Disha couldn't handle the situation anymore. She couldn't even imagine something dangerous happening to Manik. She was searching for him in the pool by swimming. Her heart pondered because Manik was missing in the swimming pool.

"He must have gone beyond the rope and sank inside the pool." Another local guide fumed about the trekkers' bad activities, which is going to leave the biggest black mark on them.

"No, my Manik won't do that activity." Disha cried while still inside the pool.

"Don't panic, madam. We will find him." Rajesh consoled her.

"Call the police. Call the fire service. Call the rescue team. I need my Manik back." Disha sobbed while swimming in the pool.

She looked at the waterfall again, lifting her head. She closed her eyes and cried, praying for Manik's safety. Her eyelids opened. She decided to search for him by crossing the rope. When she touched the rope to cross it, she realized someone from behind was holding her shoulder.

"Disha, it is not safe to cross the rope. Follow the rules." Said a familiar voice from behind her, hoarsely.

She knew this voice, and she turned her body to ensure that it was him. Yes, it was her Manik. She sobbed hard, speculating at him. Before he could ask why she was crying, her hands encircled his neck and took him into her embrace. She hugged him tightly as her legs were swimming in the pool.

He was bewildered as his hand trembled to hug her back. A wave of shock spread when he realized that she was hugging her bare upper body. He understood the way she was crying on his shoulder. Something happened inside his heart. His heart took control of his mind and urged him to hug her back.

His hands embraced her back, reassuring her that he was by her side. He'll always be by her side. Nobody felt ashamed of the embrace they exchanged since they were all relieved to see Manik again. Disha felt a warmth course through her heart, and Manik felt the same.

Realization hit Disha when everyone was looking at them. She released her hug and came back to her normal position. She swam back to the land. He also accompanied her by following her.

"Why were you crying inside the pool?" Manik asked patiently.

Disha didn't reply. She crossed her arms and tapped her right foot, glowering at him. Manik was puzzled by her actions.

A few minutes before she cried in the pool, she hugged me, and now she is angry with me. Is she bipolar?

His thoughts changed when Rajesh Shukla approached him. Rajesh Shukla was also in vexation after observing Manik's behavior.

"Sir, Where were you? You seemed to be missing in the pool area." Rajesh's concern gained Manik's attention.

"I went to the nearby side waterfalls, which are located 500 meters away from this Devkund waterfall. In that water, the force wasn't high. It seemed to be safe. So I attempted to stand in the falls for a few minutes." Manik explained.

Disha shook her head and went far away from him in vexation. Manik didn't know why she was so angry with him. Manik felt worried to see her like this.

"What happened to her? She was crying inside the pool, and now she is angry with me. Why is she behaving abnormally? What is the reason?" Manik inquired with Rajesh.

"She was crying inside the pool for you." Rajesh expressed.

"For me? But why?" Manik asked, pointing his finger towards him.

"You were missing in the pool. She panicked and dove inside the pool to search for and rescue you. But still, you were missing. She screamed your name multiple times in dread, but no response came from your side. So she thought you might sink inside the pool's intense depth area. So she cried for you." Rajesh elaborated on the incident.

Manik clearly understood her different emotions. What made him startled was that she cried for him. If a person spends his or her tears on someone, then it means that the person is important in their life.

Does Disha consider me an important person in her life?

His eyes traveled towards Disha, who was standing and glimpsing at the waterfalls far away from them. Manik stepped up towards her and stood near her silently.

"I am..." Manik halted as Disha started to speak furiously.

"I was scared after knowing that you were missing. Negative thoughts were roaming in my stupid mind. I can't even imagine if something bad happens to you. I can't bear it." Disha whined without looking at him.

Manik saw a lone tear escaping from the corner of her eyes, despite her being wet completely. He had never seen Disha cry like this. All he knows about Disha is that she is smart, intelligent, bold, and fiery. He had never seen this side of Disha.

His palm brushed hers gently to gain her attention. Her eyes met his eyes. He realized how long she had been crying for him by observing her red eyes.

"Rajesh told me that you had been calling my name multiple times inside the pool. I missed it. Will you do a demo now?" Manik asked playfully to change her mind.

"Glumness Diamond! Oh! Glumness Diamond, where are you?" Disha dramatically performed by placing the backside of her right palm on her head.

"Don't call me like that." Manik made a fake yell, which finally made Disha smile.

"Then what about Euphoria Diamond? It is better, isn't it? Oh! Euphoria Diamond, where are you?" Disha insisted as Manik grinned at her, making her heart skip a beat.

"Shall we go to that waterfall? It is amazing, and then we will again return to the Devkund waterfalls." Manik pleaded as she nodded and went along with him.

Standing under the waterfalls reduced the stress level in Disha. Even a shower in the bathroom can never provide this experience. Manik felt peace and happiness while standing in the waterfalls.

Nature will heal you. For Disha and Manik, that was a real occurrence. Following her playtime in the pool and waterfall, Disha began her picture session, and Manik joined her for a few shots in those stunning locations.

---

Disha speculated at Manik, who was busy scrolling and tapping his phone. She had placed her leg in the warm water to reduce her pain, and Manik was lying beside her and enjoying memes on social media. After completing their trekking journey, both returned to Nizampur.

Both were staying at Rajesh Shukla's house. Disha and Manik were searching for a place to stay. But, Rajesh invited them to his house. Rajesh Shukla's wife seemed to be nice to them. Rajesh Shukla also came to know that Disha and Manik are not married. He apologized for his assumption.

Disha's pain seemed to be reduced after her leg healing section. She had eaten the food prepared by Mrs. Rajesh Shukla, which filled her stomach. She noticed the way Rajesh cared for and respected his wife, Rani.

Rani even respected her husband. They even had a cute romance while feeding their dinner to each other. Manik teased them, and Disha was perplexed, as she had never seen a male member of her family respect or care for a woman. She stiffened herself as Rani came towards Disha to give her medicines for her leg pain.

"How is your marriage life going with Rajesh?" Disha asked Rani, gulping the tablets into her mouth.

"Recently, only our marriage happened six months ago. He cares for me. What else do I want than that?" Rani blushed hard, handing over the bottle.

"So, Rani, Rajesh loves you." Manik teased her.

"Yes, it is true," Rani announced, returning to the kitchen to help her husband.

Disha stood up and walked along with Manik to the storeroom located outside of the house. Though Rajesh Shukla's heart was huge, the house seemed small. So Manik decided to stay in that storeroom with Disha, and Disha agreed too.

That room did not have any light or bulb, just a hole in the center of the building so that moonlight could enter and a single window so that breeze could enter because no fan was in that room.

After settling inside the room, both slept parallel to each other on the floor, with their bags in the middle as a wall to protect their virtue. Disha wasn't used to sleeping on the floor, but she tried to adapt to the environment. But she can't, so she decided to speak with Manik.

"Manik! Have you slept?" Disha asked him.

She couldn't see his face in the darkness, as the moon was hidden in the clouds.

"Not yet!" Manik replied.

"If you want, you can say something," Disha pronounced.

"Rajesh and Rani looked happy together in the name of marriage, aren't they?" Manik asked, raising her brows.

"There is a proverb in English. Lust for 30 days, Desire for 60 days, and after 90 days, she looks like a broomstick. It will be the perfect definition of marriage." Disha uttered, looking at the ceiling.

"No, every man is not like you assume. There are even gentleman like me," Manik announced, adjusting his collar.

"So my Euphoria Diamond is interested in getting married after seeing this couple." Disha teased him.

Both saw the moon and stars through that hole. Moonlight covered across the room. Disha enjoyed it to the core while teasing him. He had a frown on his face, which quickly changed to a smile in the corner of his lips.

"No, I am not interested in marriage. But coming across a couple like them always gives me an optimistic feeling in the relationship." Manik stated, gazing at her.

"Did you notice? She was blushing whenever her husband pronounced her name. Her cheeks were like tomatoes. I felt weird." Disha expressed, glimpsing at him.

"Rajesh was also blushing whenever he looked at her. Rajesh's eyes conveyed to me that he was even ready to fight the world for Rani." Manik expounded, startled by Disha's face covered with moonlight.

Manik gawked at Disha. Disha even stared at him. She remembered the moment when they first met that night. His eyes were sparkling and glittering in that natural sliver of moonlight. She was spellbound. Something happened in her throat area, which blocked her from breathing. She breathed heavily in her nose because of her remembrance of his time with her.

The moonlight effect on her face mesmerized Manik. Her glowing face told Manik that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He decided to go to sleep, or it would be a difficult night for him to control his emotions for Disha.

"Tomorrow, we will be going to Kumbhe and Secret Waterfalls. Just sleep." Manik pronounced it by closing his eyes as she obeyed him.

--

Waking early in the morning, Disha saw him missing in the room. When she came out yawning, she saw the sky as the sun played hide-and-seek with her by hiding inside the cloud. She felt cold in that place. She encircles her arms around herself and goes inside the house to see Rani, who is working in the kitchen.

Disha joined and helped her as both started to talk to themselves after completing the work. She noticed Rani, who was doing everything with passion and love.

"Is your marriage... Are you okay with your marriage life?" Disha queried her.

"Ours was an arranged marriage. I am trying to love him, unconditionally every day. In the first month, we struggled a lot, but later we understood each other. It is going smoothly, but sometimes I miss my father and mother. We had a misunderstanding initially, but we are still processing it. Now, I like him a lot. Rani completed and gazed at bewildered Disha.

"I know the reason for your confusion. Why are you panicking? Everyone's life is different. Enjoy your bachelor life." Rani cleared Disha's doubt.

She went outside the house and speculated that Manik was operating his drone and checking it along with Rajesh. Disha was appalled by this man's action. Manik always uses branded watches and bikes. Finally, this drone, which he carried from Mumbai in his bag, only puzzled her. Now she wanted to know literally who he was.

Who is this Manik Rajwat?

Do read, vote and comment, if you like this book. Bye!