He, me and the mountains made three..
The city never felt so different but with him everything found a new definition, a new shape and a new colour. I was seeing the same things but through his eyes.
He brought me to Jakhu smiling wickedly at me. What's he up to? Weird. He left me waiting in the car and came back some 15 minutes later with two tickets? Wow movie?!
"Why are we here at?" I questioned snatching the tickets. Patience Nandini, you need to learn.
My eyes shot up at him, then back to the tickets then again at him.
"What? Like whaaat?" I screamed and he covered his ears.
"Have you gone crazy?" He mouthed rubbing his ears.
"Have 'you' gone crazy? Ropeway? Seriously? Look Manik you don't know but I'm scared of heights, like really scared. So please get the refund of these tickets, go" I commanded.
"Oh is it? I'm sorry..I didn't know that. But anyway you can accompany me to the ticket counter at least? I'll get bored ya standing in that long queue" he spoke lazily. I nodded.
We got out of the car and went towards the counter but something was wrong as he was walking towards the entrance. No no no, not happening.
"Manik??" I screeched to which he 'tch-ed' me and without giving any second to protest anymore he picked me up on his shoulder. What? Yeah. This was so embarrassing as people around kept laughing at 'us' and I like a total stupid kept throwing my hands hitting his back.
"Put me dowwwwnnnnn" I yelled and knew it was giving him a tough challenge. Well given that I couldn't succeed, indeed I was a tough competition.
"Kya kar rahe ho Maniiiiikkkk?" I yelled higher.
"Shut up Nandini else I'll throw you down the abyss" he shouted and I was totally quiet. He showed the ticket to the guard who was giving odd stares at us, to our odd posture to be specific but Manik being Manik was so full of himself to even think of any other thing. There were honeymoon couples over the carriage and they all gave us 'how romantic' stares. Err. He abducted me, you stupids!
"Now will you put me down you?" I shouted and with a jerk he placed me back on the ground but we were already inside the carriage with its door already closed.
"Arghh. Are you stupid? Aise koi kisi ladki ko ghumane le jaata hain kya? I'm scared of height you Eiffel Tower!" I screeched but Manik covered up my mouth with his palm not letting me protest anything. Stomping my foot, I started to reach the door while he pulled me towards him and I..crashed into his hard rock chest by the railing. I looked up into his eyes which already were on me and the emotions in his eyes made me go weak on my knees.
"Nandini..." he caressed my face.
"Hmm?" All I could say. I wanted him to take his hand off me but suddenly that touch felt nice. After so many years, that touch of affection was all I needed.
"You know what, you are fantastic. And I..will help you get through all of your fears and make you live a life that you fear dreaming" he tucked my strands behind my ear and without forgetting the art of blinking I kept looking into his eyes.
"Sach?" I asked being totally immersed into the language of his love. He was mesmerising.
He was a storehouse of love and my soul had been starving since ages.
"Please..believe me." he murmured and distanced himself from me. It was fast that I got used to our intimacy but this little distance was something. He stretched his hand towards the other side gesturing me to have a look following his direction and my eyes felt blessed to have witnessed such a thing.
You already have your wings and what you need to do is fly...
I was flying with my new wings. I rested both of my hands on the glass to drink the serenity more. Shimla has never been so beautiful.
"Nandini don't walk when you know you want to fly. And I..am always there to catch if you ever fall babe.." my eyes moistened and without wasting any time I hid myself in his chest.
~~~
I showed him my school, while he chose to stay away from his school as if those fat teachers still were waiting to drag him inside the class. We went to the Christ Church, the beautiful Ridge, we chilled at the Mall Road where we had a little fight over ice cream, the Chadwick Falls was blissful during the evening time, the Green Valley which no more was green due to the snowy avatar but the Prospect Hill made us fight again but this time with snow balls.
We then visited the Manorville Mansion which holds significant historical importance and it was the residential property of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur but how could something stay so normal when Manik was around. He was making spooky noises and fake stories about the fake ghostly incidents freaking me and the other tourists while the tourist guide kept glowering at him for eating his job up and before some of the tourist guides as a group kicked us out, I dragged Manik out of the place. I had seen earlier the Gurkha Gate and the Tanni Jubbar Lake but this time they appeared more pacific.
It's around 9pm when we sat at the Shailey Peak from where we were having a good view of the entire beautiful Shimla.
I kept my head rested on my knees while feeling the gentle chilling breezes touch and tickle my exposed skin. The person beside me wasn't talking but the silence was benign.
"Do you...want to talk..?" He asked while looking at the sky leaning his back on his hands at the back.
"Talk about..?" I kept my head sideways on my knees staring at him.
"Him?" I frowned not fathoming who could that 'him' possibly be but my pulses raced when I realised he wanted to talk about Maddy. I never talked about Maddy with anybody. Anybody.
"Manik tum.."
"Nandini I don't want you to be uncomfortable. Today at least stop making excuses and let everything out.. I promise to be your listener till the time you are willing to speak.. without judging you." he convinced with his tender smile.
I looked into the beaming lights of the cities that let the worries inside evaporate. What could go worst if I shared? There was no answer. I had nothing to loose.
"I..met him on the first day of my college, he was a senior but when every senior of mine was busy ragging me he was the only one raising a voice against all that. We became friends and we............" I let everything out and he laughed and sulked along with the curves of my story. He was loving the imperfect me and my life and I finally released myself from the imprisonment of past grudges and heartbreak, letting my caged soul free. He was no therapist but he listened and cared which healed me.
I kept my head on his lap not knowing where this peace was leading me to. He was humming some tune but discontinued.
"Could you sing what you were humming?" I asked looking up from his lap.
"You like it?" He raised his brows to which I nodded.
He entwined our fingers while light air blew his hair and he looked the handsomest man under the bright stars.
Teri ungli thaam ke
Teri duniya mein chalun
Mere rang tu na rangey
Toh tere rang mein main dhalun
I kept losing my mind into his magical voice.
Mujhe kuch mat de
Bas rakh le mera nazrana
Bin sharton ke
Haan tujhse mera yaraana
That's how our relationship exactly was, he was unconditionally having my back where he needed nothing in return but my happiness.
Mujhe mehram mehram mehram
Mujhe mehram jaan le
Meri ankhon mein teri surat pehchanle
Mujhe mehram mehram mehram
Mujhe mehram jaan le
I promised underneath the thousands of stars and the widespread sky to uncover my shell and even if being close to Manik ended up hurting me, I was ready for it.
***
3 months later:
It's been 3 months that I was living a happy life. Happiness was what I felt when Manik's around. No he wasn't my boyfriend but something more. He's the one person I needed to talk when I had a bad day, the person I could rely on to not judge me, he's my rock, my sweetheart, my friend. He's so many things to me that merely calling him a boyfriend was an understatement. We were friends, in fact happy as friends. He's my companion since morning till night, he picked me up from home and dropped till my college, in the lunch time we'd meet sometimes and chill in the Rainbow Cafe. My hazelnut coffee changed to earl grey tea and he brought loads of candies and brownies into my sugarless life. We'd chill every evening at the Shailey Peak talking life and random things but yet that 30 minutes of conversation was like fresh oxygen to our daily lives.
While putting my lipgloss on I heard the loud honks of the car which signalled that my crazy had come and he'd never stop doing that till the time I glare at him from my window.
I was stepping down while I saw Cabir sitting on the couch digging his head on his palm. Something was serious.
"Cabir? Anything serious?" I questioned.
"Ah Nandini! Going to college?" Cabir questioned back.
"Yeah but is everything..tch! Yeh Manik bhi na. Ek minute Cabir!" He kept honking until I called him up.
"Manik! What's wrong with you? Tumhare wajah se do you even lnow how irritated all my neighbours are!" I huffed over the phone.
"Nandini they don't have to wait for 1 hour na, how will they know my pain!" He spat back.
"Manik..come inside" I stated lowly.
"Nandini you can't call a handsome guy inside your room just like that ya, what will the neighbours say! Haww" he faked.
"Manik can you ever think straight?" I whispered.
"Great people don't think straight babe. Anyway how long are you gonna take? Bata do mujhe taaki main koi snacks ka arrangement karlu" I could imagine what faces he's making.
"Manik please be serious. It's about Cabir." I hung the phone up.
"Yeh defected bhai behen mujhe hi milne the kya!" Manik rolling his eyes locked his car.
Soon the bell rang and I ran to it but found Mr.Malhotra standing there making a poker face. Ignoring my hi, he went inside. Huh?
"Kya re chimpanzee, what happened to you early in the morning? Navya bhaag gayi kya?" Manik chuckled while Cabir and I glared at him and his smile reduced.
"Guys I don't want to trouble you all but..." Cabir stated.
"Nahin it's fine. Woh jis din se you've become my friend na, troubled hi hoon main. But it's okay, I've adjusted that with time." Manik interrupted.
Cabir made a grumpy face and Malhotra received a hit on his back from me. He tried to say something again but I glared at him gesturing to shush by putting finger on my lips.
"Woh meri landlady ne mujhe ultimatum de diya.. 3 days maximum!" Cabir informed. I made a concerned face sitting beside Cabir but out of nowhere Manik started laughing like a mad.
"Manik tujhe koi disorder hain kya? Aise time pe koi hasta hain?" Cabir grumped.
"Cabir tu aur teri yeh behen na mushkilo ka pitaara hain. Kuch na ..kuch hote hi rehta hain tum dono ko. Pehle...her parents threw her out and now your..." Manik spoke between his idiotic laughter putting his hand on his heart while my mouth opened in o.
"Manik can you please think of something constructive?" I rolled my eyes.
"Nandini there's nothing to think about. You do send me the new address jahan se tumhe pick up karna hain mujhe aur yeh Cabir..can adjust on the roads well, I'm sure." He teased.
"Shut up Manik" I screamed.
"No, he's right in fact." Cabir stated while Manik and me gawked at him.
"That you'll adjust on roads?" Manik confirmed.
"No duffer..that Nandini wala part. She has to find a new home. See I'm getting the hostel from college but about Nandini we need to think" Cabir cleared.
"Oh hello, stop this hostel shit. You both are staying at my place with me." Manik shrugged his shoulders.
"Manik I already have applied to the college authority and you know if I cancel it now how complications it can create." Cabir informed.
"I don't care. You both are coming" Manik was adamant.
"Manik..I don't want to fall into the evil eyes of the college authority ya. Okay let me stay there for 1 month as a trial period. But please bro, don't stretch it." Cabir requested.
"Bro you know right you can always ask for help and that is more your house than mine. Anything..any problem.." Manik uttered.
"I know idiot. But what about Nandini?" Cabir questioned.
"What about her, she'll stay with me." Manik nonchalantly spoke to which Cabir smiled in relief.
"What? No way. Have you people gone crazy?" I stood up yelling. How could I stay with Manik in a house like that?!
"Nandini nobody's asking you. The decision is made" Cabir
uttered. Arghh no peace to keep my own opinion as well.
"NO" I shouted.
"YES" they yelled together.
Arguing with them was like talking to some wall and thus picking my bag up I left for college even without waiting for Manik.
<>
At College:
"So Nandu you'll stay with Manik now?" Arya asked while we were sitting on the bench outside the college.
"Arya do you really think I'm crazy? He's like a best friend ya but I can't live with him under the same roof..just like that" I tried sounding rational.
"Are you thinking about the society?" He rested his hand on my shoulder.
"Not wholly but yes.. and moreover you know what Manik feels about me. If we stay together that'll only lead to increasing of his emotions." I closed my eyes.
"Nandu that guy loves you and trust me he madly loves you. He has been with you since past 3 months even without pressuring you to reciprocate his feelings. He's just there as a helping hand and a guide who neither questions nor complaints anything. He has done everything on his part Nandu and now it's your turn. He doesn't speak up but that doesn't mean he's stopped expecting things." I kept blankly looking at him though somewhere I knew he was correct, partly.
"Give him a chance because you never know how awesome it can turn out to be. Even you know that till the time you give him an answer he'll just keep waiting without hurrying you. It takes a lot of courage to look through your past and love someone new but believe me, you are brave." I turned my face other side not knowing where to indulge myself into.
"Tell me how many times have you taken Maddy's name in all these months or have gone to offer him flowers? You have given up Rainbow Cafe and made Shailey Peak your destination. Nandu, you've already given Manik that place bass you are not ready to accept it. He's the one for you and maybe that is why things couldn't happen with Maddy because Manik was destined for you" my eyes moistened and I gently placed my head on his shoulder. Best friends are blessings that can never be thanked for to the Almighty.
"Arya..." I was scared.
"Nandu..you love him and you too know that. There's no harm giving life a second chance. Give him a chance without thinking of whom you can't pass an entire day, he may not say that but each time you tag him a friend it hurts him. Don't push away the costliest thing ever." He tapped my head lightly while I blinked.
•••
Shailey Peak:
"Nandini..if we listen and see clearly each star has a story to tell" Manik muttered throwing a pebble down the abyss we were sitting by.
"But sometimes there's no story yet we enjoy the silence" I smiled.
"Manik...have you um ever enjoyed that silence where two people stand face to face and utter nothing. There's absolute silence yet that nothing means everything?" I asked.
"Provided that they aren't deaf, they um yeah might be in louuvee." He said casually.
"Stars and stories...these all are myths." I stated while he humourlessly smirked.
"But Manik...our story is..my favourite. Sure it's messy but kinda unique" he smiled but seconds later as he realised my words he stood up gaping at me.
"Did you..wait..what did you say?" He quizzed stitching his brows and I stood up beside him rubbing the dust off my hands.
"I just..want to listen to your heartbeats till the end of my life." I said without shying away. His jaw dropped and his eyes beamed and my heart...rejoiced. It was no mistake.
"Nandini are you. God!" He held my hands. "Will you give me a chance?" His eyes were hopeful.
"Only if you promise to stay." I smiled.
"Before I met you I never knew how waiting for someone could be like and Miss.Murthy I promise to stay by your side till the end of forever." He hugged me while my arms embraced him tighter. If this was a wrong then it was worth being made than committing thousands of rights.
"I love you Nandini.." he whispered in my ear making me die in happiness. This's the happiest day of my life.
...
"I love you Manik Malhotra" I whispered over his heart caressing it with my hand because it officially was mine. I could feel his voice getting choked but yet he held my waist tight pulling me closer. I so love this man.
Khul ke na keh sake
Kaanon mein bol de
Apna har raaz tu
Aa mujhpe khol de
Mere rehte..bhala kis baat ka hai ghabrana
Ab se tera.. hafiz hai mera yaarana
Mujhe mehram mehram mehram
Mujhe mehram jaan le
I was so ready for our future to start the soonest. He's the smile to my face and beat to my heart. I was lucky to have fallen in love with the purest soul on earth. I was permanently in love with him, forever hamesha. He's my sky made of bright illuminating stars. I knew I would never fall apart seeing the stars for there will be someone who would protect me better than myself.
We professed love to each other in a secluded corner of the city but that little corner was our paradise.
We finally became MaNan...
I looked up at the sky and winked.
Thank you Ayyappa.
She focussed on God
He did the same.
God gave them each other.
A/N- Sunoooo kaisa laga batana zaroor. And please please do vote and comment lovelies. Thank you love ❤️.
Love,
Rai.