The Passionate Ego

23: THE BALL II

Nandini walked out the building to a well lit patio area looking right at the stars abover her. This party was supposed to be amazing but maybe she could never fit in. They both had different professions but for some reason unknown to her Nandini wanted people to know that well Manik was taken and that they were happy and she meant something to her.

10 minutes passed with an inner turmoil of deciding if she wanted to stay here or leave so that she didn't disturb Manik's important evening by taking him away from people when she heard the door behind her click open and voice soon after "Abandoning people. Are we?" 

Nandini turns around to face the person whom the voice belongs to, "Edward?"

"Hey it's Edward" Edward chuckles walking past her to the end of the patio, "Remember me?" he asks offering her a class of wine.

"Oh common, you're my coffee partner. Well if i may ask you what are you doing here?" Nandini asks taking the wine glass that he offered.

"I am here as a plus one, for my brother actually. I know it's stupid i mean no date just bonding with brother" Edward gives a nervous laugh.

"Hey hey you don't always have to be on a date, no one's judging" Nandini shruggs trying to ease this guy. He was an open book.

"Even i came as a plus one." She adds further.

"Yeah i know i saw you with Manik Malhotra here. So your boyfriend?" Edward asks.

"Duh no. I just, well we are just friends and he needed a plus one and i wasn't doing anything great tonight so i thought i might help him out." Nandini answered in a single breathe.

"Oh yeah , just friends." Edward wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

"Hey i just said no judging and yes just friends." Nandini playfully slapped his arm turning to face the sky again.

"Isn't it beautiful tonight?" Edward asked.

"Uhuh very. I mean i never thought star gazing could be this great but by the way what is the IT smart guy doing at a Business Ball. I never took you as a business party guy. Huh?" Nandini turned to face him keeping the now finished glass at the side table and crossing her arms ahead her.

" No i am not. I actually hate business meetings and parties but as i said i am a plus one for the brother." Edward  answered.

"So your brother is a businessman?" Nandini asked.

"Yeah kind of. I mean he is not ome big shot rich businessman but an average entreprenuerwith quite some success in his hands." Edward shrugged.

"So you're telling me you have a company but still wanna work under MAria in her company. I mean no offense that women is great but you can actually have your own office and all that bossy stuff." Nandini ranted. I mean was this guy nuts leaving his company to work as an IT sector guy that too in a journalism department.

"It's his company not mine and well this IT guy wants to make a name of him own and not something his family came up with. I think if i work with my elder brother they're always gonna call me Frank's younger sibling and not Edward and i want to just be Edward, you know who works a 9-5 job and has an identity card on his desk." Edward smiled explaining his thoughts. "You're probably thinking that i am an idiot" he shrugged his shoulders.

"No No i just think that you are very brave and i respect your thoughts. You're a man, a self made man and i am so proud to be even talking to you here." Nandini beamed with pride at him.

"Thank You but shouldn't you be in there with your plus one right now" he asked.

"Nuhuh i think he's better off without me there." Nandini smiled sadly "I don't think i fit in."

"Well i don't think so" Edward replied.

"What do you mean?" Nandini asked.

"I mean that if he didn't care for you or was better off without you. That guy wouldn't be searching for you like a maniac inside." Edward smirked.

"Manik's searching for me?" Nandini asked astonished at the statement. She never thought Manik would even remember her here with so many people or most probably the people he belonged with.

"Yeah i saw him with you and then i saw him looking around for you. I think you should go and look out for him." Edward replied.

"Thanks i'll just go and check. See you tomorrow." Nandini rushed out but not without giving a quick hug to Edward that shocked him to his bits but he smiled at her retreating figure.

Nandini looked around for the familiar figure but couldn't find him anywhere. She turns towards the stair area but instead finds Katie talking to some associates and not to piss her off more or well piss Manik off more, Nandini decides to take the other way when her back bangs with a familiar masculine figure.

" care explaining your little vanishment adventure" came a husky voice that she maybe could hear forever.

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ANYONE HERE WHO SHIPS EDWARD AND NANDINI?