Things that matter

Chapter 22: Manik

"You have been losing focus manik!" My uncle shouts at me from the other side of the phone "tumhara dhyaan aaj kal business par kam Aur baaki cheezon mein zyada hai"

"Aap mujhpe nazar rakh rahe ho?" I say holding the phone tightly as I could—in anger.

"You can take it that way manik, Tum aaj kal apna kaam bhul kar kissi Aur pe foc—"

"Uncle I told you before and I am telling you again, main nahi bhula hu jo main karne aaya hu, I am working on it" I cut him off

"Really? Well I hope that's the case manik, jab tak uss aadmi ko barbaad nahi kar lete tab tak humhe nahi bhoolna hai what he did with your dad" he tells me, my fingers goes over my jaw.

Trust me uncle, that hasn't got off my mind for even a second—I'm on it Lekin zyada time lagega" I tell him

"Good do whatever it takes manik!"

I take a deep breath and end the call throwing it on my bed, my uncle has been calling everyday—he thinks that I've forgotton but I will never forget what has happened with my dad and those who did it and those around him will suffer!

I scheme through my clothes not knowing what to wear for mine and Nandini's date today, because she's playing my game by not telling me where we are going just like what I did with her.

I put on a black suit which was my favourite too, I was honestly excited to know what Nandini had in her mind about the date, I know she won't take me to some boring dinner place.

I hear a knock on my door "come in" I reply, I know it was going to be Nandini

"Hey you ready?" I hear her soothing voice as she peeps her head out from the door.

"Ye—"

"Wait" she cuts me off before I could say anything walking closer to me. I raise my eyebrows at her as she checks me out head from toe. "Tum yeh pehen ke aaonge?"

"Yes, doesn't it look sexy—it's my new favourite suit" I tell her checking myself in the mirror once more.

"Bohot hi accha suit hai but we aren't going to any business meeting" she tells me.

I roll my eyes at her "really? Toh phir batao hum kaha jaa rahe hai so I can dress according—tell me" I try to play smart with her hoping she wouldn't accidentally tell me.

"To th—" she was about to say something but stops "to this place jo tumhe waha jaake Pata chal jayega—stop trying to play smart manik" she crosses her arms.

"Shit, thought I'd give it a try" I look at her smiling face "so tell me then what should I wear?"

She walks near me "tumhare paas Kuch casual hai by chance?"

"Uhh I don't really, Dekhlo Tum kudh whatever you like I'll wear that" I smile at her, she nods and I walk her to my wardrobe which i didn't really have much clothes in because most of them were back at my home. Nandini looks through it like she was really interested in picking out something casual for me not that she didn't like me wearing a suit.

Is she taking me on a hike?

She picks out a black collar t-shirt which I didn't know I even had, she puts it next to me looking at me then the t-shirt "yup perfect" she then hands it over to me for me to put it on.

I take the t-shirt which sort of matched with my pants so I didn't need to change them.

"Okay I'll wait outside, hurry" she says and was about to leave but I stop her holding her wrist and pulling her back to me.

"I'm just changing my shirt sweetheart, bahar jaane ki zaroorat nahi hai"

"Uh—well i think we are getting late" here she goes getting all nervous again.