MaNan: The Kasauli Diaries|| COMPLETED

4. Strange Sensations!

~ at times, there is no explanation. There is no logic. Some things are explained by only one term-destiny!~

Nandini looked outside the window of her hotel room, the view was beautiful, the stars twinkling and the moon smiling down at her. It had always fascinated her- the night sky! How it followed each morning, without getting tired of the same old routine! How the stars and the moon helped the night to glow and then, bid adieu as the dawn approached. She smiled again, as a star fell down! Shooting stars had been exciting her since forever, but today that shooting star reminded her of the stranger. Of Manik.

Nandini had spent the first day of her trip, lazing around. After meeting the stranger, rather, Manik, she returned late, after 2 pm. The tiredness took a toll on her so badly that she didn't even see the morning. She had woken up after 12 pm, stretching her limbs and a extra lazy smile lingering on her face. Having a warm shower helped relaxing her taut muscles and the delighting lunch energized her further. But by then it was close to dusk anyways and hence she chose not to go out. She sat in the balcony of her room, on the relaxing arm chair, with a cup of hot chocolate and her favourite novel- ' Love Stories That Touched My Heart'. It was not necessarily a novel, it was a collection of short love stories, but it ran so high on raw emotions that it intrigued her. She had read those stories a hundred times, everytime imagining herself in the protagonist but to her dismay, none of the fantasies had come true for her.

The next dawn, found the lady sleeping on the same armchair, and the book lying upside down on her face. The chirping birds and the flower vendors broke her sleep and Nandini sat up, a smile on her face as she yawned. 7 am. Not bad. She quickly freshened up and got ready, in a simple indian outfit.

She jingled her favourite earrings before picking up her side bag and running outside. She had decided to visit, Manki Point, today which was a hindu temple dedicated to lord Hanuman but situated high up on a hill. You need to climb up a lot of stairs, which isn't that easy to say but it is definitely worth it.

Nandini reached the airforce station and deposited her cell phone and other gadgets at the told shop. She was making faces since she won't be able to take pictures when she heard a laugh. A familiar, heartwarming laughter.

"Hey beauty!", Manik wished her from behind and Nandini had a huge grin on her face, reasons unknown to her. But she somehow curbed her emotions and turned with a straight face.

"Hii manik!", She wished him and he raised his eyebrows. The tigress was acting too tameable.

" You too planning to go up?", He winked and she nodded, her mind now drifting again to the lack of cellphone and pictures.

"It will be worth it", he spoke softly as he deposited his camera and cellphone too, and then picked up his travel bag.

"But, would you be able to climb? I mean, if you are clumsy, I am not going to pick you up and climb", Manik smirked at her, successfully drifting her mind and Nandini glared at her.

"Of course. You are not SRK anyway", Nandini gave a sarcastic smile as she walked ahead, with him. No one asked, no one gave permission but finding each other, they automatically accepted that they were going to go together. Manik laughed at her reply.

"Really? Senorita! Bade bade desho me aise choti choti baatein hoti rahti hai", Manik mimicked SRK, too perfectly and Nandini's mouth hung open.
(Big big cities usually have such small small issues senorita!)

Manik asked her how was that with his eyes and she bent and saluted him.
"Jahapanah! Tussi great ho", both then started laughing at Nandini's reply.
(Dear lord! You are great!)

Neither had realized when they stared sharing this comfort level. Two days before they were fighting like cats and dogs and today they laughed and joked like they were long lost friends. Talking and laughing, they had already started climbing the stairs. 10-12 stairs, Nandini started panting, and sat down on one of the stairs. Manik looked at her, suppressing the chuckle, took out a water bottle and passed it to her. Nandini looked at him in surprise before taking and gulping the water down.

"Easy easy", manik sat down with her, rubbing her back. Nandini took deep breaths, before returning the bottle.

" You have too less of stamina you know, it's not good", Manik spoke, cautiously, not knowing how would she react to it.

"I know. Even Dr Bose tells me that", she shrugged and Manik raised his eyebrows.

"Dr. Bose is my senior doctor. Ummhh, actually I am a doctor by profession. I am doing my final year post graduation from Mumbai...", Nandini explained and it now dawned to him, though he couldn't believe it.

"You. Are. A. Doctor?", Manik questioned, pressurising every word and Nandini huffed in annyoance.

"Why? I can't be?, She asked, and Manik looked at her, intently.

"No, I mean you can be. But you don't like that types.", He answered sheepishly and she raised her eyebrows.

"I meant, how do you deal with blood, injections, death? You seem...Very fragile to me...", He answered her unasked query and by thay time Nandini had stood up, and they resumed their journey.

"I look like that, but I deal with those easily. I won't say it doesn't affect me but I have accepted my profession. So it doesn't really matter!", She answered, not looking his way, as the images from her college days clouded her mind. The first operation she assisted, the first death she witnessed, the cries and the screams, the blames and the fears. She had nightmares for an entire week after that, though she never confessed it aloud. Manik and Nandini kept climbing and Manik tried reading her face while she was so engrossed in her thoughts, but he couldn't. All of a sudden, Nandini being the clumsy girl she was, put her foot on a pebble and tripped, landing straight in his arms. Nandini had closed her eyes in the fear of a fall ,and Manik enjoyed the opportunity to read her features, up close. Her doe shaped eyes large eyes, the little nose, her luscious plump lips, the chubby cheeks that were naturally red and her soft alluring skin. Nandini opened her eyes and Manik made her stand properly, she was naturally embarrassed.

" I am sorry. I don't know...how...", Nandini stammered when Manik held her hands.

" Its okay beauty. After all, it was an inviting opportunity for me, to hold you that close", Manik winked and Nandini slapped his arm, playfully as he started laughing at her flushed face.

" Manik", Nandini pouted and he laughed harder imitating her.

" Nandini", he mimicked her tone and continued laughing but nandini, was lost already. In his laughter. And in the melody her name sounded to her when he spoke. It was the first time he had called her name out and Nandini was lost in the feeling. What was that sudden feeling that gave her butterflies in her stomach? Why did his laughter sounded so comforting to her? She didn't have answers but she definitely didn't want to know either. She wanted to enjoy this phase of life, with him.

So, as they climbed the stairs further, talking and laughing, something changed amidst them. Something, that both didn't realize. Something that both needed. Something that was soon, going to change everything!