~ Maybe we can
make 'us' ~

"Seriously Nandini?" he scoffed at her.

"Manik! Give my mobile back!" She shouted, attempting to get her phone that he was holding at a height she couldn't reach.

"Like really! You are blushing?" He asked, giving her a disbelief look.

"Yeah so? He is hot and seeing him shirtless make me blush." She blushed again and he, grimaced.

"You were gawking at him?"

"Manik! Parth Samthaan is the hottest man I've ever seen and I can't help it." She said, a bit shamelessly.

Well that crushed his male ego. Manik Malhotra or Parth Samthaan, who is hotter?

"You are blushing, seeing him shirtless when your husband is right before you!" He kind of accused her, only to regret the next second.

"I've not seen you shirtless and you haven't done anything for me to blush," she replied and her eyes widened like soccer balls at the end, upon realising her blurted out words and he smirked.

"Acha! So you want to see me shirtless and do stuffs to you? That's what you're hinting at?" He asked, smirking.

"Noo! I.. I didn't mean th-at." She stammered, tearing her gaze away from him and tucked her hair behind.

"I see." He said, crossing their maintained distance. He leaned close and she leaned back on the wall that was behind. She looked at him before looking away and he leaned closer until he felt her breathes getting uneven.

"Man-ik what.. what are you-" Her words stuck at her throat as he traced her cheeks with his fingers, lazily. She closed her eyes gently as she couldn't look at his hazel orbs that left behind tingles in her body while he aimed at her right cheek that he wanted to peck the time she blushed. Her cheeks were chubby and seemed so soft to be touched by his hands. He gazed at her intensely and his lips parted, advancing to her right cheek.

An inch and his lips would be on them but her mobile rang, pulling them back to earth.

He backed off while she attended the call, maintaining her composure.

"Yes Darsh?"

Manik felt so annoyed, hearing him, specially at that moment.

"Nandini it's late for office. You didn't come yesterday too. Care telling me your reasons?" He huffed. Manik could actually hear them as they were just feets apart. She looked at him and he gave her a bored expression.

"I'm so sorry. I'll be there in 20 minutes." She said apologetically and hung up.

"Umm.. I- I'll go." She said awkwardly, turning on her heels to rush but he clutched her wrist.

"I know it's not enough to make you blush or it is?" He asked, teasingly.

She looked at him and a shade of red stroked her cheeks, making him smile proudly before she went out of his sight.

She was blushing of an unkissed kiss and he was proud of that!

"Weird! So weird," he murmured to himself, pulling his hairs a little.

She really was mad to blush without being kissed by him. She slapped her forehead on her foolishness or rather on her meaningless blush. But was it really meaningless?

Chucking her every thought away, she drove off to office and as she spotted Darsh in his cabin, she went towards him.

She called him and he turned, faking anger.

"Oh Mrs.Malhotra here!" He taunted and she glared at him.

"How should I make it up to you?" She asked with an innocent face as she knew it would melt him.

"Ice cream at 8 tonight" He declared and she nodded after pondering over it.

While she was working, her phone rang, flashing a number.

"Hello. Who is this?" She asked.

"Did you take your lunch?" was the reply. She knew this voice, the owner of this cold voice.

"No Manik." She said, typing on her laptop.

"It's time. Go and eat something Nandini." His cold tone changed into soft and she smiled before checking the time. It was just 12.30, she had been habituated to eat at 1 or so.

"It's just past 12. I'll eat later."

"Then come down your office in 10." He commanded before the line went silent.

That was rude. "Why should I Mr.Malhotra?" She stomped her foot and concentrated on the project.

He called her again after 10 minutes and she ignored it. He called again and again.

"Mr.Malhotra!" She yelled.

"Come down!" He roared.

She went to the big sized transparent window of her cabin and he was right there, leaning on his car. She rushed down, confused of his sudden arrival.

"Why are you here Manik?" She asked, softly this time. He just held her hand and bumped her into the passenger seat of his car. He occupied the driver's seat and opened a box.

"Manik what's all this?" She asked, frowning. He passed her the opened box and her brows danced in confusion, accepting it.

"You should empty this." He spoke and she gave him an amused look. She looked at the box that had food and him, she grinned and she felt so good to know that she meant to him, he cared to bring her food. Manik Malhotra could be this caring?

"Thank You Manik." She said after a minute and he looked away after nodding. She completed eating and opened her purse that had chocolates. She always had them in hand for she loved chocolates, a little very much.

"Manik did you eat?" She asked and he gave her a simple nod.

"Here" she said, forwarding him her favourite Dairy milk. He half lifted his shoulder, shrugging and she turned away, pouting.

"If you're done devouring your chocolates, then you can get off my car." He spoke impolitely, seeing her finishing her chocolate.

But she wasn't done yet as a mischievous idea knocked at her mind. She went closer and his brows furrowed. She leaned more, placing her lips on his cheek, surprising him. She didn't kiss nor peck, just let her lips be over there, in a faint contact. After a few seconds, she came back to her posture, ready to go but he got hold of her wrist. Turning to his side, she raised her eyebrow but he pulled her to himself, coming close before kissing her right cheek. She shut her orbs as his lips were slowly pressed against her cheek bone. She clutched her dress on receiving sparks that he had effectively left on her. After a minute or so, he took back his lips, staring at her.

"Bye Manik." She said abruptly after coming out of the trance and came out while the corner of her eyes caught him smiling. She grinned, walking towards her office. Maybe they were attracted, but just physically?

The day seemed to go in a blur as Nandini hid herself behind the laptop screen and books.

"Hey!" Darsh waved, coming into her cabin. she smiled at him and continued to check over the sketches.

"It's 8." He said, narrowing his eyes and she bit her lower lip, muttering a sorry.

"Let's go." She said, arranging things in place.

It had been thirty minutes since they left to their favourite ice-cream parlor, for in that place, they had their first friendly conversation. They smiled, entering in.

"Oh! You both here! Welcome!" The old lady who was the manager, cheerfully welcomed them as it had actually been a few months since they came in here. The old lady was so sweet and no wonder she really got attached to both of them.

"Nehal aunty!" Nandini chirped and after exchanging pleasantries, they both advanced towards their table. Nandini had a great time, relishing the ice-cream; actually creams. She darted her tongue out, licking the cream on her lips and he smiled at her childishness. Soon, they both got out and he offered to drop her home which she accepted after few of his pleads.

Once in, she started looking for Manik, opening the door of his room. He was in the balcony, just letting his eyes wander around the beautiful sky that was getting darker with the night. She cleared her throat to gain his attention.

"Date?" He asked, his expressions cold, not tearing his eyes from those stars.

"What? No! Time with Friends." She cleared him, scrunching her nose at his question.

"Oh." A two words, came as his reply. By his actions, anybody could say he wasn't okay. He was hurt not because she spent time with Darsh but because he had been waiting for her since an hour with a diary milk.

What were they? Love sick teenegers?
They were young, yes but love sick, no!
Maybe they were drawn towards each other not just physically.

Manik was getting unpredictable with Nandini and this was not him, surely not him. He neither knew why he smiled unconsciously seeing her eat the chocolate like a treasure back then nor buying one for her now.

He hid the chocolate bar behind his back and his eyes went back to the sky.

The sound of opening a box caught his notice that her calls for him failed to. As he looked at her way, she forwarded him the chocolate ice-cream tub that she had bought for him.

"See! I bought this for you." She said, and just like that, he found a smile breaking out on his lips without his consent, before taking it from her.

"I won't mind sharing," he offered her the tub, after taking a spoon of it. She smiled widely, grabbing it from him and he chuckled audibly.

"You really bought this for me?" He asked as he didn't get to eat a little scoop of it.

"No! For me." She said, before dipping the spoon into the tub and he turned, annoyed. She chortled at his behaviour and kept the tub between them, giving him his share.

"What's your favourite flavours?" She asked, stuffing the cream in her mouth.

"Mint and chocolate." He spoke as he too ate.

"Mint and Chocolate! That's a weird combination." She stated.

"Yeah, just like you and me." He shrugged and they stared at each other before laughing out loud. They seemed as if they were friends for years. They indeed looked like a pair with a love tale of their own. Manik's smile wasn't usual and with her it was, His laughter was rare and with her it wasn't. She gazed at him, at his lovable laugh and at the moment she just wanted him to hold it till forever. She broadly grinned, seeing him, the careless him, the real him.

"Laugh looks pretty on you." She said, looking intently at him, halting his laughs.

He smiled, shaking his head and took the chocolate bar from his behind and unwrapped it before her. She dilated her eyes and he smirked inwardly. He took a piece and ate it himself, teasing her. She turned away, grumpily and he smiled, thinking that how could that girl manage to make him smile with her childishness. He broke out a piece and kept it in her hand and she ate it almost immediately, embarrassing herself.

"Ugh..I can't control myself when it's chocolates, ice-creams." She said sheepishly.

and Parth Samthaan." She added, blushing and he rolled his eyes, hearing his name, the one she was crazily fangirling on.

"Good night Manik." She wished, getting up from the fluffy bag.

"Sleep in this room." Nandini stopped in her tracks, looking back at him. She frowned.

"Please," he added.

And that was enough for her to nod slowly.

Wasn't he the one who warned her to stay away? Wasn't he the one who said they don't share anything?

They surely were changing. For good.

__________________________
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If feeling like reading an OS, my one shot on Manan welcomes you !

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Don't plaster a smile, carry it. It looks pretty on you🌸♥️.