Destiny's Gamble

Downhill Morning

Hurriedly, I rush up to my room, Alex bolting into it before me. I shut my door, turning the lock and sinking down onto the floor.

As I am about to bury my face into my palms, I realize that my hands are shaking. I don't understand why though.

It's not like Manik hasn't manhandled me before, so I can't comprehend as to why his rough actions are messing me up ten times more this time. Is it because I had begun to look at him in a different light? Because I had developed higher expectations from him?

Whatever the case is, I hate Manik for doing this to me. For making me feel like I was on top of the world and then plopping me down onto the ground in the next second.

I can handle a sober Manik because he and I are both well aware of his boundaries. But a drunk one...a shudder runs down my spine at the thought of what could happen.

I should be at ease in this union, but instead I'm afraid. In fact, fear is coursing through my veins now as well, thinking that Manik could bang down my door at any given time.

This isn't how our marriage is supposed to be. I squeeze my eyes shut, fisting the material of my shirt into my hand. Where is the man who defended me? The one who gifted me a beautiful outfit, which was bang on with my taste.

Where is the man I developed feelings for?Because I surely don't know the drunk stranger lurking around this house tonight.

*****

As I make my way down the stairs, the loud blaring sound of the tv fills up the entire first floor area.

I grimace, heading over towards the lounge. Manik is mad. Who in the world watches such loud tv early in the morning?

"Could you turn that down, please?" I ask, as I push open the sliding door of the lounge and step into the ear piercing room.

Manik is fast asleep on the couch, his body turned towards the tv, but his eyes are shut and his mouth is hanging open.

The hesitancy that I was feeling regarding approaching him now vanishes into thin air. A sleeping Devil is most certainly the least of my worries. In fact, this may just be my favorite avatar of him.

The feelings that I harbor towards Manik have totally messed me up in the head because although I should feel hatred towards this man for treating me in such a manner, and for turning our marriage into a nightmare, when it should be a dream come true; all I can think about is passing my fingers through the soft strands of his mused up hair.

Smiling, I step towards the couch, my eyes scouring his serene figure. Manik's left arm is hanging limply off the couch, his fingers brushing the threads of the carpet. His right leg is carelessly thrown over the backrest of the couch, and considering the uncomfortable angle of his neck, I'm sure he will have a neck pain today.

Aiyappa, why does this man always have to take the crooked path? I mean, the rest of the world sleeps on a bed - and he has such a hugely comfortable one - and yet, last night, he chose the couch over his majestic room.

Which sane human would be able to catch even an ounce of sleep lying in such an awkward position? But then of course, the Devil is anything but sane.

"This is how I like you," I whisper, once I've switched off the tv and crouched down on the floor in front of the couch. With a ghost of a touch, I pass my fingers over Manik's head.

Hot breath from his open mouth gently fans my neck, as I continue to perform my all time favorite activity.

As I try to pull my fingers out of Manik's hair, my wedding ring gives a tug, pulling my fingers back into his hair.

Oh no...the second my eyes widen with panic, Manik's fly wide open as well, all traces of sleep disappearing from his black orbs.

"What the fuck - " he is cut off by his own cry of pain, as he tries to sit up, but my ring pulls him back down into place. "What've you done?" He hisses, irritation evident in his tone.

"I-I'm so sorry," I say hastily. "My ring has entangled itself in your hair."

"Itself?" Manik repeats, blessing me with his all time famous glare. "No, you entangled it in there."

"I'm sorry!" I exclaim, panic and haste causing the situation in his hair to worsen. "Look, j-just give me a minute and...I'll figure it out."

"I'm done trusting you!" He yells, yanking his head forwards which causes his hair to untangle from in between the stones of my ring.

Manik throws his legs off the couch and stands up with haste. He passes his fingers through his hair, frustrated.

This is definitely not how I wanted our morning to begin.

"Why didn't you sleep in your room last night?" I ask. Aiyappa, why in the world am I asking him such a question at such a time?

I don't care for the answer and I'm sure neither does he, given our current situation.

"You don't have a brain at all, do you?" Manik asks, turning around. "Everything about you repulses me. The mere thought of sleeping in a room next to you..." He trails off, the disgust on his face saying much more than words can. "I rather sleep in a coffin of earthworms."

"What have I done to constitute such hatred from your end?" I ask helplessly. "You were fine before marriage - "

"Yes, because I wasn't marrying you!" His voice booms across the four walls of the lounge. "You were my friend, Angel."

For the first time my nickname stings, instead of making me feel special.

"You could've told me that Alya was not intending to marry me." Manik's eyes are full of betrayal. "Fuck, I even met you before the ceremony and asked you." He wrings his hands in despair.

"But you knew way before that," I exclaim. "Chachi told you."

"I knew nothing," Manik says, his tone merely above a whisper. "And Chachi's not my friend. I didn't trust her and had zero expectations from her end. I had faith in you, and this is where we stand today."

He pinches the bridge of his nose, turning around and marching towards the lounge door.

"All people are the same," Manik says, sparing me a glance over his shoulder. "Thank you for assuring me that my biggest fear is a hundred percent accurate."