name:- More Than A Fairytale
word count:- 3900 words
published on:- 18th Nov, 2019
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N A N D I N I
There were a lot of things floating in my mind right now, a lot of questions, a lot of thoughts, feelings, everything was jumbled and entangled in the most beautiful way with my heart warm and swollen as we walked through the streets of Paris with my hand in his.
"I'd like to take you somewhere," he said, looking back at me, breaking the silence of ten minutes and I tried to hide the ear-to-ear smile that involuntarily broke on my face everytime he looked at me.
"Where?" I asked. My mind couldn't stop trailing back to how he kissed me, how I tiptoed to touch his face and how his hands trailed around my waist holding my body close to his, the feeling of his skin rubbing against mine and the ecstasy of kissing him again after five whole years.
"I'll always take you somewhere," he smiled and when our eyes met, I could feel something sparkle in his hazel orbs, something that I thought was missing everytime I looked into his eyes now was back and a small voice in the corner of my heart told me that the image playing in his head was the same as mine; probably, he was just as happy and smiling about the change of events between us as I was.
"Okay then."
"Do you trust me?" He asked me.
It took me a moment. My lips quivered, "I do."
"Good," he teased, "Because what we're going to do ahead is going to require a lot of trust."
"Manik, what are we going to do?" I asked softly, curiously.
"Something," He smirked, not looking at me at all as he opened the passenger door of his car and I sat in, while he got into the driver's seat and switched on the radio, letting songs play softly as we drove quietly.
This triggered a memory. Me and him, our first date night, I was wearing that beautiful red dress and he was in a black overcoat, we drove over on the hills with windows down, the cold air making my hair fly, Girls Like You playing on the station as we sang together. Those were the good old days, and this felt like a déjà vu.
The windows were open and the radio was on, but we didn't sing anymore. My hair were short and they wouldn't fly away, and his eyes were barely moving from the road. A lot had changed, but one thing that hadn't was the way I felt happy sitting next to him, just like I did years ago on our first date. And maybe, even the way his eyes kept flickering to me for bare seconds when he thought no one noticed but I did, and it made me even happier with every passing second like that was possible.
It wasn't a very long ride, but the road got thinner and darker with every passing minute, and I couldn't help but wonder where we were going.
Before the fourth song could get over, the car stopped. We had reached. But what was ahead, was actually nothing. I am not over exaggerating, what lies ahead was actually just darkness. No road. No valley. No height. Not anything. Just a tree cover and plain, black darkness.
"Manik, where are we?" I asked, laughing a little nervously as he unbelted himself and got out of the car and I had to follow him.
"Somewhere, I told you," he smirked.
"Manik," I glared at him in a warning.
He laughed. "I'll show you," He smiled, then forwarded his hand to me. I was hesitant, but I let myself keep my hand in his as he firmly held me, and walked us ahead.
Through the darkness.
And the trees.
And the darkness.
And the trees.
It took a lot of faith and blind trust to walk through something with no light but just moonlight. I could feel my heart beating faster until the tree cover faded, and the light increased. A few more steps, and the moonlight was now bright and clear. There was a full moon, big and round, and a hundred stars glistened overhead, but that was not where the lights came in from.
The light was from its reflection into the lake ahead. It was an enchanting waterbody starting just few feet away from us, but I couldn't see where it ended. Till where my eyes could see, there was just water, surrounded by shore on both sides full of green grass and trees, with beautiful water lilies growing by the shore.
This felt right out of a dream.
He smiled at my amused expression but kept the silence intact as he pointed towards a gondola on the shore. It felt as if the trees was a dark portal into Venice, and we had left the beautiful streets of Paris to sneak to see the beautiful backwaters of Europe.
I suddenly felt like a princess in the magical world instead of a damsel in distress and I liked it, I felt like I was a part of some fairy tale, and for once, I felt like I fit into this odd world. It felt unreal.
"May I?" He asked for my hand again, bowing formally and I pursued my lips, smiling as I gave him my hand, just as formally and he hopped onto the gandola, and then helped me get in. I almost tripped once but steadied me as I tumbled inside and he held me close, sitting on the wooden bench in it, with me next to him.
The middle aged man at the end of the gandola smiled at us, and it was as if he was a pixie. He had pointed ears and a smile so beautiful. Manik nodded and the man nodded back, rowing the gandola.
It twirled and my heart warmed with excitement as I held on his hand in both of mine. It had been a long, long time since I went boating, or since I smiled this way, or since I enjoyed my life.
"The man seems to know you," I point quietly, not taking my eyes off the beauty surrounding us.
"He does. I visit this place very often when I come to Paris, this place... it helps me find my sanity when the insane world around us takes a toll on me." He smiled and I admired, my face flushed when I realised myself falling more in love with him than the place around us.
There were floating lanterns in some corners with the pink lilies, and I couldn't help but wonder who maintains this beautiful place.
And then, something stroke. I felt a pang of jealousy in my heart. "And, is he used to seeing different girls with you every time you visit?" I ask.
He smirked. "Jealous, are we, Murthy?"
I raised my eyebrows and then rolled my eyes, looking away. Manik was being very unspecific tonight and characteristically kind, and I didn't know if I should be mad at him or be in awe.
"You see this water?" He asked, and I gave him an obvious glare.
"Oh, I thought we're floating in air." I mock, he gives an amused look but ignores my comment and goes on anyway.
"This is the only water body in the whole of world that's said to be protected by the stars and the nature, you know?" He says and I raise an eyebrow, amused by the mythology. "It's covered by forests on all sides and reflects the night sky into its water that appears black, making it look similar to the black hole. Mythology says the forests hide it from the world since the water is magical and houses the nymphs. They bless whoever finds it, with the treasures of love, and happiness."
I smile as I ask, "I didn't know you liked mythology?" I spent a year with him and there were still so many things we didn't know about each other.
He nods, grinning. "My mother– step-mother– Nyonika, you know, she read mythology books to me when I was young. I started taking interest in it when I was thirteen and for my fourteenth birthday, I asked my dad to make me a library in our house. This lasted for two years and it made my parents worried I was gay. It took me an hour to explain him that I wasn't but they wouldn't listen, they kept telling me about how they accepted me and my non-existent boyfriend."
I laughed. I wish I had such memories of me with my parents when I was in my teens. But they, well, died when I was nine. So I made all my memories with Amms, Abhi, and Mukti instead. Amms and Abhi are gone too. And Mukti... I wonder where she is. Would she be alright? I could just hope.
I noticed we had reached a bridge overhead, lighted with golden lights, stranded in its beauty. I wondered how there was such a beautiful place in this city that remained unexploited by the people because just so less people might be knowing about it.
"This place is really pretty in the daytime, but there's something about it at night," he smiled, "I'll show you."
I noticed the man was parking the gondola at the shore just in front of the bridge and Manik hopped out, then carefully getting me down. We climbed up the U-shaped bridge that connected the two stores. It's rails were made of glass and had golden fairylights inside it, making the bridge shine.
"It's a beautiful escape," I add, my eyes glistening as we stood at the top of the bridge. I clutched the glass rails in my hand as I looked at the water's below and ahead of us that we had just crossed. He smiled standing next to me, and clapped his hand once.
I looked at him, shocked, flinched but he just smiled when soft music started playing in the background. He holds my hand, bringing us to the centre of the bridge at the top. His hand encircles my waist and one of my hand was on his torso while the other hand was in his, near his shoulder, as our feet move slowly.
Yelling at the sky
Screaming at the world
Baby, why'd you go away?
I'm still your girl
Holding on too tight
Head up in the clouds
Heaven only knows
Where you are now.
Never got the chance
To say a last goodbye
I gotta move on
But it hurts to try
I smile and he smiles back. The song was soft and beautiful, something about it matched more with the night and us than any other song I've heard in a while.
How do I love
How do I love again?
How do I trust
How do I trust again?
He leans ahead, his lips slightly touching my lips, "You look beautiful tonight." He doesn't give me the chance to reply as he twirls me and the pulls me closer then before, and I almost fall on him but he just holds me with the same smile on his face.
I stay up all night
Tell myself I'm alright
Baby, you're just harder to see than most
I put the record on
Wait 'til I hear our song
Every night I'm dancing with your ghost
Every night I'm dancing with your ghost
I look into his eyes with a smile and we don't look away, even with the music fades away.
I take a deep breath, "Manik?" I call.
"Hmm?" He replied, still dazed as he tucks a hair strand behind my ear.
"I'm in love with you," I whisper softly, my hands playing with the button of his shirt.
"What?"
I look up, hesitantly, my eyes reaching his. I knew that he knew. I had just, never told him this, and right now, felt like the right moment. After all, how do you thank someone for everyone he does for you without telling him what you actually feel for him?
"I said," I repeat, firm but soft, "I'm in love with you. Irrevocably and completely. Have been since the past six years and will be until you allow me to."
He smiled, ear to ear, not replying anything when I saw something good between our faces and I flinched, and so did he.
"Come on," He said, grabbing my hand, as he jogged down the bridge and I jogged with him, half confused, half scared. I saw his car parked just there, and wondered what it was doing there when that same middle aged man got out of the driving seat and handed Manik the keys while he Manik removed something from the backseat.
"elle est belle," the middle aged man said.
"je sais," Manik replied, smiling at him, and I turned my head to him in confusion but he didn't bother replying to me.
"tu es un homme chanceux," The man replied. I just stared at them like a fish out of water.
"je le sais aussi," Manik's smile widened before he turned on spreading whatever he removed on the top of the car and the man walked away.
It was like a carsheet, as he put it on top of the car. "Manik–," I started but he silently got up, and helped me up while I let dumbly let him lead and just followed.
He laid down on top of the car and indicated me to do the same. Hesitantly, I laid down beside him, and it wasn't as uncomfortable as it earlier looked like. It was actually quite warm and nice, lying down on the top of the car, watching the stars.
"Manik, what did he say?" I nudged him.
"Who?" He played dumb.
"The man, Manik," I gave an obvious look.
"I don't think I should tell you," He made a fake innocent face.
"Why?" My heart dropped.
"Because," He whispered huskily in my ear, "He said I could do better than you."
"What?" My eyes widened. I almost felt like I could cry. "He– he really said that?"
"Hmm hmm," he nodded making a sad face.
"Okay," I said. I mean, it's okay right? Manik can do better than me. That's straight up facts. He's hot and he's amazing and yes he's been through a lot too, but atleast he isn't traumatised by that like I am. He shouldn't be the one to deal with my problems. If anything, I'm just a burden to him.
"Nandini," Manik calmed me sternly, "I was joking. Stop overthinking it."
I looked at him, glaring, but he gave me a smile and pointed towards the bridge where we ran out from, and I saw, hundreds of fireflies glowing on it. My eyes widened on seeing something I love so much after so long.
"Fireflies glow only where there's true love." Cabir's voice resonated in my head.
"I told you," He whispered softly, "I like this place better at night."
It felt unreal. Looking up to see the stars and down to see fireflies everywhere.
"And Nandini," he called softly and I turned my head to him, "The man, he told me that you're beautiful, and that I'm very, very lucky to have you."
I looked back at him, a smile on my lips. "Really?" I asked, my eyes slightly wide in disbelief.
"Hmm," he nodded, entering my hand with his as he brought it up to kiss it, "And I told him that I know I'm very lucky not just have you with me, but also be loved by you."
I smiled at him and he smiled back, it was as if a secret lingered on our lips, the secret being our love– we both knew we've found what the whole world is looking for.
"Thank you," I whispered, "For everything. Really." I raised my head and kept it on his chest, tilting my body as he kissed my temple and my hands played with his, drawing doodles there.
The sad truth about today is so many people are in love with each other and not together, and so many people are together but not in love.
And then there's us. Are we in love? Maybe. Are we together? Maybe. But are we happy with each other? Definitely.
"How did you get to know about this place? I mean, there's literally no one else here," I ask.
"I own it," He replied a little too casually and my mouth almost dropped.
"Shut up!" I said in disbelief.
"Really," he smiled, shifting his weight to one hand as he turned his body to face me, "When I started working, I spent the first year in Paris. This was actually a private property, but it was so beautiful, that I bought it. Turns out the man didn't want it anyway because it's really in the outskirts. The man who drove us there, he's the caretaker of this place, lives in a cottage opposite here nearby. We both can stay there tonight."
"We can?" My eyes widened.
"Yup," He said with a popping p, pointing at a cottage just at walking distance from the bridge.
"Wow," I said, still dazed, "The place... it's beautiful. Right out of a fairytale."
"I promised you a fairytale or our own in these four days, didn't I?" He whispered and I nodded.
"You know, if someone would look at you, all tall and tough... nobody will ever believe that there's this soft corner inside of you that believes in fairy tales," I teased.
"Why," He scrounged his nose, "I think fairy tales are very much true, not because they tell you that dragons exist, but because they teach you that even the most powerful dragons can be defeated. And, anyone who doesn't believe in fairy tales is because they haven't found theirs yet, or settled for something much lesser than it; but that's their story, not yours. You choose your own story, and if this is your story and I am your prince, than I want to make sure that you live nothing less than a fairytale."
I yawned in sleep lazily as I fell in love with his words as I turned to be on top of him and gently kissed him. He was surprised, but one of his hands supported my back so that I don't tumble down like the clumsy I am and the other hand held my face, kissing me back.
After I pulled away, I gently kissed his nose before wanting to return back to my place but he didn't let me, and I rested my head on his chest, sleeping on top of him.
"Alternatively, we could fall asleep here, surrounded by stars and by fireflies, two things you and I love the most," He whispered as I snuggled into him, smiling by myself. He kissed my crown as I whispered my goodnight.
I felt him relax below me as I closed my eyes, but I didn't sleep for a long time.
My hands played with his hair, as I breathed his scent. I wanted to drown in the way he breathed, learn every word he speaks to me, treasure every time I get to put my lips against his, and somehow cherish every moment that his skin is bare against mine.
One same thought kept running in circles in my head for a long time, and I hated how my mind was ending such a beautiful day on a pessimistic note.
But when I looked up, his eyes were open, and the second they met mine, I knew from the fear in his eyes, which he tried to hide, that he was thinking the same thing.
Our fairytale might've started with a 'Once Upon A Time', but there might be no happily every after. The end of our fairytale will be a question of everything we could be if we did some things differently, a hanging what if.
Our fairytale will last for three more days only.
As if reading my mind, he whispered, "It'll be okay."
"Okay," I said, my voice threading to break down but a smile spread on my lips as I remembered something. "Flirt."
"Okay," he laughed, "Drug."
"Okay," I whispered, closing my eyes this time and he held me closer.
"Okay," he whispered, one last time, his voice being the last thing I remember before I fell asleep.
I wasn't Hazel Grace Lancaster and he wasn't Augustus Waters but maybe okay would be our always too. I don't know if this was our story or not but if it was, then I'd not want any Fault In Our Stars, I'd like to accept our Stars just the way they are.
I was an ordinary girl, and I never wished for anything extra. I'd like to accept everything the way it is, nothing extravagant. I liked simplicity.
But when it came to Manik, everything became different. Every moment seemed like an imagination, as if, if I stop thinking, it would vanish.
I didn't know what he would be to me or me to him, or what we will be after Paris. Maybe he's just a chapter in my life that I would highlight in the end, or maybe he's the reason my book exists, I don't know what it is.
But whatever it is, whatever he is— a chapter or my entire story, whatever we are, I wish for it to be nothing but a story written by our stars.
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Did you notice the end? Felt like you've read it somewhere?
It's the same as Chapter 7: The Flirt's Drug.
I wanted their story to run in a circle. In that chapter, Nandini wasn't sure what they would become but she hoped for a story between them (the ultimate start), and even here, she doesn't know where they will go, but she hopes it's a story worth telling (another start, maybe?) ;)
Isn't that amazing?
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Announcement:
My new book is here!
It's on an app called Dreame. The name of the book is 'If You Leave Me Now'. Updates will be on every second day, which means three updates in a week!
You can PM me for the links right now.
Preface was put up yesterday.
Chapter 1 updated today.
My ID on Dreame is @heermangtani
To everyone who's already had a look at the preface, did you like it?
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Vote, Comment & Share.
Love,
Heer.