Parineeta

That's A First(B)

"good morning Medha!" Manik whispered in Medha's ears as he picked her up in his arms while i slept peacefully cuddled in the duvet.
Medha smiled at him while tracing his smile with her little hands.
"Nandini!"he called to me as he made Medha sit on my left while he sat on the corner of the bed beside me.
"Nandini! Get up!"he called out while I turned to his side and snuggled into my pillow.
"Nandini! Uth jao! Time dekho!"he poked again but for the first time since our marriage, i was so deep in my sleep that i couldn't bother to shrug him off or snub him.
I pulled another pillow over my head to avoid his voice though it felt quite peaceful to hear his voice early in the morning, like the earlier times, for the first time since our marriage.
"Nandini! Medha bhi uth gyi hai.. Usse chorhne bhi toh jaana hai! Usse ready kon karega! Maine little treasure ke owners se baat kiya! Vo bhi Medha ko dhund rhe the!"he said and my eyes flung open. Matlab abi Medha bhi important hai.. Mera number kab ayega! Token leke kharha hona padega kya line mein!
Not that i minded him giving attention or love or importance to that little angel but i wondered why everyone was important to him but me.
I turned to face him and tried getting up but something held me back on the bed. I looked up to find my hair stuck to the headside of the bed.
"ouch!"i cried as i tried pulling my hair out.
"wait! Don't do that!"he said suddenly and i looked at him questioningly.
Before i could understand what he meant i found him leaning over me. His face right over mine  and his hot breath fanning against mine. I felt myself choking as i inhaled his scent. He had already freshened up. I looked at him while he was busy untangling my messed up hair.
"aah!"i hissed as i felt my hair being pulled.
"just a minute! Hogya!"he said not moving his gaze off my hair. What was surprising was how Medha was quiet all through the while. I could've checked on her had i not gotten busy in admiring someone whom i should actually hate.
"hogya!"he said and he looked at me while i was lost in a lot of things. From understanding what had happened to my life to where my life was heading and for how long did i have Manik around, i had thought about all of it while i looked at him unblinking.
"Nandini! Its 9:30!"he said pulling me out of my deep well of thoughts.
"urgh! Haan!"i said finally looking away as he tried moving off me but aiyappaaa!
Manik's hand slipped off the bed and he...
What the hell! Aiyappa! He......he..kissed me.. Did he? Why?
Manik landed right over me with his lips partly on my lips and my cheeks. My eyes widened enough like a big blazer button as i stared at him and he stared back at me.
Had we been in love i won't have minded pulling him over me like this time and again but this wasn't us. This was just me. And the one sided love is just my problem not his.
I looked away trying to avoid his gaze and get myself more embarrassed but what amazed me was him... He did not move an inch. His eyes stuck like glue and he stayed over me in the same position.
"Manik! I need to.."i stopped mid realizing that he had actually zoned out!
"Manik!"i shook him by his shoulder with one hand that i had managed to unlock due to our awkward positioning.
He blinked his eyes twice registering whatever happened and then jerked away from over me. He straightened himself as he stood up and then tried stealing glances at me.
With someone you feel good with, such accidents don't make you feel awkward but then this was Manik. The person, i supposedly hated alot and here i personally always made sure no such cliché accidents took place between us because they won't get any good but aiyappa wasn't on my side! He had to pull such stunts to get me into situations I've been avoiding. Next disaster would be if i speak my heart out to Manik.! Aiyappaaa preventive measures please!
I got up from the bed checking on Medha and i found her fiddling with a button on her tee. "I'll just freshen up!" i said and moved towards the washroom when something struck me.
"tumne kab baat ki little treasures ki authorities se.."i turned to look at him but he was already out of sight along with medha.
I resumed back into the washroom to take a calming cold water bathe to soothe my nerves. I wish i could wash his touches off my skin as i rubbed my cheeks. The water was too cold for a usual summer morning yet i felt it harmless as i was deeply engrossed in those thoughts.
Just in a day Medha had gotten me too attached to her and now we were going to drop her back and the only question that came to my mind was how was i going to stay in this house with him without someone to distract me from all the chaos that came around along with his presence.
I huffed finally getting no answer to any of my problems as i switched off the tap and looked around for my gown..
"crap!"i muttered as i grabbed my pink gown hanging in a hanger. No! It was not the 'favorite color pink' thing but just to differentiate between all the white towels and gowns in the house.
"mere kapde!"i looked around wrapping the gown over me but i was sure i had not gotten them.
"this guy will never let me live at peace!"i said against my gritted teeth remembering the awkward moment that we had had before i rushed into the washroom.
"Manik!"i called seeing no other option, but i got no reply. Maybe he wasn't there.
I peeked out of the washroom door and the room seemed empty.
I stepped out of the washroom and rushed towards my wardrobe.
"Nandini!"he had to do it. I turned around to see him pushing the door of the room.
"Manik no!"i screamed and he looked at me wide eyed trying to hide myself behind the wardrobe door.
What a normal guy could've done was to go away after saying a polite sorry, but he was... MANIK MALHOTRA. Afterall.
I could see a smirk settle on his face.
"are you crazy.. Aise Chilla kyu rhi ho.. Log kya samjhenge!"he said coming in and pushing the door closed. As he checked me out from head to toe though i made sure i wasn't much visible to him.
"Manik.. Tum.. Just go!"i said hiding more behind the little door.
"mai kyu jau! Yeh mera room hai! Tum jao!"he said nearing me.
"oh hullo! Mai aise kaise jaungi! Aur vaise bhi yeh room jitta tumhara hai utta hi mera bhi hai!"i said.
"you wish!"he said standing in front of me as i adjusted myself behind the door.
"Manik! I said bahar jao! Mujhe change karna hai!"i said angrily and he smirked once again. I wish i could smack his face to the wall but i had more important things to deal with right now, like Him.
"toh karo! Infact even i can help you with that!"he said coming closer.
"you shameless creature! Udhar hi rho..mere paas mat aao.. Nhi toh.."i paused for a moment before i caught hold of a hanger.
"nhi toh?"he said stepping forward.
"nhi toh mai.."i threw the hanger at him which missed the target and he smiled.
"ho gya?"he asked.
"Manik tumhe sharam nhi aati.. You're telling me that you can help me change.. Cheap.."i said rolling my eyes.
"kya cheap! I'm your husband and i anyways have the legal rights to... You know.. Help you change!"he smirked. I guess he'd had a memory loss.
" no! You don't until i give you those 'you know' rights! And as it is.. I don't take as my husband.. Don't forget what i asked you for last night!"i said knowing I'd hit the wrong chord.
His facial muscles stiffened. His anger reflected hints of anger as he looked at me there after.
"mai tumhe iska jawab de diya  tha! I don't wanna repeat myself! Change and come! We're waiting.."he said and turned.
"wait you need to answer me.. Kya problem hai.. Tum toh vaise bhi Alya se pyaar karte ho.. Mera tumhari life se  jaana toh tumhare liye sab kuch simple kar sakta hai.. Toh why don't you let me go and let me move on too!"
"you'll catch cold!"he said sternly and turned away but paused before he left for good.
"i don't like simple things!"he said and finally left.

I was in the car within five and i saw Manik playing with Medha in the car. I could see Manik saying something to her while she listened to him intently with both her hands on either sides of his torso. Her stuck down while she bobbed her head and simultaneously giggled.
"let's go!" I said sitting inside the car and taking Medha in my lap.
"hmm!"he hummed and ignited the engine.
.....
"thank you Mr. And Mrs. Malhotra... Hum toh Medha ki missing complaint lodhe karne jaane vaale the par aapka call aa gya! Vo aaj se pehle kabhi ms. Chavi se dur nhi rhi.. I hope usne aapko pareshaan nhi kiya!" aaid the director of the orphanage Mr. Devarsh Bhatnagar.
"not at all.. In fact.. Medha bhot hi pyaari hai!"Manik said looking at Medha who had now resumed back with her friends.
"thats good.. Maybe she likes you.. Because aaj se pehle jitne parents usse adopt karne aye hai.. They were trouble too much by her that they dropped the plan of adopting kids! She isn't a kid who would get along with anyone and everyone! You guys have to be special!"said the guy director. He looked not more than Manik's age yet he had such knowledge of kids, i had never expected a man to know so much. He was one of the exceptions besides Manik who was equally handsome and smart. His talks conveyed how affectionate he was towards kids and how much he loved each of them. And i would be lying if i say that i wouldn't have fallen for him had i already not fallen for Manik. He had an equally charming personality afterall.
"here's my number! You can contact me in case you need help!"he offered and i took the card from his hand though very casually but i could feel Manik looking at me.
"we'll surely let you know! For now we shall take a leave!"Manik said and he smiled warmly in return as we moved out of there.

"Nandini! What was that?"he asked and i looked at him confused.
"what was what?"i asked back in turn.
"you're no kid.. Why did you have to grab that card from him like a desperate kid!"he said annoyedly.
"Manik! I'm not a kid.. And I'm not even desperate.. It was jyst a casual approach that he offered and i took it!"i said.
"i didn't look casual!"he said.
"whatever! Drop me at the college and then go wherever you want to.."i said.
"I'll be going at Alya's she wanted to speak to me!"he said and i rolled my eyes at him as we sat in the car.
"maine toh nhi puchha! Jaha jaana hai jao! Mujhe college drop kar do.."i said and he nodded though i guess he wanted to say something but chpse against it. Smart choice mr. Malhotra!