In His Custody ✎ | (MaNan)

✰ 58 - bad blood

A predominantly flashback-populated update, who is excited?

I wonder how many of you can relate to this chapter, so I would like to know if any aspect resonated. 

Please vote, inline comment and share your thoughts as you read this :P

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11 December 2010

Technically, some portion of what I am about to tell you transpired over the night of 10th, but I'm sitting here writing to you in the early hours of 11th, Babbu, because I really cannot fall asleep after everything that happened.

Let me set the background for you about what happened today.

It had been after dinner, and Chikkappa was blackmailed into doing some of the dishes, while Abhi and Rishu were clearing the dining table and had taken away things from the living room that did not belong there. Chikkamma was on call with her sister who still lives in Punjab, and I... I was just standing by the countertops, boxing all the food mechanically, wondering how... and why had Manik asked me that question?

Oh sorry Babbu, you don't know what I am even talking about. Earlier today, Manik, he... he asked me about... whether I am nearing my period... Aiyappa, I can't even believe he would ask me such a question.

Granted, it was not 'that time of the month' yet but because my cycle was still fairly new and irregular, according to my calculations, it had to come through sometime this week.

But how could he just ask me something like that? Did he not feel even the slightest shame?

Does a boy not think twice before asking a girl certain questions?

I had come upstairs after all the house chores for the evening were done and out of habit, I had checked the phone to see his message.

*Come downstairs in twenty minutes, and bring your schoolbag with you*

I flushed nervously at his text, still rattled by his earlier interrogation that evening. He had sent it twelve minutes ago – was he already here? I checked out the window but saw nothing.

The living room lights went out, signaling that Chikkamma and Chikkappa were heading to bed. It was the perfect excuse to avoid meeting him.

*I can't come down, everyone is getting ready for bed and they will ask questions, so please... don't come.*

With my heart in my hand, I waited for a reply for several moments, pacing in my room while slapping the device on my palm.

*I have a surprise!*

I rushed to text back, *What, what surprise?*

*Surprise hai, come down and maybe I'll show you :P*

I hesitated against my previous judgments, grabbed my backpack and slipped quietly down the stairs, determined to see what he had planned.

Twisting the latch of our main door twice, I snuck out and shut the door gently behind me.

There he was reclining on his bike, a fair distance away, with a black glittery gift bag hooked at his finger.

Upon seeing me, he straightened up and smirked.