01• His Secret Admirer

"Manik Malhotra, a cool and ruggedly attractive rider, is set to take home the victory in today's race. For the past two years, he has won every race, so his fans are giddy with anticipation of seeing him win again today. Even I'm confident." The commentator chuckled as he said to the audience on camera.

Manik was waiting impatiently for the race to begin while seated on the bike, helmet on. He was donning a black helmet and a black and grey outfit. He was everyone's crush and was so hot that he could make any girl swoon. Every woman yearned to be with him. He had a breathtakingly hot appearance, and when he rode the bike, he drove everyone insane with his style and attitude.

He was a bad boy, the devil, no one dared to argue with him. He had a habit of sleeping with a different girl every night because he was a philanderer. One nightstand that met his bodily demands and let him relax was all he was interested in. Love and all was bullshit for him, and he had no faith in forever, he thought everyone leaves eventually just like his mother had left him and his father. He became enraged whenever someone brought up love. In his opinion, no one actually loves anyone in this life; love is just a big fat lie.

A massive crowd had gathered to watch the race, and they were all cheering for Manik. A girl stood in the crowd, wearing a black denim jacket and concealing her face with a scarf and cap. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, and they were glued to Manik, proclaiming loudly that she is the purest and most innocent soul on the planet. Her hair was fluttering in the breeze while she was constantly praying to God to make him win the race today as well.

She was his secret admirer who came to see his all races covertly. She wasn't like his other fans who just wanted him; she adored him and prayed for his happiness every day. She was only breathing because of him only as his name was written in every breath she took. She gave him her heart and soul the day she laid eyes on him. She loved him selflessly in a way that no one else ever did.

Even though their love was one-sided, she couldn't stop herself from loving him because it was the only thing that made her happy. If she had stopped loving him, she would have lost the only source of her joy, forgotten how to breathe, and eventually died.

But why did she go see his race while concealing her face? Whom was she trying to hide her face from?

When the race began, that girl's heartbeat accelerated with the speed of the bike.

She cheered enthusiastically for him as she saw him on the large screen. When he came to the second position, she became quiet and silently prayed for him, "please... please God, make him win."

When he regained the number one spot, her eyes again shimmered and she jumped to her place, squealing merrily.

Manik won the bike race as usual, and his secret admirer's eyes twinkled with delight and her lips drew up to a broad smile behind the scarf, this time her smile reached her eyes. Anyone could tell she was smiling cheerfully by looking at her eyes without seeing her lips.

When the chief guest presented him with the trophy and the cheque, she photographed him with her instant camera. She took his photo in her hand and moved it toward her lips before kissing it; she wanted to kiss him like this. She loved taking photos of all the happy moments, especially his.

"Congratulation, my Biker. Hope you win all the races in future as well." She murmured merrily and kissed his photo again.

***

After the race, Manik directly reached his best friend's house to celebrate his triumph.

His friend, Ethan Jones welcomed him with a warm hug. "Congratulations, Bro. I'm so proud of you." Happiness was clearly visible in his eyes seeing his best friend's success.

"Thanks, Bro," Manik said as they broke the hug and smiled at each other.

Ethan and Manik had been best friends since they were kids. Their personalities were utterly opposites. Ethan handled his father's business while Manik was a bike racer, Ethan was devoted to his girlfriend and adored her while Manik brought a new girl every night, Ethan was a gentleman while Manik wasn't even close. They only had two things in common: they both had a heart of gold but Manik never showed the world, and also they were equally hot and charming.

They were like brothers who would do anything for the sake of each other's happiness, even die with a smile for each other. Their bond was strong and unbreakable.

"You must be tired, let's sit down." As Ethan said, they settled down on the sofa in the hall.

"Sweetie! Please come downstairs. My best friend won the race again." Ethan squealed with delight.

Manik simply smiled at him, seeing that he won the race, but Ethan was happier.

Nandini Jones, Ethan's sister, arrived with a huge smile on her face and politely congratulated him. "Manik, congratulations."

Nandini was an eighteen-year-old college student, kind, innocent, carefree and lively, her soul was pure like holy water. She was Ethan's princess, and he was overprotective of her.

Manik just smiled at her and instantly moved his eyes back to his friend as he said, "Manik, I already knew that you gonna win the race. Therefore I already brought your favourite brownie Ice cream."

"Wow, I just can't wait to have it, and I'm seriously starving. You're my saviour, Ethan." He whooped.

"Sweetie, bring the Ice cream." As Ethan said, she gave him a slight nod and went to the kitchen to bring Ice cream.

"You know I have also thrown a party at the Mafia club for you." He told Manik.

"Oh God, Ethan, you're unbelievable. You planned everything, bro. First Ice cream and then a party. What's more?" Manik asked and both laughed.

"Seriously, bro, you're best." Manik squealed cheerfully, encircling his arm around his neck and holding him tightly.

"Now are you gonna kill me, Manik? You're holding my neck so tightly." Ethan shouted dramatically.

"You, overdramatic Ethan." Manik hit his stomach, and he groaned. They both burst into laughter.

Nandini came back from the kitchen with the tray on which bowls of Ice cream were kept. She smiled with delight, seeing them laughing. She adored their friendship a lot.

After keeping the Ice cream on the table and last time beaming at them, she silently went back to her room.

Her room was tidy and luxuriously beautiful, everything in her room was white and peach in colour. Beside her bed, a white swing chair was kept which was her favourite spot.

A black denim jacket, navy blue mask and white cap were kept on the bed of her room, and this revealed that she was the only girl who loved her brother's friend secretly.

She sat on her chair and opened the diary. Softly tracing her fingers on the pages, she took out the pen from the pen stand and started writing her thoughts which she only shared with her diary.

(Dear Diary, today I again went to see his race. As you know Manik is my crush, in fact, he is a lot more than a crush to me. Every day I pray for his happiness because when he smiles, I smile.)

She closed her eyes and smiled, remembering his smile, and then resumed writing after opening her eyes.

(I feel like there is a strong connection between us, but unfortunately for Manik, I'm just his friend's sister, and he rarely speaks to me. When I initiate a conversation with him, he shows no interest. It hurts sometimes, but I've accepted that my love is one-sided and will remain so.)

She sighed as she penned it down but shaking her head, she wrote further.

(I'm happy with this one-sided love also because this feeling of one-sided love is unique which I have been experiencing for so many years. Manik is my brother's childhood friend, and I've always admired him since I was a child. I'm not sure how or when I fell in love with him.)

A beatific smile spread across her face as she recalled memories of her childhood.

(I always wonder if I fell in love with him the first time I saw him laugh, or the first time our eyes met and I looked directly into his soul through his bewitching eyes, or when I saw how much he cares for the person who is important to him, or the first time he smiled at me, or the first time his hand touched mine.

I honestly have no idea when this happened, but I do know that it happened gradually and my feelings for him grew stronger and stronger over time. You also know what silly things I've done in this love.

Yes, Diary, I'm secretly smitten with the racer, Manik Malhotra and I don't regret it. This feeling gives me immense peace because loving him and seeing him happy is my true joy.)

She closed the diary with a smile on her face after penning down her beautiful thoughts, and then she took out the photo of Manik which she had sneakily clicked in her childhood for the first time. She closed her eyes and smiled contentedly as she hugged the photo close to her heart.