Manan Ff- True Love Heals[On Hold]

I Should've Waited.!

Manik:
I had just reached home after a long tiring day when my phone rang again.
"hello!"i said as i crashed on my bed.
"hows the date!"came his question. Like seriously! as if he didn't know.
"not funny Cabir! It's all because of you.. And you're going to pay heavy for this!"i said closing my eyes and resting on the pillow.
"yaah yaah! As if you don't know that it was really important! Because these Khuranas have been linking professional to personal all through.."he said in a matter of fact tone and i sighed. No doubt it was true.
"anyways.. I'm tired now! Talk to you later.."i said and he chuckled knowing what i said. I've never been tired of a hectic day where I'm always surrounded by some work or the other but when I'm with Soha! God! She is an actual pain.. I wonder how i could behave all that sweet to her even when i know the real reason behind her hanging around me. Huh! Who else! Nyonika Malhotra. How well is Nyonika playing to get money out of me in Soha's name knowing i can't say no to the Khuranas even though its them who are in deficit. We are in urgent need to get the Khuranas to merge with us. No not because of some financial profit but for back up. Financial help.. Actually they're the ones who need financial support from us coz we the Malhotra industries like always have been on top but because kshitij Khurana, Soha's dad, is the head of the board  members we need him to be a part of Malhotra industries.
I tossed on the bed thinking how screwed up my life was and could be when my phone rang again.
I looked at the screen and a frown automatically took place on my forehead.
Soha! Didn't she have enough all through the day when she was eating my head like her favorite dish. I hate acting like long Lost lovers but with her i have to. The way she makes those irritating pouty faces, how i wish i smash her face with big bowl so that not only her lips but whole of her face turns into a permanent Pout. Huh! I picked phone and kept silent till she initiated.
"Manik!"she said softly.
"baby?you there?"she asked and i hummed. How i hate her babying me.
"it was a great day with you today!"she said and i could feel her blush on the other side.
"yaah! Same here!"i wanted to cut it as short as possible.
"Manik!"uff i wish i could change my name. But then, 'Manik' was the same way how Nandini calls me in her ever so sweet voice. It makes a great difference when its not the person you want to hear call your name. However sweetly Soha would call me but i would always feel something fishy cooking in her head but Nandini.. Even when she calls my name in utmost anger like the other day it feels just as innocent and naïve.
"You like me?"what the.. Where was this coming from. Ofcourse i hated her. With all my heart. Not because she seemed fishy each time i met her but also because she was a true replica of my mother. Of Nyonika. Generally guys try to find girls who can remind them of their mother and treat them with equal love and care just as their mother. But i try to keep such girls miles away from me. I don't want another Nyonika Malhotra to ruin my life just as she ruined dad's. Bloody money-minded bitch.
"Soha?"i wasn't reconfirming but i wanted her to correct herself. Like and love are not words that would suit on such personalities.
"Manik i want to know! Do you feel the same what i feel about you?"she asked in a quivering tone.
"Soha.. You're nice girl! But.."she cut me and i pulled another pillow irritatedly on my face. God these networks won't trouble when you wish them to.
"its okay.. I understand.. But Manik Nyonika mom wants us to get engaged.."she said and this was certainly unexpected.
"what? And who is she to take decisions for me?"i growled and i could feel her shaking under the intensity of my harshness.
"Ma.. Manik.. She is your mom.."she tried to sound convincing but i wasn't in a mood. For, the good part of this statement of hers was that she had given me a reason to disconnect the call portraying that i was upset with what she said afterall it's not new for her that i don't like to hear such defensive statements for Nyonika.
"i need to rest.. Soha please.."i said and disconnected the call with a victorious smile for, i won't have to talk to her for a few days. And i could even go for lunch and dinner maybe with Nandini more often.
"wait.. Lunch.. Nandini.. Crap! I.. How could i! Shit i ditched her!"i screamed and the whole room echoed with my high pitch.
"all because of this Soha! Damn it! I didn't meet her even for once today.."i glanced at the wall clock on the opposite wall. It was 9:30 already. "She must be having dinner right now.."i muttered.
I don't even know if she had her lunch. How mean of me to have called her there and then vanished.
'but Manik you're not at fault.. You were in the canteen for almost fifteen minutes but she didn't turn up.."my brain defended me.
"oh really.. Don't you know what's her condition.. What if she was feeling weak and it took her time to reach down.."my heart reasoned. It was surprising how my own heart was on her side.
I grabbed my phone and dialed her number without caring about wjat time it was. That was Manik Malhotra was careless about everything. But she was even more careless. She didn't answer my call. I relentlessly dialed her number hoping to get answered for once but alas! She had to be Manik Malhotra's employee just as stubborn as me.
I kept the phone down and an immediate regret engulfed me.

Flashback:
It was already afternoon and i had no news of Nandini. I asked the guard if there was any entry on her name but he conveniently said no. I was already pissed off with the fact that i had to meet Soha sometime in the day only because Cabir wanted me to be nice to her because of the merger and stuff.
Finally left with no option i called her up.
"where are you?"i immediately said as she picked up the call.
"who's this?"she asked.
"Nandini?"i said a little surprised.
"Manik?"she replied.
"what was that question.."i asked almost immediately.
"vo.. Actually nothing you tell me.."she said changing the topic and a sudden urge in me wanted to know whatever was that after her actually.
"i was asking where are you!" i said in a serious tone.
"Manik where would i be at this hour!"she said in a matter of fact tone.
"office?"i asked.
"obviously!"she spat at my questions.
"but I didn't see you since morning! I thought you didn't come!"i said confused.
"i was right in front of you but you were busy!'she was giving me curt answers and i must admit she was the only one out in that crowd who had the audacity to answer me with such short one liners and taunts. I did get pissed off sometimes but I never felt like stopping her from talking to me like that. In fact it felt good when she talked to me with such righteousness.
"where!" i asked immediately.
"canteen! Morning!"she said.
"vo i was.."i paused remembering my call with Soha that i had in the morning when I had reached the canteen. This was the first time since we had met that i was fumbling with words in front of her.
"anyways abhi kya hua!"she said trying to be cool yet the awkwardness had already crept in.
"lunch?"i asked certainly happy with the change of topic
"not now! I need to complete these files!"she said almost vulnerably.
"Nandini !"i called her name in a threatening tone.
"fine. Give me fifteen atleast!"she heaved.
"I'm waiting!"i smiled over the phone.
It was just five minutes since we'd spoken and i was getting restless. I was about to get up when i felt a touch on my shoulder.
"finally you're here!"i excitedly turned around but i just as i saw the person before me my excitement drained out and bits of irritation seeped in.
"Soha!"i said looking away.
"wow.. You'd been waiting so desperately for me!"she said showing her teeth hoping i would give her the same expression but i couldn't.
She sat opposite me and ordered two coffee lattes,which she thought was my favorite. She began talking all sorts of nonsense with those stupid facial expressions, she thought she looked cute. Well she looked like that ugly duckling from those kids' fairytales and i gave all the expressions she expected me to while i just wanted to smack her face with the same coffee mugs that had just arrived.
Soon she advised that we should go out somewhere to spend some alone time and i didn't have any option.
We were moving out of the canteen when i witnessed a girl. A short girl. Her. Back faced me and her long straight hair reached her waist. My gut feeling did tell me that this girl could be Nandini but then again Soha spoke something nonsensical and anger crept in me and i lost track of what i was thinking.
We were standing in the parking lot past five minutes where Soha had been explaining something to the driver animatedly. It was certainly something i couldn't understand and i stood with a blank expression behind her after which we drove out to spend some 'alone time with each other' where she kept on blabbering and Clinging to me and i kept on thinking of ways through which i could strangulate her.
Flashback ends.

I guessed that girl was Nandini but i wasn't sure.
"i wish i would've waited... I Should've Waited!"i cursed myself.