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N A N D I N I

When someone's drowning, they'd do everything they can to save themselves from dying. But I did nothing. I grasped for no air, I didn't beg death to pardon my life. Maybe because I didn't want to live a life in which I see my love turning from an angel to a devil. Maybe I didn't want to live a life without Manik. I didn't want to live a life where I am forced to agree that the love of my life is no saint, he's a monster who destroyed the only essence of love left in me, the one who deprived me of my everything.

"Nandini!" The scream made its way to my ears but I refused to get up from my slumber, as I covered my head with a pillow and snuggled deeper into my comfortable bed. Manik had already snatched away my everything, I would let no one take away my sleep from me, since that was the only thing I had full control on now.

"Nandini!", the scream got louder, and the same old husky voice made its way. No Manik Malhotra, you have already made my days miserable, I don't want to see you in my sleep too. Despite all my tries, my eye lids flew open slowly, listening to the banging everywhere around me and I couldn't understand if it was my head or was the world around me collapsing.

"Princess, open the door!" I heard someone singing outside again and I closed my eyes as irritation crept in my nerves and unwantingly, I went to open the door rubbing my eyes to welcome the uninvited person in my night shorts and messy hair. Three AM is no time to visit someone's house, no matter what emergency it is.

Opening my room door, all ready to shout, my eyes saw the person I never wanted to. Staring at him with wide eyes, all the sleep in me disappeared as I looked at him, frozen and grounded.

"Oh Nandini, you have hot legs!" His eyes scanned my body and I couldn't stop the crimson colour rushing to my cheeks as I suddenly felt conscious under his gaze, which checked my body from top to bottom. It was weird how just a small statement of his made me blush despite every time I remind myself I have to hate him, I still can't help falling for him deeper and deeper.

"What are you doing in my house, Manik Malhotra?" I tried to sound calm and quiet and unangry but I failed miserably as my voice sounded in a whisper, already scared of the consequences. His presence suddenly turned the atmosphere of my room all gloomy and dark yet not the dark that would intimidate you, but the kind of dark that we find beautiful.

"I should ask the question, Murthy. What are you doing in my house?" He laughed dryly with the evil grin, throwing himself on my bed as I looked at him with squeezed eyebrows, crossing my hands against my chest but he seemed oblivious to my unrequited gaze on him. "Are you forgetting princess, all your fathers property is mine, which includes this house as well!" He smiled formally and I could feel the last straw within me breaking.

But I wasn't falling weak, not in front of him at least. Gulping the lump in my throat and drinking away the tears arousing in my eyes, I took a deep breath before continuing. I had to be strong, not because I wasn't scared but because I had a long way to go, a long fight to fight despite my fears.

"You have such a big mansion Manik, what do you want to do of this petty house?" I asked in a whisper, and still it was loud enough for the darkness to reflect it back into my face. The darkness that covered us of the night reminded me the reality, that I was no more even capable to own my own house. And what I just spoke was no less than a fact itself, he had such a big mansion that even my huge bungalow seemed so petty near it.

"But I want this house, because it's mine!" He smirked jumping on the bed and I knew there was no point arguing because legally he owned everything I couldn't do anything. Even my dead father couldn't change the storms coming my way even if he wished to.

Giving a last glance to my room and his dark eyes, I picked up the scarf lying on the table before walking away after a long breath. I was strong, stronger than he thought, I reminded myself. But in reality, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know where I would go or what I would do.

Sitting on the opposite parks bench, I laughed. I laughed like a maniac until all the pain of losing my house, the last thing that connected me to my childhood and my fathers memories subsided. I had a phone, but no one to call. I was always a lost girl since childhood who had no real friends except my two best friends, and when that one jerk shifted to London from India to handle some fucking family business, I lost both my best friends.

Looking at the dark sky, the moon caught my eyes as I stared at it without blinking my eyes. Right since I was a teenager, only two things managed to keep me awake at night~ one, the moon and second, thoughts of Manik Malhotra. And it is wonderous and strange how they are both related. The moon is phenomenal , and even as it shines for the people, there is a dark side of it which no one sees just like Manik Malhotra. He's a star for the people, but he has a dark, or actually the darkest side that no one actually knows about- except me.

Suddenly, I once again felt someone's extremely strong gaze on me and I looked straight to see a man staring at me and my bare legs. I remember my father warning me against such wandering, homeless and lusty men when I was a little child and it was so ironic that I was one amongst them.

"Tch Tch Tch!" I heard a dry laugh behind me and I gritted my teeth. The voice I once loved so much irritated me till no extent today. Ironically, there was a time I used to listen to his songs day and night and now I wished I never listened to his voice again. "The princess's new castle is on the street, huh?".

I didn't even have to turn behind to look at his smirk because I could already sense it in his tone. I preferred staying silent because I didn't really want to talk to him again. Probably seeing my disinterest, I could sense him leaving. But I was wrong, extremely wrong as he sat besides me, staring at my face.

Finally, I turned to him. "What is it Manik? You got the home, is there anything else you want from me?" My voice faded by the end and he looked at me amused.

"I expected you to cry," he smirked and I felt more irritated. "Is it what you want, to see my tears?," I asked in a numb voice, and he stayed silent. Covering my bare legs with the scarf I got, I turned to him.

"You know, I'm not just as cruel as they think I am. I can offer you to stay in the servant quarter if you want," he fake smiled with that grin on his face. Despite of all the hells he was pushing me through, I couldn't help but notice how that grin and messy hair made him look incredibly hot at four in the early morning.

"That's the last time I'm telling you, I don't need anything from you. You've done me enough, please leave me alone for now!" I begged and he casually blinked his eyes before walking away, once again leaving me alone with my darkness.

And being alone in the utter darkness with strange men staring at me from different corners of the garden didn't scare me as much as Manik's presence did. Hugging my knees to my chest tighter, I let my head drop on the bench side as I laid down, curling myself into a ball. And trust me when I say this, I felt no shame in doing so, because this bench is where I had to be, every night from now.

And that didn't hurt as much as it should have because I felt numb from all the things happening to me. I wanted to go home, but I had no home. I wanted to cry, but no tears would come out. I wanted to scream, but I knew there would be no one to hear me out. I could see my heart breaking apart and I wanted to do nothing to save it from the mess I was drowning in. I wanted to stop taking things in my hand and let go of everything for once.

But I guess, I was strong enough to survive it all until now and I will be strong enough to fight it all ahead.

"Nandini!" I heard another whisper behind me as my pupils dilated and I got up with a jerk, looking behind, to witness another surprise~ more like a shock to me.

"Z-Zubin?" I barely whispered. His eyes were red and staring at me, and if looks could kill, his glares would have got me dead. Removing the leather jacket he had worn, he moved towards me, putting it around my shoulders that grew numb with the cold.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me and I acted as if I didn't know what he meant but I knew exactly what he did. He was asking me what was I doing sleeping on a bench and not my comfortable bed because that was where I belong in the middle of a dark and cold night. But I pretended to know nothing.

"I should ask you that Zubin, what are you doing here?," I smiled. It amazed me how I still managed to smile after everything that happened when I should cry out loud and tell him how much I have missed him all this time. Zubin, my only lost best friend.

Without saying a word, he came forward to me and took me into a hug. I didn't reciprocate for a minute because it seemed so foreign. I don't remember the last time someone has hugged me, someone showed me affection. The warmth his hug provided me on such a cold night felt like shelter to my homeless soul.

"What is all this? Why are you not home? And why didn't you tell me about uncle? I wanted to be there with you at that time...-," His voice faded as he sat besides me on the bench and I stared at the ground blankly. "Voh toh acha hai kaaka called me up two days back, varna toh mujhe kuch pata hi nahi chalta. Because Nandini Murthy decided that she is too strong to face everything alone, isn't it?", he sounded cold and distant too.

"It's been four years Mukti died, Zubin Thakkar, and you became so distant. You stopped all contacts to everyone, including me. Not once did you bother to call and ask if I am fine, what was I going through? You loved her, but wasn't she my best friend too?" I asked and his eyes snapped at me, as if realising how selfish he had been.

"I'm sorry! I realise my mistakes, and that is why I am here. And now that I am, don't hesitate, show me your scars. Show me what you have fought through when I failed to be in the times I should have stood by you, just like Mukti would have always wanted to...," He weakly smiled as a tear slipped through his eye. That was love, undying and eternal love even though we lost Mukti to death by an accident.

Hugging him tightly, I slowly told him about everything. But I made sure I didn't cry a single tear drop, because that's what the world wants. The world would want to break you down by giving you lemons. But at this point, squeeze the lemons off and drink tequila with them. I was fathers brave girl, the brave girl who wasn't going to break away so soon.

"Manik Malhotra? What is he? A rock star? I'm gonna crush him down in minutes!" Zubin gritted. He was just as angry as I was and I nodded negatively at him, stopping him behind. "You can't, even if you try to, you can't! He's not just a rock star, he's the heir of the Malhotra Industries...," I sighed in a defeated voice, ".. and he stands against me legally. There's nothing I can do!".

He slowly held my left hand in his, pulling me to stand up. "Let's go...," He smiled, wiping his tears away and I looked at him blankly.

"Where?" I asked and he looked back at me as if he had seen an alien. He stopped with a deep breath, holding me by my shoulders and I felt nice. It felt good to know that I wasn't alone, I had someone to lean onto, someone I could trust, someone in this cruel world whom I could call mine.

"I'm not letting you stay on the streets, Nandini. It's fortunate that I came here on time, this is so unsafe babydoll. I thought I'd come in the morning, once you're up, but I couldn't stop to see you. And thank god in came! And now that I'm here, I ain't letting you fight this alone. You're staying with me, at my house!" , he smiled cupping my cheeks and I smiled at him weakly, but I knew this was wrong. It was just as if using my friend to stay at his house.

"B-but I can't! It's your house, I-I can't!" I hesitated. Somewhere, the idea didn't click rightly, and I didn't want him to feel I was using him. Years down, I wouldn't have felt that way, but everything had changed now. It was probably my insecurities that didn't let me do that.

"Agar Mukti hoti, phir bhi tum yahi kehti?," he raised his eye brows and then smirked since he knew he had hit exactly the right chord. Mukti was my weakness, my best friend, right from childhood and even if she wasn't there with us physically, Is never forget her. She held the most important part of my beautiful memories that no Manik Malhotra can ever snatch away from me.

"But I'd pay you the rent!" I conditioned even before thinking and he held his hand up in defence, just like only times and I laughed as we sat in his car. After such a long time, I felt I was laughing without thinking of what the consequences would or could be. I felt me, not the girl that Manik had left in the darkness.

This somewhere gave me a new hope. I was a strong girl, and I have to prove it back to the world. Manik Malhotra had not broken me, he'd made me stronger. In the dark shadows of his heart, I'd still survive. Taking up my phone, I called the most recent contact on my phone.

One ring, and the phone was picked up, as is he was waiting desperately for my call. "Manik Malhotra?" I gritted and though there was no sound from the end, I could see him smirking.

"Is the job you offered me still on?" I asked hopefully, my heart beat faster then it ever did as I bit my lower lip, waiting for a response. It's time I show you Manik, I ain't that weak girl you tried making me.

"Your wish, my command princess..," he sounded husky and his tone was normal, the kind of husky he uses in his music, the kind of husky voice I had first fallen for. "But I'd tell you to reconsider you decision princess, you know, I have an extremely dark heart," I could hear the tone getting devilish and the evil smirk that could give me chills and nightmares and both at the same time.

"In the shadows of your dark heart, sir, this princess will still fight and survive," I smiled in a determined voice before cutting the phone and looking at a proud Zubin.

This might as well cost me a lot, destroy me, or take away everything I was made of. But this time, there's no going back. This time, I'm going to look back into his eyes until he falls in love. This time, there's no running away. I'm going to face my fears, I'm going to face Manik Malhotra.

He knows that he is a monster, he is a devil, but what he doesn't know is...

Only monsters fall in love with a princess.

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