"Where are you taking me!!?" I asked for the umpteenth time as he dragged me with him out of the auditorium and then to the backyard.
"That place suffocated me. I can't even look at you in front of everyone. That's worse." I gaped at his back with my mouth hung open. He didn't miss to look at me after every fraction of a second while he delivered his speech, being the guest of honour at our farewell.
"You are too much Manik." I shook my head in disbelief but I wouldn't lie that his this new avatar made me feel butterflies in my stomach and heat engulfing my system.
"I was supposed to be in there. Everyone must be looking for me and no one even knows about us." I reasoned as he kept on dragging me with him.
"Your two of the best friends know what we are so they will handle, as they know me very well." He smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"You are not scared of me anymore, right." He asked suddenly stopping and inching close.
"No." I replied not sure whether it was right thing to say or not.
"And why is that ?" He asked sounding strict all of a sudden but now he wasn't same arrogant Mr Malhotra and I wasn't the scared soul, especially from him.
"I know I don't have to be scared of you."
"Why ?" He looked amused while listening to everything that I was saying.
"Because you won't say anything to me." I told him smirking back at him and he thought for a while before stepping further towards me if that was possible.
"You look a lot confident about that." He stated as if I did a wrong thing.
He looked in deep thoughts for a while before he looked deep into my eyes, gave me such a beautiful smile that I fell for him, again.
"I won't let your confidence down." He added and I mirrored his smile.
Right at that moment we were the happiest. It looked like a picture out of a fairytale. The moment was perfect, we were perfect and he was as usual, flawless. I felt hypnotised by the way his eyes looked into my soul and I did whatever the heat of the moment demanded.
"I love you." It was a mere whisper, lighter than the sound of snow fall; uttered by me in a haze of chaos that my heart was and I realized what I did when his eyes shone brighter and he left out a heartiest chuckle looking above at the sky and then at me with his tongue lipped mouth. He shook his head smiling ear to ear and then his hands went around my waist and his forehead against mine.
"I love you more, so much." He said and we both chuckled with our eyes closed and foreheads touching. I didn't know about him but I was complete. I felt this warmth in my heart and I knew that he deserved everything and every ounce of love. He was made for it. He had made me feel the happiest girl in this world despite how I rejected him or ran away from him. He was there when I was in my worst state of mind and when I was no less than a mess.
"I am so happy to listen this from you. I promise to take care of this trust that you have put in me. Thank you for giving us a chance." I had never seen him so emotional.
"You make me so happy, Manik. I never thought that I even had a life after mama and papa but you did so much just for me to get back to normal." I said looking at him and he gladly cupped my face with his one hand while other held me close to him.
"You are a strong woman Nandini. You are strong with or without me. You are my strength." He said and kissed my forehead. He one by one kissed my eyes taking his own sweet time. I giggled as he kissed my cheeks and my nose.
