30. THREAT!

Manik is running in the corridor to get out of the college premises as soon as possible while his tears have no mercy on him. They are running down like a stream which he is wiping with the back of his palm like a kid. But suddenly, someone pulled him into a corner and seeing the person he lost his one last pinch of confidence. 

Manik:- ( Scared like hell ) Aly… Alya! 

Alya:- ( Smirk ) Ya, Me!

Manik got terrified seeing the smile on her lips and smirk. The same smirk has been haunting him for the past few years. His hands start trembling with fear and he decently moves back, making a dignified space between them. 

Alya:- ( Devilishly ) Why are you running away from me, Manik? 

Like a seductress, she walks closer to him and locks her hands around the back of his neck, making him uncomfortable. Her breaths are fanning his neck which he so wants to dismiss. 

Alya:- What happened, Manik? Don’t you want me as other boys do…

She whispers in his ear like a moan, making him cry in disgust. He tilts his face away just to avoid any kind of touch of her lips. He so wants to push her but at the same time doesn’t want to touch even a strand of her hair. 

Manik:- ( fearfully ) Aly… Alya, you are making me uncomfortable. 

Being a gentleman, he tried to convey to her that he didn’t like their closeness but forgot that girls like her don’t understand such kind words.

Alya:- Oh!… Is it?… 

Saying this she traces his chest line but Manik immediately comes out of her hold without touching the tip of her nail. He acted soon when her fingertip touched his bare chest and closed two open buttons of his shirt to hide every bare skin of his from her preying eyes.

Currently, he smells like his Fireball which he didn’t even want to change into HERs (Alya).  He doesn’t want to replace his Fireball’s touch.

Otherside, Alya stomped her foot when her charm didn’t work on him this time which made her fume in frustration. In her rage, she grabbed his hand and pushed him against the wall, making him terrified. 

Manik:- ( Shutter in nervousness ) I didn’t do anything…….. Let me go!

Alya:- ( Gritted her teeth ) Trust me, I don’t want you to stay either. But… Your recent friend just made my day hell with her stupid humor. 

Suddenly, a gush of blood rushed in Manik’s brain after hearing about his Fireball. All the fear and nervousness evaporated when he heard a single word against his Fireball. He curled his fingers and spoke sternly, keeping his gentleness aside. 

Manik:- ( sternly ) Nandini is not stupid but you are. 

Alya:- Are you defending her in front of me? 

Manik:- ( Proudly ) She doesn’t need anyone to defend her. She is capable of her own. 

Alya:- ( Angrily ) I don’t have any time to hear your rant for that Bitch…

Manik pushes her back with a jerk, making her stumble, and shows a finger to threaten her. 

Manik:- Don’t you dare to call her that again or else I will forget that you are a girl and will slap you which you deserve. 

Alya never saw him this angry before, not even when they insulted him in front of the whole college. She composes herself anyhow and looks into his eyes confidently. 

Alya:- Don’t try to cross me, Manik. ( Angrily ) Don’t forget about your standard. You have no class to stand in front of me and then forget about threatening me. My one call will destroy your blooming career and that Bitch too…

For a second, Manik got tense about his career but now he is more worried about his Fireball. He doesn’t want any harm to her and he knows Alya will try everything to harm his Nandini. That’s why he kept quiet only for his Fireball because he didn’t want to drag her into this mess. 

Seeing him silent, the smirk on Alya’s lips comes back in a second which boosts her ego.

Alya:- Aww… Baby got scared!… tch tch tch…

Manik kept silent and let her say what she wished. Her words don’t matter to him while Alya continues in her over-sweet tone. 

Alya:- I think Baby remembers what this Alya can do for her self-esteem………… Good! Good! I like that. 

Manik:- ( Politely ) Alya, I didn’t know your true colors at that time but now I know about your black and tinted heart behind your fake ego. 

Alya:- so, is it good or bad? 

Manik kept quiet for a second without answering her and straight away came on point. 

Manik:- (straightforwardly) What do you want now? 

Alya:- ( Chuckles ) That’s like my Ex-Boyfriend who knows that I don’t like hiding behind the bush. 

Manik:- Come to the point, Alya. ( after a pause ) You ruined me already, now, what do you want from me? 

Alya:- ( Rolls her eyes with attitude ) Uff… Why do you think that I want something from you? Gosh, I have a standard. ( After setting her hair with a fake chuckle ) By the way, Your recent friend is taking a keen interest in me so, please keep her in check. You know what I am capable of so I don’t think that you want to repeat that thing. 

Manik got scared not for himself but for his Fireball whereas Alya came towards him and patted his shoulder with sympathy. 

Alya:- Make sure that the truth won’t come out or else I will not leave your friend. 

Saying this, she pats his back sympathetically and walks to the door but turns around after a few steps only to put the last nail in the coffin. 

Alya:- ( Concerned ) Do you know it’s unsafe for girls to go out alone at night? Anything can happen with their dignity under the shades of the stars. Tch… Keep her safe. 

Smiling devilishly, she walks out with a victory smile seeing the fear on his face. Otherside, Manik knew that she pointed out Nandini just to keep him under her control. Within 12 hours she understood his feelings for Nandini that’s why she targeted her. 

These few minutes with Alya worsened his mood. He already misunderstood that Nandini believes that he is a cheater and now Alya just threatens him. He pulls his hair in frustration and wipes his tears but his heart is not at peace. He wants to see his Fireball just to ensure that she is alright but he doesn’t want to face her either because he is angry with her. With so many messed-up thoughts he leaves the college premises to go where he finds peace. 

Otherside, Nandini roams the whole college to find her Shy boy so that she can teach him a good lesson but to her dismay, he is nowhere to be found. 

Nandini:- ( angrily ) Shy boy, come in my hold once. I will break your bones for making me worried about your whereabouts. 

She enquires about every team member of her company but no one saw Manik from which she concludes that he is not on the college premises. An idea comes into her devilish mind but for that, she needs her brother. With her ever-so-sweet smile, she approaches her brother who pledged never to speak a word in front of her after their previous argument. 

Nandini:- ( Sweetly ) Bhaiyu… 

Cabir looks at her from top to bottom with wide eyes and sniffs her mouth and clothes while saying. 

Cabir:- Is your alcohol speaking to me?

Nandini:- What alcohol, Bhaiyu? 

Cabir:- You are highly drunk, Nandini. Let’s go home…

He grabs her wrist and drags her toward his car, making her annoyed. 

Nandini:- Bhai, what are you doing? I come here to apologize to you for my previous behavior but you are making me annoyed. 

Cabir leaves her hands as soon as her words “apologize to you” hits his eardrum. He can bet on whether she is drunk or he is. Nandini apologizes to him, this is not a small issue but suddenly different thoughts come to his mind, making him worried for his notorious sister. 

Cabir:- Did anyone say anything to you? Did someone scold you? Tell me, who is that person? Who has the nerve to scold my sister? I will not leave them…

Nandini:- ( Silencing him ) Bhai, no one said anything to me. ( After a brief pause ) By the way, did you really believe that someone has the guts to scold me? 

Cabir realizes the fact that there is not a single soul present on the earth who can scold HIS HEADACHE. In simpler words, no one can give Headache a Headache. 

Nandini:- ( Shaking him to bring him back to land ) Bhaiyu, What happened? 

Cabir:- ( Tiredly ) Headache, look, I have a sister who is eligible to marry and a daughter whose kids I want to see before I die. I have responsibilities. So, I request to you that please don’t give me such shocks because my poor heart can’t bear them. 

Nandini:- ( Innocently ) What shock? I didn’t use electric sockets to give shocks to anyone…………….. Till now! 

Cabir’s eyes come out from the sockets hearing “TILL NOW”. Did she have a dream to give an electric shock to anyone? If yes, then he prays to god that he won’t be that one person. 

Cabir:- ( Scaredly ) Baby sister… What are you up to? 

Nandini giggles and keeps quiet while hugging him tightly, giving him another attack of the day. 

Nandini:- You are hilarious, Bhaiyu. 

Cabir too wrapped his hands around her waist with confusion written all over his face. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the brother-sister hug. He is unaware of the fact that Nandini has some other intention.

Slowly and steadily, Nandini takes out the car’s keys from his coat’s pocket without creating any disturbance like a professional thief. After a brief moment, she breaks the hug with a big grin, making him suspicious. 

To be continued…