuilt frame. Oh god nandini focus.
"You're useless." I replied and ran out for my life but i could still hear him laugh behind me. I'm gonna deal with this idiot later.
I ran as fast as i could right through the stairs towards my room door but a voice stopped me.
"Why are you rinning like that?" Mukti asked me.
"Ummm I-, I am just jogging around the house for fitness." I lied, hope they don't see right through it.
"Around the house? Fot fitness?" Navya asked.
"Yupp i realised last night that i was growing fatter day by day so thought of just hogging inside the house. It's a little cold outside in the morning." i replied as quick as i can as if i memorised my school answers.
"Oh Gosh Nanz. you're always gonna be wierd. Come here we missed you." Mukti exclaimed as she and Navya pulled me into a bone crashing hug.
"I missed you guys too. " I replied hugging them even harder. That was true they are my family.
"Can i join?" Manik smirked leaning over the door frame.
"No you cannot. They are here just for me." I snapped back.
"Nandini behave. I cannot believe we left you too alone. I was so worried that we were gonna find either one of you dead when we would get bakc here." Navya laughed. She had no idea how amazing it was to be living with Manik under one roof. i know we had our ups and downs initially but now it was different.
"True but i am a good babysitter and a honest citizen of this country." manik bowed down mocking me.
"Excuse me. I made it easier for you choosing that deal." i snapped back not realising what i had just said but by the look on Manik's face it wasn't good.
"What deal?" the other two asked.
"I-, it just-" I stammered.
"We had a deal that we won't walk onto each others path , totally ignoring each other." Manik answered that for me saving our asses.
"Yeah exactly that." I joined too.
'Well that's good but now you guys don't have to do that since we are here to take you back home." Mukti linked our arms.
"Yupp come we'll pack and leave so that we can reach office on time." Navya walked towards my room door.
"Back home?" me and Manik, we both asked in unision. I can't go away from him.
"yes back home. Where we three live. Come on." Mukti pulled me along with her to get my things packed while i just looked over at Manik who looked as shocked and dissappointed as me.
NANDINI'S POV END
MANIK'S POV
I was shocked and dissappointed by the new info. Me and Nandini, we had just started to get along. She was like a drug to me and looking at her getting snatched away like that made me feel like a patient at rehab but i could do nothing. I just looked at her trapped between her friends, occasionally looking out for me so i went back to my room and locked it from the inside. She was gonna leave me right now and that feeling choked me. There won't be anymore morning banter and my day won't start with her beautiful face and her soft voice. This house won't be the same anymore and i'll be left alone as always.
I could hear her door getting opened ans steps approaching the stairs but a pair of footsteps just walked towards my door but stopped midway.
"Where are you goin?" Navya asked her, i know it was her at the door.
"I should say goodbye. He had been such a nice host to me." she replied in her baby voice. I knew she wasn't ready to leave me too.
"He must be busy right now, so we shouldn't disturb him. If he was free he would have still been standing here to bid you bye. you can just text him later." Mukti assured her and the footsteps faded away.
Their car left the mansion premises and i felt like a looser to not have done anything to stop her, but it wasn't my place. She was not bound to me and i was left alone like i had always been. My past came rushing back to me to the time when i thought i had everything but then suddenly my one anchor went slipping away from my hands.
MANIK'S POV END
NANDINI'S POV
I randomly picked up my office outfit after we got back home. It was wierd that this house that i had been calling my home since i got in this country didn't feel like home anymore, it wasn't holding that warm and cozy feeling. I brushed up my hair into a fuzzy bun and applied light make up. My mood was terrible and anybody could see it through my attire.
I got down at the apartment parking where my friends were waiting for me.
"Woah you look terrible." mukti exclaimed.
"looks like your cat died." Navya giggled.
"Periods." I lied as we swiftly drove out to our office.
The office welcomed my buddies with love and excitement. even Edward was happy to have finally met them and vice versa. he was a charmer between the girls but i missed my charmer right now. As if sensing my vibe Edwrad walked towards me and stood beside me as i admired how much Maria was happy with the girls work.
"Looks like you were supposed to attend a funeral." he mocked.
"Yeah cause my happiness died." i replied being sad.
"Woah that's deep. But may i ask why?" He asked with concerned voice.
"Cause when finally things had just started to go smooth with Manik and we were getting happy and healthy, my friends came back. I mean i love them but not their timing." i replied being dissappointed. Why was i choosing sides.
"It's okay. You both are gonna figure it out and this will just make your connection stronger." He assured me with a smile.
"I hope so" I replied and excused myself to freshen up my face before i started my work.
As i walked towards the bathroom to clean up my appearance i was suddenly pulled inside the janitor closet.
A shreak left my mouth as i felt a strong hold pushing me to the wall and the other holding my mouth from making any further noise. It was a bad day already and now this i mean God seriously.
"Missed me?" The voice was familiar and it immediately calmed my scared nerves.
"umm" I tried to speak but the hand was still a barrier.
"Oh ya sorry my hand." Manik removed his hands as the realisation stuck him and without giving a second thought i hugged him as tight as i could.
"I am so glad that you're here." i spoke my head still immersed in his shirt.
"Couldn't resist staying away from me." he smirked and even though i really wanted to wipe that smirk off, i wasn't just ready to let him go.
"Shut up." i snapped back as much as i could and he just laughed and hugged me even more tighter.
After a good 5-7 minutes we parted apart looking into each other's eyes from the faint light that wa available. His eyes showed innocence and the excitement to be here and i hoped that mine too so that he could know how much i was dreading after moving out from his house.
My breathing still hadn't slowed down from the sudden pull; i can feel his increasing, the way his chest rises powerfully. Seconds felt like hours and finally he removes one hand from my wirst and puts that beside me leaning closer. I swear i can hear his pulse as he brings his lips to mine- and the fire crackles under my skin. This is what i have been longing for, if i could feel only one thing for the rest of my life, this would be it.
As we part away he moves closer to my ear and it's the husky voice that always shivers me down,
"it's time to go." he speaks in his groanful voice as he moves out after giving me a last peck like he was never here and vanished into the thin air.
I got out all flushed when at the end of the corridor i bumped into both my girls.
" Where have you been? We were searching for you?" Navya asked.
"Nowhere" Damn i couldn't wipe that smile off my face.
"You look rather jolly than you were in the morning. Are we missing something?" Mukti asked being suspicious and i freaked out.
"Cause i got her, her favourite coffee." Edward saved me as always.
"Yes always my saviour." i spoke.
"Gosh Edward you could have asked us too." Mukti whined.
"Sorry i just have one pair of hands." He joked.
'It's okay come on Mukti. I'll take you for coffee." Navya smiled as she took a whining Mukti with her.
"Thank you." i thanked Edward as he handed me my coffee.
"For what?" he asked as he tookma sip from his.
"For always having my back. you're the best." i smiled. He is the best.
"Well i know that i am. By the way looks like someone gave you your smile back." he teased me to which i just punched him lightly in his arm and walked out to the working space with him when suddenly my phone pinged with a message.
Gonna miss you until we meet again. - MONSTER
I will too. - NANDINI.
I smiled at the way he had started expressing himself more to me now. We were definitely making some progress. My phone pinged again and the text that i got , had me a bit conserned now.
I don't like him. Stay away. - MANIK
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2200 words on this one.
i have been trying to post as much as i can since i got back on this story and the least i expect is a few interaction by you guys.
I have been going through a dark phase in my life right now and writing is the only thing that had been keeping me sane but for that too i need some motivation.
Such less comments and reviews have made this writing for me useless and i don't feel like doing it anymore.