One Life to Love : Part 2
"Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!" he bellowed at the speeding train.
Geet could feel her heart shudder as she heard the pain in his voice, the pain hiddden away somewhere behind all that fury. It was not his fault. He had been brought up to believe that men were superior to women, that women naturally had to be submissive and never seek to have aspirations of their own. He would not understand.
And yet he was still her brother. Her own Brij veerji, whom she had grown up with. Even if they were sparse, there had been moments of tenderness and affection between them, those moments where he had not been looking down on her for being a girl. And now he was brandishing a sword at the train, vowing to take her life to restore his family's honour.
She knew that somewhere it pained him too, to have to kill his own sister. She knew that somewhere he loved her too and cared for her. But he had been blinded, and would never see his own love for her, perhaps not even after he had sliced her throat open.
Maan gripped her hand. She turned to look at him tearfully.
"Nothing will happen to you," he said to her, almost fiercely, as though he had been reading her mind.
"Brij veerji.." she started, choking on her sobs.
".. will understand some day," Maan continued, pulling her into a hug, wishing he could eliminate all her pain, "We're not doing anything wrong, Geet. There is nothing wrong in love. People who have walled themselves within their own hatred do not see the purity of what we feel for each other. But they will. Some day. These walls make no sense. Brij is your brother. And yet there is a wall between you and him, the honour in whose name he has drawn his sword. But we will pull down these walls, Geet. You have the right to seek your own happiness. You cannot live your life listening to others. You only have one life, and it is to love, not to hate."
Geet smiled tearfully, and whispered into his shoulder, "You speak way too much, Maan."
"And you cry way too much," he said tenderly, moving his lips to her glistening cheeks, as he had done earlier.
But she wriggled away shyly. She looked away from Maan and saw that the other passengers on the train had been openly staring at them, enjoying the show. Quite distraught, she turned to Maan, who was grinning shamelessly at her discomfort.
"Jab pyaar kiya toh darna kya," he whispered.
"You're so..." she whispered back, struggling to find words.
"I know, sexy."
"No, you're not."
"Well, you are. Oh man, the way you were kissing me. I didn't think you could be so passionate. I was really turned on. If it were not for this stupid train..."
"Maan!" she blushed, trying to look angry.
"Geet!" he imitated.
And she could not help but laugh uncontrollably. She never thought she could laugh so much. She never thought she could feel so much happiness. She never thought she could be so free.
"I love you, Maan," she said.
She had not whispered. Some of the other passengers who had been straining their ears smiled slightly. The women blushed, and children giggled and guffawed. A few looked on disapproving, And Geet snaked her hand through Maan's arm. There was nothing wrong in love.
Maan gazed at her as she closed her eyes innocently and lines of worry formed on his face. Brij had discovered them too soon. Things were not exactly going according to plan. They were not safe. She was not safe.
(Will send out PMs later 😊)
Edited by ..kiran.. - 14 years ago
Cricket
Current Affairs
546