I know just apologizing wouldn't do and my words wouldn't be enough to depict how sorry I feel to have delayed this update. But more than that, I feel guilty of not having updated you guys about the delay. For the update, I don't know how many of you still feel like reading this. You all being the readers have the right to choose your suitable option, whether to read or to quit, at any point of the story. And I have the right to update, irrespective of who's reading and who's not. But apart from that, I believe that I've served the update pretty much in time, if the circumstances are to be considered. Being asked for a complete bed rest does make you feel like serious patient. -_-

I would have posted this earlier, if my friend wouldn't have surrendered to type the update, while I was the one to dictate her each and everything, even the goddamn the punctuation. However, according to her, I am too picky with the outcomes and I keep on editing the draft until and unless I feel it is fine enough for read. So I had to sneak in time and do the job. So, if people still feel the interest to read, go ahead. If not, then I am sorry.

By now, people might know that the updates of this are no more running as per the schedule and this back on the track of irregular updates, and it's gonna be like this for some time now. I am not really sure how long is it going to take for me to update the next.

I don't guarantee you all a well furnished tidied chapter but something worth the read and your time, hopefully. #fingerscrossed.

Also, I have had few followers and readers added to the list of Collision, to whom I'd like to thank and this one is a dedication to all the readers of Collision!

Before you all start, in case there's anyone who is going to read, just for precaution sake, Please note that there are a few exaggerated or hypothetical backgrounds created at places in this chapter, however, I don't claim any existence of such backgrounds or surroundings in reality. Rest all is your call.

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Chapter Nine

I slumped into the seat and passed a tight lipped smile across the table to Leo. My eyes ran in search of the familiar ones; and I found them looking back at me. It slowly shifted to glare murderously at the back of Leo's head. I hadn't expected a warm welcome for Leo but I really hoped that Eric wasn't this obvious about Leo and I being friends.

I mean, we literally are just friends, for crying out loud.

His cold behaviour is justified, though he needs to understand that at times one needs to forget and forgive. Leo had sincerely apologized and I still wouldn't have been able to decide until that day, when perceptions changed; at least mine did, though I can't vouch for Eric.

Eric and Manik had walked in when Leo held me securely against the side of a car. It took me long enough to realize what it might have looked to any passerby. So, I don't really blame them. Though, the least they could have done was demand for an explanation, instead of throwing punches at Leo.

He still sported few marks across his face. If I was to explain his condition these days in one word, I'd use the term 'dented'. Without a doubt, Eric nailed his punches with perfection.

Just like Eric, even I needed time to calm down before I handled a fumingly protective brother. So, I chose to drag Leo along to escape from the situation, while I could feel the puzzled eyes at me; not to forget Leo's amused expression with a damaged face. However, while I was bandaging him, I announced that I did wish to be friends with him, with all honesty. Nothing more, nothing less.

To say he was escalated would be an understatement. He deserved that, he had earned that. For days, he had been nothing but supporting and genuine whenever around. Even in the parking space, he had pushed me against a car only to avoid a speeding car hitting me. People at school drive like they own the whole damn world.

When I had explained things to Eric later that day, he held mixed emotions. He was furious that someone could have hit me - it took minutes for him to control his urge to hit someone or something; he was relieved, once he was completely satisfied that I wasn't hurt in the slightest of manner and had no injury, not even a minor scratch; he held disapproval as well. Disapproval was directed at Leo. Eric had made it clear that though he was grateful to Leo for having saved me from a tragic accident, he didn't wish to have Leo anywhere around me.

Trying to explain him was the most difficult task. Later, I did the only thing that was the option left with me. I used his statement back at him, "You'll live with it."

Of course, he will; he has to. However, his efforts can be clearly seen. He was trying to be civilized. I sighed; it takes time to accept any change.

While Eric was being tough on the edges, yet trying to compose himself; Shelly was elated when she heard the news. She was bubble of joy, jumping with excitement. Her excitement had reached its peak when Leo started to join us on the lunch table. However, I didn't wish to draw attention.

For the initial couple of days, I was persistent that he should rather join his friends. I had told the same thing to Eric and Manik as well. They don't join me for lunch, though they are always around. But Leo was insistent that he wasn't going to go anywhere.

"I am always surrounded by my team mates and they are all that I have as friends. So stop pushing me, until you don't really wish to be friends with me, anymore." He dramatically sniffed. I still remember the look on his face; and it brings out the same reaction every time. I rolled my eyes.

When things seemed smooth to me, Eric dropped the interrogation bomb over my head. In his words, "I want to have a word with the dear friend of yours." His smile was forced and I could detect the hidden term 'millions of word' instead of 'a word'. While I held fury; Leo rather stayed calm. How, I don't even understand; and they say women are of complex character to understand. The fury multiplied when I was asked to leave. Narrowing my eyes at Eric as I folded my arms, I stood there stubbornly. His steely gaze didn't falter even in the slightest bit as he stood his ground; and I was forced to stomp away. Though, I wasn't one to do things as been told. Thus, I took a turn at the nearby corner of the hallway, out of their sight yet within the earshot.

I could strainingly hear as Eric spoke menacingly. How much ever charming personality Eric portrayed or held; there lays a dangerously dark personality beneath the various layers. He was a sweet talker, straight forward and utterly likeable person; a complete fun package, mostly. Though, there were times and situations wherein he unveils his deadly serious personality, which is nothing but scary. However, the scary side of him was only restricted to people who pose a threat or seem harmful to anyone whom he cares about. Thankfully, I wasn't the one to face his scary side, ever; and I wish, I'd never be.

What I didn't get was how Leo was harmful? As far as I remember, Leo couldn't even handle the punches Eric threw at him the other day. So, he nowhere posed a threat that Eric should be concerned about.

Eric pinned Leo with his words with such intensity that I couldn't help as I shuddered. If this was the scenario with a friend, who wasn't even close to being that someone with whom I'd think of dating, not as of now, I don't know what would be the case with my boyfriend; and honestly, I don't wish to know. However, Leo is far from the stage of being one to be interrogated.

The words that had me wide-eyed were, "Would you ever think of approaching Nandini in a romantic way?" Eric's sharp-edged tone depicted what I couldn't see. I could imagine his calculative eyes pierced at Leo while his clenched fist by his sides, ready to throw punches at him.

Though, what shocked me further was Leo's response, "I always do." His voice was calm, as if he was confessing the most obvious and universal fact. "Though, I know where to draw the line," he added further but something had his words halt for a moment or two; and I guess, I know what it was. Eric's sarcastic comment, probably.

It was somewhere on the lines of, 'Yeah! You surely do,' I can actually imagine Eric hissing those words at Leo. He still held that one incident against Leo, which he knew vaguely about.

Anyways, Leo continued, and much to my relief his words were somehow assuring, "I have made mistakes but I wouldn't repeat them. I wouldn't do anything that Nandini disapproves of. For me, the chance that she has given is valuable; and wouldn't lose it for anything."

That should have assured Eric, as it did to me but it rather had him on alert. Curse the term 'diplomacy', he was comfortable if I pursued his best friend and my friend, Manik or the other way round; but he has a problem if that was the case with Leo. That's utter partiality.

Ever since then, Leo receives steely glares from Eric.

Anyways, my decision of being friends with Leo wasn't a letdown. Instead, it reinforced my trust on Leo, a little.

Leo shook me off and brought abrupt halt to my train of thoughts, "What or may I ask, who keeps you so indulged in your thoughts?" The suggestive eyes held mine and a lazy smile crept across his face in a teasing manner.

"I am right here," he spoke gently as I shook my head in response, giggling at his tactics. "You'd rather live the reality than dream," he confidently points at himself, "and I'd make all of your dreams, real," he winked.

I slapped his shoulder playfully, "Firstly, I don't dream about you," because thoughts can't be tagged as dreams, "and secondly, I was thinking; thinking about how long would you have to adorn a punched face," I feigned a sorry face, playfully, though the glint in my eyes gave away. Sometimes Eric and his punches prove to be a handy escape.

"Why," he sported an amused look as his eyes lit up, "are you concerned for me?" Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at his self-esteem, I glared at him.

"Nope," I replied, "I am concerned for myself." He wiggled his brows in confusion and I further added, "My eyes are straining from the sight of your punched face."

Maintaining a straight, expressionless face for a few seconds, I let the emotions take over and laughed at his blinking expressions.

Shelly chose the exact moment to interrupt as she announced her arrival with the slamming if her bag over the table.

Poor table, I thought and looked over to Leo who shared the same look. Quickly running over my gaze through the crowd, I found the people at the nearby tables eyeing us, attentively. Sighing heavily, I turned my attention towards the matter in hand - Shelly and her sudden mood swing. However, I was sure that this had to be something related to her boyfriend. These days, her life revolved around her boyfriend. She acted a little different from what I've known her from.

But who can blame the girl? Newly found relationships do end up a person with similar situations.

♥

Walking towards the yard area and letting the gentle breeze brush off against the skin, is a good feeling to feel once in a while; especially when you have an amazing company of a friend and some coffee.

The orange in the sky marked the end to another one of our hectic days. Slumping over the greens of the grass, I slid beside Manik.

Stretching an arm to hand him over his coffee, I looked at him, lost. He stared into the distant space. It was difficult to believe that we were currently seated at the front yard area at my house and this had become a usual and one of the most random events in our schedules, yet it was comfortable and easy.

It all had started with that one evening when Manik had literally followed me back home from school.

Playfully bumping his shoulders to mine, he kept bugging me as he asked, "What's wrong?" There wasn't anything wrong with the question but the question crept up with every five minutes; and that's what annoyed me. I was anyway feeling low after the boring day at school. School wasn't really fun with Leo gone for the entire day for some soccer practice and having Shelly called for a sick day; to top it all, I didn't have my annoying jerk of a brother, Eric around to lighten up a smile across my face. So, yes, I was feeling a little low. Kill me for being suddenly introduced a horrific feeling of loneliness.

Though Manik tried to keep an eye on me for almost the entire day, except for the times when I made an escape.

He did make my day a lot better than what it could have been without him as well, though comparing a person against three doesn't really work.

But he was getting on my nerves and trying to rile me up by repeating the same question. The next time his shoulder bumped into mine as he repeated the goddamn question, I flaringly reverted back, "Shut up!"

"But, what's wrong?" There, he had to be most stubbornly annoying jerk ever. The very moment, a question popped into my head, does he ever give up?

I looked at him as he stood confidently with his questioning eyes staring back at me and a smile that gently curled upon his lips. He wasn't giving up and the fact made me sigh out heavily, "I am sorry," and I further added, "It just isn't one of my best days."

How much ever did I hope that he wouldn't pry further on the topic anymore, he had to. He just had to.

Placing his hands on both my shoulders, he turned me to face him, completely. Looking at him with confused eyes, I waited for him to speak.

"Not all the days are our best ones," the confusion in my eyes doubled. Didn't I just say that as well?

"But," He spoke further as his eyes peered into mine, "we can make all our days, the best ones."

Okay! I thought, letting his words settle into my head. Sometimes the deepest insight to life is given by people you rarely expect from.

"Let's make your day worth counting as one of your bests," his right hand travelled across my arm, gripping on my hand, while the other one fell apart; and he dragged me along.

We walked across the streets, roamed around the park, chit chatted about anything and almost everything. The topics were the randomest of all as we adored a couple of cute chubby kids; admired an old couple as they sat on the bench and had their moment of romance; giggled and laughed as we heard a bunch of women complaining about their lovers or husbands. We ate ice-cream as we exited the park after an eventful day at park.

It wasn't the one of the fancy things to do but I had fun; and that's exactly what mattered. I just needed to simply have some joyous moments, where one can laugh, giggle, talk and even cry as one wishes to. Manik just happened to make me live those moments when I didn't know how to.

By the time we had reached my house, the sky had turned darker. I dumped my bag at the ground before I flopped on the plush grass of the yard area. Dragging Manik along, I made him settle beside me as I leaned my head over his shoulder.

"Thank you," I whispered softly into the air as I kept my eyes trained ahead. His head snapped in my direction, indicating that my words were well delivered.

Without having looked at him, I could feel his puzzled eyes at me. I rolled my eyes, still staring ahead, "Just sit," was all I had to say to make him stop fidgeting, resting my palm over his shoulder as my arms hooked with his.

We sat, silently staring as the sky evolved with a shade darker. Soon, the twinkling stars and the nerve calming moon, took their places at the shadowy canvas.

"It's lonely in there," the words choked out and I was astonished to have admitted it to Manik. It felt easy and right.

His hand gently patted over mine that rested on his shoulder and he softly mumbled, "I know."

Though his words held the hint of understanding that was enough to assure me that my words weren't misinterpreted for anything else, I still felt the need to clarify further, "When Eric isn't home, like now; when he is off to work, the house seems empty." It was difficult to explain the emptiness that erupted through the echoing boundaries of the house when I was the only when to reside. "I have always been surrounded with people, until the day I shifted here," I tried to reason as much as I could verbalize. With my grandparents, I always had someone or the other around.

"Do you regret your decision?" Hearing his question, something snapped within me and I was suddenly on a defensive mode.

"Not at all," I shook my head vigorously, showing how serious I was, as I shifted to face him. "Having chosen to come and build my relation with Eric is by far the best decision of my life. I don't regret it; I would never regret it," I declared.

"I was expecting that," he pointed out; adorning a heart-warming smile that was encouraging enough for me to let him know more. "So, what, according to you, is the problem?" He asked.

Surfing through the thick, jumbled thoughts in my head, I questioned the same to myself. It wasn't about lack of affection or love, because Eric is the best brother ever, one could ever even wish for. He loves, pampers and understands me. Back at my grandparents' house, I surely was surrounded with someone or the other all the time; I was even imposed to a lot of rules and restrictions to a certain extent. While, here, I was suddenly introduced to freedom as I barely had anyone to restrict me or impose rules of their own.

I was introduced to a life where I no longer had people around me; the surrounding was new. I also was entitled to freedom, which I didn't know to handle.

"The change," I whispered hesitantly, "the sudden tossing up of life and events; all of the changes are made evident. When I don't have anyone around, my head just messes up with all these thoughts," I stated furiously as how unreasonable my words might sound.

"Ever heard of, 'An empty mind is a devil's workshop', kitten?" He knocked slightly onto my forehead with an innocent face, making me glare back at him in response.

He surely couldn't let go off any chance of pulling one's leg. However, it was better to have the conversation followed with the usual light talks instead of the heavy emotional ones.

"I don't like being alone that's all," I shot back before trailing my eyes in the opposite direction, while taking my hands back as I pulled my knees closer.

Taking my hands into his, he grabbed my attention with those sincere eyes, "You just need to spend more time with me," and mischief replaced into his eyes.

Backing away from his grip, I stared at him. He was so full of himself. I shook my head and sat in silence. None of my responses would be able to deflate his gigantic ego, so why even try.

Minutes later, he broke the silence with words that I wasn't willing to hear, "You haven't told this to Eric yet," though it didn't sound like a question and his tone reflected the hint of knowledge about the same.

I simply gazed up into his eyes and waited for him to respond to the obvious reply. However, he suggested the unexpected.

"Better," I was amused, "because he doesn't need to worry about such a thing. And anyways, you won't be having any such thoughts here on," he confidently declared as though he could control one's thought; to be more specific mine. "Though, share your thoughts more often; and if possible, tell Eric as well." He advised.

"Because, you won't be lonely anymore as you'll find me around, always," my eyes widened at his commitment. I was touched to have found a friend like him; and he lay the unconditional support, "anytime you need."

Ever since then we found a new hangout place on the grass of the yard, beneath the wide ceiling of the sky and staring into the endless sight with no set schedule but just when we felt like. Today was one such day.

He leaned back on his elbows, completely resting his forearms against the ground and throwing his head back to gaze at the twinkling sky. His expressions sobered up into a pleased one as though all he needed was the blanket of glittering sky over him.

I didn't hesitate to ask, "You like the glittering sky?" Though, I didn't need his affirmation to confirm but I felt the need to at least express my thoughts out loud.

He gazed at me for a moment and then back at the sky and mindlessly hummed in approval. I sighed at his choice of communication.

Stars held more affection than a friend, I dismissed the thought with a careless shrug along with a pout.

Without a thought, I slipped my opinion, "It's incomplete though," I stated as my eyes drifted to his object of affection, the twinkling, clear sky. "It doesn't portray the calming perfection as that of the nights when hung along with the moon," I added.

"There are flaws in the moon," he responded in a hushed tone, "no one likes flaws," drawing my attention, only to have found his eyes locked at me. I found his eyes depicting a much deeper meaning to his words.

Without taking off my eyes from him, I simply spoke, "Even with those flaws, the moon doesn't lose its perfection. The flaws are the reason why it never fails to remain calm."

"What's the use of such perfection? It still remains lonely, even with millions of stars around." His words didn't sound like that of his own. It gave a glimpse of one of the shades that I never could imagine as one of his. This was a completely different Manik I was experiencing. For some reason, I couldn't help but stare, wondering whether his words were held pain from some past experience or he was sympathizing.

"Everyone has flaws, some visible, some not; but irrespective of that one needs to decide whether they can accept their flaws and still do what they wish to." I reasoned, trying hard to read his expressions, though his expressions didn't give an insight into his head.

His expressions faltered and he shook his head, turning to face me, "Why bother ourselves with perfection and imperfections, when I have a beautiful sight sitting right in front of me," his eyes transited to a mischievous ones and I knew that he had switched to his usual playful zone.

The moment continued with light and fun talks until the time he decided to leave. Dusting off his pants, he stood up for his departure and offered me a helping hand along. Leaning forward, he smashed a quick peck onto my cheek with a promise, "See you tomorrow, kitten," and winked.

"Tomorrow, hulk," I stated smilingly.

Twirling onto his feet, he left. I stared at his retreating figure and once he was out of my sight, I collected the coffee cups headed towards home thinking of how unusual Manik behaves at times.

I wonder what he really is like. And still wish that he is just like as I know him.

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Just a disclaimer, I am about to change the titles of each chapter, so you might get a notification regarding the same. So please ignore that!