OS: By The Sea Shore

                                            By The Sea Shore   

She was getting bored. Geet had never been a fan of loud music or crowded places. She came with her friends in the night club to enjoy. The six of them are here in Goa and so she let go of her personal choices and enjoyed as a group.

Suddenly her favourite track was being played. The soft song re mixed yet it had not lost the soothing charm of its own. His had been their song, her and Armaan's song. She started feeling lonely suddenly even in the midst of the crowd. Her friends, meera and pinky were dancing away and even Adi and Yash were missing.  A fully drunk guy was almost going to fall upon her and she tried moving away when a hand stopped the guy and took her away by a loose side hug. She looked up to find the third guy of their group; Maan.

Geet came to Goa with her college friends; aditya, yash, meera and pinky. Maan was a friend of Adi so Geet did not really know him well.

Once they were away from those rowdy boys maan asked softly," Geet, are you fine?"

"Yes Maan, am fine."

"Sorry about those guys. I should have been more careful."

"Why are you saying sorry Maan? I had been little lost in the music. "

"Well we came to night club to enjoy. But I should have been careful enough knowing Adi had trusted me to take care of you when they were away."

Geet felt touched. This guy had never known her before today yet his concern seemed so genuine. She smiled and added sheepishly," Oh!!! Come on Maan. It is okay. "

Maan smiled yet his gestures showed he was no fine.

Geet did not know why but she wanted him to be okay and cheerful. She said," Let's go outside. We can just sit for some time. My heels are killing me."

Maan led her forward. Once they were outside Maan said," I hate loud music and crowd."

Geet smiled as she realized that may be maan is also like her, not at ease in crowded places.

She asked," So you don't like crowded places?"

"I tend to avoid them."

"So why were you inside then?"

"Because you were dancing and I did not want to leave you alone there geet. Some of them are fully drunk."

Geet liked the way he talked. It was full of care and a twinge of protectiveness. She had not felt this feeling of being safe for a long time, precisely from the time Armaan had been busy in his job. They sat on the bench under the open air. Here and there you could find the couples making out and the atmosphere was thick with cigarette smoke.

Geet felt the atmosphere suffocating her and called out maan,

"Can we go somewhere else? I don't like the cigarette smoke? It gives me a suffocating feel..."

"Sure; But everywhere around here will have this kind of atmosphere. Only dance floor is fine. So are you up for dancing again?"

"Not really but we don't have an option."

"We actually have but I don't know if you will like that."

"what?"

"We can go and have a walk by the sea shore. It is peaceful there. But only if you are fine with the idea."

"Sounds great to me. Why were you so hesitant?"

"I thought you might not be comfortable with the idea of going alone with me and have a walk. I mean what if you get me wrong? We hardly know each other.."

Geet could feel he will be blabbering away if not stopped so she said out loud," Maan!!! Chill!! I understand and it is fine. You are Adi's friend and by being  with you for the whole day I think I can trust you and take a stroll with you."

She smiled brightly and together they came out of the night club. They crossed the road to reach the extended beach. Once they were on the beach Geet opened her high heels. It felt nice to have the fine grains of sand beneath her feet. The slight tingles gave her relief and her aching ankles were healing from the soft touch.

It was quite windy resulting in geet's long traces being unruly and sharply hitting on maan's face.

"Oops!! Sorry for that."

"It is absolutely okay geet. I know you did not do it intentionally."

Geet left her sandals and went near the sea. The surf was touching her feet. She slowly started walking far into the sea. The waves were getting higher as she walked nearer. She was almost waist deep when she felt a strong hand holding her wrist and pulling her back.

Geet said out loud, "What's wrong??"

"You don't know swimming right? It is a rough sea tonight; you should be near the shore."

"Come on Maan!!! It is fun."

"Does this fun worth more than your life?"

"I mean..."

"Think about it Geet...you have a family, a beautiful life behind...Don't do reckless things just because you have the freedom to do it. People who will be left behind with only questions they can never find answers to will never ever find peace."

His words stirred something deep in geet. It was the strange, like she knew that he was in pain.

"Maan, are you fine?"

"Yeah I am."

"If you want you can share tings with me. You can trust me. I will keep your secret safe."

Maan smiled a sad smile and said, "Nothing much geet. My father was always into adventures. He used to take unnecessary risks. Once while para-gliding he lost his life. I just could not forgive him for leaving all of us. Was his passion more important than us?"

Geet could see that behind the responsible and matured man Maan is somewhere still the kid who had untimely lost his father. She slowly caught his hand in hers and pressed it slightly. They slowly walked along the shore in ankle deep water. In a very soothing voice geet said,

"I understand your pain Maan. I just wanted to tell you something if you allow.

"hmmm."

"Have you ever put it this way? That your father had died as a happy man. He died while doing something he loved. If we love someone Maan we have it in us to forgive them Forgive your father Maan. By holding onto the grudges you are hurting yourself and your father would have never wanted you to be in pain. I am sure he loved you as much as you love him if not more..."

"Is it so easy to forgive?"

"Do it Maan...I know you can. No matter what you love your father. I don't want you to live with this grudge. It is not right."

They walked together. A strange silence was prevailing when he asked,

"How do you do it Geet? "

"What?"

"Make everyone so happy? Adi had told me a lot about you. You love making people happy."

"Maybe I believe that my life is worth it if I can make other's smile a little..."

"You are sweet you know, you are truly sweet. Thank you."

"You are welcome Maan. Remember, your father loved you a lot. And he is there in your heart and your memories."

They walked silently when the shrill sound of his cell phone broke the spell.

Maan picked up the call,

"hello"

"Hey, maan!!!Adi!!! Where are you guys??"

"Oh we came out at the beach for a stroll."

"Any way listen, Pinky is not well so we are going back to the resort. You guys join us there directly."

Once maan cut the call Geet looked at him quizzically.

Maan replied her unsaid question in a serious tone; " We need to get back Geet. Pinky was not feeling well so they all left the pub. "

Geet got worried for her friend and soon they were speeding back towards there resort on the sports bike...

Next day was fun filled... They had planned on going for water sports on Baga beach. Geet wanted to enquire if Maan was fine.She knew he had bad memories related to water sports. She watched maan intently and when maan looked up he blinked back reassuring her that he was fine.

The gang had decided that they will go two persons at a time for parasailing. Maan and geet were together. Once they were up on the parachute Geet shouted in glee and said to Maan...

"Watch out. It is wonderful. The best moment of my life till date..."

While they were dipped into the sea it was exhilarating experience...

Once again when they went back in the air maan whispered," I finally understand why papa was so much into these things...Thanks a lot Geet...I think I can finally understand papa and it is all because of you..."

Geet whispered back," You were welcome Maan...remember the best way to honour your papa's memory will be by keeping him alive in you.."

Once they were back in the shore Geet reached out to him and said," Don't forget this day ever Maan...this is the day you found your dad alive in yourself..."

Rest of the trip went away in a blur...they enjoyed a lot yet an unknown bond was formed between Geet and Maan. Once they were back in Delhi Geet bid everyone good bye. She took her trolley bag and walked out of the airport only to find Armaan standing there waiting for her. She went forward and hugged him but that thing was missing...that intimacy, that bond was lost in time.

Armaan could sense that Geet was not the same anymore. It had been six months of her Goa trip and Geet seemed lost. They had come out on a date in an roof top restaurant. Geet   was gazing far away watching the city trying to find God knows what...

Finally Armaan gave up. He needed answers tonight.

" Geet... What is wrong?"

"What?"

"You are not that girl anymore with whom I fell in love. Something is missing."

Geet was silent. What could she answer? That she had breached Armaan's trust and had lost her heart to an almost stranger? Or that she has left a part of her by the sea shore and she can never be same again?

Armaan hissed out impatiently," Answer me Geet..."

"I don't have any answers to your question Amy."

"Does this change have anything to do with your Goa trip? You are not the girl I fell in love with Geet."

"The same stands true for you too Amy. You have changed so much over the years I can hardly recognise you anymore Amy. You have hardly got time for us. I don't remember the last time we met just like that? I loved you Amy but I don't think I love you anymore."

"You can't blame me for your changes Geet...Tell me the truth dammit!!!"

"You want to know the truth? I fell for someone else...I tried, I did try not to remember him or love him. But the truth is that he took away my heart in just few moments... I can't be with you Amy. You and I both deserve better than compromise for a marriage. I am breaking off this engagement..."

Armaan sat like a statue. He loved Geet in his own flawed way. He could not let her go away just like that...

"Geet, Can't we have a second chance?", He asked in a soft voice.

Geet watched him guiltily and said, "I am sorry Amy. I wish I could make it up to you. I am sure there is someone out there for you as well. But I am not the one for you. We were never meant to be's."

Geet left the place leaving back her engagement ring. She did not know anything about maan or his feelings and she decided that she will never ask anyone about him. She had lived for a long time as just her parents' ideal daughter. It is time she finds out her identity...

AFTER TWO YEARS

It is exactly two years from that night she had taken stroll with Maan on the sea shore. She had come to Mumbai with a simple job and had made a little world of herself.  She still had that yearning for Maan butt she never ever asked anyone about him. He lived only in her memories.

Armaan had found his love in Ridhdhima and this two are supposed to be married sometime in next year. She is still a friend of Armaan.

Geet was standing at the Nariman Point and watching the city thinking about her life for past two years. It had so many ups and downs. But she had had a peaceful life.

"Geet!!!"

A husky baritone spoke out tentatively. Geet turned back and was startled. There stood Maan in formals. He looked tired. Maybe he has come directly from his office or something. They both took tentative steps towards each other.

Once they reached nearer to each other maan spoke out," It had been so long. How are you Geet?"

"I am fine. What about you Maan?"

"I am doing fine. Though job is hectic I love my work. You did not keep in touch Geet."

"Same goes for you too Maan...You did not keep in touch as well..."

"Guilty as charged. So what is the punishment Madam?"

"An ice-cream treat. Lets walk. Baskin Robins is there nearby. We can have it there."

"As you say, Geet. Hey how come you are in Mumbai?"

"I am in Mumbai for the past one and half years Maan. I have a job here."

"Really? That's great. So where is Armaan? I hope I had the name correct for your fianc."

"My ex-fianc"

"What happened between you guys? I don't want to seem prying but Adi had told me in Goa that you guys were together since college and you were the ideal couple for others."

"We fell out of love Maan."

They both walked silently when Maan asked," How long had it been that you guys broke up..."

"Just after our Goa trip."

Maan looked a bit surprised but did not pry. After a while he said again," You did not tell this to anyone right? Not even to adi, meera or pinky? "

"Nope. What good would it have done Maan?"

Maan suddenly stopped walking and turned geet towards him and said, "It would have changed my perspective about you Geet. It would have changed things for me."

"What do you mean Maan?", Geet asked holding her breathe in anticipation. She desperately wanted her hope to cme true.

" The truth is Geet, I had met this amazing girl two years back who taught me things. I had taken a walk with her by the sea shore and had realized much later that I had lost my heart to her in those moments. I had stopped myself knowing she belonged to someone else. Only today I found out that she had not belonged to anyone else..."

Geet watched on when ignoring the crowd at the marine drive Maan bent his knees in front of her and declared," Miss Geet Handa...I had been honoured to have known you and The best moment of my life was when I had spent time at you that night in Goa...So will you please marry me and make every moment of life as beautiful as that of our Goa trip?"

Maan looked at her with anticipation and apprehension. Geet slowly let go of her breath and let go of the drop of tear she had been holding onto as she whispered back, "Yes. I love you Maan. I had been in love with you for a long time now."

"I love you too Geet..."

Maan got up and hugged her lightly. Two years ago on the same day they had met and today they confessed their love by the sea shore...

Links to my other works:

Silence (completed):https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3566079

Forever and always(ongoing):https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3880432