Stars | completed

24. The Beginning Of The End

name:- The Beginning Of The End
word count:- 3700 words
published on:- 11th August, 2019

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N A N D I N I

It's really crazy to think about a lot of things sometimes, you know?

Like, for instance, your entire life that remains ahead of you, is a consequence of just one sentence you say. One sentence can change everything in your future, including where you are, with whom you would be, who'd be there in it or even if you're alive or not.

A few simple words like 'Don't go', or 'I love you' or 'Will you marry me?' or 'I'm pregnant' or 'I can do this' or 'Don't give up yet' or something even as short as a 'yes' or a 'no'.

We unconsciously make such decisions every day. Each decision, each word, each sentence we say adds up to the questions we face tomorrow and it goes on for years until we die, and unknowingly you take a step to your future through your actions. No one, I repeat, no one in this world is responsible for your future except you.

If you end up on the streets one day, it's you who's responsible. If you end up being a multimillionaire, you're the one who worked for it. Your future doesn't come by chance. You build your future.

But these are bigger decisions of life that matter. What go unnoticed are the small ones, like the one I'm facing right now. The only difference being, everyone builds their future unconsciously, while I knew. I knew that anything I say now, or even nothing at all, will determine everything ahead of today.

This was my chance. This. This was my future-determining moment.

Everything was frozen here. Three beating hearts, none knowing what to do. They were both as equally numb, destroyed, vulnerable, drowning into a million thoughts as me.

I was torn.

Torn between my trust for Manik, and the feeling humanity for a girl to trust another in need.

"W-- what?" Manik barely whispered. He probably was the one amongst both of us to recover when it should've been me.

"I--" Inaaya started, "Okay. You remember that night? Cabir's bachelors?" She spat and we both nodded.

"Remember when we were both drunk?" She said. Again the nod. "And last thing I remember was going into a room with you, waking up naked and finding out I'm pregnant two weeks later. I'm officially fucked Manik."

"So you don't remember anything in between?" I asked. She nodded negatively. "Ask Manik, if he does," she turned towards me and I looked at Manik. His pale face was an enough answer.

"Then how do you know it's Manik?" I said sensibly, "As it is, neither of you remember anything. And Manik was with me after 3 A.M. He came home drunk and stayed with me all night, so--" my voice trailed. "Look Inaaya, I am not saying that you're lying. And I'm definitely not pointing at anything else. All I mean to say, there could be someone else."

"Well Nandini," she wiped off a tear, "I have no reason to lie. When Manik realised he liked you, the first person he came to was me. I was so happy for the two of you and I swear I still am. But I woke up naked, the last person in that room with me was Manik, and I found your fucking broken phone on the carpet. I done need anything more to tell me what happened, Manik."