Before you plunge into the chapter, a forewarning.

All is not how it seems; perspectives differ.

𓆩𓆪

She was asking him to spend a night with her, and he – he would cross seven seas if she told him to.

Her request was far simpler.

Manik nodded, not for once pondering about any consequences, and the warmth of her hand etched into his long-term memory as he allowed himself to be pulled into the flat. The feeling would serve him for many nights to come in the months and years ahead of him.

How had he been reduced to this pathetic state where he was entirely wrapped around her finger?

Only two nights ago when his friends had confronted him about being so lost in Nandini every waking moment of his days, they had snapped, "Yeh sab kuch zyaada hi lamba chal raha hai uss ladki ke saath, khatam karle."

More than what they said, it was the tone that had put Manik off and he had stood his ground when he merely responded, "I am not done with her yet."

The Manik the clan knew never ducked from a challenge. Besides, since Nandini Murthy was averted to sex and had no experience committing pleasurable sins of any sort, it was only fair that their friend needed more time to finally get to her. What was the harm in that?

It was merely an obsession stemming from laying his eyes upon a woman he wanted to claim.

Not a threat even worth considering; their friend was no child, Manik had been associated with the mafia for the longest time to know it was nothing beyond sexual attraction. They need not lecture him about the code of ethics in the underworld.

Listening to their better judgment, the sane group came to a general consensus and refused to counter him on that aspect. Excluding Alia, who took it as a personal loss to be ditched for someone as lowly as Nandini Murthy.

As she unlocked the main door, Nandini apologised for the messy state of her friend's house, which Manik regarded as nearly spotless – of course, it had a glass set out on the dining table and some hand towels were off the oven rails, but all those were evidence of a lived-in home and not a museum. She told him to make himself comfortable, while she would use the bathroom and return.

When Nandini was gone, Manik laid the tiny ziplock bag on the dining table. He always kept it handy – just in case his friends or a customer could not do without them – and had not planned on using it but now, especially after wafting away in some moments of unrestrained lust... he needed it to bring himself back to reality, a reality in which neither of their worlds could ever collide.

Looking at those pills in front of his eyes itself woke up a hibernating part of him that thrived on its high, back when he consumed regularly. Three of the tablets were the same colour while one was a different one that he habitually used to force sleep to overtake him every night.

He used his kada to pound two of the same coloured pills within the plastic, inciting a familiar memory as he crazily scrounged the kitchen cabinets for a tube he could use.

In a haphazard manner, he found a set of straws within the cutlery rack, cut one up with a pair of scissors, and rushing back to the table, he placed the powder carefully within. He flicked it with his index and thumb a few times, letting the stray bits settle in one place before inhaling it in one go.

Like ocean waves hitting the docks, subsiding and retreating, sheer relief swept through his veins and Manik sunk into the dining chair with his head thrown back, succumbing to the numbing effect on his clenched heart which threw a tantrum about letting her go.

He eyed the tablet between his fingers, rotating it on its perimeter as he observed it ride forwards and backwards... as if weighing the options between doing it, or not doing it...

But he had far bigger, more dangerous things to worry about; the pill could wait a little longer.

Massaging his nostrils to minimise wastage, he checked his button business phone that had 16 new messages, a couple from his suppliers, some from his regular customers, and a bunch of one-offs that he couldn't give a shit about. Not that night at least.

Mind-boggling thoughts that were withheld in his mind vanished, and with a new sense of clarity, he texted the group a quick update from his personal iPhone: *H is not in Mumbai, just found out. Possible set up. Stay alert and use the unit in space to hide the rest* He purposely ensured SPACE was all in lowercase.

SPACE Academy was an educational establishment managed by a trust and inherited through Manik's mother's side of the family. While Manik had not known of it for as long as he was a minor, the Professor who had become Manik's legal guardian set it as a front to launder their black money in the name of donations. The music institute usually specifically reserved a few storage units for extra instruments that could not be accommodated in the music library, but that was not to say other things could not be hidden in them.

At the click of the bathroom door, he swiped the table clean and dropped the used straw bits in the bin.

Manik dusted his hands as Nandini emerged, looking like he was up to nothing in particular as she was drying her hands on her kurti. "So what's your plan?" He smirked, stuffing his hands into his $300 jeans pockets.

"Plan? What plan?" Nandini mumbled, wringing her hands.

Though the initial impulse to invite him in had been successfully manifested into a night with him, she had no clue what to do next. Feeling nervous and a rush of excitement, she had checked herself out in the bathroom mirror some moments ago and saw a magical glow on her cheeks and lips, not as a result of makeup.

No, it was his doing. All his doing, but did that mean she was truly ready to engage in something so intimate with him without a promise of marriage? Such acts were immoral in her conservative household, where her Chacha and Chachi loved her madly, and being the daughter of the house, family honour lay in her. They would not think twice about her place in their life if she disgraced them in any which way.

That fear of surrendering to some mere moments of selfish excitement had been eating away at Nandini's conscience.

"Arrey, tumne yahan mujhe bulaaya tumhari dost ke ghar, and she's not home... so you must have something up your sleeve, hai na?" He teased, walking around her in the living room and settling on the couch with his arms stretched on headrests.

Nandini bit her forefinger as she followed. "Sleeve?" He nodded, the smirk not leaving his face as she flocked around the hall, consciously maintaining some distance between them. Manik eagerly wanted to bridge the gap, swirl her into his lap, and hear her giggles another time, as she wrapped her arms around his neck but as the idea dawned on him, he cursed himself under his breath and crossed his arms.

She misconstrued the act as disapproval, and as her gears began working to rectify the situation, she came up with a counterargument. Why was physical intimacy prior to marriage looked upon so negatively when merely moments ago, being in his arms and worshipped by his lips brought her... peace? Perhaps all that mattered was whether two people were in love... after all, wasn't sex just the physical act of love?

It was a completely different thing that most girls in college did it and discussed it too behind closed doors, regardless of whether they were in love with the boy or not, but Nandini could not imagine that for herself.

Manik's hand locked around Nandini's wrist as the flappy bird wandered around him deeply engrossed in some internal monologue that easily reflected in her ever-changing emotions. In a swift motion, the woman tumbled into his frame, landing on his thighs with a plop. Her hiccup did not go unnoticed, and naturally – just as Manik expected – Nandini's hands clung to his neck for balance. "I thought... you would like this setting better..." He moved her hair to the side, exposing some skin under her earlobe where he nuzzled.

Unaware of just how sensitive her skin was to his touch, Nandini released a mesmerised sigh, serenely embracing the new sensations with open arms. The erotic sound sent shooting signals up and down Manik's spine, oh how badly he wanted her.

Manik dazedly regarded her stunning figure as he retreated: dressed in blue leggings and a black kurti with dots of pink and blue on it and pink crochet straps as sleeves, she was squirming in his lap, making things infinitely harder for him, quite literally.

She had wholeheartedly trusted him, there was no fucking doubt about it. It was time to test that theory. To distract himself from a dark, unexplored territory, he shook his legs and Nandini bobbed unsteadily, letting out a quick gasp as she tightened her grip around him.

"Hmm... Bold. And impressive," He said animatedly, puckering his lips and twitching at her naive nervousness.

As the fun and games dawned on him, that even in that moment of panic, her arms had willingly sought his protection, Manik straightened himself creating a gap between them. Her action – to seek him – was far more powerful than her intention.

That was the first instance in which Manik completely understood what Nandini said in the afternoon, about actions speaking louder than words, and it stunned him. And before he realised it, a decision had solidified in his mind, putting an end to the uncertainty he felt about the action.

Action over intention.

It would stop her from chasing him once he left. It would decouple her from any associations with him that could work against him in the future. And above all, it would protect her.

Nandini wondered if she disappointed him somehow, and thought it was best to explain her stance. "I've never had..."

"I know."

"But I hope you know I do want to..."

"I – I know, Nandini." His softened eyes met hers momentarily before he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, flicking a switch on Nandini's happiness and further emphasising her innocence. He cleared his throat and formed a small unconvincing smile, convincing himself that it was a surefire way to cause her the least amount of pain. Action over intention it is. "But isse pehle hume mahol toh set karne do, you know, make a drink... then take it from there, hmm what say?" He shuffled her out of his lap.

"You know I don't drink na, Manik,"

"Lemonade." He suggested, "Let's both have lemonade, nimbu toh hoga yahan kahi?" Nandini shrugged while Manik checked the fridge, his eyes shining as he found one ripe one. "Tada!" Nandini smiled, somewhat swooning. "In fact, why don't I make it for you? You just... relax, hmm?"

Nandini could not believe that night was going to be her big night; coming from a girls' school and subsequently a women-only college, she was a little nervous about interacting with males outside her family. That was not to say there were no opportunities to do so. The school and college opposite to her campuses were filled with boys and men who would have their eyes on the girls across the road.

One particular girl she remembered who went to college with her, Alia Saxena, often snuck guys into the girls' hostels and apparently did drugs with them. The situation had rattled the whole college when raids came about. Alia was also the kind of girl who at any time would have at least one guy she would be talking to. Fortunately or unfortunately, two years in she left college to live off her boyfriend's money.

Long after she was gone, there were still several scandals linked with her and the ones who suffered intense interrogations were her college friends.

And then after college, Nandini too pulled a 180 on her coy and meek personality, and did the most daring thing she ever could — she made a dating profile! As if Aiyappa had listened to her wishes, a handsome hunk with a gentle smile posed with a guitar. The instrument bag had a dangling star on it that reflected sunlight in the photo, shining magically. Her first thought was fireflies, and before she knew it, she was smiling wide.

How different, and how beautiful, her life had become in the three odd weeks that she had known Manik... Tonight, she was one step closer to finally experiencing the freedom of being an adult – physical intimacy. She was finally going to give herself up for him, as an expression of her unbounded feelings. Anticipating the happenings itself made Nandini anxious, probably more anxious than the deed itself.

A glass waved in front of her. "Nimbu paani, for you." He said with a smile, knocking those reminiscent memories off her mind. "Cheers!" He clinked his glass with hers and watched her as she sipped away, rushing through the drink to calm her nerves.

The wait was killing her.

"Wow! You're so fast, haan? Give me some more time," He relished the drink one sip at a time, his lethargy torturing Nandini. His phone buzzed again, and Nandini charged at the opportunity to distract her mind.

"Manik, tell me one thing, ek din main tumhe kitne zzzz zzz milte hai?" She heard a hum and clicked her lips. "Arrey notifications!"

"That... I drive people around na," Nandini nodded, waiting...

Manik took a gulp of his drink. "...so some of them are rosters from my agency..." Oh, and? He downed the last of the beverage, placing the glass urgently on the table,"...and baaki ka are personal pickups and drop-offs. But why are we getting into those boring topics, when we can do something..." Nandini stilled in her seat like a timid rabbit, swallowing as his handsome face appeared very very close to her without warning, "...exciting!?" He evilly said, swooping her in his arms.

Nandini burst into loud uncontrollable giggles, wiggling and kicking her legs as he flung her body over his shoulder. "Manik!" She pounded his back, unaware of the smile he was wearing.

If only there was a recording button inside the human brain, he would tape the sound and play it on repeat for the rest of his life.

"Manik, put me down!" She yelled, finding it half funny and half surprising that he was way way stronger than she expected. "Manik!"

With a thud, she fell. Her brain swam in her skull at the impact. Hands flew to her eyes before her back hit something soft. She snapped to her side, fisting the sheets underneath. It was just the bed.

A small curve appeared on her lips, mirroring his.

Manik paused, sinking her in. Tomorrow he would be off and back to his old self and in a fortnight, Nandini too would be in Ahmedabad working, scalding this night from her memory for as long as she lived.

Nandini gawked at how serene and loveable he was looking.

He leaned in, placing a hand beside her neck on the bed. Nandini nervously sighted it and then swallowed a hard lump. The Manik that was towering over her was so freaking attractive! He had the kind of body girls could fangirl about, and his eyes... Aiyappa, if she was good with words, she could write poems on them.

Her eyes slowly closed against her will, and when she forcefully fluttered them open, his lips were pecking her arms going upwards from her left wrist.

She vaguely wondered if she was dreaming, as her fingers ran through his hair. "Manik... I'm feeling so tired,"

"Hmm... that's good," He did not stop the kisses because he wasn't done with her yet, and Nandini silently let sleep take over her, unable to battle with her body to stay alert as the last thing she heard was, "You won't feel a thing..."

𓆩𓆪

And that marks the first turning point in the story :") The stakes are only just taking shape.

What do you think the chapter title means?

Do you think the last scene was actually...?

If you're still with me until this point, I want to add that faith (in your writer) goes a very very long way <3