Straw bed beneath, glass roof above; she beside, he somewhere trying to absorb it all. Manik inhaled an urgent breath just to fill his lungs with cold air so that he could fathom this moment better. Nandini was laying next to him with her head on his extended arm and he wanted to bribe the clock to pause so that he could fill his heart with this belief that she was back to him. They were in stable of her father. Only she had guts to break into her own property with a person his father didn't like. 

She giggled out of nowhere to break his reverie and he blinked twice to come out of his mind. Turning on her stomach, she looked at him. Her wide smile sobered a bit as he smiled back. He didn't know what was so amusing to that mad woman. 

She kept looking at his face while he felt heat gushing into his veins. 

"A dangerous plan, just this time

A stranger's hand clutched in mine"

Her smile got replaced with an earnest gaze. She crawled on her elbows to be a little more closer to him. Straws messed her hair and she looked familiar more than ever. 

"What's wro...?" Manik couldn't even complete when she inched even closer, her face sincerer than ever. 

"You have made me cry, soldier," She hardly whispered. Her eyes twinkling a bit, she seemed to be stirred. 

"You know, nobody could ever do that?" She herself was amused at something best known to her. 

"I am sor....," He again tried to speak but she folded her arms on his chest causing him to go all sort of dysfunctional. Manik licked his lips as she ascended his torso just to make him her warm bed. 

"Nothing ever made me so weak the way you did. Why would you be such a bad kitten?" She asked narrowing her eyes. She looked fiery and feeble at the same time. Toe of her feet working on his calf over the fabric, Manik knew she was out tonight to be death of him. That lady laying flat on him had all the might to burn him without even trying. She was in her element.

Putting her chin on her own folded arm, she stared his neck with a pout. She was in some thought. Manik took a deep breath finding it hard to cop up with her touch all over his body. 

Nandini was now busy scratching his neck with straw in her hand. 

"I never meant to hurt you, Nandini," Manik spoke up finding her very quiet. She was busy extracting his high-necked sweater from his skin with that straw in her hand. 

"You did, soldier," She replied still busy in pricking business. 

Manik sighed in remorse unable to hold the contrast of the night. She has chosen to be interactive in every possible way. Toe of her foot was now busy curling around his socks. 

  "I'll take this chance, so call me blind
I've been waiting all my life"

"I let you," She uttered looking into his eyes finally. He stared into her beautiful eyes while she crawled up a little more, her leg folded over his thigh. She put her head in curve of his neck. Her fevered breaths soaked the skin of his neck as she ran that straw across his throat. It tickled hard and his hand rushed to stop her torturous course. Manik clicked his lips unable to hold the tingling sensation while she looked up. Coming back on her elbows, she stared into his eyes demanding something illegible. 

Manik didn't know what to do with this Nandini. She had already driven him to the wall. 

He raised his head from straw bed and kissed her cheek leisurely. Looking into her eyes, he cupped her face with she still laid on his torso. 

"I won't ever hurt you again. I cannot afford to," He stated and added, "I wasn't this scared ever in my life like I was in these past few days."

"I didn't know what would I do if you don't forgive me," He added further with all frowns and lour. 

"I was a fool," He concluded and she smiled a little. 

"No, you aren't," She replied quickly. 

Manik smiled taking the compliment.

"You are just one stupid kitten," She added and he frowned dropping his head back on straw bed. 

"A kitten who purrs a lot and messes everything," She said fervently while running the straw in her hand on his face like a broom. Manik hissed trying to dodge her torture. Clutching her in his arm case, he pinned her to straw bed flipping them. 

"Stop doing that," He nagged trying to take that straw from her hand. Her giggles doubled as he frowned every time he failed. 

  "Please don't scar this young heart
Just take my hand"

 Little wrestle-mania halted when he exerted his muscles over her mighty courage. She slowed down and stopped giggling as Manik gazed her pressing his lips. 

"If you ever, ever made me cry, Malhotra....I will tie you to my jeep and will drive till the time your heart fails," She spoke furiously clutching neck of his sweater. He gazed her in daze as she pulled him closer. 

"I hate your driving," He replied briefly because before he could say anything further, she inched closer aiming his lips. Before she could do what she wanted, Manik extracting her from straw bed to bring both of them on knees. Hugging her instead, he cradled them both. She in his arms, he around her warmth, he needed it.

"Would you mind if I say something?" He asked desperately as he felt his eyes welling up with overwhelm. 

Without giving her chance to reply, he added, "I love you." He was back at being a radio. Her favorite frequency, no matter how disturbed it might come out. 

" I did mind," She said just teasing her needy kitten a little. 

He didn't bother to break the hug and kept swaying them back and forth. Nothing could take the moment away.

  "I was made for loving you"  

____________________________________

"I said I am sorry," Manik repeated himself for nth time while arranging Harshad's bed. It was his way of making up. 

Harshad didn't pay heed and kept adoring himself in mirror. 

"Harshad," Manik was tired. 

"You know I didn't mean anything by not telling you about Nandini," Manik said sitting on bed. Harshad finally looked at him and Manik pouted to look best version of innocent. 

"Let's go. We are getting late to meet that Brigadier Murthy," Harshad said totally being at upper hand. 

"You remembered?" Manik was amused. 

"I heard him call me A THING," Harshad was grumpy. 

"You spoiled my night, Manik Malhotra," Harshad said hovering Manik. 

"But I won't spoil your day," Being great was so much of a call of hour. Playing mighty happened rare to Harshad. He couldn't miss the chance. 

He stormed out of dorm and Manik still had to comprehend what was happening around. 

"Just for Nandini," Harshad cleared as they boarded the city bus. Manik bobbled his head playing all sort of accepting. Harshad could go on and have his day, Manik could do that least to butter the miffed idiot. 

Bus stopped in town and they read the sign 'Bernard'. 

"Welcome to dog city," Harshad read something invisible looking at building. 

"Daadu won't be easy," Manik added being all sort of nervous. 

"Nor would these dogs," Harshad added. 

Manik scowled at Harshad and Harshad walked in. 

____

"Throw these idiots out," Uncle Bernard was persistent at kicking Manik and Harshad out of his place. 

"Listen to us, Uncle," Manik pleaded. 

"Where is that old man?" Harshad asked gritting his teeth. 

"I would call the police," Uncle Bernard warned and Manik's eyes widened. 

"We are not criminals, for God damn sake," He objected. 

"I don't allow perverts in my office, get out," Uncle Bernard tried to push those muscled army men out of his office. 

"Easy, Bernard," Daadu entered the office and Manik sighed in relief. 

"He is a good boy," He said finding himself a chair. 

"What about me?" Harshad asked nagging. 

"He is...a...boy too," Daadu said unwillingly. Harshad frowned. 

"You don't know them, Murthy," Uncle Bernard was adamant. 

"Other day, they talked very courageously about Nandini to Madhav," He added. 

Daadu raised his brow asking Manik. Manik gulped and looked down. 

"My son usually calls for such things," Daadu mumbled under his mustache. 

"I called them," Daadu cleared the mess passing Bernard a cut-the-slack smile. 

Manik and Harshad looked at Uncle Bernard who had knitted fine lines on his forehead till then. 

"You have always been strange, Murthy," He commented and walked out. 

Daadu looked at Manik and smiled smugly. 

______

Nandini stood in front of a magnificent building trying to come at term with fact that it was just two days more before she returns to this hell. It was her college. She started walking towards the main gate. It was time to collect her course books for 3rd and last year of her college.

Completing the necessary formalities, she spared a glance at notice board. It had some useless announcements as always. It was elite most college of entire region and she hated the fact ardently. Her father was a trustee to that college and that detail ended the further everything. 

"Nandini Murthy, Principal Sir wants to see you," Peon informed and Nandini nodded. 

__

"Come in, Nandini," Principal sir was elated seeing her there. 

"Come, have a seat," He said trying his best to sound cheerful. 

"How did you know I was in college?" Nandini asked and he frowned. 

"I am the principal," He tried to stress on the detail. 

"Tell me, what's my father wants you to ask me to do?" She asked leaning in chair. 

Color from that bald man's face flew away as he heard that. 

"Tell me, I am all ears," She instigated. 

"He didn't ask me anything. I don't know what are you talking about?" He said smiling awkwardly. 

"I wanted to give you this," He advanced an envelop to her. She took it and tore it in haste. 

"London Business School..." She read out and glared Mr Jaiswal, the principal. 

"They are sending a delegation in two weeks," Mr Jaiswal was being the spokesperson now. 

"I want you to work with them," He added pointing towards her, totally waiting her to be thankful. Nandini stared him blankly. 

"Tell Mr Murthy that I am not going to London School of Business, stop doing these immature stunts," She almost yelled. 

"Mind your language, young lady," Mr Jaiswal warned. 

"They have chosen you, not me or your father," He tried to sell her something she couldn't buy. 

Nandini tried to look convinced as she stood up. 

"What a coincident!" She exasperated.

"My father wants me to go there as well," She added playing with envelop in hand. 

"Tell him I am not doing it," She declared and tore that piece of paper.

Turning around to storm out, she had to halt when Principal bolted in high pitch. 

"Last year isn't an year to screw up things, Ms Murthy," He meant to pose a threat. 

"I can rusticate you for being a spoiled brat," He warned. 

Your training starts with them in 10 days," He divulged the details. 

"Either attend this seminar or else I will not think twice to declare you  incompetent for appearing in 3rd year of your graduation," He put it brutally and Nandini glared him without saying a word. 

Storming out, she didn't feel like banging her head with the no-brain principal. She needed to see the wounded lion who had turned into a sore loser because she had dared to live her life the way she wanted. She headed towards her father's estate to meet the man. 

_______

Maya it was, Harshad was given this rottweiler dog to be busy with while Daadu talk to Manik. Harshad cursed Maya and Maya growled at him. 

 "What was the exact thought behind being an ass, Malhotra?" Daadu rephrased the question for third time and Manik didn't know how to explain it any different. 

"I told you, Daadu. I chickened out. It was my mistake, I accept," He was ready to accept it. 

"I asked the exact thought," Daadu asked again sipping his tea. 

Manik huffed in frustration. 

"I felt so scared thinking about I dying in a war and Nandini living a miserable life. I couldn't think straight and I made a mistake," Manik explained plainly not knowing how to satisfy the old man. 

"I couldn't even think How Maya would live after Harshad," Daadu said looking at duo far away. Harshad was running ahead and Maya was chasing him. 

"This is not even funny," Manik cried. 

"Now think If I had chickened out 50 years ago," Daadu asked diving into some thought. 

"You too?" Manik asked trying to deduce things. 

"We had to run away from our homes to get married," Daady divulged the detail and smiled. 

"You want us to run away?" Manik asked baffled. 

Daadu clicked his lips in annoyance. Manik was stupid at times, well, most of times.

"What's the point?" Daadu exasperated. 

"I want you to think what if I had chickened out," Daadu rephrased. 

Manik tried to ponder over the given situation. 

"You would have spent your life alone and single," Manik came up with conclusion. 

Daadu glowered at young man and Manik gulped. 

"You would have died single as well, You idiot," Daadu reasoned. 

Manik didn't understand the mathematics but chose to let go of complex question. 

"Nandini wouldn't have been here," Daadu helped the dull brain. 

Manik finally understood the point of entire conversation. 

"Now think how grave that situation would have," Daadu continued. 

Manik nodded looking horrified. 

"Now tell me what would you do if Madhav again rolls the dice," Daadu was adamant at testing the boy. 

"I won't get played," Manik answered and Daadu smiled. 

"Now you are talking," Daadu uttered. 

"Remember if I see another tear in her eyes because of you..." Daadu didn't forget to frame a warning in case. 

"You can do whatever you want to if I survive the heart failure," Manik assured trying to take mental note of everything. 

"My hellion talked to you already, Didn't she?" Daadu asked knowingly. 

Manik smiled thinking about last night. 

"My shy boy," Daadu patted Manik's back. 

"Let's rescue the thing you brought. I wonder why would you bring that idiot along," Daadu said and Manik frowned. 

_______

_________________

A/N

Hello my lovely readers ❤

I am really sorry for disappearing like this. I didn't mean to pull this stunt but then life can be dramatic sometimes. 😒 My job isn't leaving me any time to write anything these days. I hope to find a balance soon.
Thanks for all your patience and love. 😘

Love
Aditi ❤