Forever And A Day || Completed

1. Cross-roads.

~Marriage is not two people sharing lives, it's two people sharing the deepest part of their souls~

Nandini Murthy paced the room in fast steps, biting her fingers nails every now and then, and then occasionally glancing over her father who sat lesiourly in his black leather chair, sipping his green tea with a mischievous grin.

" Appa!", Nandini stomped her foot and sat down on the couch, irritation now starting to flow in her blood.

" What princess?", Neelesh Murthy, smirked back at his own daughter, trying to hide the smile that threatened to form on his aged face.

" Don't princess me, appa! Why? Why the hell do I need to marry Him?", Nandini snickered again, making angry faces, but owing to the fact the she had full cheeks and even fuller lips, she looked adorable, and not angry.

Neelesh Murthy put down his book, and faced her, this time seriousness etched in his specatacle clad eyes. Nandini gulped, because she though she loved her Appa and he also doted on her to death, serious conversations with him, always sacred her.

"Appa you asked me to get married, and this time I agreed. But atleast let me make my choice. Why Manik, again? Just because he is you favourite student? I am your princess Appa, for god sake!", Nandini blabbered, lowering her eyes, and her Appa quietly listened to his daughter complain, patiently until she was done.

" Done?", He asked her, holding her chin to make her look him in the eye, and she nodded, glum.

"Why not Manik, Nandini? Give me two good reasons!", Neelesh asked her, and that made Nandini mum. She knew she had nothing to say in defence, because well, Manik was kinda picture perfect.

" Come-on Nandu! See he has looks to die for-", Nandini rolled her eyes at her father, who was right now talking like her teenage best friend would, gushing upon her crush. Neelesh Murthy chuckled seeing her expression but continued nonetheless.

"-and bank balance too, he has his own house, plus no mother-in-law to torture you. Also, he is a gentleman, and a hot shot lawyer. What does he lack, that you are so reluctant?", He raised his eyes at Nandini who stood up keeping her hands on her waist.

"Communication skills. He lacks basic communication skills Appa. And he is boring, very, very boring. A complete contrast to me. Have all the bachelor in Mumbai and Mangalore died Appa that you are hell bent on marrying me off to that Manik?", Nandini blasted, her head starting to ache now. She couldn't understand why was her Appa not even considering her wishes this time, actually especially this time when the decision was going to effect her entire life. Damn!

Without waiting for a reply, Nandini quickly moved out of the study room, banging the door close, but before she could move out of the small turn towards her room, she bumped into someone, or well, specifically Manik.

He held her by her shoulders, stabilizing her, as she rubbed her temple to ease off the pain, and when she was done, she looked up only to be irritated again. Why was he always present at wrong time and wrong place? Not speaking a word, she was about to go away, when Manik's voice stopped her.

" Nandini", she halted in her steps at his call. Man, his voice sounded so husky! Slapping herself in her mind, Nandini turned to look him in the eye, ready to give a full blown lecture if he spoke a word convincing her for this stupid marriage.

"Don't worry, I will try my best to dissuade Sir from this marriage alliance. You won't need to marry me!", He spoke with a very small smile, and moved inside, leaving her totally dumbfounded. But what was that she saw in his eyes?

Confused and feeling a little weird, Nandini walked over to her room, and sat on the bedroom swing chair her Appa had lovingly got designed for his princess. Resting her back on the fluffy cushions, she closed her eyes and exhaled out.

Now that she thought about it, it wasn't that bad. Manik was a gem by heart, she knew it, she had seen it in the five years she had known him. He talked less, agreed, but nandini remebered the time when they both used to actually talk, the first year of his internship under her Appa and that was preety good. Sure, he could not make small talks, but talk to him about life, clouds, stars- he won't even stop. Nandini had shared a lot of such conversations with him, over a cup of coffee as he sat and made notes for the cases for her Appa, while she sat with him in the study, researching for her thesis.

That was roughly five years ago though, Nandini thought. She remebered how just after their friendship had started to bloom, and Nandini had actaully started enjoying his company, her paternal aunt had flown down to visit them, and directly pointed at the relation Manik and Nandini shared, asking her Appa to marry her off. Nandini had revolted then, and straight forward denied to marry Manik, or anyone for that matter. She was twenty for god sake. Appa had supported her then, and her Aunt had left grumpy. The following year, Manik's parents passed away and he had retreated back to his shell. Also, Nandini had become extremely busy writing and publishing her thesis, and their meetings and talks died down.

But she could help him open up again, couldn't she? And it wont be that bad, if her Appa was so persuasive about this. He had always chosen the best for her, and Nandini, this time accepted to herself that she might be over reacting to the entire issue.

Relaxed and now coming over to a conclusion, Nandini stood up, and made three glasses of lemonade in the kitchen before walking back to her Appa's study. But the voices coming from inside made her stop.

" Sir, she wont be happy with me. I am not correct for her!", Manik's voice was pleading, and Nandini was shocked to hear it from him. He was really serious when he had told her he would try and disssuade Appa.

" And who decided that? Rememeber Manik, I am still your teacher!", Appa snickered, and Nandini gulped. She had never ever seen her Appa talking rudely to Manik.

"You will always be Sir but please try to understand me. She had already rejected me once, hadn't she? And that was when we are actually friends. And now we don't even talk, why would she marry me? She is your daughter Sir, please consider my request!", Manik elaborated and Neelesh sighed.

"I can understand if she says so, but why are you reluctant Manik?", He asked him, directly now, and Manik lowered his gaze.

" Because I am afraid I won't be able to give her the happiness she deserves! And that will be unfair to you, Sir", Manik reasoned and slowly gazed up to find a smile playing on his teacher's lips.

" Says the man who has loved her for the last five years!", Neelesh Murthy commented with a sly grin, and he couldn't say who was more shocked at the revelation- Manik who sat in front of him like he had seen a ghost, or hoa daughter, who stood behind the half closed door, frozen.

Nandini felt her steps retreating back, at the new found piece of information. Manik loved her? But how could it be possible? Though now it was clear to her why her Appa was hell bent on her marrying him.

Because he had always taught her one basic thing about love.

" Love whoever your heart desires, but marry the person who loves you".

In that one moment, Nandini knew what she had to do.

Back in the room, a perplexed Manik closed and opened his mouth before gathering the courage to speak. He didn't need ask him how he knew that, for Neelesh Murthy was a very observant and shrewd lawyer.

" Sir, that was the case before, now I am not sure if I can love her the way you do. Please sir-", his rant was cut off by Nandini entering the room, with the tray of lemonade.

Manik looked up at her, and lowered his gaze, meaning to continue his conversation when he was cut off with her voice.

"I am ready for this alliance".