An Arranged Journey To Forever

Part 7

The Jim Corbett Resort was nestled in the heart of the jungle. It was nothing short of breathtaking—beautiful, peaceful, and serene. It was clear that having a wedding here was a fantastic idea. They walked into the resort, meeting Kartik and his family.

Kartik and Naira hugged each other tightly, neither willing to let go.

Nandini, watching them, teasingly said, "Done with the PDA? You should at least say hi to us too!"

Kartik and Naira immediately pulled away, their faces turning red from embarrassment.

Kartik chuckled, "Nandini, how are you?"

"I'm perfect! How about you?" Nandini responded with a bright smile.

Kartik smirked, "Getting married, huh? How's that going?"

Before Nandini could respond, Naira playfully slapped Kartik's arm, annoyed by his teasing.

Kartik greeted Ishita and Raman, and after introductions, he met the Malhotras.

Manik and Raj knew him professionally.

Kartik extended his hand, "Hello, Mr. Malhotra."

Manik grinned, "Manik for you now, Kartik," and pulled him into a hug.

The group then separated to their rooms to rest for a while, as the others would arrive by evening.

After freshening up, they gathered in the hall. By chance, Nandini and Naira were twinning in matching outfits. The two received several compliments for looking cute together.

Kartik couldn't help himself, "I swear, sometimes it feels like you two are a couple."

"Shut up, you idiot," Nandini replied, rolling her eyes.

The two of them laughed when they suddenly heard a familiar voice call out.

"Naira, Nandini, my children!" The elderly woman's voice was full of affection.

Nandini and Naira exchanged a glance and rushed to the entrance.

"Badi Dadi!" Nandini exclaimed with joy.

"Badi Dadi!" Naira echoed, just as excited.

The two of them shared a warm, loving hug with her.

Her face lit up as she smiled. "Oh, my babies! You've both grown so much. Nandini, you've gotten so thin!"

Nandini laughed, "You think I've gotten thin? You haven't seen me in a while. And this 'grass' is healthy, not junk food!"

Badi Dadi wagged a finger at her playfully, "Healthy? Nothing healthy about it. Today, I'll let you off the hook, but I'm keeping an eye on you. You need to eat more."

Nandini smiled and nodded, while Manik couldn't help but look over, unsatisfied with her food choices.

Dinner was served, and Nandini wasn't in the mood for much. She was content with just eating a salad.

Badi Dadi, noticing, exclaimed, "Look, Nandini! I've been saying it all along. Why are you eating salad? I'm Punjabi, dear! Eat ghee paratha, get some meat on your bones!"

Nandini grinned and responded, "I'm not thin, Grandma. You just haven't seen me in a while. And this 'grass' is healthy, I promise!"

Badi Dadi laughed but warned, "Nothing healthy about it. I'll let it slide today, but I'm watching you."

Nandini smiled, nodding. The dinner passed, and everyone started heading to their rooms. Manik, however, walked over to the terrace, while Nandini was briefly distracted by Naira.

After Naira left for her room, Nandini breathed a sigh of relief and quickly grabbed her shawl, heading upstairs.

Manik was already waiting for her on the terrace, leaning casually against the railing. She walked up to him and stood beside him.

"Oh, hey, you came," Manik said, a little surprised. "I thought you wouldn't. Thank you for coming."

Nandini smiled softly, "Thank you isn't needed. I came because I wanted to."

There was a brief, intense moment of silence as their eyes locked.

"So... what happened suddenly?" Nandini asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Manik sighed, his tone becoming serious. "I'm confused."

"Confused?" Nandini raised an eyebrow. "You know, you can always share, Manik."

Manik paused, taking a deep breath. "I know... but I'll talk about it later. First, you need to eat something."

Nandini shook her head, "Food? I'm not hungry, Manik."

Manik smiled mischievously, picked up a morsel, and held it out to her. "Please?"

Nandini couldn't resist his pleading eyes and reluctantly took the food from his hand, smiling in spite of herself.

"Good girl," Manik said with a satisfied grin.

Nandini shook her head in mock annoyance. "Okay, done. Now tell me, what's stressing you?"

Manik looked down, his voice softer. "You. I mean, my feelings for you. It's beautiful, Nandini, but I don't know what to call it... What is it?"

Nandini paused, her gaze softening. "Manik, I'm confused too, but don't let it stress you. If these feelings are beautiful, let them be. They shouldn't confuse you. All I know is that it's not just friendship between us. Let's take things slowly and get to know each other better, okay?"

Manik's face brightened, and he grinned. "Sounds like a plan. Okay, 20 questions then."

Nandini laughed lightly. "Alright, start."

Manik leaned back, thinking for a moment. "Your favorite color?"

Nandini thought for a second before answering, "White. It represents peace. It can go with any color and still make it look beautiful."

Manik nodded, impressed. "Impressive. What's yours?"

"Red. The color of love," Manik replied, his voice softening as he met her gaze.

They both shared a lingering eye contact, both unsure of what to make of the emotions between them but feeling comfortable in each other's presence. It was one of the best things about their connection—they could express themselves honestly, without the fear of misunderstandings.

The game continued, but before they knew it, they both fell asleep on the terrace, side by side, in the quiet of the night, content and at peace.