N A N D I N I

God knew what I was thinking when I said yes to Noelle to attend her beach party! I, in a flash, regretted my decision the moment my eyes met with another pair of much darker shade than mine who watched me across the people holding a cheap bottle of rum in his hands.

'Don't look at that way, Nandini! Look somewhere else. Yes, d-don't just- ignore that he is even here.' Bobbing my head, I turned around wanting to save myself from someone particular's burning gaze.

Everything was kind of weird since yesterday. I didn't know what I was even thinking before knocking his door last night but then obviously, I wasn't thinking anything; courtesy to the alcohol in my system. His apartment was the last place I could even think of showing up being wasted but I guess, last night no sense was working right in me. He said things to me that shattered my insides and although I quickly ran away after pushing him into the lake, that wasn't of much satisfaction but staying at his place for the whole goddamn night was a bummer. Especially considering the level of psycho he is.

But I wonder why did he approve my staying over there the whole of night because come what may, the only thing I thought he was capable of doing to me was hardcore insult or perhaps, thrush me down his staircase. But he didn't. Instead, he allowed me to spend the night on his couch and at early morning, when I woke up, there was this comfortable blanket protecting me form the cold for which I was ever so grateful to this human being. I still remember how he was sleeping like a child on the cushioned chair opposite the couch I laid hugging a photo frame to his chest. Slowly, trying not to wake him up, I got free of that blanket instantly hissing and shivering because of the murderously low temperature and goosebumps covered my skin until I started rubbing my arms.

Nobody could say that he meant any harm to anybody for the way he was sleeping like a child and I took one good whole minute to study his face. He looked fragile and though my hand advanced to lightly tug the frame out of his grip to have a look at it just for once, I didn't. Quietly, placing the blanket on his body, I tiptoed backwards praying to Lord that he doesn't wake up. Not wanting to wake and give him another chance to become the same old monster he was always to me, I sneaked out collecting my tossed shoes near the doorway and shut the door behind after having one last look at his face.

Coming back to reality, now, right at this moment, I really didn't like the way he was glaring at me from that corner he was sitting. I failed to understand whether it was because of my earlier pushing him into the lake, or staying the night at his apartment, or just showing up at his friend's party at his friend's insistence. I didn't say no to Noelle for coming here, obviously because of my professional reasons. Hell, I didn't want to be a quitter and be another achievement in his diary among the list of doctors he scared the shit out of.

"Hey, beautiful! Thanks for coming." Noelle who was wearing a beautiful floral dress with matching crown greeted me with a warm grin and politely, I returned the same.

"Hi. Good to see you too. But I won't be staying here for long." I stated and her eyes darted to her friend, aka monster, who was sitting alone in some dark corner not wanting to mingle with anyone.

"Is it him making you feel awkward here?" She asked taking a sip from her grey goose facing me.

"Uhm, not sure about that. Guess, anyone would after seeing the person who hurled you into a public lake and caused you so much of embarrassment is there in the same party; obviously when they have no mutual friends." Noelle ducked her head chuckling a bit at the mention of the lake. "And I don't want to spoil his party by staying here for long."

"Wait-" she glanced back at him and then me.

All along, Manik's eyes was towards us although he pretended to be watching the waves silently but he very much was aware of the fact that we, two ladies were conversing about him which I could feel was the reason his muscles were tensing up for.

"Do you think he is sitting there idly because of you?" She laughed shaking her head. "No sweetheart, it's not that. He is like that only. Separate..idle. He doesn't interact with anyone except me and some people form his tattoo studio. I guess, Kiara, when she left, she took every laughter away from him. And today, I literally had to rub my nose at his doorstep for him to say yes to show up here." My eyes occasionally met Manik's while Noelle was briefing me the background story.

"Well, love makes you weird at times." I smiled and she nodded agreeably. She and I were having a decent conversation until her name got called and she had to excuse to play the host.

I never attended a single party in my life without having my gang of bitches by my side. And so, I exactly didn't know suddenly what to do within so many unknown drunk faces. Grabbing a margarita, I sauntered towards the beach, waves crashing and dying on the tip of my toenails. Bottom of my dress was getting wet and my bare feet full of sands but I didn't care as long as I wasn't turned around by my elbow by a strong grip which forced me to look into his eyes.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" He gritted through his teeth while I curved to an angle to free my arm off his tight hold and he watched with anger perforating my skin.

"What am I doing?" I shrugged taking another sip from my drink turning to face the horizon where the darkness of the endless sea was hugging the darker sky. Stars twinkled but they had no reflection on the body of the sea unlike the moon which glistened the skin of the water with its elegant shine.

"Don'y try and act innocent with me." I could feel his glare from the corner of my eyes. "Why are you here in the first place? How does Noelle know you?"

"I don't know. She is your friend, go and ask her instead of yelling at me." I heard him inhale sharply.

"Listen you ju-" He looked around ruffling hand through his messy hair and grabbed my elbow to tug me to one dark corner. "Don't think that I don't understand why the fuck you are stalking me day and night. It's not Noelle. You are here because of me. To keep an eye on me." He whisper yelled leaning over my frame and so I had to lean further back in order to have a safe distance.

"What kind of fucked up logic is that?" I frowned. "And no mister, I am here because she requested me so sweetly that I couldn't reject."

"And why would she request you in the first place? She doesn't know you!" This time he screeched without a bar on his volume. It was weird that he wasn't mentioning anything about last night.

Pleasant for me.

"Now, who is the stalker here? And by the way-"

"Ahem" Our heads turned to a man who stood a hand away, gawking. "I'm sorry to cut in this way."

"What?" Manik barked impatiently being disturbed by the fact that he interrupted his interrogation but I couldn't be happier.

"I think the lady dropped this by the bonfire." He held up a purse in his hand and my eyes widened.

"Oh my god, my Prada!" Manik stepped a little back as I pushed him roughly during my run run to my bag.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. This is limited edition and my prized possession." I grinned sticking the purse to my chest and the man smiled bobbing his head. He was kind of hot in his dark blue printed shirt, hazelnut curls and dreamy eyes but mostly that gave way for his charm.

"Not a problem. I guess, you owe me a drink then." He smiled and my smile dropped. "No- I mean, here in the party only. Umm just-just a drink with some conversation, maybe? Umm but only if your boyfriend is okay with it." His eyes flickered between monster and him.

"We were in the middle of something." Manik scowled pointing his finger between us.

"You mean, quarrelling?" I asked sarcastically crossing hands across my chest.

"Listen you-" Manik pointed his finger at me.

"No, it's okay." The guy interposed. "I don't want you to fight with your girlfriend because of having a drink with me. It's okay."

"Oh hello, Zac Efron! Hold it, okay? First and the last thing, she's not my girlfriend and take her wherever the hell you want." Manik snorted and I scowled at the way he did that like I was some disease.

"But you guys were fighting like a coupl.." The guy paused watching me turn swiftly on my heels towards him.

"Chardonnay." I smiled.

"Huh?" The guy creased his brow flirtatiously.

"I would like to have a chardonnay with you." I raised my hand closer to his face and after a little bit of thinking, he softly held it pecking my skin.

By the time, I turned around to show off the same to the monster, he was gone already. Even his footsteps were silent.

M A N I K

The party was a shit. Everyone in here was shit and every drink too. My tongues basically got numb from tasting each kind of alcohol present here but none was strong enough to take my lonely mind away just for a bloody night. I kept looking at the fire and the little sparks that flew aimlessly against the wind.

'Kiara! No no no you are not drinking anymore tonight. You already have had so much.' I pulled the bottle out of her grip.

'Don't be such a mother, Manik. I will do whatever I want.' She groaned.

She tried grabbing the bottle back but it was almost impossible for her to snatch from the height of my elongated arm until she stood on a chair or something. I chuckled as she whined pouting her lips. God, I wanted to kiss her so bad.

'God, it's so fucking hot in air!' She opened her jacket tossing it on the floor.

I sighed picking her jacket up smiling to myself because I actually thought I was becoming her mother. My heart fluttered seeing her flap her hand before her face for air but the moment I saw some rascals licking their lips eyeing one another her minimum clothing, my blood boiled.

'Kiara, why the hell are you flashing? Here, wear this jacket.' I tried putting it back on her.

'Get the fuck away, I am feeling hot and don't act like my fucking boyfriend, all right? Just remember we are only friends with benefits. So I can wear what I want, bed whoever I want and you shouldn't bother because we both are free.' She screeched so loud that those guys laughed their asses off leaning back on their motorbikes.

'We are talking about this when you are sober tomorrow.' Holding her hand, I pulled her along despite her screams pissing the shit out of me.

For a second, I wanted to leave her alone there but the thought of something happening to her in my absence haunted my mind and I couldn't help this anxiety. She was the one I loved the most, she was my everything and no matter how much she denied what we had, I knew she couldn't survive a day without me and that was the reason she came running to me every time I got mad at her.

'You are wearing this and I don't want any discussion on it.' I forced her to wear the jacket and her eyes burned in anger.

'But I am feeling hot!' She argued though by that time, the jacket was on her skin and she had no time to protest.

'You can take it off inside the car.' I pushed her inside my car and quickly ran to the driver's passage giving her no opportunity to brawl.

By the time I got seated, she already had taken off her jacket and my cheeks burned in intensity still remembering her earlier words.

'Aw, is someone mad?' She bent over trying to kiss my lips but I turned my face the other way igniting the car and she ended up pecking my cheeks. She groaned but the single touch of her satin lips started burning fire in my guts.

'Come on baby, don't be like that.' Her hand started rubbing my inner thigh and although I was driving, sweat beads were forming on my forehead and I turned the ac vacuums towards me. She laughed knowing how irresistible she was to me and God damn her, she knew how quickly to turn me on and make me her slave.

'I am mad at you.' I glared softly pushing her hand away. Damn, that took me a lot of strength. She was making it difficult for me to stay away.

'Is there any way I can make it up to you?' I pressed the brake looking into her eyes as she started confidently unbuttoning my shirt blinking innocently yet knowing what she was doing to me.

'Please, I need you. I need you so bad.' She whispered over my lips fiddling with my belt while I knew I was losing the game again. Her hot breath on my lips was enough to make my hands itch to roam allover her skin. Control was the only thing I didn't have when it came to her.

'Kiara...' A moan escaped my lips as ruffling her wild hair, I cupped her cheeks. 'I am yours. You just need to say the word.'

She smiled crookedly jumping on my lap. 'Then prove it to me. Now. Here. Hard.'

The empty bottle that I was nursing in my hand slipped through my fingers and I got slapped back to reality because of someone fighting a little behind. Sighing softly, I turned around and my eyes widened watching a girl trying to push a guy off her body. The reason my heart raced was when I realised who the girl was.

Soha. Kiara's sister.

"Hey hey hey champ, take it easy." I pushed the guy off her who was almost unzipping his pant.

"And who the fuck are you?" The drunk guy pounced towards me; his face fully red.

"Do you know her?" I asked Soha who was equally wasted. She briskly nodded a no. "I met him some two minutes back."

"So what, you bitch?" The guy yelled at her toeing up past my shoulder.

"Dude, chill it and keep it in your pants. She's my girlfriend." I replied calmly and the guy's blue eyes widened as he stepped back seeing my height and then his feet.

"No offence but your girlfriend is a slut, bro." He squeaked pushing his way past me.

"Are you okay?" I asked Soha. Her mascara was smudged all over face and it reminded me of Kiara more. Whenever she used to party, she resembled her little sister. God, my heartbeats escalated knowing I was just an address away from hugging my love now.

"Yeah thanks, dude. Typical fuckboy he was. I didn't get your name by the way?" She asked shaking her messy hair.

I looked closer for her to see and recognise me clearly and as she did despite of her drunkenness, she cursed a fuck out of her mouth.

"Fuck, it's you!" I didn't know why there was a sudden detestation in her voice because Soha and I always had this harmless bonding.

"Soha.. Soha, please?" I tried stopping her.

"Fuck, what do you want? Get the fuck away." She pushed me in my chest but I was too strong for her.

I sighed "I can't and you know that. Soha, I desperately tried contacting you. Went to your old address but you just chose to cut off all contacts with me. Why? Do you know even what happened to me? I-fuck.. I ran the entire city in search of her and you but where the hell were you two? Where is she? Is she okay? Why doesn't she keep any contact with me? Is she mad at me? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt her? Why-why'd she leave me so suddenly leaving behind a goddamn note?" I spoke in a breath and watched her eyes turn bigger in amusement.

"Oh, boy! You are still that innocent Manik, huh?" She chuckled and my hands from her elbows slipped quietly as I seemed more confused.

"What?" The saline air around was suddenly thick to cut in. There was this overwhelming pain rising in me since Soha was murdering the very last ray of hope I was living with.

"No wonder! If that bitch can ruin her own sister for the rest of her life, then what the hell were you to her? A casual fuck buddy?" Hatred spilt from each word she spoke.

"Erm- I.. I am clueless about what you are saying. Wh-where's she?" That was the only question I died to know. I couldn't wait to run to her, apologise the shit out of my soul, buy her all those fancy things she desired and just hold her tight in my arms so that she'd never slip away.

"Do I look like someone who gives a shit about her whereabouts?" She shrugged and I fretted what went so wrong between these two.

"Wait-Soha please don't go." I begged her. "I..I just don't know what to say. I am so lost without her. Since the day she is gone, it's like I lost my everything; my purpose to live this life. She loved me so much then why would she suddenly leave one morning without me having the slightest knowledge of it?"

"Loved you?" She laughed throwing her head back while the last piece of my soul began to shatter. "God, she was right when she said you were a dumb! You really thought she loved you? I mean, boy what's wrong with you? She fucked hundred other guys while she was in this 'fuck relationship' with you." My throat dried and my hands suddenly started shaking. Was this some twisted dream?

"The money you showered her with was spent on her one night stands at hotels." Soha sneered and I felt light leave my eyes and darkness taking over all around. I took a step back blankly looking at her not hearing whatever she kept saying.

She paused before shaking her head "I always felt bad for you but I couldn't tell it to you since it would have been like betraying your own sister and after all of this, guess what she did to me? She screwed my own boyfriend in the backseat of the car you gifted her." She slapped my chest and the world stood still for me.

"Her sister's boyfriend? Can you understand that? Such a whore! She screwed my soccer coach as well and later when we found out that she got pregnant with his child then-"

"Pregnant?" I ruffled my hair tugging them from the roots. I didn't care how I looked because I already started crying. This couldn't be true. I was feeling so empty, but the search for something that could make me feel alive again was just making me sufer even more.

She sighed swallowing "Why do you think she left stealing all of our father's money? I promised I would help her get rid of this pregnancy but I changed my mind as I found her making out with my boyfriend. My life was perfect until she ruined everything for me. My coach in anticipation that I would share with the entire college about him and my sister, told the principal I made sexual advancements towards him and that I was taking drug and shits like that. They kicked me out of there. My family abandoned me. She took away my love, parents and my career and hear me out loud and clear Manik, God saved your ass from a woman like her. God, she's not even a woman. A sex machine, rather." She patted my bicep while leaving.

"Initially it will hurt until you find someone who deserves all of yours tears..... Thanks for today." And that was the last time I saw her that night.

I didn't know what to do. Where to go. What to say. My entire canvas suddenly fell blank as I crushed on the sand on my knees. The sound of the waves started dying with a shrill pain piercing my ears. This, whatever Soha said couldn't be true. Maybe, Kiara was mad at me and so she told her sister to make up this shitty story but whatever it was I was sinking lower, unable to breathe, crying like a maniac hiding my face in the web of my hands. Why did you do this to me Kiara? I loved you with everything I had? All I ever wanted was to be good enough for you. I was ready to give up everything at just a blink of your eye then...why? She made me hollow when she left me but tonight, Kiara killed me. There was this ache inside my chest and I picked up my heavy body up the sand.

N A N D I N I

"Yes, Lionel Messi is my favourite." The nice guy who I happened to know since past thirty minutes smiled.

"Uh- I am sorry to correct but Messi doesn't play tennis." I replied sourly.

I mean, what was he? It had been entire thirty minutes that he was roasting my brain without a break. I said yes for a drink in order to break free from that loser Manik but here, talking to him made me more sick. This guy, Dev was an absolute idiot who only had looks to charm the ladies but not even a peanut sized brain. My third glass was over and it was time when I was going to ask him to excuse me for the nineteenth time that night until I saw Manik at some distance having a tiff with some drunken girl.

I pretended like it was nothing so important but the way Manik's face appeared like he has been gravely hurt by whatever she was spitting, definitely called for some attention.

"I'll be back in a minute, okay?" I excused but he held my hand back picking up another boring conversation and I frowned pressing my lips hard.

It was exactly ten minutes later that the guy ultimately passed out and I took the opportunity to find out about Manik. To my dismay, every corner was hunted by me but there wasn't any trace of him. Something inside me repeated that the look on his face when I saw him last talking to that girl wasn't good and I always tried following my instincts.

"Um, Noelle?" I called out waving my hand.

"Hey, prettiness! I didn't expect you to stick around for so long." She grinned. Only if she knew!

"Me neither." I smiled faintly. "Hey by the way, uh... has Manik left?" She frowned looking around for her friend.

"Can't see him here. He must have gotten bored and retired into the beach house." She answered.

"Beach house?" I repeated.

"Yea there at the back. You see those flashlights coming out of that building? That's the one." She pointed.

"Oh, thanks." I sighed turning towards the building.

✽

I was standing staring into the darkness not knowing where it led. Only this time, it didn't scare me although my anxiety was at an all time high letting the void engulf me not being able to see a thing.

"M-Manik?" I gave a call aloud not knowing which way to step. 

"....Why are you here?" Came a hoarse voice from the darkness.

"Can we..please talk?" I waited for his response which took a lightyear to come.

"If you're here to make one stupid experiment out of me, then please go away." His voice was dense yet weak, probably because of immense drinking.

"No! No. I'm not here as your Doctor. I-I'm here to help you, Manik." I needed to find him in one of his weak moments in order to get him open up to me.

"Help me?" He sniggered but I could feel the depth of the pain in his tone of mockery. "No one can help me, Doctor. No one. I don't need your therapy."

"I know it hurts on your end. I see it in your eyes. I see it when you cry, when you wake up at night and scream the name in the darkness, when you whisper to your friends about all of the things I can't change, Manik. But I wish you could see how this is tearing me to shreds too." My eyes tried to learn his language of darkness. "So..Let me help you...please?"

A squeak escaped my mouth as briskly a hand tugged on my palm pulling my body to the ground on my knees and my other hand automatically held the defeated shoulder of the man broken in pieces.

"Manik?" My hand reached his wet cheek. "I can take away all your darkness." My thumb rubbed his stubble smoothly. "But you just have to let me in and I promise to not hurt you."

He studied something deep into my eyes by the time I finished.

"I'm afraid of my own shadow. Every step I take forward I can't help but look back. I'm just a...mess." His voice trailed at the end with a growing pain in his heart.

"You're too much of a gorgeous mess for me not to look at." I spoke unsure of my words.

"Then help me, Doctor. Help me. But I don't need your..your therapy or those bullshit medicines that all my previous doctors prescribed me." Desperation clear in his tone.

It felt he was tired of fighting all his struggles and if not saved, this man of twenty six years would die. Soon. He seemed so tired to be carrying all the burden in that chest which keept begging him to unload. He shuts his eyes hanging his face low whilst I ran my fingers through his messy hair.

"Then what do you need?" I whispered. Somewhere it hurt me seeing this man so broken maybe because I was used to getting attached to a patient's pain quickly.

"Can you make me fall in love with you?" He replied swiftly looking up at me miserably which knocked all my senses out for few seconds. "If I let you in, will you mend my broken heart? Will you make me take every breath of my life only and only for you? Can you?" His nails dug deeper into my skin as the desolation escalated in his void soul and I tried not to flinch.

"Is that what you want me to do?" I asked blankly staring at his hollowness.

"Yes." He gulped. "Make me fall in love again. Harder. And replace her in my heart. Make me love you so much that you run as the blood in my veins. That...I'm not able to think of even my own existence before you. Make me crazily fall for you, please?...." he cried burying his face in his palms. "I want to forget everything that I've been told. I..I want to forget how she left me. I want you..to remove..all the voices inside my head that keep telling me I wasn't good enough for her. I want you to..to.. take my heart off her wheatish complexion, clouded hair, oceanic eyes and lips that were full with raspberry chapstick. I want to forget her." He screamed punching the ground as tears knew no bounds in his hazel puffy eyes.

"Okay. I can." I shocked myself with the words that escaped my lips.

"What did you just say?" His empty depressed eyes that forgot to smile asked me with all his being.

"I..will." I assured and he wiped away the tears on his cheeks.

"Okay." His voice merely a whisper. He sniffs prohibited those boundless disobedient salty waters and looks up at me with a determined look on his face.

"Let's make a deal then?" He proposed. "You've got 30 days. 30 sessions. If you can't succeed in this span, you'll help me die and free me from this never-ending pain. You'll be the key to my death." He nodded venomously at me asking for my approval.

I sucked a sharp breath not comprehending what dangerous of a game I was giving my yes to. This could screw my entire career. Fuck the career. This could take someone's life.

My body shivered getting out of his grip and I stood up slowly. Revolving my frame, I walked up to the door leaving him all undone in his own mess. I knew he wanted me to leave but the way his eyes changed, expressed as if..as if he wanted someone to take up his fight. To fight for him.

"Deal." I blurted out staying all poised whilst walking closer to the door. I didn't turn around so the kind of expression he held was a mystery.

"Last fold in the story, Doctor?" He called aloud and I stopped in my tracks keeping my hand on the door that I opened just now.

"You have to make me love you. But.. you can't fall in love with me." His voice seemed challenging and confident.

My nails dug deeper into the wood of the door as I swallowed hard before twisting my neck back at him.

"Is that all you got to put in this deal?" I asked.

"Yes." He confirmed timidly.

"Get ready to fall in love with me, Manik Malhotra." Stating it, I closed the door behind and inhaled deeply looking up at the starless night.

God, what a night!

A/N - Kindly keep voting, commenting and supporting me as a writer. I love reading all your opinions and its needless to say, I love each of you. Thank you for reading.