Hey all...back with an OS...my mind doesn't really know the concept of 'rest'..lolz
"Geet", someone hollered from downstairs. "Geet, are you coming any time soon?"
Geet quickly finished slipping her jumkas in her ears and threw her pink duppatta around her neck as she heard Meera yelling for her to come downstairs. They had tons to do today and just not enough time to do.
"I am coming Meera.", she yelled back.
Giving herself one final glance in the mirror and grabbing her bag, she dashed downstairs.
"Sorry, sorry I am late", Geet said giving Meera an apologetic smile as she gave her a light hug.
"It's okay honey. It's just that I am such a nervous wreck.", Meera said with a whine.
"I know sweetie, you are bound to be. You are getting married in a week but don't worry, we will wrap up all the shopping today."
"Girls, don't you want some breakfast ?", Rano, Geet's mom asked.
"No Mommy, we are in a rush. We will make a pit stop and grab some breakfast. Okay, bye", Geet said and took Meera's hand to pull her outside before her mom could protest.
Both Meera and Geet spent the entire day going through the streets of Delhi, from one shopping mall to the other. At the end of the shopping spree, Meera dropped Geet back to the Handa house at five in the evening.
**********
Just as Geet threw herself face down on the bed as soon she entered her room to rest her aching body from nonstop shopping for hours,just then her phone started starting ringing. She groaned as she lifted herself to see which idiot was disturbing now. But her annoyance dissolved as she saw his name flashing.
"Hey", Geet said with a sudden cheer.
"Hey, at the terrace in five minutes.", he stated and hung up.
"Okay then", she said to herself as she heard the dial tone on the other end. He was never a man of too many words and his mood nowadays was especially not at his best. She picked herself off the bed and made her way to the washroom to splash some cold water on her tired face to wake it up.
Geet walked through the empty halls of the Handa house, as her entire family was gathered downstairs. Her family consisted of her father Mohinder Handa and her mother Rano Handa. Next was her adorable brother Yash Handa who was three years older and married to Pari.
She knew he would be there in precisely five minutes because he lived next door and would breeze through the Handa house like he owned it. It was almost like he did. The Handas and Khuranas have known each other forever, first as neighbors and then as business partners. Ranjeet Khurana and Mohinder Handa started up a construction company ' Khurana and Handa Constructions ' fifteen years back, which was now India's top. Over the years, they had become family.
As soon as she got there, there he was Maan Singh Khurana: her best friend that she had known since she was three and he was five. He was known as the hottest and most eligible bachelor of Delhi, which was about to change. He was leaning against the railing grazing at the moon unaware of her presence, as he was lost in his own world.
"Hey Maanu", Geet said with a cheerful smile as she made her presence known. He turned around and gave a faint smile back. It wasn't the smile Geet liked on him; the smile that used to be only for her. The smile that reached his eyes and made them twinkle. "What's up?", she asked as she went to join him leaning against the railing.
He turned sideways and looked at her quietly for a second. "Nothing really, you tell."
That was all she needed to get started, "Oh God, don't ask Maan. I am so tired ", she said holding her back for a second. "Meera and I shopped all day long for the wedding. I think I have never shopped so much in my life." Maan nodded along with her words silently telling her that he was listening. "I know I won't be able to shop so much for my own wedding.", she said and as soon as her words left her mouth, even his faint smile faded off but Geet chose to ignore it. She had decided she was going to be happy, not to let him know how she was hurting from the inside. "And we picked a shervani for you today. Don't worry, you will like it because you know that I know your taste and--"
Maan cut her off as he gripped her shoulders tightly and pulled her close startling her. He took one of his hands to hold her waist reducing the distance and used the other one to hold her nape. Her eyes widened in shock at the sudden contact but before she could even recover from that, he slammed his lips over hers silencing her. Geet tried to protest but her pleas were useless against his lips. He then softened the kiss as he gently sucked on her lower lip. Her resolve melted away as she gave her response to him. The hand that rested on her waist moved up her spine as he slowly glided his hand along her back. She gripped his shoulders and came close not wanting even a breath of air to pass through them.
"No, No this is wrong", her mind screamed as her heart did the best to ignore. At the end of her inner turmoil, her mind won as she tore her lips from his.
"This is wrong Maan", she whispered through tearful eyes. "You are getting married."
Unable to hold her tears back, she ran back into the house as Maan stared at her retreating image in agony.
Flashback = six months ago
The Handa family made their way quickly to Delhi hospital where Savati Khurana; Maan's mother was admitted. She had suffered from a major heart attack last night but thankfully was out of danger. It had been her second heart attack and it had affected her health majorly. Mohinder and Yash made their way to Ranjeet whereas Rano went inside to see Savati. Geet looked around for Maan but couldn't see him in sight.
"Where's Maan ?", she asked with worry.
"He left just now saying he needed to be alone for a while", Ranjeet answered.
Geet nodded knowing where he would be. "Dad, I am going to take the car", Geet said and he gave her the keys. Everyone was well aware of the strong friendship bond Maan and Geet shared as they both grew up together. What they didn't know was that they had been in love with each other for over fours years now; when Geet was eighteen and Maan was twenty. They wanted to wait for the right time to tell their parents.
Geet pulled up the car at the beach; a beach they had been coming to ever since they were kids. This was the place they both came to think, to be alone or to be with each other. Geet breathed a sigh of relief when she saw sitting him in the sand near the shore. The beach was isolated today as the weather was colder than usual for November. The wind whipped Geet's hair wildly as she walked up to him. She placed a gentle and comforting hand on his shoulder. She knew he would be upset as he shared a close bond with his mother. He raised his gaze to look at her with his eyes filled with tears.
She quietly sat next to him and embraced him to comfort him. She wanted to take all the pain away as she held him tight.
"Mom wants me to marry Meera", he muttered against her shoulder. Geet froze for a second and then slowly pulled back to look at him.
"W--what?", she shuttered thinking she must have heard wrong.
Meera Maltorta is the daughter of Saviti Devi's childhood friend Nitya Maltorta who had died during childbirth. Meera had come to Delhi a year ago after she had finished her MBA in London and was staying with the Khuranas. Over time, Geet and Meera had became good friends as Geet showed Meera around Delhi.
"Mom wants me to marry Meera.", he said again slowly and then lowered his gaze unable to see the painful effect of his words in her eyes. "She says it's...it's her last wish", he choked up with tears again as he was torn between the two women he loved with all his heart.
"Maan", she whispered as her own share of tears began to swim her eyes. Her hand slipped away from his shoulder as his words stunted her.
"She said that she had promised Nitya Aunt on her dying bed that Meera would marry me someday and become the Khurana bahu. I think that's why Meera came to India", Maan said looking at Geet who was now staring at the angry waves.
"Geet", Maan said taking her hand into his as he held her chin to look into her eyes.
"You have to marry her.", she stated quietly.
"What?", he asked as confusion furrowed his forehead.
"You have to marry Meera", she repeated but looked into his eyes to show him how serious she was.
"Geet...I..I can't do that. You know I love you.", he said and took her into his arms holding her close afraid to let go.
Geet let him hold her for a few seconds but then gently pulled back trying to reduce the distance between them even though it pained her.
"And your mom. You love her too. Do it for her sake.", she said with a stone on her heart.
Maan shook his head negatively and turned his unreadable gaze to the water as he questioned. "And our love means nothing to you?"
She couldn't help herself as she took his face into her hands looking at him with the love they would no longer have the right to share. "Our love means everything to me. I am going to cherish the love we have shared for all my life."
"Then why--"
"Maan, you can't deny your mother her last wish. She is your mother who loved you from before you even came into this world. She shielded you away from the reality of this world as she cared for you. She raised and gave you the values to become the man you have become today. Her love is of far more value then our love. Her love is priceless."
Maan's expression softened as he listened to Geet and couldn't deny her words that held nothing but truth. But how was he to fight the pain in his heart that refused to belong to anyone other than his Geet?
"I love you Maan, I always have and I always will", she whispered as she held his face to bring him close, barely leaving inches of space. "I will keep your love and memories in my heart.", she whispered through her sobs as her body shook. Maan brought his lips and drank her tears away. Geet broke down with that gesture and threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.
"Maan", she cried repeatedly as she sat in his arms. They had no other way to comfort each other; their touch was all they had that too only for a short while. They were afraid to let go; to say their farewell as lovers. Their dream of a life together would be shattered and they would have no choice but to walk over the broken pieces to a new life.
**********
Geet took a deep intake of air in and out to calm her nerves and heart, as she was about to enter Maan's room. Today was his wedding: his wedding with Meera. She had done everything possible to make this wedding memorable for both the families hiding her pain the best she could. The person who could see through her was the man who was feeling the same pain: her Maan. Tears began to sting her eyes as she reminded herself that in a few hours, he would be someone else's Maan. She would be nothing more than his best friend. Whenever their eyes locked, their last passionate kiss played in their minds.
Wiping her tears, she plastered a smile on as she opened his room door. There, he stood dressed in a black shervani with copper work along the neckline looking like the handsome hunk he was. She couldn't stop herself from taking a few moments to drink in his sight while he was unaware. Tears began to water her eyes once again but she caught herself and greeted him with the usual cheer she was known for, "Hello Maanu, isn't someone looking like a handsome hunk", she commented as she went to stand next to him at his dresser.
He gave her a quiet look, and she could tell he was replaying the kiss again, "You think so?", he asked after a while.
Geet's smile faded off when she understood the meaning of his words, "Please Maan", she pleaded quietly with her words and eyes.
"What please Geet?", he asked giving her a serious look.
She held his shoulders and turned him so that they were facing each other, "Look into my eyes Maan.", she requested and he obliged as he lost himself in the deep pools of her eyes he loved so much. "You claim these eyes speak to you in their own language. Please understand what they are saying to you.", she whispered and the tears that were swimming in her eyes began to roll down. Maan reached out to brush them with the tips of his fingers, trying to remember the touch to her soft skin.
"I can't read them today Geet. There are clouded by your tears.", he whispered as he continuously rubbed his fingers over her cheeks softly to wipe the fresh tears of sorrow.
"Maan", she whispered with defeat and threw her arms around his neck hugging him close. Maan began to shed his own share of tears as he engulfed her in his embrace for the last time. "Maan, I don't want to let you go. I don't want to let you go baby.", she whispered again his neck.
Maan tightened his hold on her waist at her words silently telling her that he too felt this way. Holding on for the last few precious seconds, Geet loosened her hold on his neck to break away. Wiping the last of her tears with the back of her hand, she tried to smile at him but failed miserably.
"Maan, can I ask you for one last promise?", she asked holding one of his hands.
"Anything Geet as long as it's in my power to give it to you."
Geet chuckled, "I knew you would say something like that, Maan Singh Khurana never commits to anything he can't keep.", she said in a knowing voice that carried a trace of longing.
"You have known me since I was five so that means", he paused as he did the math in his head, "only nineteen years."
Geet smiled at the fond memories they had shared for nineteen years. She couldn't image a day without but now.
"Will you promise me to always keep Meera happy? To give her everything possible; promise me to love her more than anything in the world", she said and choked at the end as her voice cracked with raw emotion.
Maan took her hand and placed it over his heart looking at her with sincerity, "I promise", he said quietly and Geet's face broke into a weak smile. "Except my love, except my heart.", he added and her smile began to fade off. Geet opened her mouth to protest but his words stopped her words in her throat.
"I am sorry Geet. My heart is no longer mine to give to another person. It already belongs to someone.", he whispered with agony.
"Please Maan", she begged and forced him to look into her eyes so he could see the plea in them.
"Geet, I already told Meera that I may never be able to love her.", he confessed. "I had no right to keep her in the dark."
Geet gasped and covered her mouth with her hands looking at him in shock. Maan nodded again to confirm his words.
"She...she-s---she knows", she stuttered.
"She knows. I told her everything before I agreed to this marriage. I can't start this marriage with a lie Geet. That would go against who I am."
"She's known all along yet she agreed.", she said more to herself as she put everything together. "Then why did she agree?", she asked in confusion.
"Just like I am doing it for my mother, she is doing it for hers. Her father gave her a letter that her mother had written for on her death bed stating her wish for us to be married one day.", he explained clearing the last of the cobwebs.
Geet nodded, "She loves her mother just like you do even if she did spent her own life without her."
They stood next to each other standing in perfect silence yet their eyes were conversing. Geet tore her gaze away from his or else she would never be able to say her goodbye.
"I better get to the Handa House to check on Meera.", she said quickly and headed to the door.
"Wait Geet", he said and stopped in her tracks keeping her back to him.
"One farewell kiss Geet, please just one last kiss.", he whispered and Geet whipped around to stare at him with tearful eyes.
"I am not strong enough Maan.", she whispered back to him and turned around to walk away when he hugged her from the back gently snaking his arm around her waist to hold her .
He turned her around slowly and pressed his forehead against her, "please, one farewell kiss. I will only have the memory of this kiss to live the rest of my life with."
He hovered his lips over hers barely inches away waiting for her permission. She waited silently with closed eyes as tears oozed out clutching his shoulders for support. He closed the distance to lightly brush their lips together. One last feather- like kiss.
"I love you Geet", he whispered close to her ears. "A part of me always will no matter what happens."
"I love you too Maan. Our love will be in my heart forever. I promise", she whispered back before she ran out the door.
**********
She brought his bride to the altar for him and sat her next to him; she sat at the place she thought only she would be sitting. She watched as the priest did the mantras. She watched as they took their seven pheras together and she threw flowers at them. She watched everything with a smile everyone saw and tears no one did. She watched until they were officially announced man and wife. The warm Maan's mother Savati had as she blessed Maan and Meera made Geet smile from her heart. And then she left leaving him with one last message.
My Dearest Maan,
I took the liberty to call you 'My Maan' one last time because by the time you read this letter, you will be no longer mine. I am writing this letter to you because I don't have the courage to say goodbye in person. I can't look at the eyes that read my soul and i know you will see the grief I have in my heart. And I don't want you to start your new life with the shadow of your past.
I am leaving...I am leaving because I don't have the courage to face you knowing you are not mine...I am leaving, going to a place even I don't know of yet. But I promise to keep myself safe. And I promise I will return one day when I have the enough courage but till then you will have to have faith in my words.
Your love is and will always be the most precious to me in this world. And your memories are all I need to live this life. Our love story will continue in my heart even if we never became one. And even this separation is a form of love because not every love story is meant to end with union. A love story of separation speaks of timeless love.
I love you, forever and always
Geet
Okay lovelies...i know...another Sad OS from my side...sorry but happy ideas haven't come knocking lately...lolz...technically i did give the alternate happy ending..hehe...
Two things that inspired this OS
1. The dialogue from the movie Kisna:
"Kabhie Kabbie hum aik dosray ko kho ker bhi to piyaar ko ooncha darja detay hain...
Juda reh ker piyaar ki oonchayioon ko prapt kertay hain...
Her piyaar milan to nahin ... judai bhi to aik piyaar hai ... "
2. And the love a child has for his/her mother...or parent...i feel that's the love that runs the deepest...
What did you all think ? Let me knowđ
Love, Love, Love,
Reya <3
sequel to this: Just meant to be
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/geet-hui-sabse-parayee/1773110/m-g-os-just-meant-to-be
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
