Manvi woke up the next day, Virat was up already and immersed in his books. 'Kitna padtha hai' she thought and she quickly got dressed up, as she promised Virat she would go back to college today. They were all at the breakfast table and Manvi told Vanshika ma that she was going back to college. Buaji spoke in between "par Manvi, ab tum Vadhera kandaan ki bahu ho, ghar mein itna kaam hota hai, tum ghar main nahi rahoge toh kaise chalega?"
Virat: "Kya kaam? We have our very own cricket team of helpers and servants at home. Why does Manvi have to do anything?"
Buaji: "Virat? main dekh rahi hu, tum aaj kal bahut bolne lage ho. Shadi ke baad itna badlaav? I never expected this. Manvi ke siva tum ko aur kuch dikhtha hi nahi.."
Virat didn't even bother to look at her. "Buaji, please don't get me started on the whole marriage thing. All I am saying is Manvi wants to study and there is no reason why she shouldn't. End of discussion and anyways I am the husband person right. You gave me that right. So, I take the decision when it comes to Manvi."
"I will be waiting for you outside, finish up and come soon" he ordered Manvi and left.
Everybody including Manvi were shocked. Buaji started her lecture about how Virat does not respect elders and he is arrogant and what not. Manvi just kept staring towards Virat leaving, 'why does everything bother Virat so much these days and especially when it comes to me? He will take all my decisions? Kya hogaya hai ise.'
---
Manvi came outside to see Virat waiting by his bike. Virat loved bikes, he had like three of them. He always went to college on his bike and unless absolutely necessary he never drove a car. Manvi came and stood in front of him, trying to understand what was going in his head.
"Why did you have to be so rude to buaji? And since when are you taking my decisions?"
"Somebody has to, tum toh kuch bolti nahi ho"
"I stay quiet for a reason. They are elder to us. They know what is best."
"Ohh please. Tum yeh sab enjoy kar rahi ho? Yeh ghar ghar kelna? And maybe you don't remember but the arrangement between us was that we can keep doing what we were doing before marriage. Phir yeh sab kyu?"
"Aren't you the hypocrite? On hand you are making decisions for me and on the other hand you are saying I can do whatever."
"Manvi, I am making the decision for you, so that you can do what you really want to do."
"And how do you know what I want to do?"
"I just know, because you are my partner. And why are we fighting like husband and wife?"
"Are..jab husband and wife hain, toh husband and wife ki hi tarah fight karenge na??"
There was silence. Manvi regretted saying that.
'Hum real wale husband and wife todi hain' the truth hit her. She couldn't put a finger on what was bothering her more; was it because she said those words or that because she realized their relationship so fake. Virat was looking at her, he sensed what she was just feeling and felt angrier about everything that led up to there. "Maanvi'" he called her.
"Just drop me in class Virat" she said.
She was sitting behind him. Her mind kept thinking about what Virat said. He called their marriage an 'arrangement.' She knew that was what it really was. But, over the past week, maybe she misunderstood Virat's care and protectiveness. 'He was just being himself; that was how he was before and now, he is her husband, by obligation, and he feels responsible for her a little more.'
Virat noticed the change in behavior, 'I just want her to be happy, give her the freedom to do what she enjoys, that is what we decided. Does she want more?' he wondered.
"Kya huva? Aaj chatterbox kaam nahi kar raha hai?" Virat asked her as she got off at her college.
"haan, technical problems. Rukawath ke liye kedh hai. Thanks and bye."
"Oye doordarshan, ek min rukh." He pulled her back holding her hand by her wrist. His touch made her heart race faster. She froze. She didn't understand why, that was not the first time he touched her or anything. Something changed. She looked at his hand and looked up to his face. Their eyes locked for a few seconds.
Virat let go off her hand "Sorry" he said.
She looked away sideways. She saw her gang of friends looking at them, whispering, laughing and giggling.
"Kya huva Manvi?" Virat looked in the direction of her friends, curiously and waved at them.
M: "kya kar rahe ho? Marvavo ge kya? Tum jao yaha se. abhi"
V: "par kyu?"
M: "kyu ki mera boy friend aane wala hai mujh se milne"
V: "Kaun? That guy who wanted to elope with you to timbaktu." he laughed.
M: "leave! Now!" Manvi showed him the gate. And before that Manvi's friends came up to them.
"Namaste jijaji" they said together joining their hands.
Virat gave them a very naughty smile "oh-ho-ho..mere pyaree saliyah..ithe sare? Vaah!..abhi toh vapas college join karne padega..kyu manvi ji?? "
M: "Virat, aren't you getting late???" Manvi signaled him to leave.
V: "Accha baba. Chaltha hu. Bye."
V: "Take care girls" he winked at them as Manvi rolled her eyes.
"oh my god!" "He is so hawt!" "rockstar" "my salman khan" her friends were going on and on gawking at Virat leaving on his bike. One of them pretended to cry "manvi! Why did you ask him to leave?? Main tum ko kabhi maaf nahi karungi" sniff! sniff!
Manvi got ticked off. "Shut up you shameless people!!!!!"
"Accha? We are shameless. You were the one openly romancing babe."
"You guys have quite an imagination!" Manvi said.
Manvi was usually the one always teasing others. She would never give a chance for others to tease her. Now they were not going to let her off the hook so easily. They followed her singing: "Mere haaath main tera haaath ho..sare jannate mere saath ho.."
Manvi thought about Virat holding her hand before and without knowing, she started blushing. "Haye haye blushing..." they continued to tease her.
"Stop it you silly idiots..arghhh" Manvi stomped her feet and started walking away.
This continues the whole day, Manvi was teased and teased and teased. She called Virat angrily and asked him to never come to her college again. Virat ignored her, attributing it to her random tantrums. " kuch acha karne jao toh sunathi hai, kuch na karu toh bajathi hai. Kya musibat hai."
Virat came home late that night. Manvi was watching tv, she ignored him. After a few minutes, Virat took the remote from her hand and switched off the TV "I have to study! Why don't you do something useful, go study." He said.
"Study for what? I quit college." Manvi put a blanket over her and acted asleep.
"What? But why?" Virat asked very angry.
Before Manvi could answer. Maya called him.
V: "No that's ok Maya. I didn't even notice I forgot it at your place. I will get it from you the next time."
V: "Yep. I am fine. Thanks babe. Good night"
Manvi could only hear one side of the conversation but she could very well make out that Virat was still seeing Maya. Did she expect him to stop seeing her? Ofcourse not. Small drops of tears rolled off her eyes. Why am I crying? She asked herself wiping of her tears. She wanted to vanish from there, that room. He didn't want her. He wanted Maya.
Virat removed the blanket from her face and saw her sleeping. He sat there beside her thinking about his day. He was with Maya that evening. They had gone to her place but the whole time, he was feeling strange, like he didn't belong there; he just wanted to go home. He made an excuse and left from there. If it was before, he would have shared it with Manvi, but now he somehow could not.
