Another army truck passed by tea stall as Manik sat there drenched in every possible way. It was early morning and he had no sanity to return to academy so there he sat at a closed tea stall. His lips stretched into a beautiful smile as he realized how those lips of his had turned way too precious after she had kissed them. He closed his eyes and then opened them only to make himself believe that it wasn't just another dream of his.

He exhaled deep to empty his chest from that tickling anxiety. His shoulders slouched a bit as he covered his face in palms before his fingers set his wet hair. He shook his head refusing to believe that he had kissed her, he still didn't know what had gotten into him. It was like he couldn't afford to lose that moment, he had to tell her somehow that she meant everything to him. He bit his lower lip hard as touch of hers still tickled his insides. This was going to take a while before he adds last night into his most precious memories. Because right now, he couldn't believe it at first place.

Dawn had hit the sky and it still drizzled. Smile didn't leave his lips as he lazily leaned on bench. Drenched grass roof let the raindrops pass and they poured bit by bit on his relaxed face.

Another army truck passed by and noise of it mixed with sound of rain. Manik was oblivion of almost everything but that one face which wasn't leaving his sight.

"Nandini," He murmured and folded his arms across his chest.

He had done possibly all the audacious acts he could ever think of in just one night and now it was time to ponder over them.

Realization stuck and smile from his wet face disappeared like a ghost.

"I am such a fool," He got up and palmed his face as he remembered how he had confessed his love twice to her when he needed to tell her he was sorry for whatever he did.

"What was I thinking?" His palms slipped off his face and he stared the slab beside. He hadn't even said those words in his mind, and there he uttered them like his brain had no freaking filter.

"What would she be thinking?" He mumbled.

Someone had rightly said how over thinking could ruin anything and here it was just Manik Malhotra's peace of mind.

____

Nandini locked the office and handed keys to peon who had just arrived. As She walked out in morning light, a smile played on her lips. Her heart filled with endless joy and all she wanted was to shout out so loud that each soul in that town wakes up just to hear how she felt. She ran to her jeep and wind with drizzle rushed to engulf her. Starting the engine, she drove the vehicle as if cutting through sky. Morning roads turned into piano tiles and tyres of her jeep played music of her heart. She hadn't rolled up the window so that wind could tickle her in every way possible. Murthy mansion looked inviting as she gazed her own home. Getting out, she threw the keys towards valet.

Entering her house, she looked around. She was no longer going to avoid a soul in that mansion. Everyone there deserved her attention from now on. Her mother who was coming out of kitchen looked at her and tilted her head just to come up with some petty concern.

"Why are you wet?" She asked and Nandini smiled. Her mother gaped her as that smile didn't turn into another simper of hers.

"Murli, Bring me some juice," She heard her father shouting and she turned around to find him entering the house. He had returned from jogging. Nandini kept looking at him until he acknowledged her presence there. As his eyes met hers, she walked to him calmly. His father just stared her blankly as if trying to solve a puzzle. She reached him and smiled softly. Her father looked past her to spot his wife to figure out what that little devil was up to. Her mother shrugged her shoulder not knowing anything.

Nandini tiptoed and kissed her father's cheek softly. Mr Murthy seemed to be frozen as she withdrew.

"Thank you," She murmured and smiled merrily.

Her father looked at his wife yet again who looked equally clueless. Nandini ran upstairs without wasting another second. Door of her room shut with a sweet thud and her parents gaped each other trying to understand what just happened.

_______________

Hall got filled with acclaim as soon as Colonel Singh called the session off. It was his last speech for fresher batch because this was last time they would be addressed with that name. They had made it to next year. Eclat didn't seem to slow down as boys cheered for one successful academic year in academy. Colonel Singh looked at cadets proudly and spotted Manik amid that crowd lost somewhere with a smile which didn't leave his side.

"Silence," Colonel screeched in mic to kill the clamor.

"You boys always seem to miss the fun part," He quipped and boys gaped him trying to depict that knowing look on Colonel's face.

"Before your next term starts from next week, I would like my boys to celebrate," He informed with glint in his eyes.

Harshad elbowed Manik trying not to get too excited about the news.

"It's an open house in Bardsley's this Thursday and you are free to bring your date," Colonel concluded and lowered the head of mic. That meant how colonel was done talking. He walked out of assembly hall followed by other ranked officers leaving a group ready to explode into cheers.

Harshad hugged Manik and then Samit in excitement. Almost every boy jumped in excitement. There were very few occasions when juniors were given chance to celebrate without seniors hovering them and this was that one time. Manik covered his ears as Harshad screamed how he was going to get laid after so long. Manik scrunched his nose in disgust and scrutinized his disgusting friend.

"What?" Harshad called out.

"If you don't get to do things, it doesn't mean I can't," Harshad uttered playfully and Manik glared him. But then sweet smile played on his lips remembering how he had have his first kiss last night. He bit his lip looking down.

"Come on, we have got shopping to do,"Harshad dragged Manik along as they walked to door.

________________

Daadu laughed wholeheartedly as Nandini and Rishi fought over a video chat.

"No, truth was you didn't have balls to kick that kid," Nandini argued sitting on arm of Daadu's chair when laptop was place on table in front.

Daadu gasped listening her words. Someone was in form, Daadu shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"No, I had but you always needed to pick a fight with everyone before someone else could," Rishi said.

"Accept it that you were afraid," Nandini threatened.

"I wasn't," Rishi could have leeway knowing he was oceans away.

"Stop it, you two," Daadu ended the nonsensical argument over an incident happened years back. Nandini kissed Daadu's temple seeing him a bit irked. Daadu smiled immediately. He was sure how something very good happened last night because Nandini was in best of her spirit and that was rare.

Rishi went offline after a good conversation and now it was time to talk. Daadu held Nandini's hand and made her sit on table in front of him. Nandini held his another hand as Daadu adored his little baby.

"Tell me you have killed the cadet last night," Daadu asked and Nandini was instantly geared up for their kind of talk.

"I kissed him instead," She replied making Daadu go discomfit. It took him fine few seconds to register what she had said while she sat there tapping her feet.

"For God's sake Nandu, I am your grandpa," Daadu was out of words.

Nandini laughed out loud seeing a startled Daadu.

"You are so cute, Daaduuu," She kissed his forehead and he smiled under his mustache but hid it as next thing.

"I don't like you getting closer to that guy again," Daadu spoke wearing a sincerity. Nandini tried to read his face to find traces of pretense.

"What if he again fumbles in future?" Daadu asked when he wanted her to ignore his forced concern.

She looked to be in some thought. Daadu wanted her to think about it before she again signs up for diving deeper into this mess called feelings.

"I know he would," She replied nodding her head as if still was fetching something from her mind.

"What would you do then?" Daadu asked trying to push her to think. He knew that girl hardly thought. He wasn't even shocked knowing She had kissed that timid kitten. He needed to see if Manik was alright. He shook his head imagining the poor guy.

"I would chain him to my car and would go car hiking at speed I love," She answered looking deadly serious. Daadu couldn't help but chuckle audibly. She frowned and he laughed out loud.

"Seriously?" He asked trying not to tease her much.

"Don't tease me na," She nagged like a kid and Daadu tried to control his laugh.

"We would see when we would screw up," She answered and got up.

Daadu too got up and walked to her. Kissing her forehead tight, he uttered, "Go slow, he would die out of shock, you know."

As he walked out of room, Nandini bit her lip feeling utterly flustered at how she could reveal the kiss part to Daadu.

___________________

Manik stood by glass door of shop while Harshad and Samit went through men's collection in clothing section. Harshad walked to him again to see what was he staring from last 10 minutes. He followed Manik's gaze and saw a lamppost. He shook his head in despair and walked back to Samit.

"I am failing to read this guy these days," Harshad muttered and Samit shook his head knowingly.

"I mean he was all sad till yesterday and now he is lost," Harshad spoke further.

Samit shook his head again checking the blazer rack.

"I think he would slip into depression like this," Harshad added.

"He looks happy, Bro," Samit tried to talk sense while Harshad was busy correlating everything to tiff between Manik and Nandini.

"He isn't. Believe me," Harshad was way too overconfident.

"He is smiling, look," Samit was going by observation.

Harshad spared a pitiful glance and sighed.

"Must be thinking about Nandini and pups," He replied and then bit his tongue for talking too much.

"Nandini who?" Samit asked baffled.

"Did I say Nandini?" Harshad asked trying to come up with a cover up. Manik would kill him for revealing her name to Samit.

"I don't know why would I take that name," Harshad laughed as if he had cracked a joke and walked away.

Walking to Manik, he sighed in relief. Samit seemed to be engrossed in shopping and that saved Harshad.

"You are staring at that lamppost from past 20 minutes, Manik," Harshad brought Manik out of his trance.

"Huh?" Manik asked as he started to check cloths on mannequin trying to pretend how he was checking out stuff there.

"I was just checking these cloths out," Manik said totally acting to be engrossed in stuff.

"Yeah, I am sure," Harshad mocked and walked to next rack.

"By any chance, she had smacked your head last night?" Harshad whispered trying to understand Manik's strange behavior.

"Stop being dramatic, Harshad," Manik ridiculed him.

"Why would she smack me?" Manik talked in cheeky tone getting extra-courageous owing to his last encounter with her. Manik licked his own lips for nth time and Harshad was unable to come out with some valid reasoning.

"She kissed you, right?" Harshad asked calculating. Manik's eyes turned wider than ever. He needed air because how could Harshad know that possibly.

"Nooooooooo," Manik answered dramatically.

"How could you think like that?' He was giving it away. Harshad couldn't know, Manik shook his head. It was way too personal.

"You talk shit sometimes, Harshad," Manik accused Harshad and Harshad shrugged his shoulders.

Manik walked away quickly just to get lost in racks.

__________________

Manik walked out of dorm closing the door as calmly as he could. As he turned around to walk in the corridor, she came out of dark like a ghost.

"You scared me, Nandini?" Manik gasped placing a palm on his heart.
"What are you doing here?" He held her both the wrists and walked her to wall where no one could see them.

She didn't utter a word but just keep staring him. Her silence was enough for Manik to remind how they weren't the same anymore. He left her wrists and gazed dark floor just trying to come up with a less flustered look. She giggled and he looked up. Manik had no idea how to look at her anymore. Her flesh radiated a heat which he had never felt before. Nandini's subtle giggles subsided and she stepped on his boots making him more than aware of his body. She peeped into his eyes while he counted sweet seconds. He had thought of doing a lot, thought of talking a lot precisely. But she was enough to make him go blank with comeback she had made.

"Nandini, last night," He started to say and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He stopped talking.

"Last night what, Malhotra?" She asked batting her eyes.

"I...I mean...we...we...the rain and lamp post...ermmm...you know..." He was an apparent mess with words and she enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Am I forgiven?" He cut the chase to main point. His feet tapped even when she was standing on them.

"No," She didn't take a second to reply. His face dropped but hands raised to hold her waist. Contrast was endearing.

"Why?" He was back at nagging.

"See I am sorry I told you. I accepted I was a fool that I listened to you father and behaved like an idiot but I realized na," He had a monopoly over blabbering here.

"If I hadn't shut you up yesterday, would we be standing here like this?" She asked to put a brake on nonstop mouth of his. He looked down to find the narrow chasm between their bodies and how he had held her bare waist. He felt his palm stinging as her skin burnt under them.

"What did you do to end it, Malhotra?" She asked closing the chasm between their bodies. His heart beat was audible to her through that thumping in his chest.
All the army drums were on work inside his heart.

He pushed her into wall that back of her head touches the cold surface.

"I kissed you," He was pretty clear with the minutes he kept. He had a point to make to convince her how he should be forgiven. To his surprise, she smiled and looked down.

Did she blush just now? He asked himself and then scolded himself to even deduce that. Air turned thicker with tension building. That tension was anything but negative. Nandini glanced him and found him gazing her ardently. He looked anything but her timid kitten. Her breaths created havoc in her windpipe as she gulped the new between them.

"Would you be my date, Nandini?" Manik asked and she licked her lower lip. She raised her leaned head from wall and inched closer to him. Manik couldn't breathe anymore so he held his breath as her lips reached his ear.

"Ask me properly, Cadet," She whispered and he looked away.

She was hell serious when she said last night how this wasn't over. His mad lady won't have it easy way. Manik frowned thinking what would be a proper way to ask her out. He frowned further remembering how last time he had to do tricks on horse to ask her for ball. His little worry land got invaded by her ever so unpredictable arrival as She hugged him tight.

"I feel cold no more," She murmured keeping her head on his shoulder. Manik bit his lip coping up with joy his heart felt listening to her.

He would love to be her personal heater all his life.

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Unedited*