88• You'll ride again

She came back home from college, and after she got fresh, a maid brought lunch for her in her room as instructed by Manik.

"Take it back, I'll eat after some time. I'm not hungry." She ordered her.

"Mam, Manik sir has given me strict instructions to give you food on time." She informed her.

"Okay, go. I'll eat it." The maid nodded and left.

"I'm feeling so sleepy, but I have to eat, otherwise he'll scold the maid." She thought and ate some of it after sitting on the sofa.

As she lay on the bed to sleep, her phone rang up. She picked it up from the side table, and her lips curved up into a broad smile, seeing Manik's name flashing on the screen.

"Hello." She answered the call merrily.

"Did you have lunch, Kiddo?"

"Yes, just now. Did you have it?"

"Yes." He lied to her again. "How was your day?"

"It was so boring without you. Anyway, Manik, at what time will you come?" She inquired.

"As soon as I finish my work."

"Tell me the exact time because I'm going to sleep till that time."

"You're crazy, Kiddo." He chuckled.

"I'm not crazy. It's just getting hard for me to pass my time without you." She pouted sadly. She became so addicted to him that she couldn't survive without him for even a second. This day without him is equivalent to a year for her.

"Fuck the work! I'm coming right now to meet you."

"Really?" Her face lit up and her eyes shimmered with joy.

"Yes! My love. I just can't wait to take you in my arms." He responded with a smile on his face.

"Me neither. See you soon, my hottie biker." She hung up the phone with a huge smile on her face, but his smile vanished after hearing the words 'hottie biker'.

"I'm no longer your hottie biker, Kiddo." He murmured dejectedly.

He opened the drawer, pulled out the cigarette packet and a lighter, and then rose from the chair while taking out one cigarette from the packet. He tossed the packet on the table and walked over to his cabin's huge glass wall, placing the cigarette between his lips. He sparked the lighter and held it close to the cigarette. He slipped the lighter into his pocket after lighting the cigarette and began smoking for some relief from his excruciating pain, his eyes musing on the buildings that could be seen through the glass wall.

***

She was sitting on the bed and passing the time by scrolling down Instagram reels. After every minute, she was glancing at the door.

As Manik finally entered the room, she smiled broadly, threw away the phone, jumped off the bed and rushed towards him.

"I missed you so much." She leapt over him and hugged him firmly as a monkey, throwing her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. He embraced her tighter, pulling her closer to himself. His eyes were closed and his lips were drawn up to a blissful smile. It seemed as if they were meeting after so many years instead of a few hours. Their addiction to each other was growing.

He walked towards her study table, holding her in the same position. As he made her sit on the edge of the table, she slowly pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry, Love, I couldn't come to pick you up." He genuinely apologised.

She gave him a serious look. "Manik, could I ask you something?"

"Ask."

She placed her hand on his face and asked in a soft voice, "Is there something which you're hiding from me?"

He stared at her silently and his soul screamed, 'Manik, tell her. It's high time.'

"No, Kiddo. There is nothing." She exhaled with relief as he lied to her, directly staring into her eyes and with his tattooed hand holding her hand which was placed on his face. He knew he was doing wrong but he couldn't see his kiddo in pain.

"Thank God! I was just overthinking." She whispered, resting her head on his chest.

Her heart was telling her that something was bothering him, but she trusted him so much that she convinced herself that her heart was wrong.

'You're not overthinking, Kiddo. There is something which I can't tell you. I'm sorry once again for lying to you. I can't even express in words how much it hurts every time I lie to you.' He wondered, hugging her.

Then they lay down cuddling each other on the bed. She fell asleep while conversing with him. He properly tucked in the comforter and went to Ethan's room to smoke because he wanted relief from all the thoughts which were killing him from inside.

'How could you lie to her while looking straight into her eyes, Manik?' His heart inquired.

"I don't want to, but I don't have a choice. I can't bear the thought of my kiddo in pain." In a forlorn tone, he replied to his heart.

"Manik, have you begun smoking again?" Ethan asked in a shocked tone as he stepped into his room and saw Manik puffing on his cigarette, standing in front of the window.

Manik didn't respond to him, he just kept smoking, eyes musing out of the window. He was so lost in his world that Ethan's words didn't reach his ears.

Ethan strolled towards him after dropping his blazer on the sofa which he was hanging on his arm.

"Manik, I'm asking you something." He shouted, snatching the cigarette from his hand and hurling it on the floor, and finally, Manik returned to the earth.

"When did you come, Ethan?" His brows arched in shock.

"Manik, tell me what's the matter? What is bothering you?" And don't you fucking dare lie to me." Manik closed his eyes to gather the strength to tell him what he was going through because he knew lying to him was pointless.

"I can't ride the bike, Ethan, after that accident. My hands tremble even if I think of riding the bike. I can never ride again." Manik told him, turning his back to him, and tears trickled down his cheeks. He wiped off his tears and continued after facing him, "Nandini is asking me, again and again, to take her for the bike ride, and I just can't fulfil her wish."

Ethan stared at him in shock because he didn't expect that his friend would be going through a lot.

"Manik, why didn't you tell me this before?" He asked in a low voice.

"I just don't want to bother you. You were happy after a long time."

"Manik, you'll ride the bike again. It's just that you're afraid after that accident, and it's completely normal." Ethan reassured him, placing his hands on his shoulders.

He shook his head. "No, I can never ride the bike again. It's my punishment because that accident happened because of me. Everyone suffered because of me. I deserve-" Before he could complete his sentence, Nandini yelled, standing at the door. She overheard their conversation, standing outside of the room.

"Shut up, Manik. Shut up." As they heard her shout, they both stared at her in horror.

'Fuck, No! Did she hear everything?' Manik wondered, staring at her blankly while Nandini gave her a hurt look.

She marched towards him and questioned him, grabbing his collar. "Why, Manik? Manik, why do you always hide things from me? How many times do I have to prove to you that I'm not so weak, I can handle things, and I can help you when you need me? I know I'm sensitive, but I'm not weak, Manik." He just looked down in shame as a sob escaped her mouth.

"Nandini, he-"

"Don't you dare to defend him, Ethan?" As she snapped at Ethan, he shut his mouth.

"Manik, why didn't you tell me? I asked you also but you lied to me, and I thought that I was overthinking. Why do you always hide your pain from me, Manik?" She questioned him, moving her eyes back to him.

He finally raised his eyes to her and spoke in his defence, "Because I don't want to make you cry, Kiddo. When you were in a coma, I promised myself to fill your life with happiness. Then how could I have just snatched it from you by telling you that I can never ride the bike."

"What about the promise which you made to me that you would never hide your pain from me? I can understand, Manik, that you can't see me in pain, but it doesn't give you the right to hide your pain from me. Besides, I don't need that happiness while my love is suffering so much. You know I'm feeling guilty because you were suffering in front of my eyes and I couldn't see it; moreover, I was making things worse for you by repeatedly asking you to take me for a ride. I'm sorry." She apologised, crying.

He lied to her several times, yet she was still thinking about his suffering. Her love always rendered him speechless.

He wiped her tears with his thumbs and explained to her, "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault, Kiddo. It's just that I couldn't let you see it. I'm sorry for lying to you and breaking the promise which I gave to you. I just didn't want to give you stress by telling you that I can never ride the bike again." Whenever he was saying that he couldn't ride the bike, it was piercing her heart.

"Manik, you'll ride the bike again, believe me." She clasped his face and reassured him, gazing deep into his eyes. She was devastated to witness his condition, but still, she stood strong because she truly wanted to help him.

"No, I can't. This is my punishment." As he denied it, shaking his head, fresh tears trickled down her cheeks. She was shattered after seeing that he had completely given up on riding the bike.

"No, Manik, you have to trust me that you'll ride again." She reassured him and kissed his forehead after standing on her toes. As her lips touched his skin, fresh tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I lost my passion forever, kiddo," He embraced her firmly and sobbed like a baby, drawing her closer and closer to himself and burying his face in her shoulder. She wept with him, seeing his state and listening to his words, and Ethan was shedding silent tears, witnessing his precious person in such anguish.

She promised herself that she would go to any length to heal her love and to bring back the joy in his life.

***