Manik & Nandini-Stars & Fireflies Part 56 on Page 145 - Page 5

Manik's car drove off from the campus...Nandini didn't knew why and how but she felt safe with him, even after knowing how they started off she felt good with him she thought as she looked at him while he was concentrating on the road..Why am I so concerned about her, who is she, why her tears matter, why I can't see her in someone else's arms,who is she all these questions kept hitting him as he looked at her beautiful yet tired and scared face...Nandini too turned at the same time, their eyes met and Nandini smiled at him, her smiled made him uncomfortable as it touched his heart so he turned his face and looked at the road... Soon Manik stooped the car, Nandini "We have to yet reached why did you stop?" "Come out!" Manik said.."What? Are you mad? I am not." Nandini straightened herself, thinking what does he think I just owe him a thank you nothing else huh..Manik opened the door and held her hand and dragged her out.."You can't take anywhere without my wish..I will scream.." Nandini said resisting his force.."Scream people will blame you only..just look up.." Manik said..It was Starbucks Coffee.. "Coffee will freshen you up" he said.. "Coffee oh wow..Let's go" Nandini got excited like a 5 year old kid amusing Manik who was thinking "this girl is crazy.." She rushed in and Manik followed her... They both ordered a cappuccino with Nandini order extra cream and sugar, she choose a corner seat ans settled herself comfortably..When Manik returned with the coffees he found Nandini sitting on couch with her legs folded up, he looked down and found her wedges there..He gave her the coffee, nandini looked at him and smiled faintly... "Manik ummm thanks for saving me tonight..If you wouldn't have come there.." She started choking.. "Nandini it's okay you are safe.." Manik tried to calm her down...Nandini smiled at him..."So can we start fresh i know we started very badly but fighting and all is not something I like.." Nandini said... "I have friends Nandini I don't need any more friends.." Manik said rudely and started sipping his coffee.. "Why do you hide?" She asked him.. "What?" Manik looked puzzled.. "Why do you hide Manik..Why do you pretend to be a demon when you have a heart of an angel.. Why do you have to pretend so much..One day in college gave me all the information about you..Students are scared of you, they hate you and your group of friends the Fab5...Why do you hide?? I know you hide and you are not what you show off.." Nandini said, Manik smirked at her "Hate is the only things that doesn't betray you, it never leaves you; love breaks you, betrays you.." Manik spoke with a bitterness.. "Yes i am a demon because that way people don't expect anything from me, I don't have to prove anything..It's good that way they are scared they won't speak.." He continued.."Finish your coffee, I am getting late." He got up ready to leave, Nandini was shocked hearing this... They were driving to Nandini's home with Manik being very serious and sensing his anger nandini decided to be calm...Soon they reached her home..Chacha and chachi were waiting for her..Hearing a car pull up they came out...They were a little taken aback on seeing Manik, nandini explained how Manik saved her chacha and chachi thanked Manik and asked him to come in but he excused himself and left... "Pheww what a loud family no sophistication at all.." Manik thought as he drove off..Little did he knew few days from know this very family will be his very escape when his past comes to haunt him back, this very loud family will be his family and he would fight of his place in this family. Few minutes later Manik saw a clutch it was Nandini's "Oh god seriously!" He turned the car to Murthy House...He rang the doorbell, chacha and chachi were about to sleep they were a little startled to hear the bell..Chachi opened and saw Manik "are Manik tum..?" She asked.. "Chachi Nandini forgot her clutch in the car I came to return.." Manik said.. Chachi smiled and dragged him saying now she won't let him go without having her special masala chai at 12 at night.. Manik was pissed but he had no option.. Chachi showed him the way to Nandini's room to return the clutch... Manik knocked the door but found it open so he entered. As soon as he went in he was amazed by what he saw.. There was no light in the room but it was brighter then any light with all the earthen diyas all around and the fireflies, the beautiful scented candles spread their sweet smell all around the room. The wind chime at the terrace door made sweet music every time the breeze kissed it...The room was made magical by white and peach dupattas flowing all around him... The wall in front of him had a huge collage of happy and smiling faces...Manik felt he was in heaven as one of the peach duppatta flew on him covering him.."Tum" a voice brought him back to reality it was Nandini who was wearing a black and pink Micky Mouse pajamas.. Seeing her like that Manik could not stop his smile.."What are you doing here?" She asked... "Your clutch.." He gave it her and started walking off.. "Manik, you said hate has no expectations you are wrong love has no expectations..When you hate a person you have to expect him to hate you but love never asks to be loved back you just loves with all your heart and soul.. Hate breaks you cause when it leaves you it makes you empty and bitter but love it never leaves you even if the person is not there, their memories can still bring smile and make you happy.. Give it a chance and stop hiding.. Good night Manik.." She said.. Manik kept looking at her, lost in her... End Of Part 15.. Ciao..Love..

Manik was dumb stuck by Nandini's words, he didn't knew what to say or how to react..They both kept looking at each other being lost in each other...Manik's chain of thoughts were broken by Alya's phone call who was waiting for him...Manik looked at his phone, disconnected it and walked off..Before driving off he looked at her balcony and found her standing there looking at him.. Her eyes and the truth in those yes made him restless, it was like someone was showing him the mirror and he just can't run away...He kept thinking about her and her words all the way back to college... Meanwhile Nandini called Navya to inform that she's back home and she can come with Harshad.. Navya was shocked to hear that Nandini left all this while she was so busy trying to get Harshad's attention that she forgot about her.. Navya apologized to Nandini and informed her that Harshad will drop her to hostel and she will meet he in the college day after tomorrow...Space Academy declared a holiday next day as the Fresher's Party will go on till morning... Manik walked in looking all lost when Fab5 exploded him with question mostly Alya.. "What is this Manik..You and I were supposed to be the star couple of this show you spoiled all that with your no show... You are just so absent today what's going on Manik?" Manik ignored her and headed straight to the bar counter.. "Alya relax I will talk to him.." Cabir tried to calm her down.."No Cabir Manik is just so insensitive at times..." Alya spoke.."Alya don't we know Manik aisi hi hai...He is emotionless and dark and we all love him this way.." Mukti said..Manik heard all this he smirked and said "guys I'm leaving drop Alya.." and Manik walked off.. Nandini was lying on her bed trying to sleep but the events of the night won't let her sleep.. Whenever she closed her eyes all she could remember was the drunk guys harassing her, she had never experienced anything like that but growing up with parent and with an old grand mother made Nandini very strong and much more mature then her age.. She got up picked up her veena closed her eyes and stated playing.. Her Ams always told her that whatever life throws at you make music your escape so she choose music to heal her trauma.. Her Ams was right nandini felt a little better... As soon as she thought she's better something bigger came to haunt her back it was Manik Malhotra...His name evoked a smile on her lips, a blush in her eyes.. All the memories of the night came back their moment in the garden where he held her in his arms, when he opened her hair...The way he pulled her closer, the anger in his eyes, that forehead kiss..Nandini touched her forehead trying to feel again him but then she remembered his kiss with Alya..She was baffled as to what was she thinking..."What am I thinking..He is with someone else..I just met him and we hate each other.." Nandini thought "But then why is touch makes me come alive, why is eyes make me wanna get lost in them and why I can't stop thinking about him...Why I got hurt on watching him kiss that girl, she might be his girlfriend they were even dancing together.." These why's were haunting her..She realized by now Manik is not what he shows off to the world but she also realized she can't think about him when he is with someone else.."It's wrong Nandini.." She spoke to herself and decided not to cross paths with him no matter how many tricks he will play on her.. But destiny had other plans for her..She will cross paths with him every step of the way until they start walking together.. Even Manik Malhotra was no different..He was lying near the pool watching stars, drinking scotch and playing with the water..He closed his eyes and all he could see was Nandini, her smile, her tears.. When she was close to him how he was about to kiss her, the way she ran to him and hugged him..He was still angry when Dhruv danced with her and touched her...Her excitement at the coffee house. He got restless when he remembered her eyes and the hurt in them when she caught him kissing Alya...HE remembered how he could listen to her heart beats when his was close to her..The moment when he rescued her and kissed her forehead brought a smile. "How this girl in the matter of just 24 hours managed to influence me so much?" He thought. Manik went to locker took out the crystal box and looked at the anklet "Why do I get the same feeling when I see this anklet and when I see Nandini? How she knew that I am hiding and I am scared of expectations? Who is this girl?" Then he remembered how she was trying to puncture a Merc tyre with a safety pin and her cute black and pink Mickey Mouse pajamas; he couldn't stop his laugh..."Who wears a mickey mouse pajamas" He laughed in himself... It was the second night when Manik and Nandini spent thinking about each other..They didn't wanted to think but they couldn't stop thinking either..The kiss they missed was haunting both of the them.. Both of them decided to keep away from each other but was it possible because when it comes to the matters of heart no one knows what is going to happen next.. They say heart has a mind of its own...

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waiting forward for more.. plzz cont soon..

keep smiling and writing...😊

Cont soon.

Please continue soon. We're waitingg. :D