MaNan FF 'THE GREEK GOD' by Alohomora Chap 62 Pg 144 - Page 8

~ CHAPTER NINE ~

The impact BLASTED Nandini off her feet and sent her hurtling across the floor.

"Oh shit!" gasped the HR gang who had been watching her all this while. In an instant, they were beside her, gently helping her up.

"You okay?" asked Dhruv.

Nandini's face was twisted into a painful grimace as she shielded her forehead with a cupped hand. She took deep breaths as she struggled to contain the pain.

"Just show me," said Mukti as she gently tried to take Nandini's hand off her forehead, "let me see that. Come on."

Cabir had an angry scowl on his face. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the offender standing close by and watching the scene. Cabir so badly wanted to punch the daylights out of this guy that his hands curled into a tight fist. "Goddammit!" he lashed out through gritted teeth, "what the hell were you thinking? Do you see things with your butt? You god damn loser..." His words trailed to a stop as he noticed who the offender was - Manik.

"Manik?!!?" Cabir was dumbfounded.

Dhruv and Mukti looked up at a rigid Manik. He was pale as a ghost and frozen stiff with his lips slightly parted and his eyes a bit wider than usual. His gaze darted from Nandini to his team mates.

"Manik," started Cabir in an annoyed tone, "what's wrong with you? Is this how you open the door?"

Manik's guilty expression was instantly covered up by a defensive one. "How am I supposed to know that she was there?"

"What?!!?" Cabir was stunned and even more annoyed.

Dhruv pursed his lips together in annoyance whilst Mukti nodded her head in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me," spat Cabir.

"Moreover, what was she doing at the door?" argued Manik.

"Manik, what do people normally do at the door? Tap dance?" Compared to Mukti and Dhruv, Cabir stood firm before Manik without fearing to voice his thoughts in a bold tone. "Or maybe grilling chicken? Dude. This is an office. Anyone could be at the door anytime. You need to be a bit more careful."

"Exactly what I'm saying," Manik was growing more defensive, "she needs to be more careful. This is an office. Anyone could be at the door. Anytime."

"Unbelievable," mumbled Cabir in disbelief.

"She's bleeding," Mukti announced as she managed to get Nandini's hand off her forehead.

All eyes, including Manik's, were on Nandini's cut forehead now. His defensive stance began to dissolve beyond his control into a guilty one. He took darting glances at Nandini as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

Shit, thought Manik frantically as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked away whilst returning fleeting glances at her, God, that cut looks pretty gruesome but I hope that it's not as bad as it looks. Please let her be okay. I can probably make up for it when the time is right.

The very thought and sight of the wound on her head was killing him with guilt. He was definitely very sorry, but he just couldn't admit it. How could he when he had always managed to look so perfect and do everything right in front of his team? This was probably the first time in his tenure that his flawless, perfect image was shattered to pieces by a clumsy girl. He had never felt and looked so awkward in all his career.

"Mukti, I'll go get the first aid," said Dhruv as he jumped to his feet, "you help her into the conference room."

"See if you can find some ice too," she replied as she gently helped Nandini onto her feet, "easy. You're going to be okay. Come along."

Cabir waited for the girls to disappear into the conference room before turning to Manik. "This is not right bro," he said, "so not right. At least you need to apologize."

Manik, who was about to return to his cabin stopped in his tracks. "Wow," he muttered, "now this is interesting. I just got cooked a while ago. Don't you want to find out how I'm doing? Or at least ask me to see the doc?"

His words silenced Cabir for a moment before he spoke up again. "I'll get you some ice."

Manik nodded his head with a sarcastic "wow" before heading back to his cabin.

Cabir stood there with his hands anchored to his hips while he watched Mukti and Dhruv tend to Nandini's wounds. "Are you okay?" asked Cabir with concern, "do you need to see a doctor?"

"I'm fine," said Nandini quietly. She was still stinging in pain. "But I guess I've had enough," she continued bitterly, "I can't do this any longer."

Just then, Manik stomped into the conference room out of nowhere. "I need you in my cabin right now," he rattled, "now!"

The HR gang had a now what? Look all over their faces as Manik stormed back to his cabin.

"Let me handle this," said Cabir as he waved an assuring hand, "you don't have to go."

"Don't bother," replied Nandini as she rose to her feet, "I wanted to meet him anyways, to put in my resignation."

The team was immensely quiet after she uttered the word "resignation."

"Are you okay?" asked Mukti in concern.

"Yes," Nandini managed to cook up a wide toothy grin. But it was pretty obvious that she wasn't. "Thank you so much guys. You guys were really awesome."

"We're sorry about what happened," said Cabir in a low voice.

"Come on, why are you apologizing? The mistake was mine. I'm the klutz. I just goofed up big time. So be cool. You guys were really very supportive and I really wished that I could work with you guys but I've done enough damage already." Nandini strapped her purse over her shoulder before moving out towards Manik's cabin.

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