Parineeta

Slightly Changed!

How i hated the morning sunrise that always had to be the enemy of my sleep. Every morning they spoil my peaceful sleep and i have to leave my dreamland to come back to this real and cruel word. Actually.. Sometimes i wonder what my life really is.. A hindi Ekta kapoor serial where everything is a joke. Every relation is so fake. A lie.
"Nandini bitiya.. Subah ho gyi.."Ram kaka came in opening the curtains of my room. He's been doing this since i don't know how many years.
"nahi kaka.. Raat kardo.. Abhi mujhe aur sona hai.."i said sleepily.
"par aapka college.."he said hesitatingly.
"kaka ek din ki chhutti toh aap bhi lete ho na.. Toh mai toh abhi bhi bachchi hun! Itta kaam kaise karungi.. Sone dijiye.."i said rubbing my eyes and turning my head away covering myself in the duvet.
"par.. Manik baba toh aapka wait kar rhe hai.."he said.
"Toh usse kahiye.. Mera wait na kare aur chala jaaye main nhi aungi..mujhe sona hai.. Pta nhi usse kya ho gya subha subha kaise uth jaata hai.. 6 bje bhi koi uthne ka time hota hai.."i nagged.
"par bitiya abhi 6 nahi 8 baj gye hai!"kaka said and huffed.
" koi baat nhi usse kaho mai nahi aa rhi.."i said and silence hung around. I peeked out of my duvet and there was no one in the room. I smiled to myself and hid back into the duvet.
"Nandiniii!"urgh!not again.. Aiyappa why can't he leave me alone.
"utho! College nhi jaana.."Manik walked in my room and pretended to be asleep.
"i know you're not sleeping.. Get up.."he said sitting on the bed by my side.
"Nandini.."he called me again and i felt irritated.
"Manik.. Go lemme sleep! I don't wanna go to the college today!"i said again nagging.
Nobody lets this little girl sleep.. MORON!
"kyu nhi jaana!"he asked pulling my duvet.
"mujhe sona hai.. Sone do.. Aur jao apni uss girlfriend ko phone karo.. Usse pareshaan karo.."i said gathering my duvet back together.
"nhi tum utho.."he too insisted like a kid.
"Manik!! I'll kill you.. Just go.."i said irritatedly.
"haan toh mujhe maarne ke liye bhi tumhe uthna padega utho.."this time he grabbed one of my shoulders along with the duvet pulled me up with immense force that before I could realize i was sitting lazily on the bed.
"yaar kya hai.. Thike na tum gym jaate ho.. Par mai tumhara dumble nhi hu jo mere saath subha subha weight lifting kar rhe ho.."i said rubbing my eyes.
"but tum bhot light ho.. Toh ab agar tum nhi uthi toh mai tumhe issi tarah dumble ki tarah utha kar bath tub mein thande paani mei baitha dunga.."he Said holding my shoulders.
"i hate you Manik Malhotra!"i said getting up from the bed.
"wow that's new!"he said sounding surprised.
What did he mean!?
I grabbed my black long skirt and pink belled sleeve crop top and went into the washroom.
...
"hello.. Manik.. Are you coming to pick me.."Alya asked as Manik tried to say something.
"nhi Alya.. I'm at Nandini's place.. And we'll come together.."he said trying to sound innocent.
"its okay.. See you at college.. Bye" and she cut the call leaving an amused Manik still holding the phone to his ear.
"wow! This was a first she wasn't cribbing about it.."he wondered quite aloud and even though i had no intention of listening to his conversation with her but i heard it.
" huh! So you managed to change my decision again!"i said coming out adjusting my hair to the sides as my top was an off shoulder.
"let's go.."he said without turning to me.
"hnmm!"i showed no interest and settled my sling on my shoulder.
"what hnm?"he asked looking up at me for the first time in the whole while but i was already busy stuffing my things inside my sling... And.. My phone buzzed.
"nothing!"i said not paying much attention to him.
"listen to me. will you?"he asked looking at me as i fished my phone out of my bag amd was busy unlocking it.
"i am.."i said totally not being interested in whatever he wanted to say.
"how do you switch your modes in just one night.. You were okay last night!"he blabbered to which i did not respond as Maddy's sweet, flirty, concerned message flashed on my phone.
:morning beautiful! Had a sound a beauty sleep?:
He asked and i smiled. He was really sweet!
"Nandini yaar.. Listen to me.."Manik nagged as i replied to Maddy.
"i am Manik.."i said as i tried to think of something equally sweet, flirtatious, and comforting to him.
:yup.. After all a princess needs it.. And i being your princess never compromise on sleep..: i said and chuckled inwardly.
:ofcourse your highness.. I love you too..xD!:he replied and i was zapped.
:hey i did not say that to you.. Neither will i ever... Try it on someone else..someone who falls for your flirting.. I'm already married..:i said and giggled more evidently pissinng Manik to the core of his temper.
:what's there in trying.. Who knows after an year.. You may say those to me..:he added amd i wish i could slap him.
:that isn't happening.. I love someone else already..:i had just hit the send button when phone was snatched out of my hand.
"Manik! My phone.."i screamed as he held it high in his towering hands and I was already too small to reach the top of this living Eiffel tower.
"you don't listen to me.. Now this is your punishment.."he said trying to keep me away from pulling his hand down, that was the only thing i could do with the little physical strength i had.
"i was.. Listening.. To.. You.."i said trying to grip his hand.
"achha.. Toh kya bola maine.."he gripped my waist with his other free hand and i looked at him blankly as he still held the phone up high.
"bolo.."he said again and i looked away.
"bas phir.. I win this argument.. Now your phone stays with me.. Till we reach the college.."he said and i looked at him.
"chalo sit in the car.. I forgot my wallet in your room.."he said and turned away as i walked ahead towards the stairs but then something stuck me.
"why would you forget your wallet in my room.. You never took it..."i said as i turned and i saw him still standing there looking gravely into my phone.
Was he reading my messages..? What?no..he is not supposed to do that!
"Manik! You can't check my messages without my permission.. how dare you.."i screamed as i ran to him and he instantly hid the phone behind him.
"his princess.. His highness.. Seriously Nandini.. And what was that.. I love you too.. Lemme read what was written further.."he said turning away but jumped from side to side take back my phone.
"Manik you should not check anyone's messages.. No!"i said and he looked at me.
"I'm your husband.. I can.."he said with authority.
"no.. Mr. Real fake husband you cannot..that's my phone.. Do i ever check yours and Alya's chat.. Nhi na.."i said holding him by both his arms ceasing him to move.
"are you guys dating?"he asked plainly looking at me. He did not move. Neither did i. He was asking me something that i didn't want to answer. Not to him atleast.. Not to the one who's left me with no more love for any one. I have loved only one and i can and i will live only one till i exist. But i don't want to tell him that. I don't want to give him another chance to break the already broken me. No!
"i don't think i am answerable to you.."with this his expressions changed. From casual to serious to grave.
"what do you mean! And do i take this as a yes.."he said.
"think whatsoever.. I am not answering.."i said and i moved back.
"Nandini!"he called me as i walked ahead trying not to pay any heed to his rantings.
"answer me.."i heard his shuffling footsteps and i could make out he was hurriedly moving behind me.
Stop it Manik.. You would never know how hard it is to move on from loving someone.. Falling out of love is not as easy as Falling in love..
I was trying hard to control my tears that had welled up in my eyes even on the thought of moving on from him.
I wish i was strong enough to move on. I was suddenly pulled back harshly and i landed on his broad chest with my eyes tightly close.
"you have to answer me.. I have all the god damned rights to know.. Are you guyz dating?"he asked holding me tightly close to him.
"Manik you're hurting me.."i said averting my gaze to his hold on me.
"answer me!"he shook me not caring about however much pain i was bearing.
"why do you even care! Why can't i think about my life.. Or is it like only you have the right to take your life to a happy end and not me.."i said looking back at him with cold expressions.
His hold tightened on me and he looked like a hungry lion ready to pounce on its prey.
"for the last time... Are you guys dating?"you don't care.. I know you don't.. Stop showing as if you do..i wanted to scream but my voice seemed to have died in my throat itself and I just stared at him trying to decipher what this restlessness in his eyes was for. Me? No. Is it because he is getting some idea out of my behavior that i and Maddy are dating. But why should he care even if i was.
"No.."came a muffled voice out of my mouth and his eyes seemed to settle. The chaos in his eyes began settling. He slowly started looking calmer than what he was seconds back but he tried hiding it.
He jerked my arms and left from there as i followed behind him. My phone still in his hands he walked carelessly down to his car.