I woke up only to find manik capturing me in his hold. He had his left arm and left leg on me. They were heavy. I was caged. I tried freeing myself, unsuccessfully. He was in deep sleep. But i whispered "manik, please get off me, i will choke otherwise" he opened his eyes lazily , then moved his arms and leg off me muttering "sorry" and rolled on his side to sleep again. He was looking cute with soft locks falling on his face. I raised myself on my elbows and bent over him and brushed my lips on his ear "good morning, hubby". I felt his muscles tensing up, ok i turned him on, early morning itself.

He spoke in a sleepy, sexy voice "wifey, if the monster wakes up, you will have a tough time!" he was right , today is holi, i have to be on the safe side. I moved a little more and kissed on his cheek. I can't control myself. Before he could move, i quickly got off the bed. He turned and tried to reach for me, stretching himself, but couldn't. He groaned and i giggled "aaj holi hai, just wait and watch, wifey" he warned seductively. I showed him my tongue and ran into the washroom. I heard him say "you will pay for it , jaan. Dekhta hun kab tak bhagti ho!!" i had my plans and just had to put them in action and i will be saved from holi!!

When i got out of washroom, manik was again in deep sleep hugging the pillow. Awww! Baby..focus nandini focus!! Don't get distracted...my mind warned.

I quickly got ready in a white suit with red dupatta, and put on the essentials. I even applied olive oil, all over my body, just in case someone applies colour, i have to be ready.

I checked the time. It was almost 6 now, maa will be up soon. I walked out towards maa's room. As i reached there, i saw cabir coming out of navya's room, all sleepy. I smiled to myself and called out "cabir". I watched his expression but there was no sign of embarrassment . strange!!
"hey good morning" he spoke lazily coming towards me.

"good morning" i spoke mischievously.

He looked at me a little confused trying to decipher my mood "what is so exciting?"

"had a good time last night?" i asked suggestively.

His eyebrows twitched in confusion and he was thoughtful for a moment, and i guess it struck him, what i was trying to suggest!! He watched my amused expression and started laughing shaking his head vigorously. I should be the one laughing here. What's happening??

"ohoho nandini!! Don't get any ideas ok! Last night navya k room ka AC stopped working , so i exchanged rooms with her, that's it" i smiled an embarrassed smile. He hit my head playfully and said "naughty girl". I bit my tongue. He walked away as he was thirsty. I knocked on maa's door.

"maa i am not feeling well, so i want to rest, i don't want to play holi please" i spoke making a sick face.

"kya hua beta, shall we call the doctor?" maa asked anxiously checking my forehead.

"no, no maa, no need to call doctor, i will just take rest and will be fine" i spoke cautiously.

"its ok beta, jab tabiyat thk lage toh ajana ok" papa spoke on behalf of maa.

I smiled gratefully at them.

"maa main upar wale room me jaa rahi hun rest karne, aap plz manik ko jaga denge?"

"ok beta , don't worry, go and take rest"

I walked out of their room and let the smile broke on my face which i had been holding. Yay!! I did it!
...

2 hours later

I was playing a song on my phone and dancing. No one had disturbed me till now, not even manik! May be maa had stopped him. Hmmm...whatever , let it be nandini!! Just then my phone rang. Think of the devil and devil rings up!!

"yes manik" i spoke lazily.

"hey baby i heard you are not well, i wanted to come to you. First mom stopped me and then i m stuck with fab 4. And also coming to see you would be of no use, as you would not have opened the door, thinking i will apply colour on you!! So, tell me how are you?" he sounded worried and anxious.

"manik i m fine, don't worry" i assured him

"r u sure? Shall i call the doctor?"
"no, i m fine, tell me how is holi celebrations going on?" i tried to sound sad.

" hmmm, we are enjoying a lot, i have just come on the pool side to talk to y...o...u..AAAHHH OUCCCHHH " i next heard a THUD! And SPLASH! And the call got disconnected.

"hello, hello, hello manik!!" my heart thumped and all sort of negative thoughts flooded my mind. I have to reach to him. Without giving a second thought i ran out of the room to the poolside. What must have happened? I just prayed that he should be fine!! Whole house was empty. They all must be in the lawn .

I reached poolside. No one was there. I came running to the swimming pool and found manik floating on the water, face down. I felt my heart sinking. What has happened?

"manik!!!" i yelled and came running to the edge closer to him.

"manik" i shouted again and stretched my hand to reach to him.. No response . i was about to jump in the pool when suddenly he changed his position and stood in the water trying to catch up his breath as well as smiling crookedly at me. Before i could react , he held my extended hand and pulled me in the water. As i came on the surface of water, i started hitting him on his chest and tears started spilling from my eyes.

"manik how could you do this to me? Tumhe pta h mai kitna darr gyi thi!! You are bad , very bad, i hate you!! I hate you!!"

"but i love you" he spoke almost reflexively.

I was hitting him continuously but he didn't stop me but just as i heard those three words, i crashed into his chest, hugging him tightly . he hugged me back. I felt like i got my breath back!! He was rubbing my back soothingly.

"jaan , relax, i am fine"

"you are my everything manik, please never do this to me again, i will die"

He broke the hug and put his fingers on my lip "shhh, never say that again, mai bas tumhe colour lagana chahta tha islye i pranked you!!"

"colour!!! mANIK tumne ye sab sirf mujhe colour lagane ke liye kiya??" i spoke gritting my teeth as anger built up.

"haan and see you are here" he spoke without a dash of regret "now tell me...which colour ??" he started moving forward and i stepped back ward. Soon my back touched the edge and i was sandwiched between him and the pool wall.

"manik i hate colours"

"blue?"

"manik"

"green"

"manik!!"

"ok fine! Tum select ni kar pa rahi ho to i will choose my favourite colour RED!!" with this he picked up fistful of colour and slowly started bringing it closer to my face. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"manik i am telling you mujhe hath mat lagana!!" i warned him with closed eyes.

Lahu munh lag gaya
Lahu munh lag gaya

After a few seconds i felt something rough rubbing against my cheek. I opened my eyes to find that it was manik's unshaven cheek.

Soya tha nas nas mein
Ab ye jag gaya

I looked inquisitively . he was looking very passionately into my eyes. I felt the cells of my body coming alive.

Aye lahu munh lag gaya
Labon ke chhoone se
Khwabon ke kone se

"tumhi ne toh kaha..hath mat lagana" he spoke seductively.

Labon ke chhoone se
Khwabon ke kone se
Bachke sab se lab se lab
Ye rag se rag gaya

I touched my cheek at the point of contact and then checked the tip of my fingers. He had applied colour on me through his cheeks.

Aye.. lahu munh lag gaya
Aye.. lahu munh lag gaya
Aye.. lahu munh lag gaya

"happy holi wifey!!" he whispered.

"happy holi manik" i whispered back. I had to give in because he is so adorable. I just can't help it when it comes to him. I smiled and he picked me up and came out of the pool. He placed me on one of the chairs , it is then i noticed that he was just in his boxers. I blushed looking at his toned muscular body, yet again.

"be here , i will just change and come!! Bhagne ka sochna v matt!!" he warned me before walking away. I nodded because i knew there is no use of running away. I sighed and picked one of the towel and cleaned the colour off my face and then dried my hair. Just then manik came back

"nandini i hope you know , holi is not over yet, why waste energy in cleaning the colour so soon??" he spoke giving me a hint that there was more to come. And of course there was something fishy about his demeanour. What is cooking in his head?? Oh god!! What now??

"stop thinking and come with me" he pulled me along with him.

Lavish set up was done for holi celebration in the lush green lawn. Apart from our FAMILY, many other guests were present. Manik filled in the necessary details. Children from one of the orphanage funded by malhotras, were also there. Some renowned journalists were also present.

Dhols and nagaras were also put up. I saw counters for thandai and lassi and jalebi also. Fab 4 were busy in smearing each other with colours. We went to the elders. They enquired about my health and i assured them that i was fine. After meeting the guests, manik and i made way to the younger clan. They all jumped on me with colours of different shades. I started running away. And they followed me. Even manik joined them. We were playing dry holi.

"no , no, plzz, navya, atleast not you plzz" i begged them to stop but they were paying no heed.

"nandini , bura na mano holi hai!!" navya spoke cheerfully and coloured me. I was looking a rainbow now! Ok if they are not stopping , why should i!! And i picked hand full of colour in both my hands and ran after them.

"thk hai , now i will show you!! Bura na mano holi hai!!" now they were running away from me. I first caught hold of alia. Then navya.

Cabir stopped running "aao mujhe rang lagao"

Aenn!! I was confused . ise kya hua?? But who cared and i emptied a trayfull of colour on him while he stood there like an obedient child. I started laughing .

"saale cabir, bhang char raha h tere upar!" manik spoke dramatically "islye tu bol raha h ..aa bail mujhe maar!"

Oh so he has consumed bhang!! Cabir started singing

Rang barse bheege chunar wali, rang barse

"abbey chup kar, kya gaa raha hai?" manik chided him.

I took the opportunity and emptied another tray full of colour on manik.
"what the!!"

Manik was shocked. And others started laughing. But i had to be alert for his next move. As soon as he recovered from the shock, he gave me a smirk " ok then wifey, its time!!"

He started running and i ran away from him. While others got busy in their own.

I came to one corner of the lawn. I was surprised to find a pit of mud there!!

I turned around to walk away but found manik standing just behind me!! Ohh no!!

"HOLI HAI" he shouted and picked up a handful of mud and rubbed on my face.

"ewww manik ye ksi holi hai??"

"this is fab 5 style holi" i heard a chorus from behind and they were all present there.

"ye mast hai" bhai appreciated

"mast hai na??" manik asked sarcastically and picked up another lump of mud and applied on bhai " ab ksa hai??"

"btata hun" bhai replied and threw a lump of mud on manik. And then the mud fight started among them. I thought of sneeking out. So i moved stealthily.

"tum kaha bhaag rahi ho nandini!!"

mukti shouted and everyone stopped.
Shit!!

They started moving towards me with mud in their hands.

I started moving back "NO, NO..."

And the next moment i was in air and the next moment i was on something pulpy and soft. As i recovered, i realised they picked me up and put me in the mud pit. Oh no!!

I picked up lumps of mud and started throwing at them . manik jumped in the pit followed by others. All started mud fight again. We were by now covered in mud from head to toe.

Manik was rubbing mud on my arms seductively . i rubbed his cheeks . we were oblivious to the presence of others and were romancing in our own world.

We heard loud giggles and that broke our trance but thankfully we were not the reason for those giggles. Cabir had settled himself in the middle of the pit and was acting like a baby "navya, tum mujhse pyar ni karti ho!!" he spoke slurringly.

"tumhe asa q lagta h ki main tumse pyar ni karti hun??" navya asked playing along with him.

"qki tumne mujhe kiss ni kiya aaj ek v baar" cabir answered and navya was blushing like hell.

"cabir tum kya bol rahe ho!! Chup raho ar utho yaha se" navya chided him.

"nahi main ni uthunga jab tak tum mujhe kiss ni karti" he pouted cutely.
We all were enjoying the drama.

"manik tum ise bhang q pine dete ho, jab isse handle ni hota hai" navya complained to manik.

"arey navya chillax!! Ek kiss hi toh mang raha hai mera bhai, de do..bechara..tch tch"

Navya looked helplessly at me. I shrugged my shoulders , giving her i-can't-help-you-look.

"chalo guys lets give them some privacy" Dhruv winked at others. And we started moving smiling and giggling.
...

There were sprinklers setup in the lawn, i cleaned myself a little in that.

"manik mujhe pyaas lagi hai, main kuch pee kar ati hun" i informed manik.

He nodded quickly as he was busy in conversation with Dhruv and bhai.

I went to the lassi counter and picked up a large glass of lassi and drank it in one go to quench my thirst. It tasted different. As i finished, a man came running to me "that was my glass!!"

"oh sorry, i didn't know"

"ma'm actually it was thandai mixed with bhang, i had kept here mistakenly"

Aiyappa!! No...!!

"oh i m sorry, plz take another glass" i asked the man. He nodded and walked away.

I started hiccupping . i need to inform manik before i lose my sanity. My vision had already started becoming blurry.

"manik" my voice slurred inspite of my efforts to keep it normal.

Manik immediately turned around hearing my tone "yes jaan"

"manik, i drank thandai mixed with bhang, accidentally"
__________________________________
Credits to the writer-Manini Mehra