*unedited*

N A N D I N I

"He loves you, sweetheart, we've seen it in his eyes", Aryamman tried convincing me.

"I know he does, but sometimes, you need to tell, right? He doesn't expect me to think that I know that without he telling him, or does he?" I said furiously as I stopped pacing around and finally turned to see Aryamman busy with his phone and Cabir in deep thoughts.

I couldn't help it, I know I am the worst best friend ever. It is Cabir's ring ceremony tonight, and here I was fussing with my problems instead of helping him get ready. But the best part about it is, he didn't mind that at all. He had missed me just as much as I had missed him, and he loved solving my problems. I just loved him so much, everyone should have someone like Cabir in their lives.

But even I couldn't help it, I was just telling them what I felt. Cabir and Navya will get wedded today and I have to leave back to London! And though I know that Manik loves me, he needs to tell this to me if he wants me to wait with him. Orelse what? I'd be gone, again!

"Nandini, Nandini! You need to calm down sweetheart!" Aryamman said again.

"Yeah but-....." I tried saying but I couldn't say anything. "I'm sorry Cabir!" I finally said as I fell back to the bed and Cabir, for the first time in the last ten minutes opened his mouth to say something but closed it back instantly. Argh Cabir!

"Nandini, everything will be fine? Trust me, let me talk to him?" Aryamman said.

"Okay!" I agreed sarcastically, because Manik will you-are-a-gay zone him again.

"Get ready jaan, I'll talk to him. You're his, as he said, and he wouldn't let you go away again. If he does, I'm gonna kick him in the ass!" Cabir finally said and I let out a giggle as he got up and kissed my forehead, finally dragging out Aryamman with him.

I packed my bags for safer sides. I know I am yours Manik, but please let me know that you love me too! Please.

~

M A N I K

Fuck.

I don't understand what is the need for people to get married, commit into a relation like this. Two people get married, they start interfering in each other's life, feel suffocated and ultimately give up. Like my own fucking parents, together just for the sake of the society. And that is why, marriage is just a waste of time.

I felt suffocated in that blue and white sherwani, standing near the havan kund as Cabir kept smiling like a fool waiting for Navya, so I decided to slid out for a while.

Just as I got out, panting and sweating, the sight in front of me left me gaping. There she was, my angel, walking down the aisle, in a blue lehenga showing off her perfect curves and stomach skin, playing with her hair and earring, busy in her own world. My princess!

She walked to me with a bright smile playing on her face. But above those eyes, I could see lines of some worry playing on her forehead.

"Hi Manik!" She said as she came, side hugging me. I had missed being in her arms since two years, and everytime I felt her arms wrapping around my body, I felt it was worth the wait.

"What happened, hmm?" I asked playing with her hair, putting it behind her ears. I loved the way her straight and silky hair fell down her shoulders till her waist, I was addicted to them, their scent. I would never let a single scissor touch her hair.

"Uh-... Tumne mujhe compliment nahi kiya!" She pouted and I giggled. Though I knew she was lying, I didn't want to push her further. I trusted her enough to wait until she herself tells me what is troubling her.

"Well, mein tumhe kitni baar compliment karu? For me, you are the most beautiful girl in the world. Whatever you wear suits you, this lehenga or a short dress, you'd still look like an angel!" I confessed looking directly into her eyes, as I saw her smile expanding until it reached her eye.

"Thank you! Tum bhi theek-thak lag rahe ho, you know okay-okay", she teased showing her hand.

"By okay-okay, you mean hot lag raha hu?" I asked playfully smirking and she pouted. "Isliye toh dekho, so many girls are just staring at me!" I boasted and her eyes widened as she looked around to see a group of girls ogling at me.

She looked at me with a pout and anger in her eyes as she took her tiny hands and wrapped both of them around one huge hand of mine, double entwining them, her eyes at the three-four girls who were still looking at me. If looks could kill, those girls would have been dead by now owing to the daggers my jealous princess was throwing at them!

"Tum-tum.... mere saath chalo!" She said fuming at me as she dragged me away, and we entered an isolated place, like a shelter and she left my hand angrily.

"I know you Manik Malhotra, tum-.. I know you have purposely worn this half transparent kurta and kept your two buttons open to just show off your hot body! Tumhe kya hai, you toh love these girls looking at you na, maza aata hai tumhe-....", she blabbered.

"Toh you think that my body is hot!" I teased and she flushed red at being caught as her eyes widened with anger, or horror, or jealousy or- whatever.

Fuck. I am so gone. She was scolding me, and all I could find was my fucking hot body. Like seriously? She's going to kill me. Why the fuck am I so self obsessed?

"Manik- tum- tum-....", she stammered, "you change right now!" She ordered and it was my eyes that widened this time.

"Yes. You have to change right now, and wear something not so revealing!" She ordered and turned away in anger. What the fuck? Has this girl actually lost it?

"Now Manik Malhotra!" She ordered again, shooting. Mujhe monster bulati hai yeh, khud kya kam hai?

"Okay!" I said innocently and obediently as I lifted my kurta up to remove it.

"MANIK!" She shouted as she closed both her eyes, face palming herself.

"What Nandini?" I asked obediently leaving my kurta. She opened her one eye first and then both of them, finally convinced that I was wearing my kurta, and not standing half naked.

"Manik- I- I... hate you!" She cried hitting me on my chest and I just laughed. She was so right, I am just a monster!

"Oh princess, you don't!" I challenged as I held her by her arms, jerking her closer and her laughs faded in my arms as she looked into my eyes, getting lost in them.

"Manik....", she moaned as I nuzzled in the crook of her neck, near her ear.

Fuck. Don't Nandini, this is a bad turn on. I really don't want to show you my monster side anymore.

"Yes princess...", I managed to say, my lips touching her ear and I she shivered under my touch. I loved the effect I have on her.

And it's the effect just I have on her. NOBODY ELSE. No Gay can walk over and tell her he likes her. Because she's mine. Every cell of her body is mine, wholly.

Our noses brushed together and she gripped the collar of my kurta more tightly, as I felt her go weak on her knees. Fuck, only I know how I am controlling myself to kiss her right there and then.

"History repeats itself, doesn't it?" I said with a smirk and she pulled away from me confused.

And that's when she turned back to see Gay standing with his eyes closed.

"Meine kuch nahi dekha, trust me!" He shouted.

"Aryamman?" Nandini sighed in disbelief and looked at me again, while I just smirked looking at her.

"History repeats itself, princess!" I laughed with a smirk and she huffed in anger.

"Monster!" She muttered under her breath as she walked to Aryamman. Oops- Gay.

"I heard that!" I shouted behind her.

"You were supposed to!" She shouted back as she walked out with him leaving me laughing behind. I am so irrevocably in love with her.

If I have done something right in my life, then it is falling in love with her. She is like the missing pieces to my jigsaw puzzle that fits in just with me. And when I'm with her, I stop using my brain, I just stop. It's just the heart that talks, that speaks and leaves me smiling to myself thinking about her like an idiot, just like now. Nandini Murthy, what kind of black magic have you done over me?

I walked inside back where the wedding was going on, just to see Nandini standing near Cabir, throwing petals on them as they did their pheras.

Her hair blew slightly with the hair, troubling her. But the smile she had on her face was contagious. I could go on days without food and water, but not without Nandini anymore. She's like a part of me, my heart actually, which beats just when she is around.

I slowly went and stood behind her. She turned half behind, acknowledging my presence as she smiled to herself.

"Manik?" She called me. "Hmm!" I answered as she leaned her head behind on my chest watching the wedding get over. This was my forever.

Cabir and Navya went and took the blessings of elders, and then finally came to us, the younger clan. He stopped in front of Nandini and she just stared at him, with tears in her eyes before she crashed against his chest, crying.

"Tu kyu ro rahi hai jaane-mann, meri bidai thodi ho rahi hai!" Cabir joked and she laughed in his arms. Cabir was the only person who was capable of cracking jokes after his own wedding.

We hugged both of them and they moved ahead to the others. "I will miss all of them so much!" She said to me finally wiping a tear.

"Miss?" I asked confused. Where was she planning to go?

"Haa, mein London jaungi tab...!" She said slowly, her voice fading with a weak smile. LONDON?

"Tum London...? Kyu? Kab?" I whisper screamed. What the fuck was happening?

"I am leaving for London Manik, abhi, flight hai meri! Meine bataya tha na I will leave after their wedding!" She said smiling weakly and I nodded negatively. What the fuck was she saying?

I held her by her arm as I dragged her outside into her room. She had gone mad, was she saying that she is leaving me and going?

"When were you planning tell this to me?" I screamed frowing. She looked visibly scared. Doesn't she know that I can't even live without her? Why was she leaving me again?

"Manik meine bola tha na, I am here just for three days!" She said slowly. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She knows how much I want her to stay, then why the fuck was she leaving! She knows I can't stay without her, phir bhi!

"Nandini.. you...." I screamed in frustration picking my hands to my hair and she suddenly looked scared, as she jumped behind.

My hands stopped in their tracks and I looked at her in shock, my mouth half open. I tried speaking but nothing came out.

"Did you- did you think I'd raise my hand on you?" I asked. I was more than hurt, didn't she trust me?

"Manik- I- I.....", the tears came out of her eyes, "you were angry and I.. I thought....", she cried.

"You thought I'd hit you?" I asked in disbelief. I loved her. Yes, I did. I get angry, I get jealous, I get possessive and I can hurt a person mentally. But physically? I can never raise my hand on a girl, woman physically.

"Manik- I...." she said holding my arm as I jerked her away. I was more angry on myself, I had made an image in front of the girl I love that I can hit her when I was angry.

"Disgusting, Nandini Murthy!" I shouted as I turned behind and left her room slamming the room door close.

I know I am a monster, I don't know how to deal with my emotions. I know I make mistakes, and I have made many of them. But, hit her? Does she really think I can hit her?

An hour later, when I came out of my own room changed, I saw her and her two gays standing near the gates. I was much calm now, but I couldn't forget how she got scared from me.

I walked to them and I saw everyone wishing them a bye. Her eyes stopped at me but I didn't look at her as I got into the car, in the driving seat.

There was no fucking way I was letting her go away alone. No one spoke any other word, as Cabir sat in the passenger seat and the tree of them behind.

"Manik..." she said as she got into the car. Her voice faded and tears emerged in her eyes. I closed my eyes as I turned on the music on loud volume, letting her petite voice get covered by the music.

I wish she could see how much it hurt.

The drive passed silently with Nandini looking at me through the rear view mirror but I didn't look at her. I couldn't look into her eyes because I knew if I did, it was either me who'd break down completely, or I would hurt her. Not fucking physically, but mentally.

The airport drive was just a few minutes away, and it passed in complete silence with the music blasting in the car, the two gays talking to each other, Cabir asking me to calm down. But my drive was still silent, because my princess sat there in silence, looking outside the window, crying silently.

I wish I could tell you that I can see how much it hurts you. But I also wish, you could see how much it hurts me to hurt you.

I parked the car in front of the airport gates, as I got down and helped to get the luggage out of the car, till the time all three of them hugged Cabir a goodbye.

Aryamman came ahead and hugged me and a shiver passed down my spine. Was he really gay?

"It was nice being with you after a long time buddy!" He said. Maybe he wasn't really as bad after all! I and Abhimanyu just shook hands, I'd hate to admit I was still jealous of him.

Only, Nandini and I were left now. Understanding the situation, Cabir took the two of them away with their luggage, putting it on the trolley.

"Manik!" Nandini said softly and I looked away. Fuck, I can't do this.

Letting the person you love the most go is the hardest job, especially if you're going through it for the second time.

I felt her soft arms wrap around my neck as she tip toed and put her head against my chest, hugging me. Even when I didn't want to do it, my arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her tighter.

Fuck, I hate the way I feel the burden on my heart as I heard her sob against my chest and I closed my eyes tighter, pulling her closer.

We finally broke apart and she turned, walking away from me.

Fuck no! I couldn't do this. I just couldn't.

I held her hand, turning her to me. She looked at me with hope in her eyes, but I wasn't looking at her, I was looking away.

"Is it necessary to go?" I whispered, my voice hardly audible to me and she walked back to me, smiling weakly.

"Can you stop me?", she asked and I stayed silent. Was she dumb? Couldn't she see I was begging her to not go?!

"Sometimes, having no reason to stay, is a good reason to go...", she said with a weak smile as her thumb brushed my lip and cheek, and a fresh tear dropped from her eye.

She smiled at me weakly before turning again, and walking away. Fuck, I wanted to stop her, but I couldn't. I wanted to tell her how much it was hurting her, to leave her again, but I couldn't.

Wasn't I a reason for her to stay?

Cabir stood near me, and I looked at Nandini, who was far away now. She slightly turned behind, waving a goodbye at both of us. When our eyes met, I saw hers get moisten again, and she mouthed me a 'sorry'.

"So, it's over, haa?" He asked, disappointment clear in his voice.

I face palmed myself, the evil smirk playing on my lips again as I saw her figure disappear

"Manik and Nandini, I and she, are forever, and it's never over, until I say it is.....", I laughed with an evil smirk.

I love you, Nandini Murthy.

~love can leave a memory that no one can steal; but love can also leave a pain that no one can heal~

~•~