MaNan: Mirage || Completed

4. || Broken Crayons||

~ I know we are all a little broken, though the last time I checked, the broken crayons colour the same, but sometimes, just sometimes,they might not too~

Startled out of her wits, Nandini gaped at his heavily breathing figure, the many instances when he would disappear within his room flodding her mind. Did that mean, all this while-? No, good lord! She immediately closed his door and leaned to the wall outside his room, the sight not ready to leave her mind and heart.

No! This couldn't be true. No!

The click of the door broke her trance and she realized quite a few minutes have passed. Manik peeked out at her, and smiled, the smile she was used to watch for the last few days. His charm was back, no signs of the vulnerability that had left her shuddering all this while. The illusion was back!

She half hartedly smiled back, and watched him walking downstairs, humming a song, like everything a few minutes before was a figment of her imagination. It sacred her, the extent of damage she had seen in his eyes, in that one second of the lack of illusion. And also she knew nothing about him, his past, his scars, the heaviness he carried in his heart under the pretense of smiles, absolutely nothing.

"People don't die of suicide Nandini, they die of sadness".

His voice echoed, creating a terror so frightening that it paralysed her. What if he was not talking about others, but himself? Was he one of those people who quoted to share their own turmoils, who talk through philosophies, and who otherwise stay still as an ocean, efficiently hiding all the ripples beneath? Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. Nandini could feel her mind near to exploding, and she slided down the door of his room, holding her head in her hands. This sudden ache, was crippling her. This fear that had settled in her fragile heart, for him, was ripping her apart from within.

Manik couldn't give up on life. The man who was spreading happiness and zeal in every man he met, he couldn't give up.

Nandini stood up, determined suddenly. She wiped her tears, and sent a small paryer to her Aiyaapa. She won't let this happen to him of all people. She had no answer why was it affecting her so much, but all she knew was she wanted his smile, she loved to see him smile, especially when it made his brown eyes twinkle. She was ready to do anything for that, any damn thing.

Manik came upstairs almost three hours later, his legs shivering with anxiety. His dose was almost over and he needed another one to support himself soon. His breaths were getting heavier by each step that he was taking towards his room. Sweat beads could be seen all over his face, and the thin T-shirt was almost getting transparent. By the time he reached his door step, he was out of breaths, and it took him every bit of his residual strength to push open the door of his room, only to be startled by the sight.

The petite girl stood in his room, with his IV kit in her hands, the  powder drug scattered on the floor, and the silliest smile he had ever seen, on her face.

"Nandini?", His voice was raspy, it was hurting him physically to speak.

"Haaaye! Maanik Malhotra!", Nandini slurred and prolonged the words unnecessarily, laughing.

" What did you do?", He asked again, entering the room, and closing the door behind him. His mind was getting pre-occupied with her, blocking away the numbing need for the drugs very slowly.

" Me? Ohh nothing! Stuff you do everyday!", She jumped again, the sachet of white powder that was half torn fell on the floor.

The sight broke his trance. That was what he needed, his lifeline. A smile started to form on his face, as his feet walked towards it on their own. But before he could lean in to sniff it, Nandini jumped, surprising him, and crushing it all under her milky white feet.