***14***
Next evening, Manvi was waiting for Virat outside her hospital.
"Kiske liye wait kar rahi ho Manvi?? Virat ke liye?" she heard someone say behind her. She turned back to look at a face she wished, would disappear from the face of the earth.
"Maya??" "Tum? Yaha??" said Manvi very surprised.
"I need to talk with you Manvi, it is very important. Can you please come with me for a few minutes." Maya asked nicely.
"I don't want to have anything to do with you Maya. Whatever it is you want, you are not getting it from me." She shut her down and started walking away.
"It is about Virat." Maya said.
Manvi turned and looked at her puzzled and angry at the same time. She did not want Maya to even say his name.
"You need to really back off from Virat" said Manvi turning around, and coming towards Maya.
"He is going to come back to me very soon you know, I am saving you heart ache Manvi" Maya said smiling.
Manvi gave a very sarcastic laugh. "Ohh really?"
"Yes, we were always meant to be together. Haan, I got blinded for a while but now, I realize my true feelings and I will not stop until I make Virat realize his."
"Which will never happen, coz he is in love with ME" Manvi said boiling with anger.
"We both go back a long time Manvi, before he even knew you and don't fool yourself, he was madly in love with me. Why else would he self-destruct himself after I left? Because he missed me and could not handle being away from me" she smiled with an evil smirk as Manvi looked disgusted with her.
"What are you in high school??" Manvi asked her anger reaching new heights.
"Think about it Manvi, you came into his life a few days ago. Who would he choose?" "It is better you step out of his life on your own, to save everybody a lot of time, because I am going to get him back by hook or crook" she warned.
"And I am going to keep you away from Virat by HOOK OR CROOK."Manvi said looking fiercly at Maya.
Maya laughed very loudly and said "awww..that is so sweet." " You don't know what you got youself into. Game on sweetheart" and she left with the most evil smirk.
---
At a coffee shop, Virat was looking at Manvi who seemed to be preoccupied, she was playing with her cup, lost in thought.
"Bad day??" Virat asked stirring her from her thoughts.
"Nahi, nothing like that" Manvi gave him a half smile.
"Liar!" Virat said.
"Why did you and Maya breakup?" she asked him without any warning.
Virat was surprised with her question. "Where is this coming from Manvi??"
Manvi noticed his discomfort with the topic. "Just wondering Virat. It's ok if you don't want to talk about it." "When are Di and Jiju coming back?" she tried to change the topic.
"I caught her and my best-friend sleeping together in my house in my bed" he said looking away. "It was a very disturbing image that I have not gotten out of my head yet." He said with a lot of pain. She left me a note afterwards saying that she was sorry; she had fallen in love with him and could not help herself. She just left. I could not believe how you she could go from being madly in love with me to being madly in love with my best-friend in a day. I started losing my confidence and even blamed myself initially; thinking that I hadn't loved her enough and I could have treated her better. All I know now is that she is a monster, a chameleon and she will not stop until she gets what she wants. She probably never loved me; I was pretty popular in college, so she liked having me around for a while. Ankit got selected for the under-20 cricket team that year, and then she fancied him better. I searched for a second layer beneath her ruthless behaviour for months, I didn't find any. I lost my love and my best-friend that awful day, and it took me years to get past them." He said with his eyes slightly moist.
Manvi put her hand over his and moved over to sit beside him to calm him. She didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Virat hates her so much, but Maya still affects him, in a bad way, but nevertheless, affects him. But she was not going to let Maya hurt Virat this time. Enough is enough.
---
Next day, Manvi and Virat drove to the airport, Viren and Jeevika were coming back from their honeymoon. They were waiting outside for their phone call.
Manvi: "Finally, Di and Jiju are coming back, life if kinda empty without them, haaain na?"
Virat: "umm..haan, abhi tum bhabi ke saaath zyaaada chipko maat, unki shaadi hogayi hain so give them some space. Ok?"
Manvi: "Shaadi hogayi toh kya huva? She is still my di, my best friend" she retorted.
Virat shaking his head: "Duffer! You won't understand. Kis paagal ne admission diya tum ko medical school main??"
Manvi: "ohh plz, I know a lot more than you."
Virat was leaning on the car, with his hands folded, was looking at Manvi standing beside him looking down. He smiled and pulled her towards him gently, his hand circled around her waist, looking into Manvi's eyes "Achaaa?? What do you know?? "
Manvi slowly "Virat! chodoo" she was melting in his gaze. He was leaning in and his lips were an inch away from hers "bolo na, kya patha hain tume?" he asked in a very low voice, and then, ofcourse, he heard a familiar voice teasing him.
"waaah mere bhai, waaah! honeymoon gaye hum the, par humse zyaada, yaha mera bhai honeymoon mana raha hai, aur woh bhi khulam kulla." It was Viren and Jeevika.
Virat and Manvi sprang away from each other."Bhai, aaap, yaha..umm..you guys are early, I thought you were going to call me. Flight land hogaya??" Virat said looking cornered and flustered.
"Jeevika, come let's go, we will come back after some time, mera bhai abhi busy hai" saying that Viren started walking away with Jeevika, who could not still believe what she just saw. 'Virat and Manvi, sachh mein???' she thought.
"Nahi Bhai, kaise baat kar rahe ho, it is so good to see you" he ran after Viren and hugged him, whispered slowly pleading "bhai please, abhi mera band math bajao, baad mein aaram se baja lena, pleaaase"
"band kya cheez hai mere bhai, lag toh aaisa raha hai ki jaldi shaadi ke dol baj ne wali hai" Viren teased him doing a small baraat wala dance. Virat shushed him.
Jeevika went near Manvi "Mannu???" Manvi just hugged her, blushing, unable to say anything. Jeevika hugged her happily, with tears in her eyes. "I am so so happy for you both" she said, bringing both Virat and Manvi beside each other, as they looked at each other smiling very embarrased.
---
Later, in Viren's study
Manvi knocks on the door. "Jiju, can I talk to you about something? I am sorry, you guys just came back from your honeymoon, but something is really bothering me" Manvi said.
"Ofcourse Manvi, you can tell me anything. Kya baath hai?"
"It's about Virat" Manvi said.
"I can't talk about it with Virat, because the whole issue has such a bad effect on him. And, I can't even talk to Jeevika Di, because you know she never thinks badly about anyone; she would just tell me to relax and that everything will sort itself out."
"Manvi, what are you talking about? Is Virat using drugs again?"
"No Jiju, ofcourse not"
"Sorry, for blurting out like this; I am not making any sense, it is about Maya, Virat's ex; she came to meet me yesterday and threatened to take Virat away from me" "Jiju, I can deal with the things that I know about" "But, with Maya, I don't know what I am dealing with; I don't know what is cooking in her evil brain. I am scared that she will hurt Virat somehow, make him vulnerable again" she looked at Viren very scared.
"How dare she threaten you? What is she doing in New York anyways?"
"I don't know Jiju; All I know is she openly challenged me. And by the looks of it, she wasn't kidding at all"
"Don't worry Manvi, I will take care of this" Viren assured her.
---
A month passed. Virat and Manvi became more open and close with each other. Manvi used to hang out a lot more at their apartment and the house was filled with laughter, teasing and unlimited joy. Virat asked Viren to talk to the family about Manvi and know their opinion regarding their relationship indirectly. Everything was going on as if it was a fairytale. Virat put his past behind him and was focussing on his studies and doing really well with Manvi by his side, at each and every step. Manvi had never felt more happy in her whole life, she had found her love; she felt safe and content, she enjoyed every minute of her time with Virat until something very horrible happened, something that turned their life upside down.
That day, Virat and Manvi were invited to a party by some of Virat's friends, Manvi didn't want to go but Virat dragged her to it.
Manvi was getting bored, she came upto Virat who was having some drink that his friends got for him. She somehow didn't like the atmosphere and the guys Virat was talking with. She pulled him away by his arm, "I am bored Virat!"
He didn't hear her, he suddenly experienced a very familiar feeling, he stood up hurriedly and said "Manvi, lets go, I will drop you home" He had to leave!
Manvi relieved "Already?? Ok good. I don't like it here all that much." "Let me get my coat."
Virat could'nt think straight anymore "NOW Manvi, we need to leave" he started walking out as Manvi followed him 'abhi tak toh teek tha, kya hogaya ise' she thought to herself worried.
"Virat, are you ok??" she asked, as she sat in the car. He didn't reply.
He drove as fast as he could and he stopped at his apartment which came first "Manvi, I am leaving ok? Drive yourself to your place, I will see you in the morning"
"Virat, whats wrong? Why aren't you talking to me??"
"DRIVE HOME DAMMIT" he yelled and left.
Manvi sat shocked in the passenger side, she got down slowly walked to the driver's side uncertainly; she looked up towards his apartment. She closed the car door and walked inside confused. She knocked the door but he didn't open, Jeevika and Viren weren't home. She started banging the door "Viraaat!" she yelled with no use.
She stood there unsure of what to do. She was getting restless. She still had the key that Jeevika gave her; she got it out and slowly unlocked the door, turned the door knob and stepped inside into a dark room. Seeing him sit in the balcony relaxed and calm, she felt a bit relieved. 'He scared the shit out of me' she sighed.
She opened the balcony door and walked in. He looked up towards her and smiled widely "Heeey, you are here!! I missed you" he said
"Why were you acting so weird Virat??"she asked.
"I am sorry baby, come sit by me, I am dying to tell you something since a very long time" he said pulling her hand so strongly that she tripped over to land beside him.
"Kaunsi baaat Virat??" she was getting a little panicky with his mood swings. "I love you" he said, cupping her face in his hands, "I love you sooo much, more than anything in this world, more than myself" it was not like he said those things TO her, he was just stating it. He couldn't make eye-contact. Something was missing she thought.
She looked at him again, her heartbeat racing, she knew something was wrong with him, his eyes were dilated and red. She smelt something, she knew it, she had smelt it before and she knew "Virat??? NO YOU DIDN'T !!!!" she cried loudly.
He did not hear her, he could not hear anyone for that matter, he was not there. "I love you" he continued "..and you look so sexy tonight like a wine bottle" he said with droopy eyes pulling her closer to him and the next thing she knew he was kissing her hard, forcing her mouth open and then his strong grip pushed her onto the ground; he was over her, holding her down, she couldn't move; he was way too strong for her.
"Stop Virat..please!!!" she screamed; she was scared and she could'nt feel her hands and legs in panic; but he could not hear her, nor his own conscience yelling inside him. He was overpowered by the chemicals. The more she tried to escape, the more hurt she got.
She keeping yelling, begging him to let go, in vain. She finally gave in, like she used to, a long time ago; this pained her even more because her protector, the one she trusted more than her own self, turned into a predator. Tears dripped down as she shut her eyes close tightly. It was as if she went back in time to her house, in the basement and she was that helpless little girl again. She had no control over these thoughts which rose their ugly head, piercing her like daggers. Only she knew how hard she had to fight all those negative feelings. They were all coming back to her.
She felt Virat collapse on her. She gathered all her strength to get out from under him. Once she got out, her first instinct was to run out of there, but she stopped herself; she knew he would die of overdose.
She was a doctor first.
Viren and Jeevika just walked in to the disturbing scene. Manvi was sitting in a corner, in a state of shock. Her hair was all messed up, her dress strap was torn. Virat was lying on the floor, beside her, head down, froth coming out of his mouth, unconscious.
Viren called for an ambulance and helped Manvi to lift Virat to a sitting position, so that he would not choke and Manvi and Jeevika did some first-aid to stabilize him.
---
They all waited outside the surgery room; they had to empty his stomach as he had taken a lethal mixture of highly potent drugs.
Viren came and sat beside Manvi, covering her with his jacket. "Manvi, tum teek ho? yeh sab kaise huva???" he asked very worried. Manvi didn't reply. She just rested her head on Jeevika's shoulder.
The incharge doctor came out, Dr. Shepard; he was Manvi's attending physician, her boss. He looked at her, in that sorry state; she had superficial bruises on her neck and hands.
"He is fine" Dr. Shepard told them "He is out of danger"
"I suppose he did this to you" he asked Manvi concerned.
"No" she replied closing her eyes, "I fell off the stairs" she said.
"This is assault" he reminded her. "I will have to call the cops" he said
"No, you don't, nothing happened; it was an accident" she replied firmly.
"Come with me" he ordered as he took her into his office, Jeevika followed them.
He was tincturing her bruises. "He probably didn't take it willingly" he said. Manvi didn't react, she kept looking indifferently. "No sane person would take that combination" he explained. "He would have died without your first-aid" he stated as Jeevika shuddered at the thought.
" I am assuming that you know about what people experience when they are high on these drugs. They experience selective hearing, they are hallucinated and have no control over themselves, their primal instincts over-power them and they completely lose human emotions"
"These effects are more, in people who have a previous history of drug abuse." Manvi got up and left. "He was probably drugged by someone" was the last thing she heard him say.
Jeevika took Manvi home; she couldn't handle herself at this point. She was in pain, anger and shock. She did not want to see Virat ever again.
---
Edited by bluebolt - 12 years ago
Shiv Shakti
44