Upside Down: A MaNan Marriage

22: Nandini

Stop Navya... stop, you don't understand my predicament. I know he has the power to expel me and I do not want that at any cost, even if that means that I have to be meek for a while.
Navya stop. Do not utter another word against Manik." I said to her when she called "filth". I explained my situation to her to which she said the most bizarre thing.

"Please don't tell me you love with that rogue who tortures you day and night?"

Love? Me and him? Thats a nightmare in and of itself. Never ever possible.

"Of course not, I hate him but one word against him and I will be expelled."

I said sadly.

"Then its better to be careful." She said.

I told her everything he has done for me and to me... The good and the horrible things... From him harming me to him kissing me and then humiliating me...

I spotted Manik in the apartment as he walked out of our vicinity. I didn't notice Navya watching me, but from her next question I figured her eyes were fixated on what I was seeing.

"tell me honestly, did you ever have feelings for him in this time you lived with him?" She asked me again bringing up the useless talk of feelings and love.

He is a monster and I want to be done with him as fast as possible, how could she even think I have feelings for him?!

"No, please! I really hate him. Can we not speak of this again."  I said shutting her thoughts up once and for all.

Well to be honest, if he is the nice person I see sometimes... The person who cares enough to carry me to my bed, someone can consider him in that regard, but he has a girlfriend and he is not that Manik all the time... And I don't trust him enough.

He proved my judgement right in the next couple of days. He sent our a circular stating 'guest lecture by Mr. Manik Malhotra cancelled on Wednesday and so are all other classes for the day' . I decided to use that time to catch up with Navya and spend some time away from that monster. I was thankful to whoever was occupying his time as every minute with them is a minute away from torturing me. I went back home and he was not there. I was overjoyed and smiled happily in what felt like an eternity. But sadly, he came at around 7PM. He looked tired and drunk. I let him be and I went to my room to sleep. He followed me to my room.

"Hiii Hellcat!"

He said in a slurpy voice. I hadnt seen him this drunk before. Scratch that. It was the second time since our wedding night that he was this drunk. I wonder what made him drink so much.

"Manik!"

I said helping him stand up straight. He using me for support crashed on my bed. He was still holding my hand which I tried to remove. He quickly wrapped him arms around my hand and arm like it was a toy and didn't let me pull my arm away. I had no choice but to sit beside him and wait until he lets my arm go. He moved, but that only created more trouble for me, his movement towards the left of the bed, pulled me onto the bed. I was now lying down beside him with his hand still gripping mine and my arm intertwined with his. I watched him, sleep so peacefully... He looked so calm, so unlike the Manik who tries so hard to break me. Soon, I fell asleep.
I woke up next morning and he was still holding my hand, but his grip had loosened just enough for me to remove my hands. I got up and let him sleep. I brushed my teeth and came back, and there he was on my bed still sleeping. Rays of light peered through gaps in the beautiful blue curtains he had gotten installed on my room.  I closed them so that he could sleep better. It was Thursday, and regardless of whether he was healthy or not to come to college to take our guest lecture and torture me, I still had to attend classes. Attendance matters, and I care about my future at SPACE. Nevertheless, I couldn't just leave him like that and go, not after I know he will wake up to a splitting headache after all the drink intake of last night... And after the peace, calm and good I saw while he slept. I decided to stay and make him some drink to help with his headache when he gets up. I thought of staying on a little while longer, but that would mean missing economics class. I made the special drink and left it beside my bed and left for class.

Aryaman sat next to me in class, but I was in no mood to talk to him. I was thinking of Manik all through class. I was  contemplating whether the Manik who cared about me, the calm and peaceful Manik is the real Manik or is the monster his real side? What drives him to act like the monster? Why did he hold on to me yesterday like he needed comfort and support even when he can find all that in his girlfriend. My mind was filled with questions when I was given a letter from the college. The letter looked eerily similar to the other one I received recently.  I opened it scared to read what it had to say.

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Dear Ms. Nandini,

We are disappointed in your lack of consideration towards the previous warning letter. You have missed one whole day of class despite receiving a circular informing you of the important lectures on Wednesday. We have also taken into account reviews of teachers and students  in the decision to suspend you indefinitely. 

Due to the nature of incident involved when we sent you a warning letter, we will not provide any letters or transcripts to show your progress at our academic institution.

If you wish to revoke this decision, we would advice you to contact a lawyer of your choosing to represent you.

Best Regards,
Nyonika Malhotra
Trustee and Managing Director,
S.P.A.C.E Academy of Arts and Sciences
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I froze, I didn't know what to do. Everything he said and did in the last two days came flashing back. He sent me a circular to make me miss college while the rest were sent a separate one asking them not to miss college on Wednesday. When he came in drunk, he kept standing near the entrance where the dresser was... Where I kept the circular I received from him.  I know for a fact that when I get back home, I will find no trace of that letter. I have no proof of what he did, and fighting a legal battle with him would only make this situation worse. It was almost a month since I moved to Mumbai after seeking Ams's approval of me studing at S.P.A.C.E.  I am now staying with the monster, still very much married to him but I have been forcefully expelled, with my dreams, my future snatched away from me by Manik Monster Malhotra!

______________________
In the next updates you will see a stronger Nandini... She is never the person to let her respect and justice go so easily!
And in 5-6 updates There is going to be some actual romance between the two! How? After all this? Will it last? Lets see...
Oh and also, no more torture from Manik's side from now on, at least not to this extent.