~ every star of the sky will one day be dust. All that matters is how many lives it illuminates in between~

Nandini dejectedly came out of the embrace, that felt like home to her, and faced him, who had his eyes closed, in fear to loose her or in ecstasy of holding her, she couldn't point out. She cupped his cheek, drawing circles through her thumb on his upper prominent cheek bones, as he opened his eyes to look at the preety mad girl in front of him. For a nano second, he felt a surge of emotions in his heart, emotions that he had considered dead with the tragic death of his parents. But in the next blink of eye, he came out of his reverie, as Nandini interlaced his right hand with hers and gestured him to try what she did a few minutes ago.

"Nandini, it's okay I get it. You hate me. But that doesn't mean you need to kill me like this", Manik made an utterly sarcastic face but Nandini didn't budge.

"If anything, trust me you won't die, not before you achieve what you are destined for", she said with a small chuckle, but her eyes shined with pride for this upcoming superstar. Manik was surprised at her tone, but after a lot of pestering, he dipped his face in the water, and Nandini kept her hand over his head, for she knew he would not stay under water even for a second more, if it stayed in his control.

But to her surprise, Manik didn't try to break out of her hold, and kept his face inside for a good fourty five seconds, which was preety over the board for a first timer, and whatever that was left to impress her, he did it by this stunt. Nandini Murthy was now completely smitten by Manik malhotra.

Manik broke free, his face wet with water, and a few drops rolled down hia cheeks and jaws, all the way down his neck to his chest, under his T-shirt.  He ran a carless hand through his hair, and the water drops danced around falling down from his messy locks, some of them falling on Nandini's face, who was already busy admiring this every bit of sexy lad in front of her. After rubbing of the excess water, Manik looked at her with an innocent, genuine and childlike grin.

"It was amazing man!", He literally exclaimed, unable to hide his excitement. Nandini laughed, as she took out a hand towel from her bag and passed it to him to pat dry his face and hairs, because she knew he was a little cold sensitive, and Manik looked at her in surprise, since he had no clue about her knowledge of the same.

" I know I am preety, beautiful, attractive, wonderful and everything else. You don't need to stare at me like I am specimen out of Mars", Nandini fake blowed her nails and Manik rolled his eyes. Whoever thought he was self obsessed, which he was anyway not, hadn't met her till date. Nandini bit back a smile at his expression before the excitement took over.

" So how was it?", She asked excited way too much and Manik looked at her, grinning.

"Out of the world. It was like, I could count my breaths, like-", Manik fumbled when Nandini took over.

"Like we are aware of our own existence. Like every minute counts-", she paused and Manik continued.

" Like I understood life in those minutes", Manik let out a dreamy sigh before both burst out in loud giggles.

"Nandini!", Manik moved forward, on his knees and held her hands, " I like this, the way you complete me", his eyes were locked into hers, like two perfect beats in sync and unknown to her, a slight blush adored her cheeks as she lowered her gaze and a reflex beautiful smile decorated his face.

"Umhh", Nandini coughed and broke the trance and Manik blinked, realizing what he spoke.

" I meant, the way you complete my sentences", he stammered and Nandini nodded, rolling her eyes now at his response. Typical Manik Malhotra. She wanted to give a savage resposne but decided against it as she had important things at hand. Sighing, she dug out some wet sand from the shore and handed it to him.

"Hold it", she pointed towards it and Manik frowned, but anyway took it in his palm as Nandini made a fist out his stretched palm.

" Try this now, see if it also escapes out", Nandini said and Manik looked at her as if she had actually descended from Mars.

" Why will it fall Nandini? It's wet", Manik spoke in a 'duh' tone but Nandini shrugged.

"So? What if it's wet? It's still sand", she answered and Manik was irritated now. She was being highly irresponsible.

Nandini could see he was growing agitated, so she opened his palm and kept her own, over it. The presure flattened the irregular lump of the mud, and Nandini smiled at him, confusing him all the more.

"This lump, won't fall because it is bonded together by water. And whenour palms sandwiched it, did you see how the irregularities decreased, making it smoother and flatter?", She explained like you explain a baby, and Manik shrugged.

"Isn't that very obvious, Einstein?", Manik arched his eyebrows up and Nandini smirked.

"It is Newton", she replied back, and Manik laughed at her response.

" But why I did all that is to explain you the analogy", Nandini now got serious, and the lack of usual mischeif and tease in her eyes, made him serious too.

"You know Manik, life is dry sand, but the relations we have in our life acts as water. Human relations are also in two varieties, there are ones we have no control over, those are god-gifted. Like our parents, siblings, blood relatives. And then there are those that we choose, like our friends and spouses. All these relations are expected to act like water, binding our aspects and emotions together, making life more bearable and enjoyable. But soemtimes, there are rifts in water bodies too. Or tides, or waves, which force these sands to go back to the shore. Similarly, these relations also, at times, hurt us, break us, or maybe tear us apart. Sometimes due to deaths, or maybe the rifts of anger, or tides of circumstances. At the lack of water, the sand dries, but you know what, it still won't fall. Can you guess why? Because at any point of time, there is never a complete draught. A little or insignificant water will be there, to bind it. Once together, it very rarely goes back to its naive, dry, separated particle form", Nandini spoke and simultaneously took the lump out of his hand, placing it back on earth, and washed his hand with clear water. Manik, though, was in a trance, that her words created.

"Similarly, in life, sometimes there is draught, our parents or blood relations may leave us, forcefully or by will, or blinded by another force, but there is something to hold on to, always. Sometimes friends do that for us, sometimes when we find nothing, there is faith, and hope. A hope for a miracle. Hope is that insignificant amount of water that does not let us fall into a hell hole ever. Where there is will, there is a way. But when he loose hope, it is then that we succumb to the darkness around us. And that is one thing we should never ever do. We should never loose hope", Nandini smiled at manik who was yet to grasp everything she had said. She knew it was too much to take in at once, but she also knew it was important. Nandini then stood up, and dragged Manik to his feet too, and then stood on her tippy toes to kiss his forehead.

" It's your passion that acts as hope for you Manik. That industry is ruthless, I understand, but you are meant to rule that industry, not fall due to the stumbles and pebbles people leave your way. You have some amazing freinds, you have Palash, Charlie, Leena, Karan. They are there for you, always. Don't let the negatives cloud the positives. Do you have any idea how many girls die on one carefree smile of yours? Don't let your soul fade Manik. And remember, uncle aunty are proud of you, always. They want to see you touching the summits, happily. Dont let guilt and sorrow drag you down. Look over to the little joys, the smiles, the good things in life. And promise me,you won't ever again think of suicide. Promise me?", Nandini had misty eyes as she finished her monologue and Manik was so overwhelmed that he leaned in to kiss her forehead, as he entiwned their hands, and whispered in ears very faintly.

" I promise", a very wide smile decorated her chubby face as she jumped in happiness, but Manik who was still not over the moment just jerked her towards him, and captured her lips in hers. They kissed each other like the world was ending in that one instant, and all they had was that one moment to feel each other.

For Nandini it was more of a salvation, for she knew he had still not realized the truth.

For manik, it was a moment of self discovery, and immense happiness, because it was today that he realized that he deserved to be loved, and be happy and all credit was hers.

They broke apart after good few minutes, panting and Nandini immediately hugged him, hiding her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, in solace and joy. She had no clue why tears ran down her eyes, and she didn't even bother to wipe them.It was already night by the time, and Nandini's cell phone rang to bring both of them out of that world of illusion.

Nandini broke apart as she silenced her phone, but her fuzzy mind could now see clearly. She could see the end was near. Distraught and yet relieved to feel the genuine surge of happiness in him, she picked  her duffle bag, and took out a letter. Folding it, she held his palm and placed it over it.

"Read it in your hotel room, not before that", she pointed her finger towards him, trying to threaten him, and he laughed at her petite attempt. Manik still hadn't said anything related to her revelation.

As they walked out of the sunset point, and hurled into two diffrent cabs, moving towards their respective hotels, Nandini stopped her cab for a moment and ran into his arms, for one more time. She didn't know what the next sun would bring with him, but she didn't want to have a regret in her heart anymore.

Ten minutes later, the cabs were on their way and Manik opened the letter, ignoring her warning. The first line of addresal read.

"To the  kyy superstar Manik Malhotra".