MaNan-Colors Of Destiny

Chapter 14

(A/N: Here you all go with next chapter. Hope you like it. More views, comments and votes needed! Keep supporting. Thanks a ton. Love you all.)

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Manik: "Huh?"

Naman: "Huh kya? Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?"

Manik: "Voh... Mein... I... Actually.." Naman looks at me, crossing his arms and expecting answer from me. Is he trying to annoy me by imitating me? "I..."

Naman: "You came to meet my mom?" I look away. How does this kid know me so well? "Look, I know you are friends but my mom is married and my dad is way too possessive. If he was here, he would kill you right now."

Manik: "You have a dad? Where?"

Naman: "Yeah.. Obviously... Aryamann. Otherwise how could I be her son?"

Manik: "But... Aryamann was..."

Naman: "Umm... Yeah but..." Nandini cuts him by calling him. She turns and looks at me and we have an eye-lock. I look at her lovingly and she breaks the lock. She concentrates on the kid.

Nandini: "Baby, you didn't leave yet? I thought you would have gone down for snacks. Rupa Aunty (neighbour) said she made something special for you all. Take your friends along."

Naman: "Yeah... I was going to go but I bumped into this crazy guy and he started questioning me."

Nandini: "Naman, he is elder than you. You should give him respect." The kid looks at me from top to bottom and back up.

Naman: "Yeah right." Oh gosh! This kid has too much attitude. Manik, focus. You are here for Nandini, not for this jerk. The kid leaves the room.

The kid leaves the room and Nandini is about to leave when I hold her hand and pull her towards me. She comes towards me in a jerk and her hands rest on my chest. My hand moves from her arm to waist and she shivers with my touch. She closes her eyes and I find solace after 10 years, when touching her. She comes back to her senses and pushes me away.

Nandini: "Manik, what the hell are you doing?"

Manik: "Nandini, stop acting. It's been 10 years and look at how much you have changed!" My hand is still on her waist and she jerks it away.

Nandini: "Manik, stop this drama. Enough is enough. It's over between us. There isn't anything left." Cabir enters and sees us. "I have moved on."

Cabir: "Moved on? You forgot about Manik? Is he out of your life?"

Nandini: "Of course Cabir. I am married and I can't be cheating my husband... So of course, I have moved on." I stand still. Who is that guy? Aryamann right? Why is she so concerned about him all the time? What about my life?

Cabir: "How could you, Nandini? Do you know how much Manik loves you? Do you know that you affect him so badly?"

Nandini: "Cabir, he never loved me. I am not at fault. When I got expelled, he didn't even look back at me. He left me alone and look at me? I have moved on." What? Seriously? Now she thinks I never loved her? What the fuck! Then why would I even confess my feelings to her?

Cabir: "Nandini, I need to talk to you. NOW!" He pulls her to another room. I stand still, shocked. How could she think that I never loved her? "Manik, this cannot be happening." I fall down all of a sudden and lose my conciousness.
~~POV ends~~

Meanwhile,

~~Nandini's POV~~
Manik holds my hand and pulls me towards him. I fall in his arms and my hands automatically rest on his chest. His hand moves from my arm to my waist and his touch sends shivers down my spine. I close my eyes to feel him, touching me after 10 whole years. Despite the fact that I should be staying away from him, I can't. My heart and mind battle against each other and as always, my heart which craves for Manik wins. All my pain drains. All that I have built in these 10 years come crashing down. I find myself in his arms again. I suddenly come back to my senses and push him away.

Nandini: "Manik, what the hell are you doing?"

Manik: "Nandini, stop acting. It's been 10 years and look at how much you have changed!" His hand is still on my waist. I realise and jerk his hand away.

Nandini: "Manik, stop this drama. Enough is enough. It's over between us. There isn't anything left." Cabir enters and sees us. "I have moved on."

Cabir: "Moved on? You forgot about Manik? Is he out of your life?" He interrupts our conversation.

Nandini: "Of course Cabir. I am married and I can't be cheating my husband... So of course, I have moved on." I can't say this. I have never considered Aryamann to be my husband. I have always thought of him as the caretaker of my children in my absence and my really good friend. My heart hurts to say these words: 'husband', 'cheat', 'married'.

Cabir: "How could you, Nandini? Do you know how much Manik loves you? Do you know that you affect him so badly?" Affect? Manik, are you okay? Tum teek ho na? Don't tell me that this breakup has affected your health, just like mine. Wait... Nandini! Get a grip of yourself. Stop caring about him so much. He will be okay.

Nandini: "Cabir, he never loved me. I am not at fault. When I got expelled, he didn't even look back at me. He left me alone and look at me? I have moved on." Have I? Nope... I have become so good at lying. After all, I am not Nandini Murthy. I am Nandini Sharma, legally wedded W/O Aryamann Sharma. I just wished I was Nandini Manik Malhotra though. I quickly push that thought away.

Cabir: "Nandini, I need to talk to you. NOW!" He pulls me to another room.

(The incident ends. Now, back to reality.)

Nandini: "Cabir, what's wrong with you?"

Cabir: "Nandini, what's wrong with you? Tumhe kya lagta hai? If you tell you have moved on, mai maan jaaunga? Not at all. I know you inside-out Nandini. Don't do this to yourself."

Nandini: "What do you wanna hear Cabir? Whether I love Manik? Yes. I still love him. He affects me. Everytime I see Naman, he reminds me of Man..." Uh-oh! Zyada bol diya. Nandini, can't you keep your mouth shut for heaven sake?

Cabir: "Ek minute... Naman??? Naman and Nidhi are Manik's kids?" I bite my lower lip and avoid eye contact. "Bolo Nandini, are they Manik's kids?" A tear escapes from my eye. I nod, looking down.

Cabir: "What the fuck? You guys did it? When? How? Okay wait... You said you are married right? Toh kaise? Premarital sex? Pregnancy?"

Nandini: "Cabir, I'll tell you everything gradually. But please don't tell Manik anything."

Cabir: "But agar tum Manik se pyaar karti ho toh problem kya hai? I know you don't want to hurt Manik. I also know that you aren't that type of a girl who can keep things a secret for long. So if you really love Manik, then why are you running away?"

Nandini: "Because Cabir, if Manik and I get back together and break up again for a different reason... I can't take that pain. Everything I have built within me all these years has already shattered in a matter of moments. Mein apne aap ko aur hurt nahi kar sakti."

Cabir: "Okay fine, but at least tell me ki marriage and all, kaise?"

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(Next update will be on Monday. Till then, keep smiling and keep waiting for the revelation. Loads of love.)