Parineeta

Lo Maan Liya!

Whack!!
Urghh! This was the worst among the choices i had ever made. Beer! Total yuck this one was. I don't understand how the others liked it.
I had just taken the first sip of this yuck thing that Manik had gotten me an hour back before they were starting with their party and it was already ruining my taste buds. It was so bitter. I was alot sweeter than this beer! Eew! I thought as i almost threw up looking at the bottle. It's smell was giving me head ache.
"not a good idea Nandini.."i told myself as i walked out of my room into the Complete darkness of the corridor and hall. Everyone was off to sleep and Fab5 was up there partying.
In the deadly silence of the night i could clearly hear the hootings and howlings that Fab5 was making and that definitely made me alot inquisitive about what they were doing up there but for now my concern was to throw this bottle of head ache and therefore i headed to the kitchen.
I threw the beer of the bottle in the sink and the bottle in the dustbin and finally headed back to my room.
Before i could enter a strong urge to go to the terrace to check what they were doing crossed me and i couldn't control my feet which now seemed to have a brain of their own as they headed straight to the terrace.
"yeayy! Manik! You can do it!"Mukti shouted as i reached the terrace almost tip toeing. What could he do? I wondered as i saw him looking at Alya quite uncomfortably and nervously.
"Manik.. Sharma mat teri hi girlfriend hai!"Cabir said and i saw Alya shying away.
"but guyz.. This is cheating... Manik is cheating on Nandini! Isn't he?"Dhruv started and Alya made a face at him after which he fell silent.
"cmon Dhruv! Nandini also knkws that Manik and Alya love each other! Toh vo agar yha hoti toh usse bhi koi problem nhi hoti! Chal na Manik! Tu toh larki ki sharma rha hai.. Kiss hi toh karna hai!"Mukti said and i felt my ground crumpling underneath my feet. He was going to kiss Alya! My brain repeated and i fell numb. Everything else silenced and i could just see Manik inching closer to Alya. Their lips inches apart and in this very moment I felt a part of me dying. He was killing me. Their proximity was killing me. But. It wasn't only me who was broken. I looked at all the other's who were enjoying except for one. Dhruv! He looked away trying to hide his falling tears. Tears? I caught a careful look at him and he looked alot broken than i was. But what was it with him.. I didn't know.
I glanced back at Manik amd Alya. Their lips hadn't yet met but they were close enough. I took my steps back and ran from there as fast as i could palming my mouth so that my tears weren't audible to anyone. He had managed to break me another time.
I reached my room closing the door hard against its frame and slumped to the ground crying out the bitter truth of my life. He was just imches away and he already took my life! I needed to settle my messed up brain. He can't affect me. He should not affect me! He is No-one..
I looked around the room with tears still flowing from my eyes and finally spotted his guitar. Though it was his but i couldn't care. I was in desperate need of my solace. My music. I had to forget what i had just witnessed. The worst memories of my life.
I took the guitar roughly as i reached the balcony and sat on the wooden chair. My tears were now a stream of running water out of the tap that had no stop until someone turns off the tap.

Lo maan liya humne
Hai pyaar nahi tumko
Tum yaad nahi humko
Hum yaad nahi tumko

I felt a lot restless but i had nothing else to calm myself. I closed my eyes letting the slightly cold breeze touch my face gently as i sang and the tears continued to flow.

Bas ek dafa mudke dekho
Aye yaar zara humko

Lo Maan Liya Humne
Hai pyar nahi tumko
Tum yaad nahi humko
Hum yaad nahi tumko