9:00 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa, Madh Island, Mumbai.
I took another sip of whiskey as I waited for Mukti to complete her interviews. Alya was the only contestant left, and frankly there was no need of an interview. Mukti probably knew Alya even better than I did. After all, they were best friends before Alya left me. But, I guess the showrunners were demanding that the interview be taken for formality's sake.
I wondered what Mukti would make of all the contestants and who she'd recommend for the elimination. The easy answer was of course-Soha. But I couldn't eliminate her even though it's what I wanted to do. I had to talk to my lawyers...and make them figure out a loophole in that stupid contract! I had to work in stealth mode because I didn't want Mr. Malhotra's little snitch ratting me out, either.
It felt good to take a break for an episode and just drink in peace. For the first time, I wasn't the centre of attention and I was quite enjoying my free time.
I decided to use the washroom before I was called up by Raghav for the elimination ceremony. I straightened my collar and stood up from the bar stool.
I was dragging my feet to the washroom when I bumped into someone on the way.
"Ow!" I exclaimed, at the collision.
I was about to yell at the person who'd hit me, but when I looked up I was pretty taken aback at the sight.
It was Jeff with her make-up and eyeliner all smudged, and her eyes watering profusely. She was choking back tiny sobs and was evidently in a hurry to get somewhere.
Jeff had always been such a happy and cheerful person. The sight of her like this made my stomach drop. There had to be a serious reason she seemed so broken...
"Jeff, what happened?" I asked worriedly, as I placed my hands on her shoulder.
She just pushed my hands away and sprinted from there before I could make another move.
"Jeff, wait. What happened?" I shouted, as she ran away.
"Jeff! Stop running!" I heard a voice in the background, as I turned around.
I watched as Mukti attempted to follow Jeff. She seemed to be equally worried and upset.
What the fuck was happening? Was I missing something?!
I grabbed Mukti by the arm as she attempted to whizz past me.
"Mukti, what's wrong? What's happened? Why is Jeff crying?" I asked.
"Manik, we have to find her. I think she's going to hurt herself!" Mukti said, in a fearful voice.
"Hurt herself?! Why?!" I asked, absolutely baffled by her revelation.
"I'll explain everything later! But right now, we have to make sure she doesn't do anything drastic!" Mukti exclaimed.
As Mukti tried to move again, I held her back and said. "Mukti, I'm not moving an inch until you tell me what's going on!"
Mukti yanked her arm out of my grip and huffed in frustration. "She kissed me! Okay?!"
"What?!" I exclaimed in surprise.
However, as I thought about it for a few seconds, it all started to make sense...I suddenly understood why Jeff tried to act more feminine and cover up her knowledge about cricket...I understood exactly why I'd never been able to think about her...in a manner that was...romantic. I'd always thought of her as a buddy...like Cabir...or even Mukti.
I was an idiot for not realising it sooner! I was so engrossed in my own problems and clearing up my own messes that I'd failed to identify that she was struggling with the exact same ordeal I'd seen Cabir facing for years!
How had I been so stupid and self-absorbed?!
"Manik, are you listening to me? I have no idea how the camera man got there but they have some footage of Jeff kissing me! Are you listening?!" Mukti yelled as she shook me by the shoulders, bringing me out of my trance.
"Yeah...yeah...I'm listening." I said, rubbing my face.
"She's wrecked Manik! She's not thinking straight! If that footage airs, I'm not sure she'll be able to bear the humiliation! We have to find her before she does something stupid! Should we inform security?" Mukti yelled.
I noticed that the other contestants had heard Mukti shouting and gathered around us. Hopefully, they hadn't understood much of what she'd said.
"Mukti...just relax. I'll go and find her. There's no need to call security...it's a sensitive matter and it'll just worsen things if you do." I said.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Yes. I've got this." I said, as I turned around and hurried to the exit of the terrace.
I felt extremely guilty for not noticing Jeff's pain sooner. I was supposed to be her friend!
Ever since Cabir had come out, I'd vowed to help anyone facing the same struggle as him. I'd promised Cabir and myself.
And I'll be damned if I don't keep my promise!
******
9:10 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa.
I looked at the ocean as I fiddled with the grass on the lawn absent-mindedly. The waves were crashing against the shore rather peacefully. I felt like going and playing around in the sand for a while and feeling the cool water beneath the soles of my feet.
Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to fulfil my wishes. There was a watchman at the gate of the villa and a strict "No leaving the villa premises without permission" policy from the crew.
I wanted to get some peace and quiet after the interview and I thought it was best to come out and relax in the lawn for a bit, away from the hustle and bustle of the shoot.
After speaking to Mukti, I'd definitely gotten a better picture of Manik's relationship with his parents. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra stayed together only for the sake of their image in the press. Was keeping up an appearance really more important than their own happiness?
I was also a little surprised to find how blatantly Mukti had refused to give Alya another chance. I knew that Manik was no longer harbouring any hate towards Alya...In fact, it seemed like quite the opposite...Was there something more to the story that I was missing?
I was brought out of my thoughts as I noticed someone zooming towards the gate of the mansion in a rather rabid fashion.
It took me a few seconds to realise that it was Jeff. Why the hell was she in such a rush? And why was she trying to leave?!
I looked sideways and realised that the watchman guarding the door had disappeared temporarily. Perhaps, he had gone for a loo break. Whatever it was, he'd picked an awful time!
"Jeff! Wait!" I screamed as I ran up to the gate.
However, I was already too late. She'd unlocked it and exited it at lightning speed.
I wasn't sure if it was okay to follow her. After all, leaving the premises was against the rules and I didn't want to get into any unnecessary trouble.
I heard a few footsteps behind me and realised that someone was following Jeff.
I turned around to see Manik jogging up to the gate with a rather puzzled look.
As soon as he saw me, there was a slight look of relief on his face.
"Nandini, where did Jeff go? Did you see her?!" Manik asked, his breathing slightly heavy.
"Yeah. She ran out of the compound to the beach. What happened, Manik?" I asked, confused at his worried expression.
"Shit! That's not good! We have to find her! Did you see which way she ran?" He asked rather frantically.
"No. She was too quick." I replied, much to his dismay.
"Alright, Nandini! Listen to me! We have to find her! You go left and I'll go right! Okay?" He asked.
"Um...okay. But, why did she run away in the first place?" I questioned.
Manik took a deep breath and gripped my shoulders.
"Nandini, I can explain everything but we don't have time right now! Just please trust me..." He pleaded, looking into my eyes expectantly.
And at that moment, I knew that I believed him. I knew he was serious and it was a do or die situation.
Without asking any more questions, I nodded in response as I freed myself from his grip and ran out of the gate after kicking my heels to the curb.
At exactly the same moment, Manik set off in the opposite direction.
My feet prickled slightly as I ran in the sand. They were sinking intermittently with every step I took, due to the dampness of the ground.
"Jeff?!" I screamed as I ran, and strained my eyes to look for her in the moonlight.
I was no athlete, and running for a few minutes in the wet sand had already made my breathing laboured. I pushed closer to the edge of the water as the waves crashed against my feet.
Since Manik was so worried about Jeff's frame of mind, I was scared that she'd go deeper into the water.
As I inched closer towards the sea, I spotted a faint silhouette in the distance. It was moving further and further away from me and I squinted my eyes in order to get a better look.
And sure enough, it was none other than Jeff in the distance. Her high pony was unmistakable even from a few feet away.
"Jeff, stop! Jeff!" I screamed, scared that she was trying to drown herself.
I knew that I was fighting a losing battle from afar, as she moved deeper into the water.
I realised that I'd have to go in there myself and drag her out, even though the tides made it extremely unsafe to do so.
There was a good chance that I'd be swept away along with the high tide if I went into the water, but I knew that I had to risk it.
I could feel my dress getting increasingly wet as I walked into the sea. I walked as rapidly as I could and finally reached Jeff in a matter of a few seconds.
I caught hold of her arm rather firmly, and tried to pull her back.
"Jeff, what are you doing? We have to get out of the water! Let's go!" I yelled, as I realised that the water level was nearly exceeding my waist.
"No! Leave me alone! I want to die!" She screamed, as she tried to push me away.
Hearing her say it out loud saddened me a great deal, but it strengthened my resolve to pull her out even more.
"Jeff, whatever happened...we can talk about it! Please, just get out of the water...nothing can be bad enough for you to give up your life!" I screamed as I tried to pull her out.
I didn't have any idea as to what had actually happened, but I knew for a fact that no matter what the situation was, suicide was no solution!
Jeff was a few inches taller than me, and she had an athletic build as well. It was becoming increasingly difficult for me to keep her from advancing...she was too strong...
A small wave of water splashed on my face. It wasn't anything serious, but it gave Jeff enough time to give me the slip.
"No!" I screamed as she let go of my hand.
For a few seconds, I was afraid that I'd lost her...
But, I observed a tall figure move past me and grab her from behind as she struggled to free herself.
He picked her up by the waist in one swoop and turned around to bring her back to the shore as she kicked and screamed.
When I realised that it was Manik, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness he'd shown up!
I followed him back to the shore and all I could here was Jeff wailing and shouting in the background.
After we were a safe distance away from the water, he knelt down and placed Jeff on the ground.
"Why? Why did you save me?! Everything is over! My parents-they'll disown me. My friends will think I'm a freak! My life is over! Why couldn't you just let me die?! Why?" She screamed at Manik, hysterically.
"Jeff, please calm down..." Manik said, gently.
I didn't know what to do about the scene I was witnessing because I barely knew the story!
"No! I will not! I've had it with this life! I don't want to be sick anymore! I just want it to stop..." She screeched.
"Jeff!" Manik roared loudly, as he grabbed her firmly by the shoulders.
The sound of his voice was like that of a boom and it scared Jeff into silence.
"Don't ever think that you are...sick. You're completely normal, just like the rest of us! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Got that?!" Manik said, with a degree of finality in his voice.
I could see a blank expression on Jeff's face as she listened to Manik. A few seconds later, her lips began to quiver slightly...and soon she was choking back sobs all over again as a fresh set of teardrops flowed out of her eyes at an alarmingly rapid rate.
Manik looked pained as he saw her cry and then took her in a gentle hug, as he patted her back.
"I'm sorry Manik...I'm sorry! I didn't mean to kiss her! I made a mistake...Mukti must be so disgusted with me..." Jeff said, as she sobbed into Manik's chest.
My eyes widened as I listened to her confession.
"Shhh...It's okay...It's going to be okay, Jeff..."Manik said softly, trying to comfort her.
"Manik, if my parents see that, they'll disown me...my whole life will be over, Manik! Please don't let them telecast it! I promise from here on, I won't do anything like this! Please Manik! Just stop it from being telecast!" Jeff begged Manik.
My heart twisted slightly as I saw how tormented she was. I finally understood why she'd been so awkward when I'd asked her to help with my suit the other day...
I realised that Jeff had yet to accept her truth. She was still in denial, and all that pent up pressure had probably gotten too much for her to bear, resulting in this incident...
"Manik, please don't eliminate me because of this! Please...I promise it'll never happen again..." She requested in a choked voice.
Her denial had turned her desperate and it was an awful sight to behold.
Manik released her slowly, and held her hand as he said. "Jeff, I promise you...I will do everything in my power to stop that footage from being telecast. But I need you to stop hiding from yourself...Jeff...I need you to face your truth..."
Jeff shook her head and said. "No! It's not what you think...what happened was just a lapse! I'm straight...I'm straight...I'm normal..."
It seemed more like she was trying to convince herself rather than us.
"Jeff, I've seen this phase of denial. One of my best friends Cabir-he's gay. You know what? For the longest time he kept that part of himself hidden. He was scared...just like you are...You're afraid of what your family will think. You're afraid of what people will say...but trust me Jeff, with time everyone who loves will accept you just the way you are! And if they don't, then they never loved you in the first place!" Manik explained.
I was surprised to hear about Manik's friend Cabir. No wonder he seemed so determined to help Jeff out.
"No. Manik...no...no one will accept me..." Jeff kept shaking her head in refusal.
I took a deep breath as I placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Jeff, it's okay to stand out from the crowd. You need to be proud of who you are. I have a brother...his name's Rishabh. He has a medical condition, due to which he gets unexplained seizures. Over the years, many people have teased him. He used to get so saddened by everyone's taunts...but one day, my Chacha-Chachi explained to him that he needs to start believing in himself. He needs to start loving himself...and ever since then the taunts died down drastically. He never gave any of the bullies the satisfaction of affecting him, and that's what you'll have to do as well! You'll have to stop lying to yourself and come clean with everyone who cares for you..."I said.
I noticed Manik smiling slightly as he heard me share a story about my brother with her.
"Okay...I'll tell my parents eventually, but Manik...not right now. I can still be on the show...Manik, I know you're not ready to get married right now. Maybe you could just pick me as the winner...we could get engaged...and..." She said, fumbling with her words.
Manik cut her off in the middle and said, incredulously. "Jeff, are you listening to yourself? That wouldn't be fair to either of us. Someday you'll find love, Jeff. I promise. If you're still on the show, you'll just be carrying on the pretence...Stop fighting Jeff, and accept yourself. We're all with you."
I held Jeff's hand as well in order to motivate her.
Slowly, I could see Jeff nodding her head in response. It looked like she'd finally come to terms with her truth...
"And Jeff, whatever happens, never try to hurt yourself again! Suicide is cowardice, and I know that you're not a coward. Promise me you'll never do it again?" Manik asked rather sternly.
"I promise." She whispered again.
"Pinky swear?" Manik asked, lightening the mood a little.
Jeff giggled slightly as she wiped her eyes and wrapped her little finger around Manik's.
"Pinky swear." She said.
"Spit handshake?" Manik asked with raised eyebrows.
"Spit Handshake!" Jeff chuckled, as she spat on her palm and shook hands with him.
I scrunched up my face in a mix of disgust and amusement, but I was beyond relieved at the fact that Jeff was returning to her senses.
For a few moments, all three of us just sat in silence staring at the vast expanse of the ocean.
Jeff was the first one to break the silence. "Guys, won't they be searching for us? Won't you both be in trouble for ditching the shoot?"
"Fuck them. We don't have to go back until you're ready..." Manik said with a smirk.
When Jeff looked at me for an answer, I scoffed. "Yeah...I'm not dying to get back either..."
"You really think I'll find love, Manik?" Jeff asked as she stared into the distance.
I gulped slightly as I waited for him to respond. I was half expecting him to shatter her hopes due to the heart break he'd experienced himself after Alya dumped him.
However, he surprised me by saying. "Absolutely, Jeff. You'll find a nice kickass girl one day who is worthy of you, and I just know it...I'm going to be very jealous of you!"
Jeff laughed a bit in response and I was happy that we'd succeeded in cheering Jeff up to some extent.
"I think we should go back, guys. I know there's an elimination ceremony and we shouldn't be late..." Jeff said, as she stood up.
"Are you sure?" Manik asked.
"Positive." Jeff smiled back.
"Okay, then." He said as he stood up.
"Here, take my blazer. It's pretty chilly and your dress is soaked through." Manik said to Jeff, as he handed her the blazer he'd left at the shore before diving in to help me reel Jeff in.
As I stood up, I could see him looking at me with apologetic eyes, probably because he didn't have anything to offer me.
I merely shook my head in response assuring him that it was alright.
Jeff put the blazer on and the three of us walked hand in hand till we reached the villa again.
As soon as the watchman saw us approaching, he began to shout. "Director Sirji! Sirji! Woh log waapas aa gaye! Hum ka keh rahe the? Humra galti nahi tha."
When we set foot into the lawn, a bunch of crew members ran out to us.
"Manik, where did you disappear? This is not acceptable..." His manager said, as he jogged up to Manik.
Manik merely refused to answer his question and said. "Towel leke aa."
"Manik, are you listening..."The manager continued.
"Abey bola na towel leke aa. Nahi toh nanga karwa ke samundar mein phenk dunga!" Manik scowled as he spoke.
This seemed to scare him quite a bit and he quickly scurried away as I giggled at his irrational fear of Manik's temper.
"Manik, is everything okay?" Mukti asked, as she came running to Manik followed by the other contestants.
"Yes, Mukti. It's all under control." Manik smiled.
"Are you okay, Jeff?" Mukti asked in relief as soon as she spotted her behind Manik.
Jeff seemed extremely embarrassed and hesitated to face Mukti.
"I'm okay Mukti...I'm really sorry..." She began, but Mukti stopped her immediately.
"There is no need to apologise! I'm just glad that you are safe!" She said, firmly.
One of the crew members finally ran up to Manik with a towel.
I expected him to wipe himself with it but instead I saw him walking towards me.
When he was just a few inches away, he wrapped the towel around my body and pulled me slightly closer to himself, making me feel instantly warmer. I hadn't even realised that I'd been shivering slightly due to the sea breeze.
He then brought his hand closer to my face and I widened my eyes in confusion.
He proceeded to brush a portion of my cheek with his thumb, gently, making my cheeks turn slightly red.
"There, now the sand stuck on your cheek is gone." He said with a smile, as he moved away.
I turned around to see all the girls gawking at me. They were possibly wishing the ground to swallow me whole, at that moment. Soha was obviously fuming, but none of the other girls seemed happy either.
Suddenly, no one seemed to be interested in the "Jeff incident".
They were...jealous.
I watched as Manik took his wet shirt off in front of everyone and walked towards the villa with a devil-may-care attitude.
"Someone get me a fresh set of clothes..." He yelled as he entered the villa, as the girls strained their eyes to get a better look at a shirtless Manik.
They might've been jealous, but what they didn't realise was that he'd have probably offered the towel to a stranger as well if she were in my place.
Manik might be a flirt. He might appear supercilious or arrogant most of the time, but after what he did for Jeff, I was convinced that he had a pure heart beneath all of that.
*****
10:15 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa.
"Alright girls, get ready for the elimination ceremony! We are already running behind on schedule and we can't afford to shoot for an extra minute, tonight! Quickly, get in line!" The A.D screamed at everyone.
I swallowed as I stood in the queue of girls. Jeff came and stood beside me, and I held her hand gently, to encourage her to be strong. I was pretty certain that Mukti would recommend Jeff for the elimination. Not because she disliked Jeff. It's just as Manik said-keeping her on the show would just encourage her to lie to everyone. And we couldn't regress to that situation again.
Though, I wouldn't be surprised if Mukti chose Soha for the elimination. That girl was just insufferable and I knew Mukti was smart enough to figure it out. Annoyingly enough, I knew it wouldn't make a difference because Manik was being pressurised to keep her on the show.
"It's okay, Nandini. I'm not afraid anymore." Jeff assured me as Raghav came up to stand in front of us.
I was glad to hear it.
As Manik walked in wearing a fresh set of clothes, the cameras finally started rolling and focused on Raghav.
"Welcome back everyone to 'The Bachelor'-Powered by Veet. We've had a lot of fun tonight, especially with our special guest visiting. But now, the atmosphere gets a little glum...We have to bid good bye to one of the contestants. Without further ado, let's invite the guest of honour, Mukti Vardhan to reveal the results of the interviews." Raghav said, gravely.
Mukti was handed the mike by Raghav.
Once she accepted it, she said rather cheerfully. "It was great speaking to all of you today, but there was one contestant who stood out from the rest, for me. I want to save her from the elimination ceremony because I believe that she's a fit match for Manik. And it's none other than-Nandini Murthy."
I was a little taken aback when I heard my name. I had no idea that I'd managed to impress her.
"That's great news! So Nandini is safe from elimination tonight!" Raghav said, as all the contestants applauded rather lethargically.
I'd come with the intention of getting myself eliminated in the first round. Why the hell wasn't I succeeding?!
I looked at Manik and saw him smirking back at me.
He might have been screaming-"Haha Doll! Both us of are stuck here for another day!"
I immediately brushed my thought aside and wondered when I'd learned to interpret the meaning of his smirks so intricately and accurately.
"And who would you recommend for elimination? The final decision would lie with Manik of course...but your opinion is invaluable as well." Raghav asked.
"The contestant I would recommend for elimination is...Alya Saxena." Mukti said with a poker face, shocking everyone.
I looked at Alya and saw an expression of hurt and worry on her face.
I could hear the contestants murmuring among themselves about Mukti's decision. No one expected Mukti to recommend Alya for the elimination. After I'd returned with Manik and Jeff, I'd found out from the other contestants that Mukti had refused to interview Alya. I thought it'd been because they knew each other already...but this...I hadn't anticipated...and if his expression was any indication, neither had Manik.
"Alright, Manik. We've heard Mukti's choices. Now the decision is with you, Manik. Who would you like to eliminate?" Raghav asked him.
Manik looked lost for a moment, but he got a grip on himself soon enough.
"Umm...this is really hard for me, but since the final decision is mine...I'm sorry Jeff, but your journey ends here." Manik said, in a somber tone.
I knew he wasn't lying. It was difficult for him. Anyone could see how much Manik enjoyed Jeff's company, but he'd done what was best for her and let her go...
Jeff had a bittersweet smile on her face as she went up to Manik and gave him a solid hug.
I could see Manik whispering into Jeff's ear, probably assuring her that her secret would be safe until she decided to reveal it to the world.
Jeff walked up to the girls, and gave Alya as well as Riddhima a warm hug. Inaaya and Soha just stood at the side and stared awkwardly. Soha seemed a bit dissatisfied for some reason...
Jeff came up to me and gave me a large smile before hugging me.
"Thank you, Nandini. Thank you for everything you did for me, today. I don't know how to repay you..." Jeff said.
"It's okay, Jeff. We're friends and friends help each other out. The way you can repay me...is by keeping in touch once this whole show is over. I'll miss you!" I said in return.
I certainly would miss her cheerfulness and spunk about the house.
"I'll miss you too...and I just wanted you to know...You and Manik make such a great team! I'm rooting for you to win the show!" She said cheerfully, as she withdrew.
I merely nodded politely in response, as she gave me a final wave and walked away.
First Vibha, then Mukti and now Jeff. I could see a pattern forming...but I didn't know how I felt about it.
As Jeff exited the scene to go and pack her things, the cameramen recorded her departure.
"Alright! And that's a wrap for tonight! Good night everybody...and keep watching 'The Bachelor'-powered by Veet." Raghav said enthusiastically.
Once the cameras stopped rolling, I could see the girls being ushered into the villa.
I watched as Manik asked Mukti something, and had a look of aggression on his face, once she answered his question.
As I was walking into the villa, I saw Manik rush to one of the cameramen. My eyes widened in alarm as I saw him smashing his camera rather violently as the fearful cameraman hid his face.
Mukti smirked at the sight and I couldn't help but chuckle as well. I realised that it was probably the same cameraman who'd shot the footage that Jeff was so worried about. Jeff had told me that he'd just entered the girl's washroom out of the blue.
Who gave him the right to enter the washroom, anyway?! Those areas were strictly off limits.
"Aye, Amir. Production walo ko iska paisa bhej dena..." Manik shouted, as he walked inside the villa, leaving me to chuckle at the blank look on his manager's face.
*****
10:50 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa.
I walked inside the mansion and rubbed my head because it was throbbing slightly. It had been a long day, and the whole ordeal with Jeff had made it even more stressful!
I'd decided to stay at the villa overnight and leave in the morning after a good night's rest.
I was about to ask a crew member which room I'd been allotted when I heard a familiar voice in the background.
A blast from the past. Alya.
"So, you don't even say a word, refuse to interview me, and then recommend me for the elimination? How is that fair, Mukti?" She said.
"Save it, Alya. I'm not in the mood." I said as I tried to walk away before things got ugly.
However, she grabbed me by the arm and said.
"Mukti, I know you're mad at me for betraying Manik. But we were best friends once...can't we start afresh? Maybe you could give me another chance? I'm really sorry!" She said in a meek voice.
I yanked my hand out of her grip and said. "That's rich, Alya. It's so easy for you, isn't it? One apology and everything goes back to the way it was like the last year never happened. It doesn't work like that, and you know it! "
"But, Mukti..." She began.
"No! You just left! You didn't just betray Manik's trust! You walked out on Fab Five! Dhruv just went off to dance school after, and it was just me and Cabir picking up the pieces every time Manik broke down because he just couldn't bear the pain! So excuse me if I don't give you another chance!" I spat at her.
I could see tears welling in her eyes but I didn't feel the urge to console her.
"But Manik has forgiven me...I'm going to win him back, Mukti...and I want to win your friendship back as well!" She said.
For a second I wondered if what she was saying was actually possible...Had Manik really forgiven her after knowing everything she'd done?
"Really? So you're telling me that he's forgiven you even after you came clean with him?" I asked.
"What do you mean? Clean about what?" She asked as sweat beads appeared on her forehead.
"Ah...you didn't tell him..." I scoffed. "I knew it!"
"What are you implying? I don't know..." She started off, but I'd had it with her lies.
"Cut the crap, Alya! I'm not as naïve as Manik...I know fully well why you left Manik...who you left him for..."I hissed.
I could see her panicking as I spoke.
"So, leave the show of your own volition Alya. Leave before you break Manik's heart all over again! And trust me, if you don't leave...I'll tell Manik the truth myself!"
With this statement, I walked away from Alya hoping that my threat had worked and she'd go as far away from Manik as possible.
*****
11:30, 24th February, Galaxy Villa.
I rubbed my eyes slightly as I came out of the washroom and headed downstairs.
I didn't really feel like sleeping. My adrenal glands were on overdrive due to the fiasco that had occurred at the party, and I had an annoying amount of energy as a result.
I decided to head to the pool side and see if Manik was playing the guitar again. The music would definitely be soothing to my ears, and I also wanted to ask him if he'd really succeeded in destroying the footage.
I went to the back door of the villa and slid it open to find Manik sitting on the floor, dipping his feet into the pool slightly.
Much to my disappointment, he wasn't playing any music.
"Room for one more?" I asked, hesitantly.
"Wow! She makes her presence known voluntarily instead of hiding behind a tree! Someone alert the press!" Manik exclaimed, sarcastically.
"Very funny." I said, as I sat down beside him, dipping my feet into the water as well.
"Did you succeed in stopping the telecast of the video of Jeff and Mukti?" I asked the question at the top of my mind, immediately.
"Well, I destroyed that idiot's camera, and I don't think they had time to make any copies. But even if they did, I'll just scream at the editors. It's a tomorrow problem." He said, confidently.
"Really? Screaming at the editors? That's the plan?" I asked, amused.
"It's nothing I haven't done before." He muttered, puzzling me slightly.
"Huh? What does that mean?" I asked.
"Arrey...that time when..." He was about to continue when he stopped himself from speaking further.
Why did I get the feeling that he was trying to hide something?
"Well let's just say that after the stunts I pulled with Alya, I'd be happy if the show progressed without the humiliation of any contestant on national TV. I won't let them insult anyone, Nandini. Not Alya, not Jeff, not you..."He trailed off.
I was pleasantly surprised at the change in him. It was like his rage had blinded him before, but now he was seeing things in a completely different light.
"Manik, why do you always put on a mask in front of others? What you did for Vibha, and now Jeff...it clearly shows that you care! So why do you pretend not to?" I blurted out, before I realised what I'd said.
He seemed a little surprised at the audacity of my question, but gave me a bittersweet smile as he said. "It's just easier this way. When others know that you care too much, you're vulnerable. When Alya and I were in a relationship, there was hardly a day that went by where I didn't remind her of my love. But, you see what happened? It backfired, didn't it?" Manik said with a dry chuckle.
My stomach dropped slightly listening to him talk about his heart break.
"And that's when I decided, if I hurt the person first...then...they couldn't hurt me." He sighed.
I sat still as I absorbed the full weight of his words.
After a few seconds of silence, he stood up from his place and said. "It's late, you should get some sleep."
I don't know what possessed me, but I caught hold of his hand before he left.
I stood upright, and said, looking straight into his eyes. "Manik, what you did for Jeff today was really sweet. And I'd love to see that side of you more often. I just wanted you to know that."
He seemed a little bit awestruck at my words. He looked down at the place where I'd caught his hand and caressed my knuckles gently, sending slight shivers through me.
However, he let go of my hand a second or two later, with a slight expression of frustration on his face.
"Careful Doll. You just complimented me. People might start to think you actually like me. Especially your boyfriend, Aryaman. And we wouldn't want that now, would we?" He said in a mocking voice before he walked away.
When he brought Aryaman's name up, I suddenly had a pit in my stomach. A pit that usually symbolized guilt...
But, I didn't need to feel guilty!
He was the one who was ignoring me entirely! I was the one trying to fix things with him!
Unless there was another reason for the guilt...what if Manik was right?
I was afraid to even admit it to myself, and dreaded the mere thought of it.
But, what if the guilt was because I'd started to develop feelings for Manik?!
*****