A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-41

Another army truck passed by tea stall as Manik sat there drenched in every possible way. It was early morning and he had no sanity to return to academy so there he sat at a closed tea stall. His lips stretched into a beautiful smile as he realized how those lips of his had turned way too precious after she had kissed them. He closed his eyes and then opened them only to make himself believe that it wasn't just another dream of his.

He exhaled deep to empty his chest from that tickling anxiety. His shoulders slouched a bit as he covered his face in palms before his fingers set his wet hair. He shook his head refusing to believe that he had kissed her, he still didn't know what had gotten into him. It was like he couldn't afford to lose that moment, he had to tell her somehow that she meant everything to him. He bit his lower lip hard as touch of hers still tickled his insides. This was going to take a while before he adds last night into his most precious memories. Because right now, he couldn't believe it at first place.

Dawn had hit the sky and it still drizzled. Smile didn't leave his lips as he lazily leaned on bench. Drenched grass roof let the raindrops pass and they poured bit by bit on his relaxed face.

Another army truck passed by and noise of it mixed with sound of rain. Manik was oblivion of almost everything but that one face which wasn't leaving his sight.

"Nandini," He murmured and folded his arms across his chest.

He had done possibly all the audacious acts he could ever think of in just one night and now it was time to ponder over them.

Realization stuck and smile from his wet face disappeared like a ghost.

"I am such a fool," He got up and palmed his face as he remembered how he had confessed his love twice to her when he needed to tell her he was sorry for whatever he did.

"What was I thinking?" His palms slipped off his face and he stared the slab beside. He hadn't even said those words in his mind, and there he uttered them like his brain had no freaking filter.

"What would she be thinking?" He mumbled.

Someone had rightly said how over thinking could ruin anything and here it was just Manik Malhotra's peace of mind.

____

Nandini locked the office and handed keys to peon who had just arrived. As She walked out in morning light, a smile played on her lips. Her heart filled with endless joy and all she wanted was to shout out so loud that each soul in that town wakes up just to hear how she felt. She ran to her jeep and wind with drizzle rushed to engulf her. Starting the engine, she drove the vehicle as if cutting through sky. Morning roads turned into piano tiles and tyres of her jeep played music of her heart. She hadn't rolled up the window so that wind could tickle her in every way possible. Murthy mansion looked inviting as she gazed her own home. Getting out, she threw the keys towards valet.

Entering her house, she looked around. She was no longer going to avoid a soul in that mansion. Everyone there deserved her attention from now on. Her mother who was coming out of kitchen looked at her and tilted her head just to come up with some petty concern.

"Why are you wet?" She asked and Nandini smiled. Her mother gaped her as that smile didn't turn into another simper of hers.

"Murli, Bring me some juice," She heard her father shouting and she turned around to find him entering the house. He had returned from jogging. Nandini kept looking at him until he acknowledged her presence there. As his eyes met hers, she walked to him calmly. His father just stared her blankly as if trying to solve a puzzle. She reached him and smiled softly. Her father looked past her to spot his wife to figure out what that little devil was up to. Her mother shrugged her shoulder not knowing anything.