MaNan: The Kasauli Diaries|| COMPLETED

6. A Walk To Remember

~ I don't think we are meant to understand it all the time. Some times it's just about faith~

Nandini sat cross legged on her bed, as she recalled the morning. A certain rosy glow could be seen on her cheeks as she remembered her own, bold move of hugging a stranger like that. She waited for the feeling of regret to come, or guilt, or something, but she felt nothing. It just seemed like it was meant to be. Why and how, she didn't know. She didn't even intend to know either. Though a tiny part of her huge heart was afraid to meet him again, which was now almost like a daily event, courtesy the coincidences, a larger part was excited too. So she took time of her own and looked painstakingly beautiful as she was finally ready to go out. Her heart was hammering inside her ribcage as she walked the streets of Kasuali, wishing every second to walk into him, somewhere, somehow.

The various colors in the sky were just blending, pink with purple and orange, the sun glowing red as the dusk approached near. Lost in the sky she actually was going to walk into a pole, when someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside. Nandini looked up at the man, her dream had come true. A big smile adorned her face while Manik mirrored her expressions.

"Yaar, if you seriously just wanna stay that close to me, just say it. Why do you want to bump your head?", Manik smirked as Nandini realized her position. He was holding her right hand while her left hand was on his chest, just above his heart that was beating as wildly as her own. Their bodies were so close that they could hear each other's breathing too.

"Hahaha...Whatever helps you sleep better", Nandini made a face as she moved away from him, immediately missing his warmth. Manik shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at her.

"So where to?", He raised his eyebrows and she shrugged.

" Just walking around", she spoke and he gestured her to keep walking while he joined her. For the first few minutes there was an eerie silence, as they kept walking, stealing subtle glances at each other.

"So..?"

"So...?", They both spoke simultaneously before laughing it off.

"I can't imagine you are the same girl who lashed on me three days ago", Manik shook his head as Nandini looked at him in shock.

"I didn't lash out on you. You literally flirted with me, and irritated me", she crossed her hands on her chest as they kept moving. An amused smile made its way on his face.

"I still flirt with you, btw. But you don't lash out on me now. Shall I think that finally my magic and irrestible charm worked?", He winked and Nandini opened her mouth to reply and then shut it off as she could think of nothing. Manik started laughing.

"Are you beginning to fall in love with me Ms beauty?", He winked again and Nandini scowled.

" You wish, stranger", she replied and concentrated on the road ahead.

"Nandini, what do you think about love?", Manik asked suddenly but before she could think of a reply an excited squeal came out of her mouth. She had spotted a huge, second hand book store. Nandini ran towards it while Manik took two minutes to understand what actually happened before following her.

Once inside the shop, Nandini was happily moving from rack to rack, shelf to shelf, choosing books. One section had an offer- choose any book for just a hundred rupees and she was selecting all her favorite ones from there. Manik smiled when he saw a certain books in her hand. Nicholas Sparks romances, Dan Brown thrillers, Paulo Coelho philosophies. She had all the genres in her hand but something that amused him was a trilogy she picked. It was The Immortals Of Meluha, The Secret Of The Nagas and The Oath Of The Vayuputras, a set of mythological stories based on hindu god Shiva and his life.

"Nandini you are intrested in mythology?", Manik asked, completing surprised.

" Ohh yes, very much. The Place Of Illusions is my favourite.", She answered too happily as she kept choosing books.

"But, you don't seem that religious", Manik asked again and this time she stopped and laughed.

"I am not religious. Just a little spiritual", Nandini answered and he frowned at her.

"What is the difference?", He asked with a poker face and Nandini laughed as she strolled towards the billing section, balancing almoat 10 books together.

"Religion without faith is spirituality. I don't believe in God exactly, but I believe that there is a supreme power. And though I am a hindu, I feel more at peace in a church or a gurudwara. I know I may sound utterly stupid but that is it. And I love mythological stories. They bring me peace", she smiled, as she paid the shopkeeper with a smile and Manik looked at her in awe. Holding her bags full of books, they came out and continued strolling  further.

" By the way, about your earlier question", nandini smiled mischievously.

" Why did you ask? I mean your next question will be the kind of boys I like or something so as to check if you have a chance? So cliche yaar", Nandini laughed and Manik smiled at her talks.

" Cliche is love anyway", he chuckled and Nandini made a face.

"You are such a girl", Nandini commented.

" seriously? You are carrying 4 Nicholas Sparks romances and I am such a girl?", He asked with eyebrows arched making a funny face and a minute later both started laughing.

" But seriously Nandini, you have ever been in love?", He asked again and Nandini smiled.

"Too many times.", She laughed leaving Manik perplexed.

" You are kidding right?", He asked and she shook her head.

"I am serious. My first love was Langdon Carter. Then came Augustus Waters. Then I had a brief fling with Robert Langdon too though he was two decades older to me. I also loved Ravin for a year or so, before falling head over heels for The Abhi. And then...", She was about to continue more when she looked at his horrified face. His eyes had suddenly lost all the glow and his lips had curved downwards.

"What happened?", She asked, with an innocent face, batting her eyelashes at her.

"So many?", He asked with a pout and Nandini nodded.

"I never believed in a forever love Manik. All that stuff is too cliche to be real life. Love is a strong emotion, and I have always made sure that I am in love only until I feel that strongly about someone. It shouldn't be about boundations, or about being together just because you are committed. It should be about love, and only love, and if either of the partners feel no more love, he should be free to go. There is no point sticking around just because the other one will hurt, because eventually the truth stretched will hurt more. So love until you actually love, and after that, let go", Nandini said, a different sparkle in her eyes as she explained. If Manik was a less smitten earlier, he was completely on the ground now.  This girl, was defiantly a master peice, one of its kind.

They had dinner together, at a pizza corner and later, Manik walked her to her hotel, talking about random things, and also deciding to meet at the gurudwara the next day. When she was about to go in, after all the good night's and laughs, Nandini turned suddenly.

"Manik?", She called, and he turned towards her.

"I forgot to add Harry Potter to the list earlier", she laughed before running in and a complete minute later, when he googled all the names she had mentioned, he realized that all of them were just book protagonists. The sad eyes were now replaced with glittering ones. Maybe, he still had a chance!