"Well done Nandini" came the voice that her ears wanted to listen to and she immediately turned back only to bump into him. She took a step back being startled by the proximity they were sharing. She looked around only to find the surroundings empty. Fiddling with her fingers, she somehow gathered the courage to raise her head and look into his eyes.
" thank you" she replied in a meek tone, once again lowering her eyes. She kept looking at the things around while playing with the ring in her finger nervously. She kept shifting on her feet to get over the awkward silence. Manik noticed her anxiety and thus broke the silence. " You were really good, I can't wait to shoot with you".
Listening to his words a tender smile touched Nandini's lips along with a warm feeling blooming in her heart. " Well, the feelings are mutual Manik", she replied with a radiant smile. Manik smiled back at her and ran his hand through his hair not knowing what to say. He thought of the weird scenario that he was going through, everytime he used to look at her picture, he never used to stop talking to the photo. In fact, he had thought of uncountable things that he would tell her when they would meet but now when she was here, standing before him, he had no words to say. The only thing he could do was to drink her beauty and innocence through his eyes and pray to god to make her stay before his eyes forever.
Lost in his thoughts, unknowingly Manik took a step towards Nandini which startled her as she was not expecting it. She was finding it difficult to breathe with Manik standing so close to her so she turned around to leave but stopped feeling a tug on her wrist. But she didn't turn back. The next second, she felt herself being jerked and her body bumped into a rock hard chest. She kept her palm on her heart, which was now racing wildly. But what surprised her was that the backside of her hand could feel the fast beats of another wildly palpitating heart.
" It beats faster whenever you are close" she didn't know whether it was the intensity in these words or the hot breath that she could feel on her earlobe that made her suck in a sharp breath.
" Ma..Manik I" she said these words stammering due to their closeness.
" You, yes go ahead. I am listening Nandini" Manik said lightly caressing her knuckles.
" I have to get ready for the next scene" she said the words in a single breath and lightly pushed Manik keeping her hands on his chest.
She turned back to leave when his words stopped her, " Nandini I care for you, I genuinely do."
The sincerity dripping from his voice made her look back at him, " Why" was the only whisper that left her lips.
" I don't know" Manik answered honestly. She turned back to leave and Manik huffed and leaned on the wall behind him.
Nandini halted abruptly after taking the next step, " Manik"
Manik looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes and the next words that left her mouth made his heart dance with joy, " I like your care". Nandini left from their with a beaming smile whereas Manik ran his fingers through his hair to stop that boyish grin that was threatening to break out on his lips anytime.
♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧
After wrapping her schedule for the day, Nandini collected all her belongings and headed to exit the shooting set and leave for home. As soon as she stepped out, a man in his early thirties came and greeted her, " Good evening Nandini ma'am." A frown appeared on Nandini's forehead as she failed to recognize the guy. To solve the mystery she politely asked, " Good evening, I am sorry I didn't recognize you." The man humbly replied," ma'am I am Manik Sir's chauffer and he has asked me to drop you to your place. He has sent this for you." The man handed over a beautiful bouquet of peonies to Nandini whose lips were now stretched into a soft smile. She looked at the card stuck at the bouquet and softly opened it and read,
Dear Sunshine,
I hope that your first day on the set was even more beautiful than what you had expected it to be!
I really wanted to drop you back home but unfortunately the paparazzi and the fans out there won't let that happen. Not that I don't want to be spotted with you but I know you won't like the rumours floating out there afterwards.
You can't even imagine how I am stopping myself from coming to you. Anyway, here is my chauffer to drop you back safely and please don't argue as I won't take no for an answer. I know you don't need me to manage things for you but I really want to do it. So now have a safe ride and I will see you tomorrow.
From,
Your biggest Fan,
Manik
The words written brought a slight warmth and a dark red shade on her cheeks making her looking even more alluring. She tucked a strand of hair, that was resting on her face, behind her ears. A soft smile captured her lips and she remembered all the moments that she had spent with Manik on the first day of her shoot.
Her reverie was broken by the voice of the chauffer, " ma'am please come." Nandini nodded her head and went to sit in the car.
Soon the drive of forty minutes came to an end and the chauffer safely escorted Nandini to her place.
Since Navya had gone to her mother's place for a few days, Nandini had her dinner alone and straight away crashed on her bed. The exhaustion made her eyes feel heavy and soon she drifted off to a peaceful slumber.
♧♧♧♧♧♧
Next Morning,
Nandini entered the set with a radiant smile, looking as fresh as a sunflower.
She entered the set only to look at media standing their clicking her pictures and surrounding her. It was not that she wasn't expecting being clicked and followed by them after the announcement of her being a part of this big project but then wasn't this happening all of a sudden, was all that her mind questioned.
The next moment she felt her heart dropping listening to the words that the anchor was uttering, " yes this is Nandini Murthy, the girl who slept with the star, Manik Malhotra to bag the role in this big project." She stepped forward and snatched the mike from his hand before shouting at him, " what nonsense are you uttering? How disgusting. How dare you feed such false information to the public just to top those silly trp charts?"
" Wrong! They are just saying the truth Ms. Nandini Murthy"
●●●●●●●●●●●●●
Hey!
How was the update?
Who do you think has said the last line of the chapter? Is it Manik or someone else?
How will Nandini manage these false rumours that are spreading like wild fire? And who is behind all this? You will get to know in the next update so stay tuned;-)
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Thank you,
Best Wishes!
Inaayat
YOU ARE READING
Hasratein
Fanfiction"I will fight with every storm that comes in her way" Manik paused and sucked in a sharp breath. "And god forbid, if one day I become the storm in her way, then I won't think twice before finishing myself for her sake" ...
