ANAM CARA || A MaNan Fanfiction

Chapter 38: Mantra For Life

*Unedited*

The emotional atmosphere in Nandini's room had subsided and both Aryaman along with Manik were sitting on the two sides of Nandini's bed talking animatedly on different topics . Nandini, out of the blue asked, "Manik don't you have anything lined up for today? Are you free that you are sitting here? " Manik thought for a moment and then said, " Yeah! I am ", and their talks continued. The earlier silent room was now filled with their talks, but the happy time for Nandini didn't stay for long. A nurse walked in with an injection and a few medicines for her.

"No No No ", chanted Nandini widening her eyes. As Aryaman and Manik looked at her face, both started laughing. "Nandu still scared of injections? ", said Arya between his laughs. Nandini passed on a deathly glare to both of them which quietened them. "Nandini it's just an injection ", said Manik bravely, putting up all his courage on his shoulders. Well he had to act because he himself was hell scared of injections. The nurse asked one of the two to hold Nandini's hand so that she stop moving.

Before either of them could decide Nandini herself held Manik's hand. For her, it was just reflex but for Manik it meant the world. It signified that somewhere at the back of her mind Nandini has developed a solid level of trust for Manik. Even though Manik himself was scared he held her hands tighter saying, "Don't... Don't worry Nandini... It will... It will hurt just a bit ", Nandini looked up at Manik's terrified face to find out why was he stammering . She still didn't get why Manik was so terrified when she was being injected.

Aryaman nudged the nurse to go on with her work , while Nandini stood lost in Manik's face. She was observing how Manik's eyes were tightly shut and how her brows were crunched in some sort of tension. Manik was holding Nandini's hand tighter than she herself was. If any one will witness the scene, he would take Manik to be the one getting the injection. "Aaram se karna please. It will pain. (Do it gently please. It will pain) " said Manik closing his one eye and half opening the other. On the other hand Nandini had forgotten about the injection and all her concentration was on Manik's face. Her lips twitched into a smile on seeing such baby like changes in Manik's expressions. "Are you scared of injections Manik? ", asked Nandini as an obvious question. Manik opened his eyes and faced Nandini, making an embarrassing expression he nodded in a yes. This led to a huge giggle from all the three people present in the room. Manik turned his face and started looking at the floor, himself smiling at his stupidity.

But still Manik was very happy because Nandini was so lost in smiling and giggling that she didn't even feel the pain.

Once again, after the nurse went, both of them sat down like earlier to talk. In between Manik's phone rang once. He saw the caller ID, rolled his eyes , cut the call and started talking. When it happen two times more Nandini noticed it. She asked, " Kaun hai Manik? (who is it Manik?) ", Manik replied, "Ah! No one Nandini", Nandini didn't ask again. As his mobile rang for the fourth time Nandini again said, "Manik receive the call it may be something important ", Manik was still hesitant in picking up the call which made Nandini a little suspicious. "What is wrong Manik? What are you hiding? ", Manik replied immediately in a defensive tone , "No. Nothing. Nothing at all", Nandini found his tone to be extra careful but didn't do anything except giving him mixed look.