MaNan: Trust?

37

"What the fuck are you trying to do?"

Nandini jumped on her place listening to his shout.

"Umm... I was trying to make you some breakfast. But yeh toh jal gaya.", She pouted looking at the half burnt bread inside the toaster.

"Listen Nandini please... I don't have time for your childish acts. So please just leave from here."

"But..."

"I said leave Nandini.", He kept looking at her making her sigh in defeat.

She walked towards him and stood in front of him.

"Soon I'll learn to make perfect breakfast and make you eat my handmade food.", She kissed his cheek and ran out of the kitchen.

Manik looked at the toaster and then at her retreating figure. He stood there for a few seconds and then went to get ready.

He came out holding his laptop bag in one hand and his coat in another.

He was about to walk out of the house when his gaze fell on the half burnt bread.

He came towards the dining table and removed those bread in a plate.

Breaking a piece he put it inside his mouth.

It was rare that someone made something for him. There were only two people who had done that. First it was Nandini's mother and now it's her. Even if she did it to gain his forgiveness, she did it for him. How could he put it in the trash?

He had both the half burnt breads with a blank face.

Finishing the entire thing he left the house to go to his office.

**********************

As soon as his car was out of the driveway his phone started ringing. He picked the call without looking at the caller id.

"Manik..."

He checked the id after listening to that screechy voice.

"Manik you there?"

"Ms. Khurana..."

"Manik I already told you I have moved on. So you can stop with that formal tone. We are friends now so you can call me Soha."

"Forceful friends you mean."

"Ouch... that's probably the 14568th time that you are breaking my poor little heart like that."

"Are you done with your nonsense?"

"Wait don't hang up... I want to talk to you about something.", She said hurriedly knowing he would hang up on her like always.

"Say..."

"You know I had gone to Singapore for a deal right? So here is the news... I cracked the deal. And Dad is very happy with me for that."

"Congratulations."

"Mere congratulations is not enough okay? I'm throwing a party tomorrow for close friends and important business clients. And you have to come."

"I'll try."

"Manik... I'm not taking a no for an answer. I told you I have moved on for like a thousand times, but I'm not ready to let go of you as a friend. Am I asking for too much?"

He kept quiet at that.

"Okay you don't have to answer me now. Just know that I have genuinely moved on. And I'll be waiting for you.", She hung up after that while he kept staring at his phone for an entire minute.