Just a Crush.

Just Forever Hamesha.

...

Nandini froze before turning slowly to see who was holding her. Her eyes slowly shifted from the hand on her wrist to the suit-clad arm, and up into the face of Manik Malhotra.

"Hi." He said quietly, his expression solemn.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Hello."

His hand slid from her wrist as his fingers laced with hers, and he tugged them both through the doors and onto the wide outdoor terrace. With the door shut, they could hear the faint strains of music playing but, for the most part, only the sound of the wind rustling through the nearby trees could be heard.

She wondered if he could hear how furiously her heart pounded. Never in a million years had she imagined that he would be here, that she would be standing with him on a moonlit terrace on a warm June night but there they were.

When he didn't say anything, just continued to study her, she shifted uncomfortably. " Manik, What are you doing here? I didn't know Navya had invited you let alone knew you."

"Navya and I don't know eachother," He began."So you're right about that. But, we both know you....which is why I'm here."

Nandini took a small step back. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

Manik had yet to let go of her hand, and his fingers tightened briefly on hers before he let it go and turned away to look out at the view of the valley. "I asked you to marry me when we were eight, Nans," He began quietly. The sound of the nickname that only he had ever called her, made her stomach flop wildly.

"I know," She whispered, and the soft breeze carried the words to him so that he turned to face her.

"I didn't know that you still believed in what I'd said then. I thought for sure that you would've forgotten all about it." He shoved a hand through his hair and sighed. "I mean, after we went separate ways in high school, then college, I just didn't expect that you would even want to look twice at me."

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean ?"

"I mean-" He broke off and let out a frustrated puff of breath. "I mean that I haven't exactly been the type of guy I expected you to fall for or even take notice of. I'm no angel, Nandini"

"So?"

"So?" Manik turned to face her again, his eyes searching her face for something. "So, I guess you really don't get it. Nandini, you're so innocent, so perfect, and I'm not. I'm not even close, and you're an angel. What were you doing thinking of me for all these years ?"

His question sounded more like an accusation, and she felt taken aback. "Excuse me? Are you saying you think I'm an angel, and that you're something like the Devil? And that, for whatever reason, that means that you and I are a bad fit? Am I getting that right?"

Her voice had grown stronger, and Manik blinked, as though seeing her for the first time."Yes," He replied slowly. "More or less something like that."

"Wow, you really are an ass, aren't you?"

"Hey-" Nandini cut him off. "Oh my god ! Here, I've been for the past twelve years, pining over you and thinking that you'd probably forgotten all about me, and now I find out that you hadn't forgotten me; you just thought we weren't a good match because-because it's like we belong in different classes!"