Parineeta

How Does It Feel?

"Nandini! You planning to get up today or not?" Manik asked as i snuggled more into the couch.
"shut up and let me sleep!"did i ever mention that i never compromised on my sleep for any god damned person.
"Huh! Fine then! I'm going!"he stomped towards the door..
"you wish!"i snapped.
"I'll be picking up Alya first!"do whatever you want moron.
"i care?"i asked shifting in the little space that i had.
"i was asking if you needed a pick up too! For college!" he asked softly taken aback by my response.
"are you the newly appointed driver!"i asked coldly.
"no!"he shrugged,"Manik Malhotra is no one's driver!"
"then even I'm Nandini Murthy i don't need favours! Now get lost and do not dare to disturb my sleep.. I'll kill you Manik Malhotra!"i roared and he left quite annoyed with my twisted behavior.
...
"so how does it feel to be mrs. Malhotra!?"my couldn't get any worse when i have the very question I'm hating.
"Cabir! How would you feel when you're lying in your grave!"i looked at him as we walked in the college gates together. That was some kind of a coincidence. I had met Cabir just outside the college where i was busy adjusting my little sling over my shoulder so that it doesn't move much disturbing my attire. Aah! How good does it feel to be back in my light dolled up attire. I was wearing my favorite lemon colored frock with brown boots. The best cheetah printed sling round my shoulder. My hair open falling on either sides of my face. I had this minimal make up on my face and gloss on my lips that made every other guy roll over his feet. I was back in my style.
"that's grave!"he nodded his head.
"remember... I'm still Nandini Murthy and will always be!"i told him just when a black audi brushed past us. A few metres closer and i would've been sliced.
"idiot!"i shouted and looked at the car being parked at a distance.
The guy in the black jacket amd denims came out with a girl in a deep red frock! She had this red handbag in her hand and so dearly laughing with the guy.
"bloody morons!"i sweared again and Cabir gasped at me.
"Nandini don't you think you've changed alot! Or you're not Nandini! Where did you hide our Sweet Nandini!"he slid into his melodramatic mood and i rolled my eyes.
"maybe she's slept for a year or so!?"we heard a voice and turned around to find the most adorable boy if the college standing behind us.
"right Dhruv!"i remarked smiling at him.
"hnmm! That can be the only reason that she gets too good with swearing that too for her own husband!"Manik?
I looked back at the guy with black audi and the girl in red. Indeed he was Manik. So what! He was at fault.. each time! It was his mistake..i thought.
"by the way you like a true barbie doll! Planning some murders today.."Dhruv winked and Cabir hooted much audible and i could notice Manik's attention diverting to us.
"had thought! Working? Is it?"i asked naughtily.
"pretty much!"we giggled.
"woho! The shy guy getting bold haan that too with his Bestfriend's wife! Kya baat!"just as Cabir Completed Manik and Alya joined us with Alya making some crude faces at me. Manik, unmistakably had heard everything that Cabir said, i bet.
"what's up??"he asked looking at all of us and i looked at Dhruv and then at Cabir.
"buddy! I na wanted to ask you for something.."Dhruv looked at me smiling.
"kya hua Dhruv!"Manik looked at both of us.
"your Wife has managed to murder me to a core!"he said and i giggled looking away while Manik stood confused.
"haan toh main usse toh puch lunga but i wanted to ask you if i could take your wife for a dinner.."i looked at him and Cabir smirked.
"kya baat hai.. Bestfriends ki biwi ke saath flirt! Arey par biwi ke bhai se toh permission leni padegi!"he said and Dhruv rolled his eyes.
"haan Cabir baba! Bataiye kya rai hai aapki.. Hum aapki behen ko dinner ke liye le jaa sakte hai!"
"avashya balak! Wow this sounds like Madhubala..where is she by the way!"he asked.
"missing her much!"i smirked and i faked a straight face.
"why would i!?" Cabir said stammering.
"huh.. As if! Anyways she'd be landing tonight.. With Madhyam!"i said, "by the way.. Now i should leave.. Arya must be waiting!" i said and tried making my way.
"dinner ke liye haan toh bolti jaao!"Dhruv shouted and i showed him my tongue.
All this while Manik and Alya had been a silent spectators making faces at instances.
I walked into the canteen and spotted Arya standing in the sandwich cue. I sat on one of the tables waiting fir him when i heard our junglee Fab5 entering the canteen behind us with Manik having his hand around Alya's waist and she happily clinging to him.
Arya made his way out of the cue and noticed me sitting alone staring at my so called husband and his girlfriend. He came and sat by me.
"something burns!"he whispered quite closely in my ear braking my trance and i looked at him.
"haan! My insides burn! I was betrayed! And i can't forget that!"i said looking back at them.
"forget them i have something really exciting! That i shouldn't be telling you because that was supposed to be surprise for you but i can't handle it anymore!"
"spill it!"i said pulling his cheeks.
"ouch.. I won't if you do that again!"he threatened yet he looked so cute! I teased him.
"your toofan express would be reaching any moment!"he saud looking at his watch and before i could react i heard a loud shriek.
All of the heads in the canteen had turned to the entrance and there stood my toofan express. Navya Naveli! Nothing could change her not even the month long trip to Paris.
"Nanduuuu! Nandu! Nandu! Nanduu! Tumhe pata hai humne tumhe kitna miss kiya!"she dashed across the canteen dumping her bags at the entrance itself and there poor Madhyam stood collecting her dropped bags.
"hum toh airport se seedhe yhi aa gye! Haye..  Its so good to be back!"she was the only one blabbering in the silent canteen.
"tumhe pata hai hume kitna bura laga... Humne tumhari shaadi miss kar di Nandu! Can you imagine.."
"good that you missed it!"for the first time in the whole while i spoke and sensed Manik Gazing at me.
"wasn't worth much hype!"i completed.
"arre vo sab chhorho! Maddy idhar aao na!"she commanded and the poor chap was by her side.
"dekho hum tumhare liye kitna kuch laye hai! Aur Arya tumhare liye bhi!"she said excitedly.
"Maddy! Kitne din?"Aya asked in turn.
"two days!"he said gladly. That meant Complete fun for two days. Maddy was the Cabir of our group the only difference was that he was a playboy kind and mostly stayed out of India.
"thats cool! Two days... Its gonna be so much fun!"we high-fived and left the canteen before people could kick us out. Our group though was smaller but we had more fun than Fab5 i bet.
...
My classes for the day were over and i headed to Malhotra Mansion to get stuff ready for the late night party Maddy had planned for us. I hadn't seen much of Fab5 after we left Canteen and i didn't even care.
I reached my the huge mansion which always had its doors open during day. I went up to my room and opened the door without any knocking only to be surprised.
There were Manik and Alya sitting hand in hand on the bed talking something real slow that i had no intentions of overhearing.
"sorry I was just here to take my purse!"i said looking away.
"huh! Be clear and say that you were desperate! You couldn't even knock.."Alya started and this time i felt no anger. Infact no emotions at all. Manik looked at me as if waiting for me to react but i did nothing. I barged in the room while the two of them kept gaping at me. I searched for my purse and was heading towards the door when something struck me. Maddy had asked me to get some drinks too but i knew nothing about them.
"umm.. Manik! Any idea about some good quality drinks!"i asked him snd he looked at me shocked. Expected. I am explaining nothing to anyone.
"drinks?"he asked to confirm what i said.
"yaah.. You know like those alcohols and all!"i said.
"but why do you need them!"he asked getting up from the bed.
"that's not what you need to know!"i snapped and started to leave when he held my hand pulled me back.
" what's wrong with you.. Why are you changing so much!"he asked, his facial muscles stiffened.
"that's not important and we have a whole year to talk about that! Apparently Alya needs your attention.. I don't want her to keep shooting those daggers at me!"i said releasing my hand from his grip and looked at Alya, "save them for the future! And text me if you know about the drinks and haan i might get late tonight!" and i left.
Manik was overwhelmed by my behavior and was getting irritated. He knew nothing was the same anymore. This marriage had broken the lightest of the ties between us. Now there was no friendship also. We were complete strangers and manik had come to realize that fact.
"fine.. If you want it this way!"he muttered as he turned back to Alya. He looked at her but he couldn't feel anything anymore. He wasn't in a mood to talk anymore.
"Alya leave me alone please!"he requested her.
"Manik! Baby why do you think so much about her.  Just forget it! Let her be.. Let her do whatever she wants to.. Afterall its just for a few months.. And then it'll be over! She'll be gone.. Out of your life.."she explained.
"i know it'll be over.. But for now please leave me alone!"he repeated and she thought it best to leave him by himself.