N A N D I N I

"Thank you so much for being here with me Mr. Shekhawat. Really nice of you." I formally smiled as the car halted outside my apartment at 2 in the night.

"If you really wish to thank me then you've to thank me properly." I scooted farther slightly.

My cringed brows relaxed seeing him laugh.

"Relax woman! I meant if you want to thank me, then upgrade me from Mr. Shekhawat to Randhir. So simple." I heaved hearing him.

"Okay. Randhir." I stressed on his name and his tired eyes just shone beautifully. Had I not fallen for Manik, I surely could be smitten by those eyes.

"I just want this mess to get over the soonest it can, I'm so exhausted already." I whined.

"Relax." He placed his hand on mine before locking his eyes to mine "These legal procedures take a little longer at times but I'll see to it that you get out of it as earliest as possible." The assurance in that tone was overwhelming.

As reality shook me, I realised I had been looking into those eyes for quite some time and quickly looked away removing my hand.

"Umm..." Nervously, I tucked a strand behind my ear "Di-did Manik sir send you for me?" Suddenly, his shining eyes dulled as he looked down from me to the steering wheel and then back at me.

"Ahh...yea. Yea." He nodded feebly before seeing me blush. But why was he so hesitant if he was saying the truth?

Manik cared.

"Umm... Mr. Shekh.. sorry Randhir, can I make a phone call from your phone because the battery of my phone is drained." I wanted to call Manik because the last time I saw him, he seemed worried. So...yeah.

"Of course." He handed me his phone.

In the next moment, I dialled Manik up but the call went ringing. I dialled again and it had the same fate.

"What happened?" Asked Randhir as I returned the phone.

"Unanswered." I plainly smiled.

"So thanks a lot, Mr. Shek...." I bit my tongue "Randhir. Sorry, it'll take some time to get habituated. Anyway, I'll get going." After he agreed I smiled and unlocked the door.

I stepped out of the car but a sober thought stroke me. A formal one.

"Randhir, do you want to come inside?" I hovered over the window edge.

He smiled "A midnight date eh?"

I blushed "forget it." I walked a little away nearing my gate until I heard him call me back.

"Change of mind?" I raised my brows and he nodded a no smiling heartily.

"I promise you a night full of coffees and conversations, soon." My lips parted in amazement.

Coffee and conversation. Sounded okay. Maybe more than okay.

I waved my hand before he pulled the gear and left.

❃

Grey Petals,
7:30 pm

I did shut my laptop down and started arranging the files orderly. The entire day was a bore as there was no sign of Manik. The entire office was empty as Cabir Dhawan invited everyone to his birthday party barring me. Everyone including a peon was invited there excepting me. Truly, I had no problem with it. He had some unknown problems with me and thus didn't invite me, sounded right. On the contrary, had I been invited it'd have been disturbingly awkward for both of us.

Humming some song, I packed my bag when suddenly the lights went off, and before I could gasp, I heard someone squeak. It was a husky manly squeak which I pretended like not recognising although I sensed who that could be.

Biting my bottom lip, I hid myself inside the cubicle as I sensed him passing through the staffs section. The tall shadow intimated me who that human being was.

- Manik Malhotra -

And the dull day suddenly brightened up. I made no sound silently watching his shadow move.

Manik tripped over something in the dark and cursed under his breath while I palmed my mouth to check my laughter. I swear he trips more even than a child who's learning to walk. He tripped at every single step and my stomach pained as I controlled my laughter.

I questioned myself that why on earth was I hiding. Got no answer. Maybe, I was enjoying this hide & seek with him.

The shadow was advancing my way and in no way he could spot me because I was hiding well, I picked up my bag from the floor before he could stumble on it but the dangling of my bangles got him on guard.

"Who's there?" His tone was rigid. I gave no reply rather scooted the other side hiding properly.

The rasping of his boots kept briefing me about his movements.

"I asked who's there?" He asked again.

I sensed him leaving for his cabin fighting with his phone to switch on the torch but it just wouldn't work. Grabbing my articles, I mentally prepared myself for a quick short run because letting Manik know that I was playing with him wasn't a lifesaving option.

I prepared mentally focussing at the door and ran as fast as I could trying and making sure I tripped on nothing.

Soon as I reached the door, I looked back at the dark for the shadow and it was nowhere within my sight and let out a breath of relief silently. But when I turned I gasped as the tall shadow stood before towering over me. The game was getting scarier.

Making sure my high heels made no existence, in a tiptoeing manner I set my foot towards the corridor but holding my wrist I was spun around and my back was exactly pinned to the wall.

Even before I could register anything, I was screaming already. I literally screamed my lungs out until a strong rough palm which smelt like a cigarette covered my mouth and my eyes widened. Hitting in his chest, I tried to move away but his one hand was already gripping my upper arm beastly.

Although my lips were sealed with his hand yet I kept shouting in an improper way. I kept shouting and shouting until his eardrums gave up.

Hearing and sensing a flicker nearby, I scooted the other side and saw a lighter turned on. The darkness all around slowly died as the flame ignited passionately. From the lighter, slowly my eyes shifted to the tall frame before me and my heart turned liquid. Manik.

He was close. Very close. His breath of a smoke fell on my face as he exhaled.

"Why were you hiding?" There was no adamancy in that voice, no demand. Rather, it was a husky whisper falling on my face with his breath.

I looked around to find any answer but the dead walls could never come up with anything.

".....I.." Shit, I was losing my voice as his grip on my upper arm loosened.

"You..?" He neared his face closer reading my nervousness and my heart was turning a messy dough. He turned the lighter off inviting the darkness all over again.

"..I thought..." I looked up into his eyes. "You'd be angry and scold me." I looked down at the little space between us as my lips formed a scared pout.

He knew he intimidated people but the way I complained about Manik Malhotra to Manik Malhotra, amused him.

He smirked.

"And..?" He whispered again. Why was he playing with my oxygen all of a sudden? I nodded in a no looking at his chest skin which peeped through his shirt.

He placed his fingers just where my face and neck met and his thumb pushed my chin up making me do the impossible, look into his eyes "Now that you're caught, I may scold you now as well." He breathed softly on my chin and I closed my eyes.

This proximity was lethal.

"Really?" I sounded intimidated.

The way his eyes were studying the features of my face turned me crimson making it difficult for me to keep standing.

He bit his bottom lip laying his eyes on my shivering lips.

"I'll tell you what you were doing." He bent a little breathing on my ear and my nails clawed into the wall behind.

"Wh-what" I kept my eyes closed as my heart was threatening me to collapse.

"You're playing with me. You like games." He placed his index finger on my cheek and tapped it. I chuckled at the sweet torture.

"What's the point?" I asked "Because at the end only you're gonna win." I wish novels could describe the way his face lit up.

Relaxing his hand on the wall beside my head, he leaned over causing me part my lips for some air.

"I kind of like..what you say." And I never knew Manik Malhotra could flirt so well with employees and more importantly that, I, at least could flirt back.

"Umm.. you..don't you've to go to the party?" I asked rolling a stand in my finger.

"And this is my cue to stop flirting, isn't it?" He raised his brows and I was in a fix.

"Were we?" Like a stupid, I asked.

"Even I am good at playing the innocent card.." he shrugged his titan shoulders winking at me which passed electricity through me.

I blinked my eyes gulping the hesitation and reading me from tip to toe, he chuckled inserting hands in his pockets.

"Anyway, let's get going." He made way towards the door.

"Let's?" I confirmed.

"The party." He mouthed authoritatively without turning back at me.

"No no no.." I laughed "I'm actually not going to the party." I informed.

"And may I know why?" His back still faced me.

I walked and stood before him and the little moonlit peeping through the corner of a broken window was the paradise.

"I've to be home." I fidgeted my fingers.

"Again, why?" His jawline appeared so perfect in the dim moonlit and those eyes resembled two shining stars.

I didn't want to grow my embarrassment by expressing how I was uninvited. So, just lied.

"Because I've to be home." I exhaled lightly.

He ducked his head "Alright."

And we stepped down the stairs as the elevator was off. As we reached outside the office building waiting for his car, the soothing wind outside and the clouded moon became all those that I really needed.

"Oh? Okay. Okay. You should leave if your mother's sick." Manik spoke a little louder to his chauffeur who stood perplexed.

"Sir, my mother?" He verified.

"I said. You. Can. Leave." I didn't know if he was offering his staff an early leave or intimidating to leave. The way he commanded anybody's mother would fall sick.

Quickly agreeing to his master, the chauffeur left handing him the key and Manik turned to me little worriedly.

"Sir, all okay?" I was concerned.

"Yeah all okay." He pulled the shallow indentation of his nose "Actually.. No Ms. Murthy... why should I lie to you? You are employee, I should talk about things. Something's not right, you see."

"Can it be shared?" I walked towards him.

"My chauffeur left for his mother's ill and I don't have a driver now and it won't look nice if Manik Malhotra hits a party driving himself and it's already very late that I can't arrange..." He sighed in irritation. Honestly, there's nothing that the name 'Manik Malhotra' in the city couldn't do still maybe he had some reasons.

"I think I'll have to cancel going to the party." He unlocked his phone to dial someone. Cabir possibly.

"Um sir?"

"Yes?" He turned back being interested in what I had to offer.

"Maybe I can drive you there?" I proposed.

"You? Ahh.. I know you know to drive my car but still you've to go home right? No no. You don't have to do this. I'll cancel this party. What worse can happen? A little bit of humiliation and a crack in a brotherly bond, right but I'll find ways to deal with it." He attempted to dial again.

"To him, you're very important, sir. Please.. he'll feel really hurt. Let me drive you there. Please." I offered making him a little thoughtful.

"I still don't think it's a good idea." He politely denied.

"I insist?" I uttered again.

He read me from tip to toe and he ducked as if he still wasn't much agreeing to my idea.

He had always been there for his employees and it was a dream for me to accompany him the maximum. Extending my hand, I asked for the key and he surrendered the same making way towards the passenger's seat.

❃

"So here we're. At your destination." I smiled slightly as he lifted eyes from his iPad and realized we're already in the parking slot.

"Cool. Thanks." He closed the door after exiting and I did the same before passing him the key.

"Sir, I'll leave now. Have a nice time." I turned back towards my way, the place to where I belonged.

"Where do you think you're going?" He questioned and I rotated to answer him my home.

"And how will I return? I might be dead drunk." He simplified.

"And what does that signal to?" I was confused.

"Come to the party." He voiced clearly stating what he demanded.

"No. I can't. I'm-Honestly, I'm not invited there so I can't really be gatecrashing." I spelt out.

"Ms. Murthy, I'm his boss as well. Do you still have an argument to advance?" He watched the time on his wristwatch.

"I won't be feeling nice there. I can-I can wait for you in the car. Yeah." I wiped the sweat off my chin.

"Ms. Murthy you're not my driver so get out of the character."

"Sir, please try and understand my awkwardness." I requested.

"I've made my mind. And before I complete three steps towards the venue, you must already be following me." Immediately he turned to march ahead.

"But sir...." But two long steps were already taken thus wasting no more seconds, I had a short run after him.

Control freak.

❃

"A masquerade party?" I squeaked as at the entrance of the club a lady and a gentleman offered us to choose from a lot of sparkling masks.

"God, my ears" Manik scooted a little away from me rubbing his ear.

"Sir, it's a masquerade party!" I again brought to his notice.

"Such a revelation!" He put a thumbs up at me. "Choose your mask before the night ends"

"What's the difference! I already look like a wreck in a black knee length dress. I'm looking so shabby..." I murmured under my breath and like all other times, he looked pissed at my dilemma.

He sighed at first and picking up a red shimmery mask he advanced towards me. I stretched my hand but instead his hands circled my neck sending ices down my spine. Day by day Malhotra started being unreadable but then I recalled, unpredictability was his intrinsic nature.

Fixing the mask carefully around my eyes, his fingers got engaged tying the thread at the back of my head. His chest was barely away from mine and I could feel mine rising up and down against his. The breath escaping his mouth fell on my shoulder as he bent his head focusing on the tying the mask.

"Red...the colour of intensity, excitement, power, urge." He whispered on my shoulder and I breathed a little deeper.

"A colour of a new beginning too, maybe?" I mouthed softly and his face quickly turned to mine as he was done tying it and mixed his eyes with mine.

"Let's go inside." He entered making sure I was coming after.

❃

"A raw star, eh?" Cabir taunted Manik for the late who still didn't comprehend who the lady beside Manik in the mask was. It was difficult recognising someone behind the masks as everyone appeared identical.

Shit, I didn't even carry a bouquet along.

"Cabir, Happy birthday man." Manik hugged his best friend and I took the time to look around.

There were couples in masks dancing changing their partners every when the song changed. It was quite classy unlike the people upstairs of the club who were getting real wild filling the air with smoke of hookahs. I took a mental note to keep myself rooted in the ground floor celebration only.

"Manik you didn't say you're gonna have such a pretty date tonight." Cabir's voice brought my attention back to the conversation.

Manik glanced over me through his black mask and tittered as Cabir moved closer and hugged me and that was awkward.

"Cabir, she's your favourite Ms. Murthy." Manik's revelation dropped bombshell on Cabir who cringing his brow kept his cold eyes at me.

"Umm Happy birthday, Cabir." I stretched my hand for a shake and coldly Cabir shook it nodding at me "Actually Manik sir got me here since he didn't have anyone to drive him." I shrugged the responsibility from my shoulder and shoved it to Manik who galnced at me and seemed totally cool with it. Of course, who could have the nerve to question him anything.

"I see." Cabir replied coldly staring at Manik who by then was embracing a topnotch model melting in his arms.

❃

Receiving a tap on my shoulder, I sighed in relief spotting Harshad in a blue mask.

"Care to dance?" Happily, I accepted his hand since standing alone was no fun and specially when the person who brought me there was busy flirting and dancing with other girl grabbing her waist extra tightly.

"You see that girl Nandini with whom Manik sir's dancing?" Although my eyes were only on Manik and that girl yet i pretended to Harshad as if I didn't notice anything. As Harshad and I were swaying to the rhythm, he pointed at the girl and I nodded feebly. I could bring Manik to the venue but didn't stand the luck to accompany him in the inn.

"Isn't she the same one who won Ms. India last year?" I quizzed and he bobbed.

"Like thousands of others, she came to Mumbai with a dream of making it big in the entertainment industry. She tried real hard but couldn't bag a supporting role even and then started functioning as the make up artist of famous choreographer Lisa D'oeuvre." Harshad softly kept talking while dancing me.

"And?" I continued.

"And on one fine grand occasion, she fell in the eyes of Manik Malhotra and by then she knew what exactly to do to mould the man by ending up in his..." Harshad paused sensing the song to be changed and I exhaled because had he continued I wouldn't be able to listen to more.

As Harshad twirled me, I landed up in the arms of another masculine frame in a silver mask. He smiled at me but his touch was creepy as with each passing lyrics, his hand kept descending from my waist to my hip. I flinched a little in his hold and ultimately when it was getting enough, I gave up.

"Excuse me.." I parted my way and excusing from the dance floor, I stood by the bar looking at Manik enjoying his time with that girl. Hearing all that from Harshad somewhere panged me. Not that I didn't know how sometimes roles are bagged in the film industry but still imagining Manik with someone was something not easy to imagine.

I decided to wait for some more time waiting impatiently for Manik to glance at me for a millisecond but he wouldn't do that ever. Maybe because I loved a stone. To kill the time, I kept conversing with Saahil, what luck!

After a certain point I discerned that it was already past 12. My involvement in the film industry had badly messed up my routine. I huffed not being able to take any further verbal torture of the nerd and kept disinterestedly nodding my head not paying any heed to all he said. All of sudden, the person with that silver mask stood within my sight and becoming cautious, I scooted closer to Saahil who kept blabbering on his own.

I looked away but as the insect of curiosity bit me, I again stared at that direction and found the man exactly where he stood earlier and through the mask, I could feel his eyes fixed at me with lips that formed a crooked smile.

"I'll just ask Sir if he'd like to leave now." I muttered and hunted for Manik who was conversing with Cabir wrapping his arm around another chic who kept playing with the buttons of his shirt. The least he could do was ask at least that 'Nanidni, is it getting late for you?'. Ugh.

❃

"I still don't believe it's you. Long time, man." Manik hugged the man whom Cabir introduced as his brother. I never knew Cabir had a brother but then, I didn't know Cabir much as well. Slowly, I realised it was the same creepy man who embarrassed me during the dance. The man with the silver mask and crooked smile.

"It's always nice seeing you, big brother." That man hugged Manik back while Cabir stood beside them smiling like a proud middleman.

"So what plans now? Permanently settling here?" Manik quized while I taped my foot. Couldn't he just do this 'bharat-milaap' at some other time? I neared Manik seeing for the permission if I could leave but didn't really get a chance to interrupt their gentleman-talk.

"For now it is. Came back last night only.." The man paused while ogling at me in the blanket of the mask and I sighed shifting my eyes away. "So, looking forward to carry on my fashion line here only."

"That's good." Manik gulped his whiskey down "In fact, we're in acute need of some 'good' designers." Manik pressed on 'good' eyeing Mukti who playfully hit his arm.

"Well, I just.." The man began to untie his mask and the temperature around was rising for me as unknowingly my heart was turning ice "hope to be good enough for being considered 'good' by you." Everyone laughed and thankfully his eyes fell on his not-so-relevant Ms. Murthy.

"Sir, I just wanted to ask-"I whispered near Manik who instead interrupted my flow.

"Ms. Murhty, meet him. Maddy, Cabir's brother." Manik broke the ice and I wheeled to face the man for a polite exchange of hellos but seeing the unmasked face before, made my senses blow away knocking my heart rate low.

"Hi.." He smiled at me but I couldn't say a word. Rather, couldn't dare to as I felt I was the only creature existing in that stagnant surrounding with the ceiling crashing on head.

The murderer?