Manan TS- The Reason Is You... (3rd Part-Page 6) 26th July - Page 2

Cabir had instructed Manik to take a week off, and the sound of his voice hinted at happiness, the reason he did not decline and listened to him in utter silence. He was driven away from the now, cruel and brutal city of Mumbai to Lonavala, to his farmhouse.

He remembered Cabir saying something about his appointment and about how his counsellor would stay with him till he's fine. This truly irked him. He knew what he did was wrong, but it was a decision he had made and he should have the rights to live his life his own way, a counsellor was just what would make him mad as he knew now that Cabir didn't trust him with his own life.

He had to be dependent, dependent on a counsellor to be considered fine, and what more, it was a woman, a part of that lecherous lying group of people.

He reached and walked out of the car, raging like a wild bull for no reason but it was something good, as this was the first time after his attempt that he had shown emotions and was expressing it freely.

He stormed inside the living room which had a slow and steady fire going on in the fire place, but seemed to have the same raging emotions as those of Manik's. He was mad and he was mad at something else but it was his new counsellor that would face the wrath.

He noticed the silhouette of a small and petite body, all scooped up in a small white blanket on a one sitter sofa-chair and her long hair flowing freely with the little breeze that entered along with Manik, trying to witness the new story going to take place here.

He didn't know what to feel after looking at the same beautiful figure once again. He knew she was asleep which also had somehow made him peaceful, but just for the moment.

He walked closer taking very calculated steps and also walking on his toes, just as if a small sound would take away this scene of beauty in front of him. He stood in front of the chair just to be able to look at that peaceful face again, a face which had made him feel successful at his attempt.

Now that she was sleeping, he noticed the most minute details about her. The way her forehead held frowns and an unmeasured amount of tension sitting upon it, the way her lips automatic formed a pout as she frowned, the way her hair flew all around her face disturbing her slumber and capturing Manik's gaze in its depth and thickness.

He could here faint sounds of breathing coming out of her mouth and her chest rising and settling in sync with her breathing. He was lost and this was not good for him as his mind had understood the game that his heart was going to play, again.

After Rewa, Manik had broken up all the ties he ever had with women. His mother was already heartless which had made him a tough nut to crack already, but then he was trapped in the love net that Rewa had so skillfully thrown all around and then fell in love with her, just like a senseless puppy did with his cruel master, but now as he wondered, he never had actually fallen for her, it was her facade which had captured his heart. He now very well knew what and how Rewa was, and he knew that the girl she was, she would never be able to rule his heart.

But here, things were different. It was him taking interest in her not she. She was sleeping there all clueless that the person she has to set straight was standing in front of her, in a trance and his hormones were raging, just one touch of her sinfully beautiful milky skin, and he promised himself that he would be satisfied, but he never would.

THUNKKK!!

And down fell the vase, breaking up into a million pieces, taking along with it Manik's peace of mind and Nandini's sleep.

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Nandini's POV

So here I was, sleeping towards glory while waiting for Manik.

That guy, I don't know but unlike my other patients I don't feel nothing for him. His story made me feel for him, a thing we counsellors should never do but suicide is so not the way! He doesn't have love, neither do I, he doesn't feel that people are good, neither do I but I have come to terms with this cruel world, he still hasn't.

Cabir told me all that was necessary for me to know, but when I looked into his eyes, I knew there's more to the story. I won't be able to heal him until he opens up. His eyes conceal the doorway to his heart and all I can see are the impulsive decisions and actions that he so stupidly took.

But the hardest part is, he doesn't trust WOMEN! I mean not all of us are the same, but he's so not wrong, Aiyyapaa I feel scared, how the hell do I help him? With these thoughts running around my mind, I slipped off into a deep slumber, one which I had been deprived of since the time I had heard about Manik's attempt. No, I couldn't judge him based on what the others say, it has to be him who moulds his image infront of me.

I felt the breeze blowing through my hair and the soothing effect that it left behind, but this slumber was broken abruptly, only to find a lost boy trying to stare his way through my eyes. I don't know but for the first time I felt Manik conveying something else than anger or sorrow through his eyes. Whatever it was, it was deep.

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No one's POV

She woke up, just to stare back into those expressive eyes but it didn't last long. Nandini was embarrassed as it was highly unprofessional for her to sleep in her patient's house and so she opened her mouth to say something, but Manik who was back to seething in anger yelled out and it was so not pleasant.

How can you help when the person doesn't want to be healed? How do you bring back hope into the mind of a broken soul? How do you make someone believe in someone's goodness when you still don't believe people are good?

He was yelling different things at her and kept on with his ranting with Nandini still seated on that comfy one-sitter and Manik looming over her, taking one step closer with every word he took.

"Cabir is an idiot! Why the hell would he send girl to 'help' me when he clearly knows what I think about them. All of these women are treacherous and lying groups of vile creatures. Wasn't Nyonika and Rewa enough, that they had to get Nandini too?" Manik continued but these lines caught her attention.

"Cabir said he had moved on from them, yes he hated the word female now but he stopped talking about them, taking their name, Are they a major reason of this approach of his?" she thought.

"Okay, Manik I get it! You are angry at me right now because Cabir doesn't trust you to be on your own but trus.. I mean listen to me, I will not enter your life or even try to make you fall for me or do any of those things which you believe me to be planning for, considering the fact that I am here just to get you out from trauma! Shouting at me would help but only in cases where I need to extract some information about your life. And yes, if you try again, I wouldn't mind holding you captive in this very own hose of yours." She said it, finally!

Nandini walked out after this, satisfied by the effect of her words that was clearly shown on Manik's face. He was rendered speechless after that small lecture of hers. But he decided, he wouldn't give in, no matter what.

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Days went on like this, Manik on the first day was very clear that he would have nothing to do with her, he wouldn't talk and wouldn't let her be close to him. It was just the two of them there with the occasional visits from Cabir in about every 3-4 hours to check on Manik and maybe also see, whether Nandini could handle this Volcano which wasn't ready to be calm anytime soon!

Manik could handle physical interactions with anyone but an emotional relationship was something he swore he wouldn't give a chance to be in with anyone ever again. He was broken long ago, it only dawned upon him in the days he spent in solidarity, keeping his distance from Nandini and lying to himself over and over again that he needed no one, no one to help him out of his mess and no one to love him, love him in the way he was never loved, without expectations and greed.

His anger faded slowly, and its place was taken up by his thoughts, those thoughts which didn't allow him to sleep at night, trying to make him aware of his subconscious which screamed at him to give Nandini a chance, because so far, she never pressured him neither did she have any benefit from knowing it all, and even if she ran away, he knew that it wouldn't matter anymore. He was very used to all this, People Always Leave!

It was the fourth day in the house, the first three being completely hushed and lifeless, only with Nandini cooking and feeding him and keeping the house maintained and oh yes! Her muffins were to die for!

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Manik was lost. It was his father's death anniversary and he didn't want to wake up today. He didn't want to do the Puja which would supposedly give his soul peace, like he used to do every year. He didn't want to shame his father anymore than he had done.

It was in this state that Nandini had found him. Wrapped up in his blanket and snuggling his face into the pillow, with the faint voices of sniffles coming out. He was crying.

She went near him, although still reluctant to touch him or call his name, but she had to. Today, she was assured he would talk.

And so, she went and sat next to him wearing the simple white Kurti with the white pajamas, ready for sitting in the Puja, she ruffled his hair slowly and called out his name in the most comforting way she could and no longer had she done that, she felt herself being tugged at and then lying under a sobbing Manik, who no longer was snuggling into the pillow but into her hair, on her shoulders.

She hugged him back too, as it was necessary for him to know he had someone next to him who cared, and patted his back repeatedly to calm him down.

Slowly, the movement on her shoulders reduced, and she could only feel hot breathes on her neck which were giving her a new sensation. Then these breathes changed into wet kisses all over her shoulder and neck, her dupatta now lying somewhere below on the floor.

She closed her eyes to feel it for the first time, Manik's fragrance had dazed her and she couldn't think straight anymore. Same was the case with Manik, he was so intoxicated with her smell and the feel of her skin against his, that he couldn't help but want more of this, more of her.

The kisses grew hotter, greedier and demanded all the left over sanity that Nandini had in her. From her shoulders, he moved towards her face, kissing and smooching every feature of hers, and met with her inviting lips, which were so soft as he touched them and then slowly but steadily, kissed her with all he had. His anger, his hatred, his guilt and the loneliness all being conveyed through it, and she took them all in, opening her mouth, to welcome it all. Their lips moved away from one another, but the need was now burning his insides. So in all of his aggression and need, he bit her neck, giving her a mark on her neck and a sense of reality.

She jerked instantaneously, moving away from him and his feel, leaving him alone to deal with all the new feelings he had today.

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"I want to talk, today." He stated going into the living room and looking at Nandini intensely.

She was not amazed as he thought she would be, neither did she show signs of discomfort which made Manik sigh in relief, as he had been feeling guilty for all that he had done, but didn't regret a part of it. He wouldn't voice it, but a new fire of totally consuming her had started in his heart, the fire would only subside with her touch and this frustrated Manik.

"I want you to too, so start. See I'm not going to give you false hope of everything being okay. I just want you to be frank and open to me. Tell me the things which you didn't tell Cabir, because I know them all. Manik you have to trust me and this trust won't cost you a thing. I'm not going to run, I never will be able to." She mumbled the last part to herself.

"Excuse me?" He asked seeing her mumble, "Oh, nothing just please talk to me."

"It's not easy you know, telling everything to a stranger, especially a girl in my case. But I have to, seeing that I have no choice. But to be friends, I need to know all about you too, you say it's okay to trust you right? So make me trust you. Tell me about your stories." He said, his eyes glistening with the new prospect and the chance. "She can't leave me and go if I know all about her too, she can't." He thought with his mind at ease.

Manik admiring his doll