Manik

Use yaha laa toh gaya pa boloon kya?

"Uhmm Nandini tumhe yaad haina, mumma aur uncle ne bola tha hum se ki hamein ek doosre ke baare mein baat karni chahiye, just to know each other better" i started.

"Haan yaad haina. Kyun tum kuch bolne wale ho kya?" she asked.

"Yeah" i said.

"Toh bolo na" she said.

"I had a girlfriend" i said.

"Aage" she said, casually.

"Aage kya?" i asked.

"Uske aage kya hain? You said you had one" she said focusing on had.

"I broke up with her" i said.

"You want to talk about it?" she asked putting the laddoo dabba on the bench.

"I was different two years back. Kirti and i were just another happy couple. I started my career in music and was still a budding singer. I tried a lot for offers, but was rejected continuously for a long time. Mumma was struggling with the studio. Her business was on and off. So i thought should start helping her out. Par wohh toh ho hi nai raha tha. By then Kirti and i were together for a year. I wasn't able to deal with all this and got depressed. Bohot badal gaya tha. I stopped going out, meeting people. For a few months, i stopped looking for offers" i was talking. My past always makes me sad, she must have seen that on my face coz she held my hand in hers, secured.

"All i had was kirti and mumma. Mumma toh mere saath thi hi, but Kirti, all of a sudden i noticed a change in her behavior. She started ignoring me, my calls, my texts. Kuch bahaana bana deti thi whenever i asked her to come over. Mujhe pata nai tha, ki mere peeche she started dating someone else. It took me almost two months to realise that. I confronted her, and she instead of repenting, started blaming mumma. She said mumma was responsible for all this, she thought mumma was pressuring me to find work. You know what mumma means to me, i couldn't tolerate her non-sense. And we broke up" i said. And there was silence

"Are you okay?" she asked after a couple minutes.

I nodded in yes.

"Manik listen, i don't know if you are over her or not, but let me tell you. I always believe that, true love na happens only once. That feeling you get when you are with someone, come what may that never goes off your heat. May be Kirti was just a flick? You know a passing cloud. Everyone goes through the stage where they feel depressed for some reason. Jaise tum ne kaha, you expect your closed ones to be there for you in such times. Toh kya hua if she wasn't the one for you? You will definitely find someone better, someone you deserve in every way possible" she said.

"I found the best already" i said and in the next instant she let go off my hand, giving me a chance to grab hers, "and now, there's no looking back" i finished to see the brightest smile on her face, the one that lit the evening.

Her eyes were locked at mine, and the lips were slowly blooming into a beautiful smile, my drug.

That eye-lock, in which i would love to be imprisoned for a lifetime, had to get disturbed.

I left her hands, and she took out her mobile from her bag.

And the culprit this time was her Appa.

Uncleeee!! Khud hi baat karne ko bolte ho aur jab baaetin ho rahi hain tab beech mein aa gaye.

"Hello Appa" she said picking up.

"Yes, Nothing much, Manik ke saath bahar aayi hoon. Park" she said.

"Haan wahi, the one in our society" she said.

"Okay Appa, sure bye" she hung up

"Appa ne hi bola hain" she said to me, i waved.

"Where were we?" i asked.

"I was giving you gyaan" she said.

"Kuch baaki hain ya poora ho gaya?" I asked.

"Nai ho gaya" she said.

"Toch chalein?" i asked.

"Thodi der baithte haina. I like this place" she said.

"As you say" i said stretching my hands over the back rest of the bench. She laid her her head back, on my hand and closed her eyes.

This is probably the closest view of her face i have ever had.

Her silky black hair was flowing, as sleek as waves over her beautifully glowing face. Those big eyes, with long lashes, with which she glares at me, they looked so peaceful when closed. The best part about her face is those chubby cheeks, i can't resist myself from pulling them everytime i see her.

"Manik don't pull my cheeks, i hate it when someone does that" that's what she says everytime to my deaf ears.

Ahhh! Talk about the lips. The way her lips smile, they have the magic of spreading happiness all around. She may not be the most beautiful girl in the world to everyone, but for me she is a picture of perfection. And there's no world out of her for me, to see if there's someone more beautiful.

"Kya soch rahe ho?" she interrupted my thoughts.

"Tumhaare baare mein" i said, tucking those loose hair strands behind her ear.

"Tumhe kuch nai bolna? You don't have anything you want to share?" i asked.

"I told you everything. The only story i have is about my mother. And you know that already" she said.

"No boyfriends at all?" i asked.

"Naayy...never had time. There was one guy who tried a lot to get my attention. Par wohh bhi nai ho paaya" she said.

"Aur kyun?" i asked.

"Interest hi nai tha. For me, liking someone is way beyond looks. And i expected the other person also to think alike. I found no one who thought that way" she said.

"Well, i do" i said.

"And that's what brings me here" she said.

She says the most complicated things in the simplest ways possible.

"I am glad" i said.

And there was silence once again.

"Saare laddu khaa liye ya kuch bache hain?" i asked.

"Haina, tum ko khaana hain?" she asked picking up the box.

I took one.

"Mmmmm....this is yummm" it was really very tasty. Soft and fresh.

"Cheers" she said taking another one.

"Ghar chalein ya aur thodi der baithna hain aap ko?" i asked.

"Bas 10 minute aur" she said.

"Ohkkay" i said and she got back to her position.

"You know rock-paper-scissor?" she asked.

"The hand game?" I asked.

"Yeah"

"Yes, i do know" i said.

"Chalo khelthe hain" she said.

"Seriously? Mein bachha nai hoon"

"Kabhi kabhi baaccho waali harkatein karni chahiye, it's healthy. Acha now, Rock-paper-scissor" she said and already started playing.

She had rock, i had scissor.

"You lose" she said and did it again.

"Bwaahaha!! Now you lose" i said. She had paper, i had scissor.

"Okay, from now, whoever loses, has to either confess something or accept a dare" she said.

"Hain?"

"Hain kya hain? Bachho waali harkatein pasand nai haina toh let's make it better" she said and now, i had paper she had scissor.

"Okay, truth or dare?" she asked.

"Dare" i said. I am not truth types.

"Okay, you have to do 20 push-ups right here" she said.

"20 pushu-ups is nothing" i said and took the pose.

I did two and then i felt something heavy on my back.

"Abey utro" i said. She was sitting on my back.

"Abey? Kaun abey? Haww gandi baatein" she said.

"Madam, get down. Aise push-ups toh hote nai mujhse" i said.

"And that is why it's a dare. Now come on. 4 done, 16 to go" she said.

"This is not fair" i said.

"Everything is fair in love and war" she said.

"Is this war?" i asked.

"No" she said. Gotcha!

"So this is love?" i asked. And the next instant she got up from my back.

"Manik, it's your turn. You can't ask questions now quick" she said. And i finished the rest.

"Okay, let's see whose turn it is now" she said and it was me again. Mera phir se scissor aur uskaa rock.

"Dare" i said before she asked.

She passed on the laddoo dabba, there were 4 left.

"Khaao" she said giving the box.

"Don't tell me. It's not going to be so easy" i said.

"Smart...So you have to eat these without using your hands" she said.

I looked around if someone could see us.

Actually, this is the dare i usually give to me mumma when we both play this game.

I have never done it myself.

I could eat three and the sugars already started reacting.

"Aur nai hota please. I can't take so much sugar at once" i said.

"Okay last turn" she said and yes yes yes finally. I win this.

I had rock, she had scissor.

"So, truth or dare?" i asked.

"Truth, actually...a confession" she said.

"Okay! Do i have to ask you to confess or are you going to do it by yourself?" i asked.

"Ask" she said.

"Okay, what is your confession?" i asked.

"I love you Manik" she said.

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Shocked much? I know shock is totally an understatement.

Wait karo! See you soon!!!