MaNan: It all started with a lie

My past still haunts me

Nandini

I regained my consciousness and found myself lying on a bed in the sick bay. I was confused at first but then remembered how I got scared during the fight and fainted. I am sure manik would have been very restless and scared seeing me like this but what can I do....I had a horrible past as a child which still haunts me. I opened my eyes to see all worried faces in front of me specially bhai and manik. But what amazed me the most was that I was not lying my head on the pillow but it was in manik's lap and manik was gently caressing my hair. Heat rushed through me cheeks as I blushed but soon my eyelids got heavy and I went off to sleep which I guess was because of those heavy sedatives that were given to me.

"No don't.....leave me please!.... Please leave me!"....I fell on the floor crying badly. "I will do whatever you say but please let me go....please."
My movements were restricted now as I got tied with ropes. I struggled to free myself but all my attempts were a failure. I saw that person come extrely close to me and I started shouting.
" No!! Please.....manikk!..."
Bhai!"
I woke up with a jerk and next I know that I was engulfed in a bone crushing and rather a very consoling hug by manik.
"Nandu....star....dekho I'm here see" he said and was continuously rubbing my back in order to console me. I looked around scared and said " manik they left me....bhai vo log mujhe chod kar chale gaye....they left me" and I cried badly engulfed in manik's arms. What more could I even do?..... I was very naive that time to even understand what was happening with me. I had got numb after that incident. If it wasn't bhai and manik I would have caged up myself and would be living lifelessly like those days....my past still haunted me and that would bring along this horrible nightmares that did nothing but just added more misery to my pain. I could hear alia question manik about my state but he just ignored her and told the others to leave. Nandini murthy you have to be strong now. If you really want to fight back your terrifying past then you will have to face it and I very well knew what would be my first step to get rid of it and so stopped everyone from going out. I had decided to spill the beans now. No more hiding, no more getting afraid. I had to do this....for me!
I collected courage and stopped them only to be stopped by manik who was yet not ready to believe that I was fine. I first needed to calm him down and ensure him that I was fine and that was what I did. I ensured him but still could not calm his rage, his eyes were still showing how furious he was with a slight tinge of guilt as I very well knew he would blame himself for not being able to save me from harshad. Just to lighten him up and calm him down I initiated " manik, can I calm u down now? Please manik?" And I smiled a bit. I knew it will work as his reply came after a few seconds once he had properly studied me whether I was in pain and replied with a small smile " your smile does that anyway". I smiled wide.

We all settled down after a bit of teasing and having some fun. I was gelling up well with manik's friends now. All were ready for me to recite my past to them that still bought me goosebumps even after being warned by my overprotective best friend, manik and my very much concerned brother, my bhai, Abhi.