Forever And A Day || Completed

8. Manik's Plight!

~ Some people love too much, and the love turns toxic to their own hearts, until someone else comes along, who takes that love and replaces it with something more beautiful, comforting that heart~

Manik couldn't sleep that entire night, the feeling of her arms around him was still fresh in his subconscious mind. She had felt so soft, so fragile, and it made him want to keep her in his arms, forever. He still could not explain it, the bout of comfort that he felt, like someone very own had embraced him, but Alas!

For Though Nandini's thoughts kept him awake, there was also another myraid of emotions that were threatening to destroy the fortress of calmness and composure he had so painstakingly built. He was getting used to it, her smiles, her boldness, her feisty side, her shy eyes - and that, somehow unsettled him.

He turned over in his window side bed, and looked over at the bed, where she slept like nothing else in the world mattered. She had hugged him like it was her right, and surprisingly, it wasn't awkward either. But Manik was still contemplating things, he was not really sure about the recent developments. He had been happy with his unrequited love, happy loving her from afar. He had never desired to have her either, until fate had intervened. And now the fact that she could also like him, love him, was creating tornados inside him.

How could she love him?

How could anyone love him, for that matter?

He still remembered that night, and Kabir, his once best friend's words crystal clear in his mind.

"No one in his right mind will like staying with you, Manik. I mean, look at you! You are a friend, not a parent, to act like this over intrusive Mom, poking nose in everybody's business. We don't need your care man, grow up! To top that, you are always so boring, no excitement in life. Seriously! Madhyam is much better than you, at least he knows how to have fun, and also how to make others have fun!", The Chigas had spoken everything, and Manik had stood dumbfounded that day. It was the first blow of rejection he had had, from somebody he considered a best friend.

His train of thoughts broke, when his eyes fell on the sleeping beauty, who was lost in her dream world, without a single care in the world. Manik's heart started to beat a little louder. She was so lively, so chirpy! Won't she get bored of him, sooner or later? She would also want to leave. And he won't have any right to stop her, the thought was scary enough. Tossing and turning, somehow, sleep embraced him, in the wee hours of the morning, after an entire night's struggle.

At the same circle of time, Nandini lay facing his back to Manik, awake, and not asleep as he presumed. Her thoughts circled around how tightly he wrapped his arms around her, how possessed it made her feel, and most importantly how much she liked it. She had now started to realize that she liked being around him, talking to him, or even watch him work. Having him around settled her heart beats in a proper rhythm. She wanted to know him, understand him better. Nandini was one of those hopeless romantics at heart, who didn't show it on face. And right now, when there was nobody to judge her for that, she prayed to her Aiyappa to be that one girl for him, who he would look at one day and say~ "yes, she is the one, who changed everything for me, and everything for good". Sighing, she finally fell into deep slumber, weaving dreams around him, and his smiles.

When the sun rays fell on his face the next morning, he stirred in sleep, before opening his eyes to sigh, and finally sitting up. Nandini was already up, and that made him raise his eyebrows. What time was it, such that the sleeping beauty was awake earlier than him?

His eyes fell on the wall clock, it was just 8 am in the morning. He felt tired, for he had not had got the sleep he required, and his entire body felt like aching at the joints. Dragging himself, he walked into the shower, the warm water numbing the pain in his muscles, and the lethargic feeling somewhat seeped away. Clad in trackpants and a t-shirt, Manik came out, thinking about what he should make in breakfast when he saw the table already ready, with his favorite banana pancakes and maple syrup, with apple juice.