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******

It was almost midnight and my sleep was far far away from me. I couldn't understand why though. Last I remember was, I felt guilty of hurting Manik and forcing those words but then I realised that whatever I said was my perspective. We were sharing our thought process.

But it was harsh. I knew my questions left him in fix. I know but then...

I sat straight on the bed and sighed. Picking up my phone from side, I instantly typed a message.

"Are you asleep?" No hi, no hello. Straight a question.

In just few seconds my phone beeped and a small smile appeared on the corner of my lips.

"Not yet..." a small simple reply. I sighed hard.

"Why though?" I replied.

"Was thinking something." That was his reply and the next second my fingers worked to call him.

He picked it up in just one ring and kept silent.

"Why so silent?" I asked in a hush tone.

"Why so late call?" He asked back.

I slightly smiled and replied "Manik... kya soch rahe ho?"

He sighed and kept silent for few second before replying "nothing just few stuff..."

"The talk which we had last night?" I asked carefully choosing my words.

"Kind of..." he replied immediately.

"Manik I know... but... it was all my perspective... I never meant to hurt you. I am sorry." I suddenly felt guilty.

"You don't need to be... I am not angry... nor hurt. You need to know me better friend." He spoke teasing me a bit.

A smile broke on my face but then silence spread across again.

"To then, why are you thinking so much?" I asked.

He let out a deep breath and spoke "was just confused. What to believe and what not? You know what your views and perspective is too strong and too harsh. I have seen otherwise."

"Does it wrong to have an opinion?" I asked cringing my brows.

"No no... that was not I meant. Okay... let me put it this way... you told me your parents story... I'll tell you mine..." he spoke and I could feel him sitting on his bed making his position comfortable as he took several second break.

"My Dad and Mom... they were madly and deeply in love with each other. From a very young age. Dad had already proposed to Mom. Everything was good. But then Dad had to choose... between my Mom and his career." He spoke and I frowned.

"What?" I asked.

"Yes... Dad wanted to be an actor. He worked as a theater artist in initial young age. He was good at it. He knew. Mom also knew that. She was supportive also. But then, when Dad thought of it practically, he knew that this limelight might affect their relationship. He knew at some point in his life, he'll be needing more in my Mom's life but this... this field will lead to complications in their love. Working with other women... late night shoots... success... Dad knew it all. Although Mom and Dad trust each other well but at some point they will too face the real problems of a relationship too. So he decided to sacrifice his dreams for her. For her love. Keeping her dreams above his dreams." He spoke.

While I sat there listening to the other side of the coin.

"Dad and Mom got married and they started their own venture. Malhotra Industries. It was Mom's dream... Mom was a total corporate. Dad helped her and in the process he found that even he was happy... when her dreams became his, he never knew. So... I am not saying there are no men, who will be like you said. But there are few men, who are good at heart. I have always seen this. And trust me... people mothers teach their sons not to cry right because they think they are strong. But... My Mom... she taught me to respect girls and never make them cry." He ended while I had a smile on my face.

Indeed, his upbringing was visible through his behaviour, his every gesture.

"You are lucky... your parents are goals..." I spoke smiling a bit.

"I know..." he giggled and then again seconds of silence.

"Mukti and Kunal... My brother..." I started another confusion which was going in my head.

"Hmmm..." he hummed from the other side.

"They are in love since like forever now. She is our neighbour from years and years. She has been my friend since childhood and now soon to be my Bhabhi." I giggled while he smiled softly.

"Mukti wanted to be an airhostess." Finally, I let it out.

"But as soon as, Bhai proposed her, she left her all dreams behind. Is it right?" I asked. I still loathe on this issue. I still fight with Mukti on same topic.

"Did your brother asked her to..." he asked the question.

"No... Bhai is so supportive and even my parents, her parents are... but Manik we stay in such society where Girls get this knowledge at a very early age. Hume sikhaya jata hai ke future me, there will be a prince, he'll take you away, you'll have to keep him happy, his family happy. Somewhere down the line, almost all the girls have this dream to get married one day, have kids and have a happy family. A happy ending. That is the dream which this society makes us to see. They force us. That's how Mukti left it all behind." I spoke.

He sighed and spoke "Nandini... isn't it Mukti's choice to choose?"

"Of course it is but..." I tried reasoning it out.

"But what? Neither your Bhai forced her to leave her career nor your parents. It's her choice. She feels that her dream of becoming the ideal daughter-in-law and an ideal wife is much more than her becoming an air hostess. What is so wrong?" He questioned back.

"Nothing is wrong but she shouldn't na... If you are not ready to fulfil your dream, then don't see it." I spoke cringing my brows.

"That's ridiculous. You cannot force her to do things. It's her choice. Her wish. I bet your brother must be regretting this fact daily that she chose his dreams above hers. Matlab if a guy chooses her dreams above his love that is good that is fine, but if a girl chooses his dreams above hers that is wrong. Then men go wrong, they are dominating and stuff right? So each way men are wrong. Superb...." he let out all his frustration out suddenly. I never knew Manik will ever lose his calm. He was always calm and composed.

He let out a deep sigh "Nandini you sleep... I think..."

"Where are you?" I asked cutting him in between.

"Home... Where would I be at late night?" He replied.

"Come here... Fast..." I spoke immediately.

"What? What did you just say?" He asked for reassurance.

"Come here..." I spoke crystal clear.

"Nandini its 2 am... you need to sleep." He spoke pushing away my words.

"No... either you come here or I will come there." I placed my feet on the slippers on the floor and stood up.

"Nandini... achha we will meet tomorrow morning... abhi..."

"Manik tum yaha aa rahe ho ya main tumhare ghar aau? Fine... I'll be there in half an hour..." I was about to cut the call but he called me.

"Okay okay... fine... I am coming..." I could hear him smile a bit.

"I am waiting." I spoke and cut the call.

******

I heard the car parked in my neighbourhood so I ran out.

I saw him leaning against the car door in black track pant and blue t-shirt.

He watched me as I walked forcing my hands behind my back.

He tilted his face a bit and gave me a look.

"What was so urgent?" He asked as I stood in front of him.

I gave him a cheeky smile and extended a tub in front of him.

"Ice cream?" He glanced at the tub in my hands and then looked at me.

I nodded excitedly and smiled. He let out a small chuckle.

"Okay..." He spoke and took the tub from my hand.

"I am sorry..." I spoke from beside him as he dipped his fingers inside the tub.

He looked at me with confusion.

"This is my way to make it up... I am like this only. Bachpan se hi... If I want to say sorry to someone, I give them ice cream." I smiled and looked down.

"Wow... That's a good way to make it up... By the way my favourite flavour is chocolate..." He spoke while I looked at him.

My eyes went wide as soon as he spoke. He kept licking his fingers until all the ice cream was gone from his fingers.

I pressed my lips together and gave him a look.

"What?" He asked me as I shifted uncomfortably.

"What is your favourite flavour?" He asked giving me the tub of the ice cream.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. Shit... are we seriously discussing this?

"Nandini... ek minute..." he came in front of me.

"Were you thinking of flavour of..." he stopped while I felt embarrassed and looked away.

He laughed out loud holding his stomach and bending down resting his hands on his knees.

"Hahah... seriously... I mean..." he spoke while I stood there looking everywhere but him. What was I even thinking?

"I just meant the flavour of... Ice cream... and you... you naughty girl..." he slapped my shoulder and I glared him.

He kept laughing for few more minutes until I have had enough.

"Okay enough now Manik... you are so bad..." I spoke and folded my hands near my chest.

He smiled and turned me towards him.

"You are cute..." he spoke and I looked down.

He leaned to the car beside me as we watched the dark street in silence eating ice cream with our fingers.

"I am sorry Manik." I spoke looking at the empty street.

I heard him sigh beside me.

"Nandini..."

"No let me speak... I know maybe our thoughts doesn't match... I know... And I also know that I hurt people a lot who cares for me. But I cannot help it. I am like that. Main ek raat main badal nahi sakti aur main badalna chahti bhi nahi." I spoke.

I held his hands in mine "Of course there are good men in this world. I have my father, my brother... I have seen them respecting girls and their dreams. I am not generalising them. Also you are good. You are a good Man with a pure heart." I spoke looking at him.

He smiled and held my face in his big palms.

He leaned a lightly pecked my forehead. This sudden peace.

I smiled in content.

He stepped back "and you are an ambitious woman. Never let anyone change you or your dreams. There are so less women who stands for their dreams, when you have it in you don't let it go. Just hang in there. Strong..." he spoke looking back into my eyes.

I bobbed my head in his hold while he smiled.

He took his hands back and looked here and there.

"It's late... I should go now..." He spoke and I nodded.

I stepped back from his car and smiled. He smiled back and sat inside the car.

"Nandini..." he called me from inside the car and I raised my brow.

"Are we... like okay?" He asked while I smiled.

"We are superb..." I showed him the thumb. He smiled and grinned.

"So... we are... like meeting tomorrow?" He asked I bit my lips and slowly nodded.

He grinned more and then waved his hands.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Good Night." I smiled and waved back.

I turned to go inside the house smilingly.

I closed the door behind and ran to my room.

I fell straight on my bed holding the pillow nearer to me smiling like crazy.

Just then my phone beeped.

"Let me tell you this one thing... I have never... never ever compromised my sleep for anyone... That's my first..." I grinned like a crazy teenage girl and slapped my forehead with the phone lightly.

I quickly typed a reply "and I have never ever shared my ice cream tub with anyone other than My Dad and Brother... That's my first too."

I put the phone down on the table and closed my eyes contently gladly accepting a little change in my life. A sweet and beautiful change.

******

The next day I had a meeting with some client, so I came home to take some files almost nearly at lunch time.

I suddenly bumped in to Mukti and as she was coming inside the house and I was leaving my house.

"Hey...." I smiled.

"Wohoo... Bro you have been busy..." she spoke and cringed her brows.

"Not like that yaa... Work you see." I spoke and checked the file again.

"Work... acha.... Your office timings are hardly till 5:30 pm... aunty told me that lately you have been coming home almost on dinner time." She asked me holding her own waist and suspiciously.

I closed the file and pressed my lips tighter "aisaaa... Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai..."

"Why do I have a feeling that you are hiding something from me?" She spoke and my eyes went wide. I instantly shook my head.

"No... Nothing like that..." I spoke.

"Okay cool... Navya called... She wants to meet us. I told her that we will meet today... let's hang out together like old times. What say?" She suggested.

"Uhhhh... Mukti... I have a meeting today.... mean... can we postpone this hanging out together till tomorrow." I spoke. I have to meet Manik today. He asked me yesterday.

"Why? Come on Nandu... she you are putting all of us below... what is so urgent that you cannot even spend time with your best friends..." she complained.

I sighed "okay fine..."

"Today... okay..." I said and she hugged me tight.

"Cool. I'll see you... I'll pick you up from office." She said and I smiled.

I ran out of the house as I had an important meeting.

And in all I even forgot to message Manik that we cannot meet today as I have made plans with my friends.

It was almost 5:30 when my phone rang.

And It was Manik and that's when I realised that I had to message him.

I hurriedly picked up the call.

"We are meeting right? I am leaving office in five... the same place?" He hurriedly spoke.

"No..." I spoke instantly.

"What?" He asked all confused.

"I mean we cannot meet today." I spoke.

"What? Why?" He asked back.

"Manik... Mukti was asking me this afternoon that I have been away from everyone. She actually started getting suspicious. What will I tell her about us...? No no..." I hurriedly spoke.

After like two three second he spoke in almost husky voice "about Us?"

I suddenly felt my breath hitching a bit.

"So... You, Me... are... Us?" I felt a small blush keeping up on my face.

I tried hiding it but I looked stupid I know. I kept mum.

"Bolona..." his voice suddenly turned huskier.

"Manik... they don't know that you are my... friend..." I spoke and heard him sigh.

"Friend... right..." he spoke while I hid my laugh.

"Hum kal mile? Today we have made plans already. In Fact, she'll be here to pick me up anytime." I spoke and gathered my stuff in my purse.

"No yaa... come on... we had made plans before. You could have made some bahana..." He nagged.

"Manik... please... It's been so many days since we actually had good friends time." I tried cajoling him.

"To you could have informed earlier. Because we were meeting, I cancelled my meeting Nandini..." he let out a loud breath.

"I am so sorry Manik... I had an important meeting and in work I forgot to inform you." I pouted.

"Badi aasani se bhul jaati ho yaar... Mujhe mat bhul jana." His voice sounded so serious to me.

A sudden sadness spread across my heart.

I smiled a little sadly "tum bhulne doge?"

"Never... At Least I know myself that much that I will atleast leave such impact ke tum kabhi mujhe bhul nahi paogi... dekh lena... bhulna chaho phir bhi bhul nahi paogi..." his voice ran across my whole existence and that sudden shiver. That... that feeling is so alien to me. Nowadays I feel so many alien feelings with him, for him. But i cannot name it.

"Kaha kho gayi? Jana nahi hai?" He asked while I shook my head.

"Bye Manik." I spoke and cut the call.

Can I forget Manik? Why will I even try to forget Manik?

I walked out of the office only to see my two best friends waving at me. I smiled and we settled in my car.

"Nandu... the new cafe in the town... take us there. Suna hai waha ki... cream cheese brownies bahot hi delicious hai..." Navya spoke excitedly licking her lips.

I suddenly smiled and shook my head. The sudden talk of brownies made me remember Manik all over again.

Log sach kehte hai... hum kab kaha aur kaise memories bana lete hai hume kabhi pata bhi nahi chalta...

"And no... I cannot never forget you." I spoke with a small smile.

"Kisse baat kar rahi hai... chal na... fast... badi bhukh lagi hai..." Mukti spoke caressing her stomach.

I smiled and shook my head, letting my car driving on the roads of Mumbai.

******

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