Aiyoo Ayyappa- MaNan FF

Chapter 22 Caught

Nandini ran onto the curve of the pathway and looked ahead of her. The dark pathway went a bit ahead and Nandini ran ahead onto the pathway and yet another curve came ahead of her.  Manik was nowhere to be seen. It was too dark and the wind was blowing with the sound of tree branches and it felt as if the branches were whispering to each other. It was scary...very scary. There was nobody around. The whole area looked too desolate.

"What do I do now?" Nandini thought as she noticed a snake standing at a distance behind her. It was a king cobra standing with its hood raised. Suddenly it started slithering towards her. Nandini started running..running ahead into the pathway unseen by her. The cobra continued to slither behind her at an equal pace. Nandini ran with all her might on the pathway which stretched ahead of her into the jungle. There was not even a single light ahead of her. 

"Maniiik Maniiik, kahan ho tummm? mujhe bachaao..." Nandini shouted as she turned to look back and the cobra was nowhere to be seen. "Maniiik Maniiik...kahan ho tum?? please wapas aajaaoo" Nandini shouted looking into the darkness ahead of her. 

"Maniiik... Maniiik...where are you? Mujhe chodke mat jaao..please come to me" Nandini shouted as she woke up in a dazed mood from her dream. The bike was still zooming in an amazing speed. Nandini's hands were still around Manik. Suddenly Manik slowed down the bike to a halt.

"Kya hua?? Are U alright??" Manik asked with a concerned look on his face. Nandini loosened her arms around Manik and looked into the eyes of Manik. There was concern in his eyes. 

"Tum thik tho ho na?" Manik asked getting off the bike. Nandini also got off the bike and looked around her. They were on a street which was desolate. There was nobody around and Manik was standing right next to her. 

"U ok??" Manik asked placing his hand on Nandini's shoulder as he noticed sweat drops running down Nandini's forehead onto her cheeks. "Why were you screaming out my name??" Manik asked turning Nandini by her shoulders and making her stand facing him.  Nandini was breathing heavily.

"Manik...Manik..." Nandini whispered in a dazed mood looking around to the left and right in a confused look. "Tum mujhe jangal ke beech chodke chale tho nahi jaaoge na?" Nandini asked as tears welled up in her eyes. 

"What?? Jangal?? Why the hell do U think that I'm going to leave U in the middle of a jungle? Tum hosh main tho ho na??" Manik asked shaking the dazed Nandini. 

"It...it was a dream...I think it was" Nandini said as she was coming back to her senses.

"Ok...dream? U were sitting behind my bike and dreaming? I can't believe it! How can U sleep sitting on a bike? What if U lost hold of me and fell off the bike?" Manik asked standing leaning against a tree on the roadside. 

"Manik...mujhe pata nahi chala kab main darr se baahar nikal aayi. First I shut my eyes tight when I sat on the bike. I was too scared and then..as some time passed the fear was gone and then I started enjoying the ride...I loved sitting on the bike for the first time. It feels amazing. Aankhein bandh karke baithi thi..and don't know when I slipped into a dream" Nandini replied explaining her feelings to Manik. 

"Thank god..U are safe and didn't fall off the bike. What kind of girl are you? Who sits on a bike and sleeps? I must be more careful otherwise U may fall off the bike. Phir tumhaare gharwaale aake mujhe hi dosh denge ke apne beti ko kahin raste pe giraa diye!" Manik said with a bit shocked expression on his face. 

"No...actually if I were to fall off bike naaa..I would hold U tighter" Nandini said confidently

"Achcha? Hold me tighter?? Kaise?" Manik asked walking over to Nandini. 

"No...I mean..." Nandini was at a loss for words. "U know...I'm feeling a bit dizzy can we rest a bit and go?" Nandini asked trying to divert the topic. 

"Hmm...U want to rest a bit? Ok..." Manik replied looking around him. There was a bench a bit away on the road. "Chalo...chalkar udhar baithte hai...we'll rest 5 minutes and then we'll leave, ok?" Manik asked pointing to the bench. 

"Ok..." Nandini replied with a dazed look on her face. "Shayad...its coz I'm sitting on a bike for the first time" Nandini whispered to herself. 

"Hello??? U think U slept on the bike coz U were sitting on the bike for the first time?? Ye kaisi logic hai?" Manik asked turning to look at Nandini with an expression of disbelief. Nandini felt totally embarassed seeing the gaze that Manik was giving her and she felt as if she was stupid. 

"Come sit here..." Manik invited as he sat on the stone bench on the sidewalk. Manik sat on the bench and placed his leg into a criss crossed position across his other leg and sat in a relaxed position. Nandini sat next to Manik hesitantly and took her bag off herself and placed it to her side. 

"Hmm...so U and Nandini..U both are friends for how long?" Manik asked with a questioning look on his face. 

"Nandini???" Nandini for a moment forgot that she was acting as Navya

" Ya..I mean your friend na...she is really cute. How long since U both are friends?" Manik asked with a curious look on his face. 

"Wo...we are friends since school days. We've been the bestest of friends and she always used to share her food with me. She used to cook awesome Aloo ke parathe and U know..she loves iddli and sambar a lottt! That's her favourite South Indian dish and my Amms na...she cooks amazing Iddali and sambar and Navya would always come to our home and we would together fight over iddlis. Its like...there would be 5 iddlis supposing...me and Navya would be eating real fast and the one who finishes first will only get the 5th iddli! So we would eat real fast..Manik trust me...it was like hum iddlis mooh ke andar dhoos lete the to reach to that 5th iddli! It was so much fun" Nandini said with a nostalgic smile on her face.

"Achcha??" Manik continued with a dreamy expression on his face. "Aur phir?" Manik asked with a little smile on his face. 

"Manik U can't imagine how much fun it has always been. Hamesha...90% of the times, main hi jeet leti thi. I am real fast at eating. U know, I was missing her in Chennai and now finally I'm here to  be with her. Kal se hum dono saath same college chalenge!" Nandini replied waking out of her nostalgic mood. 

"Hmm...so Nandu...are you missing Chennai? Missing Amms?" Manik asked with a meaningful look on his face. 

"Haan yes...I'm! I'm missing Amms the most." Nandini continued without noticing how she was spilling the beans. 

"Nandini...please tell me something..." Manik asked placing his both palms on Nandini's shoulder. 

"Kya, Manik?" Nandini asked with a confused expression on her face. 

"Why did U lie to me?" Manik asked with a questioning look on his face. "Do U hate me that much? Did U want to avoid me? U came to Infiniti Mall and you lied to me all this while...Do U hate me that much? If U loved Dhruv more than me...U just need to say to me..I won't be in your life anymore. I just wanted to be your friend. I always tried to treat you special..always tried to trust you. Then why don't you trust me?" Manik asked his voice grew loud and broke as emotions welled up within him. 

"Aiyooo Ayyappaaa..what did I do??" Nandini thought as she realized how she opened up her heart to him forgetting that she was all this while acting as Navya. 

"M...Manik..." Nandini replied looking into Manik's eyes..."I...I..." Nandini was at a loss for words. She didn't know what to say anymore. A silence ensued as Manik awaited for his answer and Nandini...had none.