Parineeta

Manik

Manik walked back to his car replaying Nandini's words over and over again in his head that he'd heard when he had walked in on a lost Nandini as she entered the lobby,
"I just wanna go away, and never come back, never ever, besides that's what he wants na, he doesn't wanna be around me, toh mai bhi nai aaungi dobara kabhi vapas, never, and this time I'll go somewhere else, not even Maddy would know, nobody would know, I'll vanish forever and..." He had interrupted her because he couldn't hear any more of it, he didn't want her to go away, not this time, he couldn't let her go and he didn't want her to make any harsh decisions that would hurt her yet again. He knew she had alot of things in her mind, alot of misunderstandings but he did not want let another bunch misunderstandings stand between them. He loved her and he wanted her to know that but it wasn't so easy when she wouldn't even listen to him.
He sat in his car remembering the night in the parking lot and how she'd walked out without listening to anything that he wanted to say. He did not want to give her that chance this time. He wanted to talk to her apologize to her but he wanted her to come to him. This wasn't ego. It was his need. He needed her to listen to him and he knew she wouldn't do that until she wants to, unless she decides that she needs answers to all her questions. All the questions that clouded her head. That was when she would listen to him, listen to his side of the story, hear his apology and he had to push for that. He had to make her believe that he had indeed moved on and it was very easy for him. He had to, however much he didn't want, he had to force her to come to him. Ask him. Question him. Accuse him. Yell at him. He had to make her want to make a move so as to he could make his. So that he could tell her that she and she is, has been and will always be the only one he jas ever loved in all his life that he's ever lived.
Manik sat in his car motionless, his hands on the gear, his mind prepping him up to make the next move but his heart seemed lost. It seemed as though his heart was stuck somewhere and a gentle breeze Manik's face as a train of memories crossed his head.
Manik remembered the time when they were not married, when they were just friends, best friends, how they used to share everything, every night, how he used to sneak into Nandini's room on most nights, actually midnights because he couldn't sleep, because he had so much going on that he had to tell her everything. He remembered the day when there was a function at the Murthy's and he'd reached unannounced that afternoon only to find a weird silence in the house, like the silence before the storm, like the silence before a lion hunts down his prey, the silence that he really dreaded because that meant Nandini Murthy was in the mood and she could eat uo anybody alive. He had walked in and straight to Nandini's room. The door was half open and he peaked his head only to find the coast clear of Nandini but full with her clothes, probably her whole wardrobe because the Almirah across the room was open and empty. He looked across the whole room while hanging his head partly from the door but he couldn't see Nandini anywhere.
"What. Are. You. Doing?" Came a sudden stern voice from behind him and he closed his eyes at being caught looking into the room cheekily. Manik straightened up and turned to the owner of the voice, trying to act calm although his insided were scared to death. He knew he had a pretty perfect wromg timing and that one word could get him killed, stabbed or shot if not literally.
"Umm.. mai..uh.. Nothing.."he fumbled to look for words while an irritated Nandinj stood unmoved, looking at him directly in the eye, like she could pounce at him any second. Manik was counting his time down.
"Buffering mei ho?"she asked him, her voice like a roar.
"Nai mai.. I was looking for you"he gathered some courage.
"Why?" Her one word questions made him want to run away and not come back until the storm had passed down but he was here and there was no going back.
"Umm.. vo..uncle.."he muttered.
"Say it now, I don't have time"she roared and Manik Malhotra had never been this scared of anybody else in the whole world but Nandini Murthy could flip his world around and he knew it always.
"Murthyunclepuchrahethe"he said in a breath amd Nandini rolled her eyes.
"Haam sab hi puch hi rahe hai.. lekin koi yeh nai puch raha ki mujhe koi help toh nai chahiye, nai because nobody cares"she shrugged and pushed Manik aside as she entered her mess of her room.
"D'you see this? This mess? This is my room! Can you believe it.. Nandini Murthy's room.. it's soo messed up and you know why?" She paused and Manik nodded innocently.
"Because I don't have clothes, I. Don't. Have. Anything. To. Wear. Tonight."she said amd Manik looked around gaping at the room that was drenched with clothes. Clothes that he knew were mostly new because he'd selected them for her just a few weeks back when she had gone shopping but couldn't decide on them. She had sent him pictures while he was with Alya spending some secret alone time that they'd gotten coincidentally. And yet there he was sitting with Alya but selecting clothes for Nandini.
"Yeh abhi toh"he gathered his courage but she threw a stern gaze at her and he lost his words.
"What?" She asked.
"N.. nothing..mai kya keh raha tha ki.."
"Ki?"
"Ki clothes.. you don't have them.."
"I know that Manik" she rolled her eyes.
"Nai.. toh ab?"she looked at him unbelievably.
"What? You're asking me? Like seriously? I thought you'd give me a solution but tum toh mujhse puch rahe ho.. you know what forget it.. tum jao.. tum bhi jao.. I'll do what I'll do.. just go"she said and stomped towards the balcony.
And Manik silently watched her walk away as he figured out what he could do to make it better and make it up to her and then something struck him and his face lit up.
"Nandini listen I gotta go.. fab 5 needs me, I'll see you in the evening, please figure this out.."he indicated towards the mess and she turned to him gaping.
"Yeah no, I'm sure you'll figure something out.. so I'll head out before you blast on me anymore, please be dressed by evening for the function, it's really important for uncle" he had finished as he had moved out of her room while she screamed loads fines and go aways in the empty room. Manik smirked as he called his stylist and ordered him send in the best of dresses of his collections and some of which he'd himself chosen from the catalogue to Murthy's for Nandini. He also asked his stylist to send in some help to get her ready for the function.
"Listen make it fast.. we have an event and the lady needs to look the best and don't tell, I sent you, say that the Murthy's called for you" Manik disconnected his call as walked out of the Murthy mantion and drove to college.
All these memories flooded his head as well as his eyes today. He remembered how Nandini had looked ethereal that day at the function. All the eyes had turned to her. All the rich sons of rich businessmen who'd came had gushed at her and he'd hated that even then, he just didn't know why. He remembered how he'd felt a strange heaviness in his chest and an inability to breathe as she'd walked across the room.
A smile played on Manik's face as he turned the car keys in their socket. He revved the engine and sped off to where he'd find the best of things for both his girls. He wanted Nandini to look that beautiful again and this time he was going to choose the clothes for her himself. He dialled his stylist's number and asked him to be ready with the bests of his collections for both Medha and Nandini before he reached there.

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First things first, do you guys not get the messages I post on my timeline, if not then please let me know I'll post them here or something, and about the latest one, please go and check it out and do respond because your response really matters to me, and I hope we can connect over it, it's just an idea.

Second, guys y'all are blaming Manik, why? because he's him. Don't we know how manik is? He's reckless, impulsive, he does before he thinks, but he makes for it, doesn't he? He always hurts Nandini but gets the best out of her, doesn't he? So just give him some time. This afterall your Manik Malhotra, the monster who doesn't rationalize his thoughts, he just acts on it, does what he feels is right, so hang around, he'll do what's best because doesn't he always?

Lots of love
-S <3