It's so disturbing what's happening around us! Literally everyone around us are either dying or testing positive.
I am hearing ambulance sirens every 10 minutes from my window. Instagram and twitter is full of people asking for oxygen bottles and injections.
Take care y'all!💕
Hoping for this to miraculously vanish☹️
✨
What one Instagram post by you (trollers) does to that person :(
----------------------------------------------
Off Instagram💕~
It's been an hour since Manik was sitting on the sofa opposite to Nandini's bed with his eyes closed.
Nandini kept looking at him from time to time.
Getting bored she decided to surf through Instagram to catch up on what she missed.
She saw Manik's "I miss you" story and smiled by reacting to it with a heart.
She saw Manik's other stories too, about some "post".
She couldn't get what it was.
She went through Manik's tag section to see what he was tagged in. It had created quite a stir. Their fans were bashing the guy.
"Nandini no more" She finally read it. "Maybe the accident took her life" A comment read.
Nandini started breathing heavily.
About 20 years back, she had heard the same words.
"Her parents died in an accident"
It all came rushing back to her.
She was breathing heavily. Her phone fell from her hand.
Her hands were calling for Manik but he had his eyes closed.
She needed him. The flashbacks were not helping at all. She couldn't get up. Couldn't speak.
She was calling for Manik but no voice came out.
A glass kept beside her fell down as she was shivering too much.
Manik's eyes opened with the noise.
He looked at Nandini.
Hair disheveled. Face full of tears. Shivering with her eyes closed.
She was whispering "Manik".
"Nandini" He said in shock. He rushed towards her to hold her from getting up.
Nandini opened her eyes a little to see Manik. She felt a little better.
She immediately fisted his shirt in her hands and hugged him to her dear life.
"Man---" She wasn't able to speak.
"Nandini, I'm right here" Manik said trying to reach out for a glass of water constantly maintaining one hand over her body.
"Am--" She was trying to say "amma appa" but couldn't. Manik managed to get a glass of water.
"Here, have this" He said taking the glass to her lips, holding her close to his body.
"Amms,amma abba kahan hai" Little Nandini kept asking her grandma.
All she'd get in return would be a glass of water to calm herself down.
Same was happening right now.
"Nooooo" Nandini said loudly pushing Manik's hand a little.
"Okay okay, don't have it" Manik immediately cupped her cheeks keeping the glass aside.
He sat close to Nandini on the bed cupping her cheeks.
"Kya huaa?!" Manik asked calmly. Nandini was nodding in a no, breathing heavily.
Her hands were just longing to hug him as close as possible.
"Come here,come" Manik immediately hugged her. "Enough" Manik said as Nandini kept crying.
"Breathe properly Nandini" He said. "Calm down. I'm right here with you baby; nothing will happen to you" He said.
"You!" She wanted to assure that nothing will happen to him also no? But she couldn't,hoping for Manik to understand.
"Me?!" Manik asked. "Main yahi huh baba" He said trying to break the hug but she didn't let him.
"Acha listen,listen to me" He said breaking the hug but Nandini didn't let go off his hands.
"Kya huaa? Haa? Something happened?" He asked but she kept nodding her head in a no.
"Nahi batana? Ha? Abhi nahi baat karni?!" He asked caressing her hair. She nodded her head in a yes.
"Okay nahi baat karenge iss baarein mein. Chalo lie down. Come" He said and made her lie down. The moment his touch was missing from her body,she was panicking.
Manik made sure he was either hugging her or holding her with one hand.
He sat near her stomach making her lie down.
She held his hand near her chest.
He caressed her hair with another hand. He couldn't understand what was happening to her. A panic attack?
"Idhar hi huh baby" He said as she would just close her eyes for a second and open it with a jerk.
"Mom dad" She whispered.
"Baat karni hai unse? Ruko!" He said taking out his phone to call his parents when something stopped him.
"Apne" She said. Apne parents,she meant.
Manik closed his eyes knowing what was coming.
Manik Malhotra could set the world on fire for Nandini. He would fulfill every damn thing she said.
Hell, he'd fulfill everything she never said too.
But,it breaks him from inside that there's this one thing Nandini keeps asking for and he can never get it for her.
"Lagao unhe call" She said,dejected. Manik looked at her with helplessness. Nandini neared his phone to her. "Lagao" She said already crying again.
If there's something that leaves Manik Malhotra who's known as a man of words;speechless, - it's her innocent demands to meet her parents.
"Mujhe nahi rehna idhar. Unke paas hi chale jaana hai" This didn't help at all. This one sentence had already tortured Manik enough in the past days.
"D-don't say that Nandini. Please" Manik managed to say calmly. He didn't want to shout at her.
"Easy for you to say. You've your parents" She snapped at him.
She was right. He couldn't understand what it felt like to live without parents.
"I hope I die--" Before she could complete-
"NANDINI" Manik shouted and he didn't even know when his hand was in the air. Ofcourse he wasn't going to hit her.
Since Nandini has entered his life, he's always had her to calm him down. But now when he was angry on her he didn't know what to do. He wanted to throw things away to calm himself like he always did and raised his hand but stopped because it was a hospital.
But a third person can misunderstand it all and so can Nandini.
"MANIK" Manik heard his Dad shout from behind. Manik immediately looked at Nandini. She had her eyes closed in fear of getting hit by Manik.
The thought itself broke him that she actually thought he'd ever hit her.
She covered her face and started crying.
"Kya karne jaa raha tha" His dad shouted more going towards him. He pushed him away from Nandini.
"Not what you think Dad. I-"
"SHUT UP" His Dad roared.
His Dad wasn't affecting him as much as Nandini was right now. He couldn't comprehend that Nandini can actually think he'd raise his hand on her.
He kept looking at Nandini until his Dad hugged her and she hugged his Dad back with full force.
"Idhar se jaa" His Dad shouted at him.
Manik eyes widened. There was no way he's going away from Nandini right now when she's like this.
"Dad. She needs me. My warmth. You-"
"She doesn't need someone who raises his hand on her" His Dad shouted again.
"I wasn't raising my hand Dad. Are you mad" Manik shouted too.
Nandini flinched hearing their loud voices.
"I won't shout. Come here" Manik saw Nandini shivering again and opened his arms for her to come.
Nandini looked at him for a second and then looked at his dad.
"Rishabh ko bulao na Dad" She whispered. She needed someone from her "own" family.
Hospitals make you miss your family way too much.
"Nandini. Main huh na idhar baba! Idhar aao" Manik didn't want to call Rishabh because he knew media was downstairs knowing Nandini is now conscious. They'd hound Rishabh again.
"Mujhe mera koi chahiye" She said looking at Manik.
It broke him to no extend.
He took his hands back which were open for her to hug.
"Beta. Dad aur chillayenge. Isse acha jaa canteen mein jaa,coffee pi thodi der. Okay" Manik turned around to see his Mom. Did she also think he'd hit Nandini?
"Mom. Nan-" Manik couldn't see it.
So much happened. So much that wasn't supposed too.
Plus "mujhe mera koi chahiye" tore his heart apart.
"Please keep me updated Mom" He literally begged knowing his dad's anger and how he'd not let nyonica tell Manik anything.
"Malhotra lagta hai tere naam ke piche. Malhotra hukum(order) karte hai beta,sur jhukake request nahi karte" Nyonica said and ruffled his hair. Manik nodded and left after one last glance to Nandini.
It was true that Manik's Dad was too protective about Nandini. That's how dad's are for daughters anyways.
Nothing mattered to him more than Nandini's scared face because she thought he'd hit her.
He couldn't walk or think straight and he fell on the chair beside as soon as he came out.
Don't we usually give more attention to the crying girl than a broken boy?
They were all there for Nandini and Manik was glad about it but now was the time when he needed someone too. He needed someone to hold him.
Nevertheless. He messaged Rishabh to come down to hospital with the driver Manik was sending for him with the car.
"Mujhe mera koi chahiye" kept ringing in his head.
Nandini always said "your anger will ruin us someday Manik"
Did it? Did it actually?
But she shouldn't have said what she said. How could she even think of saying something like that.
Everytime a fight happens,people just believe that it'll be Manik's fault and not Nandini's,ever.
Why is that so? Was he so bad?
And this thoughts,as irrational and inaccurate as they sound; when you're in the zone of self doubting- this happens.
You start questioning everything.
Manik needed to get better. He needed to get a grip so he could think straight.
He ruffled his hair and decided to go to canteen.
The waiter immediately suggested him a secluded place so people don't bother him.
"Can I get you something Sir?!" The waiter asked.
"Beer?" Manik said and waiter's eyes widened.
"S-sir. It's a hospital-" before waiter could complete Manik was off to a bar.
This is what the Manik - before Nandini; would do to calm himself.
Either drink or throw thing away.
💕
"Idhar kya kar raha hai tu Nandini ko chodke. Hellooo" Cabir asked seeing Manik.
As soon as he saw Manik's message about coming down to their favourite bar,he ran. Manik was sitting in the VIP room.
"Drink piyega?" Manik said as he was just ordering for himself.
Cabir was startled. Manik had stopped drinking since he got married to Nandini.
"2 beers please" Manik said. The waiter went.
"Kya huaa Nandini aur tere bich?!" Cabir directly asked. He was their Biraaa for a reason.
"Bohot kuch. Bohot sari chizo ne usko tod diya hai, bohot sari chizo ne mujhe. Par pata hi nahi chala ki kab unn sari chizo ne humein (MaNan) ko tod diya" Manik said with a sad smile. He was speaking shit. Cabir couldn't understand anything.
"Tum dono ko kuch nahi tod sakta thik hai. Tu pagal ho gaya tha uske bina abb jab woh jaag gayi to idhar kya kar raha hai?!" Cabir asked. The waiter kept their drinks on the table.
"Dad ne mana kiya Nandini ke paas rehne se" Manik said and chuckled sadly picking up his drink.
Manik narrated entire thing to Cabir.
He took the glass near his lips and was about to take a sip but he couldn't.
Nandini's words of how she doesn't like when he drinks and he shouldn't drink came back to him. He held the glass tightly before keeping it back.
It was unreal how much she affected him.
"Aur agar Uncle nahi aaye hote, considering your anger; what if tu haath utha deta?!" Cabir said. This was the last thing Manik needed to hear.
" Mein haath uthata Nandini pe?" Manik asked,shocked that Cabir thinks so.
"Tera gussa tere hi kabu mein nahi hota Manik. You'd never do it. I know. Par what if uth jata tera haath?" Cabir asked.
Manik was angry.
"Tu sirf yeh nahi dekh paya ki Nandini tere se darr gayi agar haath uth jata na tera to tu jee hi nahi paata iss guilt ke saath ki--" Cabir,before he could complete was pulled by Manik.
"Hospital chal. Batata huh tum sabko mein ek baat abb" He said and sat on the driver's seat.
Luckily their was no media because Manik had told his PR to make sure media doesn't hound them for a couple of days.
Cabir sat on the passengers seat. He knew Manik needed to let it all out which is why he triggered him.
They reached hospital in no time and Manik entered Nandini's hospital room.
Rishabh and his parents were there.
And so was Cabir now.
Nandini's eyes softened seeing Manik's pained ones.
"Rishabh,go to the canteen and have something buddy." He side hugged Rishabh and said. He didn't want to burst out in front of Rishabh.
Rishabh nodded and went to canteen because he was hungry.
"Haa. Aap sab. Aaplogo ko lagta hai mein Nandini pe haath utha deta?" He lookef at everyone and said loudly.
"Lagta nahi hai. Uthane wala tha. Humne dekha" His Dad came in front of him.
Nandini was crying. Nyonica went to her.
"Agli baar Nandini ke paas tab jana jab apna gussa control karna sikh jaye tu. Samajh mein aaya?" His Dad shouted raising his hand towards his face. Manik didn't flinch.
"Srikant" Nyonica stopped him
"Mein toh nahi darra Dad abhi aapse. Aapne maarne ke liye haath uthaya phir bhi kyunki mujhe pata hai ki yeh haath mere gaalo tak kabhi nahi pohocha. Bachpan se. I know you. I trust you. I knew you wouldn't hit me" Manik said and held his dad's hand.
Dad's eyes got soft.
Somewhere,they knew Manik wouldn't hit Nandini,ever.
"Aapko pata hai Dad ki aap aur Nandini ek game khelte the roz raat ko. Uss game ki wajah se Nandini ki ungliyon pe rashes the. Mere se woh rashes bhi nahi dekhe jaa rahe the isliye maine woh game chupa diya" He said to his Dad.
He went to Nyonica. "Aap humesha bolte ho ki kitchen mein kaam karna Nandini ko pasand hai par mein nahi karne deta. Woh isliye kyunki isko khud ko sambhalna aata hi nahi hai (he said looking at Nandini who was crying looking down) so many times her fingers and hand have had cut marks because of knife,mein itna tak nahi jhel paata" He said. Nyonica had tears seeing how broken his son was.
"Cabir. Tumhe pata hai tu humesha bolta hai ki Nandini ko kuch zyada hi protect karke rakhta huh. Tu aur yeh ek baar ladh rahe the masti mein tune uske haath itne zor se pakde the ki rash marks aa gaye the. Maine tujhse bohot ladai ki thi uss din." Manik said looking at Cabir, standing near Nandini.
"Kyunki unn haathon pe pehle bhi rash marks aaye huye hai, because of pandit. Abhi bhi Nandini ko panic attacks aate hai because of that incident which is why I never leave her alone because I don't know what might trigger her fear" He added. Cabir looked down.
"Aur tum" He looked at Nandini. His eyes had tears but he's Manik Malhotra, he'd not let those tears fall.
Nandini nodded in a no, crying.
"Tum darr gayi mujhse?" He voice cracked.
"I know what triggered you Nandini. I know you saw that post about you and that triggered you and you got reminded of your parents. Par mein toh tha tumhare saath. Yeh post 2 din pehle ki hai; maine jab yeh padha tab koi nahi tha mere saath Nandini. Aur isiki wajah se mein disturbed tha. Tumhe thik rehne ko isliye bolta huh kyunki I live for you. I can only live peacefully if I know you're okay. Aur tumhe laga ki mei--" He couldn't speak. He gulped the lump that formed in his throat.
"You thought I'd hit you?" He asked,being very hurt and heartbroken.
"Inn sabki aakhon mein main apne aapko gira huaa dekh sakta huh Nandini, tumhari aakhon mein nahi" Manik said shoving her hands as she was trying to hold him.
"I know logo ki sympathy ek rote huye insaan ke paas zyada jati hai aur mein roo nahi paata toh aaplogo ko pata nahi chalta ki mein bhi hurt huh" He walked to his father while saying this.
"I can just request ki next time dono sides ki story jaan lijiye ga. Nandini said she wanted to die-" He had to pause as he couldn't say it
"Isliye mein gussa huaa par haath uske liye nahi uthaya tha. Please know both the sides before reacting Dad" He said.
"Kyunki yeh haath usse uthne se pehle katt jana pasand karenge" He added. His Dad looked down. The ladies were crying. Cabir was relieved to see Manik letting it all out.
Manik was about to walk away when he turned back for a second from the door.
"Don't mind my language Dad" he said.
"Par mujhe Nandini se durr karne ki takat kisike baap mein nahi hai" He declared. Cabir smiled.
ManBir! :)
"Mere khud ke baap ki bhi nahi" He now said looking at his Dad.
He walked away.
Cabir followed him.
Both of them went to the canteen and sat down in silence,with Rishabh.
🎈
Manik kept a story writing what he was feeling.
(~￣³￣)~
Soon his phone beeped with a WhatsApp message.