~Red ~

"Why are you staring at the door?" Navya's voice brings my attention back.

I turn around and find her standing outside the kitchen, "Nothing." I look away and shake my head.

"Yeah, right. What are you, FBI? Some secret government agent?"

"That's not what we call it here. But close enough."

These words have been playing continuously in my head since the moment Manik stepped out the front door, taking me to a certain direction— a conclusion, which might explain things a lot, but it's completely bizarre for it to be real.

That's not what we call it here. But close enough.

"What in the world is wrong with your face?" I shake his words out of mind and look at Navya who is staring at me.

"What?"

"You look awfully sick." She says. "I'm making breakfast." She walks into the kitchen.

"I feel awfully sick." I mutter to myself and follow Navya into the kitchen.

I stop my feet, or should I say, my feet stop proceeding further the moment I reach the kitchen door. It is as if my feet are compelled by fright to not walk any further. Ever since I've woken up the events of last night have just come rushing to me in bits and pieces all along. I don't even know if I can ever get over the fact that I was nearly kidnapped yesterday and that I stabbed someone.

I look down at the floor and my heart picks up speed.

I see blood everywhere. Little drops of red splattered across the floor in all directions, like polka dots.

It's thick and looks fresh and,

RED.

"You can come in, by the way." I hear Navya say and I look up to her, my face distraught, my heart beating wildly. "Are you okay?" My eyes go back to the floor but the blood is gone. It's spotless like it always was. Like there never had been blood split on it. Suddenly I can't feel the air around me, I feel nauseous. My empty stomach twists and I feel something rise up my throat, a bitter taste spreads inside my mouth.

"Nandini, are you— " But I don't stand to listen any further.

With one hand clasped over my mouth and other holding my stomach, I run to the nearest washroom, aiming for the basin and throw up whatever there was left inside my empty stomach. I lean forward on the sink and breathe heavily.

I can hear Navya's voice getting closer as she shouts my name.

I stand there, leaning over the basin, my mouth half open and breathe in the air I hadn't been breathing for a few seconds. I raise my eyes and look myself in the mirror.

I definitely look the way I feel. Sick.

I catch Navya's reflection behind me through mirror, her eyes wide open, her hand on her waist. She walks up to me and puts a hand on my back, "It's okay.. It's okay.." She says as I struggle with catching a breath.

My mouth tastes like bile.

I turn the faucet on and rinse my mouth thoroughly after which I splash a great amount of water all over my face. My eyes have turned red and I feel feverish all over.

"Do you feel any better?" Navya asks.

"I feel even worse." I say and back away from the sink. I turn around and lean back against the bathroom wall, facing Navya.

"What did you eat last night?"

"Nothing." I say feeling too drowned to make up a lie right now.

"Before that? Maybe it's something you ate.."

I just shake my head and support it back on the wall. I feel like my head will fall down my neck, it feels so heavy. "I ate nothing all day yesterday, Navya." And food is definitely not the main cause of this.

"Nandini...." Navya steps forward and puts her palm against my forehead. "You're hot."

I chuckle, "Yeah, nice try. Still not feeling anything for Karan. Can't say the same for you though."

"Oh God, Nandini. I mean you are hot. Maybe you've got a fever or something."

I push myself off the wall and stand up straight, my legs wobbling and paining as I put in a great effort to stand without support. "I'm alright." I sigh. Although, I do agree. I feel feverish. It's like just the memory of blood triggered something inside me and now I feel horrible, sick.

"Oh, yeah. Throwing up seems totally alright." Navya scoffs. "Come on, let's get you some food and some medicine." She pulls me away from the wall and walks me out of the bathroom, towards the kitchen again.

I stop the second I realise where she's taking me. I don't know what actually caused me to throw up but I know that if I go into that kitchen once again, Navya might get a repeat telecast of what just happened.

"No, wait." I pull my arm out from her grip. "I think I'm going to go upstairs. Do you think you can get me something to eat there? I just wanna lie down."

She studies me for a second before agreeing. Leaving me in the hallway she walks off towards the kitchen. I walk back to my room feeling freshly drained. Maybe it's the rain. I do tend to catch flu easily.

I enter my room and cover my eyes as the blinding light causes me pain. My room is overly lit. The sun outside is throwing it's light inside the room but not as brightly as it was earlier. All the lights in my room are switched on, the door of the bathroom open.

"Navya." I sigh loudly.

I don't even think I have the energy to shout at her anymore. It's like all of a sudden the life has been sucked out of me. I can already predict a terrible cold coming my way.

I switch all the lights off leaving just one. I walk over to the window and peep outside, the weather is quite pleasant and it might rain today. I shiver as I think of the cold rain. I draw the curtains close and climb into my bed under the covers.

My mind goes circling back to whatever happened this morning with Navya.

I don't think I ever felt that kind of a vibe coming from Karan. Or maybe I just didn't notice. First few weeks when I came here I kept myself busy in keeping myself away from Manik and during the last few weeks I forced myself to come to terms with the fact that Manik wants to keep away from me.

I have only ever thought about Manik since the day I landed here. I haven't given myself the chance to think about Karan. He's only ever been nice to me, leaving yesterday out. Though, I am curious. What made him behave like that?

Something moves and vibrates under my legs. I move the sheets aside and find my phone buzzing in between them. It's Karan again. Not really wanting to talk to anyone right now, I let it ring until it stops on its own. I switch it to silent mode wanting to be left alone with my thoughts.

The moment I put my phone on the nightstand, Navya enters the room with a tray full of plates and cups and I smell hot coffee. Suddenly my inside start to crave caffeine and the second Navya sets the tray on my bed I reach for the cup but pull my hand back with a hiss as I touch the hot surface of the cup.

"Easy now. It's not running away." Navya says and sits down in front of me.

Why is she sitting in my room?

Agreed, that we usually have our food together whenever we are at home but right now, I don't think I want to talk to her. She'll just go back to pestering me about Karan.

"I'm hungry." I say blowing at my finger.

"You're sick. You just threw up. You can't feel hunger."

"Oh. Well, I do." I say and grab the cup of coffee, now from the handle and bring it close to my lips. I blow in the coffee for few seconds and then sip on it.

Warmth spreads through my throat making its way down my stomach and I breathe in relief. I hadn't realised that I was so damn hungry and I can't deny that Navya does make a great cup of coffee.

Next she passes a plate to me with a sandwich and I dig in. We eat in complete silence and even though it feels awkward, I thank all my stars for Navya doesn't talk about Manik or Karan the entire time.

After I'm done with the breakfast I pass a small smile at Navya and thank her. She takes the cup from my hand and sets it back on the tray, readying herself to leave the room.

"Maybe you should take some medicine or something... If your stomach still feels weird." She says.

"Uh, I don't feel all that good but it's better than how I was downstairs. But can you pass that—" I point towards the first-aid pouch kept on my study desk, "— pouch on my desk?"

My eyes follow Navya as she goes up to my study desk for the pouch. Just below the pouch is a book I had been reading. As my eye catches its sight I remember Manik's words.

I left you my number before leaving this morning. It's in a book that was on your study desk.

"Can you also pass the book underneath it?"

Navya picks the book along with the pouch and places them both on my nightstand.

"Thanks." I mumble.

"Maybe you should rest. You looked pretty bad downstairs like you saw some ghost. You looked pretty shook." She says and helps me get under the covers. Her hand touches mine in the process. "And you do have fever, Nandini. It'll be better if you sleep for a while."

"Aren't you being too damn generous today?" I raise an eyebrow and look at her. "Shouldn't you be sulking around after the conversation we had? Or pestering me some more?" I ask.

"I wasn't pestering you!" She looks offended.

"Yeah, sure." I say and slide under the sheets, covering myself up as cold wind blows through the window, lifting the curtains up.

Any other day, this would have been blissful but today it's just making me shiver.

"All I said was I don't like the idea of you being with Manik. And I think you should move on." She says.

I jerk back up, sitting in front of her. "I am NOT with Manik." I tell her.

Even though we kissed last night and it was me who initiated it, I still don't see it like us being together. Not until I know the truth, not until there isn't another secret between. It's not like I don't want to be with Manik but it's just that: One, he hasn't asked me. And two, I can't be with someone who isn't true to me.

Even though he says he is going to tell me everything, I am not with him until he does tell me everything.

"You know what I mean." She rolls her eyes. "Look, I know you think I am pushing— "

"You ARE."

"Well, I don't want to push, for what it's worth. I am not telling you to be with Karan just because he likes you. All I'm asking, and all this for your sake, is that you should give someone else a chance. The more you keep on holding onto Manik, the more you'll keep entangling yourself into the mess that he is. That guy is upto no good. Can't you just feel that vibe coming off him?"

I throw my hands in the air, tired of Navya's constant hate on Manik, "Why do you hate him so much?!"

"Because!" She stares at me, frowning.

"'Because!' That is your reason? Because what, Navya?"

"Because.... I always have. I never liked him and I still don't."

"Seriously?" I can already feel the pain in my head starting to spread. "Why do I have a feeling this is more than just stupid childhood tiff? You sure do seem hell bent upon making me hate him."

She stays quiet for a moment before saying, "Well, don't you? Has he done any good to you, Nandini? Has he been there for you when you needed him to?"

"Well, you haven't either! What gives you the right to tell me any of the above said things?!" I shout.

Navya opens her mouth to say something but then thinks better of it. She presses her lips together into a thin line and looks back at me.

I sigh loudly, "Navya, I really don't know what you want me to say. I can't force myself to like someone else but if you're worried about me liking Manik, don't. I'm... I'm over that now." I lie to her.

Her expression turns soft and her shoulders drop as she sighs, "Look, it's not about you liking Manik. It's just that... being your sister, I.. I know it's not been that long but I kinda do care for you, Nandini and having seen what Manik does to you, what he did to you in the past month... I just think you need to let him go."

I close my eyes and breathe.

I understand that Navya cares for me and it's weird that in such little time we have become really close to each other, but I can't make her understand something that I don't know myself. I can't tell her that the reason why I can't agree with her is because I've felt things that seem so damn right. How can I explain last night to her? How can I tell her that I believed Manik when he told me he'll come clean with me? She won't understand at all.

"I have let go of it, Navya. But I'm also not ready yet to give Manik or Karan or any other guy for that matter, any thought. I just can't. Not right now. So please. Every single bone in my body is aching right now. I can't deal with—"

"Okay, okay. I get it." She interrupts. "You're unwell. That must be getting to your head." I nod desperately. "I'll go," She says. "I'll check on you in sometime. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pestered you earlier."

I manage a small smile, "Okay. Thanks." I say and with this said, she starts to back away and slides through the door with a tray in her hand. She kicks it close with her heel.

I fall back on the bed and touch my palm to my forehead. It does feel a little hot. My eyes too have started to burn and I can definitely, definitely, feel a cold coming soon.

I keeping lying on the bed, my eyes staring at the ceiling and my mind goes in all the different directions. From Karan's weird behavior yesterday to the strange kidnapper guy in the kitchen. From my special moment with Manik to him agreeing to finally let me in on the truth, from Navya's words from earlier this morning to the weird conversation I had with Manik, and then finally to the moment in the kitchen after which I threw up. I keep playing the incidents in my head. Sometimes with my eyes wide open, sometimes closed. Sometimes by staring at the ceiling and sometimes outside the window.

The weather has completely changed in the past few hours since I woke up. It was bright and sunny then and now it's dull and windy outside.

I lose track of time as I keep shifting from one position to another, spreading in all directions that the bed can offer me, trying to find a comfortable spot that won't hurt my bones so bad.

Eventually, I guess, I let my tired body take control and give my brain a rest as sleep takes over.

When I open my eyes I find myself facing the window. The sky is no longer blue but a dark grey and the rain outside is pouring heavily. I lift myself on my elbows and yawn into the dimly lit room. I guess I slept alright after all. My bones don't ache like they were before. I still feel a little tired but I think sleeping for a while has helped with the sick feeling.

I look around, trying to get the blurriness away from my eyes and fall back into my bed with a tired sigh. Yep. I still am tired. A few minutes pass by when suddenly I start hearing some noises. I strain my ears and hear sounds of people talking at a distance. The voices keep nearing and nearing until I can hear each word without much strain.

It's Navya talking to someone."She's asleep. Let her sleep, she looked real sick in the morning." Navya says.

It's Karan, I realise, as he speaks next. "How long has she been sleeping?"

"A couple hours now. I think she'll wake up whenever she feels better. Don't go in there now."

"But I.. I need to talk to her!" Karan grunts.

"Yeah, I kinda felt the desperation when you called her up seven times. God, why did you call her that many times?"

"She wasn't picking up. Besides I need to talk to her about something." He says.

"Now, what did you do, cookie?" Navya says.

"What makes you think I did something?"

"It's pretty obvious since you're here right now and you want to talk to her so desperately and also, you called her about seven times."

"I.. I may have done something." Karan says.

"What?"

"Uh.. Nothing! Just let me know when she's up and tell her to take my call. And also, if there's anything serious, I can help-"

"We're fine. And if you're so..." Navya lowers her voice and says something that I can't make out at all. I slowly stand up from my bed and walk over to my door, pressing my ear to it.

"There is nothing like that! I'm just... I care about her like I care about you. Now does that mean I am into you as well?"

So that was what Navya told him.

"You do like her. Admit it. You might as well do that and help me get her to get rid of Manik." She says.

That is when I step away from the door, not wanting to hear anymore. I am seriously getting tired of Navya's I hate Manik club. I walk into the bathroom and splash some water on my face. I splash and splash until the grogginess washes off. Feeling a lot better now, I step out of the bathroom and walk up to the door again. I press my ear against it and hear their voices but it's they're not as loud. Maybe they moved away.

I— NAVYA!" Karan exclaims.

"Look, I wasn't born with this instinct of hating Manik and I definitely didn't bother enough to hate on him that much earlier but you know as much as I do why I don't think Nandini shouldn't be with someone who is so much of a brat!"

"You know he didn't do it, Navya."

Okay now, do what?

"What, now you're his lawyer?!" She screams.

"You might as well go talk in her ear if you want her to know all this." Karna says.

What are they even talking about?

Feeling curious I press my ear up against the door harder.

"What, now you're his lawyer?!" Navya repeats but in a hushed tone.

"I'm not saying it wasn't his fault— "

"Damn right, it was! Although he didn't do anything, he didn't stop them either, did he? You know, I never expected anything out of Manik but that was low. Even for him. To stand there and do nothing about it? There's only one good guy in that entire group and—"

"And we're back to this."

Before I can process, my hand reaches the knob and I twist it open. I step outside and find Navya and Karan, an astonished look on their face, looking at me.

-----

Oh, guys. I know you're all eager to know the "truth" that Manik has to tell Nandini but I don't think it's going to be that easy. I can't just give up the plot like that. It can't be THAT easy, nah.

It'll not take a lot of chapters to know the "truth" from Manik, so please wait! Meanwhile, I will try making it all worth the wait. And thanks for being so patient!

I have also actually started with college so it's going to keep me a little busy now. My updates will go back to being irregular but I will try my best to not let those gaps stretch into months like before.

Also, Ignore the typos!

Xoxo💋