Chapter-1

Miranda Sully wished her freaking nightmares would end, once and for all. The endless fights with Michael still haunted her dreams, coming back into her nightmares in pieces. She felt guilty, almost angry for heaving a sigh of relief when she saw Mike’s dead body being carried away by the police that night. That night. The night she finally realized she was free. No possessiveness, no domination, no more of the cheek-stinging slaps. No more of it. Michael was dead. Not just in her daydreams, but for real this time. She wished she could bring herself to cry more at his funeral, but the only tears that marked her eyes that day were because of all the abuse she had suffered for the past two years of her relationship.

Sitting in her bed in cold sweat, Miranda recalled her last conversation with Mike. He wasn’t himself that day. Walking past the laundry shop across the street, Mike had grabbed her hand forcefully and had pulled her closer. Miranda knew the reason why. Mike probably had spotted Cody Young staring at their direction. The guy had been friends with her since they both were in kindergarten. Who knew, even before that, maybe. Cody even asked her out once, but she had politely declined his proposal because she was dating Mike back then. At that very moment, under Mike’s crushing grip, Miranda had wished she had said ‘yes’ to Cody.

“I am tired,” Mike had whispered. This was his general comment when any guy stared at Miranda, so she had ignored him.

They had walked into the mall later, and Mike had commented on getting nylon rope and nails for the fence that bordered his backyard. They had gone to the counter with the items along with a photo-frame that Mike intentionally bought for her.

“You will have a picture of us framed and pinned to your wall.” He had said while handing her the blank frame. Miranda had hammered the frame down afterwards, returning from his funeral.

They took the cab after they left the mall, because Mike’s dad had taken his car keys and was not willing to give it back until he was rich enough to pay for his parking tickets. They had gone to the Lullaby Café, the very spot Mike had selected for their first date and then their later frequent ones. It didn’t strike her as odd though, that Mike was taking her to his favourite café because she was already tired of the restlessness and conflicts. They had got out of the cab and Mike seemed a bit preoccupied when they found themselves a seat near the window.

“Are you okay?” Miranda had asked when he sat opposite to her, his face devoid of any emotions.

“Are you still in love with me?” Mike had asked abruptly, as if the question had been waiting too long.

That had threw her off-guard obviously; Mike wasn’t the romantic type of guy. That was the first thing Miranda had noticed and fell in love with when they first talked-yes, that and his mysterious teal eyes. Those days were over now, of course, but his question made her question her own self at that very moment.

“Are you hungry?” Before she could answer, Mike had moved to the counter to place his order, ignoring her like usual, making her question her own sanity.

They had lunch and took a cab back to their street. Michael had been her neighbor for the past eight years, even though they actually got to know each other only for the last two years-the years she had come to regret as of now.

When they had walked together that evening, heading for their houses, Mike hadn’t asked her about what she had been doing all day. Who had she talked to, where has she been lately, why wasn’t she answering his phone calls, etc. And this was really strange because Mike couldn’t practically live without questions of her whereabouts. She remembered his distant look, as if a lot was going in his mind.

“Hey. We are here.” Miranda had tugged him to a stop when he had absent-mindedly been tagging her past her house. He had stopped abruptly, staring around as if he had been pulled out of a deep sleep.

“Oh. See you then.” And just like that, he had left. ‘Goodbyes’ weren’t his thing but a good warning lecture was. And he managed a whole day without a “I’ll be watching you if you are cheating on me. Mind it.” That or the sudden bump at the shoulder which somehow had always managed to push her on the brim of tears every time.

He had jogged back to his house, but his stance wasn’t the usual casual, ‘I don’t give a damn’ one. Instead it occurred to Miranda later that he was rather slow that evening, as if counting each of his steps with precision and calculation, like they were his last.

The news of his suicide had come after midnight. Apparently, he hadn’t come down for dinner at ten, which was usual for him. His mom had tried calling him down to the dining but when he didn’t answer and his father- a man of low understanding and high temper- went to his room to pull him out of there. The door was neither locked nor jammed. A little push at it and the scene was evident. Michael Waters had committed suicide by hanging himself by a nylon rope.

They never let anyone see his face, because it had been badly scratched and bruised by nails. Fencing nails. The same ones Mike had bought with her. The neighborhood had been awake that night, locking away the little kids while the parents peeked from the windows. Miranda had been awake that night. And strangely relieved.

The police had questioned her about Mike’s recent behavior and actions, and as much as she was tempted to tell them how he had pulled her hair and dragged her out of her house the last week when her mom wasn’t home, or how he hit her head with a thermos flask from her kitchen, and she had spent the next few days faking it as her carelessness- she decided against it. Instead she told the police of his unusual behavior the last time they met, and they had made notes. She knew her statements would be of no use. There was no murder involved. The suicide note in his handwriting made sure of that. The police didn’t bother her after that.

“He is gone.” Miranda dropped herself on her pillow and muttered. A swipe of uneasiness washed over her, but she ignored the feeling and slept peacefully, as if the world was done being unfair to her.