I want someone to accept me.

Someone who had seen the bad in me.

But still wants me..

..because they still see the good in me.

Someone who will accept me for my flaws.

Someone who will tell me I am good enough..

..and I don't have to change a thing about myself...

..because in their eyes I am already "Perfect".

Someone who will accept me for who I am.

~~~~
~~~~
~~~~
~~~~

"YOU PROMISE.."

Manik's head snapped up as he turned back to look at her..

..Nandini..

..who was standing right in front of her across the table.

He was so shocked because of the aftermath that it was getting difficult for him to believe that indeed she was for real..

..or was he hallucinating.

Manik was lost in her...

Manik found a strange satisfaction as he continued to stare at her beautiful face.

He felt as if he was drowning with his hands and legs chained down..

...but now..

...not only were his hands and legs were  free but he also managed to grasp breath of fresh air.

Because she was like coming up for fresh air..

As if he was drowning and she saved him..

...just like she did when he laid his eyes on her for the very first time.

He looked at her

...imprinting each and every minute detail of her existence in his heart..

He was not ready to blink his eyes as he was scared that any moment his eyes might flew open and she would dissolve into a puff of smoke..

....and somehow his dream would be over..

Honestly if this was a dream he would rather die than to wake up...

...as he wasn't interested in living a life anymore which he had to live without "her"

As it is he had lived through the maximum time that he could possibly live without her...so this time he would gladly chose anything over a life without "her"...even death...

because this time he won't be able to survive if it happened to be another cruel joke that had been played on him by his life..

It became very difficult for him to realise whether he was dreaming or whether she was actually standing in front of him for real...

...but this time fortunately for him...

....she was real...

....she really was...

She didn't move a single inch from her place as if her feet was glued to the ground...

...just like his.

They both continued to gaze into each other's eyes as they both lost the sense of time.

They were only few feet apart but for Manik that little distance between them wasn't less than at least a gazillion light years.

Though he was still not sure whether he was hallucinating or by some miracle everything that was happening right in front of her was for real.

But still he couldn't bear the distance between them anymore.

So he finally took a step towards her with a constant fear clouding his thoughts that she might disappear any moment and his dream might come to an end.

However when she didn't disappear his heart skipped a beat as his hope--that everything that was happening around him was real--strengthen.

With every step that he took towards her..his hope was getting stronger...and his heart started to beat at a faster pace altogether.

And finally when he took the last step that made him stood right in front of her..he got hit by this crushing reality that indeed..everything was real..

...she was for real..

His heart beat stopped for a second and then picked up at a faster pace as a feeling that was a heady combination of happiness,ecstasy,euphoria and shock ran down across his spine.

Her eyes boring into his making it's way to look into his soul..

That's when he realised that not only she was shaking..

...but even he was trembling..

...clearly indicating that they both were experiencing the very same thing at the moment.

The pain..

The loss...

The tears...

The heartbreak...

The loneliness...

The suffering...

Everything that he went through in past seven hours..

...even she felt the same..

..and it was clearly visible in her eyes.

in fact they both could feel what the other person was feeling...

...as...

...they both were not living the moment with each other...

...rather...

...they both were living each other at that moment.

His feet finally stopped when he stood in front of her.

"Nandini.."he whispered while she simply stared back at him. "..are you here for real.."

Manik was prepared for anything but he wasn't prepared for what happened to him almost instantly when he asked her the question..

.. THWAK..

Nandini punched him right across his face...

..shocking to the core.

However instead of getting shocked Manik eyes widened in happiness as he realised that indeed it was all true.

Everything was real...

..including her.

"Hopefully that will answer your question Manik Sir.."Nandini finally spoke which only made Manik's grin grew wider.

It was bleeding..

..as her punched has managed to give him a cut right at the corner of his lips.

He wiped the blood away and smiled as he replied "..I guess I deserved that.."

"You deserve even worse Manik Sir.."Nandini's words caught his attention which were enough to scare the living daylight out of him.

"Nandini..please let me explain.."Manik tried to speak but this time Nandini wasn't in any mood to let him talk. "..No..No..Mr.Manik Malhotra..you had your chance..and you blew it..so now I will speak and you will listen.."

Manik wanted to say something but Nandini's glare made it pretty clear to him that she isn't someone to be messed with.

"You know Manik..all my life..I have always been the most responsible kid of my Amms.."

"..after loosing Appa and Amma..I was lost..but I had to hold myself up because of Rishab.."

"..I had to be strong because my little brother needed me.."

"..though Rishab had me.."

"..but.."

"..I was all alone Manik.."

"..I had to give up my childhood so that I could be my brother protector whom I wanted to enjoy every single moment of his childhood.."

"..not only that I grew up because I wanted to be my Amms biggest support after she lost her elder son and daughter in law.."

"..I gave up on everything Manik.."

"..because I needed to be their protector.."

"..I became someone who was always their for them.."

"..as their shoulder to cry on.."

"..but what nobody ever realised..including myself.."

"..that even I needed someone who would take care of me.."

"I was so used to looking after the needs of others that I never paid attention to what I was missing.."

"..until you came along.."

"..I don't Manik..exactly why and when you fell in love with me.."

"..but somehow I could always feel that you were anything that this world thought you to be.."

"..though you didn't tried to come in front of me but still I could feel your presence in my life..pretty much from the time you stepped into my life unknowingly.."

"..my heart wanted to believe that indeed a Prince Charming has entered my life who is taking care of every problem of my life.."

"..but my mind was not ready to give in.."

"..even till this morning it was fighting with my heart that everything that had been happening in my life lately had nothing to do with you..and it was just another coincidence.."

"..but of course my heart knew better.."

"..because unknowingly it fell for you too.."

"..maybe that's why when I heard that you kidnapped Harshad..I was scared.."

"..and it was not because I was scared of you.."

"..but because i was scared to loose you.."

"..you think that you might sound like a stalker.."

"..but in my eyes you are my guardian monster without whom even my existence isn't possible anymore.."

"..if you are scared to loose me.."

"..then I am scared to loose you as well.."

"..I don't know where our fate will take us.."

"..but all I know that whether it is.."

"..it includes both of standing right next to each other.."

"..together..forever.."

Manik's face wasn't giving anything away so Nandini continued..

"..just so you know Mr.Malhotra..even I am not an easy person to deal with.."she tried to lighten the situation but couldn't as Manik still didn't answer which got her really worried "..Manik say something.."

But Manik continued to stare at her with unfathomable expressions.

"..I think you need time Manik.."Nandini was disheartened but she couldn't let Manik see it so she was about to walk away. "..I will see you later.."

But before she could walk past him..

..Manik pulled her towards him..

..and she landed against his chest..

..and before she knew Manik's lips were on her.

An unspoken flame of desire and passion ran through her vein as Manik deepened the kiss while entering her mouth while his hands were holding her firmly but gently at her waist..

..while without even realising what she was doing herself Nandini kissed him back with equal fervour and passion while snaking his arms around his neck and pulling him closer in every way possible to herself so that even air couldn't pass between them.

They didn't spoke another word that night..

..as they let their passion do the talking.

Manik got the assurance that Nandini belonged to him..

...only him.

..while Nandini got what she had always craved but denied for so long..

..her Manik.

That night they crossed all the level of sanity..passion..desire..and obsession..

..and ended up becoming something that they were always destined to be..

..MaNan.

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XXX THE END XXX