~ VIRAT ~

7. The Art Of Manipulation.

IF ONE ASKS ME, what was the most life-altering sequence that ever happened in my life a month ago, you would've a short and simple answer: Nikita. Her words when I was seventeen-which made me fall in love with her.

But if one asks me right now, what is the most life-altering sequence that ever happened in my life, you'll have to brace yourself for an extremely long answer.

And if I was to condense it into something so it would be easier like my previous answer, it would be Anushka Sharma.

Two words. Thirteen letters. Two hazel eyes. Enticing smile. Soft touch. Playful banters. Past lives. Honest confessions. Broken hearts. Strained heartbeats.

She wasn't like Nikita; smooth latte, but a bittersweet shot of espresso. We weren't part of a perfect tale of queasy-knees love story, but we were comrates cavorting and sometimes sharing things which we might not share with anyone else. Anushka wasn't flawless, but that was the beauty inside her. She was imperfectly perfect. Honestly, Anushka made me rebellious, she made me realize that life wasn't worth breathing without a bit of chaos, a bit of rebellion.

And currently, she was uncoiling herself. In front of me. I was seeing her break, I was seeing her heart break. The shadows of the sarcastic, humorous girl ricocheting in the corners of a dark alley. She was now submissive, shattering without any warning.

It was fast-steadily approaching monsoon winds. The moonlight which fell daintily on the lake previously was disappearing, as the fat rolls of clouds ambled by-covering the moon.

"We were supposed to camp today. And we are getting all sentimental." Anushka broke the silence, giving me a goofy expression.

"I know," I muttered, rolling my eyes. Stop thinking about her, Virat. We were laughing together until Anushka brought her hand to her face and slapped it. Before I could make a remark on her actions, she started scratching her hands, leaving me more confused.

"What happened?" I queried, looking at her arms which were all red by now.

"Mosquitoes," Anushka complained with a pout. "I don't even have a mosquito repellant. What am I going to do? Let them suck all my precious blood!?" she sniffled dramatically, and I rolled my eyes. I pondered over, before an idea struck me.

"Do you have a paper?" I asked, arching a brow at her. Anushka looked confused but dug into her bag to find some tissue papers.

I took out my lighter and burnt them, thus resulting into paper converting to ash. Once the paper was thoroughly combusted, I applied the ash on Anushka's skin. At first, Anushka was hesitant about her getting touched so intimately. "What are you doing, Virat?" she asked me, her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Ash helps in getting rid of mosquitoes and all other insects," I told her, applying it against her shoulders which were bare because of the sleeveless jumpsuit she wore. My stomach exploded with warm, fuzzy feelings of all sorts as soon as my hands made contact with her. This was something inexplicable because I had no idea what exactly it was. Probably rulebooks of intimacy and attraction couldn't explain it either what I felt for Anushka. Or why I was always concerned for her.

"Thank you so much. You always make me feel better," Anushka told me, her eyes focusing on mine. Our faces were too close, just a little lean and our lips might just touch each others. "But why? Why do you've to do this? Why do you've to say things which makes me fa-"

She stopped mid-sentence, getting away from me.

I arched a brow at her, "Makes you what?" I ask, scepticism etched in my thick-voice.

"Makes me feel that you're the knight in shining armour for me. I don't want you to be my knight, Virat."

"I'm not trying to be your knight either, Anushka. I love Nikita." I told her, my eyes focussing on hers. Shock was apparent on hers but she composed herself way too quickly.

"I know," her voice was soft now. I was confused by her behaviour, by my own behaviour. "That's why I'm helping you. But we don't have to be like this... you know? We can keep it strictly business. You don't have to make me feel better about me. I know I shared something intimate with you-"

"-oh so this is about it. You regret sharing your past with me, don't you?"

"No. I just don't get this. Why do we act so pathetically cliche around each other? You act like you're trying to save me but I don't need you to."

"I'm not trying to save you, Anushka. I'm just trying to help you."

What was wrong with her all of a sudden?

I wasn't trying to play the knight all the time for her, or was I?

I was just trying to be selfless. Be myself.

All my life, people told me that there was nothing like a selfless good deed, because no matter how altruistic you made yourself out to be, you do feel happy after doing something good to others, and that was a selfish thing to do.

In that case, I was the most selfish person in the entire universe. Because I would do anything to watch that smile of hers over and over again.

That smile could end wars.

"Why?" her question caught my attention. "Why are you helping me and complicating things for me?"

"I am complicating things for you?" I had no idea what she was talking about. And my question is left unheard as Anushka starts walking towards the car. I quietly followed her on the way to my car.

The drive was quiet, painfully silent. Painful because I knew Anushka was writhing in pain and I'd no idea why. She has always been a wallflower; thinking way too much but she never told what was on her mind. This has been a quality inside her since school days.

When we would in our English Literature class, our Sir would ask this really difficult question about which no one had any idea, but Anushka always knew the answer. But she would never raise her hand and answer.

The only time she would be really vocal was when it came to fights with me. Apart from me, Nikita and Abeer were her very good friends-for whom she could really kill.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, and she looked away, staring at the dark abyss outside the window.

"I am," she sounded like she was assuring herself. "I'm sorry for everything I spoke to you before. I just hope Nikita and you get together as soon as possible now."

I gave her a nod, and the atmosphere was silent and awkward again. After dropping Anushka home, I headed towards my apartment. I hated how the night which had candid smiles and wasted tears and bottom lips chewed off, like the overflowing boulevard of things unseen ended with such malignant silence.

But there was so little I could do. I wish I could get inside her mind and know what was actually going inside her.

I wish Anushka wasn't that complex. But why would she revert? After all, it was her biggest defense.

***

THE NEXT WEEK WAS THE BUSIEST because I had an outdoor shoot for Puma and a photoshoot for my own label. More than that, it was exhausting because I missed my family so much. The tight schedule of matches hardly gave me anytime to spend some quality time with my family and now more of it was consumed by these advertorials.

Today was going to be eventful because of our plan. By our, I mean Anushka and I. The food blogger was going to come to Nikhil's restaurant today to inspect the food, and rate his restaurant.

The plan still felt immature and childish but if it was the only way by which Nikhil and Nikita's engagement could be postponed, then so it be. I would do anything to get a chance to fight for Nikita. She had built a massive castle in my heart which was almost indestructible-the foundation of which was laid years ago.

"Are you ready for it?" Anushka's whisper brought me back to reality. A small smile played on her lips which meant she was ecstatic about the plan.

"Yeah," I answered, rubbing my palms a little out of nervousness. My conscience kept on reminding me how I was misusing the trust Nikhil had put on me. But everything was fair in love and war, right?

"You'll never get back this chance. Do it sneakily, I'll provide you the bag through the window on the rear side of the kitchen. Make sure no one sees you while you do it," Anushka instructed for the umpteenth time. I just let out an exasperated groan and nod.

"I'll go. Nikhil would be waiting for me. It's over eight." I told her, and Anushka's eyes flicked over to her watch. She pursed her lips, and murmured an okay in response.

I hopped out of the car, wearing a huge smile on my face as I trudged my way towards the restaurant. The place was moderately decorated with antiques, and I realized Nikhil had invested a lot in making the place into how it stood today.

And I was going to destroy it all today.

My stomach sank.

There comes a time wherein you feel you're teetering between right and wrong, standing in that fine, carefully drawn line that you've made for yourself. There also comes a time when you have to choose to either step to the left or to the right, or risking falling and hitting your head. Of course sometimes, you wouldn't know which side is right and which side is wrong. Sometimes you just can't tell anymore, because your heart and mind are two different entities that seem to be at war for every second of that day.

That day was today.

Nikhil's bright smile welcomed me inside. "Hey, Virat!"

"Hi, Nikhil." I returned him the smile.

"I didn't know you were coming today," he looked surprised. "Anyway, come here. I'll show you the second best table of my restaurant." he told me, motioning me towards a table which came just below the metallic chandelior. It was beautiful, the way the walls adjacent to it was decorated. The good thing was only two tables were occupied, that too upstairs. So there wasn't going to be much chaos because of my presence.

"Why the second best table?" I faked an amused smile, already knowing the answer.

"Today is an important day. Mr. Naresh Aggarwal, the famous food blogger is going to come to the restaurant today. I'm so excited about it! He's going to cover the entire N & N under his magazine."

"Oh well, that's awesome."

"Acha, I'll get you something. Tell me what do you want?"

"Can I just go the kitchen? I'm always conscious about what I'm being served." Nikhil gave me a sceptical look before nodding because of obvious reasons. He didn't know how it was to have Virat Kohli at his small restaurant.

When we got inside the kitchen, I immediately start being friendly with everyone so that no one becomes suspicious of my actions. After clicking a couple of selfies and being asked infinite questions, the atmosphere became raw and silent. Nikhil left the kitchen shortly because of appearance of Mr. Aggarwal's. The good thing was I slowly and sneakily opened the window, and no one actually noticed. Anushka stood outside, looking at me with a soft expression. She handed me the bag which was full of bugs.

I dumped the bag sneakily in the huge vessel which was being prepared under the Specials. "Thanks a bunch for having me!" I told the chefs, who gave me their bright smiles. I strutted my way back to the table, getting swamped by a couple and three kids. I chided along, entertaining them with autographs and photographs when I hear a shriek.

"Is this the hygiene you were talking about, Mr. Nikhil?!" Mr. Aggarwal's voice echoed across the entire restaurant. I saw Nikhil's face which was in pinks and reds because of reeling back in shock and disbelief.

"I'm so sorry,Mr. Aggarwal. I'll just-"

"- oh no, no, no. Mr. Nikhil, thank you. But I'm done with the service provided by your restaurant, and now I would pretty much like to go and write the review about your wonderful service!" Sarcasm dripped off his tongue like a scathing sword or worse even, poison. Mr. Aggarwal stormed away from the place in rage.

I rushed towards Nikhil, leaning him a shoulder, and thoroughly feeling bad about what I had done. But it was all for Nikita. And I would do thousand such deeds if it brightened my chances of her being my endgame.

After all, selfishness and deceit were the two most well-known traits of human beings.

"I'm so sorry for whatever happened. I'm sure your rivals tried to salbotage the reputation of your restaurant. I'm so sure about it!" I manipulated him.

Nikhil cried. "His visit meant everything to me and my business, Virat. It's going to affect the restaurant adversely."

"Don't worry, Nikhil. It's just going to be lasting for two weeks. Eventually people would forget." I wrapped an arm around his shoulder, trying to console him. But the worry didn't dissolve off his face because he knew too that wasn't going to be the case. Anushka and I had made a fool-proof plan, and the next reaction of our action was certain.

The delay of his wedding with Nikita.