Parineeta

We Never Had A Future!

"tum! Uss se.. Aur uske jaise har Cheap insaan se jitna ho sake utna dur rahogi! Samjhi!" he shouted at me just as we reached the jam room and he left my hand. I gaped at him. My eyed fixed on him, trying to decipher who the real Manik is, and what does he want.
"bloody moron.. Aur tum khade khade uski shakal dekh rhi thi.. Vaise toh bhot bold ho.. Uske samne muh mhi khulta tumhara!"he looked at me angrily. I couldn't understand what to feel happy, Sad, irritated, angry. Or nothing.
"mere saamne toh aise sherni banti ho jaise pure India ko terrorism se akele bacha logi.. Aur vo itna faaltu bol rha tha.. Usse kuch nhi bol saki!" i couldn't get words to stop him.
"ab toh bolo.. Subha se toh patar patar bole jaa rhi thi jaise debate jitne pahunchi thi! Washroom mein bhi muh band nhi ho rha tha tumhara.. Aur ab maun vrat rakh liya.."he shouted.
"Manik! Enough!"i finally said equally loud, irritated by his continuous mocking.
"haan.. Yeh enough sirf mere saamne hi nikalta hai..Harshad jaise logo ke saamne nhi.."he again started.
"Manik bhai ko beech mein mat lao... Galti unki nhi hai.. Jab isse sharam nhi aayi uss larke se shaadi karne mei jo already kisi ke saath relationship mein hai!"Alya spoke.
"Alya.. Vo idea Manik ka tha... Nandini ki galti nhi hai.."Dhruv pointed.
"usne usse force toh nhi kiya hoga na.. Usne accept kiya iska matlab vo khud bhi chaahti thi! Aur tum kyun uski side le rhe ho.. Tumhe bhi ho gya kya Nandini Murthy se pyaar!"Alya mocked and it was enough.
"bas Alya! Aur kitna bologi.. Aur kitna hate karti ho. Mujhe.. Kuchh bhi bologi!"i said tears forming in my eyes.
"kya galat bola maine.. Tum yhi toh karti aayi ho.. Ladko ko phasati aayi ho.. Pehle Aryaman.. Phir Abi Manik.. Aur koi hai kya list mei new entry.. Haa Dhruv!"she said sarcastically.
"Alya.. Baat ko mat badhao.. Jab tum kuch jaanti nhi!"Dhruv said. A sudden change in his expressions. His eyes had alot to say but something was stopping him.
"guyz! Kya kar rhe ho.. Harshad ki vajah se aapas mei kyu lad rhe ho.."Cabir intervened and i felt a stabbing pain in my heart on realizing that all this while when Alya was accusing me of something i had never done,Manik hadn't even breathed let alone speaking for me.
"Manik! Ab tum kuchh nhi bologe.."i said finally having enough of his mood swings.
"abhi toh tumhe gussa nhi aa rha hoga na.. Tumhari girlfriend ne tumhari biwi ke baare mei itna sab kuch bol diya lekin tumhe uspar gussa nhi aa rha hoga.. Toh kyu itna drama Harshad ki baaton par.. Uski toh baatien mujhe affect bhi nhi karti.. Lekin tumhe uspe gussa aaya.. Aur yha tumhari apni best-friend cum girlfriend itna sab bol gyi lekin uski baat ka bura kyu lagega! Vo toh girlfriend hai.. Usse thorhi na naaraz karoge.. Remember one last thing.. Today you proved ki tumhare life kaun kitna important hai.. Mai kabhi bhi tumhe leke galat nhi thi.. Aur aaj ke baad mere liye yeh fake concerns mat dikhana.. Don't show me what you don't feel! Manik.. Hum alag the alag rhenge! Tum aur mai.. humara koi future vaise bhi kabhi nhi ho sakta!"i said my tears rolling down continuously as Maddy took me in a hug.
"relax! Its okay! Sab thik.."Maddy's word were cut in mid when i felt a strong arm pulling me out of his hug.
"Nandu!"Manik said trying to hold but i didn't let him. I pushed him away.
"don't you call me that! I already told you.. You're no one to me.. Just a stranger with whom I'm stuck with for one hell of a year.."i said not letting him come closer to me.
"mujhse dur rho.."i said holding onto Maddy's hand.
"Nandu.. Meri flight ka time ho rha hai.. I have to go.. Please tu rona band kar nhi toh mai nhi jaunga!"Maddy said almost pleadingly.
"toh mat jaao! Aaj please.."i said digging my head in his chest while Aryaman stroke my hair and Navya was busy passing disgusted looks at Fab5.
"important meeting hai! By the way tu mujhe uss towel vaale scene ke replay ke liye toh nhi rok rhi!"Maddy said and i managed to giggle between my tears hitting his chest while i could Manik's intense raging gaze on us.
"Nandini please listen to me.."Manik said in a tone that was mixed wiyh every emotion.
"Manik bas..bohot ho gya... Tu tyakte nhi ho Nandini ko hurt karte karte.. Humlog kab tak usse yeh samjhate rahenge ki tum kuch bhi intentionally nhi karte.. Aaj toh humne khud dekh liya! Ab iske baad toh hum usse kuch samjha bhi nhi sakte! Bas karo.. Aur usse dur rho!"Navya said quite hurt.
"Navya she is my wife.. And I'm talking to her.. Husband wife ke beech koi na bole toh better hoga!"he said and i turned to him.
"really Manik hum husband wife hai yeh tumhe yaad hai.. Toh Alya ko kyu nhi roka jab vo husband-wife ke beech bol rhi thi.. Kyu mere friends mere liye stand le toh tum unhe humara relation yaad dila rhe ho! Kyu Harshad ko yeh kaha ki mai tumhari biwi hun.. Aur kyu jab Alya ne itni ghatiya baatien ki toh tumne usse nhi roka... Listen Manik Malhotra... I'm absolutely done with you.. And.. With this marriage.."i said and left the room.
Everyone stood gaping. No one could understand what i meant by my last line.
"Arya.. I need you to drop me at Murthys after college!"i turned back to Aryaman and he nodded.
"Maddy.. You'll miss your flight!"i said before leaving from there.
....
"Nandu.. Tumhare kehne ka matlab kya tha!"Navya asked as we sat in the car. We had finally decided to go and drop Maddy together.
"we'll talk about that later Navya! For now Maddy when would you be coming again!"i asked Maddy who had been silent till now.
"i don't know.. Anytime!"he said.
"next time you go for a trip make sure you take me along.."i said.
"trip.. Next week NY.."he said, "i have a meeting there so you can accompany!" he said and Navya popped up with a new plan.
"lets go together.. Spend a week.. Have fun... And then come back.."
"not bad!"Arya said and i nodded as Maddy took leave.
"Arya.. Murthys!"i said getting back in the car.
"but Nandu.. Akeli kya karogi vha.."he asked and i had no answer.
"Arya mai bas iss shaadi aur Manik se dur rehna chahti ho.."i said clearly. Silence followed and no one spoke until we reached my place.
"call us if you need anything"Arya said and Navya hugged me before i went in.