Chapter 60
Indirect...😆
'Kiss??' Nandini whispered with a shocked look on her face. 😲
'Haan kiss!' Manik said casually with a smirk on his face. 😛
'Kiss kyon?' Nandini asked back looking away from Manik.
'Meri marzi! Mujhe abhi kiss chahiye...' Manik said.
'Main kiss nahi karti..' Nandini mumbled moving away from Manik.
'Arre yaar..tum aise bol rahi ho jaise tumne kabhi kiss nahi kiye poore life main' Manik said biting his lower lip a bit. 😉
'Nahi kiya na..' Nandini mumbled to herself. But Manik heard her words.
'Achcha? Nahi kiya?' Manik asked with a little pout on his face.
Nandini didn't reply anything but looked at Manik with a frown on her face.
'Arre..ismein aise expression kyon banaa rahi ho? Abhi tak nahi kiye..tho abhi karlo!' Manik said with a smirk on his face. 😛
'Main nahi kar sakti..' Nandini said looking away from Manik.
'Arre kyon Nanduu?' Manik crooned getting closer to her. 😳
'Wo...Amms ne kaha hai...ke good girls..aise kuch nahi karte' Nandini said looking away.
'Hmm...Amms ne kaha tho tum ek baar try bhi nahi karogi?' Manik asked getting more closer to her.
'Haan..nahi karoongi..' Nandini said and suddenly noticed Manik getting closer to her.
'Hmm..mere saath bhi nahi?' Manik asked looking into her eyes deeply.
Nandini froze there. She didn't know what to do anymore. Should she turn away from him or continue to gaze at him?😕
Manik continued to get closer to her as his eyes fixed upon her lips. Her eyes twinkled in the light within the car. Nandini continued to gaze at Manik and Manik felt his heart throb...he felt excited like he never felt before.
'Please Manik...pehle friends bane?' Nandini asked as Manik was just few inches away from her. Manik paused as he looked into her eyes. Suddenly Manik's eyebrows knit up into a frown.
'Friends?' Manik asked with a questioning look in his eyes.
'Haan friends...' Nandini said looking away. She didn't know what else to say. But somehow she didn't feel it correct.
'Tho abhi hum kya hai?' Manik asked as he backed off from her.
'Abhi hum...' Nandini mumbled but didn't know the answer to his question.😕
'Ok don't worry.. tumhe main ghar chod doonga' Manik said quietly. He started his car and swerved it onto the street and continued to drive in silence. He didn't say anything and Nandini didn't know what to say anymore. 😕
'Shayad...main aur Manik abhi friends hai...ya phir shayad nahi. Abhi tak humhaara relation kya hai..iske baare main kabhi socha bhi nahi...Ayyappa...why did I say it to him? Diwali..hai..aur itne achche din ko..Manik ke mood kharaab kar diya' Nandini felt guilty for ruining Manik's mood. 😕
Nandini didn't want this to end this way. She felt that it was wrong that she hurt the feelings of the guy who came all the way to her home, who gifted her a phone, who sang a song and dedicated it to her, who made her meet her favourite Shahid. All that he did for me..and when he asked for a kiss...I couldn't give it to him. 😕
Suddenly Manik stopped the car. The road was lonely and there was a gentle breeze blowing outside. Manik didn't know what to say anymore to Nandini.
'Why can't she understand that I care for her? Why can't she for once not ruin my mood?' Manik thought as he looked outside and sat there in silence. Manik was fuming in anger as he thought of the fact that even when he did so much for her..she didn't for one moment think of him as a friend.
'Manik...' Nandini whispered to Manik.
Manik didn't reply anything. He got out of the car and shut the door in anger. Nandini didn't know what to do to calm down his anger...but she somehow had to say or do something too. 😕
Nandini got out of the car and walked over to Manik's side. Manik was standing there leaning against the door and he was looking at the night sky. The sky was filled with stars and those stars made him feel calmer.
Nandini stood next to Manik and looked at him and she realized that next to her was a star.⭐️
This star...who is a celebrity to the whole world...who is a star that shines on the stage...is standing next to her like any simple person..showing his anger, smiles, love, care, warmth. Nandini gently touched Manik on his arm. Manik didn't respond but continued to look at the night sky.
'Maine tumhe phirse naraaz kar diye...' Nandini whispered looking at Manik. Manik's features softened as he listened to those words, but he didn't look at Nandini. He continued to look at the stars. Nandini took Manik's arm in hers and gently held his hand in hers. 'Manik...please mujhse naraaz mat hona..' Nandini said as a drop of tear welled up in her eye. 😭
Manik was continuing to look at the stars without blinking his eyes but he could feel her warm touch. He didn't want to break away the touch, but he didn't want to look at her at this moment. He knew somewhere in his heart that there were tears...brimming in her eyes like always. He knew that his silence has hurt her, just like her words had hurt him.
'Jaanti ho Nandini...jab main chota tha...tab main stars ko bahut dekhta tha...' Manik suddenly said as he continued to look at stars. 'Uss waqt main mere dad, meri mom aur mere daadi mere saath hua karte the. Mom ke death ke baad...dad akela pad gaya tha..uss waqt dad hamesha taaron ko dekha karta tha...aur main unke paas isi tarah khada rehta...jis tarah tum abhi khadi ho...'
Nandini looked at Manik and there was a gentle smile on his lips as he remembered his past. Nandini wanted to know more..more about the real Manik Malhotra...the Manik who is hidden away from the world..who has so many secrets within him, which nobody knew of. She wanted to be friends with the real Manik Malhotra..because he may look angry, stubborn at times..but somewhere within him, there was a lonely heart that sought a friend. 😳
'Dad abhi kaha hai?' Nandini asked looking at Manik.
'Uss waqt mom ke death ke wajah se dad poore tarah se toot chuka tha...unke business main dhyaan nahi lagta tha..aur main uss waqt school main tha. Daadi ne dad ko bahut samjhaaya ke apne dil pe qaboo rakho..magar dad apne aapko sharaab main duboo diye. Business pe uska asar pada. Ek aisa situation aaya..jahan pe dad ko karz lene pade bank se apne business ko bachaane ke liye.' Manik paused for a moment looked away a bit gloomily.
'Uss waqt bhi main hamesha taaron ko dekhta..aur unn taaron main apne maa ko dhoondta. Main chahta tha ke agar unmein se ek taara meri maa ho..tho main maa se boloon..ke please wapas aa jaaoo...kyonke dad akele hai' Manik said as a drop of tear welled up in his eye and shone in the moonlight. There was a light wind and Manik's soft hair danced to the rhythm of the wind. His eyes were dreamy as if he was reading the chapter of a story which was written long back.
'Magar maa nahi aaya... dad Nyonika ko laaya. Nyonika business main expert hai.' Manik said suddenly turning to look at Nandini. There was no more the sad look in his eyes. There was only anger in them. 'For her...everything is give and take. If she wants me to have what I wish for...I should give something which I don't want to lose..or do something which I don't like. I disliked her even then...but as years passed one thing I realized was that..if Nyonika was not there then...our business would not have been recovered. Nyonika ke dad ne mere dad ko ek loan diye in return of which my dad had to marry her.' Manik spoke looking away from Nandini.
'Uss waqt tak dad hamesha mere liye stories padh liya karta tha...hamesha mere saath aasmaan pe taare dekhne chath pe aaya karte the..magar Nyonika ke aane ke baad sab kuch badal gaya. Nyonika ke dad ne unke business bhi mere dad ko handover kiye. Malhotra Industries got expanded. Dad ko paise banaane ke ek nasha sa ho gaya...aur wo nasha lagaya unke mann main Nyonika ne...' Manik said with a frown on his face.
'Manik...kya tum Nyonika ma'am ko hate karte ho?' Nandini asked suddenly holding Manik's hand with both her hands.
'Hmm...pata nahi...hate karta hoon ya nahi..on one side she saved us financially, but on the other side...she was the reason behind dad distancing himself from me' Manik said with a frown as he leaned against the car.
'School days main jab dad busy ho gaye apne business sambhaalne main..tab mere bas 3 friends the..jo mere closest the...Cabir, Dhruv aur...Harshad' Manik said the name Harshad with a pause.
'Harshad? Wo jisne Navya ko daraaye?' Nandini asked with a shocked expression on her face.
'Haan..wohi Harshad...uss waqt hamare beech main sabse ambitious ladka...jisko hamesha lagta tha ke duniya main koi bhi cheez pyaar se nahi jeeta jaa sakta tha...kuch bhi jeetne ke liye power chahiye...show the power and you'll get everything you want' Manik said looking away.
Nandini felt herself getting hypnotized by the way Manik was sharing his feelings with her. She felt as if she knew Manik for years...for ages...he no longer felt like a stranger.
'Phir humne band of brothers banaaye. Till we reached the first year of college...we were together and always topped every single competition. But in the first year of college...something happened between me and Harshad that made us split ways and Cabir and Dhruv were with me...and Alya...' Manik said as he looked sideways at Nandini. Nandini's eyes were wide with curiosity. She really wanted to know..wanted to know more about his relationship with Alya.
'Alya always went against her brother Harshad for me, Cabir and Dhruv. Then we met Mukti and we wanted to continue our music...and we became Fab 5' Manik concluded his talk and looked at Nandini.
'Manik...Alya...' Nandini whispered looking away as if she didn't want to complete the question she wanted to ask.
'Alya..is a really good friend of mine. U know, Mukti is the strongest one among us, because she has more problems than any of us. Cabir, though he looks strong on the outside hides his worries and pain. Dhruv never shows his worries but always keeps them within his heart and pains himself. Alya is the one who possibly has the least problems among us...other than Harshad. Alya always was there for me...when I felt low and so I am very protective of her' Manik said looking at Nandini.
'Aur Manik?' Nandini asked looking at him.
'Hmm..Manik? The kind of guy whom no girl would want to be with. The guy who is impulsive, impatient, stubborn, has a bad temper, throws tantrums' Manik said as a smirk spread over his face.
'But has a beautiful heart' Nandini said as she smiled looking at Manik.
Manik couldn't believe what he heard. Did she just now praise me? A smile spread across Manik's face as he looked at Nandini.
'Manik...isliye..I want to be your friend' Nandini said walking over and standing in front of him facing him. Manik continued to gaze at Nandini without blinking his eyes and tilting his head a bit to the right and his eyes slowly blinked as he smiled slightly.
'Hmm...friend? Boyfriend?' Manik asked with a little smirk on his face.
'Nahi..I mean as in plain friends' Nandini said suddenly looking away from Manik.
'Hmm...I am not a good friend' Manik said taking a hold of Nandini's hand. 'But...I can be a good boyfriend'
Nandini suddenly looked with a shocked expression at Manik.
'Does he want me to be his girlfriend?' Nandini thought as she looked at him with wide eyes.
'Hmm...U want?' Manik asked as he bit his lower lip.
'K..Kya?' Nandini asked as she looked away nervously.
'U want the handkerchief now?' Manik asked with a smile on his face.
'Haan..' Nandini said looking at Manik. Manik too the handkerchief out of his pocket. 'Oh forgot! The kiss!' Manik said with a smirk and put the handkerchief back into his jeans pocket.😛
'Nahi, Manik' Nandini said with a little pout on her face.
'No...I cannot give you the handkerchief without getting a kiss' Manik said with a smirk on his face.
'Ayyappa...ab main kya karoon?' Nandini asked her Ayyappa..and suddenly Nandini got an idea (thanks to Ayyappa)😉
Nandini took her own handkerchief out of her purse and pressed her lips on it imprinting the handkerchief with her lips and stretched it to Manik.
Manik smirked as he took the handkerchief from her hand as he mumbled 'Smart move! Indirect kiss'
'Hmm...U don't know Mr. Manik Malhotra..Nandini Murthy is smart' Nandini said with a victorious smile on her face.
'Ye lo...U won and here's the handkerchief U wanted.' Manik said handing over to her the handkerchief which Shahid autographed for Nandini. 'Now this handkerchief will be with me as your indirect kiss to me...and U don't know Ms. Nandini Murthy..how many times I can kiss you everyday' 😛
Manik smiled as he kissed the lipstick mark on the handkerchief she gave him. Nandini blushed as she looked away. Suddenly Manik caught her and pulled her to him. His face was closer to hers and his gaze drove deep into hers. There was a strange passion in the way he gazed and there was a smirk in his eyes.
'Miss Smart Nandini Murthy...one day...these lips will be mine forever and even your Amms won't stop you from kissing me' Manik said as he pressed his finger on Nandini's lips.
Nandini's heart froze...and she didn't know what to say anymore.
'Ayyappa...why is my heart beating so fast?'😕😆😛
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