The Rake

Chapter Seven

“What!! Divyaa!! You have gone mad seriously!!” Raj pushed her lightly to which Divya looked baffled.

“Raj! There’s no wrong in it..You saw right! How much affected Manik is..Can’t I just think of him?” Divya shouted maintaining her high pitch though.

“You are talking like a mother do!! But think like a person!! Nandini’s parents last frame was broken by Manik!! We have pampered him much!! But I am not taking your side that’s it!” Raj yelled.

“Raj! I always wanted Nandini to be his wife, from the time I have known her at least!” She reasoned out.

“That was for the Manik everyone loved and this is the Manik everyone hates Divya! Get the difference!! You can’t just sort out your son’s life by playing with some other’s life!” Raj shouted and went away while Divya stood there thinking about Manik.

“Am I not allowed to think of my child’s life..when he’s being so badly broken ha? What was his fault ha? That girl cheated on him..He toh tried to love her..!” She broke down speaking to herself only when a someone caressed her shoulder.

“Cabir?” Divya turned around and found Cabir who was staying with them tonight only

“Aunty! It’s not your fault..It’s the mother in you which is speaking..Uncle is right! Manik is not the one we knew..He has changed..He has become a RAKE!”

Divya broke down “My baccha..I never wanted to see him like this!” Cabir hugged her lightly and caressed her back “Aunty! I have something to say..!”

“Kya Cabir?” She always relied on Cabir without any doubt whenever it came to Manik.

“He will have to understand what’s wrong in him..He will have to feel the pain which Nandini felt...He will have to regret..Then only he Will change...And maybe! Rabb ji chahe (if ever the god wants) They will be together..Because Manik is not the one we loved..Nandini toh durr ki baat hai! She doesn’t even know what has happened to him!” (This is not the Manik we loved, and about Nandini, loving him would be a far off issue since she doesn’t even know what has actually happened to him!”) Cabir spoke and was about to walk away when suddenly he turned and asked “Waise! (By the way) How do you know her?”

Divya smiled a little “She’s the daughter, I mean granddaughter of my sister’s neighbor, Krishnakala Murthy!” Cabir hummed with a sly smile “And doesn’t Manik know her pehle se?”

“No! I have been to Mangalore just once, and that too for two days..So! But I really like her...Never mind!” Divya excused herself and went to her room to calm her one and only Papa Monster.

“Aha! So Mr. And Mrs. Malhotra has got a past connection! That’s quite a connection!!” He munched on an Apple and walked upstairs to Manik’s room to sleep off.

N E X T D A Y

“Mom! Can I get bread omelette today?” He asked and looked at Raj whose silent ignorance was quite clear.

“No! You can’t..I have made something for you..if you can eat it fine then! If you can’t..You can go well..Afterall you have never listened to us, why should we?” Divya munched on the barley she made for them.

“What’s wrong with you guys?” Manik was surely the ladla, bigraa though (pampered child, spoilt though)

“Nothing..only you are wrong!” Manik pushed away the chair and walked away taking the car keys from the key holder while Divya and Raj sighed and the latter held her hands knowing how hard it was for her to ignore her pampered boy.

“It’s fine Raj! I have made a mistake and I can’t do it again..I need to sort out things!” Raj gave her a side-hug while she smiled.

Manik threw the keys at the valet to park the car and walked inside the campus with surely the most monstrous mood, but a handsome face.

He spotted his squad and walked to them who were busy with one another “Manik!” Cabir called out since he had already exited from the Malhotra mansion early morning owing to some confidential reasons.

“Lets bully!” Manik pushed the chair away angrily and went away leaving a giggling group behind.

“And here comes the reason for this assertion!” Cabir spoke spotting Nandini smiling at them from the gate.

Manik looked behind and his eyes soften as he saw her. She looked at his side sensing the strong gaze, but didn’t react. She instead walked past him to the classroom without having spare a glare AT LEAST riping his heart away. But this heartless monster called for it.