𝐈 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞 𝓦𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 ✅

Chap 25

 The other end bombarded with questions as Manik picked up the headset. He froze at his place and his lips curved upwards flashing a beautiful smile, which showed up only a few countable times these days. He held the set tighter in his grip and sighed heavily as if taking in the melodious, chirpy voice in the treasure trove deep inside his heart.

How much he missed hearing from her. How much he missed hearing her continuous rants about something or the other. How he missed the happiness, the peace, the positivity that radiated through her voice.

It had been 13 days since he heard her and 18 days since they talked 'normally'.

He missed her...

Did she miss him too? He questioned himself.

His thoughts came to a halt as he heard the door creaking. Anant was here, Manik forwarded the headset half-heartedly towards him. Moreover, he knew he couldn't control his tears if he held that phone any longer.

Father-daughter talked for about half an hour. Manik could sense her giggling on the other end each time he saw the strict senior officer pouting as if the other one had been showering a number of accuses and teases making Manik smile for the second time in the last few minutes. And that was noticed by the father Murthy, who smiled inwardly. No matter how many times Manik was unwilling to talk about anything related to her each time Anant asked something, he knew something was surely going on, but he wouldn't force them to share until they themselves wanted to.

The ship parked, and the officers started to make their way out uniformly after wrapping up with the last moment chores.

On Manik's insistence, Anant stepped out earlier. Cause Manik knew how much Nandini is close to her father and might be eager to meet him as he had seen that since childhood. Anant insisted him to come along too, but he denied saying he had some work left and would come later. Anant didn't think much and let go of the matter cause he himself was desperate to meet his princess as well.

A girl with long silky jet black hair and milky white complexion jumped on the old officer in white uniform and a bag in the left hand. The man stumbled a few steps back to balance both from falling as the bag in his hand now rested on the ground.

She looked cute in a bow tie open back, high waist vintage black and white plaid dress. She looks great in anything she wears, to be frank. Be it an exclusive gown or a simple regular frock, he thought.

Manik found himself staring at her with admiration from the deck of the ship until her eyes landed on his making her sigh visibly... as if those pair of eyes were searching out for something and finally found it. Without a moment's delay, he broke the eye contact and made his way inside the ship to grab his bag.

Eye contact was surely a dangerous thing.

She cringed her brows and huffed aloud. "What happened? All okay?", asked her concerned Daddy dear.

She nodded. "Yep. Let's go home. Mom is waiting for you." And dragged her father throwing a last glance at the door of the voyage.

Only after ensuring that she had left, he made his way out just to avoid any kind of interaction with her.

Six days passed since he came back to the harbor but still couldn't bring his joker friend back despite trying multiple times. Cabir was still giving him a cold shoulder.

"Cabir!!", Manik called out seeing him at the Officer's Mess during lunch break.

He ignored. Manik strolled closer to him and said with desperation dripping down his voice, "Cabir, please talk to me?"

And again he effortlessly ignored. But he failed to notice the smirk in his lips and said, "I'm ready to do anything to get you back. Tell me what do I need to do?"