#Not Proofread.
The sun rays peeping through the window teased my closed eyes together with the strands falling loosely on my face and I shifted my head the other side but turned again to the window to witness the lovely blissful view through the glass. Unlike the other shabby low-light, cloudy days, today the sun was shining with its full glory from behind the tallest mountain making its white peak shine with honour. I looked at the surface on which I slept on my stomach and smiled. Manik laid there on his stomach and on his back I laid on my stomach clutching his white half opened shirt faintly.
Pulling his shirt down a little from his shoulder, I pecked the back of his neck while all he did was smile in his deep sleep. I rode his back more and saw the side of his face which was only visible due to his pillow-pressed sleeping posture.
The sun kissing his face made it glow brighter and my eyes lit up as I ran my hands through his soft black hair.
It was a matter of seconds that he flipped our positions adjusting me under him, blocking my way to escape with both of his arms.
"Kya hain?" I quizzed, smilingly.
"Kya hain?" He cross-questioned me making me chuckle.
My eyes travelled to my hand on the side which got locked with his and when my eyes again touched him, I felt to be the most secured ever on this planet.
I felt the same tingling sensation that he provides me with as his face dangerously neared me and I turned my face the other side to not meet his eyes. His soft lips touched my neck lingering their effect there for quite some time while I clasped our entwined hands tighter. My chest was breathing up and down against his and my lips died to devour the taste of his lips.
But a soft giggle escaped my mouth as he rubbed his stubble on my neck tickling me gently and spinning our positions I rested my chest on his while he kept both his hands under his head on the pillow watching me with all the love he had.
"Manik..." I whispered near his ear.
"Nandini?" He whispered the same way.
"We.."
"We?" He kept repeating caressing my waist.
"Are...."
"Are..?" He raised his face a little higher to have my lips closing his eyes.
"Are..." I concentrated on his lips.
"...Are?" His lips was one inch away.
"Getting late!" With that I jumped off the bed and giggled having a look at his puzzled face.
I kept laughing standing near the door while he scowled pressing his lips.
"This is not fair, haan Nandini!" He sat up having his shirt loosely hanging on his body.
"Manik now don't make me say that cliche line that everything's fair in love and war.! Blah blah" I laughed realising the distance was giving him a bad morning vibe.
"Do you realise you just did?" He smirked while I cleared my voice subduing my failure.
"Anyway...I'm hungry and going to get some breakfast." Without giving him a chance to speak I walked out the room.
At the kitchen of his house, I stood near the induction cooker pulling and smelling the collar and sleeves of the white kurta of Manik that I was wearing and this man smelt so wonderful.
I felt my heartbeats again going insane as two strong hands snaked around my waist and a chin rested on my shoulder.
"Hi!" He whispered and I tried my best to control my blush.
"Hello." I smiled being a tomato.
"What are we having for breakfast?" His words were barely a whisper and send jitters to my entire body as he kissed my earlobe making me shrink.
I knew my voice would ditch me any moment thus I eyed him the pan and he pinched his brows like a baby in protest.
"Dosa?" He pouted.
"Yaar tum log ek hi khana khate khate bore nahin hote kya?" He cutely rebelled.
"Manik!!" I glared at me. At least I tried to though I know I had been looking like one loon, frowning yet smiling.
"I had some better plan you know?" He proposed while my eyes twinkled.
"Are we going out to have breakfast?" As I asked, his smile dropped.
"No..." With his arms around me he pulled my back deeper into his chest and I rested the back of my head on his chest.
"What I'm saying is...let's neither get out nor eat this Dosa. Let's just lock ourselves up and eat....." his lips were gliding down my nape and then I realised what actually was on his mind.
"Chiii Manik! So gross. Hatto yahan se." Nodding my head in denial I distanced myself while me sighed in irritation.
"Nandini...please na!" He tapped his foot.
"Manik, do you really want me to throw this hot pan right on your face?" I threatened and pressing his lips tighter in a stiff line, he stepped back glowering like a child who has been deprived of chocolates since months.
As he went inside the room, I kept smiling like an idiot thinking of all the love this man has given me.
***
"Oye! Why such a depressing face?" Cabir questioned while Manik hitting his head walked past him.
"Toh what's there in your face to smile at?" He commented whch Cabir happily ignored.
"Arrey? Nandini, you tell me at least." My eyes widened as till now I was enjoying Manik's displeased face but as the table got turned and it was my turn to face the embarrassment, I fumbled.
"Woh..ah umm. Woh... You know him na how...how silly he is. Just throwing tantrums like a baby, ignore." I smiled while Manik behind Cabir's back furrowed his brows.
"Anyway... before you people divert my thoughts, Nandini this is your form and after you get the transfer certificate from your college you definitely can join our college from that very day only." Cabir uttered handing me the form.
"Wow Cabir! That was fast man. You really have some solid source huh?" I stated while Manik mimicked me from Cabir's back making me grit my teeth.
"Aur nahin toh kya! This Cabir Dhawan is everything but common." He fluttered his collars and Manik rolled his eyes.
"Thanks Cabir." I hugged him.
"Before that we have some more paper works to do. So now follow me and for another two hours bid your lover bye." He added while I immediately waved my hand at Manik disturbing him all the more.
"Paper works...main bhi karwa sakta hoon!" Manik demanded.
"Who's the GS of this college? Me? So step out Manik." Slightly Cabir pushed Manik's chest and holding my brother's hand I pasted a smile on my face twinkling my eyes.
"Fine! Leja isse." Hitting Cabir's head again he walked away not before throwing a pissed off look and Cabir kept rubbing his head with his fingers.
***
Manik's POV:
I sat pressing the bridge of my nose with my fingers as Cabir made his way beside me passing one hot chocolate.
"How can someone be such a moronic majnu?" He remarked while I chose ignoring him.
"Oye, what happened?" He pushed me feebly.
I rested my head on the chair running hands through my hair.
"Nothing. Didn't get much sleep last night." I pressed my forehead but hearing a chuckle realised to which asshole exactly I uttered things.
"Are you done with your giggling like one girl?" I passed him a stern look while he raised his hands in defence.
"Manik, some girl has come to meet you and she's waiting at the parking lot." One chap informed me while Cabir danced his brow again.
"So Nandini even can't stay away for an hour at least right? Hopeless!" He commented nodding his head.
It was true that it had been two hours that I didn't see her after she left for her own college after finishing the paper works here and I missed her terribly but I was not the one who would take this useless's stupid remark just like that.
"Just the way Navya calls you once in every three days." I smirked.
"Jerk." He chuckled hitting my abdomen with a punch and I smiled back holding it at the correct moment.
It not had been long that I met Nandini. In fact I fell in love on the first day itself if that is even possible. Everything about her is like a dream to me. She is harmlessly stubborn at some point while innocent at the other and I fell for her each cute little antic. My life could've gone that boring with my ex, had Nandini not been there as the first and purest ray of sun. Her divineness has drawn every beat of my heart towards her where she lives since day one. The thought of passing a life without Nandini is no less than a nightmare which I would bury in the darkest and deepest of grave and it felt excessively heartwarming knowing that she loves me the same way I do.
I rubbed my palms on my cheeks as I advanced towards the parking space and stopped seeing a medium sized frame standing having her back at me. I furrowed my brows having a pinch of doubt arising in my heart if it was Nandini, but as they say curiosity killed the cat, hence went ahead.
Standing at one hand distance from her back I stared at her long black hair and dark red long coat trying to surmise anything out of something. I cleared my voice to draw the attention but when she turned my hopes got crashed.
***
Same time, on the other side:
Nandini's POV:
I was lying down on our bed in our room looking at the ceiling counting the tiles and smiling like an idiot. Feeling of Manik's staying near me was enough to lit up my dead lamp and I was happy and loved in Our Little Paradise. Stretching my arms shooing away the laziness I got up to make some pasta for both of us. It's everything about 'us' now. White battering the mayonnaise with the macaronis I smiled that how we fought at the movie theatre and how have I tried to keep him away from me every time. If asked again giving a hundred million dollars even, I'd not be able t stay away for a second from my man and his fragrance. I realised that I had already developed the habit of clinging to him.
After having cooked, I kept the covered dish on the table and sat on the couch watching something on the television. Glancing at the wall clock I realised Manik was running late for home and kept shuffling the channels. When exactly I thought of buzzing him, the bell rang and I smiled. It's after so many hours that I'd be seeing him and that none less than the best time my heart waited for.
I swung the door opening with a wide smile but it plummeted. I saw one girl having medium sized hair with little fringes on her forehead, whitish complexion dressed up in black sweater and dark green denim and her eyes kept widening as I studied her more.
"Um..excuse me?" I asked politely.
"Who are you?" Her voice getting darker and I pinched my brows as to everyone from his or my side knew since past two months we have been living together.
"Sorry?" I questioned again.
"Is Manik home? This...is his house right?" She was starting to panic and I decided to let her in for she knew Manik and hence wasn't a complete stranger.
"Where's Manik? And who are you?" She asked me as I poured some water for her asking her to sit down.
"Manik hasn't come yet. I think he'll be a little late today." I smiled completely ignoring her question about my identity. Almost every friend and acquaintance of Manik knew I was his girlfriend.
"Alright...but are you like..umm.. sharing the apartment with him as some paying guest?" I surely was revolving around her mind.
"No...I stay here only. I'm Nandini, Manik's girlfriend." I passed her the water with a smile. I felt so so proud in telling that fact that he was mine and I was his.
I saw her eyes rounding up as her lips parted almost in shock and she stood up being as if her words failed because of me dropping some bombshell. Eh?
I withdrew my hand which was reaching her offering the water and kept holding it myself seeing her eyes getting darker.
"Who are you?" I had to ask and she smirked.
"Soha... Manik's ex-girlfriend" She smirked deeper and evilly as I felt my heart crashing within my chest as she pressed the last two words.
Manik never ever said that. Not that I was upset for him having a past, that everybody does but he never cared to share and it was so embarrassing the way we stood facing each other.
"This is something I feared the most..." she smirked nodding her head "We had a relationship for six years. Yes six long years and guess how Manik decided to get over it, by one rebound?" I clutched the glass tightly pressing my lips.
"Manik loves me okay! And please maybe you are his ex that doesn't mean you'll come and comment on what we have and what not. His feelings are divine and needs no clarification. We are happy together." I tried sounding composed but realised my voice already started get shaky.
She crossed her arms across her chest, nodding her head while I looked away.
"Wake up girl! Its an usual fling for Manik. It'll be weeks or months for him to get over you but...you will realised till then you'll realise that you've fallen head over heels in love with him. So wake up." She stated.
I looked at the floor for few seconds and then my eyes shot up at her.
"I refuse to believe that the man who cannot pass an hour without me doesn't love me. I am everything he needs." I uttered and her face changed colours.
"Listen...." she tried speaking but I had enough.
"Can you please leave?" I didn't care if I sounded rude.
She stood there glaring at me until she realised I was someone who wouldn't buy her crappy story and left not before glaring at me all again.
As she left shutting the door with a bang on my face, I sat with a thud on a couch bringing my knees near my chin and palming my lips with one hand. I didn't even realise when tears made their ways. I had lost love once and didn't have the nerves to lose this man whom I loved most in this universe.
I sat there like that not remembering for how long.
I didn't realise when someone held my knees softly and my heart cried even more knowing who that could be.
"Nandu?" He spoke in the softest tone.
I glanced up at him with salty eyes and he gawked in disbelief as he clutched my hand tightly.
"Baby...why are you crying?" He cupped my face and I sobbed as I failed to control my feelings.
"Did I do something wrong? Haan? Nandu?" He brought his face closer while cupping my wet cheeks.
"Let me...get you some food." I moved him aside and got up but soon he held my hand not letting me go away.
I looked back at our locked palms and then at him whose eyes were filled with concern and worry.
"Nandini?" He moved forward holding my waist and his finger touching my bare waist due to my crop top made me feel like a jelly. He knew the technique exact to be working.
"Manik...let me...go." I was fighting my tears and my ditching voice and tried to unwrap his hand from my waist while he kept deeply looking into my eyes.
"Leave Manik." I cried not having the chain of his stare broken but his grip warmed up more.
"Lea...." I placed my head on his chest clutching his collar tightly wetting his shirt up because of the waters escaping my eyes.
With his left hand he rubbed my back kissing my hairs.
"Is it because I came late? It won't happen again baby I promise. I won't leave you alone for anything" I sobbed harder escalating his worries.
I opened my lips to speak but not finding the correct word kept battling with my chocked voice.
"S..So...Soha..." he frowned hearing the name.
Holding my elbows he parted me from him gazing deep at my face.
"I want to know everything Nandini." He sounded commanding.
I told him everything and with every bend in the story his jaw stiffened more and eyes were turning red.
"Do you really think it's a fling between us?" He questioned holding my hand.
"Then I wouldn't have answered her back." I simplified.
"Then you shouldn't have cried" he mouthed and I lowered my face.
Holding my chin, he made me look at him and I found the desire to embrace him again. He wrapped his arms around me assuring me the world and I smiled with moistened eyes.
"I didn't cry for I don't trust you. I cried because I didn't like someone questioning our love. I...I...I won't be able to survive this time Manik if you...if you leave my side." I sobbed.
"That never will happen. I love you." He rested his chin on my head closing his eyes and I heard the favourite music to my ears...his heartbeats.
A/N- After a month right? Well see I updated. But poor response of this story is also one demotivating factor. I know you guys love this story then why not show some love to it? Honey please? Pretty please? Give the star and do comment. Take care!
❤️
Rai.