MaNan FF: 'I will never ask of you, what you cannot give' (Update:pg8) - Page 4

Chapter 4: "You're Not Going Anywhere"

As if a bull seeing red, Nandini broke free of Manik's hold on her, and shot off of the bed. Startled awake, Manik awoke with a start.

"Nandu- Nandu, baby, what happened?! What's wrong? Is it Rishabh? Is he okay?" A still groggy Manik shouted in the dark.

"Really Manik? Really? You're asking me about my brother? Don't even pretend." Nandini retorted, full of rage. Nandini knew Manik cared for her brother like his own, but her anger at the moment knew no logic.

"Nandu, what are you talking about? Why are you shouting?" Manik was confused. A feeling that he was sadly getting accustomed to these days, especially when it came to his relationship.

As if an answer to his question, Manik's eyes were drawn to the light emanating from his vibrating phone in Nandini's hand. Suddenly, Manik understood where Nandini's rage was coming from. Manik knew he should not have waited so long to talk to Nandini about this very matter. However, not knowing how to broach the topic, he had pushed it aside- for what now, appeared as too long.

"Nandini-"

"I'm leaving." Nandini cut him off.

"Wait. Listen to me." Manik pleaded, as Nandini frantically reached around in the dark to gather her things.

The tears began to spill as she hysterically made her way around the large room. Hearing her sniffling, Manik knew he had once again caused Nandini to shed tears that he promised he would not. This was harder than he had initially thought. Both of them were polar opposites, yet exactly what each other needed. The fear of not being able to find a common ground in their relationship was something both Nandini and Manik had always worried about. However that fear was nothing compared to that of the fear of never feeling as complete as they felt when they were together.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Manik was brought back to reality just in time to see Nandini making her way to his door. Sidestepping her, Manik blocked her way.

"Manik, move. NOW!" Nandini shouted. Closing her eyes, Nandini realized she did not even know this Nandini. She had never raised her voice before. Yet here she was, in a house that was not her own, in the middle of the night, shouting like a madwoman. This Nandini scared her just as much as she liberated her.

Feeling his patience go to hell, Manik grabbed Nandini's forearm and spun her around so that her back was against the wall. Bringing his face dangerously close to Nandini, Manik opened his mouth to speak.

"You're not going anywhere. You're going to explain to me what you were talking about earlier. One, because I have a feeling that it's connected to what just happened. And two, because someone is in serious trouble for whatever they are trying to do to us."

Nandini closed her eyes. She was angry, hurt, and disappointed- all at once. But with Manik's body pinned against her in the dead of the night, she was scared she would lose all self-control before she could solve any of the problems that she was determined to resolve.

"Did you sleep with her?" Nandini finally asked.

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Updates

Chapter 5: "How Can You?" (Page 8)