Love or Game (Complete✅)

Chapter 7- "Mind, heart and secrets..."

I look into his deep cocoa eyes which are eagerly waiting for my reply.

"What if I say I don't love you?"

I say softly. I feel his grip on my wrist loosens a bit. His eyes become dark.

"Then I will walk away from your life and will never come back to bother you."

His voice is virile. I hold my breath and say in a trembling voice,

"And what if I say that I don't have the courage to admit that I love you but at the same time I can't imagine my life without you?"

His eyes beam with ecstasy. He pulls me closer.

"Then I will ask you if you have a doubt on me or on the word, Love?"

His words stiffen me. He hit the bull's eye. I slowly free myself from his hold and budge in my seat.

"I don't know...but I don't trust the word, Love but after meeting you I can't even defy the word, Love. I am totally confused."

Saying this I palm my face. Some silent moments pass.

"I don't know what exactly is stopping you to believe in love but one thing I can say; we don't find love but love finds us...and here it found us...Never let your fear decide your future. I will be waiting for you because for the first time I am loving the waiting..."

His grave tone is mingled with a tinge of his natural insouciance.

...............................................

I am lying on the bed supine, resting the palms on my chest. It's been half an hour since Nandini left. Before leaving she only said that I should take one week leave from the office as the doctor instructed so. I didn't deny this time. She needs some time to know her heart and this new feeling and I don't want to manipulate it by my continuous presence. Let it go with the flow. Because love doesn't know its own depth until the hour of separation.

"Wow, Manik...finally you became a hopeless poet too."

My inner God giggles in my mind. I too, mirror him when my eyes fall on the wall-clock. It's around 2 pm and until now Dr Vardhan should come with Navya. I pick the mobile up and again read the message what I got when Nandini gave it to me in the car. "Navya's counselling is pending. I got her in my chamber. Will get her at home after the session.":- Dr Mukti Vardhan. Actually Dr Mukti Vardhan is a shrink. For the last 6 months, she has been treating Navya, and I must say her treatment made a lot of difference in my sister in the last few months. Now, she has become a good friend of mine as well as like a sister to Navya. I didn't even hesitate to give her address in my CV because I have just shifted in this house and I don't know how long I will be here. Like a bohemian, I change my address as I do with my jobs. I ruffle my hair.

"Ouch..."

I flinch. It hurts. I touch my bandage. At the same time the door-bell dings. I carefully get up and come to open the door. As it is expected Mukti and Navya are standing in the threshold. Their content expression immediately changes. The reason is definitely the bandage. Navya points at it and gestures a 'what' with her hand. I only smile and tell them to come in first.

"Just one day I didn't call you and you hit your head. How?"

Mukti's tone is light. I wave away her tease and as short as possible narrate the story obviously with a sensor of Nandini's part.

"Navy, get me a glass of water, Dear..."

Mukti pouts in a request. Navya smiles and disappears inside. Within a minute Mukti's expression changes. She lowers her tone and almost whispers,