A week later,

In the morning, new academic year started for all the schools and similarly today was first day of yr for Nandini as well and she got ready in her new baby pink shiffon saree with half sleeves matching blouse.

Day started with high spirits of students and teachers of English Medium School of Jeevan Institution, for brighter future of school and its students.

As soon as lunch break bell rang after 4 lectures of a day, all the students and teachers moved out of their respective class with tiffin boxes in hand. Varsha and Nandini too met each other on their way to staff room.

"What happened to ur neck?" Varsha asked this as soon as she got some free time with Nandini. Though she saw the bandage in the morning during assembly but she couldn't ask at that time.

"Glass of broken window pierced through my skin when I was trying to open the window" she lied conveniently to her colleague.

"U should have been careful ...... Well is wound too deep?" She asked in concern.

"No but doctor suggested to keep neck area open for few days ...... That's why I'm not wearing nuptial chain too ..... As it will cause irritation" she added the main part in her lie so that it can cover up for her in next few days until she gets new nuptial chain from her husband.

The fake one which she bought last week it angered her husband not because he sold her original chain but because he thought she is making fun of his inability by wearing a fake chain. So on very next day he harshly snatched it from her neck that it really caused her injury. Wound is not that deep but she covered it with bandage as she don't have substitute for nuptial chain nor any reason will help her situation.

"Too bad ..... Don't worry it will be fine ..... Ur husband might have been so worried, right?" she asked curiously nd Nandini nodded indifferently. He has created the certain image in front her co workers that he loves her so much nd one scratch on her makes him worried for a day and they all believes him just like she believed his fake promises nd blank words 4 yrs back when she fell in love with him or when he made her fall in love with him.

She nodded but in reality he didn't bother about her nd left the house without any explanation but she guessed the reason. She knows whenever he feels guilty or incapable he vents out his frustration on her because she is his rightful wife nd helpless person in front of him. On top of that he doesn't feel he did anything wrong, in fact he thinks wives are made to bear husband's wrath.

She always hated this male dominating society but never did something against it though her father was a sexist and dominating man but he never raised his hand on her mother nor he abused her physically or verbally. He never respected her mother but he didn't disrespect her either. Nandini grew older in same environment so she never did anything to change that because life was fine till then and later on she believed that the person she love is already imperfectly perfect man.  Real life can never be as dreamy as stories to have flawlessly perfect man, even such concept seemed like a myth so she assumed whatever she had was best.

She always ignored all the red flags in the relationship as she was under the impression of love and she always made a excuse that love should accept the person the way he is, love demands the complete submission and nothing can limit its intensity so everything is fair in love then no matter if ur partner is a ugly human, both inside nd out.  In the delusion of her perfect love story she never realised that she never deserved this type of man nor she desired but eventually she was destroyed in the hands of love nd she is the one to be blame. Not even her husband because there were always faults in his character which she ignored nd some of them were covered by him in the beginning as he too behaved his best under the impression of new found love.

"U r so lucky to have him ..... I wish I had guts to runaway from my marriage instead of staying there for my parent's reputation ...... I love them but I can never forgive them for choosing this life for me" she said showing her hand which had burnt on it which was no doubt caused by her husband. He burnt her hand with iron because by mistake his shirt got burnt by her.

"How did this happen? ...... Why he did this? ....... Is it burning too much?" While caressing her wound with kind touch Nandini silently drank her unshed tears.

"See we both have wounds but yet reasons are different ...... In my case it's caused by my husband and here ur husband might have cried over ur pain .......  This happens when ur parents makes u marry a wrong guy ...... That's why love marriages are best" she said being involved in her own sorrow that she didn't see flicker of emotions on Nandini's face.

"Only if u know" Nandini mumbled absent mind-ly. She is so helpless that she can't even say the truth, her life itself has been wrapped in the bubbles of lies. Even if they get busted she will be ruined nd by staying inside she will die slowly. Anyway her destruction is unavoidable.

"It's not always what it looks from outside" Nandini said to which Varsha frowned nd raised her eyebrows.

"Arey I meant try to understand ur husband ..... What if u two r lacking in communication ..... I mean ....  Now u r already married and u don't have any option other than to bear it ..... So try to make it little better" Nandini tried to console her but from inside even she don't know if she herself believed the words she said.

"I tried ..... Uk I am the only one who puts efforts in our relationship ..... He don't believe in emotional intimacy to form deep bonding ..... All he cares is how deep he can fuck me, no matter whether I want it or not ......  Otherwise he don't care about me or my self respect in front of his family or anyone ...... In fact all of them believes that woman don't need to have words like respect nd self esteem in her life ..... Still I was like let it be ...... But now he has started raising his hands on me and I can't bear it ..... I don't know what to do" as they reached the staff room Varsha sat on her chair with her head in between her palms. She is so frustrated with her married life.

"U know Varsha ....... U shouldn't be okay if he is not respecting you ..... The real problem exists in the mindset of society they don't think that words like respect nd self esteem are made for women, specially for wives nd daughter in law's ...... Because they are supposed slaves of house nd personal sex toy for husband...... And if you are living with such people then don't try to change them ...... Simply leave them ...... Don't waste ur efforts because he don't deserve you nd if possible give him divorce before you get pregnant" Nandini was fiercely speaking as if she was expressing solutions over her own miseries. But she is in denial to do that for herself because her case is simply complicated and yet she is giving solutions to others in the hope that may be they will have the courage to do what is needed.

"Trust me I don't want anything different ...... But I don't have any support ..... My parents love me but they will never accept divorced daughter..... Nd even if they show mercy on me then also I have two sisters, unmarried ..... No one will marry them knowing their elder sister is divorced ..... And about living alone then u know how outside world is, here at least I know my husband is taking advantage but I don't know wether I will be able to save myself from bastards or not ..... This toxic marriage feels little safer than unknown world outside ...... Things are different when u r poor and that's why I was begging in front of my parents to let me stand on my feet before tying me with stranger" at the end she cried out of helplessness nd this time even Nandini couldn't hold her tears. She too cried on her own fate because her reasons are no different, though she is a single child but her parents have broken all the ties with her, after her marriage.

"I have realised one thing love and marriage these are secondary things ...... You shouldn't rush behind them as if it's the only motive left in life, instead try to be independent nd earn for urself ..... I so regret it, my parents always wanted me to make my career first ...... But I.." She literally cried remembering her parents.

"But u chose to marry, why?" Varsha asked when Nandini didn't utter a word nd was silent for a whole minute.

"Actually u never told me why u married so early? ........ U were just 20 ...... Even ur partner looks supportive nd understanding ...... I thought it was because of ur parents but now u r saying they too wanted ur career first then why?" Varsha assumed Nandini's parents have broken all the ties with her as she almost eloped with Sumit during her last year of graduation. And she also thought Nandini was forced to marry other person that's why she eloped with Sumit.

"It's ...... It's a long story" she was still trying to come out of her previous thoughts. It was emotionally tiring for her.

"And I doubt she can cover it within few minutes that too without crying ...... So leave it for now ......  Because I heard Trustee is coming today after a lunch break" Isha, their another colleague who is of their age interrupted their serious discussion by coming inside staff room to have her lunch. She got late because she was teaching even after the first bell.

"Whattt ...... Trustee is coming? ...... Why?" All the gloominess flew away and Varsha became alert.

"Principal said he wanna announce something related to camp for a week for students in a nearby village" she explained.

"I just hope it doesn't involves us" they heard Nandini's anxious voice.

"Let's eat first ...... And I guess they obviously will involve us as we r teachers ..... Anyway u don't have to worry ur husband will allow you" Isha said.

"He won't " she said in alarmed tone but they didn't notice terror on her face.

"Why so ?" Isha asked suspiciously.

"Come on Isha how will he manage without her for week? when it's nearly impossible even for a day" Varsha teased her along with Isha. But Isha just did that in the moment of flow. Otherwise she is different from Varsha, sometimes she also catches the sadness behind Nandini's smile, it's not that difficult to see through her.

But Varsha has been always fascinated with the love marriage and she is experiencing bad arranged marriage and on the other hand Nandini's acting is giving reality to her past expectations from love marriage. So she is totally pleased with Nandini's lies.

And on the other hand Isha believes in love and because of that she chose family's love over her boyfriend's love, they both didn't want to disappoint their families but now they both are individually suffering from the pain of separation. So many times she thinks Nandini did wrong with her family and also she can clearly see how her husband is pure definition of chapari. In her view Nandini just destroyed her life by marrying that roadside goon. But at the end all of them are suffering and somewhere their cause is same, the marriage.

"Enough guys ..... Let's finish our lunch soon ..... We should be in auditorium before Trustee comes" Nandini dismissed their teasing and brought up serious topic. She is so done with her pretendence for a day as it has been ride of hell, inside her mind.

........................||

He is standing on the isolated road with a bleeding wound. The pain is quite tolerable but darkness isn't as it is hiding his routes and blocking his destination, about which he is unaware. The irritation of not knowing what to do stroke his several nerves. He was turning into the beast because of untamed anger. He was a step behind from self destruction when he saw a ray of light entering the premises by cutting through the darkness.

A fairy with a lamp in hand came to him. He was awestruck by seeing the natural beauty in its raw form, that he forgot the few seconds of his existence.

The warmth in her eyes was lighting the flames of humanly emotions in his dark heart.

She was desperate to touch his wound. Her soft hand was just inch away from his blood when he held it in his hand. He wasn't surprised by the fact that her hand felt extremely soft in his rough palm but his own gentle hold made the difference for his sanity.

"What r u doing?" His voice was way more huskier when he intended it to be scary and ruthless.

"Helping you" her pouty lips whispered innocently, her eyes held the purity of universe in them and her sweet voice just melted the remaining shackles of danger. Her long eyelashes blinked once, making him unveiled in front of her and he breathed as a Manik on her face.

"Zzzzzzxx" the loud sound of his ringtone broke his sleep. Nd we woke up with the sweat beads on his forehead. He would have killed the person for breaking his dream but he thanked for the same.

It has been a week and still those velvety black eyes haunts him in his dreams. Since that night he is only seeing her dreams with different yet similar circumstances and in each dream she had left him unattended when she always came with a motive of help.

"Manik I need your help" Adhiraj said from the other end. His vibe was as fresh as a morning bird.

(I'm changing Surya's name into Adhiraj.  Because in last story there was Satya nd now I'm getting confused with the names😅).

"For what?" He snapped from his side.

"Will it be possible for u to come to school today?" He asked with a hope.

"Why ?" He asked being disinterested, he  visits school only when he wants to deliver his stuff safely through the bags of innocent kids otherwise school is far thing in his life.

"Will tell u on the way ...... Get ready, I will pick u" he said trying to reduce possibility of him not coming.

"No thanks ...... Cut the call already ..... I'm not coming" he said being on the verge of ending unwanted call.

"Please I need ur help with the camp that I'm arranging for students ...... As staff mostly have ladies teachers so i want you to make the place safer before they go there ..... Please help" he explained in brief.

"Send the details".

"We can surely discuss that in car ...... Bye" and without waiting for his confirmation Adhiraj disconnected the call. He knows Manik won't deny him now.

Actually whenever possible he tries to make Manik do something good in one or other way. His mother's theory of kindness is deeply rooted in him that he always finds ways by which he can credit little bit of blessings into his father's and Manik's account of life so that they can live a life longer than insects if possible.

.................... End ....................||

Let me know if you find any mistake.

How was the chapter?

................... Aish ❣️....................