The Passionate Ego

10: KEEPING UP WITH MALHOTRA

DAY 1 (KEEPING UP NOTES)

Manik preferred a healthy breakfast.
He likes meusli .
He hates fatty food like who the fuck avoids parantha's.
Manik likes to rise up early.
He has a strict routine.
He is a workaholic.
NOTED.

It was the first day for Nandini at the grand mansion and this whole Manik thing was already taking a troll on her. How can someone like him be normal.  He was a freakin robot not a human being.  It was new for her to see such a vacation guy change into a business delegate.
Manik had indulged himself so much into work that now he was avoiding her or that was just a thought to her.  Since her side of work was done by the week she engrossed herself after her vacation, Nandini had a week off from work. She was working from home though.  Doing the worst thing ever EDITING.  Come on everybody hates that changing ''is'', '' at'' and '' in'' was a hugeee mountain to cross.
The first day she woke up late not adapting to her surroundings and hence missed Manik at breakfast.  Damn that was a wierd though but it had been a routine to watch him have coffee at the table with meusli at the hotel.  Dang why healthy.

The whole day was crap.  Navya and Mukti were out about working and couldn't facetime her.  The workers at this huge palace like place were workaholics exactly like their boss who not even for a single second thought about her or called her up just in case to have a check on his guest.  RUDE.

Nandini was an explorer and sitting for the whole day on her bed watching netflix and editing did no good to her and it was time to get into action. She stood up from her bed walking out of the room into the darkness.  Kidding obviously the place had immense source of light but something was missing, it was too plain. The walls were beige and it felt so off like something is in pain.  Manik on vacation seemed to Nandini like a real expert with amazing choices but looking at this place felt like he was a man with two lives. MAYBE

Nandini's curiosity took her to a secluded corner of the mansion attracting her to itself when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Miss Maria.  Manik's cook.
"Hi! do you want something ?" she asked Nandini in a sweet tone.
"Maria aunt you scared me.  No no i was just roaming around." Nandini replied catching her breathe from the sudden attack. 
"If you are bored, you can visit the garden. This side is closed. " Maria replied in a final answer tone.
"Nope its nothing like that.  I am just curious. What is there in that room?" Nandini asked with curiosity written all over her face. 
"Sorry i can't tell you anything about that area and it will be better that you just stay as far from it as possible, Manik sir won't like you wandering around there." Maria replied and walked away.

Now Nanz knew one thing. MANIK WAS A SECRET KEEPER.

*********************************

For Manik his life was back on track.
Regular mornings with jog.  Meusli.  Meetings and late night dinner then moving back to sleep.
Waking up in the morning was not a big task for him but for Nandini it sure was, he thought.
Looking once at her room he smiled.  She was not ready for the non vacay Manik in his regular life.  She had for now seen him as a person with no work but here he had responsibilities.
He turned to take a glance at that closed door.  How much he wanted it open in his life but that was not happening and he wasn't letting it enter his life again.

He came back from workout only to find Nandini still asleep.  He wanted to see her so badly.  Walking inside her room he saw her curled up in a ball shape looking peaceful.  A peace he wished for in his life. Manik wanted Nandini. Don't know in which way but having her around was giving him some vibes.

He went to office like a daily routine and came back home late night while the whole house was sleeping but he could notice Nandini's room light go from on to off.  He was late.

After dinner he walked back inside his room to finish some unfinished business and that was his life in a nutshell with zero human interaction at times.

The whole day got Nandini bored she had no desire to watch anything anymore.  Her eyes hurt. The dinner was fabulous after being made by such an amazing cook and she made friends
with the gardner.
With the cook Maria.
Manik's care taker uncle.
And everyone she came accross.
The night was in and she was ready for bed.  Never been such an early bird but she was on a mission to have a human interaction from tomorrow but this idea was soo boring of early bed that she ended up reading a book and getting back to sleep while reading.
A voice woke her up when she realised it was too late and the lamp was still on shutting it off she called it a day.  Only if she would have walked out. Unaware she slept.

DAY 2 KEEPING UP WITH THE CASTLE KING

Manik was already in for his jog running around the bushes when something or rather someone brush passed him.  Nobody apart from him was ever out in the lawn for a run.  That's when he saw her.

"Nandini" Manik spoke with astonishment. 

"hey Malhotra. Looks like i found your fitness mantra" nandini smiled replying to him while pulling off her earphones.
"How are you up so early? " Manik asked.
"I thought it would be good to keep up with the king of the palace." Nandini replied starting to run back at her pace while Manik followed tryin to keep up. 
"So finally you think i am a king." Manik smirked.
"of your palace remember that." Nandini replied.
"Or i could even rule your heart one day you never know." Manik spoke increasing his pae now letting Nandini follow him up. 
"oh common just try keeping up with me idiot." Nandini shouted ahead.

AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

Manik came out all ready in a three piece suit
"You breakfast." Maria smiled while putting his plate infront of him.
"Yuck meusli" Nandini made a face while grabbing herself a chair.
"Oh hello this is healthy.  You gotta be in shape and health comes first" Manik explained.
"oh really you think this will keep you in shape.  Watch me." Nandni smirked while Maria got her breakfast, a plate full of poha.
"you call this healthy?" Manik raised his brows at her. 
"Look it has soo many healthy things." Nandini pinted at each visible ingredient.
"And its oily too" Manik replied stating a fact.
"You can avoid that too." ohh Nandini was not losing this.

Nandini kept filling her mouth while she scrolled on her instagram.
Manik couldn't take this torture anymore.
"I can't take this anymore.  I am leaving" Manik got up abruptly.
"oh hello where? " nandini asked mouth still full of food.
"Generally people like us have an empire to run. Goodbye." Manik grabbed his essentials and walked away. 
"But Manik-" before she could reply Manik was already out on the porch unlocking his car.

"Manik is not the same from vacation.  I better get him back on track before i go mad at this place.  Let's see how long you continue being the king here Malhotra. Game is on." a determined Nandini murmured to herself savouring the dish ahead her.

Manik hopped inside his car.
"I know exactly what you are thinking Nandini. Good for me.  It looked as if i lost my track of the mission on this vacation but it was just the start.  I started the game and its still on.  Hope you cover up girl." Manik smirked checking himself out in the mirror.