The alleged Happily ever after || COMPLETED

5 (A). The Road Not Taken

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
- Robert Frost "

Manik was lying down with his head in Nandini's lap, as she sat with her back resting on the wall, of her room in her apartment. Raima was on a date with Mihir, and they had the apartment to themselves. Nandini was reading a book, and was too lost in it, while Manik was simply watching her, himself lost in a sea of thoughts otherwise.

The last month had been as much a blur for him, as dark it was etched in his memories. He could not believe himself, he had made a friend in Nandini, the friend who would listen through his rants and advice him through his confusions. But what bothered him wasn't their friendship, it was the comfort they had began sharing, and Manik knew really well that there was a real thin line between friendship and love, and he was walking on a dangerous territory.

"Stop overthinking!", Nandini commented, her right hand beginning to pat his head while she was still neck deep in her fantasy novel.

"How do you always know?", Manik asked, staring at her and she lowered the book at his question and grinned at him.

"Because Mr. Manik Malhotra, I know you!", three words and he could literally feel his heart skip a beat. He could not help but smile back at her, and watched her go back to the book she was reading, but she continued to pat his head. In no time, he had fallen asleep.

Nandini kept the book down, and looked at him, her eyes shining with the immense love she felt for him. She kept her right hand on his chest, the familiar rhythmic lub-dub made her smile. Leaning in, she dropped a chaste kiss on his forehead, before running her hand through his hair, in an attempt to comfort him.

She for sure didn't know how to define her love, but she had picked up on a few things she knew comforted him the most, in the last days. She watched him sleep, his face barred of any frown lines, his eye lashes kissing his cheeks, but fluttering all the while.

"I hope you are watching a good dream Manik!", she whispered, smiling before picking her phone to click a picture. Just in this short while, her gallery had been flooded with his pictures, their pictures - her random selfies had taken a back seat, but she loved it. She just hoped, this happiness she was feeling inside, to last.

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The sky looked ashen, and Manik could feel it was about to rain. He tapped the table and looked at his watch, again, but made a face when he realised it had been just a minute since he saw the time last. He clicked his tongue and picked up his phone.

"Where are youuuuuu?"

Nandini's WhatsApp pinged, and she laughed at his eagerness. She remembered the Manik who used to text her so formally for all the office works earlier, all dots and commas in place and no short forms, and then here was this Manik, who would write extra letters after a word when inpatient, send all types of funny and angry Gifs to her and fill their chat box would random emojis, when bored or upset with the lack of her attention.