WRITER
Nandini and Manik were in a car, heading towards the destination. Manik could feel her intense gaze, penetrating like a knife, on his face, but he was too occupied already to intimate back. His life was a vicious circle. Everything had to come back to square one. This auction would open the knots. As he thought about it, anger flowed in my every cell. His face had become rigid, jaw clamped tight, teeth grinding and his hand tightly shoved through the steering wheel. He was driving too fast and rough.
"Manik, relax", she dabbed her hand over his shoulder and he gave a small smile in return. The speed was still fast, but lower than the earlier.
It was past 12 in the afternoon and the auction was around 12:30. He reached there, earlier considering he drove too fast.
Many took off my seatbelt and came out, while Nandini hadn't realized when they reached.
He came on her side, opened her side of door and she was baffled on his chivalry. He wouldn't blame her, though. Manik Malhotra would never do that.
"Come", he said and she blushed on his act.
She came outside and he could feel her awkwardness. The auction was already half accommodated, with other companies' CEO(s) and officials. It won't be easy anyway. But Manik Malhotra never lost.
"Manik, what is to be auctioned? The crowd provokes me to think that the auctioneer will present, something really expensive", she said and he laughed.
She was right.
"Come", he smiled, "Let's have a seat. You'll get to know soon"
They both sat on the round table, which was decorated by a vase of flowers and the refreshments were kept. Nandini was staring him intently and he could feel her pulsating gaze, but his entire concentration was on the auctioneer who was setting the podium to start the procedure.
"I won't let him win", he thought and iimmediately his fist clenched rhythmically.
"Manik, I'll need to use washroom. I will just come", she said and Manik just nodded.
Nandini walked around, and a sheer ray of confidence flickered, as she moved ahead. She loomed like she was even confident to stroll into the bar filled with intoxicated teenagers, sing a song despite being out of key, deafening even. This was just a mere auction. All the heads turned, as the sound of her heels went past their ears. Spellbound, were they seeing her walking around. A lot of men in the area had their eyes over her, but her vigilance didn't shift.
She reached the washroom and saw her reflection in her bathroom. She checked herself and put on the natural look, followed by a perfect coiffed hair.
Within few minutes, she went outside. Her phone rang and she connected it. In that moment, her eyes shifted and she didn't even realize, when her body was pushed against a muscular and broad structure. The fierce force took her aback and her eyes averted on the face. The boy bumped was staring me intensely, and she was wriggling uncomfortably. His structure lashed with terrific face, made her gulp.
He touched her shoulder slightly and she almost jump away from him. There wasn't anyone behind her even a while ago, when she came from the washroom. He gave her toothy weeny smile as she turned towards him forcibly. "Who are you?" he asked, as he was almost blocking her way, not allowing her to go to Manik. He rubbed his fist on his chest to say that he was sorry. It took a minute for Nandini to realize that he was sorry for bumping into her.
"It's okay. Sorry, my side", her reply was curt and short.
Nandini saw him that he wanted to explain but she didn't want to hear anything.
