NEVER IN A FOREVER (Manan)

part 15

Nandini's pov

"Manik listen to me. It's not what you think" I said softly, his grip on my hands tightened making me wince at it. Damn why do boys have strong grips?

As if hearing my thoughts, he immediately loosened his hold on me but pulled me closer.

"What were you thinking huh?" Manik asked, gritting his teeth, his jaw set tight. Even though I was not at fault this time, his gaze made me shiver and I started to feel nervous.

"What were you thinking Nandini Manik Malhotra?" Manik asked again, anger clearly evident in his voice making me shudder.

"I told you I trusted you when we were getting off the car and it wasn't even two hours and you were having the tickets to run away with that asshole?" Manik shouted, making me flinch.

I shook my head in no frantically desperately wanting to explain to him. It is my mistake that I made him doubt me being a bitch from the start.

God please don't do this to me. I really want to give this marriage a chance. Please. He pushed me away in anger making me stumble back.

I felt like I lost him at this moment. As if I lost my breath. I didn't know when tears started rolling down my cheeks. A sob left my lips and Manik turned back to me and his eyes widened in horror.

He immediately came to me and cupped my cheeks making me look at him confused in between my tears.

My vision is completely blurry because of tears but I could see that he is concerned. He wiped my tears with his thumb pads and looked at me almost lovingly.

My tears didn't stop and they kept flowing.

"Nandini I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I heard what you were saying to your friends. I'm sorry that was just a prank" He said, looking ame guiltily.

I don't know what got into me but I just threw my hands around him and hugged him tightly and bursted into tears. He went stiff for a second before wrapping his arms around me.

I tightened my hold on him and sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry, please stop crying. '' He said softly, holding me as if I'm a doll that would break if he applied some pressure.

He kissed my head and tightened his hold wrapping me in him completely. I felt..... Safe. After a long time. As if nothing will harm me.

"Jaan please" He pleaded and a shiver ran down my spine as he called me jaan. He wiped my tears for the last time and kissed my forehead.

"I didn't mean to scare you, hearing that you guys are speaking only sad stuff, I thought to make you smile but it didn't turn out like that" He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

I glared at him and took a few steps back. He frowned looking at me.

"How dare you play this kind of prank on me Manik malhotra?" I shouted and started running to him and he immediately started running.

LUcky because he has long legs to run away faster and me? I'm no less than spongebob square pants in this heavy lehenga but I still didn't give up. Nandini Murthy never gives up. oops. It's Nandini Malhotra actually.

I was talking to myself and I almost fell down but a pair of hands wrapped around my waist stopped me from falling on the ground and embarrassing myself in front of my husband. He pulled me towards him, making our fronts collide.

Wrapping one arm around my waist and the other on my cheek he looked at me with his chocolate eyes and said "hurt me all you want if you want to punish me but never ever try to harm yourself. Because it won't be a punishment for me. It will be a torture that I can't bear."

His husky voice made my toes curl but his words awoke all the butterflies in my stomach making my heart beat faster than before.

"Manik'' I whispered softly and he loosened his hold on me but didn't let me go. I kept my hands on his chest creating some distance between us. He left me slowly and sat on bed. I went and sat beside him.

"Go and change yourself, you are already tired from rituals. I'll go and change myself in Dhruv's room. Your luggage is in the walk-in-closet" He said and stood up from his place and kissed my forehead before leaving the room for myself.

I smiled at his understanding of nature. All my doubts regarding this marriage are cleared now. I'm really willing to give it a try.

I thought to myself before walking to the closet dragging my lehenga with me and saw my luggage already arranged beside Manik's, taking half of the closet.

I shuffled through my clothes and took out a peach-colored long frock with full embroidery on the top and the length of the frock flew till my feet with a pink colour belt and pink dupatta. I love this one.

Brought by Abhi bhai on Rakhi last year. I removed all the hair pins from my bun. 23. 24. 25. God 25 pins. WHat did Alia think when she stuck these many pins on my head?

I changed into a long frock after closing the door and leaving my hair open. I wiped my makeup off my face with a face cleanser and washed my face after that.

I removed all my jewellery except mangalsutra. Wearing a few metal bangles and keeping a bindi from my box, I searched for sindoor and frowned.

I was about to call Mukti or someone when my door opened and Manik walked inside wearing a casual sherwani. He was hiding something in his hands and walked towards me. "Close your eyes" he murmured, making me frown.

He just blinked his eyes and I huffed before closing my life. I felt him coming closer to me, his breath fanning on my face. I felt him him touching my maang and he turned me towards mirror. "Open your eyes" Manik whispered in my ear making me shiver.

I obliged and opened my eyes and found my maang filled with sindoor. He was behind me looking at me through the mirror and I felt as if he seeing through my soul. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kept his chin on my shoulder hugging me from behind. At this moment, I felt complete.