This update is dedicated to everyone who did candle fuuuu in "March"
...

"Secret door." I opened it and lead me to our private garden. A few steps later I found our bedroom's secret door.

It's easier for us to connect from the garden as well.

I came inside my room and saw Manik settling himself on my bed. "What are you doing, Manik?"

"Getting ready to sleep?"

"I can see that, but why are you sleeping in my room."

"Did you expect me to sleep away from you? After all the efforts?"

"But..."

"First sit here, Nandini." He tapped on the space next to him. I obeyed and sat on the mattress facing him. "Your problem is about people seeing us together before marriage. Isn't it? This  door can be accessed only by us and nobody would know. I can go back to our room in the morning till our wedding day."

That's a good plan. We can stay here all the night and pretend nothing in the morning.

"Then you have to go early in the morning before anyone can see us. Okay?" I asked.

"Okay." He nodded.

"Promise?" I asked again with worry. What if Niyonika finds us together? Will she badmouth Manik?

"Pinky promise." He showed his left hand.

I threw a pillow at him. "You are cheating again, Manik. Promise me with your right hand."

"My darling became observant. I am impressed." He pulled me under him and began tickling my waist.

"Manik. Stop. Someone might hear us." I continued laughing along with him.

"I don't care." He said laughing with me.

Finally he stopped when we both got tired of laughing. The tip of our noses are touching and our lips continuously brushing each other as we panted for air. He bent further to capture my lips but I pushed him and he fell on his back.

"Manik. Border." I said giggling.

"That's unfair. We are getting engaged tomorrow and you are not even letting me to cuddle with you." He said throwing his arms in the air.

"Sorry. If you want to sleep with me then sleep on the other side of the border." I said picking a pillow to make the border.

Manik was faster than me as he piled all pillows and kept it under his head. "Sorry, I need all these pillows under my head."

"Really? You barely sleep properly on a single pillow and you want six pillows under you? Manik, stop teasing me." I requested him.

"Looks like we are sleeping without any border tonight." He had a smirk on his face and I felt warmer.

I immediately lowered the temperature with the remote and fanned myself with my hands. That's when my eyes fell on my most trustworthy friend. Mr. Pillow Malhotra.

I gave the same smirk and picked it in my arms. "Well, someone is on my side tonight. Manik, please meet, Mr. Pillow Malhotra."

He looked at me for a second before bursting into a huge laughter. "That's the thing you were boasting about? A pillow? And you name it Malhotra and dressed it in my hoodie?"

"Well, he is not an ordinary pillow, Manik. Mr. Pillow Malhotra listens to me all night and doesn't irritate me. It's my favourite." I said hugging the pillow tighter which dropped Manik's smile.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and turned off the light on his side.

I shrugged and went to bed hugging Mr. Pillow Malhotra after turning off the lights on my side. The room is now dark except for the nightlight entering from the glass window. Only our breathing sound is audible in this silent night.

Manik turned on his right to have a look at him and rolled his eyes in frustration seeing Mr. Pillow Malhotra in between us.

"Nandini, could you please move this stupid thing out of here or stop hugging it?"

Is he jealous?

"Are you jealous of the pillow, Manik?" I chuckled.

"Me? Why would I be? That too a pillow. That's so stupid." He scoffed. "You are putting it in between us and holding it too close to your body. I am just worried you might inhale pillow fibre or whatever."

He fell on his head and covered his face with his palms. "What am I even speaking?"

I chuckled once again. "Mr. Pillow Malhotra is not toxic, Manik. See." I sniffed the pillow and hugged it tighter.

Manik was annoyed this time and sat upright on the bed. "Alright. I am jealous of that stupid little thing who's getting more attention than me. Happy?"

"Huh? Manik it's just a pillow." I said putting it infront of his face and he pushed it away.

Manik pulled me closer by my jaw so that our faces are a few inches apart. "I don't care. All I know is, it must be only us. Nothing must replace us. Your soft body must be pressed against mine and I must feel your warm breath over my chest."

His eyes were intently staring at my lips and eyes that I gasped for air. I pushed him and covered myself into the duvets.

Someone please lower the temperature as I can't come out of my sheets. I am not even hugging Mr. Pillow Malhotra after Manik's narration. What have got myself into?

A minute later I heard the light switch off and I slowly peeked from my sheets. Manik is lying on his side facing his back to me.

I never noticed but Manik has broad shoulders and narrow waist even from back. His sleeveless vest which he wears to sleep at night is assisting my eyes to look at his muscular arms.

Dude is so strong!

I couldn't sleep after Manik's words. My stupid, mischievous and evil brain organ is giving me an idea to hug him and sleep.

But how?

We have never cuddled before. Should I ask him to teach me? Ah! That's worse thing to do to embarrass myself.

With thudding heart I lifted my right hand to wrap around his waist. When I was a few inches away Manik turned towards me and raised his eyebrow.

"There are excess pillows under your head. You see we have to balance pillow ratios in the room. If we have one under head then five pillows must be on the couch." I rambled and hit myself internally.

Manik didn't argue and threw the pillows on the couch. Now it's only us on the bed lying on our back and staring at the ceiling.

How should I ask him? I seriously need help.

"Manik." I called him.

"Hmm." He responded immediately.

Why? Why must he respond so soon? Now what can I say? I didn't prepare.

"Only for this night, we can sleep without borders." Manik's eyes glinted with mischief.

"Woah!" A few minutes later he moved closer to me leaving only hair breadth gap between us.

"What are you doing?" I was startled with him being so closer to me.

"Balancing the ratio of the room. You see the weight must be centre of the bed, and since there are no pillows let's do the favor." He made his own reason like me.

I nodded my head and laid on my back. His pinky finger was touching my pinky finger and I shuddered.

What's happening to me?

I looked up to see his face and he immediately took a deep breath. "I can't control myself if you look at me with those big, beautiful eyes."

"Control for what?" I questioned not understanding.

"Nothing." He sighed once again.

"Manik." I called him and immediately shut my eyes tight. "I can't sleep."

"Shall we go down and eat something?"

"No. I mean can you do something like ... You know like..." I couldn't say those words.

"Like?"

Is he teasing me or really didn't understand me?

"Nothing. Just leave it." I said and buried myself into the thick sheets.

The next moment Manik wrapped me twice into the duvet making me a duvet roll. He pulled me closer to his body and hugged me tight.

"Manik, that's unfair. Only you are able to hug me and I am stuck here." I said with a pout.

He traced my pout with his fingers. "It's easy. You just have to say, Manik, I want to cuddle with you."

"I am not saying that." I could feel my cheeks getting warmer.

"Good. You can be my precious sushi roll tonight." He kissed my cheeks. "You look so delicious right now, Sushi."

"Stop." I laughed and snuggled into his chest as he pulled me more closer if it's possible.

Soon after we fell into deep sleep, a peaceful one.

The sunrays disturbed my sleep and I tried to strech my arms. I couldn't do it and I opened my eyes to check it. I am still rolled up as a Sushi next to Manik. He was fast asleep without any worry lines on his face.

His thick long hair was pooled around his head, his eye lashes falling above his cheek bones, and lips .... I still remember the taste of his mouth shaping organ.

Oh! My heart! He is extremely handsome. I am sleeping next to a handsome man and this beauty is marrying me.

I wanted to touch his sharp jaw with my fingers but I am stuck under the stupid duvet.

Wait! It's already morning and Manik is sleeping in my room.

"Manik. Wake up and go to your room." I called him and he snuggled more into me.

Nobody must come into my room. Please.

I hit his jaw with my head and he finally woke up rubbing it. "What was that for?"

"That's the only way I could wake you up, Manik." I said coming out of the duvet freeing myself.

"I am awake. I am enjoying your presence instead of hitting me you could have given me a morning kiss." He said.

I rubbed my neck unable to look at him. "Not this first thing in the morning, Manik. You must leave now. Hurry."

Manik shook his head and stepped down the bed. "I have something to tell."

What's that? I walked closer to him with curiosity.

Manik pulled me by my waist and pecked my lips before taking huge steps towards the door. "That's how you wake up someone, Nandini."

"Manik." He is already out laughing at my red face.

I ran into the shower and got freshed real quick. Within no time there was a knock on my door. I opened it and the bright people filled my room.

"Hello, my pumpkin." Jay and Kay entered my room with their huge suitcase.

See, they could have seen me with Manik. It was good that I was careful in the morning.

They opened the bag and pulled out the dresses for my engagement. They didn't need to take my measurements once again as they already noted from the new year's day.

"Pumpkin, pick one dress." They said putting three black maxi dresses infront of my eyes.

"Well, I would like to wear the first dress, but please add the sheer top of the second dress to it. Remove the lace from the third dress and add it to the border." I explained it to them.

"Woah! That's a lot of work. Your engagement is in the evening and you are expecting for design change?" Kay questioned me and I shrugged.

"Well, Princess need perfection. I can help you." I said with a bright smile and they denied asking me to sit down for the pampering session.

As they worked on my dress another set of people came into my room who asked me to sit on a chair and dipped my feet in the bowl of rose water.

It is indeed a pampering session for my engagement.

....

How's the update?

Awe! They are starting to get comfortable with each other.

I will show you the dress picture in the next update.

Recomend me so funny movies or shows. Any language is alright, as long as there is English subtitle to understand.