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A long chapter ahead;)
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sitaaron ki mehfil me, faqat,
tum hi mera noorani chaand ho!
"Loktal!!" Manik was sitting with Anahita in his lap who was showing him, her graphic book, when she suddenly looked at Manik and called him, gaining everyone's attention with her excited voice.
"Hanji Princess?"
"You know, I'm new wuv guru!"
(wuv- Love)
Manik raised his brows and Nandini who was sitting in between Shivay and Omkara with her head resting on his shoulder, sat straight and frowned. Ishita slapped her head and others were just looking at Anahita with curious eyes.
"Is it?" Manik's tone had amusement in it. Spending time with this bundle of joy had him distracted from all the problems and confusions he is going through right now.
"Yesh!!" Anahita bobbed her head cutely and grinned. Manik bit back his smile and made a serious face.
"Oh, so what do you know about love?"
And when he asked this question, suddenly Manik's remembered his five year old self, who one day suddenly asked this question from his Dadu. Well, technically he didn't remember that but his family had recited that incident so many times that he can picture everything. But he clearly remember that how since that day, he started waiting to fall in love, and how his search for his The One started that day. And then he found her.
He looked at Nandini and he realised, his search was over the moment his eyes found her. The moment he stared into her deep black orbs his heart knew that she is it. It for him.
Feeling his gaze on her, Nandini looked at him and found him looking at her with pure adoration and love, which sent shiver through her body. She looked back into his eyes and in the silence of their voices, their eyes talked.
They both were snapped into reality when Anahita got up from Manik's lap and stood in the centre with a serious thinking face.
"Aurding to me, wuv is cyclogic"
(Aurding- According)
"Cyclogic?" Bhavya asked in confusion and Anahita frowned.
"She means Psychological." Both Nandini and Manik said in unison and Bhavya made an ohh face and Anahita bobbed her head, while the other ladies smiled.
"Dekh rahe ho bhaiya? Saath saath bolne bhi lage hai. Jyada ho Raha hai." Rudra who was sitting beside Shivay, leaned closed to him and whispered. Shivay gave him a hard stare and he sat straight.
(See Bhaiya, now they are even speaking the same thing. It's too much)
"So, how's love psychological Anahita?" Gauri asked curiously and everyone's attention again went to Anahita who showed her palm and nodded.
"Simple Maami, In wuv, one is Cycle and other is ogical."
(In love, one is psycho and other is logical)
A chorus of laughter was heard after that and Anahita herself too giggled palming her mouth. Nandini stared at her daughter with disbelief before shaking her head and smiling at her cute nonsense all the while thinking that from where does she learn all these things. But her question was answered by Manik.
"Princess, did Cabir uncle taught you this?" Anahita widened her eyes and bobbed her head excitedly and Manik rolled his eyes as he knew only Cabir can think of such things, but teaching them to his Princess? He needs to stay away from her, for his own sanity.
Overcoming with the laughter everyone again got immersed in small chit chats and Anahita again started showing Manik her drawings, when Manik's phone which was kept on the table infront rang. He looked at the caller and his smile disappeared before he declined the call and again looked back at Anahita's book. This happened for two more times and at last he put his phone on silent and flipped it back, before concentrating back on Anahita.
This was noticed by Nandini and Shivay. Shivay had a talk with Arijit and he knew what had happened there in the morning. He looked at Manik and then at his sister who was also looking at Manik but with frowns on her face.
Nandini had seen the caller Id which was saved by Meri Maa. And seeing Manik declining the calls again and again and the way his smile dimmed after the call, she knew something was wrong. Because as much as she knows him, he never neglect his family.
Suddenly a fear went through her heart as her mind ran with possibilities of his this behaviour and every possibility had her as the reason of them. She remembered the news telecasted on the television, but she wasn't sure that if Manik's family knew about her.
And then she realised one more thing, which actually had her in confusion earlier too but she was distracted. But now she looked at her brothers and then Manik and thought that why none of them seemed surprised seeing each other. And with all the thoughts her head felt heavy and she excused herself and moved inside the room.
Shivay had noticed her different expressions of distress and he blinked at Om and Rudra when they frowned. Glancing once at Manik who was looking at the direction of her room only, he followed Nandini and closed the door behind after entering in her room.
He saw her sitting on the bed with her legs hanging. A lost look on her face thinking of answers to many questions. Shivay sighed and moved towards her and sat on the floor near her legs bringing her out of her trance.
"Bhaiyu, what are you doing? Come sit on the bed." Shivay held her hands which were trying to make him stand up and pressed them giving her a small smile.
"You remember, Mr. Senior Goenka used to talk about one childhood friend of his from village, with whom he had lost his contacts?"
Nandini frowned in confusion hearing his abrupt question but nevertheless nodded her head as she clearly remembered tha how fondly he used to talk about his childhood friend and how badly he wanted to rekindle with him.
Shivay just gave her a smile and caressed her hands gently before continuing.
"He met him again an year after you- you were gone." Nandini squeezed her brother's hand, but her mind was still confused, when Shivay's next words took all of them away.
"He is Yash Malhotra, Manik's grandfather." Nandini gasped with the information and kept looking at her brother as if wanting to tell him that he was joking, but Shivay nodded his head and Nandini inhaled a sharp breath.
And suddenly with only one information, her all questions were answered.
She now knew that why her brothers didn't reacted seeing Manik so close to her and Anahita, because they already knew him, and maybe about his feelings too.
Because, his grandfather is her grandfather's long lost childhood friend. And when they would've met, he would've told him about her. That how big of a blot she was on his name.
And that's how, Manik's family knows a story which her so called family called the ultimate truth. And now, they must hate her too. Because, obviously, she was a shame on their friend's name.
Does Manik knew about this?
She chuckled humourless-ly. Ofcourse he knows everything. And he never told her.
Suddenly everything felt a lie to her.
Was him coming into her life a mere coincidence or a full proof plan?
Maybe, Goenka's and his family planned all this. But for what!
Maybe, to break her more if possible, or maybe this time they wanted her to break to such extent that she would die.
And maybe, they were successful. Because he had come so close to her soul, that if the possibilities became true then truly she will die.
She never realised that she was crying until she felt warm tears on her cheeks. And she felt a hand wiping them away and through the blurry vision she saw it was her bhaiyu who was panicking seeing her so lost.
And she couldn't help herself but wonder that if coming back of them in her life is also a mere plan?
"Nandu, don't cry bacha. Why are you crying?" Nandini sniffed and pulled out her hand from his grip, making him halt in whatever he was doing.
"I- I want to be alone for sometime."
"Nandu!!"
"Please! Please!" She whispered and looked away and Shivay dejectedly stood up and patted her head softly, making Nandini close her eyes and he left the room with heavy heart.
Nandini had seen the hurt in his eyes, but her mind was going in other direction only. She didn't wanted to think negative, but she had no control on her thinking too.
She just sat there. Unmoving. Stable. She just sat there. For hours or minutes she doesn't know. She just sat there, trying to absorb her thoughts and give some reason to her mind to not think like that. She just sat there in the dark, where the dark was not only outside, but inside too.
But as every dark tunnel had its end, and a light always seeps through one part, her room was also filled with a beam of light. She looked sideways and saw Manik standing near the window and had opened it. She didn't even realised when he had entered.
Manik looked at Nandini's lost face shining under the light of moon. But in actual, he know that she was burning. When Shivay told him two hours ago about her reaction to the truth about his family being friends with theirs, he was afraid. Knowing her, he knew what kind of thought would haunt her. But he respected her decision of wanting to be alone until he couldn't stop himself from walking in the dark room with her silhouette sitting on the edge of bed, immobile.
Slowly with gentle steps he reached to her side and sat beside her, not saying anything. They both just looked at each other. One was trying to tell through his eyes that how honest and how pure his feelings for her are, and the other tried to believe those eyes which always had warmth in them. They say in silence which was broken by her.
"I- I can't help, but- but think that you are a delusion, a beautiful one, but a lie."
If Manik was hurt his eyes didn't reflected that. Instead he just gave her a small smile which frustrated her and she looked away.
"I don't want to think all this. I- I don't. My all thoughts are- are negative Manik. While my heart knows that you- you don't deserve them. You don't ---" Nandini clutched the bedsheet with both her hands which were lying on the bed.
Manik kept his hand on her right one and made her loosen her clutches on the bedsheet, before keeping that hand in between his hands. He looked at her who was now looking at their entwined hands.
"It's okay Nandini. It's okay to think negative. It's your mind which is just protecting your heart. But, just know that when you cannot look on the bright side, I will sit with you in the dark."
Nandini's eyes travelled from their hands to his eyes, which held utter sincerity and honesty and suddenly her mind was at ease.
"You don't deserve this mess Manik."
"I love this mess." He never stopped caressing her knuckles gently.
"I- I'll push you away, just know that whenever I do that, it's because it's the only thing I know how to do anymore. Because, everyone left me and now I don't believe that people are going to stay." He smiled gently and just looked into her eyes.
"Push me how much ever you want to. You are too well tangled in my soul that everytime you'll found me more closer. I'll love you until we run out of mornings and then I'll love you in the dark."
A peaceful silence prevailed as both did their favourite jobs, talking through their eyes. In the silence of their rooms, their eyes were speaking volumes.
"Your family?" Nandini noticed the fluttered of mixed expressions on Manik's face and she knew it wasn't a good thing.
"Manik--" she was interrupted by Manik.
"You remember, once I told you that there's very little I wouldn't do for you?" Nandini nodded as she remembered the day in the orphanage.
"I change that, there is nothing I wouldn't do for you."
Before Nandini could say something Anahita came running into the room and directly came to her mother. Manik smiled and was about to remove his hand from hers but was left surprised when she turned their hands and held his hand from her right hand and with left hand held Anahita in her lap. He wasn't lying but his heart did flipped maybe.
"Mumma, you okay?" Nandini smiled at Anahita and then looked directly in Manik's eyes.
"Yes. Until your Rockstar is here, Mumma will always be okay."
Manik blinked in surprise and his heart was beating fast but then he smiled at Anahita who kissed his cheek from her mother's lap.
"I wuv you Loktal."
"I too love you Princess. I love you more." Nandini knew the last line was for her as he looked at her and words were on her tip of tongue but she stopped herself and just gave a smile.
She had read somewhere that some souls are sent to you by God, as a cure, they reach your depths and calmly heal your wounds. She used to think of just a quote until he entered.
Like a blessing that he is.
Her Blessing.
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"What's the plan?"
Manik who had came outside to talk on phone turned behind and saw Shivay, Om and Rudra standing there with serious faces and he knew that they heard his conversation on the phone.
"Eavesdropping is bad manners Sir. No-one taught you that?" With Manik's tone and him not using the word Bhaiya, they knew that he have grudges against them. But for now, they didn't point out anything except staring at him blankly.
"Manik, she is our sister. And we want the revenge as much as you want it. So, let's be together in it."
Manik stared at Omkara for a few seconds before he tsked and looked sideways. Running his hand through his hair he again looked at them.
"I'm not taking any revenge, I am just helping karma to bite the right person back. I am a good man."
The three brothers chuckled at his argument and nodded their heads to which he nodded back once, but then his gaze fell on Nandini standing behind her brothers with frowns and fear in her eyes. Shivay, Om and Rudra noticed his look and looked behind to saw Nandini there.
"What- what are you guys planning?"
"Nothing bache, nothing that we shouldn't do." Nandini looked into Shivay's eyes and shook her head.
"No! You- you guys won't do anything. You heard me? You won't do anything."
"Then you do it yourself." Nandini's head snapped to Manik's direction and he came close to her and stood at two feet distance.
"Don't you need a closure Nandini?"
"No. I- I don't need anything. I- I don't want any revenge. I don't care about anything else. You- you won't do anything. Promise me, you won't Manik."
Manik fisted his hands at the side as he saw fear in those beautiful orbs. He knew she was afraid that history will repeat itself. She had the fear that again, everyone would beleive that person above her. He could read her fear and that melted his heart.
"You trust me?" He asked with a soft gaze.
"I don't trust my fate." Shivay, Om and Rudra felt helpless at her words. It was difficult for them to even comprehend the intensity of the damage that had occurred on her soul.
"Then trust mine. Does the sun promise to shine? No, but it will, even behind the darkest clouds it will. And no promise will make it shine longer or brighter, for that is its fate, to burn until it can burn no more. So, to love you and be with you is not my promise, it is my fate, to burn for you until I can burn no more."
Nandini's tears fell out of her eyes. The intensity his words held had her heart melting. But the fear she had was strong too. She looked at her brothers and than at Manik.
Was she ready to lose them for a mere closure?
No! No, she can't. Now, when after ages she is getting an ounce of happiness, she wouldn't let it slip away.
"Life has humbled me so much Manik, I do not wish bad on anyone and neither do I want revenge. I just need a lot of people to stay away from me, and a few to stay close. Please."
Her pleading eyes had quivered Manik's will of taking revenge of her every tear, proving her innocence to those who thought that hurting her was okay.
"So, you would not want the truth to come out?"
"Does it matter Manik? And I don't know why we are even discussing this? Everything is going good, right? Don't do this please. Let me be in this happy bubble. I do not want any kind of justice or closure or whatever. I just want peace."
Shivay hugged Nandini sideways when she sobbed and caressed her shoulders lovingly while Om caressed her hairs to sooth her. Manik inhaled a deep breath and looked at her.
"Okay. I won't do anything."
Shivay, Om and Rudra frowned at this while Nandini smiled a little with tears still in her eyes. But then Manik continued.
"But, promise me that you will never feel guilty of your this decision even if in future you comes to know that, that you were not the only girl trapped by that person, and he would be roaming out without a leash?"
Nandini's breath hitched hearing him and her throat went dry as she looked at him. Can she promise him that? Won't she really feel guilty if tomorrow she comes to know that she was not the only girl whose life was destroyed by him. Will she be able to live peacefully in her happy bubble then?
"You can't right?" Manik asked and Nandini stared at him helplessly.
He smiled a little and took her little finger in his little finger entwining them.
"It's time Nandini. It's time to tell the world, your story. The real story. You see, until the lions learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter. Be the writer. For every other girl, For Anahita, and moreover, for that fifteen year old innocent girl. "
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In a dark basement with only a bulb as the source of light, a boy withered to free himself as he was tied up with iron chains on a chair. His eyes were blindfolded and his forehead had beads of sweat. He was trying to pull the chains, but whom he was kidding, they were of iron.
His ears perked as he heard footsteps, multiple until he could feel the closeness of his kidnappers .
"Who- who are you? And why did you kidnapped me? What- what do you want? Do you even know- who- who I am?" His voice held certain fear and he again shivered when heard dark chuckles in response.
"Yeah, we know who are you! You are a monster in the skin of humam. A pure Devil." He heard a hard voice and he flinched.
"Who- who are you? Le-leave me please. I'll do whatever you- you say."
"Am sure the one whom you tormented would have used this word Please, too. You showed mercy?"
This time the voice was different and it only added fear in his body.
"Bahut Shauq hai naa dusron ko moksh Dene ka, Moksh Jindal? Aaj hum dete h tere ko Moksh."
(You are too fond of giving salvation to others Moksh Jindal? Today we will give you the salvation)
He pulled at his chains but to no avail, he only felt helpless but soon he felt a light pain in his shoulder as if he was injected. And suddenly she felt light and drowsy. And then the blindfold from his eyes was removed and he saw four figures, all blurry. He tried to blink his eyes to saw their faces but couldn't.
"Now you are going to feel the pain that she felt. You are going to suffer the same way she did."
She? Who was she?
And then he saw through blurry visions that they moved out leaving him behind, but soon he again saw some body builder men walking in and he gulped in fear. He thought that they would beat him, but his senses got alert when they unchained him and started taking out his clothes, but he felt himself immobile because of the injection.
And he felt the fear.
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Outside the barren building stood The Goenka brothers with their glares on and smirk on their faces, and Manik was leaning back on a bike alongwith Cabir and Abhi at his side.
"Will those big gays guys seriously harass him?" Abhi asked with frowns and Manik glared at him to which he just shrugged.
"No re, they will just make him taste his own medicine, he will be soon out of his senses due to the the injection." Cabir explained and Abhi bobbed his head and smiled.
"Oh, by the way did you guys heard the news? Jindal's factories caught fire and also Ashok Jindal's dark sex videos are going viral, suddenly. I wonder how." The brothers and Abhi chuckled and Manik just sat blankly.
"Manik, you okay?" Cabir asked and he nodded.
"I just wished that we our law system was not so much weak."
"We are trying Manik. We aren't living him without punishing him fairly." Manik nodded and they saw the men walking out and nodded in the signal that the work is done.
Moksh Jindal is up for a trauma.
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Here we go!!!
Long long chapter.
How was it?
It was mix of everything - humour, emotion, love and revenge (a part of it at least)
Do tell me your reviews about it.
And please do give proper response don't demotivate at the end of the story.
Will be waiting for proper response.
Thank You!
3800 words!!
~A ♡