I want u to be there... For a little more than always!!
Part 17:
Manik walked down from his room 5 mins later holding at least 20 thick albums full of photographs.

Nandini: Wow.. So many!! Give it to me..

Manik: What are u still doing here?? U know ur legs need rest. U should be on ur bed!!

Nandini: But sir...

Manik: Nandini... Do u want these??
Manik asked looking at the albums he was holding. Nandini nodded her head furiously like a 10 year old nodding to get a chocolate. Manik somehow suppressed his smile and said,

Manik: If u want these.. Then u hv to first get comfortable with ur legs straight.

Nandini: Ohk ohk fine.. Lets go!!

Manik finally smiled at her and gave her a few albums so that he could free his hands and push her wheel chair. They went in towards her room. As manik entered he saw nandini had already started looking through the albums.

Manik: Nandini... Hv pateince... I'll show all of them to u!!

Nandini gave him a smile as he picked her up in his arms and made her sit on the bed. He took a seat right next to her and picked up the first album.

Manik: This is my first ever album. Right after my birth!!

He opened up the album and Nandini saw a little near born child sleeping in Neyonika's arms in the first picture...
Nandini: OMG!!! Is that u?? God u were so cute..

Manik: Of course i was cute... After all I'm Manik Malhotra!!

Nandini: U & ur name
Nandini showed him a glare but then she smiled and said,

Nandini: But u still are cute!!
Nandini took up her hand to his face and pulled his cheeks...

Manik: Hey... I n not cute!

Nandini: Aww... U even act cute sometimes...
She giggled at him as he got irritated.

Manik: Nandini!!!

Nandini: yes?

Manik: stop calling me cute...

Nandini: But u r cute!! Ohk ohk fine... Lets continue!!

They flipped through the pages as Nandini saw different pictures of Manik.
All his firsts were so amazingly secured in those albums. His first steps, his first words, his first day at skul, his first guitar, his first performance, his first award, etc,etc,etc.... Time to time she kept on taking out a few of his pictures with Dadi and kept those aside.

After sometime, while flipping through the album, Manik suddenly kept his hand on one picture to hide it.

Nandini: What?

Manik: U can't see this one!!

Nandini: Arey but i want to..

Manik: No nandini turn the page right now...

Nandini started snatching the album from him,
Manik:Nandini stop...

Manik leaned over to her and continued hiding the picture...

Nandini: Sir plz.. I really want to!!

Manik: No ways Nandini...

Nandini leaned further back trying to get a look at it and manik followed her.
Nandini giggled again looking at his condition as he tried harder and harder to stop her. And just the sound of her giggle was enough to make Manik laugh. Both of them kept on laughing, fighting over that album. Soon, Nandini was lying fully on the bed with Manik entirely above her.

Manik: Nandini stop being stubborn... Give it!!

Nandini: Manik, i want to see it and that's final.... I will see it right now.

She didn't realise that she just used his name, but to Manik it was the only thing that he had been waiting to hear from her. As he heard this, his hand on the album loosened and he looked deep into her eyes. Nandini noticed his eyes darken and realised what she said with a blush on her face. They got immersed in an eye lock lying together with manik over her, so close...

Nandini broke the eye lock after some time and turned on the other side to hide her blush. But as she did so, her eyes bulged out of the sockets and said,
Nandini: Manik U r naked!!!

Manik, who was still in his trace heard her and whispered,
Manik: Am i??

But as Nandini was already so engrossed in laughing she didn't hear him and he came out of his trance.

Yes, Nandini had finally got a look of the picture which Manik was trying to hide. It was picture in which a cute 10 year old Manik was posing for the camera, showing off his arm muscles that too naked. (though the muscles were almost absent...)

Nandini continued laughing her heart out, while Manik who was initially embarrassed was now lost in her laughter.

Small tears left her eyes as she laughed so much, while Manik didn't even move an inch from above her. He took his hand to her face and removed her tears. Nandini looked up at him and slowly her laughter was silenced as she felt him so close to her.

Manik noticed it, and immediately got off her. Both of them straightened up on the bed and Manik snatched away the album from her.

Manik: That was not for u to see Nandini...

Nandini: Aww... Mr. Manik Malhotra is embarrased.... So cute!!

Manik: I m not cute...

Nandini: Thats for others to decide Mr. Now if u r done, lets get back to work.

With this they got back to the albums. As Nandini flipped on them one by one, Manik kept on telling her the stories behind all the pictures.
It was the first tym Nandini didn't hv to understand his feelings specially coz it was the first tym ever she felt that he was leaving himself open in front of hers. He was not Manik Malhotra, the businessman or Manik Malhotra, the rockstar or Manik Malhotra, her boss.... Right then, sitting beside her was just Manik, a guy who was her new friend, a guy who had recently started bonding with her, a guy who she knew clearly cared for her, a guy who was "one in a kind" as she called him.

Manik continued telling her a particular incident about one of his birthdays when he had thought everyone had forgotten and others were planning to surprise him. And all this while Nandini had zoned out of his story as all she could focus on was his face. The smile on his face, that carefree innocent smile.

Manik turned to look at her and found her looking at him with a slight smile on her face. He called her name out but she was too busy to hear anything. Finally Manik clicked his fingers in front of her eyes.

Manik: Nandini!! What?? Where are u??

Nandini: Why don't u often keep smiling like this??. Ur smile makes u look amazing, u should wear that a bit more.

Manik looked at her and smirked saying,
Manik: Well it might be so bcoz usually i don't hv reasons to smile like this.

Nandini: If ur heart is happy and concent. Then u don't need any reason to smile...

Manik: Fair point but in that case also the condition is the Happy n content Heart!!
Manik asked her trying to know her point of view in this.

Manik's pov:" My happiness is traped in bundles Nandini... Even i don't know why but these days i always find those bundle near u!! U r the key to my happiness i guess"

Nandini: Do what ur heart says.. Maybe it might find its happiness itself.

Manik: Where do u think any hearts happiness lies Nandini??
Again lost in his own thoughts Manik continued asking her his queries.

Nandini: Hmn... Usually our happiness tries to come to us through the ppl who are close to us, like frndz, family, and loved ones.

None of them said anything after this as they both were busy in their own mind battles. The silence stretched between them wasn't awkward but it was a clear signal for them to understand each others state of mind. Suddenly Manik came out of his thoughts and said in a cheerful voice.

Manik: So now i think u hv enough pictures.. Tell me what r u planning!!

Nandini heard him and immediately reality stuck her. She turned to look at the time and noticed that it was already 12:15 am.

Nandini: Ayiappa... 12:15!! Its so late...
She said and opened her mouth in a O. With that she started closing all the albums and keeping them aside along with her constant blabbering about how she wasted an hour in just taking out the pictures.

Manik smiled at her cute childish antics and lied down back on her bed smiling with delight. He closed his eyes when Nandini saw him smiling.

She picked up the pillow and hit him on his face. Manik opened his eyes and turned towards her suddenly when she hit him again.
Nandini: Seriously Sir.. I m freaking out here!! And u r smiling and resting!!

Manik got up and sat straight on the bed. And said with a serious face,
Manik: I can't believe u just hit me Nandini... Now u r gonna pay for this!

Nandini bit her lower lip thinking that he got angry by her act. She looked down and started saying,
Nandini: Woah... Sir I... I m sor-

But before she could say anything, she received a hit on her head.

Manik: U hit me right!! Now ur turn Nandini...

And that was it Manik started hitting her again and again.

Nandini: Haww😱Cheater...
Nandini too picked up her pillow and this lead to a pillow fight between them. Both of them continuously threw it over each other while, Manik took special care of her leg.

Manik: Nandini...
And again she received a hit.

Nandini: Ouch. Sir!! NO... Stop(another hit) Ouch.. No!!!(another) MANIK... bas na...

Manik immediately stopped hitting her but instead her immediately grabbed her waist and tugged her towards himself. His sudden move took Nandini by surprise but before she realised it, she was already on his lap with both her hands on her back held by Manik's left hand.

Nandini: Sir..
Nandini whispered as she looked at him.

Manik moved his side by side indicating a no and jerked her more forward. And then he said in his all time husky voice,
Manik: Say my Name!!

Nandini's eyes broadened at it but she didn't respond and now did she say anything else. She simply kept on staring at his face, lost in his eyes, trying to find something which she herself didn't know.

Manik moved his free hand to her face and caressed her cheek, Nandini shivered at his touch and tried to move away.
Manik tightened his grip on her and whispered in his husky voice,

Manik: Nandini.. If u remember u hv to make something for Dadi right? Coz i m in no mood to leave u before u say my name and moreover, I feel too comfortable with u sitting like this!😉

Nandini looked at him wide eyed on hearing this, she couldn't believe he was actually blackmailing her for this.But she knew she'll hv to give in to his wrds,

Nandini: Manik!!