Manik's pov:
" Sir we reached!" driver's croaky voice broke my rail of wandering thoughts which more or less consumed work. I sighed feeling the tedious day walloping all of my somatic cells.
Thumping the car door behind I walked to the door to be greeted by kaka's warm smile, I reverted back with a small one.
Walking past the drawing room with long heavy steps and towards the staircase, dragging my entire self all along. Wearied out of my guts to even climb up the stairs, the long hauled strides finally seemed worth it as I reached my room.
Pushing the door enough for me to walk in, the sight of an unusual light beeming through the room quite contrary to the wonted darkness piqued my curiosity. It was my bedside lamp, I walked in further fury threatening to embrace my sense at the thought of the supposed trespassing.
" Nandini!" I stayed put at the foot of the bed unabashedly gwaking at her reclining in all her glory self with her eyes scanning sharply through the magazine pages. My abrubt insidious arrival took her off-guard as she yelped a little bewildered.
" Manik..you scared me..!" shrieking she kept a plam over her chest while holding the magazine with another.
" What...I mean how are you here..!?" I asked flabbergasted yet happily overwhelmed at the sight of her.
" Where do you think I should be..?" she cross questioned like almost all the time.
" Idk..home maybe!" mockery in my voice made her slap a tight smile my way.
" Shutup! I Just thought to make it up since we had to drop our plan..!" She reasoned with an adorable akimbo face and I couldn't be more whipped!
Throwing away my blazer after mercilessly separating it from me followed by the tie, I let myself fall all over her frame more so slumped over her.
" Aree..!" I heard her squeak at the unexpected but she didn't resist.
After Letting herself get comfortable with me on her as I layed down with my head on her chest and arms around her waist holding her close to me, allowing every cell of my body to take in her presence...this is what I was missing!
" Exhausted...?" she asked rhetorically making me hmm softly, I was entirely lost in the tenderness of her fingertips caressing my hair gently massaging my scalp.
We stayed in atmost silence just the sound of our breaths filling the air. She kept caressing my hair, time and again pecking my forhead, pinching my cheeks only to earn a growl from me, her soft giggles filling me with a sense of serpendity akin to the sound of waves..
" Enough with the cuddles freshen up, aren't you hungry already!" she spoke making me face her.
" Starving!" I groaned at that suddenly feeling famished more than ever at the mention of food. She giggled before pushing me to freshen up.
" Nandini..tum.." minutes later I walked out changing into a grey vest paired with black tracks, expecting her to be around I was about to voice my curiosity concerning her sudden arrival but the cold silence in the room had me to gulp down my words.
I frowned not finding any traces of her anywhere, confused I left the room walked down stairs to enquiry about her departure simultaneously checking my cell for any message.
Before I could ask anything, the muffled sounds of giggles caught my interest and it wasn't any later that I knew it was her. Tracing my way through I walked a few steps and I found myself standing near the dining area.
" Am I the topic of interest?" With my hands crossed over my chest, I spoke grabbing the duo's attention.
" please! We have better things to talk about!" Nandini mocked as she went past me setting the table for the night.
Kaka bid us adieu smiling softly bestowing us with the needed seclusion.
" So....I see you have better things to keep you off me..huh?" I spoke striding towards her indulged self, keeping my voice at the rim of husk.
The crippling intensity grasped her attention she looked over her shoulder at me, instantly her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.
" I may have...you know" wrapping her arms around my neck nonchalantly she spoke in a honeyed voice.
" Really..!" I spoke faking surprise playing along as I held her by the waist slackly.
" Yeah...like.." her breath dangerously close to my lips it was almost like she was breathing on my lips, the act was long forgotten for me now, I stood agape in anticipation of her next move.
" Like...food!" with that she pushed me a little away and slipped before I could get my hand on her. I whined and she giggled making me glare at her.
" chalo let's eat!" she said still giggling at god knows what she found so funny, while I stood atrociously displeased at her act which apparently made the whole thing funnier for her.
The foul mood didn't last long though, the moment I set my eyes on the table I was twice as happier than grumpy to find all my favorite delicacies royally layed on the table waiting for me to feast on them.
Perplexed I looked over at Nandini to find her smiling at my awestruck self.
" You did not!" I said while she chuckled.
" I might have. You were upset about us skipping dinner so I thought why not..!" She said pulling a chair for me beckoning me to grap a seat.
" Woah!!" I chuckled still digesting all of it.
Soon enough she took her seat beside me and then what followed was a night full of conversations, giggles and laughter.
--------------------------------
" What's the status? I haven't heard anything in a while now...you do know that we aren't fooling around, don't you? Then what is this negligence towards something so pivotal.....my everything is at fucking stake, a little slip up and I will lose all of it!" Dhruv's grave tone made shiver run down their spine, his men stood rooted at their place's petrified by his demeanor. Afterall it was not everyday a person embodiment of calmness losses it.
" Now what is with gwaking at me! Get back to your work...I need to know what is the scene at infinity...a few hours is all you have got!" his med nodded at timidly before dispersing in the blink of an eye.
" Ughhhh!!!! Why is everything falling apart!" growling he clutched his hair in utter irritation, this feeling of loosing control on things wasn't obscure to him it was akin to what exactly he felt years ago....
Flashback...
Randhir's trustworthy ally left him alone after assuring the ransacked him and resorted back to his job now without another crucial responsibility at hand.
" What would you take care of Uncle?" A brittle voice made the man stop his tracks, he was certainly cognizant of the owner.
" It's just business son!" he went ahead shrugging the persistent glance of his bosses son's.
" I think I am as much of a part of the business, so aren't you liable to lemme know.." the ferocity of his voice caught him a little off-guard, Dhruv has always been a very docile gentleman and that in most ways helped them to fool him all this while. He trusted everything said and done very very easily.
" Not everything has the need to get to your ears, child." he spoke with an intimidating tone staring right into Dhruv's eyes.
" somethings are better being kept!" with a gentle yet apprehensive pat on Dhruv's shoulder's he spoke in a deadpan voice, he was hinting at much more than this mere conversation and Dhruv could figure that out.
Looking at his departing figure one thing dawned upon Dhruv and that was, his quest was not a blind one...unknowingly his dad's companion did gave him a lead to dwell on..afterall, even though docile he was a smart young man.
Flashback ends..
Slouching back by the wall his distressed figure slumped down to the floor, mind flooded with possibilities some good some evil, it was as messy as his current state, ruffled hair, shirt wrinkled and tucked out unevenly eyes dropping as if haven't had a ounce of sleep in the longest while, most of all a void...on his face...in his self. He could feel his body numbing his senses departing to a some place not known.
Within the dark room vaguely illuminated by a handful warm lights heedlessly his hands went on to grap a maroon leather wallet from his hind pocket.
Unfolding it, his finger struggled to get through the clasped sides of leather to reach what he desired to get his hand on.
Pulling out a silver chain slightly low on it's charm due to years of negligent care but still brought him loads of comfort as he gwaked at the adornment like it was studded with the most precious of jewls from across the world.
Fingers of his left palm fidgeting with the beautiful leaf pendant that swayed horizontally due to the minimal air in the room.
Devoid of emotions he gazed at the swinging pendant as if hypnotized by it. Unsettling it was the constant moment of it, at once he gripped the pendant in his firm fist stopping all the motions.
His misty eyes landed on the palm where it settled unfazed. Nonchalantly he fondled with his finger tips extremely delicately as if tracing the details and capturing it every bit...or maybe finding a certain essence he craved for in it.
Snapping at the center of the leaf, it parted both sides revealing a serene face, the one embedded in his soul for a long long time.
" I ruined it, didn't I...."
Meri koi khata toh sabit kar,
Jo bura hu,
Toh bura sabit kar,
Tujhe chaaha hai itna tu kya jaane,
Chal main bewafa hi sahi,
Tu apni wafa sabit kar...
~Gulzar
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