Manan ff : College Diaries

chapter 34. Valentine's Day ( a )

The apartment
8 '0 clock in the night.

Well. .....today is Valentine's Day. .....no. ...no. ....no. ......don't get the wrong idea's. .....that I am keen on celebrating Valentine's Day! !!!!!......its just that. ....I had spend the whole day, helping Navya to bake a cake for Cabir. .....and Navya being Navya. ......she actually recited 101 ways of propseing your partner on Valentine's Day. .....I mean. .....propose karne ka gyaan mere kis kaam ka. ......thodi naa main Pervert Malhotra ko propse karne wali hu! !!!!!!
The mere mention of his name in my thoughts, made my heart go wild and I started blushing.
After the kissing expedition, this is the disease which has infected my body, badly.
My heart  (happily ) : symptoms of love! !!!!!!!!
Well. .....I was dragged out of my dreamland, as the door bell rang. I rushed towards the door and unlocked it, only to find Manik smirking at me.
Me ( pov ) ( brain storming session ) : Mr Pervert and smirking? ????.......DANGER
Before I could say anything, Manik handed me a bouquet of red roses and genuinely said " I LOVE YOU "
Me ( pov ) : I love you? ???????????????????????
Me ( hell shocked ): wait. ....what???????. ....
I mean, this guy is really crazy. .....standing on the threshold of the apartment. ......he is PROPOSEING me. .......can't he just come inside and propose me? ?????? (realisation hit me )......do I want him to propose me ??????????
Manik ( blushing ) : I said. .....I love you Nandini. ......
Ohhhh my goddess. .....I am gonna die seeing him blush. ......
Getting no response from me, Manik stepped inside the apartment and bolted the door.
As soon as Manik turned to face me, I instinctively placed my hands on his forehead and started checking.
Manik ( chuckled ) : kya kar rahi ho? ??????
Me ( engrossed ) : tumhara tabiyaat theek hai naa? ?????.......kahi tumhe fever toh nehin hai naa? ?????......yah phir. .....some kind of head injury? ???????
Manik (pov ) ( making a bad face ): hey bhagwan. ......kya karu main iss ladki ka? ????????
Taking my palm in his hands, Manik calmly tried to explain "main bilkul theek hu. .....mujhe kuch nehin hua hai! !!!"
Me ( not at all believing ): nehin. ....tumhe zarur kuch hua hai. .....
Holding Maniks hand, I dragged him towards the sofa and made him sit forcefully. While, I myself sat on the glass table, facing him.
Me ( worried ): Manik. ....tum theek ho naa????. .....I mean. .....suddenly tum ne I love you bola. ......you know naa. ....IT'S A BIG THING. .....
Manik ( lovingly ) : Nandini. ....I genuinely feel for you. .....that's why I said. ....I love you. ....
Each and every time, when Manik uttered the word 'I love you ', my heart just skipped a beat. But my brains said a big' NO '.
Gosh. .....why is it so confusing? ????.....my fiance. .....my future husband is saying' I love you '......but I am not able to accept it. .....I am having doubts. .....I am scared. .....
Automatically the sweat beads started forming on my forehead and my heart started thumping like a mad dog.
Understanding the situation, Manik took my hands in his and calmly said " Nandini. .....just chill. ......I have recognised and confessed my feelings for you. ......lekin iss ka matlab yeh nehin. ....ki tum bhi mere liye wahi feel karo. .......take your time. ..... I will be waiting. ......and always stay by your side. ......
I know, his words are soothing and his eyes are so sincere, that my heart just wants to believe and trust Manik. .......but the scars of my past. .....somehow doesn't allow me to do so. .....
Me ( freaky mental ): yeh sab baatein kehne ke liye hoti hai Manik. .....what if. ....ane wale saalon mein mujhe koi aur pasand aa jaye. .....what if. .....main kisi aur se pyaar karne laagu. ......tab tum kya karoge? ??????
I don't know why, I asked this question. ......but somehow Maniks reply mattered to me. ....
I Impatiently looked at Maniks dull face.
Manik ( seriously ) : Nandini. ....look. .....I AM NOT A SAINT! !!!!!......If you fall in love with someone else. ..... (Manik closed his eyes in frustration ) (after a long pause, Manik opened his eyes and looked at Nandini, with full determination )........I WILL BREAK THAT GUY'S NECK! !!!!!.......AND MAKE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH ME. ........
I was shocked by Maniks reply and my eyes popped out. "MANIK IS ONE HECK OF A CRAZY LOVER " my heart screamed and my brains accepted, for the first time.
Manik ( narrowing his eyes ): ab bhi koi doubt hai. .....with the fact ki I love you. .....
I just nodded my head in a no, still in a daze.
Getting up from the table, I started to leave.
Manik ( chuckled ) : kaha jaa rahi ho? ?????
Me ( confused ) : I am feeling sleepy. .....
Manik ( with a smirk) : good night. ....love. ....
Again that word "L-O -V -E ".Gosh. ....its going to drive me crazy.