ANAM CARA || A MaNan Fanfiction

10. Shattering Prejudices

|| Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people ||

🔹🔹🔹

Long drives were Nandini's thing. They were her much needed escape from the never ending realities of the world. Whenever she needed to cut off from everyone and just wallow in herself, she would go, pick up any car, and just drive. Not to reach a destination, but for the journey that ensued. The aloofness of the road, the silence of the forest and the shimmer of the night, everything that used to please her, were currently the cause of her distress.

She was stuck, stuck with a man whose face she didn't want to see again, whose voice she didn't want to hear again, and did not want his lingering presence anywhere around her. Moreover, it was because of a betrayal by her very own brother that she had to give in to his demands and let him take her to a place that she has no idea about.

Manik was still mum on where he was taking her. She tried asking him quite a few times but everytime she was replied with a sheepish grin that annoyed her to no extent. Ultimately, she had to let it go for her own sanity.

There wasn't a threat to her security. Nandini very well knew how to defend herself, but she wanted to have an idea of the destination so that she can plan an escape in case things go out of hands for her. "Here we are", Manik broke the chain of her thoughts, as he turned off the engine of his car.

When Manik had proposed to take her out, Nandini expected that he will take her to an opulent over the top kind of a restaurant, where the price of one dish can feed a family, but Manik knew better than that. He was successful in surprising Nandini out of her wits. Not even in her dream did Nandini think that Manik will bring her here.

He had stopped the car in front of a beautiful cafe, which gave away warmth rather than the usual splendor that she is used to seeing. It was an European style outdoor dining cafe, decorated with beautiful yellow fairylights and hanging lamps. The seating, the interior everything looked as if coming out straight away from the streets of Old Parisian Suburbs. Nandini was truly and absolutely mesmerised by Manik's choice, but her bigger than sky ego refused to let her convey it to him.

(P.S. I so wish to visit a cafe like this once in my life 😍)

"Shall we?", Manik's voice put a break to her analysis spree. He was there, standing on her side, with the door opened and his hand stretched forward to escort her. He was low-key hoping that she will take his hand but with Nandini you can never be sure. True to his thoughts, Nandini royally ignored him, got down on her own and glided towards the entrance.

Manik was not at all surprised, rather he smiled looking at her back. 'She won't change', he thought as the memory of their cafe meet up resurfaced in his mind and so did the moment of how she left without speaking a word when he put forth his agreement. Nonetheless, he ran upto her to keep in pace with her steps.