WHAT THE....!!!

A hard yet gentle hand cups my mouth and pulls me in a room and a click informs that the room has been locked.

Registering everything and about to shout, I look up to meet the most beautiful pair of dark brown eyes in the world.

And I hardly got familiar with the touch and as soon as I do, my whole body goes numb, hands and feet cold and eyes watery.

This is a dream, another torturing dream.

I close my eyes, sneaky tears make way down my cheeks. I don't want this to be one. So many revelations, so much of realisation. And if this touch is again a product of my imagination, I won't be able to take it.

Eyes open slowly, and again meet a pair where I can literally read them. The eyes of a human being I love entirely. The pain I see now in them makes me nauseous and I feel like a sinner to be the reason behind.

Manik Malhotra.

All in his glory, cupping my mouth and complaining wordlessly.

The wet of my eyes touch his hand and the pressure on my mouth loosens lazily. But our eyes seemed to have forgotten to blink.

His retreating hand brings out an ugly memory from my subconscious mind, and the reflexes warn me,

And all I want to do now is cry.

Cry telling him of how much I missed him, how much I craved to hear his nectar-filled voice which erupted butterflies everytime I hear it.

To apologize to him for being an ass and ask him not to hate me because I love him.

And don't him to leave me because I hurt him so much.

"Ma..anik...k" I croak.

I felt the jitter he just got and that seemed to have bought him back to senses. He closes his eyes and looks away.

"Don't talk to me" he says after a few seconds, removing his right hand completely away from my mouth and keeping it on the wall beside my face.

My brain is too shocked to respond and the heart too high on oxygen, partying with other organs including stomach and lungs. My heavy breathe informs me the same.

" I... I am... sorry... " I croak again and more tears well up in the back.

He looks at me with red eyes showing hurt, pain, longing and betrayal. He slightly raises his hand but then, as if compelling himself, keeps it back on the wall.

My left foot is in a very weird position and suddenly I lose my balance due to pain. My hand immediately comes to his arms and he holds my waist in a panicked state.

Shivers race down my spine and a tremor passes my skin as he holds my waist.

He instantly removes his hands and keeps them on the wall caging me in between after I steady myself. Our faces just a few inches away.

The panic in his eyes now replaces with hurt and a flicker of concern passes but vanishes immediately.

He looks away again.

"Manik" I say and he looks at me, his eyes softening and then instantly annoyed. He parts his lips a bit and his warm minty breathe caress my face.

"How can you do this to me?" he says after minutes of uneasy silence and my heart crumbles.

" I am sorry. I am very sorry Manik" with interwoven plead I say and more tears run down my face.

" I was so happy when I came back. I thought to surprise you and everyone. I had thoughtof so many things and all those things made me so crazy that I couldn't sleep. Then I reach school and meet everyone, looking for you every where. And then I get to know..." he stops and looks at me for a moment. "You know how I felt? I felt like...like the earth has shattered and every inch of air around is piercing holes in me. And then you call me and before hearing or saying a word end the call. did you even think once how would I feel? How could you do that to me? " his red eyes turn moist and he gulps down slowly as I see his Adam's apple moving.

That day dances in my mind.

"I don't know what got into me. I just went blank Manik. I.. I just-t lost all my senses. I waited for so long and then as I stepped out, I get a news that you are b-back. Everything felt lie around me. I felt everything betraying me. I just couldn't... I... "

"When I called you Manik and heard your voice, Manik I-just couldn't... I am... " and I break down. The tears draining my already exhausted mind.

"And you went underground by cutting all your previous contacts. The Butter Chicken I knew wasn't this foolish" he mumbles softly. "Where's my Butter Chicken? "

Maybe that was to make me feel good but it did the complete opposite. My hands drop down from his shoulder and I palm my face, crying uncontrollably and failing to suppress my loud sobs.

Five seconds and I feel Manik closing his arms around me. His one hand on my upper back palm resting on the back of my head and other hand tightly against my lower back, pressing me gently on himself.

More tears spill and my hands wrap themselves around his waist.

"I am sorry Manik, I am very sorry. I just could not think of anything that time. I hurt you so much, I am sorry, please don't hate me. Please Manik.. " I mumble in his chest and he presses me more into him, keeping his chin on my head. My hold on him tightens.

And then I feel something soft, something like Manik's lips pressing on my head, ceasing my sobs completely.

Did he just...!?

I slowly lift my face up to see his sudden pale face and wide eyes. His arms around me loosens and before he could take them away, I instantly wrap my arms tighter, burying my face in his chest again.

He stiffens for a moment and then releases a quick breath and positions his hands back. I inhale his cologne, which unnaturally calms me down with slight goosebumps on my hand.

Standing in the same position for a long time, a little thought knocks in my brain. Dreading every second to be the last in this heavenly closeness.

He slowly loosens and my breath gets stuck in my throat.

He is retreating.
He'll go again.
No.

I tighten again mumbling sorrys.

"Look at me girl" he says amused, the previous heaviness all gone.

"No. You'll leave again." I murmur.

I have lost it. I lost my brain along with my heart to this man.

"Arey.. " his chest vibrates slowly and I look up to see him laughing slightly.

His eyes then come at my red nose and laughs openly.

I missed this.
I missed his laugh at my expense.
I missed him so much!!

And I again want to cry.

What is wrong with me!!??

"Don't hate me please. I am sorry" I say again and he knits his brows in annoyance and then shakes his head.

"Why will I hate you? Stop saying that." he says and cups my face, his thumbs moving the wet on my skin to the sides of my face.

"I am..."

"Shhh... It's okay. Nothing was in our hands. Neither I knew you'll leave the school nor you know I'll join back. It was a trial Nandini. We came out together. Stop crying." he says softly.

I remain motionless.

"Nandini...?"

"You just took my name" I say breathlessly with dinosaurs jumping in my stomach.

"I just... what..." he stops and looks at me keenly.

His gaze soften and I see amusement and mischief dancing in them.

He bends down a little and brushes his soft lips on my forehead.

I freeze.

The sensation spreads all over my body, burning each and every cell till my feet.

He looks at me with a small smile and again presses his lips, now, a long kiss on the same spot like before.

I close my eyes feeling it again.

This was the reason I existed all long. This is the euphoric reward I get to love him all long.

My hold on his waist tightens.

Then the heavenly softness vanishes and next moment I feel his large forehead on mine, his minty breath on my lips.

I feel alive all of a sudden.

We stand in the same position for a long time. My skin absorbing his presence.

Minutes later, I open my eyes to see him smiling and looking at me.

"Now I even kissed you" he whispers softly, his eyes laughing.

It took me a moment to understand that he was replying to my words I spoke in a daze.

My cheeks feel hot all of a sudden and I smile shying.

My first forehead kiss...

AIYAAAPPPAAA!!!!

Manik laughs and then looks at my flushed face.

"Butter Chicken...." he says with his eyes eyeing my red cheeks.

"I missed you... " these words escape my lips, unaware and barely audible to my own ears.

"I can't even tell how much..." he replies instantly and pecks my nose softly.

My eyes shoot up to meet his, forehead touch gone and that part of skin feeling cool abnormally.

His amused eyes now down at my lips but then he again looks up, forming a grin directly looking in my eyes.

"I missed your red nose and twinkling eyes." he says.

My brain has turned savage, my heart gone senile. Involuntary actions take place and my hands go up to Manik's shoulder. Tiptoeing on my right feet and tightly pressing and taking his support, my face moves up till his jaw and my lips kiss them gently.

The fingers around my waist dig slightly and Manik exhales.

A moment later, he moves his head slightly, his freshly shaved skin grazing against my temple. My face almost in his neck. I close my eyes.

This is.... euphoric.

I slowly detach myself and come back on my feet. My legs are hurting a bit now.

"I missed everything about you" I say meekly and he smiles with unfathomable eyes.

He slowly moves towards me, my back now touching the wall and his right hand on my face. He brushes his lips again on my forehead and then rests his forehead on mine.

Let me absorb this all.

Manik is actually here

I am not hallucinating.

His one hand is on my face and my arms are around him.

There were a lot of times I thought of meeting him but this was never in any of my thoughts. Ahaana Di's wedding, all revealtions, Manik pulling me in a room, crying and consolations.
Everything is real.

I exhale deeply.

He is actually present.

"You are really here and I am not dreaming" I murmur to myself.

Two seconds and Manik chuckles.

"You still don't believe? " he asks and I slightly shake my head. Manik laughs and pecks my nose again.

"You are so cute Butter Chicken, today dressed as a Cucumber" he laughs.

"Huh? Cucumber?" I say and then look at my green dress.

*flat face*

I look up at him with narrow eyes to see him giving me a teasing smug.

"And you are looking like...like..... "

"Like....?" he asks with keen interest.

"You look like..." I see his black kurta, "Like a snake charmer"

"Oh, achha!" he laughs. "So, I must say this snake charmer charms a particular type of snake who loves Butter Chicken but today is dressed as a Cucumber." he explains.

"Snake?" I say offended.

"No? Okay then, umm... green Smurf" he suggests. I make a bad face.

"No? uhh... Minion or.... better option, shrimp!" his eyes twinkle, stifling a laugh in them.

"I am not that small to be named as a ShRiMp!" I say offended.

"Okay, so decided, deep freezer." he shrugs.

Deep freezer? I look at him questioning

"I have to bend too much to even look at you, so, Deep freezer..." he says with his finger tapping his side of forehead, mouthing 'logic' to me. I hit hard on his chest and he bursts into laughter.

"Beanstalk" I mumble.

"Shrimp" he shows his tongue.

"How did you come here?" I ask changing the topic. I didn't even invite him. XD

"By a car?" he says and I look at him flat faced.

"Really!? That's wonderful! I thought you crawled all the way!" I say cheerfully. He laughs again.

"Mihir bhaiya's father is my Dad's best friend. Dad got a very urgent meeting so I had to come" he tells.

So-called oath...

"Toh you won't have came if Uncle didn't have the meeting?" I ask, my eyes glassy.

"Arey... why not. I had t..." he stops abruptly and thinks something. His eyes widen. He palms his face and then looks at me with a babyish expression. I laugh.

"My oath... they'll laugh so much!" he says pouting. They are already laughing, I wanted to reply.

"So planned to stay away?" I ask slightly hurt and push him back lightly.

He looks at me, expressionless for a moment or two and then, with a lightening speed cages me again in his arms, putting his face in my neck. I almost choke.

A twelve year old girl, dressed in a school uniform meets a boy in her new school, who snatches chocolate from his friend and becomes her friend. They spend time with each other, playing and teasing and the girl ends up liking him. He takes admission in other school, leaving her heartbroken but they don't forget each other. Five years later, he joins back but now the girl isn't there. Today when the two met, the world seems to be celebrating.

"I can't stay away from you. Not now, not ever" he mumbles against my throat, his lips tickling my exposed skin.

Friends then, lovers now.

"Don't leave me again." I say, holding him.

"I will never. I will rewrite our stars if they are not aligned together." he says and I smile.

Ting!

Manik's phone flashes twice from his kurta, indicating a text message. He parts away and takes out his phone from the pocket.

"Ho gaya tum dono ka?" Cabir's text smugs.

Ting!

Two flashes from somewhere near my feet and Manik picks up my phone, reading Navya's text: "Gift 10th anniversary par dene ka socha hai kya?"

Manik looks at me and I smile shyly. He giggles.

I see his phone. "This was toh Mukti's phone!" I ask. Manik grins smugly. He then brings the phone on my face and it unlocks, showing me my picture as the wallpaper. I gasp looking at him.

"How did you get this? And... and why is your Whatsapp account public?" I ask.

"That's what you think. May I ask why is your account public?" he asks back.

"No it's not. My DP is only visible to people in my contact list." I tell.

"Take that as my answer too. Only to people in my contact list." he tells.

And realisation dawns upon me. He has my number too. He nods.

"Shall we?" he asks forwarding his hand and I notice a small faint peach and pink patch on his kurta where I kept my face.

"Manik your kurta..." I mumble biting my lower lip and pointing.

"Uh...oh. How did thi....." he stops and looks at me. I look away feeling so shy all of a sudden.

Aiyyaaapppaaa!!

We hugged! Like for real!!!

Giggling he ask for anything to clean. I peek from his side to see. So I was in Bhabhi's room. "Um.. let me see." I say and he steps away. I move to the messed up bed and pick a tissue box passing him. He looks at the object in my hand and then at me.

I get what you are thinking.

He moves a bit close and I stop him.

"We are not in any ITV daily soap. Clean that yourself." I say strictly and he gives a disappointed look. Smiling a moment later, he rubs his nape and takes the box from my hand.

I turn to look at my face in the mirror. Slight black under the eyes and lip color all gone. Though make up doesn't matter much to me, but Navya will kill me for sure! It took her very long to get me ready.

I look at the bed to find some cosmetic. Taking out a tissue from the box and picking up a kajal and light shade lipstick, I move to the mirror.

Hopefully I'll do something good and don't mess up more. I don't know how to put make up. Not my cup of tea. Just some basics, that's it.

I carefully rub the black under my eyes without smudging them more and then apply light kajal. Highly satisfied, I keep them back and pick up the lip color.

My eyes go to the alive statue behind me. Manik stares at me with dazed eyes and slightly parted lips. Flushed, I concentrate in coloring my lips lightly.

"Manik!" I snap him out of his world standing in front of him.

"Huh!" he gets startled and then looks everywhere but me, face faintly red.

"Shall we?" I ask hiding my smile and raising my hand.

"Yes, your highness." he replies taking my hand and then kissing the back of it, eyes bored in mine, entwining both of our fingers. My breath gets stuck in my throat.

Malhotra, don't be so romantic! I turn jelly every time you look at me!

He unlocks the door and peeks out. "Come" he says pulling me out. "Which is Navya's room?" he asks and I walk ahead. He waits out until I get the red shiny box. Manik takes it from my hand and again entwines our fingers as we move out.

Just at the entrance, I find everyone standing, including Navya who was merrily talking to Mukti. They all stop at us, raising their brows at our hands behind my dupatta and smile teasingly.

I look at Manik, who looks slightly red. I try to remove my hand from his hold but he tightens them again.

Aviral coughs loudly and others giggle.

I want to bury myself deep right here!!

"eVeRyThInG iS oVeR bEtWeEn Us!" Aryamann and Yash cry dramatically.

"What are you guys talking about?" Manik tries to shrug and others eye him.

"Nothing. Just recalling a dialogue of a show WE watched last week." Cabir replies.

"Which show?" I ask.

"Sajni ki jhalak, Sajan gaye pighal" Cabir tells and others burst in laughter. I couldn't stop from giggling.

"Stop watching shit. Your mind is already in the gutter!" Manik says with disgust.

"I'll tell more. The girl..."

"Shut up!" he says. "I am very hungry. I want to eat something" Manik says and drags me away. Others laugh and follow us.

I see Daddy from a distance talking to someone. Manik stops and looks at me. "Go ahead. I'll join you soon." he says and leaves my hand.

I see him going to Daddy and then saying something with a handshake. Daddy then asks something to which Manik's reply makes him laugh. I was looking at them but suddenly Aryamann drags me by shoulders from behind.

"Stop staring him. You look creepy." he says but I ignore. "He is yours only! Make fantasies later and come with us now" he says and takes me to everyone.

***

The dinner went really good. Clicking a lot of pictures near the lights and decor, we enjoyed. Time for others to go home.

"Nandini" Manik calls slowly and sides me carefully in a corner. Others go ahead.

"What color are you wearing tomorrow?" he asks.

"Yellow and white. You?" I ask.

"Blue and golden. I can't wait for tomorrow." he tells elated.

"We aren't getting married tomorrow Manik. Why so happy?" I ask.

"Yeah, right." he sighs. "Still, tomorrow is a big day." he says.

"Why?"

"You'll get to know tomorrow. Bye." he says but doesn't move.

"Bye." I mumble slowly. I don't want him to go.

He looks at me for a few seconds and then leans down, kissing me again on my forehead. I look at him bewildered. He giggles and leaves.

I see him going and then he stops and turns. Waving with a smile, he winks and leaves, leaving me all puzzled.

Tomorrow.

_____________

A/N: Did I compensate for separating them all long? I hope I did.

Thank you for being patient all long. ❤️