CURSED....to be together! (COMPLETE)

Chapter 21

Manik and Nandani were now inside his car. Manik gave her water to drink so that she could calm herself down after all the emotional revelations. He wanted to say something but guilt had taken over him.

Manik's POV
What was I thinking about her! Shit man, all this time I was so rude to her. Spoke such vulgar things to her.  What have I done man. She is going through so much and on top of that I added more to her list of problems. What did I end up doing man.
End of POV

Manik thought to begin with convo as they were still in the car in front of Ashoka restaurant. "You want to go home right now or...." Manik asked hesitantly.

Nandani looked at him in a surprised expression but she herself didn't want to go home and face Nyonika and Raj and Mukti. "Where else can I go?" Nandani said as she felt disappointed.

Manik was a little hurt that she referred only to herself, leaving him out. "If you want I can drop you to your brother's ashram?"

"No, he must be awake. I can't go there right now." She almost jumped as she said that.

Manik wondered as to why she was reacting like this, "So isn't that a good thing? Don't you visit when somebody is awake?"

Nandani eyes again filled with tears but she wiped them as soon as they fell on her cheeks. "Actually...He doesn't really like me that much."

Manik was not able to understand what she was trying to say. "What do you mean?"

"After the accident we started to drift apart. He felt that if I didn't distract Appa while he was driving then this accident would have never happened. He was still fine then but when I sent him to the ashram, it completely drifted us apart." Nandani was again in tears but she looked out of the window and calmed herself. Manik just looked at her with the utter most care in his eyes. Her tears were hurting him, although he was not able to understand why he was feeling so low. "He just started hating me from nowhere. He even stopped speaking to me. Doctors said that for his speedy recovery he should also remain happy so that his body has no stress on himself. I figured that I was not causing him any happiness and only adding to his stress so I stopped visiting him. Since few months I only go after he is asleep. I just want him to recover as soon as possible, so that he can get back to his old self." Nandani was now stable and looked at Manik.

Manik couldn't face her so he looked away. His guilt was increasing moment by moment. He started to drive home as he recalled all the bitter things he had said to her.

Manik's POV
I can't believe there is so much behind her smile. How can someone be so strong after all this. There I was crying over my biological parents throwing me in dustbin and here she is standing strong and fighting all the hardships of life for her brother, who doesn't even care for her. How can she do so much and not expect anything in return? I wish I could do something to cheer her up.

Just as I was driving I saw a pani puri wala. I stopped the car just in front of his stoll. In films almost all the girls like pani puri, even she must be. Should I ask her first? No, if I do then she will act to formal.
End Of POV

Manik suddenly went out of the car and started to speak with the pani puri wala. Nandani looked around as the car had stopped. She spotted Manik with the pani puri wala. All her sadness was gone and her craving for pani puri had started. Just then Manik came. "Do you want to have some?" Manik asked.

Nandani looked in her purse for money but was disappointed to not find anything. She sulked and nodded in a no. Manik noticed this and thought of an idea. "Ok fine, then please come outside and hold onto my blazer so that I can eat." Nandani was annoyed as she felt he was treating her like his personal-blazer-hanging-thing. But before she could protest Manik went and stood in front of the stoll waiting for her. She just gave up and stood next to him with his blazer in her hand.