As promised, Manik sent Sonakshi the notes from his dad's phone. Sonakshi's keenness to read the notes was just as much as Manik's disinterest to go through them. Sonakshi went through the notes Manik sent her, and somehow the last three notes seemed connected: they included countries where a person might be able to stay without facing criminal charges; a memoir by a woman whose father ran away from the law and a news article about the difficulty of faking one's own death. 'Does that mean... Uncle was planning all this since a while? And that they could expect a news of his death-which would possibly be fake?' All she could conclude by the joining the dots was that Ashok was guilty, and all this was well-planned. He had been searching for ways to get himself out of the trap, however none of the notes gave her a hint of where Ashok could be hiding. There was, anyways, a mysterious phrase, "The secluded entrance" , Sonakshi looked it up, but failed to find anything about it. She sighed in disappointment and kept the list aside. Asha was passing by Sonakshi's room when she noticed her head hung low in disappointment. She decided to go in and talk to Sonakshi. "Beta, is there anything that's bothering you?" She asks. Sonakshi looks up at her mom and said "Everything is okay mom." Asha reiterated and asked, "Are you sure?" If there's something you can tell me about it, you know right?" "Yes mom." Asha smiled at her and left the room, when Sonakshi got text from Manik.

M: there's a meteor shower the day after. Meet me at the golf course?

S: how do you know so much about stars and meteors and space?

M: sometimes I feel you're a detective more than a nutritionist! Like do you EVER stop asking questions?

S: stop behaving mysteriously, I'll stop asking questions!

M: are you meeting me or no?

S: yes ok! See you :)

M: great! ;)

***

Sonakshi was about to leave for the golf course, when Manik called her. "Listen, the meteor shower has been overcast... But hey we can still meet right?"Manik asked "Yess, I was just leaving... I'll see you!" Sonakshi left to meet Manik, on her way all she could think about how her relationship with Manik had changed so much...she didn't even realise when she started caring about him so much, when her favourite pass time became spending time with him. The day when they were lying below the stars, she felt a different kind of satisfaction, she wanted that moment to stop right there, it was perfect! She had begun to love and notice every little thing about him, she loved the excitement in his voice when he spoke about the stars, she loved how he could openly express himself to her...she loved being around him... Sonakshi was surprised, confused, unsure- was she falling in love? Or had she already fallen in love? Was there no escaping it now? She didn't know, all she knew was she had never felt the same way before- and little did she know, that she never will.

***

On the golf course

Manik was already waiting for Sonakshi when she reached...he was looking up at the cloudy sky with the disappointed face. Sonakshi cleared her throat to make her presence known... Manik looked at her and said, "I so wish we could see the meteor shower together!" Sonakshi suggested, "It's okay, well if you can, then describe what it would look like!" Manik asked her to sit down next to him and look up... He began describing, "The meteoroids are usually small, from dust particle to boulder size. They are almost always small enough to quickly burn up in our atmosphere, so there's little chance any of them will strike Earth's surface. But there is a good chance that we could've spotted a beautiful shooting star...the glowing streaks may appear anywhere in the sky, but their "tails" all seem to point back to the same spot in the sky. That's because all the meteors are coming at us at the same angle, and as they get closer to Earth the effect of perspective makes them seem to get farther apart. It's like standing in the middle of railroad tracks and seeing how the two tracks come together in the distance. It'd definitely be a very beautiful view!" Sonakshi smiled listening to his description and noted,more than once, "The meteor shower is happening,beyond the overcast sky, even though we can't see it, it still seems beautiful and romantic." She then turned towards Manik and asked him, "Who would believe you are a commerce student and not some astrophysicist?" Manik smiled back at her and answered, "Science as a whole never interested me, just space, and it's infinitesimal nature. And I said, I like being outside at night. It gives me a weird feeling of being homesick, but not for home, its a good feeling though! So I always read about space!" Sonakshi was amazed,she said, "Wow, what else interests you?" Manik replied, "you!" Sonakshi rolled her eyes at him and Manik said, "Ok seriously, literature..." Sonakshi looked at him in awe, "No wayy! Barabar rakha hai nam tumhara, Mr.Mysterious Obhodro!" Manik asked, "Obhodro?" Sonakshi bit her lips and shut her eyes, realising she had spoilt the moment by calling him manerless... anyways he didn't know what it meant, so she covered up, "Uh nothing... You tell me literature?" Manik answered, "Yes, mostly poems, I love reading them." "What kind of?" She further inquired. "Short, with unusual rhyme schemes- because that's how life is- it rhymes In the most unexpected ways!" Sonakshi was so impressed by that guy in that moment, she wanted to spend the whole night like this, beneath the overcast sky, with Manik, knowing about him and discovering everything about him. She asked him, "do you write?" "I've written only two, not so great at it." He replied. "Then recite one for me...!" Sonakshi demanded. Manik said, "Seriously? You know poetry is so intimate! Reading someone's poems is like seeing them naked!" Sonakshi replied, boldly, "So I'm saying I want to see you naked!" Manik didn't look surprised, he decided to tease her, he took of his jacket and unbuttoned the first button of his shirt. Sonakshi almost yelled, "Stop! Not literally naked, I want to hear you recite a poem." Manik smiled and said "I'll recite a John Green poem, I don't really like mine-

Eyes are the soul's window, I know this to be true, for when I gaze into yours, it's such a beautiful view."

Sonakshi was lost in his mystifying eyes while he recited, the Manik she met the first time, seemed like a completely different person now, his expressions, the intensity in his eyes while reciting the poem was intoxicating. She looked over at him, she suddenly wanted Manik badly, badly enough that she no longer cared why she wanted him. She reached over, touched his cold cheek and before Manik could register what was happening, she started kissing him. Manik was surprised at first, but he couldn't resist for long. By the time they came up for air, Manik's hands were on Sonakshi's waist, one of those tracing her spine, their foreheads touching. Sonakshi's cheeks were blood red, and Manik smirked looking at her embarrassed-yet-oh-so-cute face. He lifted her chin and made her face him, and looking into his eyes made Sonakshi lose all her senses again, and she kissed him again.

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I hope this chapter quenched your thirst for the ManAskhi moments!

Do vote and comment!(comments are reducing soo please tell me if you like how the story is progressing, or you want me to change something about it)