Destiny's Gamble

Back To Square One

Manik's POV

"Manik, don't back down now." Cabir calls from behind me. "You've been fighting such a good battle. Keep going." Crouching on the ground, I turn my gaze towards the sky; forcing back the tears that are threatening to burn their way down my cheeks.

"I'm not giving up, Cabir." I say, burying my face in my palms. "But I am allowed a moment of weakness, right?"

"Of course you are, man." My friend's hand clamps down on my right shoulder. "Especially because you are standing so strong in front of Nandini. If only she could see the wreck I have to face."

"No, Cabir, Angel shouldn't see me in this state. I don't want sympathy to be the cause of us reuniting." 

"Geez, Manik, you and I are friends for a reason. The wavelength of our brains is one and the same, man. I literally just told Nandini the same thing mere minutes ago." I stiffen up. 

"Cabir." I take his name as a warning. "What the fuck have you told Angel?" 

"Shit!" He hisses. Clearly I wasn't supposed to find out about the conversation he and Angel shared after I left the room. 

"Cabir, what the fuck did you tell her?" I snap, standing up.

"Manik, all I said was the truth." Cabir wrings his hands in despair. "I'm tired, man. Tired of seeing you in pain - crying, pleading for her forgiveness - and all for what? To no avail. Nandini's not even batting an eyelash."

"That's to do with me and my Angel, Cabir!" I yell, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. "Who the fuck are you to interfere? Fucking hell!" Unable to control my actions, my palms make contact with Cabir's chest, pushing him backwards. "Go home, Cabir. I don't want you around Angel anymore. And I most definitely do not wish for you to interfere - in any way whatsoever - between matters that only involve her and I."

"Come on, Manik, I didn't mean any harm by my words." My friend defends himself. 

"I don't care!" I tug at the strands of my hair. "I don't give a fuck whether or not your words were said in good faith. What I care about is that you're no one to come in between a married couple. If you're a good friend, then you'll help me from afar, not by coming in between the two of us."

"Manik - "

"Period!" My firm tone makes him seal his lips shut. "I don't want any further arguments on this. Go home now." My friend continues to stare at me, making no sign of leaving.

"So I guess this is how it'll be from now on, eh? A girl of a few months, one who clearly doesn't give two shits about you, over a friend who has been beside you for years. I think the one imperative question you're failing to ask yourself is; whether or not this entire struggle is really worth it?"

"Cabir." I shut my eyes, the end of the rope of patience slipping from my hand. "I suggest you get the hell away from my face before I do something that will ruin our friendship for good." Disappointment shining in his eyes, Cabir heads away from me and towards the parking lot. 

"Fuck," I spit through gritted teeth. Here I'm trying my level best to align the stars in favor of Angel and I once more, and yet everyone around me is hell bent on working against the two of us. I want to ask Cabir details of his conversation with Angel, but I fear that if I do then I will most definitely lose a friend.

"Easy does it." This familiar female voice brings me back to the present. My eyes land on the hospital doors to find Angel exiting them with the help of those goddamn crutches, and Rebecca. As if drawn by some form of a magnetic pull, Angel's eyes land on mine. At once, I rush to her side, mentally prepared to catch her. 

"I'm fine, Malhotra." She mumbles, handling the crutches surprisingly well. "It's time for you to go home." 

"You mean that it's time for me to follow behind your car and once again station myself on the pavement outside Rebecca's house." I say, following closely beside her.

"You do that once more and I will call the cops." Rebecca warns. 

"To charge me with what? Sitting on the pavement," I scoff. "You might as well call the police on all the beggars in Mumbai then." Although I'm grinning, Rebecca doesn't find my words funny at all. "Are you driving?" I ask her. "Because if so then please be careful. Speed-breakers and immediate braking won't sit well with Angel's injuries."

"I'm not," Rebecca replies curtly. 

"Then?" I ask curiously. Right on cue, a car's horn blares into my ears.

"Sushant's here," Rebecca says to Angel. I can't fucking believe this. 

"I'm here," Sushant says, getting out of the car. He jogs towards us, eyes glued to Angel. "Sorry for the delay, my meeting ran a little late." Almost as if I'm invisible, Sushant comes to Angel's side, taking my place beside her. Momentarily surprised, I stand stationary for a few seconds. I watch as Sushant's arm wraps itself around Angel's waist; support that's completely unneeded. 

"Wow, Rebecca," I say, clapping. "Today you've shown me who you really are. So hanging out with Dhruv's best friend is okay, but listening to me even once - for a handful of minutes - is a sin." Angel takes a look at me over her shoulder. Her eyes are telling me to shut up. Okay, fine! Let my actions do the talking.

"Get away." I growl, grabbing hold of Sushant's shoulder and shoving him away from Angel's body. "My place is beside Angel, not yours." 

"Manik, I'm just helping." Sushant makes his way back towards us once more.

"You've got a death wish." I mumble, holding my arm out to block him from nearing us.

"Stop acting like a stupid child. Nandini's not well, Manik. Don't do this," Sushant says. "I'm just going to drop the ladies home." 

"Since when have you become a driver, Sushant?" I ask, wounding my palm around Angel's wrist. 

"I don't have time for this." Sushant steps in front of me, nudging me backwards with his back. My hold slips from around Angel's wrist. 

"That's it," I mumble, taking hold of Sushant's collar. Turning him around, I bring my left fist towards his cheek. As always, he's unable to defend himself, and instead goes sprawling onto the ground. A fog of red is clouding my vision, as I grip Sushant's collar with both my hands, straddling his body.

"Stop!" Angel yells, drawing my attention away from the man below me. "I despise this the most - this out of control anger of yours. It's exactly this flaw that drives people away. Malhotra, people aren't pawns and you most definitely cannot exercise control over them. Neither are you a puppeteer who pulls our strings according to your sick pleasures." 

Grabbing this opportunity, Sushant slides out from underneath me, standing up on his own two feet once more.

"You've got a sick mind, Manik." He says, wiping the blood of his cheek from the cut that's a courtesy of my ring. "All I'm doing is being a good friend and helping Nandini home. Nothing else." I stand rooted to my spot as I watch Sushant and Rebecca guide Angel away from me, and towards the car. Fuck. Instead of making progress, I keep moving backwards. Today's another instance of when my impulsive nature has disappointed Angel.