Sachha Pyaar-virman- ff-updated part 21 - Page 6

***6***

This was before marriage, it was an year after Virat came to stay with Viren in New York. Manvi and Virat were just acquaintances. Manvi had a very bad opinion of Virat specifically thought of him as an irresponsible guy with no goals and a big time flirt. She tried to stay as far away from him as she could. She hated when Jeevika and Viren were worried about him. After their father passed away, Viren has become a father figure in Virat's life even without him realizing it. It was a rough two months for him as Virat had been in a rehabilitation facility to have him wean off alcohol and drugs. Viren did not want to take the extreme step, but his brother had left him no option. He was found by the police near a dumpster; mugged, beaten and overdosed of drugs. The doctors informed everyone that it was only a miracle that saved Virat; they advised to get him a lifestyle change and the contrary would be plain suicide and even god would not be able to save him next time. Today Virat was coming home. He had been off drugs for 60 days and that was a huge developed and this made Viren and Jeevika very happy.

At the rehab, Virat: "I am sorry bhai, I always trouble you and bhabi with my problems. I am sorry I said all those mean things to you when I was sent here. The fact is that I was scared and did not want to give up my habits. But now, I am glad you got me in here, I completely understand why you did this."

Viren: "Nahi Virat, I forgot everything you said that day then and there. I knew it was not my sweet brother but the evil that possessed him speaking. All I want from you is that you stay off these bad habits and focus on your career. I don't want you to meet Maya ever. I have not told any of this to the family and want you to promise me that this will never happen again. We are leaving to India for my wedding in a week and I want your best behavior."

Virat sad looks down towards the ground: "I promise bhai. I am sorry again." Viren hugs him and tries to cheer him but in vain.

At home, Jeevika cooked Virat's favourite dishes and is putting up decorations to welcome Virat. Manvi who was studying inside Jeevikas room comes out and sees her working.

Manvi playfully: " Jeevs, I am hungry. Can we eat please? I smell something really yummy. Is it my favourite mattar panner? Yes! I know it is. You are the best. Come on let's eat."

Jeevika: "In a few minutes, Mannu. Virat and Viren will be here, in the meantime help me with these welcome stickers."

Manvi: "oh J, we have an exam tomorrow and instead of studying, you are wasting your time cooking and decorating the room for that junkie. What is wrong with u??"

Jeevika: "Shut up Mannu! Don't start again. You cannot speak like that about my devar. Do you know what he went through? If you cannot understand, it's ok. But stay out of it."

Manvi: "Ohh please, do not act as if he is the only one who has problems. So what if he got dumped by his girl friend. Boo-hoo!!!!! I have had my share of bad experiences in life, everyone has for that matter, have you ever seen me doing drugs??? He is not a kid, you guys need to move on with your lives"

Before Jeevika could reply, they heard the buzzer and Jeevika ran to open the door while Manvi is getting furious. Jeevika looked at a Virat with tears in her eyes. He was still a mess, much better than before though. He looked sad with a beard and he had lost a lot of weight and looked very weak. When she hugged him, he barely responded and he could not look into anyones eyes. Jeevika asked him to freshen up and told him that she made all his favourite dishes for lunch. Manvi shook her head and went back to her books.

At lunch, Jeevika pulled Virat out of his room and sat him down at the table. She went to fetch a few things and Viren was on the phone in the other room. Manvi came out, hungrier than before and eyed Virat who was sitting quietly with his head down. She came and sat down at the table.

Manvi: "Oh thank god, you finally graced the table with your holy presence, I would have starved to death in the next few minutes."

Virat looking sideways: "I never asked anyone to wait for me. Especially you."

Mannu sarcastically said: "ya whatever. Do you have to tell them anything?? Don't you feel guilty at all?? The only reason why these two are worried is because of you. Man! Thoda toh sharam karo yaar."

Virat felt very bad, as he had been hit in his sore spot. The last couple of months, the only thing he could think about was his brother and what he had put him through. He regretted his actions and felt really really guilty for having pushed his pathetic problems onto his bhai and bhabhi. Manvi's words stung him and he was getting up from the table to leave when Jeevika came with more dishes in her hand.

Jeevika: "Virat, I made Mattar Paneer and Paratas, your favourite; your bhai has also specially ordered achar for you. Start eating, I don't know what those people have fed you, you have lost half your weight" with this she started serving him.

Virat still looking down, gulped his tears and started eating to stop any further discussions. He however, could not help looking at Manvi who was glaring at him. Everyone finished lunch, Virat hardly spoke, he answered all questions in mono syllables: yes, no, I don't know and so on. Viren just gave up and let him be. He thought he will become normal in a few days. Manvi dragged Jeevika so that they could study for their exam tomorrow and Viren started preparing his speech for a conference he was attending in the evening. Virat stayed inside his room. One of the rules, among others the counselors gave Viren was to never let Virat be by himself in his room. He could never lock his room door for more than a few minutes. Virat just lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling; he had no idea of what he was now supposed to do. After a few hours, Jeevika told Manvi that she had to go with Viren to his conference and asked Manvi if she could stay home with Virat until they came back.

Manvi: "Di, first of all, we have an exam tomorrow; you haven't completed studying. You cook, clean all day and then after a few SECONDS of studying, you say that you are going out. Why? Why today? Do you enjoy failing?? We are studying medicine not home science. Second of all, if I stay back, I will probably kill your would-be-devar before you come back so NO, I can't stay. I am leaving and you continue being whatever dumb bahu person you are trying to be. Ok. bye"

Jeevika: "Mannnuuu……….please. I know you will explain everything for the exam tomorrow morning. Viren is trying to land a very big client who is coming to the conference with his wife, he would not even ask me if it was not important. Please and Virat has barely moved from his room the whole day. Just stay in this room and check on him every half hour. Ok thank you... Love you... Muah...bye"

Manvi very angry: "Diii……..!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Jeevika leaves while saying "……….and make sure he eats something."

It was two hours since her friend left and Manvi lost herself in her books. She suddenly remembered about Virat and goes to check on him. She finds his room empty. Worried, she searches the whole house without any luck. She rushes into the balcony to look down onto the road and there he was sitting in a corner and looking up blankly.

It was like dj-vu. She was just a kid, her mom had passed away and her dad was sitting in the garden staring blankly at the flowers and the plants her mom planted years ago. He used to sit like that for hours, before he grabbed a bottle of alcohol and drowned himself in it. She would call him, pull his hand, hit his legs with her tiny hands, her teary eyes longing for him to atleast turn and look at her, acknowledge her presence; all in vain. Finally when she would cry loudly to attract his attention, he would yell at the nanny and had her taken away from there.

She came back to present when her cell rang, it was Jeevika calling to check on them asking her if Virat ate. She hung up after assuring her and looked back at Virat whose was still fixated to the same position. She suddenly fell an urge to shake him up and slap him to get out of whatever he was going through.

Manvi: "Ohh Devdas, Can you please leave the people in hell at peace. Stop disturbing them. I am heating up the dinner for you, Di called, asking me if you have eaten"

Virat looked up at her for a second and Manvi did not understand why that made her a little happy: " I am not hungry. You can eat and tell bhabi that I also ate. Please leave me alone now. I have no appetite for food or your cheap comments"

Manvi: "Hey look, I don't have any interest in feeding you. It is Di who is worried. Can you please take some time out of your busy schedule and …..."

Virat very irritated, raising his voice: "kisne ne kaha mere fikar karne ki, haaan? Please, please, please, leave me alone. I do not need anyone to take care of me. Not you, not bhabi, not bhai. Do you think I enjoy being taken care of like this. I wish I rather did not exist than be a dependent like this. So please shut up with your thane and cheap comments and get the hell out of here."

Manvi's anger reached sky high : "Cheap?? Thane?? Chep! Stop acting like a cheap person then people will stop criticizing!!! Stop thinking only about yourself and, realize the affect your behavior has on the people who love you, and then the taunting will stop!! Look at yourself, your face; it is pathetic with that beggar like beard, your body is frail and weak, it has no energy whatsoever, your eyes are empty, there is nothing inside them, there is no SOUL anywhere. You are killing it, every passing minute you stay in that shell you have build, you are killing your soul bit by bit. So what if you went through a rough patch, that's life. Cry a river, build a bridge and cross over it!!!! Don't you realize that when someone goes down, kills themselves, the most damaging affect is not what they do to themselves, but it is that what they do to other people, the people closest to them????? They are the ones that get the most hurt." "Your wife dies, so you will kill yourself too? How can you not think about your daughter?? Are you so dumb to let your past destroy your present? Your daughter's present? Your daughter's future?? How can you just leave her alone to this cruel world?? HOW CAN YOU?????"

It was like she was talking in a trance, her face was red with anger, her eyes equally red and blurry, filled with tears but not a single drop escaping. Her looks very sharp and piercing his heart. Virat could not look away. He felt something stir inside him, like fire and he wanted it to stop. "Manvi?? What are you talking about? I am killing myself??? Wife? Daughter? Wth??? I am not even married. Yeh kya bole ja rahi ho??" "And what right do you have to tell me all these things anyways?? Nobody talks to me like this! Not even my bhai!!!! This is none of your business and I would appreciate it if you stayed away from it. Understood???"

Manvi was flabbergasted, she could not believe what she just blurted out, she fell embarrassed and apologized " I am sorry. I should not have talked to you like that" and she ran inside and locked herself the next minute.

Originally posted by: afreenkansal

res
first to comment🥳
it was awesome
continue soon