name:- Jealousy
word count:- 4500 words
published on:- 4th May, 2019
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[unedited]
M A N I K
"Rise and shine sweetheart!" I greeted walking into her room as I opened the curtains, letting some sunlight flow in and she snuggled more into her blanket like the sleepy head she is, snorting.
"Monster Manik!" She called out, pissed, trying to cover herself with the blanket more and more. Fun fact: teasing a half sleeping girl could be fatal for you.
"We barely slept four hours ago! Don't you have any job to do, don't irritate me. Piss off!" She threw a cushion and I laughed, opening the curtains even more and then even the windows. Another fun fact: I loved teasing a half sleepy Nandini.
Before I could open my mouth to reply to her accusations, the door bell rang. I scrunched my eyebrows, walking out of her room and then to the main door. It was 7AM, and we usually don't have visitors this early in the morning. Actually, we never have visitors at all.
I opened the door to a man, almost as tall as me, muscular, his fists clenched, panic in his eyes that he hid with anger.
"Hi, how can I help you?" I asked, confused.
"Where's she?" He asked. Not a word less, not a word more.
"Who's she?" I asked, confused as he suddenly took a step ahead, clutching my tee shirt and pouncing on me like an angry wolf.
"Don't play smart, Malhotra. I know who you are, asshole. Just tell me where my girl is?" He shouted and I was too taken aback to defend myself.
"I don't know who you are and I don't know who your girl is. I mean, I know I'm hot and irresistible and stuff, but I don't steal slash kidnap girls; especially not if they belong to other men... who look like ostriches..." I mumbled the last part under my breath as he left my collar.
"Ostrich? Did you just call me an ostrich, you six feet giant cockroach!" He grumbled back and I squeezed my eyebrows at him.
"Cockroach? Get your eyes checked, mister whoever, I'm hot and you're jealous!" I shrugged, making my collar right. He rolled his eyes at me, and then sighed.
"Yeah, that's what she said. You're hot!" He mimicked in a girl's voice and I smirked. I just have this, you know— I'm irresistible by even commuted girls.
"Who said that?" I smirked, "your girlfriend?"
"Y—..." he was cut off in between by a certain scream of my roommate as she walked out of her room wearing an oversized cardigan.
"Oh my god Abhi!" She shouted pouncing from where she was into his arms as his relieved arms wrapped around her, hugging her as tight as he shouldn't.
That's surely not how I wanted to start my morning.
"You said my girl wasn't with you!" He hissed, still not leaving her. I tried forcing on a smile. Take your hand off her, you asshole.
"In my defence, you never said she was your girl!" I said, but it came out more like a taunt as Nandini left him and turned to me, raising an eyebrow.
"Abhi, he's Manik. My housemate" Nandini said sheepishly, tucking a hair strand behind her ear. Housemate, seriously? Just then, I remembered how I had introduced her to Inaaya. Karma's a bitch, really.
"You've been keeping a lot of secrets from me, haven't you, baby?" He asked, almost ignoring my presence and the fact that he was just introduced to me.
"Baby?" It came out reflexively. "I know she's short but you don't have to call her a baby. She's about five feet, knows how to talk. She's not a baby!" I mumbled.
"And who are you to tell me what I should call her?" He stepped ahead. As if I was afraid, huh. I stepped ahead too, gazing into his eyes like I was going to murder him but I never really answered his question. I didn't know the answer to it myself.
What were I and Nandini?
"Boys!" Nandini stepped in the middle, separating us. "Manik, could you arrange breakfast please, we have to be on our way to college in thirty minutes," she pushed me behind.
"And Abhi!" She held his hand, pulling him into her room, "I think we must talk."
"Tell me he's not the jerk you went on a date with last night?" I heard him complaint before the room went shut and a wave of irritation hit me. I turned around, punching the kitchen counter.
I tried deep breathing, but it didn't help. I couldn't ignore the fact that he was in the same room with her, and she had shut the door— locked it.
I picked up my phone and called the first person I could think of. "Manik, it's fucking 7am, new year ki baad wali raat ko kaun itna jaldhi utatha hai!" Mukti groaned from the other end and I mentally rolled my eyes at her.
"I... I need to know.. who's Abhi? And how are he and Nandini related?" I asked.
My question was answered by a silence of a minute before a deep sigh. "They're my best friends, Manik... long before I shifted to Mumbai and got you guys, they were all I had." Mukti's voice was a whisper, and I could figure out she was all up and serious.
"And yeah... they're dating.. I guess" Mukti confirmed my doubts but she didn't seem very happy about it, though I couldn't care more or less. I sighed in frustration and cut the call, punching the kitchen counter again.
When nothing helped, I took the house and my car keys along with my wallet as I left the place, dialling the first number I could.
Damn you, Nandini Murthy.
Couldn't you tell me this before I started liking you?
"The man you're trying to reach has died in an accident last night but there are chances you might be able to speak to him in the morning. Please try again when he is awake...." a groggy voice answered and I mentally rolled my eyes.
"Cabir...." I whispered, shocked at how vulnerable I sounded. Maybe it was because I had just woken up, not eaten anything and was just running on caffeine and this tingly yucky feeling in my heart. "Could you meet me in college right now?"
"Manik?" He was dead serious now. I wondered how he could go from dead sleepy to dead serious in a few seconds. "You sound.... jealous. The last time I heard you being jealous was when we were thirteen and Inaaya kissed a puppy in front of you.." he joked and then laughed at his own lameness.
Having best friends who've been with you through your crazy hormonal teenage to adulthood should be illegal.
"So this tingly, yucky feeling is called jealousy?" It was more of a statement then a question as I ditched the lift and took the stairs down. I could hear him smirk from the other end.
"And is this jealousy to do anything with Nandini going on a date last night with some guy, wearing that beautiful red outfit that I got for her?" He teased. Cabir got that for Nandini? Seems like everyone's been keeping secrets from me then.
"The guy that Nandini went on a date with is me" it was my chance to smirk and I could hear Cabir cough, as if he choked on the water he was probably sipping.
"Then what is the problem?" He asked, confused.
"That she has a boyfriend... or a guy whom she is so close to that Mukti also told me they're dating...." I mumbled, only to be met with a long silence.
"Aw... poor, baby, jealous Manik!" He laughed from the other end. "If she had a boyfriend, why would she go on a date with you in the first place?" He knocked some senses into my brains as my eyes widened.
"But Mukti... she knows both of them so well, why would she lie to me?" I ask. I heard him him in response.
"So lets do something...." I could once again, hear his smirk. Cabir's ideas could never mean nothing. I squeezed my eyebrows. "Do what?"
"Is there any chance that you could still have Inaaya's number?"
"I guess" I replied nervously.
"That's great... I'm calling Aryamman also. Let's get our weapons ready, poor Manik. We're on war..." I could hear him laugh like a devil and all I could do was sigh.
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N A N D I N I
When I walked out of the room thirty minutes later, Manik wasn't there. I was confused, and honestly a little disappointed but Abhi seemed to be very happy about it.
He didn't take the news of me staying with Manik very well, and though he pretended to be alright with it first, the wall broke when we were in the cab, on the way to my college.
"So, you're telling me that you shifted in with this six feet tall giant cockroach?" Abhi asked in disbelief again, and I shut my eyes tight, my head falling to the back of the seat and a strong headache taking over.
"For the seventh time in the past 75 minutes... I wasn't given a bouquet of boys to choose from. Hell, I didn't even know my roommate was a boy until I met him. And he is the best, best roommate you could ask for," I tried explaining, again. "He is cordial, knows his distance, helps me with the food and the grocery, and understands me, Abhi. What more could I ask for?"
"And I'm pretty sure he must also be hugging you to sleep every night, and making you eat food with his own hands.." Abhi raised an eyebrow and I shot him a glance again.
"That was just once..." I mumbled underneath my breath.
"See? See!" He freaked out again, "this is what I'm talking about... I don't trust that guy!" He was one step away from pouting and throwing a big tantrum. God, who's gonna point out that this guy was a CEO of his own company?
"But I do!" I whisper shouted, irritated. "Isn't that enough?"
"I came to give you a surprise, asking how your first date in Mumbai went. Couldn't you have sat quietly at Mukti's, sleeping in your pyjamas and acted surprised? Instead, you decided to give me a heart attack. Mukti said you moved out, she didn't know who you're staying with. I get a terrible shock. And what was my fault? That I decided to give you a small surprise!" He huffed and I sighed.
This was the point where I should apologise, but I didn't. After my parents passed away, I have grown in an overprotective surrounding. I couldn't— and I didn't want to apologise for my independence. And atleast, not until he gets to know Manik, trusts him the way I do and accepts us, whatever I and Manik are.
He remained silent for the rest of the time, as the cab parked outside the college, and we both got off after I paid. "Remember what I told you?" I asked him, glaring. He nodded, sighing. "Don't tell anyone anything, and act normal."
We entered inside the cafeteria, to be welcomed by unexpected silence. There were just a few people there, probably a New Years hangover... but I could still spot Mukti, Aliya and Navya on the far side table, pacing around, looking tensed.
Just as they saw me, they waved while we walked towards them. Mukti didn't look as shocked to see Abhi, as she came ahead to say hello. Turns out, they'd already met. He'd gone to her house to find me, but on not finding me there... had made Mukti call Navya to ask my address, since Cabir was the only who had visited my place. They'd all already met.
"We're on war!" Navya said, panicking as I almost choked. "War?" I said, coughing hard. The last I checked the news, Pakistan and India looked pretty stable.
"It's our thing" Mukti explained, "whenever either of us do something the guys don't like or vice versa, we declare war. It means no contact with them, meeting at our adda, and doing everything to see who bends their ego first. Basically, it's a girls v/s boys!"
I nodded, confused. Navya pitched in, "the last time we were on war was before Cabir and I confessed, and it was because Cabir had spotted me with my ex. It's mostly a jealousy rage, but the guys would never accept it."
"Oh" I sighed. "But who could be jealous now?" I asked, "I mean, Navya already belongs to Cabir... Aliya has just come back from her parents' and Mukti holds no interest in the guys of our circle. Then...?" My voice trailed.
Mukti looked at me with sharp eyes, like she's never done before and I shifted uncomfortably. "Something tells me that this is Manik," she said after a pause. "He called me in the morning... enquiring about her and him..." she said, pointing towards us.
My breath almost stuck in my lungs and I could sense Abhi going stiff beside me.
"We don't have time for that, we have so much to prepare for. It's war!" Aliya basically cried, holding her head. "Should I call my ex?" She asked. "I feel Navya should too, since she's almost engaged and stuff, it adds fuel to the fire!"
I battled my eyelashes, rolling my eyes. Had they gone crazy?
"I'm thinking about calling male strippers!" Mukti added and Abhi coughed loud beside me. I pursed my lips, trying to stop the laugh.
"I'll arrange dresses" Aliya said, none of us argued. She was the Diva.
"Yeah! I'd call my ex! Abhi, you're on our team, right?" Mukti asked, and Abhi nodded like a scared puppy. "Perfect! Aliya, call Ishan. Aryamman hates that guy, and Nandini, I feel Abhi is enough for you. I'd still go on and call Smaran, I dated him once and all three of them hate him."
"Guys, I think all that's left now is to call the army and bring missiles" I giggled and they stared at me like I was a maniac. I shrugged it off, drinking my water casually.
"You girls are overreacting, I'm sure it's nothing!" I smiled, coaxing them. It was nothing, right?
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I wish I would have called my ex too. But wait— I don't have an ex. Single for life, I guess?
In moments like these, I wish I could disappear in the ground and never rise.
Five and half straining hours later, I found myself in a local bar with a short white off shoulder satin dress that ended upto my mid thigh and stuck to all my curves, with a heel so high that it could give competition to Manik's height. Almost that, he is actually a giant and to reach his height, I'd have to wear two four inch heels like this.
I still thought the war was something they were exaggerating until I entered this bar ten minutes ago. And I saw Inaaya.
She was clinging to Manik who didn't seem to acknowledge we were here, along with Cabir's ex Rose and Aryamman, who was with a girl I didn't identify. They took the corner table, enjoying the darkness as they drank and a beautiful girl danced around them. And when I say beautiful, I mean the fair and tall model material girl. I did know who she was... Soha. There were rumours around college about she having a major crush on my Manik, and though we never acknowledged that, she wasn't wasting any time in proving the rumours right with all the times she ran her hand through his hair.
Way to go, Nandini.
When the girls said that the guys'll do anything to make us give up, I didn't know they were this serious. And upon all of it, Manik looked smoking hot in that white shirt and black leather jacket. Him in white shirt had to be my weakness, and then he had left the first few buttons open.
His eyes shortly fell upon mine, and the colour of his face changed realising I was finally there. I took no effort in hiding how hurt I was feeling now for an unknown reason and his eyes softened the second he saw my face. He got up, pushing Soha apart from him, walking towards me when Cabir held his hand, nodding negatively.
And all the softness in Manik's eyes flew away as he nodded in determination, letting Soha pull him to dance again.
You know what, Malhotra? Two can play this game.
I pulled Abhi with me to the dance floor and the song coincidentally changed to our favourite old song— chumma de de. We'd spent our childhood dancing to the old Number, and his eyes lit up as did mine and we danced, forgetting the world.
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M A N I K
Although there was a girl swooning all over me as we danced, all my concentration was on my Nandini. I could see how she smiled carelessly, dancing to the beats of the song. There was an appreciable distance between her and that ostrich, but she didn't seem to mind even when he same closer sometimes, his hand roamed around her waist. He would keep whispering something into her ear and she would laugh, forgetting they were at a club with loud music in the background.
And I hated that.
I had the sudden urge to go punch him in the face, and be the one dancing with her, be the one that holds her waist and the one that makes her laugh like that.
I was never so possessive for anything or anyone all my life, and right now I did have the urge to go bite her like an alpha werewolf and mark her mine.
I wanted her to be here, with me, in my arms and to end this stupid game/ War that Cabir made me play for his entertainment. It had been more than twelvle hours since I heard her voice, since I felt her touch and made her laugh and it didn't make me feel great but what hurt me the most was that she was happy, but it wasn't because of me.
A certain part of me felt lost without her.
I turned around to have another glance at her, but I couldn't see her anywhere around. I saw her so called boyfriend and Mukti in a heated conversation in a corner.
Bored and disappointed, rather heartbroken, I stepped out for some fresh air in the small balcony, but even fresh air didn't seem to satisfy my lungs. Fucking my self control, I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lighted one, placing it between my lips and taking a small breath. Guess I was the one who gave a cigarette more power to kill me than emotions.
"Smoking kills," I heard a soft whisper behind me and turned around in surprise to see Inaaya.
"I see you haven't left smoking yet?" She asked, standing beside me. I sometimes kept forgetting that Inaaya was my best friend and knew secrets I was afraid to tell myself.
"Oh no! It's just...." I trailed off, almost ashamed as I removed the cigar and threw it in the bin beside. "Your way of dealin' with stress and disappointment, I know...." she completed my statement and I nodded.
"But no... I haven't smoked in a while, at least owing to the addict I was... running from my problems and letting smoking cope with it..." I whispered. I was a coward.
"I always told you Manik, you try forgetting your problems while smoking. Maybe try speaking them out? That'd help better...." she said, slowly keeping a hand on mine.
"I tried!" I smiled, enthusiastically. "I spoke out, confessed what had been troubling me in the past... and I haven't even touched a cigarette in the past few months..." I said, as enlightment hit me. Ever since I had been with Nandini, and we started this game of confessions , I had stopped smoking. I never felt the burden of my past when I spoke to her, and so I didn't need to adapt to alternate methods.
She saved me from killing myself slowly everyday. Our talks saved me, unknowingly.
"You like her so much... boy, you're whipped...." Inaaya laughed a little giggle and I looked at her, with startled eyes.
"I can see it, Manik. I can see it in the way you look at her. We were young, but that is exactly how I always wished that someday, you'd look at me. But I guess it's not me. It's her. And you know I can see it in the way you smile looking at her smile, the way your eyes lit up when she's around, the way you look at her, the way she completes you unknowingly.... I see that," she whispered, and I felt my cold heart warming up at the talk of her.
"Do you love her?" She asked, turning to look at me for the first time in this while and I could swear I could see tears glistening in her eyes that she tried to drink away.
"I... don't know. Atleast, I don't think so. I like her, for sure... I like her more than I have ever liked anyone... and it scares me. It scares me to think how she makes me feel so much, and now I'm ready to do anything for her, to go to any extents. My own feelings scare me..." I whispered.
"Isn't this love?"
I nodded negatively, laughing slightly, "No. Not yet. I don't think I can ever love her, the fear of losing her will be so strong anyway."
"C'mon Manik," she nudged, slightly poking my bicep. "You'd never know how sweet love tastes until you take the risk, right? And what maximum damage would it do— break your heart, maybe? But what doesn't kill you, just makes you stronger, isn't it?" She asked and I nodded.
"Just 'cause I don't love her, doesn't mean I'm not willing to take that risk with her, for her. I am willing to give my heart to her, and no matter how it ends, it would be a privilege to have my heart broken by her," I whisper, looking at her and she nods.
"But you speak as if you have already loved someone?" I say, as I turn to her and her eyes get stuck into mine as a tear that she had been holding all this while flows off.
"I have," she barely whispered, "and it's the most beautiful thing that's ever happened to me. I too, am willing to go to any extents for my love."
I felt numb, not knowing what to do, or what to say. My heart swole looking at her cry and my thumb wiped the tears drops off her cheek. She smiled, pulling off a careless laugh.
"But this is not about me, it's about you" She poked. I nodded. "And he... that guy you called ostrich, is not her boyfriend," she said and I looked at her, shocked again. She laughed. "You're the only one who hasn't noticed the way she looks at you, asshole. It's the same way that you look at her...." she said and nodded as I felt warm blood rushing to my cheeks.
She reciprocated, whatever it is that I feel for her.
"Now go find her, tell her what you feel before someone else does!" She pushed me and I nodded, running backwards, but coming back, and giving her a bear hug, wiping her tears and thanking her. Life could be strange, couldn't it?
I ran back to the dance floor, and it seemed like the war was over. Cabir and Navya were dancing, Aryamman and Aliya were no where to be seen and Mukti and ostrich— Abhimanyu were still arguing in a corner. I couldn't simply care about the extras, but what I focused on was Nandini was still no where to be seen.
Sighing, I took another round, searching every corner before I gave up. She probably headed home.
I went into the washroom to freshen up, and as I splashed water on my face, debating whether to follow her home or give her the much needed space for this stupid misunderstanding I had created, I heard a strange sound. It probably resonated from the women's washroom that was parallel to the men's. It was a hard sound, as if of something concrete falling on the marble floor. I guess, having sex in the clubs was never going out of trend.
I moved out, and just as I closed the door, I heard another sound. A moan... or a hiss, I don't know. Should I check? But what if I walk in on a steamy make out session?
Feeling like a philanthropist, wondering if it was actually someone who was stuck inside and needed help or anything, I opened the woman's washroom door, slowly opening my eyes and hesitating to see inside.
But what I did see inside knocked the air out of my lungs as I felt my ground shatter.
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Picturesque:
Nandini's dress
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