The Man Next Door🤍

Chapter 15

Nandini's pov

It's been a couple weeks and I am fully settled in Manik's house, my room is right beside manik's and in between cabir and manik's because apparently I need some kind of protection

I feel hollow, it feels like there is nothing that could help this void in my heart, in my life. You know, it hurt for a day or two that I wasn't back in my house but it hurts more knowing i am starting to become a burden on everyone

I haven't left my room in 3 days, I can't. My head has been throbbing for days now, my heart feels like any moment I will strain it and my body feels weak. I have been talking to abhi every single day because he is out of town so he doesn't suspect anything

Manik and cabir, I haven't talked to them at all, I keep telling them both that I am okay just busy reading which is true but I am so in my own head that those bad thoughts were rising again

I knock on manik's door but there was no reply so I know again but nothing, usually I wouldn't disturb him but I can't think of anything else. I open his door walking in the room

He was a sleep laying on his back, the blankets covering him up to his waist, he had a black t shirt on. I wipe my tears as that vein in my head hurts again.

I move his blanket slightly making room for me which causes him to wake up, he blinks a few times looking at me

"Can I please lay by you?" I ask sniffling

He doesn't say anything just moves back a little, I slips in beside him, my head on his chest.

"Whats going on?" He asks rubbing my back

"I don't feel good, everyhting hurts"

"What hurts princess?" He asks, his voice a little husky from being a sleep

"everything, my head is throbbing in pain, I feel like I can't do this anymore"

he pulls me closer to me moving the blanket to cover us both.

"Everything is okay, you are okay" he assures

"I feel sick" I cry in his chest

"You are okay baby, just relax. Breath though it all. you are overthinking a lot but I promise everything is okay"

"Then why doesn't it feel okay?"

He runs his fingers up and down my spine, his lips on my forehead

"Because you are overthinking. Abhi is okay in manly, cabir is sleeping in his room, you are right here in my arms. You know no one would hurt you here right?"

I nod fisting his t shirt

"Take a breath, deep breath in" he guides

"Manik"

"Nandini I said deep breath in"

I take a deep breath in

"And out"

i clung to him like my life depends on it

"Does my doll like stars?' He asks

"Fireflies, I like fireflies" I tell him

"And stars?" He asks

"Umm stars too"

"Then come on get up" he says

"No don't leave"

"Im not, we are going somewhere" he says getting up

I don't answer so he picks me up taking me down to the kitchen

"What flavour does my princess like?" he asks kissing my head

My heart flutters a little feeling his cold lips on my forehead

"I asked you something"

"I just want you right now, nothing else is going to help" I tell him honestly

"I am right here, does vanilla sound good to you?" He asks

i nod bobbing my head at him, he grabs a bowl of ice cream and then he picks me up taking me into his room again. He sits on the hammock that was shifted from my room to manik's

I sit in his arms as I look up at the stars

"You are okay, you are overthinking. The last three days you have been thinking a lot and im not sure if it's because you think you can't talk to cabir and I or if something is bothering you but I want you to know you can talk to cabir and I" he whisper kissing my head

"I don't know why but everything seems to be going wrong, every single thing is going wrong"

'what's going wrong doll?" He asks

"I feel like a burden living here, I feel like I should work and earn my own money instead of forcing myself on you and cabir. I looked through flyers, other websites for jobs but there is nothing, how do I earn money now? I should go beg but where?" i ask him

"See this is what pisses me off about you. Did anyone say you are a burden on us?" He asks

I shake my head looking at him

"Then why think rubbish and make up shit huh? You do not need to earn money, nor do you need to beg. If you want a job, ill give you one but this bullshit about begging and being a burden, keep it out of your tiny head" he says

I could tell he was angry and I get it, I always make him angry. His voice changes so fast too, along with the frowns that appear on his face.

"Sometime you should just talk to us instead of making up bullshit in your head, do I need to make a policy to have your door opened so we know if you are fine or not?" I shake my head at him

"Then what is it? Why create such crap in your head?" He asks

"I don't know any better, I am used to cooking up things in my head"

"Well change the habit, I am not going to ask again"

"Im sorry" I whisper leaning my head against his head

"Nandini when you think so much your head will make things up, talk to me, talk to cabir, abhi, anyone. You don't need permission to come to my room at any time of the day or night, I am here to listen and talk to you"

"I understand"

"Eat up" he says feeding me ice cream

a satisfying noise leaves my lips as I have the ice cream, gosh it's so yummy

"You know the last time I had it was before ma passed away, she and I used to go get some at the park" I tell him

"Why haven't you had it after?"

"My father never allowed me to have any because I would gain weight and then no one would marry me"

he chuckles a bit

"He is fucking blind"

"Bad manik"

"I am worse, wanna see?" He asks playfully

I giggle nodding making him smile

"You aren't in that place anymore, you are safe and protected here in this house, this is your house as well, remember that okay"

"It isn't"

"It is, half the fucking kitchen has decorations and let me tell you I do not let anyone put decorations up so this is yours house more than ours at this point"

i had put some little decoration pieces up in the kitchen, living room, I even put a picture of the three boys in the living room and no one minded.