#PRIVATE STORY#
Ten years is a lot of time, especially if you are not in contact with someone, isn't it?
Manik Malhotra and Nandini Murthy were childhood friends. Best friends.
Until, she left the city after her tenth grade.
And now she is returning...
~ How does it feel to let go off someone, who feels like home?~
It was raining outside, the first rain of the season, and Nandini was standing at the window of her room, gazing unblinking at the drops kissing the mother earth and then disappearing in the form of sprawled water. It fascinated her, a soft smile playing on her lips as she unconsciously outstretched her right palm outside the window, capturing few droplets in the cup of her palm. She was about to play with the collected water when someone sprinkled some on her face, startling her. She turned to find Manik standing beside her, amused at her expressions. Two more seconds, and he had started laughing like a kid at her, and instead of irritating her, it made her happy to be the reason of his carefree, reckless laughter.
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She walked a step closer to him, and it made him stop with his laughing session. Very carefully she raised her hand and touched his cheek, and he closed his eyes to lean into her touch.
"You look the best when you laugh Manik, never stop laughing this carefree!", She wishpered, and over the sound of heavy rain splattering on her window, it came out more muffled.
" I won't, not until you are there, with me!", He wishpered back, smiling, looking at her with so much love in his eyes that it made her go red in the face. He bent a little, such that his warm lips rested on her forehead, and before she could relish the sensation, a distant voice made her squirm.
"Nandini! Nandini!", The voice grew louder and closer and it broke her trance when the door to her room was banged open, with Manik standing on the other side.
She frantically looked at her side to find Manik kissing her forehead but he wasn't there anymore. Stumbling two steps behind, Nandini was about to collide with the window pane when Manik ran in and held her steady.
" Nandini, what's wrong?", He queried her, his eyes reflecting concern.
Nandini was not in a position to say anything. She opened her mouth but couldn't speak, and she closed it again, looking everywhere but at him. There was no way she could tell him that she just had a day dream of him, close to her, watching her with love.
"Nandini!", Manik was getting more worried, to see her that lost. But before it could worsen, Nandini got the grip on herself, and shook her head.
" Nothing, just a mild headache I think!", She tried to dismiss the topic, avoiding to meet his eyes, but Manik kept on looking at her, trying to see through the facade.
" Are you sure?", He aksed again, and she simply nodded. He walked her to the bed, and helped her lie down, covering her with the duvet.
" I will get you your coffee with choclate powder, it still relieves you right?", He asked, standing up while Nandini smiled watching him still remember every minute detail.
" Some things never change!", She blinked in affirmation, and it tugged at his heart, the look on her face, the happiness that he knew was there because he remembered her habit.
