MALANG

4. Terms & Conditions

I had barely taken a sip from my morning coffee when the calling bell rang thrice in a row.

With an irritated face I got up. It wasn't Vani for sure because she had left just an hour ago and unless she died of any accident or something, there was no way she was going to come back after meeting Kabir. As for the point of her death- she wasn't going to die so soon because her life line was pretty long for that matter.

"Whoz this?" I asked as I opened the door unmindfully.

"Why didn't you come to the cafe?" Came a hissing reply from the other side.

My eyes went shut immediately and in a reflex I banged the door straight on my visitor's face. It was a different case though that the door didn't close properly and that I was still unapologetic for my behaviour.

"What the hell! Open the bloody door, dammit." My visitor, aka Kabir, shouted his lungs out as tried his best to push me away from the door. But I also remained at my place firm and adamant. I was just not letting that man enter my flat anyway.

"What do you want, Kabir? I've already returned your blazer in a clean and undamaged condition." I replied as a matter of fact. Guess his irritation reached a higher notch with that.

"To hell with the blazer yaar." Kabir banged his fist on the door impatiently. "Blazer was just an excuse. It was you I wanted to meet."

Oh?
"And why is so? Just because I refused to accept your touch last night?"

"You do know me right?" He growled like an wounded animal. It scared me a bit. I lowered my voice involuntarily.

"Yes."

"Then why the hell aren't you telling that how do you know me? Either you say everything or don't say anything at all. Pretend like we are complete strangers... But thats not an option now.. so yeah, tell. Who are you and how am I related to you?"

"I..."

"Who are you? And why are you disturbing my child?"

I couldn't complete my sentence. I was cut short was Madhav uncle who lived in the flat opposite to ours. Sure he had heard all these commotions and thought that either of his neighbours was in danger.

A cold sigh escaped my lips as I stepped aside from the door and opened it wide.

"I am Bira. I am a singer and..."

"I don't care. Why are you disturbing... ." he peeked behind Kabir's tall frame to check whom he was fighting for. Then he resumed- "Nitya.. why are you disturbing Nitya huh? Kaha ke mawali ho tum? Kiske liye kaam karte ho?"

"Excuse me sir?" Kabir's jaws dropped. I felt bad for him at that moment but there was a strange sense of satisfaction as well.

"Why will I excuse you?" Madhav uncle kept rambling. "You come to our society and fight with our kids and then expect that no one will ask you anything! You really think we are that helpless and dumb?"

"You are getting me wrong." Kabir spoke in a panicky tone, which was soon dismissed by uncle.

"SHUT UP, Bastard." He retorted furiously, much to my own surprise. "I will not tolerate this in our society... Come with me, I will take you to the police station."

Kabir's panic crossed all limits this time. He looked at me helplessly and cried- "Say something Nitya... You know I am not what he is thinking!"

Instantly Madhav uncle roared- "What will she say? And how dare you threaten her before me?"

"Nitya please say something... please." Kabir cried again. And I don't know if it was the desperation in his voice or something seriously wrong inside me, but I did give up.