f I v e
"A soul mate would be great, but at some point
I'd settle for someone who gets back to a text message."
~Atticus
M A N I K
Life is unexpected they used to say and today I realized it.
Who would have believed I, Manik Malhotra, will be smiling looking at the text messages that too of someone whom I met just three days back?
Yes, somewhere she is still a stranger but again, remembering our journey of these three days we were never strangers though we have met just for once.
My phone vibrated again as I made myself comfortable in the bed.
One new message from Mini Monster.
Mini Monster. That's a nickname given by me to Nandini Murthy. Firstly, that was just based on the things I have heard about her and how she loved to prank others and irritate and annoy others. But now it's from experience. Also, the name is perfect for her personality.
And most importantly, she knows it as well so it does not come under any bad category. But guess what, now I feel like why I had to give her a nickname cause for the last half an hour she has been trying to give me names, and trust me, all are too weird and most of them are so hard to pronounce too or simply say I didn't know such a word even existed.
Mini Monster:
How about damoiseau?
Me:
What does that even mean? Is it even a word?
Mini Monster:
Leave that. It's difficult to pronounce. How about Pinky Prince?
Me:
What the hell Nandini? Pinky? That too prince. Do I look like a three-year-old kid to you?
Mini Monster:
Malhotra, who told you that only a "three-year-old kid" can love pink color? And the prince can wear pink too not just princesses.
Me:
I don't know that but I don't like pink. So better change that name.
Mini Monster:
Don't worry I will make you love that. Nandini Promise ;)
Me:
In your dreams.
Mini Monster:
Trust me, I have already seen you in the pink shirt in my dream.
Mini Monster:
Ignore that
Me:
Wow. You see me in your dreams. Murthy, you are fast ;)
Me:
Should I be worried Murthy?
How much do I love to tease her?
Did I forget to add that she becomes all nervous when one starts to tease her? I am sure now she will try her best to avoid this conversation but I am not letting this chance go from my hands. It's revenge time Murthy.
At first, it started with a simple good night but then, it went on like we are addicts and it is our drug to keep us sane.
Till twenty questions it was great then as we talked more and more, we didn't leave a topic left. First, we became friends, then we flirted with each other, and then she teased me with those many posts on Instagram where my fans have shipped me with different celebs with whom I have worked or simply been spotted.
And now I am provided with a perfect opportunity to take my revenge and I am going to utilize the chance fully.
Mini Monster:
Whatever.
I grinned looking at her message. I somehow feel like her cheeks would be flushed in embarrassment.
Me:
Come on Nanduuuuu, tell me, what else did you see?
Me:
In your dream ;)
Mini Monster:
I am sleepy. Bye.
Me:
So eager to dream about me already ;)
Mini Monster:
Now I got the perfect name for you, Pervert Prince.
Me:
Shouldn't it be another way NandUUU...
Mini Monster:
Urgh...Stop it already Manik.
Me:
To stop I should start Nandini.
Me:
And guess what?
Me:
I have not even started.
Mini Monster:
Why in the hell are you sending messages in installments?
She is already frustrated, Let's irritate her some more. Come on yaar, I too should have some fun in life. I am chatting with someone after so long. After Cabir...' Let's leave it and reply to my mini monster.
Me:
That's just to increase the suspense :)
Mini Monster:
Are you serious?
Me:
No Nandini. I am Manik.
Me:
Manik Malhotra.
Me:
Remember, the same Manik whom you hold on to when you were afraid on the Ferris wheel ;)
Mini Monster:
If you don't stop with this just now, I will block you, Malhotra.
Me:
What did I do?
Me:
I just stated the fact.
Mini Monster:
I hate you already Malhotra.
I was smiling like a fool looking at her last message. Who told me I hate you can only break the heart. Here, the simple sentence is making me smile like never before.
But the smile at once disappeared as I saw what she did.
She blocked me.
What the?
How could she? And I did the only thing I could do then?
I called her. And you may be thinking about how I got her number then Abhi gave it to me while teasing me saying I will need it in the near future.
"Hello?" her voice was slightly sleepy but I was still furious. How could she block me?
Me among everyone. I am Manik Malhotra. No one can block me.
"That's getting overdramatic now." my self-consciousness mocked at me. But hey, how can she block me?
"Who the hell is this? Are you out of your mind to call a person at one at night and disturb their sleep? Is this a prank? Calling and not speaking. Bloody idiot. Just cut the call and don't disturb again." before he could speak she cut the call.
Firstly, she blocked me.
Now she even cut my call.
Who does she think of herself?
But again I was brought out of my trance with a ping sound.
Mini Monster:
Manik, here is the number..xxxxxxxxxx
Find out whose number is this.
He was left gaping at her. She just didn't cut my call but gave me my own number to find out whose number is this. Has this girl gone mad?
But again before he could reply another message came.
Mini monster:
Ignore that. I don't need your help.
And like that once again she blocked me. Is she having mood swings? Is she pregnant?
Wait, what am I even thinking? But these mood swings? I think she is having her periods.
And again before he could continue his phone rang with her name, he picked up the phone and she started to blabber without even letting him speak...
"Hey, you just called sometime before. I am sorry I vent out all my anger on you. I was pissed at someone else and you just called at the wrong time and on top of that, you weren't speaking so I just lashed out. I am really sorry, by the way, why did you call? And yeah, do I know you?"
Till now I was in shock. Shocked would be an understatement.
"Hey, you there?" she asked and I nodded. Realizing what I did, I shook my head and spoke the first thing that came into my mind.
"Nandini, are you on your periods?" I asked and waited for a reply but instead of a proper reply, she shouted so loudly that I had to keep the phone far from my ears so that they won't bleed.
"What the hell Manik? This is you. Are you out of your mind? Did you call me at 1 a.m. in night to ask if I am on my period? And now why are you not speaking? " she was furious would be an understatement.
I can already imagine smoke coming out from her ears and her eyes shooting daggers. But hey, what's my fault? She was the one who blocked me.
"You blocked me?" I said but it came more like a question.
"So?" she asked sharply and now it was my time to be furious.
"So? You are saying so? You just blocked me without any reason and when I call you to ask why did you block me you shout at me with no reason and again you unblock me to ask me about my own number and before I could reply to you again block me. Then when I was thinking about what is wrong with you, you call me to apologize and ask me why I am not speaking when you are the one speaking non-stop and not letting me speak. And when I finally ask something instead of giving a proper reply you blame me. You know what, go to hell." this time I cut the call, and guess what, I blocked her number.
Who does she think she is? She does not have the copyright to block me. I can block too.
My phone again did the ping sound to indicate a message?
Nandini:
Why did you cut my call?
Nandini:
And how dare you block me?
Nandini:
Now, you are not even replying.
Me:
Why the hell are you sending the messages in installments?
Nandini:
So? Do you have the copyright to it?
Me:
Yes, I have. What will you do?
Me:
Also, it was you who blocked me first and cut my call. It's your fault.
Nandini:
My fault. Are you serious?
Nandini:
You know what. It was better when I blocked you.
And before I could reply to her someone else messaged. Abhi messaged that too at midnight. And that's when I realized that we were fighting in our group which included- Me, Nandini, Abhi, and Mukti. Oh god.
Abhi:
Manik, Nandini. Go and fight in your private chat. Not in our group.
Mukti:
And why in the hell are you guys fighting at midnight? Don't you guys have to sleep?
Abhi:
Also, if you guys don't want to sleep then don't but don't disturb our sleep.
Mukti:
Also, Nandini. Speak in a small voice at night. You were shouting so loudly on the phone that I could hear it in my room.
Abhi:
Same here Manik. It's midnight. Don't you two have any sense that other SANE humans would be sleeping?
Manik:
Did you just call me insane?
Nandini:
Great discovery Malhotra.
Manik:
Murthy, don't start again.
Nandini:
It was you who had started. I am just going to end it.
And before I could speak more there was the notification...
Abhi left the group chat.
Mukti left the group chat.
Nandini named you InSaNe BaBy.
And he only cared about the last notification.
And maybe one day these texts will show how they began their journey.
Neither the time mattered nor did sleep,
they just needed a reason to speak.
.
~˜"*°•.˜"*°• And these small texts were those love letters
to be read to put a smile on your face ~˜"*°•.˜"*°•
ᴅᴀᴛᴇ: 10ᴛʜ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ, 2020
