LOST LOVE ✔

DREAMS AND DECISIONS

The ride to the Designing Studio was rather a busy one unlike the one when they had left the house ; with Nandini having a constant conversation with Manik and sometimes even with her own self when Manik would turn silent , being tired of handling so many responsibilities of this wedding. He still hasn't had a chance to sit down and breathe since this day began and right now all he wanted to do was focus on the road and try not to let his eyelids get closed. It's not like he hated when Nandini talked but rather it wasn't the most enchanted feeling at this very moment, it actually felt like the lord had some mercy on him when Nandini got a call from her brother aka the groon of the said wedding.
" Heya!" Nandini chirped keeping the phone closer to her ear not wanting Manik to eavesdrop in case this was a surprise planning call from the grooms side.
"Are you guys there yet?" her brother asked.
"Nope. We had a pit stop at the decoraters but we'll be there in like 10 minutes at max." she replied.
"Thank God." the man on the toher side sighed in relief raising suspicion to Nandini who asked him for the reason.
" Can you please check on Mukti's outfit once. I have a feeling that i missed out on something and you know i can't ask her because it's a surprise." he explained.
"Oh yeah. Totally will do that." Nandini assured him as Manik raised his brow in question while she just gave him a smile in return.
"And also please make sure the design-" before her brother could blow up their entire plan, Nandini murmured slightly to him, "Please text me the list because we got a spy from the other team sitting right beside me. You get that right?"
"Oh yeah definitely will text you. But do let me know the status as soon as you get the chance." as soon as the call got over, Nandini turned to the other side while Manik gave her a suspicious look like before.
"May i know what was that for?" he asked.
"What was what for?" Nandini decided to play dumb.
"That very secretive phonecall." Manik motioned to the phone.
"A conversation between two siblings that you are not a part of." Nandini looked ahead to ignore anymore stupid questions but Manik now kept glancing at her with a smile on his face.
" why are you smiling so much?" she asked him after his third attempt.
" its a free country i can do whatever i wish for. Can't i?" Manik gave her a slight grin as he focused back on his driving.
"But since you were smiling at me then technically i do get to ask that question." she waved her finger at him as if making a damn well point.
"Your sibling conversation reminded me of how similar it is to what Mukti and I share." Manik let out a slight laugh as they halted at the red light.
"Yeah i see that. It's pretty adorable. I bet you'll miss her when she'll be gone." Nandini's eyes turned softer at his remark.
"More than anything. We've always had each other."
" I never knew you could get emotional." Nandini wiped te tear at the corner of his eye.
"It's only for the people i love and you better not tell about this to anyone." Manik looked away hurriedly wiping his eyes by the back of his hand.
"Then this will be a sword above your head Malhotra. you better watch your back with me now." saying so in a teasing voice Nandini jumped out of the car excitedly as she dashed towards the studio in order to get their before Manik.

It took a good 10 minutes for Manik to find a parking spot and walk back to the studio where he found Nandini talking with the designer in hushed voices which were soon muffled down as soon as they both laid their eyes on him. Their smiles now converted into little smirking faces making him much more confused than he was after Nandini's answer in the car.
"There is something definitely cooking here. Manik , dude you gotta up the bride's game now." he mumled to himself as he faked a smile to them.

"Took you long enough." said Nandini as soon as he was in hearing range from her.
"Couldn't find a parking spot. How long is it gonna take you?" he asked looking around for any clue.
"I was just waiting for you to get here. Moreover Tabitha is getting my outfit fixed." she replied when they were both greeted by another employee who whispered something to the designer, Tabitha.
"Looks like it's all ready Nandini. I'll probably want you to check the fittings one more time before we get it delivered to you." Tabitha suggested.
"Sure. It's better to have everything finalized to avoid mishaps anyway. I'll meet you at the changing room. Okay?" Tabitha nodded at Nandini's remark before she left off to fetch the dress for her.
Nandini took a turn around of the studio before she fixated her eyes back on Manik as she said, " It looks like a nice place. Isn't it?"
"Pretty well maintained i would say." Manik replied making himself comfortable on one of the couches as he scrolled through his cell phone.
"I'll definitely want them to design the outfit of my wedding from here." she said getting inside the changing room the moment Tabitha got her clothes for her.
"I think you mean 'our' Nandini." Manik's remark made her smile but she couldn't let him win, Can she?
"Bold of you to assume that, Mr. Malhotra. What makes you think it will be an 'our' and not just 'me'?" she asked.
"Call it an intution maybe. A fact that i belive in us." his reply was warm enough to light up her cheeks in a pink glow as she slipped into her fluffed skirt.
" Did i leave you speechless Nandini?" Manik asked after a good pause of 15 minutes as he sat back on the sofa waiting for her to arrive.
"We'll see about that."

All of a sudden in an adrenaline rush, Manik felt his insides jumping, as the air blew faster he held his head high as he found her walking out with that beautiful fitting on her perfect curves. Her dress was moulding her figure like extra skin. Nandini's low cut top left her belly completely bare and bottom skirt started right above from her hips showing her perfect curves. But her bare parts was covered by a beautiful star stoned dupatta..

Manik wasn't even able to blink his eyes once, it was as if he was falling in love with her all over again. She twirled around showing her dress completely and turned right infront of the mirror watching her own reflection in the wall mirror. Manik walked ahead with slow and steady steps and looked at her mirroring her reflection, watching his intense gaze on her, Nandini felt her heart flutter as she desperately tried hard not to blush.

His cold hands clutched her shoulder and turned her around facing him. He slowly held one end of her dupatta and trailed it down her shoulder hiding her milky skin with that cloth. He held his face near her as his breathes tickled her their faces inches apart. He moved ahead a little more brushing his lips with her earlobe sending chills down her spine with his not so innocent and husky voice he spoke to her, " I can't let the others watch what's mine. Is that clear?"

Nandini felt her stomach explode with butterflies and she closed her eyes in anticipation. Manik's lips trembled back her earlobe as she felt his not so physical touch. He came closer and closer their lips being just a little way apart both drowned in the land of love. Nandini's body stopped working and there, she stood under his spell ready for everything that destiny held for them. She knew it had waited long enough to run it's course all this time.

She was probably manifesting a kiss at this point, anything, that would complete them from this unnamed hanging relationship they were but nothing came. Manik pulled back in time as he left her with slow but steady hands. His touch wearing off from her body and all of a sudden, Nandini felt a rush of anger replacing the previous antiicpation. This was the second time he was rejecting her. Did he just leave their almost kiss like seriously ALMOST. She was ready this time. Was is so hard to love her again? Give them another thought now? But what about the things he had been saying a few minutes back? Was she misreading the flirting.
As if Manik had been reading the worry in her mind all along, he spoke with utmost authority as he stopped in his tracks a few feet away from her, " Don't. Don't go there."
Nandini looked at him in surprise, the confusion still there somewhere until his next statement hit her hard, "I won't touch you without your consent and especially before we fall in any kind of relationship. It's my promise to you. It's always been my promise to you. So don't doubt yourself for anything." saying so he walked out of the studio leaving Nandini with a slight grin of satisfaction on her face.

His words had zoned her out that even the compliments that were being thrown at her by Tabitha weren't reaching her ear drums. She now respected his love and above it she respected her choice. Walking back into the room to take off those heavy clothes, she kept repeating his words in her mind. Refusing to get out of their hypnotism until she almost made it to the car where Manik sat at the driving seat listening to some new romantic song as his face captured a bright smile. She too smiled to herself, the one mirroring his as she sat back at the passenger seat twisting her head towards the window she let her locks play with the wind blowing and thought.

Was her decision correct? Will she be able to love manik the way he did? Will she prove to be a better partner for Him? But for now all she had to think was the fact that she was ready to give themselves a chance? A chance to save their lives. To be back to square and live as 2 bodies with one soul.

Her mind snapped back to the reality when she saw herself back to in her home while Manik walked back to the lawn where his happy sweet family of his four friends stood waiting for him as they all laughed out together. Hell the answer was sure, she wants to be back in this family, in his life, in their life to build their future together. To grow old and have a fairytale life, a life she had always dreamt of.