Manik Malhotra (The Insidious love) Complete✅️

Chapter 3- "The art of eye contact..."

"It's not exactly love at first sight. It is more like soul recognition."

Flashback:

"Give it a second thought, Bro. You won't get admission to any other college in the middle of the session. Why are you so adamant to destroy your medical career? Apologise to the dean and stop this matter."

Cabir advises concernedly.

"Apology my foot. I want to kick that asshole, instead."

I ruefully reply.

"You and your anger issue will land you in big trouble someday."

He mouths malcontentedly. Only then, my eyes catch that beautiful sight. She passes the college corridor strewing her pleasant aura. Who's she? My heart chides. My head turns following her swaying frame. She is wearing a soft pink chicken kurti. Her pink dupatta is streaming behind her in the defiant wind. Cabir is still blabbering against my deaf ears,

"I know the Dean should have considered the whole issue more intelligently and patiently but you also shouldn't have been out of control like this. Manik why don't you understand? You can't fight against the college authority. Whatever the reason, you have no right to take the law into your hands. They have the power to throw you out of the college after whatever you just did inside the Dean's cabin. If you don't apologise...."

His last unfinished line hits my ears and I finish it.

"I will. Let's sort it out. Come...let's end it right now."

I clutch his wrist and pull him towards the Dean's room. After that, I have to find out who was that pretty face. Oppss...am I sounding like a love-puppy? Well, I don't believe in love at first sight but I don't want to lose her sight either. I have to know who is she.

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

"What happened, Manik? You actually eat humble pie in front of that fatso. What's wrong with you, Bro? Why are you behaving so weirdly?"

Cabir sounds curious and sarcastic at a time. This Sherlock Holms! I roll my eyes at him. We have just come out of the Dean's room. He humiliated me in every possible way. If another time, I would have smacked his not so beautiful face but right then only her smiling face was running through my mind. I hardly heard that jerk's insulting words.

"Will you stop your never-ending questions? I did what you exactly wanted. Now, what's your issue?"

I mouth impatiently. Right now, I have more important works than going through his interrogation. I have to find out her name, class and many more. Cabir shrugs and thrusts his hands inside his pockets. I observe him from the corner of my eyes. I have to get rid of this sniffer dog for a while. I ask innocently,

"Don't you have to meet Navya today? She was asking about you yesterday."

The expression on Cabir's face instantly changes. I giggle inwardly. He glances at his wristwatch and utters unmindfully,

"Shit...I am late. Hope she is in good mood."

Then he looks at me and impatiently suggests,

"I will talk to you later. Attend your classes and straight go home. I will meet you in the evening. Bye.."

He doesn't give me any scope to ask. Neither I want. Kudos Manik Malhotra. Your work is done. I show my thumps up at him and veer to the corridor where I saw her last.

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

After lots of interrogation, enquiry and research work, I finally come to know that she is a fresher. Her name is Nandini Murthy. She is a medical student of 1st year. Lives in Janakpuri and only has her father in her family. It sounds like a stalker but I had no other way. Since I have seen her, I have been feeling a weird emotion. I don't know whether it is love or not but it's definitely an impetuous attraction. I get some boys with me and enter a class. All were buzzing around. My presence makes them silent for a while. I step up the platform and lean back on the teacher desk and start my lecture,

"Ahem...I don't like beating around the bushes. So, let's straight come to the point. There is a girl, Nandini Murthy who recently has taken admission to 1st year. Well, I don't want anyone to get close to her. Close means romantically close. I like her and that's it. I also don't want anyone to bother her for anything. I repeat, anything. Otherwise, you know the consequences."

I roam my intimidating eyes all around. Nobody tries to question me. It is pretty predicted. I add,

"One more thing. She shouldn't know about this conversation. Am I clear?"

I again observe their expression. So, my gang does. No negative reaction at all. I step down from the platform and gesture my boys to head to another class. I announce this statutory warning in every class and to every possible boy. Now, the destination is the college canteen. I and my followers enter it. There are not more than 25 students. Among them, only 10 to 15 are boys. I stand along with the cash counter desk and one of my boys claps to get their attention.

"Hey...hey..listen. Manik Bhai has to say something."

He initiates. I lean back and cross my legs in a relaxed position.

"There is a girl named Nandini Murthy in 1st year. She is my...I mean I like her. So, I don't want anyone of you disturbs her. She..."

My words get halted by a student.

"What do you mean by disturb? We come here to study. Not for disturbing anyone."

Nitish, one of my gang boys is about to confront the over smart student hostilely. I stop him by grabbing his wrist and reply,

"Disturb means I don't want you to befriend her. Do you understand the inner meaning of befriending...hmmm? Stay away from her."

My tone emits an implicit warning. The student comes forward and counters sarcastically,

"So that you can befriend her! Does she know it? Or you are just assuming and barking like a moron?"

I straight my frame in a blink of an eye and spring on him to grab his collar. My left-hand fingers ball to smack on his jawbone. Only then, my eyes fall on her scared face. I see her for the second time. She is standing at the canteen threshold holding some books against her chest. Her black doe eyes are fixed on my angry face. She is biting her lower lip to control her fear. I keep on staring at her until my nerves get relaxed. Gradually, I withdraw my fist and push the boy leaving his collar. I can almost hear the sigh of relief she exhales. For the first time, someone has succeeded to disarm me with merely her eyes.

"Tere bin ab na lenge ek bhi dum (I won't take a single breath without you)

Tujhe kitna chahne lage hum...(I have started to love you a lot)

Author's note: In the next chapter, some present scenes will be there along with the flashback.