N A N D I N I

Hell sent us the most evil disease and we humans proudly call it love. Love is cold. Love is dark. But love is the kind of beautiful that you call home, but the kind of beautiful that is poisonous and you'd still drink it, love writes destruction, and ironical enough, we all desire the love that can destroy us.

And despite everything you be through, the wars that rage inside you, the storms that almost kill you, the times that your heart shatters miserably, you still smile and pretend as if everything is really nice. Warriors, aren't we?

"Thank you for meeting me, Nandini," he smiled his beautiful smile while I stared at the black tables in front of me, that unsettling fear still in my heart as I nervously stirred the black drink in front of me.

"Are you okay?" He asked again and I smiled at his sudden concern as I bit my lower lip and looked up at his perfect face which had that adorable smile on, staring at me.

"I am," I smiled back while he bit his lower lip too, and I could sense his nervousness as he brushed his hair with his hand. "Are you okay?", I mocked back and he laughed a nervous giggle.

"Look Nandini, I'm really sorry for whatever happened at the office yesterday," he licked his lower lip again rubbing his hands together, slowly placing it on one of mine and I smiled the genuine smile. He couldn't get better.

"Aaryamman, sixteen messages since last night to say sorry, three messages, two calls, and now in personal. Kitna sorry bologe?" I smiled squeezing his hand that lies under mine and he gave a sympathetic smile nodding negatively. Why is he so good, like too nice to be in this world?

"No Nandini, I know Manik. His anger is blinding, he does stupid things when he's angry, even if that means destroying someone's life to satisfy his ego....," He weakly smiled and I gulped as I remembered Manik's words ringing in my ears.

"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible and when I leave, you'd know why storms are named after people..."

Gulping my saliva as Manik's words re played in my ears softly and coldly, cold blood flowed through my body, and I hated why we were here all the way to talk about Manik. He was the one person I wanted to push away from my life, wrap him in a box and never open it again. And today being a Saturday, when there was no sign of office and Manik Malhotra, I don't even want to think about him, although I'm only doing that.

"No matter how much you refuse Nandini, I know I've made life harder for you. Will you forgive me?" He asked, sadness playing in his eyes and his concern was to die for. He was the kind of lover someone would live for, the kind of love that could gift an eternity within just a moment of love.

"Ofcourse I will. Is this supposed to be a question Aryamman?" I smiled and his smile widened, reaching his eye as the tension he had been holding all over his face softened and he left the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"So can I see you at the business party at my place tomorrow?" He asked, hope glowing in his eyes and the colour of my face faded.  Business party meant Manik. And Manik meant destruction.

"Aryamman... I— its a business party- I-....," I stammered hesitating and he frowned, all the happiness slowly vanishing and I felt so bad for him.

"Now I'd think that you haven't forgiven me?" His voice was just in a whisper and I hated turning him down this way, it made me sad looking at his face like a sad child who had been refused his favourite chocolate.

"Aryamman, please understand! Manik's going to be there too, and I'm trying to avoid him as much as possible so..," I tried explaining but I realised I wasn't making any sense to myself. Working under him all day, how can I be avoiding him?

"Nandini! Hold on!" He held my hand slowly, his thumb caressing my palm as my breath slowed, and I looked at him with so many emotions flying across. "As much as I have seen and known, Manik doesn't come to any parties, especially business ones. You don't need to be worrying about him until I am there with you..," his thumb was doing magic on my palm, relaxing me completely unknowingly.

My unsure eyes met his hazel ones, and he blinked in assurance while I nodded positively, giving him a weak smile. "Promise?" I asked once again, and he smiled fully.

"Promise!" His eyes locked with mine.

❤︎

"Nandini, you look absolutely supercalifragilisticexpalidocious, get that?" Zubin said for the fifth time in the evening and I gulped nervously getting out of his car as I kept my hand in his. I had never been to a business party before, and I had no idea how to ever dress up, so I'm sure I looked over dressed.

Throwing one last glance at the red slit gown that perfectly fit me and my cakes face with make up, I gave him a small smile. "You look just like Mukti!" He laughed as he held me for a side hug and kissed my temple.

"Ofcourse I would, I have worn her gown, her earrings, everything I have worn belongs to her!" I beamed proudly. At first when Zubin gave me her stuff, I didn't want to do this at all. But then I thought I owed it to my dead best friend for everything she was to me- my soul sister, my everything!

Holding his hand and entwining it confidently, he lead me on into the house, safely away from all the press pouncing everyone coming inside. From the crowd, my eyes fell on Aryamman talking to another gentleman, looking absolutely dapper in all black, showing off his stubble with a smug smirk playing on his lips, and just as he turned to the both of us, the smirk turned into a smile as he walked towards us.

Something shone in his eyes as he looked at me, something that I have never seen in his eyes as it scanned me from top to bottom and I flipped my long hair behind my back, blinking my eyes more to tease him. While walking to us, his eyes didn't move from mine as he hit his heart on his chest, as if I had killed him with my look and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Someone looks breath taking and fatally gorgeous...," he nodded his head as he side hugged me and I playfully hit his chest for the over exaggerating compliment.

"Yes, and that someone happens to me!" Zubin fake smiled pulling me away from Aryamman as he himself hugged him and both the boys laughed while I giggled. Slowly, Aryamman was entering our lives and becoming a very integral part without anyone realising.

"I'm glad you came!" He smiled at me, and once again, something that I have never seen in his eyes shone. I have always been very bad at reading emotions, and I couldn't understand the numerous words his eyes silently whispered.

I'm always attracted to ones eyes, and his hazel ones are magical, some mystery dancing through them always. They laugh with mine, but silently speak volumes. I'm just as attracted to his eyes as I am to Mani-... I am not remembering him anymore.

"Nandini, can I be getting you anything?" Aryamman smiled and politely nodded in a no, because the last time I drank, I remember what happened and I am not talking any risk again. As if reading my thoughts, he chuckled and I smiled too. Just then, someone beautiful walked besides us.

"Aliya!" Aryamman called and she stopped, smiling as she looked at him and then at me. She was beautiful, so beautiful- fair and pretty, wearing a strapless blue gown making her look magnificent. Looking at her made me suddenly feel conscious of my own self, and I wondered how girls can be so beautiful.

"She's Nandini," Aryamman introduced us and she smiled at me, forwarding her hand, "hi Nandini!". Ofcourse I knew her, she was so beautiful and many a times, she was linked with Manik.

"So girls, I'd leave y'all to yourself while I attend other people with Zubin, okay?" Aryamman winked at me before leaving the two of us alone. And just as much as I could hate it, I didn't want to be alone with her because she reminded me just of Ma-... I'm not going to remember him anymore.

"So Nandini, what do you do?" She asked with a polite smile and the smile of my face vanished. What do I tell her? I'm a clerk under the guy with whom she has link ups?

"I've just returned back from London a few months before and Dad then passed away, so I've not really got much time to start working yet, though I'm planning to take over his company now!" I smiled back and mentally beamed at the lie I cooked up in such a short one while she smiled sadly hearing my father was no more.

"You're really nice as a model, I've seen a lot of your ramps on television...," I smiled and she beamed. "So, whom are you here with?" She asked and I pointed towards Zubin, who was busy laughing with someone.

"Oh my god Nandini, he's hot. You're lucky haa, nice boyfriend....," she hit her shoulder against mine and I laughed. "He's not my boy friend, he's something beyond that!" I smiled looking at him. He was the reason I was alive today.

"Husband? You don't look married Nandini!" Her eyes were amused and I giggled nodding negatively. "Best friend!" I corrected and she smiled.

"God bless your friendship, tum dono jaise dost sabko mile!" She smiled but there was some sadness playing in her eyes, as if she had lost her own friends or something that made me feel bad. "Whom are you here with?" I asked instantly, diverting the topic and she licked her lips, flipping her hair which made her look even prettier.

"Him.", she pointed at the entrance behind me and I turned behind to see the most imperfectly beautiful human of this world standing in a dark black tie up suit, hands in his pocket with a smug look and dark eyes that scanned the entire hall, the devil laughing in his eyes as my heart skipped a beat at the sinfully hot creature.

Manik Malhotra.

"Aah princess!" He acted amused as he raised an eyebrow, taking steps towards both of us and just as Aliya's smile increased with every step he took, mine vanished. His eyes had little ferocious demons that played recklessly with matches and created fire, of which only one spark one enough to burn me away, only one stare was enough to break me down.

"You look rich, princess!" He smirked and I gulped my saliva down slowly. Aryamman had fucking promised that he wouldn't be here, he shouldn't have been here, right in front of my eyes, making every cell of my body so frightened that I'm afraid I might as well get a panic attack, just by his looks.

Conclusion: Manik Malhotra is fatal to my health.

Before I could ask for, I felt a hand encircling my waist and two shadows surrounding me, as I looked up to find a furious Zubin and a smirking Aryamman who's hand held me close. And just as troublesome it is, his hand didn't feel foreign or uncomfortable, it felt warm.

"Manik, I'm glad you could make it. We never see you at any parties, I'm glad you came for this one!" Aryamman smiled but each word was so cold and spat sarcasm right on his face, while he just smirked and shrugged it casually.

"I had to come....," he smiled dryly, his eyes looked at me and mine lowered as Zubin pulled me behind him, covering half my body away. "....after all you had invited me personally!" He looked back at Aryamman and I left the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Why- don't we dance?" He asked, his eyes looking into mine and my heart skipped numerous beats as my I held Zubin's coat nervously.

Opening my mouth to reply him, words died right there as he held Aliya's hand, entwining them as he dragged her to the dance floor and the poor girl smiled like a fool, which was undoubtedly the work of Manik Malhotra's charm.

"Can we dance too?" Aryamman asked forwarding his hand to me and I looked at Zubin who nodded positively before placing my hand in his and he pulled me to the dark dance stage with spot lights falling on us and Manik and Aliya.

"Don't frown, your smile is the most beautiful smile I have ever seen!" he whispered as he held me close, his hands on both my waist as we swayed slowly just according to the music and I smiled, the shy redness creeping to my face.

Yet, no matter what, I couldn't take my eyes off Manik and Aliya, the way he held her and swayed her all the way just according to the beats before he held her hand and aryamman held mine, twisting us and we twirled, exchanging partners, and before I knew, I was in his arms.

Manik's eyes looked into mine, and even in the darkness, his eyes shone, highlighting the dangerous smile playing on his perfect lips. I sometimes wondered how it would be like to kiss those, and now that he stands so close, I never want to kiss him. I don't want to be the just another girl in his life he uses as a bed warmer.

I wanted to stay away, very away from him.

His fingers slowly traced down my arms and I closed my eyes, breathing slowly as he entwined his right hand with mine.

"No Nandini, I know Manik. His anger is blinding, he does stupid things when he's angry, even if that means destroying someone's life to satisfy his ego...."

Aryamman's voice played in my mind loud and clear as I gasped, suddenly pushing myself away from him, widening my eyes and I came back from my imagination to my real world.

"Nandini, are you okay?" I heard Aryamman's voice as I rubbed my hand over my mouth, still staring at Manik who stood in front of me, not even bothering to ask, with his hands in his pocket and the same ignorant face.

"I am okay..," I nodded with a small smile.

"Great. Because from now on, you wouldn't be okay.," Manik's voice from two days before still echoed in my ears, making me shiver.

"I don't think so. Malhotra, would you mind if I take her away? Your company doesn't suit her it seems," Aryamman fake smiled moving a step closer to both of us, holding Manik's collar in a way no one saw- except me.

"or actually, your company doesn't suit anyone!" Aryamman gritted and Manik's smirk vanished as Aryamman entwined my hand, pushing me away from the crowd upstairs and I couldn't help but keep looking back at Manik's eyes getting darker as he stared at our disappearing figures.

"No Nandini, I know Manik. His anger is blinding, he does stupid things when he's angry, even if that means destroying someone's life to satisfy his ego...."

"No Nandini, I know Manik. His anger is blinding,"

"No Nandini, I know Manik"

"Aryamman!" I stopped him holding his hand and he turned shocked as my questioning eyes stared into his, holding him tightly. "You know Manik from before don't you?" I shouted as he nodded negatively, his lips finding excuses.

"Truth Aryamman, only the truth!" I literally screamed and he sighed, holding both my arms as my head spinned. "I do," he whispered.

"He's a murderer!" Aryamman gritted his teeth and each word he spoke fell like thunderclap on me as I couldn't believe what I was hearing myself as I blinked my eyes and darkness covered me as I held Aryamman's hand to support me.

"He killed my sister!" I heard his words before the faint lights in front of me also disappeared and darkness covered me as I lost grip on myself, shutting my eyes and slipping away as he held me into his arms, shouting my name.

Some people fear the devil, and others simply become it.

~•~