"तुम समंदर की बात करते हो,
लोग आंखों में डूब जाते है!"
Malhotra Mansion-
Manik came down ready in a simple black tee and ripped navy blue jeans. He was moving out while searching for Ishita's address on internet, as she is a renowned dentist when he heard his Dadi calling him. He turned around to see His Dadi and Maa sitting in the living area, and smiled before moving towards them.
Manik:(smiling cheekily) Ji Dadi-Jaan!
Damini:(smiling) Bahar Ja Raha hai, Dadi ki Jaan?
(You going out, Dadi's life?)
Manik:(nodding) Yepp! I... I have some work, so...
Nyo: Aacha Manu, bacha ek kaam karega humara bhi?
(Okay Manu, son will you do some work for us too?)
Manik:(bowing down dramatically) Aap bas hukum kijiye Rajmata!
(You just give your orders, Your Majesty!)
Nyo slapped his shoulders playfully and Damini laughed.
Nyo: Bacha, actually we are distributing Prasad of the function, almost everyone is done, just Vasant Kunj colony me hi some people are left, will you please give them?
Damini: Haa Manu, only three to four houses are pending, I guess. Right Nyo?
Nyo:(nodding) Ji Maa! Mr. Bansal, Mr. Garg, Mrs. Shalini Apte and Mrs. Ishita Kapoor, only these four are left.
(Yes Mother!)
Manik was pouting hearing the work, but when he heard Ishita's name his eyes shone, ofcourse what else a blind man desires if not eyes!
Manik: Okay Okay ladies! Send me the proper address, I'll give them.
Damini:(caressing his cheeks) Mera pyara Bacha!
(My sweet baby!)
Manik grinned and kissing both the ladies' cheeks he moved out of the mansion. He first thought to distribute the prasad in other three houses, to get the work done fast. And at-last, he reached in front of the Kapoor's apartment. And he took a sigh of relief, before putting up a smile and moving out with the box of prasad in his hands, and smiled, as he now have a reason for his uninvited presence. He stood infront of the apartment, and read the nameplate- Ishita Kapoor, and rang the doorbell once, before standing quite and tapping his foot on the wooden floor beneath.
And soon the door opened by Ishita who was surprised seeing Manik standing their with a small smile. She smiled at him amusingly seeing him rubbing his nape.
Ishita:(surprised) Manik, beta, aap?
(Manik, son, you?)
Manik:(touching her feet) Namaste Aunty!
Ishita:(blessing him) Come in, son.
Manik smiled generously at her and entered in. Ishita asked him to get settle on the couch and moved towards the dining table, to fetch the glass of water for him. Passing him the glass she smiled at him which he returned with a polite one. He took a few sips and kept the glass back on the table.
Manik:(forwarding the box) Aunty, ye prasad, dadi sent this.
Ishita smiled and took the box thanking him. She then looked at him, to saw him looking here and there. He at the same time looked at her and smiled nervously, making her chuckle.
Ishita:(smiling) Looking for your Princess?
Manik rubbed the back of his nape and smiled sheepishly, before nodding.
Ishita:(apologetic face) So sorry son, but today she is out with her mother. Sunday is actually their mother - daughter day.
Manik:(nodding sadly) Ohhh!!
Ishita: Is everything Ok Manik??
Manik: Yes Yes! It's just I was missing her. So! But she is fine right?
Ishita:(chuckling) Oh I can very well understand you, her charms work everywhere. And yes she is super fine.. Aaj Sunday tha, means no school toh zyada hi Happy h madam.
Manik giggled hearing her last line, oh how similar she is to him, he thought..
He then stood up after five minutes, Ishita although asked him to stay but he denied saying he will come some other time. He was moving towards the door when he saw a small shelf with some CD's of music albums and surprisingly it was all Fab 5's albums. He was surprised seeing it and looked at Ishita with questioning eyes who smiled at him before shrugging.
Ishita: We have a Chotuuu si big fan of Fab five especially your here, maybe!!
Manik:(unsure) Anahita?
Ishita nodded her head yes and Manik grinned with a stupid grin. Oh how lucky he is feeling.
Ishita: I don't know how, but even at such an age she is quite choosy with music, and if not her mother than its your voice, hearing which she stops crying..
Manik was surprised with the fact and he recalled the day he first time met her, that day too she stopped crying. He smiled again and then his phone rang, it was Cabir. Bidding a bye to Ishita he moved out of the building and called Cabir back..
Manik: Haa Cabir bol?
..
Manik: Nah! Just came out with some work, tu bol kaam k kuch??
..
Manik: Why? Aacha theek h, I'll be there in umm (looking at his watch) twenty minutes?? Yeah?
..
Manik: Bhaad me ja sale .. Bye .
..
Shaking his head he sat in the car and drove off to Cabir's place for some jamming session..
__
It was evening now, and Manik found himself in front of Royal's Book Caffe. Well he have always been fond of books, especially books with love stories. He loves to read about love, to fantasies love. And that's a secret which no-one except for his Bhai knows about, who used to bought books for him earlier. And this book caffe became his favorite, ever since he first came here, when he was seventeen.
As soon as he entered in, the fragrance of coffee and books made him smile. He sighed deeply and moved towards the main counter, where a middle aged lady was sitting, who was the owner of this book caffe.
Manik: Hello Mrs. Miller!
Mrs. Miller looked up and smiled widely seeing Manik.
Mrs. Miller:(exclaimed) Manik!!!! Oh dear, how are you, where were you since so long? I and the books were missing you so much!
Manik:(chuckling) I am very much good, my gorgeous. And yes, actually the college started no, so I was stuck. But i also missed you and my books.
Mrs. Miller smiled at him, while he ordered for his usual type of coffee, to which Mrs. Miller asked him to wait for five minutes.
Manik: By the way, Mrs. Miller, any new books of my type?\
Mrs. Miller:(chuckling) Yes Yes! Do one thing, go on first floor, you'll find a girl there, she is attendant here, so she will help you, hmm?
Manik:(grinned) Sounds good. See ya!
Mrs. Miller:(flying kiss) See ya! And I'll send you coffee.
Manik moved towards the first floor by stairs with a smile and there he saw a girl facing her back, arranging the shelf. He looked here and there to saw two - three people sitting there only. He moved towards the girl and stood at two feet distance from her.
Manik: Excuse me!
The girl turned around and Manik was surprised to saw His Miss Deep Eyes there, and so was Nandini, who worked in this library as part time on weekdays, but since today the girl who works full time here, had some emergency and Mrs. Miller asked Nandini if she could replace her, to which Nandini couldn't decline, and hence here was she.
Manik: Miss Deep Eyes, you here?
Nandini stared at him with frowns and Manik narrowed his gaze.
Manik:(teasingly) Are you following Me Miss Deep Eyes?
Nandini stared at him blankly and Manik chuckled, raising his hands.
Manik: Sorry Sorry! Bad joke, I know.
Nandini:(formally) How can I help you, Sir?
Manik:(frowned) You work here?
Nandini:(sarcastically) No, just practicing, how to speak to people!
Manik chuckled and looked down while Nandini frowned at her own self. Manik then looked at her and smiled, seeing her looking down.
Manik:(clearing his throat) So... Help me!!
Nandini: Huh?
Manik:(chuckling), With the book?
Nandini:(nodded) Oh yes! So, what kind of a book you would like to read Sir?
Manik: Firstly, it's Manik Malhotra, sir sounds old yeah! And I like, umm, I prefer love stories, with pure love.
Nandini stared at him for good five seconds before nodding and moved towards the last row, before fetching out the book. She came and forwarded it to Manik, who took it with a small smile.
Manik: It Ends With Us?
Nandini;(nodding) One of the best by Coleen Hoover. Have a great read, Sir!!
Nandini turned to leave but halted as she took one step, hearing him.
Manik:(biting his lip) Fifteen seconds. That’s all it takes to completely change everything about a person. Fifteen.
Nandini turned to him and looked at him, to which he just gave a casual shrug.
Manik: She is my favourite writer, you can't blame me.
Nandini didn't spoke anything, just moved in between the shelves again, and came with another book.
Nandini: Fault In Our Stars, hope you haven't read it?
Manik:(looking into her eyes) There is no shortage of fault to be found amid our stars.
Nandini stared at him, and he just gave a small sheepish smile.
Nandini:(thinking for a while) Me Before You?
But before Manik could say something, she interuopted him.
Nandini: Please, yes or no, do not bother to quote the lines of the book
Manik chuckled and nodded in yes, giving his answer that he have read it.
Nandini:(narrowing her gaze) You've read almost every love story book?
Manik:(rubbing his nape) Kind of!! That's why, I am confused naa!!
Nandini founded him cute, but chucked her stupid thoughts and sighed.
Manik:(smirking) By the way, is there a book named 100 ways to read someone's eyes?
Nandini glared at him and he chuckled raising his hands. Nandini then thought something and moved in some shelves again, while Manik looked at her confused, and saw her coming back with another book. She forwarded the book to him and he frowned, looking at the book, as neither he have read the book, nor heard about it.
Manik: All The Bright Places!!Sounds interesting! Great, Thank You. It's romance with happy ending naa, because apparently I'm in mood of crying.
Nandini:(formally) Yes and My pleasure Sir!
Manik:(rolled his eyes) Oh C'mon naa, I told you my name, Miss Deep Eyes.
Nandini: Do visit the Royal's again Sir!
Manik narrowed his gaze at her, stomped his foot seeing her not getting affected at all, and left from there. And as he left, Nandini's lips twitched upwards a little.
Nandini:(muttered) Kiddo!!
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1771 words!!
♡A