Humesha | ✔️

Chapter 8

N A N D I N I

Hell sent us the most evil disease and we humans proudly call it love. Love is cold. Love is dark. But love is the kind of beautiful that you call home, but the kind of beautiful that is poisonous and you'd still drink it, love writes destruction, and ironical enough, we all desire the love that can destroy us.

And despite everything you be through, the wars that rage inside you, the storms that almost kill you, the times that your heart shatters miserably, you still smile and pretend as if everything is really nice. Warriors, aren't we?

"Thank you for meeting me, Nandini," he smiled his beautiful smile while I stared at the black tables in front of me, that unsettling fear still in my heart as I nervously stirred the black drink in front of me.

"Are you okay?" He asked again and I smiled at his sudden concern as I bit my lower lip and looked up at his perfect face which had that adorable smile on, staring at me.

"I am," I smiled back while he bit his lower lip too, and I could sense his nervousness as he brushed his hair with his hand. "Are you okay?", I mocked back and he laughed a nervous giggle.

"Look Nandini, I'm really sorry for whatever happened at the office yesterday," he licked his lower lip again rubbing his hands together, slowly placing it on one of mine and I smiled the genuine smile. He couldn't get better.

"Aaryamman, sixteen messages since last night to say sorry, three messages, two calls, and now in personal. Kitna sorry bologe?" I smiled squeezing his hand that lies under mine and he gave a sympathetic smile nodding negatively. Why is he so good, like too nice to be in this world?

"No Nandini, I know Manik. His anger is blinding, he does stupid things when he's angry, even if that means destroying someone's life to satisfy his ego....," He weakly smiled and I gulped as I remembered Manik's words ringing in my ears.

"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible and when I leave, you'd know why storms are named after people..."

Gulping my saliva as Manik's words re played in my ears softly and coldly, cold blood flowed through my body, and I hated why we were here all the way to talk about Manik. He was the one person I wanted to push away from my life, wrap him in a box and never open it again. And today being a Saturday, when there was no sign of office and Manik Malhotra, I don't even want to think about him, although I'm only doing that.

"No matter how much you refuse Nandini, I know I've made life harder for you. Will you forgive me?" He asked, sadness playing in his eyes and his concern was to die for. He was the kind of lover someone would live for, the kind of love that could gift an eternity within just a moment of love.

"Ofcourse I will. Is this supposed to be a question Aryamman?" I smiled and his smile widened, reaching his eye as the tension he had been holding all over his face softened and he left the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"So can I see you at the business party at my place tomorrow?" He asked, hope glowing in his eyes and the colour of my face faded.  Business party meant Manik. And Manik meant destruction.

"Aryamman... I— its a business party- I-....," I stammered hesitating and he frowned, all the happiness slowly vanishing and I felt so bad for him.

"Now I'd think that you haven't forgiven me?" His voice was just in a whisper and I hated turning him down this way, it made me sad looking at his face like a sad child who had been refused his favourite chocolate.