"You promise to keep this low" she stated while I took the papers in my hand.
I looked down at them and was bewildered.
Those were the papers that went missing at the first place.
How did she find them? Why she?
There was something major going on that I needed to know and understand at the very moment. Things were getting messed up day by day and I had a bad feeling about what Nandini was going to tell me further.
"What are these doing with you?!" I still asked.
She kept quiet and walked inside the room,
"Nandini..I'm asking you something...." I said eyeing her and then the white sheets of paper in my hand.
"Alya had nothing to do with this!" She spoke softly standing by the mirror opposite to the bed.
"What?!" I was clueless.
"Yes...she had nothing to do with this...." she justified her statement more. She looked at herself in the mirror and took in a deep breath. I knew it then, that there was more to be revealed.
"Nandini...can you please elaborate! " I asked in frustration throwing the sheets of paper on the bed while I made my way in her direction.
"It...it was...Dhruv..." she whispered looking at me while her words baffled me further.
"What?....are you-" I tried to catechize.
"I'm not kidding out here Manik..he was the one..I found these papers under his bed..inspite of him telling that the papers were misplaced!" She went on.
"Did Alya tell you all this!" I asked, knowing the later could manipulate anyone.
"Manik....Alya covered up for Dhruv so that the friendship stays!" she said rationalizing the statements.
"And she gave up on me!..on us" I spoke in vexation.
"Maybe she thought Dhruv meant more to you....you were buddies from the very childhood right..." she continued.
I waited for a moment. I needed time. Whatever she was saying didn't make sense, atleast to me! Why Dhruv? I felt anger, rage and sorrow at the same time.
"Just because you find these papers in his room doesn't mean he is the one behind it!...It could be a set up!" I tried defending Dhruv only to loose it more,
"And just because someone told you Alya gave out the lyrics doesn't mean she did!" she shot back.
My eyes burned in anger and pain. I had given up all hope now. I had no more justifications to deliver.I tried as much as I could to stop those tears. Clutching my shirt I spoke ,
"I'll go and talk to Dhruv!"
"No...no!" she protested blocking my way.
"He has to give me an answer!...." I demanded furious, screaming and jerking her my the arm.
"Manik....he'll never give you a straight answer...!" She replied while her hands tried to free herself from my grip.
"Nandini.....I have no time for this..."
"Manik....trust me.....there is way to stop for once and for all...!" she said looking in my direction.
I left her.
"But why Dhruv!" I asked sitting down on the bed, holding my head. My world came crashing down. I had no other option but to believe Nandini and those proves she showed.
"Why him!" I kept asking.
It's funny how sometimes the peole you'd take a bullet for, are the ones behind the trigger. For all that I have done; I don't deserve to get destroyed like this.
"Manik...please....it's not the time now...you could ask him all this when we are done!....and yes one more thing....don't mention all this to Alya...everyone should know the papers are missing!..and that Alya is the one doing this!..as a suspect alteast...." she stated in a soft voice kneeling down in front of me.
"Why are you doing this!" I asked looking down at her.
Our eyes met. She didn't speak. Maybe she was thinking of answers as well.
"Even after all that I have done to you!" I continued.
"I don't know!"she meekly replied with a sad smile.
"I...." I whispered out of words.
"I'm a part of the company too now!" she mentioned.
I looked at her amazed. I was wrong to have judged her. I was wrong to have thought she had something to do with it.
" I think I should leave now...." she said keeping her hand on mine.
"Yeah..." I replied still looking at her touch.
She stood up soon and made her way towards the door. I heard it shut behind her back while I was locked back again inside.
Alone. Lonely. Betrayed.
"But the lonely are such delicate things that the wind from the wasp could blow them into the sea;
with stones on their feet lost to the light and loving a need "
.
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I lay on the bed looking blankly at the ceiling. The lights were off and hence the room dark.
I felt aweful.
They say, no matter what the situation; never let emotions overpower your intelligence. I hate the feeling when you really don't have any emotion. You feel so empty. You are not happy, you are not sad. You are nothing. When your mind is spinning, but still there's this emptiness that keeps eating you from inside. And I guess I'm just a mess and maybe I'm just lonely or just bitter. But my head's a storm and my chest is empty.
"Nothing will be the same again...." I whispered to myself.
Reality is a prison.
A prison of memories. A prison of voices. A prison of words. A prison of emotions.
I sat up in distress and held my head.
"What do I do!.....this dilemma doesn't end!" I screamed in the darkness.
I can't believe, I was back to square one. This can't be happening all again. I again didn't know what to do. I had to get the lyrics for Harshad but wouldn't Manik break again?!
He's already in anxiety. I was lost.
"What do I do!" I asked looking into the darkness.
I got down from the bed and went outside. It was raining again. I walked out nevertheless. The trees were covered with lights and I walked my way towards Manik's room again.
I pushed the door to find it open. It was dark inside and my vision blurred for a moment.
I wasn't in control of what I was doing. It was happening with each moment. I couldn't breath of a while, the heavy feeling returned as I stepped in.
I saw him lie upon is bed, his eyes shut.
I sighed in relief when,
"Nandini...." he called out sitting up.
I stepped back.
" We need to talk...." he whispered looking on my direction.
"I...I didn't mean to disturb...." I was afraid of revelaing anything personal.
"You did.....step out!" he said standing up while he walked in my direction.
I took back another step under the rain again.
"Let's walk ..." he said looking behind me.
We stepped out and walked in the rain. I didn't speak a word.
He walked ahead of me.
"So....." he finally started.
"You know Nandini I was thinking....how come everytime it's you!" he asked as we walked.
"What do you mean?" I asked while he turned in my direction.
"...I mean....why did you look them up!....why did you...at all show interest..." he asked next.
"I told you I was a part of the company too!" I defended.
"I don't think that's what I wanna here!" he said stepping in my direction. The situation was turning into something big.
"Manik....I think we should get back to our rooms...it's raining..."
"I know it's raining...but that's not the answer to my question...."
"I don't understand why you'd think I was doing the wrong helping you!" I was furious now.
"Tell me one thing......how do you know it was Dhruv?...who gave you that hint!"he asked pulling me closer.
"I...." I stammered.
"Kya hua bolo Nandini....."he demanded.
"Alya...." I whispered.
"Alya!"he said raising his brows and letting out a faint laugh.
"What's so funny!" I asked.
"How did you know she hadn't manipulated you....!....."he asked removing the wet strand of hair falling on my face.
"Manik I know you can't believe Dhruv was behind all this...but if we keep fighting like this...there will be no solution! " I tried playing safe.
"Really!.....So What!...what now.....you have convinced me that Dhruv is behind this..."
"This was just a distraction...if we have to stop this.... once and for all we'll have to wait till all the songs are ready...and like this time...the lyrics would be with Dhruv...and he'll try and give them out as well..." I updated him.
He let go off me. And we stood there drenching in the rain for some more moments before he finally broke the silence,
"I'm trusting you one last time...." he whispered.
I looked at him blankly while he walked off leaving me there.
A/N:
I'm really sorry for the small update. Shall be updating soon.
Do tell me how you found this update at the comments section .
Also, there's this new story I was working on. Shall be updating more about it soon.
Till then,
Adios.