Chap 33

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Nandini could no longer tolerate his ignorance. She had had enough. She had created this distance between them, and she herself would get him back as well, no matter what.

Routine wise, Manik returned home after a tiring day and directly went to Nandini's room to check on her. It was her off day, and Manik expected to see her in the house. Manik pushed her door open and barged in not caring if he gets caught worrying about her. He searched the bathroom, the balcony, but alas! She was nowhere to be found.

He thought of calling Navya or Jeff when his eyes fell on the wall-length mirror. Not that the mirror was a new installment, but it had multiple numbers of sticky notes of various colors stuck to it.

Quickly reaching out to it, he read the one at the top, "I knew you would come here looking out for me. I know you so well you see. *smirks*" He rolled his eyes at that. But internally, he was somewhat happy for finally getting to see her jolly and always happy self back after so many days.

Anyway, he continued reading, "Okay, jokes apart, you have to meet me somewhere tonight." Well, that was a straightforward order. Unknowingly a chuckle escaped his lips.

The next one said, "There's something for you on the second shelf of your cupboard. Go grab it and do what it says next." And rest others had doodled hearts and 'I love you's. He removed all the sticky notes, stared at them with awe for some time in his hands, and smiled keeping them secured in his pocket.

Without wasting any more time, he rushed into his room and opening the cupboard, he saw a box wrapped in red paper. He gaped at the box for a couple of seconds and noticed another note to its bottom saying, "Don't you dare laugh at it! I did my best okay!" And that's when he burst out laughing.

The box looked so freaking innocently wrapped that he didn't feel like to open it. It was so perfectly imperfect. She never knew how to wrap a gift. His mind went back to memory lane when she had brought him a present on his birthday.

A twelve years old Manik sat on his bed with all the gifts surrounding him. And out of all the perfectly wrapped and sparkly gift wrappers, his attention caught the plastic Powerpuff Girls box. It had an imperfectly shaped card stuck to it with a not-so-readable handwriting.

Which said, "The sender is warning you not to laugh! I tried a lot to wrap this thing, but couldn't. I've kept the wrapping paper besides. And you can't open this gift without wrapping it first!! And yaa return the box soon. I've to take tiffin at school tomorrow!" The note was dripping with orders and warnings. He laughed already knowing who 'the sender' was.

His eyes went to the crumpled paper just by his side with bits and pieces of tapes sticking here and there, which showed how much she'd worked on it. He chuckled wrapping his gift himself and opened it again, just to find a Laddoo.

Yes, a literal Laddoo as a birthday present in her own tiffin box. Could it get any cuter?! Heck no!!

"She still can't wrap a gift properly.", He said to himself smiling. Anyway, he opened the wrapper and saw a wine red velvety jacket paired with black trousers, a plain white shirt, and a black bowtie.

"Our favorite colors..", he smiled.

Anyway, he followed the directions as per her sticky notes and reached a gorgeous restaurant. Not extravagant, but a cozy one with beautiful warm lighting and soft music being played by a few musicians on the stage in front.

Manik asked, "Miss. Nandini Murthy?" The receptionist showed him the way to the reserved table.

Manik silently sat there, waiting for his girl to show up soon, as he was getting impatient to see her now... after all these efforts taken by her. But she seemed to not really be in the mood to bless him yet.

He was excited, impatient, thrilled and what not. After all, it was the first-ever time someone was doing something especially for him. Especially when it was his lady love, the excitement levels reached peaks.

He waited for her, tapping his feet on the carpet, glancing at the entrance every now and then.

He received a call from Commander Bakshi. So he walked ahead towards the entrance to have a talk to him without disturbance.

"My beloved,-", he couldn't hear the person on the other side anymore as he heard a voice from his back, that sweet voice he'd do anything to hear all day without getting tired.

"You've been the one handling me through every thick and think." Manik excused himself from the phone and walked in, just to halt on his own steps.

"You've been the one patiently listening to all the nonsense I ever spoke non-stop, since we were kids. You've been the one always motivating me to keep going no matter how much I felt like backing out since childhood. You've been the one fulfilling anything and everything I'd ever demanded. You've been my strength, my weakness, my go-to place, my solace, my necessity, my everything." Nandini walked down the stage with the mike in her hands while speaking and reached out to him, who was standing right in front of the platform. His eyes were sparkly, awestruck, elated, teary, and whatnot.

"Manik, it had always been you. But maybe... Maybe, I was blind to see or acknowledge each and everything you ever did for me... to fulfill my wishes, to make me feel like the most special person in the entire world. You're surely not a man of words, but your actions speak much much much louder than any words could ever convey, the amount of love you've for me."

She held his hand softly intertwining their fingers and continued, "I know I'm a chatterbox, speaking all sorts of nonsense... been a bully despite you being always the best version of 'you' for me... be it when we were kids, or now, when we're grown-ups. You're undoubtedly the most desirable guy any girl could ever dream of. But I feel the luckiest to have got the chance to be with you. But me being the impulsive self that I had always been, decided to fuck things up again, when things were taking a beautiful turn when we met again after 7 years... I don't know if you'll accept it if I say that I badly badly badly regret what I did. If I say I never meant to say all that I said that day. If I say that I can do anything to make it up, but please not your ignorance, not a cold shoulder. I can't tolerate that. I love you. I love you so much."

He didn't say anything. Or better he couldn't say anything. She left his hand and took a step back. And much to his surprise, went on her knees. "Manik Malhotra, would you give me, Nandini Murthy the pleasure to call you my soul mate?", she said holding a red velvety box up to him.

Manik felt it hard to say anything as he pulled her hard into himself, enveloping his arms around her frame. Face dug in the crook of her neck, planting peppery kisses on the nape of her neck. Eyes watery and he whispered a 'yes' just over her skin, creating havoc in her stomach. She tightened her hold around his neck as her feet left the floor, lips held an unending smile. The crowd cheered aloud for the couple deep in love.

Almost an hour later at a beautiful table by the side of the large glass window overviewing the city lights, sat our couple. He couldn't but take his eyes off his girl in a red silky sleeveless flowy frock, perfectly fitted, showing off all her curves and V neckline giving partial view of her cleavage. She had been blushing profusely for his gaze, not looking into his eyes for once. She looked fucking desirable making him wonder how could someone look so cute and dangerously hot at the same time. He was jealous of every other guy sparing an eye on her.

"Are we not gonna talk at all today?", he asked taking a sip of wine from his flute. "By the way, I don't mind silence anyway.", he shrugged. She smiled looking down still not saying anything. "What happened to my chatterbox?", he asked raising her face by his forefinger. "Where did you kidnap her eh?" She stared at him intently before moving closer to his lips. He didn't mind though. Both closed their eyes as their lips crashed into each other, molding together in a rhythmic motion.

She backed out whispering an 'I love you' right on his lips.

He smiled right on hers as he pecked her hard again and said, "Love you more."

"So... we're good?", she asked as if to confirm again if things were better between them yet or not.

"We're great! Until we've got that faith firm in our hearts, sweetheart.", he said with a smile and she reflected his expressions.

Both had dinner in between all the giggles, laughter, teasing, and flirting. He teased her about that gift wrapping thing, earning a smack on his arms.

Manik was full, but Nandini still cribbed for dessert. And Manik felt happy to see her throwing tantrums at him again. He called the waiter and she ordered her desired dessert. Manik excused himself for a moment and came back soon. She had asked him the reason, but he shrugged making her look at him suspiciously. But she didn't say anything as the waiter arrived.

"Cappuccino?! I think you've brought the wrong item. I asked for iced coffee.", she charged.

"Sorry, ma'am. But your fiance finalized Cappuccino only.", informed the waiter. Both Manik and Nandini were left silent. Not cause he spilled the truth, but because of his acknowledgment.

Manik broke the ice. "Umm... You may go.", Manik said to the waiter with a smile. And turned towards Nandini who was all red. Maybe cause she was fuming in anger for what his supposed 'fiance' did or because the waiter mistook them as 'fiances'. Manik chuckled making her snap at him.

"What is your problem?", she asked gritting her teeth.

"What did I do?", he acted cool.

"Don't act as if you don't know.", she threatened. "Why did you change my order?"

Β "And why would I not? You wanted to suffer from cough for 2 more days?", he taunted rolling his eyes. She remained silent. Yes, she had been suffering from cough and cold a few days back cause she had had a tub of icecream. But she didn't expect him to know it, as they weren't on talking terms back then.

"Tumhe kaise pata chala?", she asked.

"You really think I'd stop caring for you even after we fight or stop talking? You're important to me, Nandu. Maybe I won't be with you always, but you need to learn to take care of yourself also. Haina?", he said softly holding her hands.

"No! I don't wanna take care of myself.", she said with glassy eyes and wobbly chin, as she stood up and walked closer to him. He tugged her, making her land directly on his lap. "You have to be with me always." He smiled enclosing his arms around her waist not saying anything. She dug her face in the crook of his neck.

After a few minutes in silence, holding each other close, Manik said, "Anyways, you're mine now. And I have all rights on you... be it changing your orders or anything else.", he declared. "Don't I?", he asked softly nudging her. She giggled.

Later that night, Manik was lying on his stomach in his room playing with the bracelet that Nandini gave him back at the restaurant. It had an infinity symbol dangling with it. She too had the same one in her left hand, as their promise of being with each other for an infinite number of years.

He came out of his World of thoughts as he felt his bed dipping by its side. Before he could react, a sweet weight rested all over him. It didn't take him a while to know who it was. "Nandu.", he called softly.

"You're mine now. And I have all rights on you... be it deciding to sleep with you or anything else. Don't I?", she said the same way as he did at the restaurant. He laughed out loud.

After some time, he turned over and he raised her head which was resting on his back. "Did I forget to tell you how gorgeously hot you looked tonight in that red dress?", he complimented.

"Did I forget to tell you how dangerously sexy you're looking without a tee tonight?", she proved she was no less as he turned into a legit tomato. Her giggles echoed in the darkroom, and he knew he found his happy place.

A/N:

Chappals, tamatars, kicks, and punches- all are happily received to disappear for 13 days!!!

I'm very very sorry to keep y'all waiting for this long and I really don't have any excuses too. It was me, myself who's to be blamed.Β  Ever since I had returned from ISSB, I was sleeping like a log all day. And I really don't know what went wrong, but every time I sat to write something, I just couldn't.

I anyhow wrote something, and I don't know how it turned out to be. I apologize in advance if you found it trashy.🀧

Samthaan finally commented and liked her wedding post saying he knew her wedding ceremony was supposed to take place today publicly. How would he not know? He topped her guests list after all :)

And not to forget, I wholeheartedly thank each one of you for making "I Will Be Waiting" such a big hit. Never knew it'd be trending on #8 on 'feelings' out of 65K stories. Means the World to me.😭❀️❀️

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