The Devil in Boots - Manan ff

Chapter 9

Three of them decided not to show up in college together. Abhi being Manik's bully will gain unnecessary attention to them. So Nandini offered to drop Manik to college, which he rejected at first but accepted later when she threatened him. 

Everyone was rooted to spot, mouth agape when they saw Manik with Nandini. Manik was getting uncomfortable with all the attention he was getting. "Um...Nandini" he called her uncertainly. She looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Can we walk separately?" he asked shifting uncomfortably on his feet. Nandini chuckled softly, shaking her head "Sure" and turned to walk away. "Be careful" she shouted over her shoulders. Manik just shaked his head a little and smiled, watching her disappear round the corridor.

Manik saw Abhi with his usual gang. 'It's weird how I don't hate him even after what he did to me' he was lost in his thoughts when he bumped into someone. "Am sorry. I was not paying at-" he trailed of when he looked at the person. Manik have never seen the person before in college, but felt too familiar. 

"Watch were you are going dude" the person sneered and left, bumping on Manik's shoulder intentionally. Manik still didn't move from his place. The voice was very familiar to him, it was tugging something in his mind. 'I should definitely stay away from whoever that is. he is bad news, I can feel that' he resumed walking towards the library.

"Am certainly going insane" he muttered to himself, taking a seat at his usual spot. 'what did Nandini wanted to tell me?' from the moment she said she wanted to tell him something important, he couldn't remove his worry from his mind. Yes he said he wanted sometime but he was worried. He was drawing unconsciously on the book he kept in front of him when he sat down.

"Nice drawing" he heard the voice of Nandini. She sounded amused and...worried? Why would she worry? "What?" Manik was confused. 

Manik's POV:

Drawing? What is she talking about? I don't draw. "I said nice drawing" she repeated calmly this time, taking her usual spot - opposite of mine. I looked at the notebook in front of me and was left speechless. I did draw and that too beautifully. When did I learn to draw like this? "h..how..why..I..I dont know" I stammered. She simply gave me a sad smile. She definitely know about this. 

"You know about this, don't you?" I asked her even though I knew she did. She simply nodded. I could see a flicker of something in her eyes, but it disappeared just as it came. So I dragged my attention back to the drawing I made few minutes ago. It was beautiful, even if I couldn't understand how I managed to draw one. It was a drawing of a girl, long hair that reached her waist. She was standing on the edge of a cliff,  her hands extended like she was calling someone to her. When I looked closer, her face became clear and I was again stunned into silence. I DREW NANDINI. My mind was working overtime. Why the hell did I draw her? And why was she so different in my drawing.

"I wanna talk to you" I stood up from my chair and dragged Nandini out of her chair and walked towards the exit stairs, which was always empty. I needed answers and I wanted it now. She didn't protest when I dragged her like that, maybe she understood what I wanted to know.

"I want answers" I demaned as I closed the door to the corridor. "What's happening here? Why am I living with you? How does my parents know you? How do you know me? How can I cook? How the hell I managed to draw when I know I suck at drawing? Why are you living in the middle of the forest? And why do I fell like everything seems familiar for me?" I was panting when I finished asking all the questions that were bugging me from the time I met Nandini.

She looked at me weirdly. A flicker of heart wrenching sadness crossed her eyes but she managed to cover it with her usual cold look. "Can we talk after we reach back in cottage?"  She asked calmly, like it didn't matter to her and I couldn't help but feel hurt. Why? I don't know. From the moment I saw her I felt this pull towards her and it was messing with my mind.

"No" I wasn't going to let it go that easy. "I want the answers now Nandini. Right now" my voice was steady and calm. It was like someone else was talking instead of me. She nodded and closed her eyes. There was a knock on the door, making me jump. I cautiously opened the door only to find Abhi standing there worried. Worried? For him? And how did he know we were here?

"What happened Nandini? Is everything alright? He asked her closing the door behind him. "It's time" that's the only thing she said and I felt Abhi going stiff. He took a deep breath and turned to me, his expression closed off. But what left his mouth was enough to make me fall back a step shocked. And for the first time I was really afraid of Abhi and Nandini.

"We are Vampires" his voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it and I knew that this was just the beginning.