MaNan FF- Nandini's lifeline( ch17- pg61) - Page 16

"Come Manik, let's go home." she tried to hold his hand and lead his towards the passenger door but he didn't bulge.
"I don't like what he did on your hand." He said holding their intertwined hands at his eye level.
"Your liking doesn't really matter right now Manik." Nandini was trying not to lose her calm.They were still outside the gates, Manik leaning on his car. Nandini was trying to push him in the passenger seat so she could drive but he was too heavy and wouldn't move.
"It does matter, of course it matters." He whined with a pout.
"Why Manik?" she couldn't stop herself from asking
"Because I love you Nandu."
"Shut up Manik you're drunk."
"Doesn't change my feelings for you."
"Manik, you had your tongue down someone else's throat today morning and now you're telling me this?"
"Yes, but it was to get over you. Every girl ever has been only to get over you."
Nandini couldn't comprehend what was happening. Manik was drunk. He was blabbering. Whether he was blabbering the truth or rubbish that she didn't know.
"Okay. So if you love me, will you tell me the truth?" she said making good of using his own words against him.
"I always tell you the truth or I don't answer you." He said and when she thought over that she realized that was true. He'd always either been honest or silent.
"How did you lip cut?" She asked placing her finger on his lower lip. He kissed it.
"That's better. It undid what he did to you. Where else did he kiss you? Here?" Manik said putting a finger on her lips ignoring her question.
"Wait, let me undo his dirty lips from yours." He said pulling her against him.
"Manik, control. Tell me how did you get hurt? Why did bhai hit you?" she said very sternly. She needed answers and she needed them that moment.
"Cabir knows I am in love with you and he warned me when we were kids to never come close to you. But he doesn't know our little secret." He said softly referring to them sleeping together.He held her by her waist and pulled her closer
"Tell me everything from the beginning Manik." She said pulling away again from his embrace.
"Here? At this time? Like this? But this is the perfect set up for kissing. Come here."
He leaned in closer to her but he pushed away his mouth
"Manik. Tell me and then we'll do what you want." She said hoping that he'd open his mouth.His eyes lit up with excitement
"No I didn't mean that, calm your pants."
"Okay okay Nandu, I will tell you everything. He said but stopped, kissed her on her cheek and then continued.
"I have wanted to do this for so long." He intertwined their fingers.
"I have been in love with you even before we started sleeping in one bed. Cabir came to know how I felt about you when we were 12 and he hit me and warned me to stay away from you. So I always acted like an asshole to you."
"But then why the split personality, why be nice when alone and a jerk when people were around?"
"When I was with you alone, I couldn't control myself and so I'd be nice to you but in front of Cabir I had to be a jerk. Then I started dating just to convince him that I'm over you.Little does he know that right now you're in my arms and letting me kiss you."
"Manik. Not here." She said pushing him away again because he was trying to kiss her neck.
"Nandini please." Manik was almost begging her
"Manik. Move back this second or I will kick you in your balls and I will not regret it." She was serious and he knew it. He put his hands up in surrender.
"Fighter Nandu. My favourite. Take me home driver." He said hopping into the passenger seat
Ride back home was silent because halfway along the road Manik fell asleep leaving Nandini with her thoughts.
She had a lot to think over, a parking lot lot. (F.r.i.e.n.d.s reference)
"Manik we're home. I'm leaving the window open, come in."
She had to literally shake him when he woke up half drunk half asleep and stumbled through her window with her help.
Nandini then went in from the main door only to groan in despair at the sight she saw.
People were still there, hardly 10 or so but still drunk and her house was a mess. Her maid would be so furious tomorrow but Cabir was nowhere in sight, Nandini wanted to go check on him but she was sure he'd be somewhere around after all there were still people in the house. Nandini had her own set of issues to deal with so throwing dirty glares at the people lounging in her living room she went to her room and locked the door behind her.
A smile crept up her face to see Manik sprawled over her bed still fully clothed and wearing shoes. She went ahead and took of his shoes and socks, then the gazillion leather bands on his wrists and set them aside. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to get rid of the belt but with a lot of struggle finally pulled it out.
She herself got ready for bed, wore her night suit, brushed, combed her hair, prayed and then settled down on her bed.
Immediately as if sensing her Manik's hand draped around her middle, it would have been her chest had she been lying down but she was sitting, back against the back rest. She needed to know so much more. The night had been one hell of a ride for her and something told her that tomorrow wouldn't be any easier.
Manik snuggled closer almost keeping his head in her lap and she ran her fingers through his hair in a calming manner.
She made a mental list of the revelations she had faced tonight-
1.Manik was in love with her
2.Manik also slept around a lot
3.Cabir knew about Manik's feelings for her and warned him which was the reason 4.Manik slept around a lot, but how did any of it justify the other point?
5. Why would Cabir keep Manik away from her? Maybe it was the over protective brother in him doing so.
6. What did Nandini feel about Manik? For one thing she knew she could never replace him although Rian was invading her thoughts.
7. But Manik was her constant.
With all that was going on, Nandini got a headache and decided to finally things take their natural course. She would talk to both the guys tomorrow and then decide who deserves a kick in the groin.
She fell asleep in her sitting position, Manik's head in her lap and his arm loosely hanging on her middle.
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Nandini woke up rather groggy. She faintly remembered falling asleep in a sitting position but she woke up in a different one. She was lying facing Manik, their arms and legs tangled around each other. His face was close enough for her to still sense the stench the alcohol but that didn't matter. For the first time Nandini actually noticed Manik's features. Even eyes closed, he looked handsome. A strong jawline which had cuts that made girls drool, thin yet full lips slightly open and snoring. A long sharp one and his forehead with a small faded scar above his eyebrow which was from some wound she couldn't remember. One of his cheeks was turning bluish from Cabir's punch and His lip was still a tad bit sore looking with the tiny cut.
Nandini had this sudden urge to kiss it. Just to see how it feels. So she did, she went closer to Manik and ever so slightly lay her lips on his just for a second. As she had imagined, they were soft and supple, too soft for a guy. She moved back immediately realising what she'd done.
She tried to move away but his arms suddenly tightened around her.
"I do not at all mind more of that." His sleepy voice said.
A guy's sleepy voice was the sexiest thing ever and Manik more than justified it. He snuggled closer to her and opened his eyes.
Nandini didn't dare utter a word. She was sure she would say something curt or sarcastic totally ruining this one moment which was somehow shaping to be something she had never assumed.
One of his hands traveled up her body from where they were placed and cupped her cheek slightly and this time it was Manik who moved closer to her.

She knew what he was going to do and her brain wasn't working fast enough to stop him. She closed her eyes in anticipation waiting for him to kiss her but he didn't. Instead she saw him still staring at her with intensity in his eyes that she'd never seen before. He just pecked the tip of her nose and then said, We have a lifetime for all that. So I'm not rushing into it.
Then he suddenly got up leaving Nandini in want of more of him near her. The air around her suddenly felt colder. As soon as Manik stood he again plopped onto the bed and groaned, "Oh my god. My head hurts."
Without a word she went to the kitchen and like she had done for Cabir got Manik a glass of orange juice and an Advil.
"Thanks." he said smiling great-fully at her she gave a slight smile.
He gulped down the juice and then stood up and dangling before he was steady on his feet.
"Okay. I'll see you in an hour, bye." He said coming closer and pecking her on her forehead to her utmost astonishment.
He had never ever done that and she immediately backed off and said
"It's Saturday. You don't need to come over." She said in a flat tone.
He looked a bit bewildered but said nothing and just went out of her window.

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As you must have noticed, I suck at writing romance. I'm sorry if this post was crappy. had a bit of writer's block anddd second third thoughts before posting this. not sure if its worth the read.