Parineeta

The Remaining Pieces

My head was now aching because of all the chaos. Everything that happened since the morning was eating me inch by inch. I never knew Alya was so insecure that she could think so low.
"what have you made of yourself.."i said looking at my dull reflection in the mirror.
"where exactly is your life heading!"i asked the reflection and stumped on the cushioned stool in front of my dressing table.
"Nandini bitiya.. Manik baba aapse milne aaye hai.."raam kaka knocked on my door and i closed my eyes. why couldn't he leave me alone.
"usse kehdo mai ghar nhi aayi!"i said though i knew that was the most stupid excuse.
"par aap.."he was about to continue but i didn't let him.
"raam kaka mujhe usse nhi milna.. Nhi baat karni.. Usse bolo vo chala Jaye isse pehle ki main kuch aisa kar dun jo mujhe nhi karna chahiye.."i said plainly.
"kya karogi!?"i heard His voice and a drop of tear rolled down my cheeks.
"raam kaka.. Mehmaan hall tak hi achhe lagte hai.. Unhe kamro tak nhi laaya jaata.. Jaate jaate darwaza band kar di jiye.."i said getting up.
"Nandini mujhe tumse baat karni hai!"he again said and i let out a sarcastic chuckle.
"baat.. Bacha kya hai ab.. Manik pehle tumse baat karna mujhe achha lagta tha.. Par pehle jitna achha lagta tha ab usse kahi zada suffocating lagta hai.. Manik tumhara aas paas hona mujhe har baar yeh realize karvata hai ki maine apni life ka mazak bana diya hai.. Ek aisa mazak jispe mere siva sab haste hai! Tum bhi!"i saud moving into the balcony.
"koi nhi hasta Nandini.. Yeh sab sirf tumhare dimaag mein hai!"he said followinge into the balcony.
"really Manik.. Toh Harshad kya kar rha tha.. Cmon Manik mujhe samjha rhe ho ya khud ko.."i said not looking at me.
"Nandini.. Harshad doesn't matter!"he said irritated.
"right! Manik please chale jao! Mujhe meri life ko sort kar lene do.. Mai thak gyi hun.. Ab bas.."i said and i stepped more towards me.
"main hun tumhare saath!"he said.
"nhi Manik tum nhi ho.. Tum kabhi nhi the.."i said pushing his hand away.
"leave me alone! Tum jao tumhari girlfriend tumhara wait kar rhi hogi.. I don't want her to think ki maine uske boyfriend ko usse chheen liya.. Manik please just go.."i said and pushed him away and left from there.
...
"Navya.. Get me a few beer bottles please!"i called Navya. I knew if i asked Aryaman for some he would just freak out and won't even let me have my peace of mind.
"Nandini! Beer bottles.. Are you sure?"she asked.
"ofcourse Navya just please get them soon!"i told her and disconnected the call.
Manik had left an hour ago but my inner turmoil hadn't yet calmed and i needed something to calm myself.
On the other hand in Malhotra Mansion, Manik was pacing around his hall irritated while Fab4 sat there not knowing what to say.
"Alya! Were you out of your mind.. Ek tumhara vo bhai! Aur tum usse defend kar rhi thi seriously.. Tumhe seriously lagta hai ki uski koi galti nhi thi! Like what were you thinking.. Itna sab jo tumne kaha Nandini ko did you even hear whatever you said.."he said looking at Alya angrily.
"Manik tum uske liye mujhse aise baat kar rhe ho.. Meri kya galti hai Manik.."She said almost in tears.
"kya galti hai Alya.. Really.. Mukti! You tell me Alya ne jo kuch bhi Harshad ko defend karne ke liye Nandini se kaha vo sab correct tha!"
"Manik vo correct nhi tha.. But Alya.. She is just insecure about your relationship.."Mukti said trying to say comforting things.
"insecure! Really.. Mera saara attention sirf tum par hota hai.. But still you are insecure... I mean why.. Alya what more should i do!"he shouted frustrated because of everything.
"aur vaha Nandini meri baat bhi nahi sunna chahti! Meri toh yeh samajh nhi aa rha.. Ki mai tab kya bolta aur mai ab kya bol rha hun.. Infact mai bol hi kyu rha hun.. Kisi ko bhi toh mere kuch bolne se farak nhi padega.. Na uss madam ko jo Murthy house mein akeli baithi hai.."he said and slumped onto the sofa putting his palm on his eyes.
"I'm sorry!"Alya muttered amd left from there.
"ab yeh.. God! Why are you girls so complicated!"Manik muttered.
"mai Alya ko dekhta hun!"Dhruv said and left from there.
....
"Alya.. Alya.. Listen to me.."Dhruv held Alya by her arm.
"leave me Dhruv!"she said struggling to get out of his grip.
"kaha jaa rhi ho.."he asked softly.
"to hell!"she said looking at him angrily.
"nhi.. Not a good place.. Vaha pata hai.. Garam garam oil mein logo ko daalte hai.."god knows from where Dhruv got the courage to handle Alya's anger. He was trying to be humorous when Alya had just had an argument with her boyfriend.
"what?"Alya looked at him in disbelief.
"haan usse better toh ice cream parlour hai.."he said holding on to her.
"Dhruv do you realize mera abhi abhi apne boyfriend se jhagda hua hai!"she said trying to hide a slight smile that wanted to come on her face.
"arey.. Tab toh pura tub khana chahiye.."he said smilingly.
"by the way tum yeh hell tak jaane kaise vaali thi.. Paidal chalke!"he asked looking at her while she looked down.
"phir toh ho gya tha.. Agle janam tak bhi nhi pahunchti.."he said and finally a smile appeared on her lips.
"toh tum mujhe Icecream parlor kause le jaane vaale ho?"she asked.
"arey apni Dhanno hai na!"he said and Alya cringed.
"Dhanno! What kind of a name is that?"she asked quite surprised. Her anger and hurt because of the argument with Manik was melting away. Dhruv had managed to lighten her mood.
"what's in a name, oh dear! Dhanno matlab meri bike!"he said in a shakespearien tone.
"seriously Dhruv! Tumhari vo unreliable bike!? No way! Usse better toh i'll go walking!"she said rolling her eyes.
"uhh! Ohky then.. If that's what you want! Mai ek achhe se restaurant mein dinner table book kar deta hun!"he said taking his phone out of his pocket.
"Dhruv! What's wrong with you.. Abhi it's not even evening.. Its just 2:30.. Tum dinner table kyu book kar rhe ho??"she asked surprised.
"Alya.. Tumne pehni hai heels! Aur Icecream parlor mere ghar mein toh hai nhi ki we just take a turn and we've reached home. And You wish to go walking.. Toh pahunchte pahunchte toh raat ho jaegi toh its better dinner bhi kar hi le.. Haina.."he said and Alya hit him on his shoulder.
"fine.. But agar tunhari yeh bike beech mein kharab hui toh then you see! Tum mujhe double treat doge!"she said.
"my pleasure!"Dhruv said taking out his bike and they left.