MaNan- We are married ✔

9. Denials

"Nandini what's taking you so long?" I said it out aloud enough for her to hear it as I leaned on her apartment's door.

"I was locking the windows and not to forget I had to check the gas too." She said as she came towards me with the keys in her hand. I moved aside and she locked the door. Then she walked a few steps ahead of me but I held her shirt collar and stopped her.

"Manik what is it?" She asked, irritated.

"I am still weak. So you need to help me get till the car." I said as I left her collar and she turned to look at me, crossing her arms around her chest.

"C'mon help me." I said as I lifted my right hand till my shoulder level and signalled her to stand beside me.

"You are all fit and fine now." She said.

"Who said?" I said as I leaned on the wall. "See I can't even stand properly."

"You are trying to take advantage of me." She said and frowned.

"Not at all." I let out a chuckle. "I really can't walk because my feet like hurts so much." I said, scrunching my face a bit.

"Monster." She said, making a bad face before coming and standing beside me. I mentally smiled as I side hugged her and put almost all my weight on her as a result she stumbled a bit.

"You are so weak." I said in a mocking tone. She shot a glare at me and said,"And you are so heavy."

Her expressions kept on changing from second to second and I knew she had been cursing me but I rather found that cute.

Unknowingly I had been staring at her and I hadn't even realize that at least not until the time I heard the elevator door ding. I immediately averted my gaze from her as we both walked inside the elevator.

What had gone into me recently? I was never like this. In fact even with her I behaved rudely and coldly. But recently I had been acting differently.

The two days I spent with her were like crazy. I annoyed and irked her and she rebelled against me but still instead of getting angry, I was happy.

"I genuinely cared for you Manik."

Her words hit me and I could feel my insides squirm. By any chance was I falling for her?

"Manik get on the car." She shook me a bit and I was snapped out of my thought.

I got on the car and she did the same too. "You guys have a really tight scehdule today. First the-" Cabir and Navya they both were busy reciting us our schedule but instead of listening to them I zoned out.

"I am not falling for her. Whatever we have in between us is just mere attraction and nothing else. This all will end soon. So I just have to maintain a safe distance from her and I can not drag her in my mess. I can not-"

"Manik you are okay with it right?" I heard Cabir say.

"Ahh yea." I said without even knowing what he was asking me about.

"Okay then that's fine with me too." Nandini said as she reclined on the seat.

"Thank god they agreed." Navya said and sighed. What did I just agree to do? Whatever.

Four hours later

"What! When did I agree to do that?" I said, totally surprised.

"Manik this morning you yourself said you would do it. You remember in the car." Cabir said, pointing towards the car.

"But I didn't-"

"Manik now you can not back off. I have already contacted a few paparazzi to sneak some photo of you two and c'mon it's just a fake date." Cabir tried explaining.

"Cabir we are going to date in public. Do you really think it will be okay?"

"You guys have to be okay. We don't have a choice."

"Cabir I am really exhausted after four long hours of continous shooting and you want me to go on a date with her." I said as I leaned on the car. "Is this even necessary?"

"Yes it is. You guys need to do this for popularity and even to show that you guys are real couples. Even the director has said that more social publicity will be good for your upcoming movie." Cabir said and I sighed.

"Cabir can't we just cancel this?" I asked with hope.

"Nope we can't." And my hopes were shrewd to pieces.

"This is so frustrating."

"We don't have a choice. So act natural and romantic." He said as he opened the car door and took out a bouquet of roses from the car. "Give this to her." He handed me the bouquet and I unwillingly took it from him.

"Go wait for her in the park. She will arrive very soon." He said as he made me turn and pushed me away. I turned my head and looked at him with puppy eyes. "Do I really have to do this?"

"Yes. Now go." He said as he waved at me. I sighed before turning to leave.

"Manik." He called and I turned to look at him, hopefully. "I will leave the car here and go with Navya. So drive home safely." He smiled, cheekily and that moment I so wanted to punch him.

But I controlled my instincts and walked away. Sigh!

I had planned to keep a safe distance from her but now here I had to fake a date with her.

"I am so screwed up."

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