FOR ALL THAT IS LEFT - A MaNan ff

2. NANDINI OR ....

Hello everyone...

How are you all?

Here's the next part

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Nandini tried opening her eyes which felt too heavy at the moment. She wondered why she felt so tired and groggy? She attempted to wake up a few more times before she could actually register her surrounding. She found herself in an unfamiliar place.

She sat up with a jerk. She was supposed to be married today. Where was she? Where were her parents? She pushed the plush blanket off her body and rushed out of the bedroom to escape from whatever danger she was in, when she bumped into a familiar person. Her would be husband to be precise.

Manik, who came to check on her, was startled by the sudden force. After holding her by her waist in an attempt to stabilize her, he slowly straightened her.

As Nandini recognized him, she threw herself on him once again, shouting to save her. Manik was shocked at her behavior. He expected her to beat him to pulp or pull his hair out, but here she was shouting like a damsel in distress. So unlike Nandini.

"Nandini, it's ok. I brought you here. You are safe. It's only the two of us and this is Malhotra Farmhouse", he whispered into her ear as assuring as he could. He needed her to calm down first. He patted her head patiently.

Nandini slowly opened her eyes after absorbing his words and looked around. She saw a moderately sized, but well maintained house. She always wanted a house like this and also to decorate it with her own hands. She smiled at the thought. At the very moment, reality seeped in and she looked at Manik who was wearing a casual jeans and t-shirt, while she was still in her wedding attire.

Manik saw her changing range of vision from him to her and again to him. He gulped his fear and got ready for her aggressive action.

" We got married? Already?", she asked with bewilderment clearly written in her face, her eyes widened and filled with innocence. She looked so cute to him that he couldn't understand if he should answer her question or pull her cheeks or kiss her really hard.

He chuckled at her and said "No. We didn't get married. I know you have a lot of questions. I'll answer all of them. But dinner first?"

Nandini was still not clear, but she nodded and was about to follow him when he asked "Don't you want to freshen up?"

"I don't have my clothes?", she asked unsure. She couldn't remember a thing about landing at this place. So, she surely doesn't remember packing her clothes.

" You'll find them in your room", he said pointing towards the room that she just fled from. She nodded again and went back into the same room, still hazy.

Nandini came out of her room after half an hour to see Manik checking his phone. Dinner was plated and she understood he was waiting for her. She went to the table with small steps and settled in the chair opposite to him.

As he felt the movement of the chair, he gave her a smile putting his phone aside. They had their dinner in silence but Manik noticed her questioning eyes on him every now and then.

The clock struck 11 and they were both sitting on a swing in the backyard. "Why are we here, Manik?", Nandini asked. She somewhere guessed the answer but she didn't let assumptions rule her.

Manik shifted closer to the door of the backyard, as if ready to break into a run when needed. Nandini hated her decisions being taken by others without her consent and he took a very important decision, not even letting her know. But, he thought over it many a times and he would not step back now. He took a deep breathe and finally spoke " We eloped"