MUTUALLY MARRIED (#1)

SEVENTEEN

FLASHBACK CONTINUED

Nandini woke up in the hotel room bound on a chair while Jake stood before her. She could feel her heart punding as panick roze inside her body.

"What the hell Jake?" she tried to free herself from the bands.

"Nandini! Nandini! Why are you soo caring and naive that you came here all by yourself!" Jake laughed.

"Because i am not a fuckin coward and cheat liek you." she snapped back.

"tch tch Nandini you know if i want then i can do anything with you. ANd by anything i mean anything and everything." he smirked.

"Don't you dare!" Nandini warned him trying to wriggle away.

"Yes! Ofcourse i won't because you are my best friend and also because i love you-" Jake started to speak when Nandini stopped him.

"Jake ! Don't"

"ofcourse not! I love your money and not you. What do you think of me and you know what Nandini, God maybe made me an orphan, a begger who always hated people like you who were born with a silver spoon but now i'll be a rick man too." He ran a finger over her cheek and continued to speak, " Also didn't i calmly asked you both to give me the money but no you both wanted to open your own small ridiculous business. If only you both had listened to me then we won't be here right! We could have been enjoying together like old times but no you guys are soo selfish."

"Jake please don't do this at least think about your kid." Nandini requested him.

"It's not my kid for god's sake. Please go and ask your stupid friend how many men she had wrapped around her little finger. Could be one of those." Jake replied clearly annoyed.

"Just shut up Jake!" she snapped back not able to hear any bad words for her best friend.

"Okay! Relax. Don't rile up. I promise i won't say anything more now. Because i'll just simply bind you up here and leave like a good silent guy. Good bye Nandini." saying so Jake went away locking Nandini. An hour later when the hotel staff went in to clean the room after his check out, they found Nandini tied up to the chair so they quickly released her as she called her family and explained to them everything. The police was called who searched for Jake everywhere but in vain since he had already vanished.

FLASHBACK OVER

"That karan just used us." by the end of the story Nandini had her eyes closed with stears streaming down her face remembering the ungrateful day. Watching her so upset Manik's grip over the steering wheel tightened.

"How dare he!!!! I wont leave him." he spat in anger banging his hand over the wheel.

"Forget it Manik! I don't want Samaira and Aisha to be in some kind of a danger. Samaira has already gone through alot to survive." Nandini looked out of the window.

"Nandini i promise i'll do everythng needed for Aisha and Samaira." Manik spoke with honesty as he kept a hand on her hers.

"Thank you." Nandini gave him a small smile.

"Hey no need to be formal since they are my friends too now. Your friends, my friends, equal." he stroked his thumb over her hand trying to calm her down.

"Is it?" luckily it worked and Nandini chuckled.

"Yes ma'am. Now can we go back and have our breakfast or brunch whatever it is now" Manik requested as his stomach growled with hunger.

"Oh no i am so sorry because of me you-" Nandini apologized but Manik shushed her up.

"Not your fault. Moreover today was well quite a heavy day and memorable too but now let's get back to out food. At the cafe or do you wanna go anywhere else?" he asked.

"No. Samaira will get distressed again. Let's go to Uncle's place." Nandini replied.

"Now who's uncle?" Manik chuckled.

"You drive, i'll give you the directions." Nandini shook her head as she opened the gps for Manik's sake.

"Fine but by the way how the hell have you created so many relatives in this city in such a short span of time?" Manik joked.

"Too many and trust me you won't be able to count." Nandini pouted.

"popular people" manik just rolled his eyes and followed the gps to the desired place. Soon enough they reached a small road side caravan selling rolls.

"Here?" Manik asked.

"Yes just tag along" Nandini got out of the car as Manik shook his head in amusement. Nandini went and got two rolls for them to have.

"We could have eaten it at a different cafe too. You know that right?" Manik spoke grabbing his share.

"Yes but not like this." Nandini jumped on the car's bonnet and sat comfortably on it.

"Nandini get down or you'll slip." Manik got worried.

"nothing will happen. trust me." she replied and soon Manik too sat beside her as they both ate their breakfast or probably a brunch in fun and laughter. Manik paid for the food and soon enough they both left the place.

"Now where?" Manik asked putting on seat belt.

"The amusement park." Nandini marked the place on the gps.

"No way." Manik denied.

"Yes way remember you promised me." but she was adamant too.

"But-"

"Don't tell me you are scared of rides." Nandini widened her eyes in shock.

"Of course not lets go." Manik refused putting on a brave face. They soon reached the amusement park and bought the tickets getting in.

"Back after such a long time." Nandini spread her arms.

"First time." Manik murmured.

"You said something?" she asked.

"Nothing. So what are we supposed to do?" he asked changing the topic.

"Dance" came her snarky reply.

"Excume me what?"

"Of course we'll be enjoying the rides. come on let's try the roller coater first." Nandini pulled Manik towards a highly dangerous roller coater.

"Sure thing." Manik gulped hard looking at the speedy vehicle.

"Manik dont be scared. I know you'll like it." Nandini spoke assuring him.

"I am not scared. Manik put on a brave face.

"Okay then after you sir. " she giggled as they both sat on the roller coaster ride. Manik chanted some prayers to save his life while Nandini could not stop laughing watching him soo scared. The ride started and Manik felt like the world was revolving too fast as he screamed on top of his voice. The fear was too much to take as he held Nandini's hand while current passed through her body and she kept looking at his face forgetting the surroundings. Once the ride got over Manik detached their hands and sat down for a while holding his heart.

"What the hell was that?" he asked taking in longer breaths.

"uhh what?" Nandini was zoned out.

"This ride ofcourse and how are you so conscious?" he asked looking a lot pale.

"Because the ride was soo boring." she replied non-chalantly.

"This was boring?" Manik eyed her with surprise.

"yed onto the next one" Nandini pointed towards the other side.

"No not that!" Manik denied as Nandini screamed, "Free fall"

"Nandini!" she pulled him along as he kept screaming. Well let's just say that the free fall ride was another shock and by the time they got over with the rides it was evening.

"Nandini now enough please i am tired." Manik sat down on a bench gathering himself.

"Okay then let's leave.' she replied to which Manik's eyes twinkled with surprise.

"home?" he asked.

"No it's still 6 hours left for the day to get over." she showed him her watch as Manik huffed.

"You are such a power house." Manik face palmed himself.

"thank you i appreciate that." Nandini giggled. They both soon reached the church where Nandini walked in joing her hands as Manik tagged along. It was a quite place.

"You come here often?" he asked in a whisper.

"No not everyday cause i have to visit all the forms of God at various religious places. Or else they'll feel bad." she replied in a low voice closing her eyes.

"Oh a devotional person"

"No not really. I just believe that they do exist." she looked at him, "And you?"

"Nope. After my mom passed away i never bowed in front of him." manik shrugged his shoulders.

"Then do it today. Maybe something good might happen." she spoke closing her eyes again and focusing on her prayers. They worshiped and heard the chorus together. Adorning the garden area while made numerous memories. Everytime Manik looked at Nandini, his lie felt like a trap to him, choking him to death as her innocence befriended the real Manik.

Nandini was unaware about the storm she had created within Manik as this one day meant everything to him now . It was like a perfect dream for him, it wasn't that he had not gone out with Alya but it would be always just her and her shopping bags. He would be always lost behind them.

The next they reached was a huge street market adored with various delicacies for their dinner.

"Let's check your appetite. Shall we?" Nandini offered her hand that Manik took gladly as he spoke, "Please you'll definitely loose cause you dont know me well."

"We'll see."

Both of them started along the lines of the food stalls where they ate till their appetite was half since alot more was yet to come. Nandini pulled Manik out to the smoothie shop.

"Nandini that's gonna be really heavy and let's not forget huge." Manik denied as he felt his stomach refuse the delgiht.

"Okay! Uncle just get me one cause he won't be able to do it." she addressed the man.

"Oh hello. I can definitely drink it." Manik moved forward as he eyed the menu.

"Then let's see who wins."

"Challeneg accepted." They both drank it as fast as they could till their head hurt and broze literally from the cold liquid.

"Woah" Manik held his head between his palms making Nandini laugh.

"What?" he asked.

"You've got a moustache." she replied pointing to his face.

"Not just me but you too." It was Manik's turn to laugh now.

They both wiped each other's face and came back towards their car.

"Let's get back home." Nandini pulled the door but Manik stopped.

"Soo soon." he whined like a kid.

"And someone wasn't even agreeing to come." she laughed wtaching his face.

"But it was fun. Okay now it's my turn." Manik got her out of the car.

"what?"

"Just wait!" he went away and got two cones of ice cream.

"Ice cream!" Nandini got excited.

"What! You thought only you know how to enjoy a night in this city."

"Not bad Malhotra." she sounded impressed.

"Thank you Miss Nandini." Manik bowed down in gratitude and then gave her one of the cone.

They both sat on the car bonnet and relived the day once again. Manik had a huge smile while Nandini was happy after making Manik happy.

"It's late. Come i'll drop you home." Manik slipped down from the bonnet as he unlocked the car.

"Okay"

The ride was silent as Nandini looked out of the window while Manik was confused over his feelings. It never felt soo great anytime before. Eventually he dropped Nandini back home and reached to his own with the same smile on his face until he opened the main door to enter get inside.