𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 II A Mayank Markande FF II

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒

Mahi's PoV

***

It finally struck me why the voice was familiar, it was a voice that always tugged at the strings of my heart. Such familiarity and warmth to it. But the thing is, it wasn't exactly possible.

Shaking these thoughts out of my head, I approached Mayank's hotel room's wooden door. Juggling two cups of ice cream in my arms, I knocked on the spruce and oak-shaded door. Mayank's beaming face opened it.

"Mahi!" He hugged, and I let out a squeak of protest, worried that the icey treats would have been crushed. Taking one of them from my arms, he led me inside.

"Yum," He grinned, opening the packet. The sound of it's crinkling was the only noise between the two of us for a bit.

"Manyank?" I mustered up my bravado and looked at him,

"Hm?" He tilted his head, frowning at the best serious face I could muster.

"Is..?" I stuttered and chickened out last second, "Is that your favorite flavor?"

He seemed momentarily confused, and shrugged, "I guess,". His gaze lingered on me before continuing to finish the snack. "What's up? I've never seen you this serious?"

I shrugged, my mind wandering to the past. 

Flashback Part 2:

Ritika looked at me with her hopeful doe brown eyes, I smiled. I flashed her a grin and a thumbs up, she leaped up with joy.

"My gods! Mahiii! Your the best." She squealed and pulled me into a ribcage crushing hug. Ritika and Mayank dated for a good one year. But Ritika's parents found out, we don't know who told them, but they did. Ritika stopped coming to the college for over a week, the principal refused to speak with me and the very next day, I found a green wedding invitation card.

"Ritika weds Manish." I read, bewildered. Mayank seemed devastated, the worst part was, I had to watch her get married to that abusive and perverted Manish. Ritika pleaded with me, that I could somehow convince her parents to call off the marriage.

I still recall the emotions I felt when I saw her going into that car, tears flooding her eyes. She'd looked at me and gave a tiny smile, she walked up to me. Her wedding saree twinkling, making her seem ever so beautiful but so much pain was hidden behind that fake happy bride face.

"Stay in touch.. please... I.. Otherwise.. I might as well die.." She hugged me, it was the same bone crushing hug she'd given me a year ago.

Marriage is a fickle thing in India, My parents had a Love Marriage. My grandparents disowned them, I don't have any relatives other than my bedridden father. Dad's never been the same since Mom died, he's always had this broken look. And I saw that look on Ritika's face that day.

Flashback End

"Mahi?" Mayank nudged me awake from my flashback.

"Yeah?" I snapped back to reality, 

"You okay?" He frowned, there was a chunk of ice cream stuck above his upper lip. I burst out laughing, his frown deepened.

"What?" He demanded,

"Ice Cream," I pointed to the spot, he tried to wipe it away with no luck. I stood on the tip of my toes and brushed past the cream with my thumb. He smiled, taking advantage of our position and brushed his lips against mine.

Forget about being paranoid! For once in six months, I'm actually happy.

***

SORRY ABOUT NOT UPDATING! I JUST HAD SO MUCH FRICKIN STUFF TO DO-