Parineeta

Because You Are Jealous Of Us

I was no more in a condition to speak. My tears had already choked me and my body temperature had risen more like that of boiling water. Whatever was happening with me made me weak,mentally, physically, it was breaking me. I needed a break from all of this.
I stepped into my bathroom for a cold water shower to sooth my nerves so that i get a peaceful sleep at least. I hoped Manik would have little mercy on me and leave me alone..
Aiyappa i can never understand him. On one side He says usse and Alya ko koi alag nhi kar sakta and then he says mujhe usse koi dur nhi kar sakta... What does he want. Either he has taken me for granted or usne khud ko repeatedly yeh bol diya hai ki vo Alya se hi pyaar karta aur mai sirf uski property hu.
I changed myself into a fresh pair of night suit and and moved out towel drying my hair.
"Nandu!"i heard Manik's feeble voice and my eyes snapped in the direction of his voice.
Aiyappa not again please!
He sat on the couch opposite my bed looking at me with a slurry look. The next thing I noticed was a beer bottle half empty in his hand.
"Manik please... Bas.. Ab mujhme aur energy nai bachi hai... Mai tumse aur nhi fight kar sakti... Please.."i begged.
"mu.. Mujhe bhi fight nhi karna... Hum break lenge.. Ab nhi ladenge.. Please mujhse baat karo na.. Mujhe achha nhi lagta jab tum chup rehti ho.."i knew now he was drunk. Because a sober Manik would never say these to me.
"Manik!"i uttered as he got up and walked towards me tumbling at every second step he took towards me.
"tum.. Tum mujhse gussa hoti ho toh.."he paused as he tumbled over me.
"toh.."i held him from falling and he looked right into my eyes.
"mujhe achha nhi lagta... Mai kabhi nhi bolta.. Par tum special ho..."he added as his eyes began closing incessantly. I knew he could pass out any moment so i held him more firmly closing upto him but before i could realize, his hands reached my waist and pulled me closer leaving no gap between us.
"Manik.."
"sshhh.. Don't. Spoil it!"he said, his face inching closer to mine. I wanted to stop him but he was too close for me to move away. He held waist tighter as he hovered over me. My eyes closed in anticipation as i felt his breath Fanning over my face. I waited.
Suddenly something soft touched my cheeks and then in minutes my shoulders felt heavier. I opened my eyes to find Manik's face digging into my shoulders as he hugged me tighter. He had kissed my cheeks amd then passed out. An involuntary smile appeared on my lips as i dragged him to my bed and laid him down covering him up with the duvet. This Manik was better than the real one. I hated the reality.
All the while when i was covering him with the duvet he was busy trying to get a hold on me. Just when i turned back to leave, a tug at my hand pulled me back on the bed over him.
"don't.. Leave... M.. Mat jaoo!"he muttered in his broken slurry voice.
"Manik!"i whispered and he held me tightly as he whispered back,"please Nandu"
I had no choice but to sleep beside him but I tried to make sure that we didn't close up much which he spoiled in seconds by hugging me tight and a smile spread on his face. I promised myself to wake up early so that he never knows we slept like this because he would've never fancied such a thing could happen or rather be done my him and finally I would be the one to be blamed and i would be the one called desperate. I knew him more than he knew himself.
....
A sudden thud broke my peaceful slumber as i opened my eyes to the piercing sun rays.
"kaka curtains band kardo.."i screamed as i turned to the other side trying to catch some more sleep bit i couldn't.
"uhh!"i yawned as i got to a real fresh morning if i say. I bet i was up before him.
I turned to see if he was still in his dreamland but to my surprise all i saw was this empty bed.
"Vo chala gya!"i muttered as i gathered myself up and walked towards my door. Before i could open the door it flung in already and came a stressed Manik.
"listen... I don't know what you think but i don't what you to mention last night to anyone. Not even me... Right now I'm not sure if we really did what i am thinking.. But i don't even want to know! You get that! Just keep yoyr mouth shut... Agar Alya comes to know that i betrayed her she would be broken!"he ranted and left before i could react.
"last night! We did? What?"it clicked my mind how nasty his brain was getting but he did not want to know what actually happened... So why should I take the pain of running behind him just to tell him that nothing happened between us! Last night!
I was right. I Shouldn't.
I went to the washroom freshened up but all this while all i thought was it won't be correct to not let him know that nothing happened between us.
I came down for breakfast and kaka said he had already left.
...
Manik reached college earlier than usual stressed out already. He had to meet Alya the first thing his mind suggested. 'he wasn't betraying her... Nothing happened last night.. And even if something did she won't know of it... Ever."his brain reminded his heart.
Manik barged into the jam room to witness Alya and Dhruv already there but Alya was on a call.
"Nandini... I'll talk to him!"he heard Alya say before she disconnected the call. His mind was already playing games with him and now he could see Alya clearly pissed off.
"i mean how could he do that!"Alya bursted immediately after putting the call down.
"Alya!"Manik's anger was reaching its peak because all he could understand out of this was that i told Alya all that he was dreading.
"Manik! Tum.. We need to talk!"she suddenly calmed down as she looked back at Dhruv and he immediately got up and left.
" look.. Alya.. I know Nandini ne tumhe sab bata diya.. But.. I know galti hui hai... I'm sorry... For that.."Manik said looking down.
"Manik.. Abhi jo bolne vaali hu.. I know that's gonna break you but trust me.. Isme kisi ki koi galti nhi hai! Its just that.. I.. I.. I wanna break.. Break up with you!"she fumbled ignoring whatever Manik said.
"break! Alya break up! I know maine galti ki but break up is a big punishment.."he looked at her but she couldn't move her eyes.
"Manik tumhari koi fault nhi hai... Aftrerall Nandini's your wife... I know tum kabhi kisi ko hurt nhi karoge.. It's just that i can't handle this.. Guilt.. Please... We'll be the same i promise. Fab5.. Bestfriends.. Forever.. But this relationship is just not working out! Please understand!"she said finally and left though she wanted to hug him a final goodbye to their relation but that didn't seem right at the moment while all that Manik was going through was rage. His anger knew no bounds anymore because he was sure i was behind all this and that's when i the most unfortunate person entered the jam room.
"Manik!"i said as i saw him..
"urgh!Finally... I got you..."he turned towards me. His eyes all red as he looked on at me.
"kya hua tumhe.. Tum.."i was interrupted by his fake laugh.
"wow! Nandini Murthy.. Tum yaha kya kar rhi ho! Tumhe toh acting karna chahiye... I mean you act so brilliantly... See how you fake this innocence on your face! Hats off Murthy!"he said sarcasm dripping his face.
"Manik what's wrong with..."he cut me again.
"enough! Bas karo.. Aur kitna drama karogi... You were right... Tum kabhi meri best friend toh kya friend banne ke bhi layak nhi thi... I was an idiot.. Ek desperate ladki ko apna Bestfriend banaya... Aur tumne.. Aaj apne true colors dikha hi diye na... Tumhari vajah se aaj Alya broke up with me.."he shouted.
"Manik.. Break up.. Meri vajah se!"i choked.
"tumhi ne kal kaha tha na ki agar tum chaho tum Alya ko kabhi bhbhI mujhse alag lar salti ho... And see.. You're successful... Tumne Alya ko bata diya whatever happened between us last night amd she broke up with me!happy?"his eyes on me felt more like piercing. Was this the real Manik.?
"Manik...kal raat.. Kuch nhi hua... Between us!"i said amidst my tears.
"yeh mujhe kyu bata rhi ho... Alya ko batati lekin vaha toh.."
"mai aisa kyu karungi..."i said unable to hold myself back.
"because you loved me.. You're obsessed with me... Aur mai tumse pyaar nhi karta isliye... Because you are jealous of us!"i looked at him anger seeping into my veins.
"enough Manik Malhotra! Enough with your crap! Aaj.. You disgust me for having loved you! Actually no... You know what.. I knew someday aisa kuch hoga... Because you are the most disgusting person... Tumhe agar trust hi nhi hai toh kya fayds iss relation ka... I quit!"i announced and barged out before i heard him scream.
"haan haan jao... I release you.. Mujhe bhi koi shauk nhi hai tumhare saath rehne ka....i also don't want any relation.."
Fine then Mr. Manik Malhotra this contracted marriage ends this moment. I quit!