Three night and a girl standing on other side of glass window.
He had started to spent his days waiting for night where he would sneak out just to stand under her window. She would come to the window as the dog would bark endlessly and then frown not finding anything. He was having it when he could have her. It certainly was stupid.
Manik ended having last lap of big army ground and then walked towards locker room with a smile. He had been quite calm since his nights had started to feature her. She was getting feistier, he could bet. Her face was this window to her heart. He wondered if she had cried when he had pulled that brainless stunt on her.
"It wasn't stunt, Manik"
He murmured cursing himself for choosing those words.
It was biggest mistake of his life.
"Malhotra," One of his seniors yelled from afar.
"There's a call for you," He informed and Manik's face lit like a hundred watt bulb.
He ran to admin office leaping over everything which obstructed his path. He was stupid, he knew it. There was no way it was her calling him but how he wished. He couldn't wait to hold that receiver.
"Hello," He spoke first and breathed afterwards.
"Manik," Harshad spoke from other side of line and Manik's heart jumped off the skyline where mention of an incoming call had set him on.
"You," Manik didn't want it to sound like a disappointment but it did come out that way.
"Who would call you after what you have done," Harshad spoke when he didn't want to bring the topic up. It was just he too was somewhat mad at Manik for screwing only good thing he was going to have in his alone life.
"Yeah," Manik's voice sounded like a sad whisper.
"I didn't mean it," Harshad clarified and then added, "I am always going to call you,"
Manik rolled his eyes on that pathetic attempt of Harshad to lift his spirit.
"Why did you call?" Manik asked impatiently.
"I am coming back tomorrow," Harshad informed and Manik pursed his lips.
"You did tell me last time," Manik said and Harshad sighed.
"Did you try to make things better?" Harshad asked after a silence. He did sound unsure whether to raise the topic or not.
Manik didn't answer but then he wanted to tell every freaking detail to Harshad so badly.
"I did see her," Manik told in a low yet happy tone.
"What did she say? Did she smack your head?" Harshad's voice was filled with excitement all of sudden.
"I just saw her," Manik tried to clear even when he was saying the same thing.
"What do you mean you just saw her?" Harshad's tone was back at being mad.
"I have been going to watch her when she is working nights at some dog shelter," Manik elaborated in a low plain sound.
"Why would you just see her when you should go and talk to her?" Harshad almost yelled and Manik had to take receiver a bit away from his ear.
"I am scared. I don't know how to face her," Manik murmured.
"No, tell me. Why won't you talk to her and try to make things better?" Harshad had seemed to miss on Manik's mewl confession.
"She would kill me, Harshad," Manik spoke out loud and officer on duty raised his eyes to look at him. Manik smiled awkwardly towards him.
"So now you are scared?" Harshad couldn't believe this idiot of his friend.
"You don't know her. She would slit my throat first and then would ask me to speak," Manik said already getting jitters.
"I thought Manik Malhotra was a big guy who had started to take decisions. Weren't you scared then?" Harshad was tired of Manik.
"I know I did make a mistake. Don't make me more guilty," Manik said in an irritated tone. He was tired himself.
There was this uncomfortable silence from another side.
"Are you there?" Manik asked and Harshad huffed making his presence marked.
"You are talking to her TONIGHT. Do you get it, Manik Malhotra?" Harshad asked angrily.
Manik closed his eyes with an apparent pout. He nodded and then waited for Harshad to let him go.
"Did you get it, Manik?" Harshad asked not getting a reply from Manik.
"I said I would," Manik too replied heatedly.
"You didn't," Harshad spat back.
"I did," Manik was too messed up to realize how he had used his big head instead of his tongue.
"FINE," Harshad yelled and line went off.
"So rude," Manik stared the receiver and then walked out of glass cabin. Officer gave him a skeptical look.
"Your uncle?" He asked and Manik's eyes widened.
"Nooo," He replied. When Nandini was the aunt, how could Harshad be the uncle. Though it was all stupid but Harshad couldn't be the uncle, Manik shook his head terrified.
"It was my cousin," Manik replied and officer nodded.
Coming out of office, he breathed in peace. Things were getting crazier than ever.
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"Why not best school of management?" Mr Murthy asked gritting his teeth. It was few minutes since he was trying to convince Nandini for enrolling in London business school.
"Because I don't want to," Nandini shrugged it off leaning on sofa.
Mr Murthy looked at Mrs Murthy accusingly and she looked back totally not taking the blame. Nandini watched them both in glee as clash of eyes took place.
"I thought you had it sorted," Mr Murthy taunted his wife.
"I did. She was ready to have this conversation," Mrs Murthy replied defensively.
"What do you want to do in life, Nandini?" Mr Murthy asked baffled as he saw his daughter having time of her life seeing her parents fight.
"Anything but what you want," She replied crossing her arms.
"For God's sake, he is your father," Mrs Murthy stepped in and Nandini raised her brow.
"Really? Show me the birth certificate," Nandini mocked and Mr Murthy had it enough.
"Thing is this little rebel thinks she can get away with everything she does," Mr Murthy said pointing at her.
"As if you let me. You get back on me trying your best," She retorted getting up.
Both didn't look away and Mrs Murthy started to count seconds that one of them would walk away.
"Nandu," Her mother's voice softened so dramatically that Nandini had to give her an ear.
"We think best for you. It would be best that you get out this town and make it big. You are going to be part of Murthy industries someday," She said and Nandini narrowed her eyes.
"I bet you do," She said acting to be a listener.
"I am sending your application and that's final," Mr Murthy declared sensing Nandini's teasing disinterest.
"Do what pleases you," She said waving them a bye.
"Just remember," She said turning around as she reached the stairs.
"This time you have only me to deal with and I don't do emotional or stupid," She said referring to the obvious. Mr Murthy looked away.
Nandini felt this rage running in her body on mere mention of something which hadn't still gone down her throat. She was certain how nothing could make her weak anymore because the only one who could had already chose to go away.
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Harlow made a sound as Nandini kept examining the rod in her hand. He did look unsure.
"Tonight we will go out to see what bothers you," She said to Harlow and he tilted his head wondering what that thing was.
"You woof for nothing, mate," She said and he stuck his tongue out.
"Keep that smile on," She said and he put his chin on his paw. Nandini wasn't a fool who couldn't get why Harlow would bark for an hour or so every night. Someone was surely lurking around.
"We are going hunting tonight," She said and Harlow kept listening to all the gibberish she was talking. His eyelids fell as he pretended to be asleep.
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Manik walked on empty road tucking his hands in his overcoat. It was too cold. His breaths turned into white steam as he tried to breathe deep. He was anxious, it was an understatement. He had no courage to show up when he knew she would kill him at first sight. He gulped as he imagined what could she do to him. Some dog howled far away and he could feel the atmosphere turn haunting. Night had a background score for everything.
He could now see lit window of dog shelter and he wasn't sure how he was going to ask lioness to come and kill him. He deserved to be in that spot. He himself had turned that wildcat into an angry lioness and now he couldn't play kitten anymore.
He reached the same lamppost where he would stand every night before that dog goes mad barking. Manik mumbled some cursed but then he couldn't blame the furry guy. He was the one who was bringing Nandini to window.
Harlow raised his chin from his paw and looked out. He woofed faintly and then looked at Nandini. She was sleeping hugging the thick rod. He got up and walked to the glass window. Manik spotted Harlow and took a deep breath. He rubbed his palms preparing himself. He was not going to move an inch tonight. She could come and do whatever she wanted to. Motivational speech in his head got some virtual applaud and he looked up.
And he kept looking. Harlow didn't bark.
"Bark," Manik instigated the little boss by raising his arms.
Harlow started to wag his tail and Manik could only wonder why that dog won't bark. He waited and waited.
His shoulders dropped as Harlow sat quietly there gazing him. Maybe he was that screwed up that now even a dog won't bark at him anymore, he thought and frowned.
Manik sat on small platform where that lamppost stood. He looked up at Harlow who was looking back at him with his tail wagging continuously.
"Bark," Manik murmured looking at him.
"Help me, Doggie," He was frustrated waiting for minutes. He looked here and there.
"Why this happens to me always?" He said a bit loud and Harlow woofed slightly. Manik's eyes shot up to see the dog.
"Yes, Yes, you can do it," He encouraged the dog and started to tap his feet.
"Bark," He pleaded and Harlow just gazed him with his tongue out. Manik frowned and walked towards the shop where he would hide everyday.
He leaned on pillar and Harlow's gaze followed him.
"What's the point of staring?" Manik asked lowly as if Harlow could hear him.
"Bark at me if you can," He said challenging the cute guy. Manik had certainly lost his mind in bone cracking cold of night. He was talking with a dog who couldn't even hear him.
Manik saw a brick beside his feet and picked it up. He threw it on street trying to irritate Harlow but then Dog had made his mind. He didn't react. He just followed Manik's every action as if wanted to join the madness. Manik kicked a thing or two then danced around lamppost but nothing worked.
"Why won't you bark?" He yelled at last and Nandini shifted in her sleep. She looked around to see Harlow sticking to window wagging his tail.
"What was that, Harlow?" She asked in her sleepy voice. Harlow just ignored her call and kept looking down the street.
"Is that the same ghost who irks you every night?" She asked realizing the time. She got up gripping the rod tight in her hand. Without even sparing the glance on what Harlow was bestowing the attention, she stormed out of office. Manik could hear some faint clicks. He wasn't sure from where they came though. He heard shutter of rescue center going up and his feet froze. He looked here and there to hide somewhere but then this was what he wanted. He could see her back as he closed the glass door behind. And when she turned around, she froze.
Her face went all pale from being all worked up. Her eyes blinked twice, he guessed how she was trying to make out that he was standing there for real. She had this iron rod in her hand, he gulped. But then he could have anything tonight, it was everything to see her standing there. She was looking at him, he existed finally. He was just so lost all these days and now he could die in peace. Her feet worked as she took slow steps. Her face now had this blank as she didn't take away her eyes. She stared right into his teary ones. She walked towards him like a huntress and he was ready to be her prey. Her eyes had this ache but her face, it was as blank as his mind was. She didn't leave the rod though.
She halted just three steps away from him. Her warmth could reach out to him and he clasped his fingers in a fist. He couldn't wait to feel her so that this curse could break. She didn't utter a word. She just kept looking at him with this nothing on her face. His pulse was dying inside as he tried to assume what was going inside her. She was scaring him with that silence. He had to break it before she excludes him out forever.
"Nand.." He started to say but then something hit his leg with a force and his eyes popped out, not literally. He held his leg in hands and danced like a chicken. She had hit him with the rod. Her face turned angrier than ever as she looked at him. Her eyes were welled up and before he could say something, she dropped the rod and rapidly walked back to the building. She didn't look back for once. Her walk screamed for the rage she was. She closed the shutter as loud as she could. Manik couldn't even make out when she disappeared because he was busy in not missing a single detail of her.
Pain in his leg subsided and he smiled like a fool. She did react to him and that meant everything. Harlow finally barked and Manik smiled more. That pain in leg ached sweetest and he couldn't thank his stars. She did react, he sat on platform holding his leg. Lights of her office turned off and Harlow woofed in protest. Manik kept looking at her office and there she stood in dark. He could see her when she thought he couldn't. He kept staring into dark where she stood and she didn't move. He smiled and she vanished.
It had to be a start. Maybe, that's how they would resume.
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Unedited*