59. CASUAL GIFTS!

Manik:- ( Whined like a kid ) Ah… Please, maan jayo naa. ( Please, forgive me. )

Nandini:- ( Crossing her arms around her chest ) OK, I am letting this go just for my gol gappe but there is a condition. 

Manik:- ( Impatiently ) What condition?

Before saying her condition, Nandini removes his monkey cap and makes him wear his spectacles, making his heart skip a beat. To be honest, he loved the way she made him wear spectacles proudly. Other girls always mock him saying he looks like a joker in Spects but HIS FIREBALL always says that he looks the best in them. 

She moved back after tucking his specs back on his nose and crossed her arms around her chest while giving him a stern look. 

Nandini:- I want to hear those three words that you are avoiding. 

Manik:- What words? 

Nandini narrowed her eyes while he looked to the other side to avoid her but how can a man ignore the great NANDINI? She walks closer to him, pulling him closer, making him lose his senses because of their closeness. She is very well aware of his weak point that’s HER.

Nandini:- ( Locking her eyes with his ) Shall we continue what we left in the car?

As expected, he got hypnotized by her. His cheeks turned red remembering how he played with her globes forgetting about his shyness. 

Manik:- ( Shyly ) I… I want… I want to… say something. 

Nandini’s ears shot up with expectations like the previous time. She can’t hide her excitement anymore which he can see. He is happy seeing the smile back on her lips which he took away and left her crying. He thought, “Manik, you can do this. If this is what she wants then, go ahead.” 

Nandini:- ( Excitedly ) Say na… I have been waiting for those words God knows for so long. 

Manik:- ( Gulps his saliva because this is much more difficult than singing in front of lakhs of people ) I… I… 

Nandini lost her last sting of patience and yelled. 

Nandini:- Shyboy, If you stammer one more time then, I will seal your lips with glue ( Threatening him ) and you very well know, I can do that. 

Who can know her better than him? Can she do what she said? NO DOUBT!

Nandini:- ( Getting impatient ) You have only three seconds. 

1…

2…

Manik:- ( While closing his eyes ) I HAVE A COND*M.

Nandini jumps swiftly in happiness but the next second looks at him who is avoiding her eyes. She replayed his last sentence again in her mind and gasped. Her eyeballs are just on the edge of jumping out from their sockets while he is going to die because of shyness.

Nandini:- You have what? 

Manik:- ( Innocently ) A co.. cond*m.

Nandini:- ( Not believing her ears ) I don’t believe this. 

She pulls her hair while he feels offended. He took out a new sachet of cond*m from his right pocket and showed it to her. 

Manik:- Why can’t you believe that? I bought it myself. Although it took me 20 minutes to make that shopkeeper understand with sign language what I wanted. 

Nandini palmed her lips in shock while he continued. 

Manik:- ( Twisting his lips, cutely ) You don’t know how much effort I put into making him understand that I want an extra thin and long durable one. 

This is the first time that someone made her speechless. For the first time, she is finding difficulty in pronouncing her thoughts. But the extraordinary thing is, HER SHYBOY MADE HER SPEECHLESS. HOW CAN THIS BE POSSIBLE? 

Nandini:- ( While touching the sachet with her hands to make herself believe it ) Mother Earth please swallow me. I can’t live with this man or stay sane.

Manik:- ( Innocently ) Why are you saying this? I bought this for you. Last time, I made you upset because I didn’t have this but now, I rectify it. 

Nandini:- ( Frustratingly ) God, how can this be possible? How can I fall in love with the same person all over again when he does these cute things? ( Angrily, punching him ) Why don’t you let me be angry with you?

She can’t believe that he can do stuff that is out of his comfort zone. He is shy like hell, him going to the medical store and buying that thing is out of her thinking capacity. BUT, HE DID IT FOR HER. She cries and seeing her tears his heart stops beating. He cups her cheeks worriedly and curses himself for making her cry. 

Manik:- ( Worriedly ) You didn’t like this? Don’t worry, I will buy another one. Say, which brand do you prefer? But please, don’t cry. 

Nandini chuckles while crying and again punches him, making the little boy wince. 

Nandini:- What do you think of me? Am I a “Pehle Istemal kare phir vishwas kare” type of girl? ( First, use then trust ) 

Manik:- No… You…

Nandini:- ( Cut his talks in the middle ) How do I know which brand is better? I never used that in the first place. ( Locking her hands around his neck and seducing him ) So, can we try and test which brand of cond*m gives more pleasure? 

Manik went all red, his cheeks as well as his ears turned deep red, making her smile. He avoids looking at her while biting his lips and coughs not knowing how to respond. 

Nandini:- ( Sarcastically ) Haa, jab yeah purchase kiya tha tab yeah khasi nahi aayi? ( Didn’t you cough when you bought this? ) 

Manik:- (Complaints like a kid ) I didn’t cough but that shopkeeper made fun of me and even laughed at me.

Nandini:- ( Looking deep into his eyes, lovingly ) Shyboy, you are too innocent for this world. 

Manik:- ( In the same tone, winning her heart all over again ) Then, save me from this world. Hide me in your arms and never let any harm reach me. 

Nandini:- ( While caressing his cheeks ) You don’t have to say this. I promise, from now on I will not let anyone harm you ( After a dramatic pause ) EXCEPT ME. 

Manik:- ( Cries dramatically, effect of His Fireball ) Ahhh!…

Nandini:- ( Teasingly ) By the way, don’t you think that your gifts are too CASUAL? First, ROSE then, GOL-GAPPE and now, COND*M. 

Manik has no words to say anything. Today, he will die because of shyness. 

Manik:- I bought it for you. 

Nandini:- You bought it for me? ( With a smirk ) If you bought such a unique gift for me, shall we use it? 

His head bends down further looking at the floor while rubbing the back of his neck. 

Nandini:- ( Innocently ) I can’t waste my boyfriend’s hard-earned money, no? 

Manik:- ( Exclaimed ) Boyfriend? 

Nandini:- Don’t you want to be? 

Manik:- ( Smiles sheepishly ) I think HUSBAND would be a good word to describe our relationship. 

Nandini:- ( Surprisingly ) Did you flirt with me? 

Manik nods, earning the brightest smile from her whereas she acts like a Romeo. 

Nandini:- Hayee… yeah sunne se pehle maine tumhe kiss kyu nahi kara! ( Hayee… why haven’t I kissed you before seeing your flirting skills? ) 

Manik:- ( Blushingly ) Toh abhi kar lo. ( Then, do it now. ) 

Nandini giggled and lovingly kissed his cheek, making him realize the depth of her love. 

Nandini:- ( Cutely ) Tell me one thing, who gifts a cond*m to his girlfriend on the first day of their relationship? I mean, how will our kids react when I tell them that their father’s first gift to me was a condom?  

Manik:- ( Whined ) But it was a ROSE! 

Nandini:- ( Stubbornly ) No… It was this for me. ( Showing the same sachet ) 

Manik:- This is wrong, you can’t disclose our relationship details to our kids. 

Nandini:- ( Sternly ) And who decided that? 

Manik goes silent because who has the caliber to argue with her? So, he does what he is best at, surrendering himself. 

Nandini:- ( Excitedly ) So, start! 

He didn’t understand anything until she threw him on the bed and sat on his abdomen, keeping both her legs on each side of his waist. He gulps hard seeing the little seductress who opens her hair, making it fall straight on her back, and bends down a little to show her cleavage to him. He is sure that today is going to be his last day. Does he have any last wish? Oh yes, he has! He wants to be in her arms when he takes his last breath. 

Manik:- Are we doing that, seriously? 

Nandini:- ( Opening his first two buttons ) What do you think? 

He moans when she lays down on him completely, caresses his cheek, and huskily whispers in his ear. 

Nandini:- Let it out, Shyboy. I am here to hear. 

He understood that she caught him red-handed and why not? She understands him more than he does. 

Nandini:- You think that I won’t understand the way you avoid saying I LOVE YOU TO ME.  

Hearing her, he wrapped his hands around her waist caging her with the thought that she would misunderstand him like everyone does. Yup! He has his reasons for not saying those words. He doesn’t know whether it is a valid reason or not but he can’t process that. 

She tried to get up a little to look at his face but he didn’t let her. He is scared of something and she knows that. Going with the flow, she kept her head on his chest, making him take deep breaths feeling her this close. 

Nandini:- If you are not comfortable telling me what is bothering you then, It is good for us to take more time to get comfortable with each other. We can’t take this relationship further like this. 

To be continued…