Glassy Dreams

Chapter 6

Note : As always, time patience and empathy is what I would request you for wrt this book ❤️

“Kori aankhon ka sapna hai tu,
Tujhse milu toh khwaish bunu,
Tere chune se jeeta hu,
Tere hone se hota hu
Na dikhe jo mujhe tu kahi,
Toh mai chupke se rota hu”.

Manik walked into the board room, aware of his manager tailing him all the while, and yet didn't stop twice before shutting the door on his face. He heard the man curse and blabber outside, but he ignored his ramble and walked to the revolving chair before sitting down, his eyes closing as he leaned back and sighed.

He had been irritated all day. He had woken up to an empty bed, her side cold and her presence just a fading memory. The sound of the running shower had calmed the indescribable fear inside his head though. He had only seen a fleeting glimpse of her wet hair sprawled over her back and the familiar bathrobe before Nandini had noticed he was awake, and she had looked away, refusing to meet his eyes and then rushed out of the room with her clothes.

By the time he had managed to take a shower, he had ten missed calls from him manager reminding him about the muiscana announcement, add to it the fact that he was already an hour late, and then five important texts from his secretary about the Malhotra Group merger. He had had to leave in a hurry, with no time to have breakfast, forget getting to even see Nandini again.

It had frustrated him more, really. The distance she had been trying so hard to put between them eating at him. It had lead to what it always lead to - him ending up angry and projecting his anger elsewhere. He had almost snapped the neck of that boy in the canteen who was apparently making fun of Rishabh's stutter. Threatening a resignation was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to what he could actually end up doing.

And then something unexpected had happened. Nandini had rushed in, and pulled him away from the crowd. Saved him from the consequences of his own anger.

“What is wrong with you Manik? You can't drag a student by his collor or threaten suspension? If he puts this on social media, it will be a huge issue”

"Did you not see what he did?”

“I don't care about what he did Manik. I care about what you did”

"What did you say? You care? You care about me now?”

Manik sat up, his lips curved up at that memory - the way Nandini had immediately rectified her words and tried to maintain her farce. But the bottom line remained that she had stepped in to save him from his own anger, all over again. She cared enough to do that for him. Maybe, somewhere inside her, his Nandini was still there.

“Go make the horrible songs you kept making when I could hardly get out of bed”

"Excuse me madam, the songs you are calling horrible fetched me a lot of awards and appreciation”

“but you lost me no?”

His smirk dropped as the remainder of their conversation made its way to the forefront of his mind. He leaned back again, closing his eyes.

How could she not see the purpose behind making those meaningless songs? All he had done is try to stay sane his way, and nothing more. But she was right. He had lost her in the process.

“Tumne hume akele chodd diya na Manik, Hum me ab mai aur tum saath hai hi nhi”
[ You left us alone Manik. Our US doesn't have me and you together now]