Manan ff : Love Story of an Introvert ✔️

22. An Evening Well Spent

Hello Lovely People.  

Happy Reading...

Manik takes her to all important places in Mumbai. Finally, they have dinner at some restaurant. While they were having their dinner it started to drizzle and Manik gets excited and cancels their dessert order. And they leave after having dinner by the time it's pouring down heavily.

Nandu: I don't know why it's raining suddenly.

Manik: bin mausam barsat hi toh Mumbai ki specialty hai Nandu. Let me take you to my favorite place and we can have dessert there.

Nandu nods.

After some time she finds herself in front of the Juhu beach. She gets down the car and looks up for the man who decided to disappear all of a sudden. While she was busy searching for him, two hands holding kulfi in each appears before him. She raises her head to find a grownup child with glittering eyes. Seeing her standing without any response he says,

Manik: dono tumhare liye nahi hai. One is mine too.

Nandu: Manik it's raining and you want to have ice cream?

Manik: Nandu rain has stopped. It's just drizzling now and yeh ice cream nahi, kulfi hai. Take this, before it melts down.

Nandu nods her head in disbelief but eventually takes it. They start having the kulfi sitting near the waves, very few rain droplets falling on them from time to time.

The glint of happiness and the excitement on the face of the person sitting beside her on having a mere kulfi, the serene sea waves touching their feet once in awhile and few slightly visible stars that are just appearing in the sky due to the ceasing of rain were giving an unknown peace to Nandini.

Finishing his kulfi, Manik who glanced up to Nandini, found her lost in the sea waves with her half-eaten kulfi but a smile playing on her lips.

Manik: samandar kahi nahi ja raha, khaa lo pehle.

Nandu comes out of trance and nods. After finishing up they sit back silently for sometime when Manik notices the time.

Manik: Nandu, it's already 10. Let's leave. You must be tired.

Nandu: Nahi na Manik. See, it's so peaceful here. Let's sit for some time.

Manik dramatically puts his hands on his mouth,

Manik: what? Nandu, Chacha Chachi ne phone kiya tho? Abhimanyu ko pata chalega tho that you were roaming outside with me? kaka kya sochenge? (Copying one of her earlier lines)

Nandu: Manik please na.

Manik just smiles. This is the first time when she expressed something other than agreeing with him. He felt a sudden rush of happiness when he realized that she is opening up to him. His thought process was broken by Nandu's voice.

Nandu: You know Manik. Dad was a scientist, an astrophysicist to be precise. He used to study about the stars. He used to sit under these stars with his telescope and I used to accompany him. That's how I started loving them. After him, I started finding him in these stars. I can just stare at them even for hours together.

Manik: And you are my shining star. (Manik who was staring at her intently and after listening to the last line, unintentionally came up with those words which shocked Nandini as well as Manik.)

Nandu: What?

Manik: Arey, your eyes. They were shining when you were talking about the stars, so from now on, you are my shining star.

Nandu was still confused but a message on her mobile stopped her from further questioning.

Manik's Pov

You can stare those stars for hours together and I can stare you for hours, Nandini. So, yes you are my shining star.

Pov ends

After being satisfied by the new name given by him to Nandu, he finds her looking at the mobile with a frown on her face.

Manik: kiska message hai?

Nandu shows him the message.

Message:
I know you are too happy in that pretty little house of yours but it won't last long.
If you aren't fulfilling my demands, be ready for getting yourself kidnapped.
Dare you ignore this message baby, the consequences will be pretty nasty for you.

Message ends.

Manik looks at Nandu but finds her engrossed in thoughts,

Manik: Nandu, don't worry. It must be some prank message.

Nandu: No Manik. The first line doesn't seem like a prank.

Manik checks the number and founds the country code similar.

Manik: Arey, yeh tho London ka number hai.

Nandu: What? Then it's Abhimanyu.

Manik: but how can you be so sure?

Nandu: This is one of his ways to check up on me. Wait, let me prove it to you.

And she was about to call you but was cut by Manik.

Manik: Nandu, don't call na. If it's someone else, it might be dangerous.

Nandu: kuch nahi hoga Manik. Aur waise bhi tum ho na mere saath.

And this unintentional line awakened all those unknown sleeping sensations inside him.

The person picked up the call in just a few rings.

Nandu: Hello, who's this?

Person: Wow, so desperate to talk to me?

Manik: dude, just shut up and spit out the truth.

Person: Tum? Tum bhi Nandu ke saath ho?

Nandu: I was damn sure it's you.

Abhi: Tumhe pata chal gaya? But babydoll are you ok? Manik tumhare saath hai? Did you hurt yourself? Kuch problem hai? Speak up Nandu?

Manik: Bhai, you aren't even letting her speak. I was just showing her few places in Mumbai. Isliye main hun yahan. (He says the last lines with a bit of hesitation as he knows about the overprotective nature of Abhimanyu, unknowing to him Abhimanyu was smiling for not leaving his sister alone when he's isn't around. But he answers with a fake anger)

Here, Nandu was scared of Abhi's reaction.

Abhi: Nandu I haven't expected this from you. In the message, I was joking about my demand but now, I seriously have some. And you need to fulfill those.

Both the scared souls looked at each other before answering,

Nandu: Bhai

Abhi: No Nandu.. You have to listen to me.

Nandu: Fine. What am I supposed to do?

Abhi: You have to listen to me for 24 hours. You have to buy me chocolates, gifts. And also shopping and dinner.

Nandu: Abhi you scared me.

Manik: dude, tujhe nahi lagta teri wish list ladkiyon se jyada hai?

Abhi: Manik tere liye wish list baad mein tujhe send kar dunga. Now, enjoy your day rather night with whatever you people were doing. And take care you two.

With that, he hung up leaving a smiling Manik and a confused Nandini, as she very well knows about how Abhimanyu is. Manik who understood Nandu's dilemma offered her to leave as it will distract her from Abhimanyu. She agreed and they left the place. The drive to Nandu's house was silent with just some music playing around. After reaching home, Nandu got down.

Nandu: Thanks for the evening. I enjoyed a lot.

Manik: Even I enjoyed a lot. So, no need to thank me.(After few seconds) Nandu, remember one thing, always. There are so many people around you who love you for the person you are. Even if you don't talk to people, even if you don't open up to them much, the aura you carry with you is enough to make their lives a happy one. And, YOU. ARE. NOT. BORN. TO. BE. ALONE. (said emphasizing each word)

After finishing his little confession, Manik left from there, leaving a speechless Nandini.  

Precap:

Socho Socho...

I have some favorite moments here. What are yours? 

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