We ate and Manik went up to shower while I grabbed some ice cream even though I had already brushed but who cares.

I walked up to the room and laid down with the ice cream bowl on my stomach, I had turned on the tv too while Manik was in the shower

"Nandini sweetie, are you in the room" he asked from the shower

"Yea" I replied

"Can you grab me my towel I forgot it on the couch"

I looked at the couch to see his black towel on the couch, yup Manik uses black towel for some apparent reason.

I grabbed the towel and gave it to him, a few minutes later he came out in sweats and no t shirt.

"Come on lets talk" I said

He laid down beside me on his stomach

"Remember when I was 9 years old and I came to you crying I the evening with bruises on my knee" I asked with a smile

"Ya I remember, I would have fucked up that kid's life if I got my hands on him" he said making me smile

"He didn't do it on purpose, I wasn't looking where I was going and ran into him"

"Well he should have been careful"

"Not the point"

"What is your point then" he asked

"How did you forget me Manik?" I asked

"I didn't, believe it or not"

"Mani you did" I stated

He looked at me and I saw the guilt in his eyes.

"I didn't butterfly. I mhmm I missed you so much every single day but soha had made me think that you didn't wanna be around me because she was my girlfriend which I swear I didn't believe but you had started becoming distant and I hated that" he whispered looking at me

"How can you think that Manik?"

"I don't know, it was stupid I know"

"No, its beyond fucked up"

"Don't swear in front of me Jaan" he said with that tone.

he never lets me swear in front of him, I mean I usually don't swear but the rare times I have he uses this tone with me letting me know I need to watch my words

"Its messed up manik, ever since I have met you I always wanna be around and you know that. I get that you got a girlfriend and that's fine, but you pushed me out of your life which hurt me a lot. I felt alone and don't say that bhai was there or navya was and blah blah becasue no one can fill the void I had in my life, no one can take your place" I explained to him because he needs to know what he means to me

"I know Nandini and it's the same for me" he went quiet for a few seconds and then wrapped his arm around my stomach

he rested his head on my arm and cuddled closer to me getting comfortable

"I hurt you a lot, you know I fuck up everything and see I fucked up the most beautiful relationship I have. You know Nandini these 6 months you hurt a lot and though I wasn't hurt, my heart slowly became hollow. It was like I was smiling or talking but my head was somewhere else, my heart was with someone else. I missed being in your presence, I missed coming home from practice and seeing that smile on your face, I missed you screaming at me to sleep, I missed you Nandini and though I lost you becasue of my own mistake I know I don't ever want a repeat of those 6 months no matter what"

I had already forgiven him and his words and actions gave me confirmation that it won't happen again so there is no point of dragging this out and keep on going over it.

"You tell me I am not allowed to swear yet you swear in my presence all the time" I said

"I pour my heart out and this is what you pick up from this conversation?" He asked

"Yes sir" I said

"Seriously" he asked

"Yes, now why this behaviour mr malhotra" I asked

He looked at me for a second and as soon as he understood I wasn't keeping it in anymore he got up and started tickling me

"Ahh hehahhaha manik no hahaha"

"You wanna play don't you" he said tickling me

"Hehe no haha manik acha baba sorry" I said in between laughing

"No no you want play"

"No mani, ahaha please"

He stoped seeing me out of breath and fell on the bed beside me.

"Fucking hell" he blurts out

I flipped on my stomach and saw his eyes already on me

Goshhhh, the way his eyes speak volumes makes me shiver a little. Not being able to hold the eye contact with him I looked down but he moved his hand to my face

He lifted my chin up and leaned closer until our nose touched causing a little giggle to escape from my lips.

You know to other this would be romantic and gosh I wish this was romantic from his side but I know it's not. I know he only sees me as his best friend, as someone he needs but for me this was so intimate and romantic

"What would I do without you kitten?" He asked making me shiver as his minty breath touched my face

"Are you cold love?" He asked probably cause I shivered

i just nodded not having a better explanation to why I shivered

He pulled me closer to his chest and unfolded the blankets covering us both

"Manik" I whispered having a question in mind

"Better not be a stupid question Nandini"

"How do you always know" I asked being annoyed

"Because I know you now what is it?" he asked

"Mhmm you will have more girlfriends and one day you will be married but"

"No I will never forget you no matter what, and about girlfriends I am done"

"And marriage" I asked

"Mhmm I have a plan" he said making me giggle

"When does manik ever plan" I asked

"I have, wanna hear" he asked kissing my forehead

"Yes"

"So I am 19 and you are 18 correct?"

"Mhmm hmm"

"When we turn 25 and 26 I will get down on one knee and then you will go down on both knees and ta da" he said

"What in the god name did you just say and was it in Spanish cause I didn't get anything"

"You are so stupid" he said making me glare at him

"Excuse you mr malhotra" I said getting off him and sitting beside him

"What?"

"I am calling cabir bhai"

"For what?" He asked

"So he can smack you" he laughed hearing this

"And you think he will"

"Yes" I said being determined

"Girl you know he won't even touch me"

He wasn't wrong, bhai would never hit manik, not unless it was required required.

"But you called me stupid"

"Toh tu hai bhyi"

"Arhhh"

"Acha don't get frustrated baba, you are not stupid at all" he said

"But you"

"Shh enough of bickering with me, come here and lets sleep" he said holding my arm

"No no, I sleep alone" I said

"No, sleep here with me" he said turning the lights off

"Mani"

"Shhh butterfly, come lay down"

Sighing I laid down beside him

"What did you mean when you said going down on one knee and all" I asked

"Shh"

"Mani"

"Jaan chup chap soja, its been quiet some time since I have gotten proper sleep so shh"

"But"

"Shut up love"

"You know just becasue you use nicknames doesn't mean its not rude"

"I know"

I looked at him to see his eyes closed, his face was shining in the beautiful moonlight but I was still confused from before so I poked his chest

"What Butterly?" He asked turning towards me so I was facing him

"What did you mean?" I asked

He opened his eyes to look at me. His hand moved from beside him to my face. He caressed my cheeks and I couldn't help but notice how big his hands were, I mean my face was so tiny in his hand and he wasn't even holding my face yet

"I have learned a lot about my feelings in these past 6 months and have realized a lot. One of the things I realized was if I ever get married and I plan on it, it will be with you"

"Woahh" I whispered by accident well it was supposed to be in my head but I blurt it out

I hope I heard that right, but that can't be true.

Manik wants to marry me, me as in nandini not anyone else.

"Are you listening to me?" He asked

"Mhmm ya what"

"Marriage" he said as if trying to ring a bell in my head

"You me marriage wait" I was not making any sense I know

"Look at me jaan" he said

I looked in his eyes and my body loosened and relaxed in his touch as he continued caressing my face

"I am not doing girlfriends or wife or anything of that sort, nothing that will take me away from you. I know there is a possibility that you may find a guy better than me but I am going to kick his ass and scare him away because I am way too fucking selfish to let you go. Now is that understood my love?" He asked

I was shook at his confession becasue there is no other man in this world that I wanted more than manik. There was only one person I wanted and that person is manik malhotra.

"Is that understood love?" He asked again

"Mhmm yes, ya it's understood" I said

"My good girl" he whispered dropping a little kiss on my nose

He pulled me closer and rested his face on my shoulder, his arm wrapped around my body loosely and he closed his eyes holding me close

I curled up closer to him and closed my eyes too, I missed him so much and to get confirmation from his mouth that I mean something to him is all I needed.

I fell a sleep faster than I have in a while but thats just because I was next to my comfort, my manik.