MaNan: The Kasauli Diaries|| COMPLETED

8. oh Romeo!

~~ The feeling of his warm breaths falling over mine, creating nuzzling sensations in my tummy, I can even exchange a jar of nutella for that,~

Manik looked up at Nandini who had her eyes dilated. She arched her eyebrows, and he gulped nervously, clearly unable to speak.

" Why are you stuck on one thing?", She asked, a few seconds later, and everything around him froze. He had a clear chance to tell her the truth, but then he hadn't deliberately hidden anything either.

"Just imagine a scenario", he shrugged casually, trying to sound cool.

" Achhha baba, imagined. And guess what I am imagining? You, standing on a stage, crisp white shirt and blue denims, and this hair of yours dancing in the wind", Nandini giggled as she ran a hand through his black hairs, messing them up, but for the first time in his life, he didn't mind. Her excitement was contagious.

"And then the crowd cheers, Manik, Manik, Manik, and you blow a kiss at all melodramatic girls standing there", Nandini flared her nose, she was getting jealous of her own imagination.

" You don't mind that? Me flirting with all those girls?", Manik smirked, and Nandini giggled.

" I am not your girlfriend mister, to be jealous of random flings anyway", this time it was her smirk that make Manik shook his head.There was no way he could win an argument from her. But then, one can always try.

"But Nandini, you live in mumbai, that is practically home to so many actors, both bollywood and television. You didn't meet anyone, ever? Or, maybe wanted to meet someone?", Manik questioned as they sat down again, near the bonfire and Nandini laughed at his way of asking the same question again. It was time to have some fun.

" Obviously I did. I mean I met a few accidentally, in KEM Hospital, in the metro too. But personally, I hate fakeness. And that industry is full of that you know. People there need to hire PR for their public image. From an interview to a reality tv show, everything is scripted. And then, glamour and money make it more competitive and also, cheap. I don't have a grudge with those people, but I definately do not like this tactics either!", Nandini cringed her nose as she spoke, simultaneously playing with the can of coke in her hand.

" But is not it applicable in a normal person's life also? I mean not everyone is what they show. Not everyone actaully want to smile when they do. Atleast that industry paya for the so called fakeness", Manik tried reasoning and Nandini looked up at him, impressed.

"Mr. Flirt is good with philosophy too. Nice", Nandini giggled, totally ignoring what he earlier said.

" By the way, leaving your duties as a doctor, why did you come here? That too alone?", Manik questioned again, the one question that hud bugged him since long. Nandini just smiled at the question, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. What was she to explain him, when she couldn't explain it to herself ever.

" You know Manik, everytime the necessity of life is not same. Sometimes you want to cradle your beloved in your chest, but sometimes you also wish to be cradled by certain someone. I am, basically searching that 'home' to me", Nandini tried explaining the best she could but Manik frowned at her answer.

"Are you trying to tell that you came to find your prince charming here?", Manik rolled his eyes and Nandini burst into soft, melodious giggles.

"No! Home is not always finding the love of your life Manik, as the cheesy movies show. Though I don't mind it, but this is not why I came here. It is like, a weird restlessness kept me awake at nights. A lingering feeling that there is something out there, which is mine, something that will fill the void in me. I didn't know what though. So, I just fleed and came here. Just like that", Nandini laughed and Manik was amazed at the crazy head sitting with him.

"Just like that?", He tried confirming and Nandini rolled her eyes.

"Yeah" , her cheeks now getting red under his scrutinizing gaze.

" Why are you blushing by the way?", Manik smirked seeing her and at his sudden question, the shy nandini disappeared again bringing back the original drama queen.

"Because this love filled gaze that you are showering me with, is too much to bear, oh romeo!", Nandini spoke tongue in check melodramatically and it took Manik approximately a minute to realize what she said.

"What the hell? Romeo?", Manik looked at her like she had grown two horns.

Nandini bit her lower lip to control the bouts of her giggles and shifted towrads Manik, her index finger tracing his forehead to nose to the chiseled jaw.

"Yes Romeo! I have waited centuries for you to come. My Romeo!", Her finger now played with the collar of his shirt, and her left hand already om his left thigh. Manik swallowed, was this girl really in her senses?

" N-nandini?"

" Oh romeo!"

" Nandini please"

" Please what romeo? Let me quench my thirst of centuries", Nandini continued with her drama and suddenly the night was too hot. Sweat drops trickled down from one side of his forehead as she leaned closer, her breaths falling over his lips. Manik closed his eyes, as he sensed her leaning more closer and then suddenly it was the sound of a click. Boom!

He opened his eyes only to find a laughing Nandini holding a picture with blushing Manik.

" Nandini yaar!", Manik spranged on his feet to catch her while she was already on the opposite side of the bon fire. The cat and mouse chase begin as they played like two kids, the silence of the night breaking with their laughter. Finally tired, both sath down next to each other, still trying to calm down their raging breaths.

"I am hungry.", Nandini pouted at Manik who made a face before digging out fruit cake from his bag.

" Have this. So much for a girl who just tried to seduce me", manik rolled his eyes again as Nandini grabbed the cake asap.

" Stop with the rolling. There isn't any light, camera and action here", she mentioned casually nibbling on her cake.

" It was a joke?"

"Kinda"

"I don't like jokes"

" I don't like you"

" Oh really!"

"Gosh! I can't believe we imitated shahrukh- kajol. You are turning me into a full blown melodramatic", nandini sighed and Manik looked at her with a bad face.

"Atleast it was better than your 'oh Romeo' shit", Manik fought back and Nandini smirked.

"Of course,that was making you loose control", she laughed unaware of what she said.

"So that means you want me to loose control haan?", It was his time to smirk.

"I-i didn't say t-that", she stammered as his smirk went wider.

"Well practically you did", Manik said as he held her left hand dragging her close to him. For an entire minute there was silence as Manik sat with Nandini snuggled into his chest.

But before he could tease her more, he found her asleep in his embrace, a small smile adorning her face. He sighed, and picked her up to take her to his rented car for the evening.

As he walked effortlessly, like she weighed nothing, Nandini opened one eye to look at his face, before closing it off immediately. Man, he was hot.

But then if Manik Malhotra was an actor by profession, Nandini Murthy was born talented, specifically when she knew who she was dealing with.