MANAN--In a different world

Chapter 19

Nandini was unable to figure out the present situation. All she could register was a sharp pain in her head. She some how got herself out of Manik's hold and went to the washroom.

Nandini splashed water on her face and the cold water had a soothing effect on the skin. Nandini stared at the mirror as water droplets trickled down her chin.

She stared into her own eyes on the mirror and tried to remember how she landed in bed with Manik.

All she could catch from glimpses was that they were at some party........ A man trying to get close to her......... Manik's sudden urge to drink........and and nothing. She was rewarded with another searing pain.

She closed her eyes to escape the pain. After it had subsided a little she came out of the washroom and saw Manik peacefully asleep. He had taken shelter under the pillow to escape the sun rays. His hair was messy and fell on his forehead.

Nandini could stand there watching him sleep forever. She was so taken in his charm that she went forward and bent down to plant a kiss on his cheek.

But the moment she lowered her head to touch his cheeks an ugly thought clouded in her brain. What if something had happened last night. They weren't like that. They were very good friends or may be the best friends who shared their problems and stayed with each other during hard times.

Nothing more than that. And Nandini had promised herself she won't fall into this. Not that she don't trust Manik. Its that she doesn't trust herself.

And she won't hurt Manik anyway. She backed off fearing this closeness may destroy the beautiful thing that they had built.

She stood there for a few more seconds and then took her things that she could find and hurriedly left from there.

Nandini had no idea where they had landed last night. She came out to find it was a hotel just a few blocks away from the scheduled party.

She took a cab and headed towards her home. She had a unknown feeling of guilt and she was clueless as to why. In order to calm herself down, she decided to sort out everything and then talk it out with Manik. She knew Manik would call her once he gets up.

She leaned her head on the headrest and closed her eyes to relax as the cab drove past the heavy traffic.

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Manik pulled his head out from under the pillow. He tossed in his bed to face the ceiling. He felt a headache and he knew it was due to the excessive drinking last night.

He opened his eyes to find himself in a room at some hotel. He got up and looked around and found the room to be empty.

He had blurry images from last night. He was...... was with Nandini and then he..... saw Soha.......and then drinks...and that's all.

Then everything was blank. Manik thought that he may have passed out. And since Nandini was there with him at the party and now she was not there with him he concluded that she may have put him in a cab and sent him to a hotel as he was drunk and then had gone home.

Manik got up and flipped open his phone to find 38 missed calls.
He checked them to find that 26 were from his mother and the rest were from his office.

Manik got up with a jerk and ran to the washroom. He freshened up and ran downstairs taking his car keys and wallet.
He hastily placed the money at the reception and went to get his car.

He rushed through the morning traffic and reached his home. He took the stairs seeing that the lift was engaged. He reached his apartment and as expected the door was open. He went inside and found a crying Mannat in her grandmother's arms.

Seeing Mannat in that state Manik cursed him for leaving her like that. He kneeled down in front of her and took her into his arms. Manik looked into her swollen red eyes and wiped the tears and hugged her.

"Its okay baby, Dadda is here now. Shhh... I am here.", he rubbed her back as Manni finally went to sleep in her father's arm.

Manik took Mannat to her room and placed her on bed. He came out of the room now to face his mother.

"Where the hell were you,Manik. I had been calling you. Do you have any idea what she went through last night. She had been asking for you whole night and had not closed her eyes even for once. I had to come to your apartment to find you at the middle of the night.", Nyonika shouted at him.

"Mom... Wohh", Manik tried to intervene but his attempt was futile.

"Manik I am telling you.... If you cannot handle your responsibility then don't you take them.", she spoke while taking her purse and walking out of the apartment.

Manik held his head and sat on the couch. He had terribly messed up last night. He was angry on himself for letting Soha affect him to such extent.

His phone rang and Manik opened it and without looking at the ID snapped at the person.

"Why can't you leave me alone.", he shouted.

"Sir..sir the meeting with Smith Industrial farm had been rescheduled.", the man on the other end replied quietly.

"What ?!", Manik stood up and headed to the study.

"Yes. It is has been rescheduled to be held tomorrow. And your flight bookings had also been done as ordered from the headquarters.", the man said.

"But it was to be held the coming week. Oh god.... Okay when is the flight? ", Manik asked quickly looking through the files.

"Sir, today at 7:30 pm.", the man replied promptly.

"Book another seat for Mannat. I will be taking her with me. And make the arrangements at the hotel too.", Manik spoke after sorting down himself.

"Okay, anything else sir.", the man asked.

"Nothing for now. I will call you once I need something.", and he hung up digging himself in work.

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It was 7:30pm. Manik was sitting in the plane with Mannat. She had forgiven her daddy for yesterday as she was overjoyed with the news of going to a trip.

Manik was completely buried into his work and handling Mannat and work was giving him a tough time.

Finally after Mannat closed her eyes for a nap and Manik was able to temporarily handle the things, he closed his laptop and leaned back comfortably. He had nagging feeling that he has forgotten something, something very important.... But nothing flashed in his mind.

He closed his eyes telling himself that it was just the after effects of a tiring day.

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Nandini waited for Manik to call. She had tried to put the pieces together but it made things worse. So she had decided to wait to talk with Manik. But there were no call not even any messages from him.

Nandini got restless with every passing minute. She could no longer hold herself and dialled his number, hoping he would answer.

Nothing....it went straight to voice message. She kept trying for the next 10 min but there was no result.

She now had tears as she found herself developing a disgust for a very special person with every call.

The only thought that rang through her mind after the call disconnected after the 15th call was that Manik is avoiding her calls. Her brain started framing the pieces of the puzzles. And all she could conclude was Manik was no different. He too used her and broke her into pieces. And then left her broken.

Nandini just collapsed on the floor as tears silently flowed down her cheeks.

Sorry for the late update but was really busy for the trip.

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Till then happy reading.