Parineeta

Nothing Anymore

It was already 2:30 Am and I was heading back home drunk on my scooty. It did look like aiyappa was favouring me when i didn't get spotted by any traffic police at any point. Lucky me. I would've said had i been in my senses but thanks to Navya i wasn't. The girl who hadn't drunk ever was now tumbling over at every step.
I parked my scooty and sneaked inside my house like a thief mumbling aaj blue hai paani paani aur din bhi sunny sunny sunny!
I walked up the stairs tripping over at alternate steps. But my principle was still held up. 'If you fall stand back head strong without anyone's help' and i reached up our room. My head swaying as i pushed the already open door.
"Nandini!"Manik lpoled at me wide eyed as i walked in the room. Arre abhi toh party shuru hui hai! I said out loud and he reached upto me putting his palm on my mouth to shush me.
"you're drunk?"he asked more like confirming and his phone rang.
He slid his hands in his pocket and took out his cell still holding onto me while i wiggled in his grip.
"let me go you monster Malhotra! Leave me!"i said venting out my days long frustration on him. I pushed him, pinched him and tried all the tricks to get of his grip but instead he pulled me closer and wrapped one hand around my waist while the still juggled the phone to look at the caller. "I'm not Alya! I'm not your girlfriend and you're not allowed to hold me like this! You're not allowed to touch me... You're no one leave me!" i said hitting his chest with my fisted hands not allowing him to look at the phone and finally it went silent. He kept the phone down and grabbed my shoulders hard to stop me from any struggle further. His face had stiffened and he looked seemingly annoyed.
"I'm your god damned husband! Do you get that! I've all the rights to hold you touch you and do whatever i wanna do with you.. But right now that's not the point! The point is tumne pi hai?"he said looking deep in my eyes.
"fake husband.. Contr..contracted husband.."i corrected him equally furiously holding my index finger in front of his face,"and shut up! I'm not drunk! I don't drink! You.. Should know that!" i said angrily. His phone rang once again and he looked at me irritatedly.
"hello!"he roared finally picking up the call this time without looking at the caller.
"bro! Sorry.. Nandini.. Has she reached home.."the caller asked and Manik looked back at screen only to see my name flashing on the screen.
"who's this?"he asked still angrily.
"Aryaman this side! Vo.."Manik cut him in mid.. His anger breaking the limits.
"were you guys out of your mind! How could you let her get drunk.."he roared through the phone.
"that's what! Navya spiked her drink.. And she was bowled out in just one.."he explained and Manik huffed looking at me swaying.
"She has never tried drinking before.. Even a half would be difficult for her to handle..anyways..ill handle her!"he said and kept the phone down and held me back closely.
"haan toh tum kya bol rahi thi! I am No-one!really Nandini Malhotra!?"he smirked as he helped me to his bed.
"Murthy.. Its Nandini Murthy.. Stop putting false hopes in my head! This is all just fake.. Don't make it sound like the truth.. Because this marriage is the biggest lie of my life!"i said softly. Alcohol now was overpowering my till yet controled brain and the true emotions of my heart were starting to flow.
"Nandini!"he started but i didn't let him Complete.
"no Manik Malhotra.. No more.. You no more hold any place! Not even the best friend.. This marriage.. A compromise that i did.. Infact we did for our parents.. Nothing more.. We have no relation.."i said controlling my tears. He sat down on the floor holding my knees.
"and how could you decide that alone! And why do you want us to be complete strangers... Nandini we've always been the best friends.."he said trying to hold my hand that rest in my lap.
"i decided that for myself.. Because it's high time that i take my life seriously... I now should keep it on the top of my priority list... I've done enough for all.. And opting you out of my life entirely was never even the last thing that I wanted you know that already.. but now it seems the best! You've already decided about where your life would head and its time i should do the same... And for the best friend.. Manik you were always my Bestfriend but i never was for you! For you it was always Fab5 and i don't mind! But please now let manage my messed up life!"i said slowly feeling my world spinning. Manik hadn't spoken anything and neither was i waiting for him to say anything. My eyes gradually began to feel heavy and finally everything blacked out. I fainted on the bed itself.
Manik scooted me up in his arms and tucked me in the bed covering me in the duvet.
"i don't know why you feel that.. But I've always thought of you as my best friend.."he said but i slept peacefully turning a deaf ear to him
...
I woke a hammering pain in my head about which i had no clue. I had just woken up from a death like sleep after what seemed like a year. I looked around and realized i was sitting on a comfortable bed in a room that looked similar to Manik's but i remembered nothing about coming to some room or doing anything after i had the orange juice that Navya had brought for me. My eyes felt heavy even after a deadly sleep and the pain was getting unbearable. I struggled to open my eyes widely and saw a blurred figure sleeping on the couch opposite the bed. Where am I. I thought and pressurised my brain to remember atleast something of last night and finally after a lot of trying i could figure some blur images of me blabbering and Manik sitting down listening to me. Good lord! I was drunk.. And what the hell did i blabber in front of him.. I thought as things finally made sense. I realised my drink had been spiked and thereafter i did everything that could be considered silly except whatsoever i spoke to Manik. Afterall Drunk heart speaks sober and what was even worse was that i couldn't remember a thing i spoke to him.
I pressed my head harder for the last time trying to suppress the pain but that seemed too far. I wanted to get out of that place before Manik could wake up. I looked for my phone but couldn't find it. Finally chucking the thought of the phone i headed to the washroom with my denim shorts and pink crop top. A quick hot water shower did bits of good and i came out Towel drying my hair. I did not want to wake Manik up and therefore i did everything very carefully making sure he did not get disturb before i leave.
I left my hair open, flowing freely with the slightest blow of air. Putting my bluish boots on and the denim fabricated sling around my shoulders. Slings had always been my weekness. A touch of minimal make up with a thin liner and baby pink shiny gloss helped maintain my glossy look. My head still hurt as i hurled into the kitchen to grab some lemon water and finally left the house on my scooty. Dad had promised to send me my car as soon as possible yet the as-soon-as-possible was taking alot of time.
I was alot too early for the college timing and so I decided to go for a long drive. Today was the day i could actually go for a ride on my scooty. The weather was perfect, a little chilly for the normal days yet not so called. It was ofcourse the monsoons and the wind was misty. The perfect part was the vanishing of my disturbing element. The Cell Phone. One hell of a disturbance.
I had always had a keen interest in such unplanned road trips but just for an hour or so. Where I'd be alone away from the disturbance and all of the chaos in my life. It was only me and my thoughts.
I took the highway and headed on a road that had no single destination. So like me. Even i had no destination. A wanderer,i would call myself and a mental patient the others would call me. Amma appa were always irritated by my sudden disappearances. I had this habit of going on such short trips without informing anyone and that was what tensed amma always. Manik though never bothered yet did scold me for the matter of formality as a Bestfriend. I hardly could care ever. None of it could ever stop me.
Thankfully i had gotten my tiny apple ipod for my company which i plugged in in one of my ears and continued my journey.