TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-55: The Fight for Us

The night was quiet and still, with the moon casting a soft, silver glow over the city. The hustle and bustle of the day had faded away, leaving only the distant hum of traffic and the occasional chirping of crickets. Nandini lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind too restless to let her sleep. The events of the past few days had taken their toll on her, but there was a sense of determination that kept her going. She knew she had to be strong, not just for herself but for the love she shared with Manik.

Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, the soft vibration breaking the silence of the room. She reached over and picked it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Manik's name on the screen. She hesitated for a moment, her thumb hovering over the answer button, before finally swiping to accept the call.

"Hi," Nandini whispered, her voice soft and tentative.

"Hi," Manik replied, his voice equally soft but laced with a mix of relief and concern. "How are you feeling now?"

Nandini closed her eyes, letting the sound of his voice wash over her. "I'm... I'm okay, I guess. Just a bit tired."

There was a brief pause on the other end, and Nandini could almost hear the worry in Manik's silence. "You don't sound okay," he finally said, his voice tinged with sadness. "I wish I could be there with you."

"I know," Nandini murmured, her fingers tightening around the phone. "I wish you were here too. Everything feels so different without you."

Manik sighed deeply, the sound full of frustration and helplessness. "I hate this, Nandini. I hate that we're being kept apart like this. It feels like every time we get close to being happy, something or someone comes along to tear us apart."

Nandini bit her lip, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes. She didn't want to cry, not now, not when they were finally talking. "I know, Manik. But we have to stay strong, right? We promised each other that we wouldn't give up."

"I know we did," Manik agreed, his voice firming up. "And I won't give up, Nandini. No matter what happens, no matter what anyone says, I'm not giving up on us."

Nandini felt a small smile tug at her lips. "You always know how to make me feel better."

"Because I know you, Nandini," Manik replied gently. "I know how much you mean to me, and I know that you’re worth fighting for."

Nandini's smile faded slightly as she thought about everything they had been through. "It just feels like everything is against us sometimes. My mom... she’s so stubborn, and I don’t know how to make her see that this is what I want. That you’re what I want."

Manik's voice was gentle but determined. "You don’t have to convince her on your own, Nandini. We’re in this together, remember? And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to her that I’m not going to hurt you."

"I know you won’t," Nandini whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. "But she’s so scared. She’s scared that I’ll end up like... like her. That I’ll get hurt the way she did."

Manik's heart ached at the pain in Nandini's voice. "You’re not going to end up like that, Nandini. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I love you too much to ever let that happen."

Nandini closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "I love you too, Manik. I love you so much that it hurts sometimes. And it scares me too because I don’t want to lose you."

"You’re not going to lose me," Manik said firmly. "We’ve come too far to let anything tear us apart now."

Nandini nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. "I know. I just need to keep reminding myself of that."