Written By Alexa Nee
..Manan OS...
#LIKE_IT_HAPPENED_YESTERDAY
..Without loving yourself..loving someone else or expecting love from someone else is ridiculous...
..I saw outside window..it was twilight and snowing by now. With soft smile I took out a small box from drawer. A small pendant still shined inside it. It was of HER. My eyes felled on calendar..14 Feb..the day we met for the first time.
..I Manik Malhotra..57 years old..still remembers every single second which I spent with her in car that day. I walked up to the window and took a deep breathe. I can sense time flowing to back. Seasons flowing back. I closed my eyes and smiled. Now when I opened them..I'm the Manik Malhotra..24 years old..the multi billionaire guy yet his money can't buy the empty pit left by his closed one's.
..It was 14th of February..the ultimate valentine for every person out there..except for one who was going to give away his live forever.
.." F*** ! Everything is lie..every god damn thing is a lie ( Manik cursed beneath his breathe and drived like a mad person )
..It was pitch black around. The only thing which he could see now was a random direction. He didn't knew where he was leading until someone came infront of his BMW. He rushed out of car and saw a glimpse of girl gathering her things.
.." You okay..( He asked hell pissed off while she turned him and gently smiled )
.." Yeah..actually I was in bit hurry..mujhe kahi pahuchna thaa ( She said and he stared at her for couple of second )
.." Come..I'll drop you( He said and she nodded after thinking a while. Manik got even pissed off..where he was heading and now where he was heading..)
.." Hi..I'm Nandini Venkatesh Murthy ( She smiled and forwarded her hands while he just nodded not even looking at her. She shrugged and started humming softly )
..Manik:- Yeh gifts..boyfriend nai diye ( He asked and she giggled loudly )
..Nandu:- No..actually Maine khud apne liye kharide hai..aaj Valentine hai..lovers day..and I love myself so much thats why ( She said and he gazed at her blankly)
..He noticed her eyes..full of passion and love..her soft silky hair..flowing with her and most importantly her honey sweet smile which was not fading away from her face.
..Manik:- You look so..carefree..matlab duniya ki koi parwah nahi hai kya ( He asked focusing on road and she shrugged lightly )
..Nandu:- Ab thodi yaha ki Obama hu..joh sabki chinta karti pheru..woh joh kare..sanu ki ( She giggled lightly and he smiled shortly. After many periods of pain he felt a sort of relief talking to her )
..Nandu:- Bass..I reached my destination..( She said looking at the banner outside. She hopped out of car and Manik got shocked to read the banner )
..Manik:- Tum..yeshi jagah..I mean ( He fumbled and she smiled taking a deep breathe )
..Nandu:- Karna padta hai..I'm a bar singer. Mazboori hi samajhlo..pet katne kai liye..karna padta hai..( She smiled and left waving bye at him.)
..He felt a stinging sensation in his heart with her confession. He too hoped out and quietly followed her. He entered inside and saw her standing infront of mike.
..She started singing softly yet passionately. He sat nearby and saw a new kind of energy filled inside him. The way she was singing..he could felt her desires..her dreams flowing in her eyes. He kept sitting there until she finished her song and left carrying her stuff.
..He followed her till to a old building. Taking tiny steps she climbed  stairs and went inside her apartment. He leaned back to his seat and tapped the stearing wheel.
..Manik:- Why the hell do I care. She's just a stranger..( He said and droved away. His eyes felled something below the passenger seat. He stopped and picked it up. It was her pendant which might have fallen away. He caressed it softly and kept inside his pocket.
..Next few weeks he would keep stalking on her. He didn't knew what was going inside him but he just wanted to follow her. Without seing her smiling face..his day would never end.
..Nandini shopped few grocery items for herself and returned. As usual he followed her quietly through the lonely streets. Suddenly her leg got bumped with stone and she felled hard resulting her things rolling away..
..Nandu:- Ayyo..mere tamatar..( She said and started collecting it when she saw a pair of hands helping her out. She looked up and saw Manik gazing at her )
..Nandu:- Tum..peecha kar rahe hoh mera..( She asked teasingly and he became red deprived of words )
..Manik:- Woh..actually..mai..tumhara..( He fumbled and she laughed at him catching her tummy while he shyly kept the tomatoes back in the plastic bags )
..Nandu:- Welcome to my home ! ( She exclaimed entering inside. He followed her and gaze around. It was two small room with small TV and fridge. There were few frames hanging in wall and few of her handicraft items.)
..Nandu:- Itne mai adjust hoh jata mera..acha tum betho..mai tuhmare liye chowmen banati hu ( She said and went to kitchen slab again humming a song )
..Manik:- Tum akeli rehti hoh..( He asked and she nodded munching her bite.)
..Nandu:- Ayyo..maine toh ab tak tuhmara naam bhi nahi phucha..tuhmara naam kya hai ( She asked giggling and he smiled shortly )
..Manik:- Manik Malhotra ( He said and the spoon dropped from her hand. She palmed her mouth and smiled )
..Nandu:- Itna bada aadmi..mere ghar meh..mere plate mai..chowmen thus raha hai..Ayyapa ( She said and he chuckled at her )
..Manik:- Yahi toh hai..log sirf mujhe mere paise or power sai jante hai..asli Manik kaun hai..koi nahi janta..( He said lowly and she sat crossing her legs.)
..Nandu:- Woh isliye..sayad tumme khud apne aap koh duniya sai chupake rakha hai. Tum kya hoh..kaise hoh..khud janoge toh hi duniya tuhme jaan payegi ( She said and he gazed at her for a moment )
..Nandu:- Ghoorna band karo aur jaldi ushe finish kardo warna thanda hoh jayega ( She said and he came out of his trance smiling shortly )
..Next few days..and months they started spending times together..hanging around..eating..visiting orphanages and old age home. Both were getting used to each other with every passing time.
..One day Nandini went to Malhotra Mansion to meet him. Some how convincing the guards she entered inside and saw whole Mansion dark.
..Nandu:- Manik..( She called but no response. She went upstairs and saw a door opened. She peeped inside and gasped as she saw him lying on floor in bit drunken state. His room was messy and hand was bleeding hard.
..Nandu:- yeh kya halat bana rakha hai ( she screamed and knelt beside him. She tried to touch him but he pushed her away )
..Manik:- Door hatto yaar..dikhawa karne ki zaroorat nahi hai ( He shouted making her shock. She again tried to touch him but he again pushed away)
..Manik:- Bola nah door hatto..mat dikhao yeh care. I don't need anybody. Sab jhoote hai..Sab matlabi hai..tum bhi ( He shouted and she knewd arguing was of no use right now)
..She slowly crawled and sat beside him. Suddenly her eyes felt on her pendant which was kept above his frame on lamp table. She smiled weakly and placed her hands on him.
..Nandu:- Tuhme pata hai..woh pendant mujhe mere Appa nai diya thaa ( She giggled and he looked at her. She raised her eyebrows and he turned away again )
..Nandu:- My Appa was very brave..Army officer joh thai..goli bhi khayi thi..par phir bhi ladte rahe ( She spoked and he clutched her hands)
..Nandu:- Kitne khush thai hum..Appa..Amma..mai..Par ekdin..Appa ki death hoh gayi..chale gaye woh hume akela chod kar ( Her voice broked and Manik clutched their hand even more )
..Nandu:- Kitna wish thaa unka..mujhe singer hota hua dekhne kai liye. Mujhe laga Amma meri strength banegi par unhe Appa sai alag hone ka itna shock laga that she..she gave away her life..( She whispered and a tear escaped through her eyes. But she wiped them away )
..Manik:- Phir..( He asked without looking at her and she sighen looking at him )
..Nandu:- Phir kya..hamara ghar bhi gaya..Appa and Amma kai alawa..I had no one..Dum tod diya thaa maine..par yeh joh zindagi mujhe unshe mili hai..ishe waste kaise karti..so I decided to leave..I decided to fight against my devastated stage ( She said and turned to him )
..Nandu:- Badi mushkil sai kaam mila..ghar mila..warna I still remember..I have spent nights on streets..without food and water ( She said and he took her hand and placed near his heart)
..Manik:- Mere Dad..duniya kai liye time thaa but not for me..Kitna tarsha hu mai unke pyaar kai liye..sab kuch mila mujhe..bas baap ka kya pyaar nahi mila. Stepmother sai expect hi mat karo ( He said and she went closer to her )
..Manik:- Yeshe hi jeeta raha..until my dad passed away and that woman..she doesn't give a shit to me now also ( He said angrily and wiped his tear)
..Manik:- Phir ek din..Alya entered in my life..bahut pyaar karta thaa ushe..I wanted to marry her..apne dookh baatna chahta thaa. I had lot of expectations from her( He said and she looked away from him)
.." But no..woh bhi selfish nikli..chod kai chali gayi mujhe. And now ushki sadi hoh rahi hai..( He said and she took deep breathe )
..Nandu:- Manik..do you love you're self ( She asked and he looked at her blankly )
..Nandu:- Kabhi apne andar jhaka tumne..what do you wanted..hum dardi kai alawa. Manik koi tumse pyaar kar sakta hai..par tuhmara dookh ka bojh..woh khud nahi utha pata..at some point..you've to compromise..fight with it ( She said and cupped his face )
.." There are suffering in the world. Everyone suffers..ishke reason bhi tum khud hote hoh and healer bhi tum. Tum inhe baat sakte hoh..par kisi kai upar thop nahi sakte. You have to fight along with it. ( She said and he looked away realizing the point..the thing which she wanted to make him clear )
..Nandu:- Duniya joh kahe..let it go. Unke kehne yaa karne sai kuch badalta nai..unke wajah sai nahi..hum khud apne wajah sai aur apne liye jeete hai( She said and he smiled softly at her )
..Manik:- That's why..you buy gifts for you're self ( He chuckled and she giggled at him )
..Manik:- Can I kiss you ( He asked and her eyes bulged out. He raised his eye brows and she suppressed her laugh
..Nandu:- You stink Manik..( She said and he made a I don't care look. He leaned forward and she panted hard)
..He placed his lips and on her and she responded equally. From slow and steady it turned to a wild and aggressive one. Out of breathe they broked the kiss and joined their foreheads
..Manik:- Tomorrow..Floral park..12:00 Pm..I'll wait for you and yeah please do wear white or else..I'm gonna rip off you're clothes right there ( He said and she laughed punching his stomach )
..The most awaited time which Manik had been waiting since long was here. He was waiting at park in simple white tee and faded jeans. He was carrying a small box and tapping it continuesly glancing at his watch. Finally she arrived looking ethereal in white frock and bouquets in her hands.
..Time stopped for them..There eye's were stick to each other. Taking slow steps they moved towards each other. But suddenly Nandini collapsed on floor as some one hitted her hard with rod.
..He got panicked but himself collapsed on floor as they were surrounded with goons. They beated them till he was coated in blood.
.." Saali..Bol rahi thi bar singing sai wapas jana hai..( They said and left while Manik was fighting with his breathe staring at Nandini who was lying lifeless coated with bloods..
He somehow crawled himself to her and shaked her. Calling her out. But in vain..neither she responded nor she looked at him..Her black eyes were just blanky staring at him.
..Manik:- Nandini..( He let out a silent cry and soon his vission blurred and he slowly went to the stage of unconsciousness )
..When he opened his eyes he was back to the Manik Malhotra who was 57 year's old. I wiped my tears and smiled weakly. It's been 33 year's since that incident. 33 long years. And it felt Like it happened yesterday only !
..She was like an angle who entered in my life to drive away the darkness..She taught me. Yes there was suffering. All suffers in this world. Causes are we only and healers are we only. Compromising and dealing with some situation at some point are necessary. Who lives with peace without suffering..and who expects love from someone else without loving to himself. It's ridiculous. She taught me..if you really wanna live out love..first try to love you're self..be you're worthy. She didn't said but she had lived also. She had faught with her problems and didn't complaint for once. She was magical..her magic had spelled on me 33 long year's back and it felt Like it happened yesterday only!
..The door got clicked open and I turned to see my beauty..my Nandini with chowmen in her hands. Yes..she lived..actually you can say miracle happened! I opened my eyes in hospital after 3 days of that incident and she.. 3 year's Yeah she had been in coma for almost 3 year's !
.. After that we got married for lifetime. Though she hadn't been blessed of giving birth to her own child but then she didn't complaint! We adopted a baby girl and boy and now living peacefully with their babies! She gave me a life to live 33 year's back and it felt like it happened yesterday only !
..'' Happy meeting anniversary Jaan. I love you( I pecked her lips making her blush )
..'' Love you too ( She whispered back and hid in my embrace.)
HAPPY END...