16. Beginning in parts

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Manik

"I know that she isn't your real mom. I know she's your...stepmom" I finally said it to her. I could feel her stiffen next to me. Suddenly the air grew thicker around us. I wanted to ask so many questions but I had no idea if they would be answered but I decided on taking a chance.

"Nandini I...I don't know if I can ask you this. I mean we aren't even friends but this thing has been bugging me since quite long and I can't hold it in anymore" I paused for a moment and continued seeing her standing there with a blank look on her face.

"Nandini the way you were talking to Harshad today, it legit showed how much you dislike or maybe hate your step mother then why are you helping her operate that strip club? Why haven't you notified the police about all her illegal activities? And also why are you tolerating Harshad? I really want to know Nandini" I completed hoping for her to answer.

She stood there silently and for a moment I doubted if she even heard what I said but then seeing her finally turn around to face me, my hopes of getting my questions answered increased. She stared at me for a moment and then turned around again.

"So what if she's my step mother Manik? Hai toh voh mere dad ki wife hi which makes her my....mother and being a daughter it's my duty to help her na aur rahi baat uss Harshad ki then I can handle him well so don't bother" she said, her back facing me. Even though I couldn't see her, I could make out she was lying.

"Don't lie to me Nandini"

"If you think I am lying then so be it" she shrugged carelessly as I gaped at her.

"We are on a break Nandini, you can share. I promise I won't leak it to anyone, not even fab 5" I promised but she still seemed unconvinced.

"Really? But I don't trust you Manik. Tum hi batao na if it was you in my place and I was the one asking you to reveal a part of your life toh kya tum mujhe batate? Kya tum mujhe trust kar paate?" Her question left me speechless.

She was right. I wouldn't have trusted her. Maybe if she would have asked me something like this then I would have gotten angry or worse, hurt her physically, knowing well about myself when I get angry. Also I have given her literally no reasons to trust me. We are always either fighting or misunderstanding each other so she was right to not trust me.

"You're right. Shayad main tumhari tarah itna calm nahi reh paata, I might have reacted in the worst possible way" I replied truthfully.

"But Nandini this time I am genuine. I really want to know and if you're in some trouble, I can help you out" I added but she stayed put.

"Its not that easy Manik" she sounded defeated and it pricked my heart. For the first time someone apart from fab 5 had managed to do so.

"I think I understand what you mean to some extent so take your own time" I sighed, giving up on my quest of finding answers and she passed me a grateful smile.

"And now since I kinda know a part of your life, it will only be right if you ask me something about me" I offered and she looked at me shocked.

"Manik Malhotra playing fair? Oh my God, is this a dream?" She said dramatically, looking at the sky making me roll my eyes yet I couldn't stop that small smile forming on my lips watching her antics.

Dramaqueen!

"Ho gaya dramaqueen?" I deadpanned to which she immediately sobered up but one couldn't miss out that amusement still floating in her doe eyes.

"Ok fine" she sobered up and looked at me seriously.

"Ab aise ghurti hi rahogi ya you have any questions to ask too?"

"Um I don't actually. I don't know what to ask you so you are free to say what you want to" she shrugged and Manik nodded.

"Since I know something about your mother, you should know about mine too" I paused for a moment to collect myself to reveal what I was going to and then continued.

"Nyonika Malhotra, the most important trustee of Space is my mother" I finally said it out loud and looked at her who stood there stunned.

"Wai- wha- I mean....how?"

"How? Really? Now you want me to explain you the entire process of how she became my mother?" I raised my brow at her in disbelief to which she immediately nodded her head in a no with widened eyes.

"No I mean I have never seen you and Nyonika Ma'am behaving like you know....the typical son and mother and also once I heard you calling her only Nyonika and as long as I know, no child does that so yeah..." she trailed off while I chuckled listening to her.

"Well just like your step mother has done something to deserve your hate, Nyonika has done a set of awful things too"

"So you mean to say we have a similar fortune when it comes to mothers?"

"You can say so" I shrugged agreeing with what she said.

"Whoa! And I thought you were arrogant just because you were rich and you liked showing off your power. Not gonna lie, I really thought you were a sadist whenever I saw your friends having fun out of someone's misery whenever they bullied someone"

"How is that even related?" I asked confused.

"It is, ofcourse! Arrogance is one of the end products. Who else better than me knows the perks of living with a she devil in guise of a mother, even though mine is a step mother" she said with a sigh and I nodded in understanding.

"So I guess our break is done then?" She asked after a silence of a few minutes.

"I think so"

"So now we are back to being enemies ha" she smirked.

"Totally" I smirked back at her.

"Thank you" she said suddenly as I stared at her confused.

"Thank you for playing fair and revealing a part of your life when you could have avoided doing so conveniently" she cleared.

"Nevermind" I said, dismissing her thank you.

"Its late, I guess we should leave now" I said, checking my watch to which she nodded.

We bid awkward goodbyes to each other and left the place in our cars soon enough.

All way home, I couldn't stop thinking of our 'break'. Truth to be told, I never really thought I and Nandini could have such conversations but tonight proved it wrong. It was an eventful night. This night made me realise me and Nandini could actually stay sane around each other which is ofcourse a big deal. I still can't stop thinking of her relationship with her step mother but I guess I'll have to wait a little longer to know.

Sigh.














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