Nandini:- ( while gritting her teeth ) Your choice of girls was so bad, I never knew. I can’t even digest that you dated a WALKING SKELETON B*TCH.
She looks at him with red eyes, which clearly shows displeasure with his choice for the first time, whereas Manik is still gasping with an open mouth, hearing the name she uses for Alya. “Walking Skeleton B*tch”, according to him, this name suits her personality, no offense to anybody, but he wants to laugh at this. He covers his laugh with a cough, not wanting to anger his Fireball more.
Nandini:- ( continues with irritation, ignoring Manik ) You deserve a good-looking, beautiful, charming, innocent yet a little naughty, passionate, and superbly intelligent girl who has a cute black mole on her upper lip.
Saying this, she points to her black mole just above her lips, indicating to him that she is talking about herself. Whereas Manik heard her description with full concentration, but the adjectives she chose for herself didn’t match her.
He points at her and asks the most obvious question.
Manik:- Innocent?
Without a second thought, Nandini nods in affirmation while flickering her lashes cutely like a princess hypnotizing her Shy boy. Manik’s mood changed in a second. Now, he is smiling like a fool at his Fireball’s antics. Your love partner indeed has magical powers that can change your moods, no matter how terrible you are feeling. The same happened to him, too. He forgot about his painful past just by sitting beside her.
Manik:- ( While raising his eyebrows ) Little naughty? ( Showing her the tiniest gap between his thumb and forefinger )
Nandini:- ( Sharply ) Any doubt?
Hearing her tone, Manik puts his pointed finger down and looks in front of him to save himself from her anger. Nandini pulls him closer through his elbow and rests her head on his shoulder, making him shy. Their proximity is what both liked on this chilly, rainy night. For a time, they forgot the fact that they were drenched in rain for the last half an hour. Out of nowhere, Nandini said.
Nandini:- Sorry, I overreacted.
Manik looks at her instantly after hearing her apology. Frankly speaking, he doesn’t like seeing that gloomy look on her face, but before he could say anything to her, she continued.
Nandini:- I shouldn’t interfere in your and Alya’s relationship like that. Alya was your past, and I have no right to judge you on that.
Manik:- ( Concernedly ) Why are you apologizing?... Please, don’t apologize to me EVER. I don’t like it when you say sorry to me. You have every right to comment on anything that includes me. I know you won’t judge me by my past.
Nandini looks up, hearing his warm words, and gazes into his eyes with the love she holds in her heart for him. The same goes for him, but he has immense respect for her, too, in his eyes.
Nandini:- ( Genuinely ) I don’t know why, but I can’t digest the fact that you dated her and were in love with her BEFORE ME.
Manik:- Everyone has their first crush, first love, but what matters is YOUR LAST LOVE, WHO STAYS WITH YOU EVEN AT YOUR WORST. AND IF THAT LOVE KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR AT THE TERRIBLE PHASE OF YOUR LIFE AND STILL SITS BESIDE YOU THEN, THERE IS NOTHING PURE THAN THAT.
For Nandini, nothing can be a pure confession than this. Without saying those three magical words, he reveals what she meant to him. Yup, she understood that he meant those words for her. Whereas Manik is happy seeing the smile back on her lips. But he wants to clear one thing that is troubling him.
Manik:- ( Shyly ) Woh… Just to clarify… I was not in love with her. It was just an infatuation. I never felt the way I felt around you. And you have every damn right to be mad at me. ( Sternly ) So, never say that you don’t have rights over me, understand?
Hearing him, Nandini looks at him with a big grin and asks teasingly.
Nandini:- Why do I have a right over you, Shyboy?
Manik was taken aback by her direct question. He has answers to her question, but his shyness doesn’t allow him to express his feelings to her. He is very bad at expressing, but he knows that Nandini can understand his emotions.
He can’t say those three words to her because those three words bring sorrow to his life.
Manik:- ( Nervously ) I…
Nandini:- ( While giggling ) No need to say, I can understand. Your eyes are your mirror, Shy boy. They convey to me what you couldn’t even say.
She murmurs, looking into his eyes deeply, giving him goosebumps when he realizes that his feelings are not one-sided. She also feels the same love that he feels for her. Without caring about any other thing, she grabs his cheeks and places her lips on his forehead, making his eyes close in delight.
Coming out of her hold, Manik looks at her face with moist eyes and continues his story.
Manik:- ( Sincerely ) Trust me, Fireball. I didn’t want to date her. It’s just that she was my crush, nothing else. But when she proposed to me in front of the crowd, I couldn’t say no because I thought that somewhere I also had feelings for her.
Nandini:- ( While gritting her teeth in rage ) You should learn how to say No.
Manik:- Will you teach me?
Nandini:- ( Dramatically ) How many things should I teach you, Shy boy? I am a little girl burdened with all your responsibilities. ( While looking at the dark rainy sky ) Uff!... God, why so much work for your cute little doll?
Manik looks at her with narrowed eyes and smacks her hand, stopping her drama. She giggles at him, but in a second becomes serious while saying.
Nandini:- Still, Shy boy, I met her just once or twice in these 24 hours, and I am confident that she is no good to the earth.
Manik:- Ya… I know, but… I understood that very late.
Nandini:- ( Sarcastically ) Why?..... Was your brain hung up seeing her SKELETON’S BEAUTY?
Manik:- ( While grinning ) Kind of!...
Nandini:- ( angrily ) Kind of?.... Your taste is so bad!
Manik:- (Innocently ) But I have never tasted her… then, how can you tell me that my taste is bad?
Nandini’s mouth opened wide ajar in shock. She stares at his face without blinking her eyes, only to believe the words she heard are true. Her Shy boy can talk in DOUBLE MEANING.
Nandini:- OH GOD! PLEASE, PINCH ME.
Manik giggles seeing her drama, but the next second winces in pain when Nandini pulls his ear, making him cry.
Manik:- Ah!... Nandini… leave me!... ouch!.... Mumma…..
Nandini:- ( Possessively ) You are also not allowed to even think about tasting her WHEN I AM HERE FOR YOU… UNDERSTOOD?
Manik:- ( cried in pain ) Understood!... Now, leave me. ( Still, Nandini didn’t leave him ) Fireball, this is violence.
Nandini:- Why can’t I? You gave me the complete right to do so. ( After a pause ) By the way, it is important to teach you that you should stop using your stupid PJ’s on me.
Manik winces, and Nandini leaves his ear, but not before pulling it once again. He rubs his ear, which turned red, and giggles seeing her cute anger.
Manik:- I was joking.
Nandini:- ( while gritting her teeth ) When did you start joking?
Manik:- From the time you come into my dark life. ( Mischievously ) You know, you are rubbing on me.
Nandini:- I am spoiling you, Shy boy.
Manik:- Not at all!... I love this new Manik.
Nandini:- ( cribs like a kid ) But I don’t!... I don’t like this new Manik. For me, my old innocent Shy boy is best.
Manik giggles seeing her cute, grumpy face, but she brings him back to the topic that both of them forgot.
Nandini:- Don’t change the topic, Shy boy. Continue your story.
Manik:- Hmm…
To be continued…