A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-21

Her scent teasing his nostrils, Manik breathed deep once again as their car took final turn towards the great hall. Nandini breathed on windowpane to turn it all white with steam as a sigh escaped her throat seeing the gorgeous light adorning the building. Entire town hall was bathed in white lights and tinge of snowy winter made it look milky. Her pores aroused thinking about the cold outside. She immediately regretted her decision to carry a gown in such chilly weather.

On the other hand, handsome man in coat was all sweaty thinking about all the social drama going to happen in ball. Seeing her and then main door, it was a possible contingency that he was going to take most beautiful girl in middle of extremely attractive men. He felt an unjust urge to turn the car around and leave with her to the remotest area where they would probably choke each other to death by constant fights.

"I can't wait for it," Nandini excited like a kid getting utterly impatient to be part of one of most fancy events.

"And here I can't wait for it to get over," He murmured only to go inaudible to an extremely excited Nandini.

He stepped down the car and walked to other end to open the door for her. She seemed to be taking all the chivalry as perk tonight as Nandini Murthy was finally behaving like a delicate girl waiting for her date to treat her with all the care.

"Not bad, Malhotra," She teased as she stepped out and he closed the door behind. Giving the key to the valet, he took a deep breath gathering all the courage to walk down that carpet with his mad lady beside him. Did he just say his?

Nandini sighed again as she silently screeched about the vibe of place. It was a grand door adorned with white flowers and white lights, handsome uniform men guarding it with worth drooling faces of theirs while couples walked inside holding hands; she couldn't wait anymore. How she always wanted to attend at least one army ball since she had turned all young and wild.

"What are we waiting for?" She nudged him as he looked across the lane to see any sign of Harshad.

"I think we should wait till we see someone we know," He suggested still busy at finding Harshad.

"You are one weird piece," Nandini remarked narrowing her eyes trying to understand the man standing beside her.

"It's a couple entry, not group entry," She added while he just tried to look acquainted with the detail.

"I know," He said straightening his coat trying to look in charge of what he was thinking.

A couple passed by them chirping aloud leaving them all baffled about how they both were behaving. They were chirping but it was some kind of noisy banter.

Guy slid his arm across girl's waist and she covered the gap by holding his other hand, they both didn't mean to gawk that but then they just did.

"That's my senior," Manik stated as matter of fact, "He is quite a player."

"You are impossible, Manik," Nandini grumbled and stomped ahead leaving him more perplexed.

He looked at her moving figure like a candy deprived kid and then ran behind her trying to stop the mad lady from violating the protocol.

Protocol!
Well reminded. He rubbed his forehead in tension as he pulled Nandini away from entrance and dragged in a bushy corner.

"Are you mad?" She whined.

"Are you mad?" He repeated trying not to be loud.

"It's a military ball and that means you cannot just walk in alone," He stated without realizing how he had almost pressed her to the flowery hoarding.