Manik walked past everyone else and they halted seeing the angry man joining the little convoy. Aashi suppressed her smile while Aryan looked horrified. Aashi looked back at Nandini who was standing behind her stunned at audacity of man whom she valued a little too much.
"What?" Aashi asked as Nandini glared her.
"I didn't tell him," She clarified.
Manik had conveniently walked ahead of everyone and now it looked like he always wanted to lead this pack. He couldn't go more bipolar.
"What are you doing here, Manik?" Nandini asked walking furiously towards him. Her heart was betraying her mind. Her tongue failed to deliver what her mind was yelling. She took one deep breath before she successfully wore that stern face.
"I am coming along," He replied casually and that infuriated Nandini further.
"We don't want you along," Nandini replied in heat of moment.
Aashi's giggles touched her ears and Nandini mumbled something under her breath.
"I don't want you along," She corrected and Manik didn't cease to look comfortable about whatever she was saying.
"Okay," He said quite coolly and turned around to resume his walk. He had put a deaf ear on everything she was about to say.
"Manik," Nandini yelled his name and he turned around again looking totally calm about all her ire. It was like declared decree that everything she was going to say would have whatsoever no impact on him.
"This isn't done," She said and her voice got heavy as she tried to talk further. Manik's face turned stern. Nandini looked down licking her lips trying to rein her emotions. She couldn't fall short.
"My life isn't a garden where you can walk in or out as you wish," She stated hammering each word as harshly as she could.
Aashi held Mr Murthy's hand and walked away. She knew this would take a while.
"There is no way I am not coming along," Manik stated totally not answering Nandini's words. He didn't have answers.
"And there is no way I am going to allow you to be so damn convenient," Her voice choked as she yelled. She turned around barring him to have a view of what she looked. Shaking her head, she cursed the tears which weren't ceasing to put her heart on display. It had taken her a lot to be prepared to carry on without his erratic warmth and now she couldn't risk believing in it again.
"I won't be convenient," He murmured in her ear. She jumped in her place not sensing when he had walked so closer. Her spine tickled her skin as his warmth caressed it.
"I know you are angry," He added and she closed her eyes letting those threatening tears flow down her red cheeks.
"Punish me as much as want," He stated and she smiled sadly. His thumb touched back of her hand and she gulped the melt.
"I won't even ask for your forgiveness," He whispered as his thumb kept stroking her skin.
"Just let me beside you," He demanded when he had tried his best to make it sound like a plead. He didn't know any other way of living.
"I had wanted the same thing for so long, Manik," She replied, her tone a bit calmer and soft.
"But I don't want to seek anything anymore. I won't be able to take the pain again," She stated and walked away.
Manik kept looking at her vulnerable figure as she walked somewhere in forest. His heart drummed on beat of fear. He didn't know what would he do if she refused to take him in. He wasn't going to give up but he wasn't ready to be deprived of her assent as well.
"We shall resume," Nandini said and Aashi gave her a smile. Nandini didn't return the gesture, she was way too distracted for it.
Manik kept looking at them as they all took the beaten path.
"We don't have the whole day," Nandini said turning around and Manik's feet didn't take a single second to pass her in one merciless pace. Nandini shook her head not wanting to regret her decision. It was big fat lie that she could leave him behind. She just didn't want him to feel how she couldn't do it without him. His broad demeanor didn't shy away to give away how he was relaxed while his humble step thanked her in a language only she understood.
___________
It was past noon. Aashi was setting the woods for cooking while Nandini took out the paper packets out of bag. Aashi had arranged some raw food which would last for days. She looked at her father who was peacefully sleeping holding his bag near his chest. A smile floated on her lips. She could be content about his peaceful sleep at least.
Aryan sat in far away corner whereas Manik decided to take a round. His feet didn't halt as he kept patrolling the area. Aryan looked at him as he neared. He turned his face away not wanting to do anything with the monster.
"About yesterday," Manik spoke and Aryan looked at him in utter exasperation.
Aryan kept looking at him while Manik chose not to complete what he wanted to say. He kept looking out for something on ground and Aryan feared if he was up to something even more dangerous.
"Sorry about that," His word left Aryan dumbfound as he blinked several times not believing what he just heard.
"Still...there is not need of you to be around her...I am here," Manik broke the bubble soon enough and Aryan frowned not believing that man.
"Stay away from her," Manik uttered and walked away in same way as he had sneaked in.
"You are not forgiven, Manik," Aryan mumbled to himself as Manik was already gone.
Nandini wasn't fool to notice how Manik had intelligently approached Aryan. She was observing it all. His face told it all how he had done something very unusual and Nandini couldn't help but suppress a smile. That man covered in every kind of austere could amuse you sometimes.
"Here," Aashi handed her some spices and Nandini poured it in boiling water as instructed by Aashi.
"All okay?" She asked further and Nandini gaped her from side eye.
"Not anytime soon," Nandini announced and Aashi giggled.
____
Serving food to her father and Aryan. Nandini stole a glance of Manik who was glaring Aashi for God knew what. Aashi shrugged her shoulders not getting threatened at all. Manik looked at Nandini with some kind of complaint and Nandini looked away.
Amid silence of content as everyone had their food, a leaf crackled somewhere. She looked around immediately. Her eyes roamed around in fear as she asserted how it wasn't her imagination.
Manik read the horror on her face and got up.
"What's it?" He asked putting his bowl on rock.
"It's nothing," She replied plainly and resumed her lunch.
Manik's eyes scanned the area and he again picked up his bowl to finish his meal.
Another leaf crackled as if someone had taken a careful step but failed miserably. Nandini's hand reached for the knife placed beside her. She could feel it just behind her. She took a sharp breath not wanting to alert the intruder. As she got up carefully, she saw Manik passing by her crushing her little plan to get her hands of the prowler. She cursed him audibly but all was in vain. Manik's hand clutched the collar of someone as he pushed him out of tree's shed. Throwing that person on ground, Manik took out his gun.
"Don't shoot," That young voice pleaded crawling back.
"Jas," Nandini exclaimed in utter shock.
"Put that gun down, Manik," She commanded as she reached to help Jas.
"What are you doing here?" She shouted baffled.
"Are you mad?" She added losing her cool.
"Who the hell is he?" Manik asked gritting his teeth while Jas raised to his feet. His demeanor relaxed as he got some support from Nandini.
"I was following you," Jas replied to Nandini.
"You cannot just follow us to nowhere, Jas," She charged on him. She couldn't believe it how a 14 year boy had lead himself on a path where there was no inevitability.
"I wanted to be with you," He retorted trying to put his case.
"You are just 14," Nandini yelled at him while he clicked his lips.
"Almost 15," He corrected and Manik had had enough of sweet banter.
"Who the hell is this toddler?" He asked Nandini not liking how a lot of words were flowing when she had cut him off totally.
"I am not a toddler," Jas retorted walking to Aashi who just glared him. If asked she always knew that kid was growing trouble.
"He is a boy I know from camp," Nandini replied not looking at Manik.
She walked to Aryan while Aryan waited to hear her out.
"Aryan, would you please take Jas back to camp? We'll wait here," She requested.
Aryan looked at the kid who seemed offended already and then at Nandini. He nodded and gestured Jas to follow him.
"I am not going back. I have nothing to do there," Jas shouted.
"You are going back," Nandini scolded him.
"You cannot force me," He mocked while Manik glared the kid. There was no way he could let the toddler tag along.
"I can," Nandini announced folding her arms across her chest.
"I am sitting here. Suit yourself," Jas declared as well and found himself a rock to sit on.
"Enough of school play, Kid," Manik strode towards him and picked him up with his arm.
Jas wriggled under Manik's grip and Nandini feared how Manik would end up hurting Jas.
"Leave him, Manik," Nandini asked and Manik looked at her as if she had committed an act of bias.
He left Jas on ground and Jas ran to Nandini after sparing a glare to Manik.
"See, I would be on your side all the time," Jas pleaded.
"I would take care of everything," He added almost begging.
"Look, I am even his height now," He said walking to Manik. He stood beside Manik trembling like a leaf but still having the guts to put his point. He indeed was just two inches short.
Nandini shook her head knowing where this all was heading. Jas was again drawing a comparison.
"It won't take long to grow equally beneath soil," Manik murmured to him. Nandini pursed her lips catching the sound of it.
"I can't believe you said that," She murmured angrily while standing between Manik and Jas. Manik looked away huffing.
"I have no one there. Nobody even talks to me...besides you and Aashi," Jas was playing his cards well.
"Please take me with you," He pleaded and Nandini felt like crying to be in such place. She hadn't thought to accommodate so many people in her uncertain journey.
"Please," Jas pleaded and Aashi huffed.
"Cut the drama," She yelled and walked to Nandini.
Gesturing her to agree, Aashi patted Jas's back.
"Get ready to carry my bag," She said.
Jas almost jumped in excitement and ran to grab the bags.
Nandini kept standing there unsure while Jas was already gone to help Aashi with stuff.
"There was no need to tag that kid along," Manik murmured displeased.
Nandini huffed in annoyance and looked at him. He was looking back at her. An errant curve was playing on his lips which could hardly be named as smile.
"There was no need to tag you along as well," She taunted failing to tame her angry mind.
She heard him sighing coldly as she walked to Aashi.
"I am waiting at 6th tree," He informed before he walked ahead.
Nandini hated this. His every action had might to irk her when she herself couldn't find anything to do with him. It was tangled mess in her mind where knots were glued with something sweet and sour was all she felt.
It was a start which felt so different. It wasn't like one of her earlier journeys. It had a lot more of meaning. Maybe she being in-charge was all it needed.
She smiled unknowingly as she gazed Manik's walking figure in woods.
_______________________
Unedited*
Writer says, "Well I can surprise with back to back updates sometimes."
Happy Sigh! :) :)