Manan : Love for Eternity

chapter 69

Highway

By the side of the highway, a car is parked and manik and adi are sitting stressful in it.

Manik and adi had been searching nandini since the past hour, after college she had not been seen by anyone.

Adi had made preeti stay at home in case she came back. They had called all their friends and asked preeti to call nandini's specifically Maddy since he had been influencing nandini's decisions lately.

Standing by the side of the road in there car, Manik was sitting in the driving seat while Adi was beside him in the passenger one. They had looked everywhere and even preeti had called to inform that she had found nothing about nandini's whereabouts.

M : where could she even go. It's getting late

Ad : I am so worried. What if anything happened

M : she was angry when she left

Ad : yeah, maybe preeti talking to her was a bad idea

They were close to panicking now .it was almost 6:30 , and all there attempts to find her until now had been futile

M : she is at no one's house, our parents are out. Should we call bhai

Ad : no, he is already upset with all that's happening and knowing that nandini is missing is going to be their last nail in the coffin.

Manik bangs his hand on the steering wheel and thinks hard. He thinks where he would go and then his eyes go wide

M : I got it

Ad : what

M : tree house, we always go when we have nowhere else

Taking a u turn, manik drives at full speed towards the tree house. Reaching there Adi is the first one to get out and climb up, manik following closely behind.

Nandini is sitting in the open balcony of the tree house, a bottle of alcohol lying near her and one in her hands. She is looking over the horizon and occasionally taking a few gulps.

Adi was slowly towards her and keeps a hand on her shoulder. She turns and smiles.

N : adi, come sit..... Look at the birds, look

Her eyes were red and she was slurring which showed that she was clearly drunk. Pulling adi she made him sit beside her. She hadn't seen manik yet and manik too made no noise just standing listening to her.

N : see these birds know I saw them sharing there food in the nest. So cute. Like them this is my nest. And u know the best part they don't leave each other. Always together....

Adi tried to take the bottle from her hands to which she glared and took a long sip.

N : remmember how happy I was when I first saw the tree house. I used to call it my castle

she chuckles without humour. Adi's heart breaking seeing her like this

Ad : it is your castle and you are our princess

N : I am

Her eyes looked vulnerable. The alcohol had drained all anger. She looked innocent .her words those which her pride wasn't letting her say before

Ad : yes

While nandini is looking at him, slowly adi pries the bottle of her hand. And nandini is too drunk to notice. Even her eyes have started to drop slowly

N : adi u promised u would get me anything. Princess gets what she wants right

Ad : anything princess

N : I want him, I want Manik. After so long I am asking you, please adi

Saying this nandini's head drops on his shoulder and she is fast asleep. Manik who had heard her has tears in his eyes. Adi picks her up and both manik and adi take her to the car. Carefully lying her on the back seat.

They both get seated in the front, and adi looks at Manik keeping a hand on his shoulder in support.

M : I have hurt her so much. My princess

Ad : Manik. U didn't want this

M : but I did it nevertheless

Adi too falls silent, he wants to say something that can cheer Manik, but he has been a good friend for a while, but he is still nandini's brother and seeing her like this today broke him too.

Nandini's anger was gone and now only hurt was left. How will Manik and adi deal with a vulnerable nandini, seeing her tears, will they give away what they are hiding.

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Murthy mansion

Manik takes nandini in his arms, and walks up to her room. Gently lying her on her bed. Manik whispered

M : I am sorry. I never wanted this princess. Maybe we hurt you in our was to protect you

Nandini opened her eyes slightly, she was still drunk and had no idea if this was a dream or reality. Seeing manik she smiled. And manik automatically mirrored her. Slowly she held his hand in hers.

N : Manik, I love you

Manik's breath got caught in his throat. His eyes widened. Nandini was drunk or else she would not have said that, still Manik's heart skips a beat. It was all the reassurance he needed. nandini loves him and he loves her. They were going to get through this.

M : I love you too princess

Manik looks at nandini to find her already asleep. The hand she had still in his, he brought it too his lips. There was half a smile on Manik's face.

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Hall

Manik came down to see Aditya and preeti standing there. He bid them goodnight and left.

Ad : why is nandini doing this. She was drunk, completely drunk. Anything could have happened.

Adi was devastated on nandini's condition, never has his princess been like this before. He had never felt so helpless.

Preeti kept a hand on his shoulder for support

P : Adi there is something u should know.

Preeti had taken nandini's words seriously. She got now why nandini had blamed her for taking Manik's side. Afterall what right did anyone have to comment between manik and nandini, if they didn't know what the true story was.

Like preeti had no idea of Manik's side, adi to was in dark with regards to his sister.

So she told him, maybe this wasn't her secret to tell, but Adi deserves to know.

Adi grew angrier as preeti continues, he threw a lamp, shattering it into various peices.

P : adi calm down, nandini will wake up

Ad : you are asking me to calm down. Manik, how dare he hide this from me. I am going to kill him

P: adi it's late, don't act rash. Sleep on it, tmrw you are free to act however you want.

With many efforts, preeti succeded in making adi stay. Then dropping him at his room, she went to hers. That night was a sleepless one for adi.

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That's all for today

So only a few more chapters, and this separation track will be over. This was a quick update

Do vote and comment

Precap : the three musketeers