MaNan: Breaking Free

37|Suspicions

(A/N- The lovely new cover has been made by Parthxlife )

Manik's POV-

"No, I am not going to change my mind."

Cabir, Mukti, Alia, Dhruv and Navya are all looking at me reproachfully. I have just told them that I am not going to perform with them in the Musicana final. Nandini is perched on a window in the corner, staring at nothing in particular. The last few days have been really hard on her and she is just starting to come to terms with everything that's happened, Musicana and then finding out that her own mother drugged her. I am not about to make things worse for her by taking her place. She can say whatever she wants, but I know better.

"Manik!" Alia and Mukti groan in unison. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! The winners are going to get the chance to record an album with a leading music label." Mukti goes on. "There are so many people who struggle all their lives and still don't get an opportunity like this. And we have a real shot! Please, Manik." Mukti pleads. "Cabir, tu kuch bol na!"

Cabir looks at me, then at Nandini, who is leaning on the wall now with her eyes closed. "Dekh Mukti, agar Manik ne soch liya hai ki usse perform nahi karna hai toh hum usse force toh nahi kar sakte na. Aur kitne din aisa chalega. Aaj ye competition hai, uske baad album hoga, uske baad aur kuch hoga. We can't force him to perform with us everywhere. It's not fair to him. He has a life of his own and also the right to choose his career."

"Cabir's right, Mukti." Alia puts her arm around Mukti. "For now, we should just be happy that we got to perform and people loved our song so much. Did you see? It's trending everywhere. We're popular! So cheer up." She says cheerfully. "And this is not the end of the world! We'll get more opportunities."

I look at Alia and Cabir and mouth 'thank you' to each of them. They really made this a lot easier for me. Mukti is going to be more difficult to come around. But she'll understand in the end. They leave one by one, leaving me alone with Nandini. I go to her window, push her forward and squeeze in behind her.

"Hey." I murmur into her ear, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her in.

"Hey you." She whispers back and leans in for a kiss. Ever since she told me about her childhood and parents, all barriers between us have completely broken down and it truly feels like we are one unit. I can't imagine how much strength it must have taken her to open up to me like that and tell me about her most terrible experiences. It means that she trusts me explicitly and that means the world to me. And what followed after our talk has practically made it impossible for me to keep my hands off her.

"They don't seem very happy with your decision." She frowns.

"Of course they don't. But they are just going to have to deal with it." I place a wet kiss in the crook of her neck and then graze the sensitive skin with my teeth. Reaching down, I slip my hand into her skirt and stroke her. Her answering moan shoots like a jet to my groin.

"We can't do this here. What if a professor walks in." She is barely able to complete her sentence. I ease my hand inside her panties and rub, while my teeth are grazing the side of her neck, making her twitch violently in my arms.

"Relax, I locked the door." One hard rub and she groans loudly, her head falling back on my shoulder.

"We are going to be--late for Astha." She says breathlessly.

Astha. Shit.

It takes all my willpower to pull my hand out of her panties. I move her away from me so that I am not tempted to go in there again.