~The darker your life turns, the brighter you shine~

M A N I K

"Noooo! Please don't!" The girl who was sleeping beside me on my bed in my room, screamed.

"Nandini," I called her, sitting straight up on the bed. She was sweating badly and panting.

"Hey hey!Shushh! Nothing," I coaxed her, patting her shoulder. What was with her today?
She rubbed her face and took a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry Manik. I told you right that I get nightmares somedays. Then why did you force me to sleep here? Now I disturbed your sleep," she said, composing herself.

I didn't know she would really get nightmares. What was her past?

"It's okay. Now sleep."

"No! I mean I'll sleep later. I don't want to sleep now." I frowned.

"What? Then?"

"Ummm I'm gonna have coffee and spend some time with the night," she said sheepishly and I adored her cuteness.

But what? Spend some time with the night?

She got up and left the room and when she entered in after minutes, she had with her chocolate coffee. Well, that was my favourite.

She settled herself in the fluffy bean bag in the balcony and gazed up at the sky, sipping her drink. I loved stars as well. Gazing up at them, gave me this serenity.

She thought I was sleeping but no. I just couldn't sleep. So why not join her in stargazing?

"Love stars?" I asked her, taking a seat beside.

She nodded her head positively and then negatively, confusing me.

"Love the whole sky," she beamed.

I smiled.

"Manik you want coffee?"

"No. It's fine."

"It's okay. You drink this," she said, handing me her drink that she was sipping. I looked at her and she softly smiled.

I accepted it, mouthing a thanks and tasted it and trust me it was damn good.

"You made this?"

"Nopes! My friend ghost lives here. I asked him and he made it. Besides, I don't have functional hands, remember?" she said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes at her.

Did I just roll my eyes? Cons of being with a talkative and dramatic woman.

"Ofcourse, I brewed it." And I gave her an I-am-impressed look.

It was past 12 and we sat in a peaceful silence. I was awake at night most of the time and adored the stars, alone. But now having someone beside felt good. Felt so good.

"You love them a lot, don't you?" I asked, melting the silence and stared ahead, at the night sky that was filling our hearts with peace.

"I do. Stars... They exist in both day and night but are only visible at night. They are no beautiful without the darkness around," she said, not taking her eyes off the sky and I smiled at her words and nodded, agreeing with her.

"Stars are our happiness and the darkness around are our sorrows. The mixture of them paint ecstasies in our grey sky called life," she added her theory, looking in my eyes and I passed her a wide smile.

"You know Manik I adore the selfless love of darkness for stars. To make the stars brighter, it gets darker," she said, eyes that was fixed above, sparkled in adoration.

"What do you think about them?" she asked, curious.

"Me? I just watch them, living in the moment; Take in the peace they shower upon us," I shared and looked at her who was looking at me already.

The moonlight glimmered on our faces and it all felt surreal. I looked at her, her hair locks falling on her face, black eyes twinkling in peace and lips curling up with happiness. She was beautiful and I couldn't help but smile back.

N A N D I N I

Sensing his gaze, I turned towards him. He looked away and I noticed his features. The messy hair on his forehead, his hazel eyes glistening with joy and the smiling lips were all a treat to watch. Not just his serene face was adorable but also his heart. The things he had done today made my heart flutter. I was not used to the good heart of his and today I witnessed it. He cared. For me.

"Why aren't you talking with Amms?" He questioned, landing his hazel orbs on my black ones.

"I'm hurt."

"Nandini she loves you. I know she forced us but she loves us so much and it does hurt her when you don't talk," he explained.

"I know Manik. It's just that I need time. When my people hurt me, I need time to overcome that pain and that is me. I'll talk to her eventually though."

"Sure! Take your time but just know that she was worried for you and so she forced you."

I nodded my head for I knew that was true.

"Err what was today?" he asked and all the memories came rushing to me. I took deep breathes, maintaining my composure.

"My father left us today." I tried. I tried not to sound weak; to keep the tears at bay. He... I always get so sensitive when it was about him. My namesake father.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know he died toda-"

"He didn't die. He left us for someone else." I cut him off and yet again tried to block the tears, closing my orbs.

I felt him squeezing my hand and I opened my eyes.

"It's okay. You can't control everything around you," he said and I looked at him helplessly.

"Yeah. They say every daughter is a father's princess but I guess I'm not any princess," voiced out, chuckling bitterly. But I wondered why I shared my past, that was only unveiled to Amms and Jeff, with him.

"Today is the day he bitterly told me that he didn't love me and that he didn't care about me and ironically I didn't know why he hated a 12 year old me." I choked, not caring about my tears anymore.

"Shush! Nothing is your fault. You know you are a warrior," he whispered, coming close and rubbed my arms, trying to bolster me.

"Maybe I'm. But there were days I wanted to hide behind my dad and be his princess." My voice was hardly audible.

I heaved out tears that I was holding back and he comforted me by circling his one arm around. His warmth gave me the much needed peace. He had something. Something that comforted me.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for holding on to me today," I whispered, being grateful to him and he blinked, accepting it.

"Okay now let's sleep?" He asked.

"Yeah. Let's." And we got up and retired to bed. I laid straight and whispered him a good night that he wished back smilingly.

"The world has been cruel to you but you fought them bravely and I'll hold you when you're tired of fighting." I heard him say, coming close to me but I didn't open my eyes.

He took my right hand and placed his lips on it and at once, I felt content. I sighed on feeling his lips linger over my hand for seconds before the peaceful sleep engulfed me.

~He was a monster,
A wild Monster with a mild heart concealed~