PLAYBOY[Manan's Ff]

chapter-46

Nandu's POV

MANIK .....I don't know whether he saw what happened? Or not. I don't know how he will react or if I have to.  Even though  he was angry with me.My brain is playing. Even though  I  have done nothing  wrong, seeing  him  I felt  guilty. I  started  saying," It's  not  what you think."

Without listening  to me, he eyed the gift, I  showed him saying, "Rihaan gave me this for tomorrow ,I  refused, but he tricked me,".

I don't  know  what  I'm  doing  convincing  him  or myself. But I  have  no interest in talking to Rihaan before, but him remembering  my birthday makes me feel a little  good, though. But I  can't  forget everything and  move on.  And seeing  Manik feeling upset made it worse. The little good spot for Rihaan  got crushed.

He just  went off seeing  me thinking and making up the things. The way of him reacting itself  says  that  he  saw everything  that  happened  and  was disappointed  with me.

So I  went to my locker and  placed the gift and went out of school.  My curiosity  died down  now, but my heart doesn't  let it throw away in dustbin even though  my brain  instructs me to do so.

So I  started  thinking about the gifts received in these years.  They are very few, and only persons  were Mom and  aunt. These days, Grandpa  started giving chocolates. Other than them, there was no one to celebrate  anything  for me. But after Dad and sid left, birthdays  became  the  most horrible  days , so I  stopped  holding  on to the people, and that day, too. Thus, I  never celebrated  my birthday  again. Mom usually  bought a dress when she got time and did puja, or else it was like every  other day .

Thinking  these things,  I  bumped into someone and realized  that  it was none other than Manik. There were not many students on campus. He just ordered to  sit with  him on the bike. Seeing  his mood ,I didn't  dare to say any other  word. So I just followed  his order.

Our drive was silent  until I asked, "Didn't  you  go with his friends  today?""  He was supersilent, and I clearly  understood  that  he is controlling himself  not to lash out.Being with him for months made me a little aware of his actions .But that doesn't  stop me from doing  what I wanna  do.

" Okay, I  understood  you're  angry with me, but just let me know what you're  angry at!?". The bike stopped  suddenly  made me lean onto him,placing both my hands on his shoulder  for support. For a second, I lost balance. I know he was angry, but I didn't  expect  this much.
If I  lost it, I  would  have  fallen off.

He again started  to  drive to my place, Mom was waiting  for me outside of the house. She welcomed  Manik while I 'm in no mood  after him pulling that stunt.

Manik declined  and  said  that  he had to study. Seriously,  tomorrow  is  environmental science ,nobody studies for it. I  know he doesn't want to  come.
Mom asked ," Why does he seem upset! While serving pav bhaji. I washed my hands and was ready to dig in if she placed that plate before me. But holding  that plate, she asked Did anything  happen in school, or was he  upset due to exam?"

My mouth is watering with the aroma itself. But she was asking about Manik without placing my plate before me.I  took my plate from her hand and started eating without  answering." I don't  know !" I said halftruth.

Maybe you should  ask him, she said after all he was there for you whenever  you needed him,but you left him like  that. "Okay, Mom, I know  all this," I said, thinking to myself, but he was too furious. I can't  handle him now. I need to prepare for this.

I grabbed a box and placed pav bhaji  for both of them. Then I took that box to go, but Mom held my hand and said , she'll give them.

I narrowed  my  eyes  at her. I doubted. Is she doing some party sort of thing for my birthday. She backed off, downing her eyes. At times, I found  my mom  was cute. I again questioned  with eyes, and  she didn't  say  anything.  So I  opened  my mouth asking," Are you up to anything, ma?". To which she replied with a question," Why  am  I  up to anything, Nandu?". After that, she genuinely  said, "Seriously, Nandu,  you always assume things about me."