'Someday, all the love you have given away,
Will find its way back to you,
And will stay finally.'

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Manzar's POV

It was tea time, we were talking about our school experiences or even stupidest pranks we ever played or been a part of.

Both boys and girls were segregated to two cabins respectively, girls were in Harshita’s Cabin (a random group member) and boys were in Veer Bhai’s (Ruhani’s husband) cabin.

“That time both I and Veer, were like cat and dog, always fighting” Urvi said dreamily

“Well, you are still the same. Like actually the same.” I said in a small tone sipping my black as my soul coffee.

As soon as I kept the cup down, someone smacked the back of my head, “Keep your comment to yourself.”

“Rude much!”

“What did you say?” although she already know still me gave me a chance to correct that.

And me being so fearless couldn’t keep my gutter mouth shut.

“It was just a burp but felt like the description of your personality”

“Aww… you are so in love with me, I’ll give you an antacid for that.” She moved ahead to pick up a biscuit from the plate.

“Of course you are not going to hit me with that, why waste food over me.”

“Oh I have a better plan” then she bent down.

It took a complete second for me to calculate what she is going to do, before her flip-flop can come in the field of my vision.

“Oye! Lagega mereko yeh!” (oye! This going to hit me hard)
I got up from my place and lunged to hide behind Ruhani Di,

“Ruk chudail” (stay you witch)
she chased me and I again ran

“Pagal hai kya!” (are you crazy or what)
  I ran towards the door to escape from her wrath.

I was almost outside the door when I turned to look at her, who was hot on heels behind me.

without looking where I was heading to I bumped head to chest with a man muscular.

How do I know it’s a man you may ask, but you didn’t?

It’s because there were no boobs, so that’s a man. That too with rock hard abs.

He hugged my person when caught off guard, my arms flexed in front separating us from each other but body was still totally glued, rubbing my forehead I groaned,
“What do you eat for breakfast, Cement?”

He laughed, I froze.

No!

This can’t be him.

Please tell me it’s not him.

Anyone but him!

“Not really, until you cook that for me.” I looked up to meet the eyes.

Of course.

That's my life.

“Leave me” I wiggled against him

“Why are you always running from me, when you exactly need to do otherwise?”

“I don’t think I need to answer that question. You happen to know the answers pretty well.”

He stared at me for a long second before leaving me. I clutched myself and turned to walk inside the cabin, my eyes found Urvi’s when his voice halted my steps.

“At least hear me once, Manzar.”

“I don’t think there’s any reason for that. You are not required.”

Shut it Manzar! This sentence was not required.

“We both know that.”

What do you mean by that? I clearly don’t need you.

“Hear me once, it was never my place to chose, that was yours. I know that now.”

With that I left him out.

Walked in meeting Urvi’s scrutinizing gaze and Ruhani di’s inspecting eyes. They know what happened outside unlike others who are busy talking to each other.

The only questing he left bugging in me was
‘It was never his choice to make, it was mine?’

What do you mean by that?
.

.
.

.

Next Morning

I decided to call my sister.

I hadn’t slept a wink last night, his words occupying my mind.

I’m not regretting the break and I mean it, I actually needed this break. Away from city chaos, away from work, far away from books.

Away from My -Oh -so -busy -scheduled life.

I’m not regretting that I met him here again, actually I wanted him to see how different I am now.

And I am not talking about my mental preparation of facing him, I am being a girl here. No matter how much you hate someone, how much you loath their very existence, you still want to show off your changes, your maturity, your knowledge, your beauty even if it is doubtful.

I don’t want to hear a word from him, yet my ears are hearing  his voice. I don’t want to see him, yet my eyes are resting on him. I want to free my mind from him yet my mind is freely wandering over him.

I never gave him a chance to explain himself, yet want him making efforts.

I blocked him from everywhere and Aditya helped me do it.

Only once I heard he tried to contact me after that none news was shared.

May be I’m wrong, I might’ve given him a chance to explain himself but I only needed a push. A push harder than ever—no one did that though.

They tried to convince me yet ended up respecting my choice to let me grow up, I was too young to understand- they agreed on that.

I am not complaining for anything they did, they were helping me just like I asked them to – they were being a sister, a brother and a friend to me.

Yet here I’m in dilemma of letting him in for explaining himself atleast.

I zipped the hoodie up and covered my head with the attached cap, I had just washed my head, my hair were still damp and probably look all wavy today. It takes a day for them set by themself.

The reception here is so very poor we need to get to the corner to get even a single tower, I clutched the phone and kept my hands inside the pockets and walked out of my cabin.

Weather this day is quite unsupportive and I bet all the plans are about to get cancelled- no one could be happier than me.

Urvi’s not in the room since the time I woke up, even bathed and now when I am by myself going out, she must be with her boyfriend.

They should get married by now I feel, they are always cheesy and glued to each other, even their parents are okay with their relationship. I don’t know what is stopping them now.

Walking, I passed the small valley leading towards the back of the camp where the store house is – the only place where you can get reception.

I was desperate to talk to Seher for no reason.

As I got closer to the storehouse, I hear voices.

His voice.

My ears twitched.

I felt them twitching!

Is that normal?

I worked instantly, hid myself behind the storehouse wall, all present and alert.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take, even to convince to hear me out.”

There were a couple of sighs in the background.

He was not alone!

“I don’t know that either.” I heard Vansh’s voice

“She will come around soon. She is angry but not a tough heart to get through.” I recognized this voice of Ruhani’s with concern.

Carefully I peeked through the walls but my vision was not clear there was a tree branch under my view. I walked inside the store house ignoring the fact it’s all dark and dusty.

Looked to my left and right, listening to them talking about me but a voice stopped my movements. I turned and walked back towards the door this time a bit closer to the out to get a clear vision.

“She still loves you, a lot. I’ll make sure to convince her talk to you and then… that’s your responsibility  to win her over.” Urvi smiled looking at him, that assuring smile.

“don’t ever leave or hurt her or else I’ll break all your bones” Veer Bhai warned.

I heard few more voices in the background but I was pretty occupied with the idea of being betrayed by my own best friends.

Traitors!

All are traitors!

I decided to walk back towards the cabins and rub their loss on their faces silently, but seems like fate wanted to rub my loss on my face first.

Within a moment I felt betrayal winning every single relation I’ve ever had.

“You better take care of yourself Urvi, as soon as Manzar get to know about you being engaged and the fact you are hiding it from her, girl you are so dead.” Came Seher’s voice in the background.

They all laughed.

Eyes widened I turned to look back this time openly, there she was on the speaker talking to them, laughing over what she said. But this was like, she was laughing on me.

They were planning to get me back with the boy who left me for his job without telling me. The boy who ignored a dozen of my calls, tonnes of my messages.

The boy who left me standing all dressed up on my doorstep waiting for him to pick me up for our first date.

The boy who left me after promising to be there for me till life.

My best friend hid her engagement from me from her best friend.

When it’s my right to know before than everyone.

Here it seems like I am the last one to know.

I walked in front,
“WOW!”
I stood in the middle clapping my hands.

There was an awkward silence all around, everyone was looking at me with wide eyes mouth agape.

Only a single pair of eyes was looking at me all blank and cold with a phone in his hand.

“Manzar is here! isn’t it?” Came Seher’s shocked voice

“I hope not.” Came her husband’s worried reply.

“Of course It’s me ‘Sister’” I said loud enough for everyone to flinch

“You are all busted” I smiled looking at all of them excluding him, who definitely knew I am again on defensive mode.

“I feel so sorry for you all… all of your plans are known now.” I said to them all still smiling.
I met with silence.

I walked upto Urvi,
“Congratualtions on your engagement.” And then looked at Vansh

Smiling I started to retreat back, “Wait a second” I said to Urvi

“I am really happy that you have a new relationship to hold on to, when you lost the other.”

“Manzar, I am really sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you, I was trying to help…” she stood holding my hand

“Help me with what?” I snapped she flinched and Vansh was right behind her

“Manzar, don’t snap at her.” Seher said

“Oh just shut up Seher” I shouted holding my head,
“I don’t want to hear a word from you”

I walked upto him and snatched the phone from him disconnected the call, lifted my hand to throw the phone but end up handing it back to him in his hand.

He was looking at me with the same eyes, cold and emotionless, not a sigh of any emotion.
All blank.

That filled me even more. I started taking deep breaths,

“This is all b-because of you.”

“You are behind everything.”

He was listening to me without blinking, this urged me even more – bloody show some emotions.

“Just because of your sorry ass, my friends, my friends are hiding things from me, they lied to me. Congratulations once again you took my happiness from me once again.” I said pointing my fingers to his chest, poking him.

“You have an habit of taking everything from me, am I right?” 

“Of course I am!” I pulled back myself from him only to clutch his collar this time

“I hate you Rudra Sinha. I hate the very existence of yours.”

I was pulled back from him by Ruhani, she has my arm clutched tightly under her small fingers,

“Listen if I’m quite that doesn’t give you the right to talk to my brother like that”

She kept her finger under my nose. I was still breathing hard.

“It was him who wanted to win your heart like last time.”

I huffed.

“For a moment stop being a bitch, Manzar.” Urvi said wiping her  tears

I laughed this time, “Guess who’s talking! The lying bitch herself.”

“Stop it Manzar.” Vansh and Veer Bhai said hugging their spouses.

“This man over their” Ruhani pointed at her brother who was now looking at the ground,
“He tried like a million times to contact you… but it wasn’t him who was so adamant to block him out. Was he?”

I glared at her.

“You and your so called brother Aditya, blocked him out. He even warned to get him arrested if he continued trying to contact you.”

“you never gave him a chance to explain. He wanted to tell you before leaving but was afraid to lose you, still ended up loosing you."

"He thought you deserve better, better than him, a man who can let you pursue your carrier wherever you want just because he has a job where he once in a while get transferred to different states all across India.”

I gulped the lump in my throat.

“Forget about him, look at the girl sitting over there.”
She pointed at Urvi,

“she is crying not because she ‘betrayed’ her best friend, she is crying because her best friend mistook her surprise for betrayel.”

I continued with my deep breaths.

“That pregnant couple in Delhi, they were planning this to see their little sister happy, because they know where your happiness lies. They are regretting not pressuring you to quit your ego. They are regretting not forcing you get back to your original self.”

“Your fucking pride and ego is so… so high that you don’t see anyone in front of this”

I’ve had enough, I can’t take it longer.

I turned and my eyes met his once again, emotions were there this time all vulnerable all pained,

I gulped the lump in my throat and walked out, without meeting Urvi’s eyes, I don’t have the courage to.

It’s me who betrayed her.

I’m to be blamed!

For everything.

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