MaNan : Aching Smiles|| COMPLETED

3. The spice of realizations!

~Sometimes the cliche scenes of bollywood are true. You need to loose someone to realize their worth~

With hurried steps and agitated mind, Nandini climbed up the stairs to his room, ready to pounce on him and have the answers of each one of the question that was killing her self respect and at the same time making her that restless. But, before she could knock on the already ajar door, she heard his voice and it made her stop dead on her tracks.

" Please Shivi, it's not the season of ice-cream, you will start sneezing tomorrow", Manik had a soft smile on his face as he spoke into the phone, and his eyes had a twinkle that she was craving to witness since the minute she had arrived back. The person on the phone replied something and Manik started laughing. It brought a reflex smile on her face too, it was like she was witnessing the same Manik she had left, the eighteen year old, soft and caring Manik.

" Okay my lord. I will pick you up in fifteen minutes?", He spoke again and walked towards his closet to take out another T-shirt and a blazer.

" No ways. No chinese. Pasta first and then ice-cream. That's final. Now go and make yourself presentable and let me get ready", Nandini didn't miss the playful tease in his voice as he cut the call finally, shaking his head at it. He looked adorable, he looked like the old Manik, the one she thought she would never see again.

Did that mean he was rude only to her? Did he demean only her? And who was this Shivi? Was Manik in love? The thought crossed her mind like a storm hitting her, and she took two steps back, running down the stairs to her room, and sat on the bed. Manik loved someone else? But how, and why? Her sane mind than chidded her. Why not? Ten long years have passed, and moreover it wasn't like they were highschool sweethearts or something. But she was his best friend, atleast he should have shared with her. Then it rang in her mind. She had answered her own question. She was his best friend, and now is only a stranger to him. Tears started rolling down her eyes. Why was not there any legitimate explanation to this sudden ache that was making her insides churn just at the thought of Manik with someone else?

The door pushed open and Pakhi entered with a cup of coffee. Nandini hastily wiped the tears and forced a smile, taking the cup of coffee from her.

"Maa, who is Shivi?", Nandini blurted as soon as Pakhi sat beside her and Pakhi frowned at the name.

" Shivi? Oh you mean Shiwali?", Pakhi sipped her tea and Nandini shrugged. She didn't really know Shivi or Shiwali or whatever.

"She is Manik's bestest friend. The only person I see the glimpses of my old Manik with", Pakhi had a sweet smile at the mention of her name.

Great! Even Pakhi maa was bitten with this Shivi!

" Best friend?", Nandini promoted again and Pakhi looked at her, and sighed.

"I know beta you call yourself his best friend but these ten years you also might have had other friends na. Shivi is Manik's college mate, she chose to do her PhD in psychology later and is a known pshyiatrist in Mumbai as of now. Manik never kept any contact with any of his other friends from school or college, but Shivi didn't stop pestering him. As much he tried to push her away, she sticked to him with the same strength. He chided her, scolded her and even closed the door off at her face several times, but this girl I tell you, she eventually broke all the walls around him. Manik and Shiwali are like everything to each other. They bicker like siblings, fight like best friends, respect each other like colleagues but moreover understand each other like two pieces of the same puzzle. There have been times when Manik couldn't open up to me, but Shiwali knows when and how to push his buttons. That girl is something amazing. You will love her once you meet her", Pakhi spoke, ruffling Nandini's hairs and Nandini forced a smile at her, trying to dodge her gaze by concentrating on the coffee. 

A few minutes later, Manik called out for his mother and Pakhi rushed out, along with Nandini on her trails.

" Maa, I am taking out Shivi for dinner. Don't wait for me", he kissed his mother's forehead like every day and smiled at her.

" But beta, Nandini made the dinner at home, specially for you", Pakhi spoke glumly. She knew this would hurt her and she didn't want the relation between Manik and Nandini to worsen further.

"I didn't ask her to maa. Moreover she could have asked me if I was free or not. Not my fault", he raised his hands and shrugged before picking up the keys and left.

Pakhi turned to find Nandini standing , her gaze lowered as she fiddled with the coffee mug and silently walked away. Pakhi sent a small prayer to her god. She could not see her children hurt, especially when she could see that her own son was behaving wrong. Nandini was more than a daughter to her, and she could not see her in tears, again and again.

Manik returned after half past twelve, the keys rotating around his right index finger and a whistle blowing via his lips. He was feeling good and relaxed, after a few painfully tiring days. But one look on the drawing room sofa and the curve of his lips shifted downwards. There lay Nandini, her head on the armrest of the couch, her feet dangling down and her cheeks wet with tears. Manik shook his head at the sight. This girl would drive him crazy one day. Helpless, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to her rook, carefully tucking her in the duvet. He was about to leave when something stopped him, and he turned to look at her again.

Bending down, he kissed her forehead  and wiped her chubby cheeks, as a reflex tear rolled down his cheeks. Hurriedly wiping it he ran out of her room to his own and sat on his bed.

No, he could not fall weak, again.

Disturbed and frightened, he dialled the only number he knew would pacify him.
Shiwali!