Cordially, Yours!

-54-

Nandini closed her eyes and the breeze softly caressed her face taking into her into the love of past. 

"Good morning!" his voice whispered in her ear and a warm breath patted her cheeks. His faint face vividly formed in front of her sleepy eyes and he caged her over the many blankets she was wrapped in. His cold lips planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and her cheeks heated at his feather touch. 

"Good.."

"Sh...This would last only for some time and we'll hold on to this as a memory later, but I promise I'll hold on to you for a forever!" he whispered and closed her in a bear hug.

"Tumari adaat si ho gai hi, Manik!"

"Bad or good, I mind neither" he winked back and smirked.

"Uff.." she irritated at his legging-pulling and pushed him back to get up from the lazy morning when he slightly tugged on her wrist making him fall back on the soft bed right in his arms.

"Adaatein bohot kam jati hi, Nandu! And I promise, I'm your addiction!" he whispered in his husky voice and sunk her deeper into hold. Their proximity was threatening and Manik leaned in to feel her plump, soft lips that quivered at her gushing heartbeats. She closed her eyes and slightly inched forward when her lips found their nirvana and tingles paced her insides. 

"Manik, sab neeche.. they might be wait.." she thought to herself and was about to break away to voice it when he deepened the kiss and his hold as an unsaid negative answer to her thoughts. His hands lazily roamed on her shoulders tugging her shirt here and there while she snuggled in closer nestling into his love. 

"Nandini! Nandini!" Aryman's voice barely reached her senses when a shake jostled her back to reality. 

She opened her eyes when the light drizzle of the rain fell on her. Aryaman's voice felt fainter with each second as his presence disappeared with his voice calling out for her come inside behind him. But, she stood there still, soaking in the reality that she felt internally and externally. Was he the answer, still? Was she wrong? Is she still wrong?

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Aryaman laid on the bed besides Abhimanyu and ruffled his wet hair from with a towel. His and Nandini's discussion had been interrupted by the pour-down. Seeing that both of them were soaking wet in the cold night, they had to part their ways and call it a day. They had reached somewhere, but not where he wanted to be. He knew their small chat had led her thinking and may have even led her to the answer for her questions till now, but that wasn't his goal! She had been thinking previously, and he bet himself that she would be even thinking now. The point that he totally lost on was to get her to voice it. As much as he knew that pondering internally about a problem was important, voicing and putting a finger on it was also essential. And just like what he had seen with Abhimanyu, Nandini too lacked that. Just like him, she would keep thinking, internally frustrate and blame but would never demand anything in words.

Frustrated at his failed attempt, he grumpily shifted on the bed and lied down with a big shift. The sudden thud and sinking of the bed woke Abhimanyu up and he crankily snickered at him, 

"Kya hi dude! Aram se!"

"Tu kar aaram stupid, lazy!" The grumpy tone caught Abhimanyu's attention and he blinked his eyes to turn towards Aryaman. 

"Kya hua bro?" he questioned concerned and sleepily. 

"Nothing!" Aryaman cut him off. 

"Spit it" Abhimanyu demanded. 

"She's just like you!" Aryaman started off randomly. Knowing the "her" that he talked about, Abhimanyu shifted up and drew closer attention to his words. Knowing that he was listening now, Aryaman continued,