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He was agitated. He was angry. He felt betrayed…he felt hurt. It was as if his life was slipping away from his hands.
The light of his life, his love, his Geet was now going to be someone else's life. She had agreed to marry someone else….. How was that possible. She was his. She IS his. He was about to storm away angrily to demand some answers when his own heart pricked him.
"Did you ever tell her?", his conscience mocked him. "All you ever did was make fun of her, make her angry. Did you ever confess your feelings to her? "
"Okay! IOk, I didn't but, didn't I drop enough hints? All those times I teased her, it was me who calmed her. All those times I made her cry, it was me who wiped her tears. All those times we met and I mocked her, didn't she catch me stealing glances at her all the while?", he countered.
"Oh yeah! You behaved like the love me-hate me friend and dropped HINTS and you expect her to understand on her own! "
"Yes! I do! Because I saw the same emotions mirrored in her eyes. I saw the twinkle in her eyes, when I made her laugh, I saw the spring in her step when we were together. I saw the blush creep up on her cheeks when I admired her from a distance."
"Are you sure she didn't take you just as a friend, a good friend? Are you sure that twinkle in the eye, that colour on her cheeks was for you and not for the person you usually used to be with?"
Suddenly a bout of intense anger flared up within him for his best friend-Rahul-the guy Geet was supposedly getting engaged to very soon.
He and Rahul had been best friends for years and they were always together, except for the last few days, when Rahul seemed to be a bit busy somewhere. Now that he knew the reason, or should he say the object of Rahul's attention, all he felt was pain and anger-at his friend and his love. Before he could dwell on anything and do something irrational, his friend Vicky came and dragged him away, since they had to practice for the upcoming inter-college competition.
Maan and Geet had known each other since childhood. Though they weren't really the best buddies, they were good friends. Their families were friends and hence they would often meet in family gatherings and cultural events and other festivals. As kids, and even as adolescents, they would meet, play, fight, and make-up. Maan had loved Geet since like forever and had always hidden his feelings from everyone by mocking at her, fighting with her, etc. As they grew up, they got busy with their respective lives and their meetings became rare, but Maan still felt the same attraction, the same pull towards Geet everytime he met her. He would ignore her infront of everyone, but steal glances at her, staring at her foolishly. He would click her pictures hiding behind pillars, and had a pretty exhaustive collection of her photographs, carefully tucked in a locked drawer in his room. That was his solace for the long periods of separation that they faced. But, after completing school, they had taken admission in the same college, and Maan had been ecstatic. He would be able to see his angel everday in front of his eyes. They were in the same course and class and even had common friends, but they weren't really frank with each other. Maan feared that he would give away his emotions if he went close to her. Geet was really close to three of her friends-Juhi, Pooja and Vrinda, while Maan was really close to Vicky, Rahul and Sunny. They had other friends to, but none that close. Vicky was in love with Pooja, and they were happily together.
Maan was good at English poetry and Geet was a member of the Baba-e-adam society of the college which basically promoted light Urdu poetry, ghazals, etc . Their college was famous for its extra-curricular activities and both Maan and Geet were pretty good at their respective hobbies, besides being good at studies. While Maan was an international level shooter, and a star member of the English literary club, Geet was brilliant at dance and on much insistence from her teachers, had joined the Baba-e-Adam society too, as she was adept at light Hindi/Urdu poetry. Now, their college was going to participate in a prestigious literary festival, and both the English literary society and the baba-e-Adam society were sending a combined team for the Poetry debating event.
Maan had agreed to be a part of the event just because Geet was also participating from the baba-e-Adam society. They had been practicing since a week, and now just a day was left for the event. Maan was still lost in his thoughts while Vicky dragged him to the auditorium where all the others were waiting for them. Basically, most of their own friends were present there. Today they were supposed to practice for the extempore form of poetry debating and Maan and Geet were the respective best bets in the category, supposedly. When Vicky forcefully made Maan sit Maan was startled to see Geet sitting right opposite him. He looked at Vicky questioningly who then told him, "Maan, we are going to practice for extempore form of the debate today and since its on the spot obviously, so we have put you and Geet against each other and we will practice on some random topics/situations. "
Vicky, "Arre, today morning only the principal called us to inform that he had missed out this part while explaining to us about the contest and that this has been introduced from this year itself and carries half of the weitage and hence we need to practice well."
Maan looked a bit convinced, but looking at Geet he was losing himself again. All the memories that he had so lovingly cherished were rushing back to his mind, making him oblivious to his surroundings. He could vaguely hear the others discussing possible topics they could try for the practice session.
He was busy looking at Geet who seemed to be very happy, and his blood was boiling thinking its for Rahul. Meanwhile, Vicky said, we know you guys are very good at poetry on topics so ,I guess we should practice poetry based on situations. Maan absent-mindedly nodded his head, all the while lost in his own pain and disappointment.
Just then Sunny suggested, "Okay guys! Imagine the following and go on with your poetry, ok? Maan, you love someone, and that girl is going away from you, to someone else. There is a tornado of emotions. You want to confess your feelings, but you are hurt at the same time, go on! Geet you respond to him."
It was as if someone had given him an outlet for his feelings. Maan just started speaking without realizing that the lights of the auditorium had dimmed and now just he and Geet were under spotlights.
For him, the world around them had disappeared anyways.
A day so ordinary seems an extra-ordinary one,
Its time to let go, all hesitation I will shun;
Its been forever since I have stayed silent,
Now this restlessness is forcing me to relent…..
Geet replied,
Aae mere dil, thora to sabr kar,
Jahan itna kiya hai intezaar, kuchh pal to aur theher!
Kyon uth rahi hai aaj seene me chubhan,
Kyon badh rahi hai iss dil ki dhadkan?
Maan was almost in a trance; all his bottled up emotions were getting a way out today.
The language of eyes I spoke for a while;
But, it doesn't seem to suffice at all;
The reckless beats of this heart, wake me up with a start,
As I find you close-my most beautiful dream…
Geet:
Jisse sunna chahun wo kuchh bole nahin,
Do bol pyaar ke in kaanon ne sune nahin,
Khwabon mein khone ki baatein to door rahin,
Tere intezaar mein ye aankhen kab se soyi nahin…
Those words just pushed Maan to the egde, and he burst out saying:
Mere words can't say what I feel,
From the whole world, I want to shield;
I the depth of your eyes, forever I want to lie,
With just you a century can happily pass by!
Today I am helpless at the hands of my heart,
It refuses to back down, ready to rip apart!
My life,my soul-you make me whole;
Beneath unspoken words, lies my pain and my hurt!
Tears glistened in his eyes, but he continued,
Those black clouds falling to your waist,
Make me want to bury my face in them, forget all haste;
The cute little nose with anger perched on it forever,
Makes me fight with you and admire the red colour!
The rosy cheeks with skin so soft,
In my palms I want them to rest;
The soft, full lips, oh so supple,
Want to rub them with mine, make you tremble!
He spoke all this without realizing where they were, what he was saying! All he knew was that Geet was there in front of him and he couldn't hold back anymore! On the other hand, their friends had already slipped out quietly, leaving the duo with some privacy, thankfully.
Hearing his words, Geet immediately dipped her head low,unable to look at him in the eye, blood rushing up her cheeks, turning red, looking more tempting than ever. She then realized that she needed to answer him, it was time for him to know:
Jaanam, teri tadap hai meri tadap, tera gham hai mera gham,
Ye aankhen jitni bhi ho gehri, inme base ho sirf tum!
Ye badal sirf tumhari hi ghata hain,
In labon pe bas tumhaara hi naam hai!
Jaise chaho tum saja lo, Bas mujhe apne bana lo!
Iss dil par ab mera zor nahin chalta,
Ab tujhse door rehkar ye din nahin dhalta.
Ye chand bhi ab mujhpar hasne laga hai,
Tera naam lekar mujhe dasne laga hai…..
She spoke those words looking at him in the eye, putting across the truth, the depth of her words, all the while getting hotter and hotter.
Hearing her say those words with so much sincerity in her eyes, Maan's joy knew no bounds. He got the biggest gift of his life. He forgot all about Rahul and his thoughts till a few minutes ago, and started moving towards her looking at her intensely saying,
Oh my love! Come let me take you away,
The moon, the stars nothing can come in my way,
Let me mark you as my own,
Fill myself with your frangrance, fill you with my love!😳
He took her into his arms and kissed her, just a light brush on the lips, letting her know his feelings, sparking currents through both of them. Just then, their friends entered and witnessing the sight, started whistling and cheering.
They broke off, but still remained in each other's arms as they were crushed on all sides by their friends. It was then that Maan remembered about rahul and looked at him angrily, only to find him looking at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He then got all of it…….the news of Rahul and Geet's supposed engagement…..The sudden invention of Poetry extempore, the perfect situation suggested by Sunny, the ambience….everything fell into place. Their friends were looking at him as realization dawned on him. He also realized that Geet knew about it, for she seemed prepared.
Pooja added, "haan Jiju! Agar main Vicky ko nahin batati about Geet's feelings, and hum sab ye plan nahin karte to aap log toh shayad agle janam ka wait karne waale the! "
All of them started laughing and Geet smiled shyly. Maan gave his famous angry-young-man look that shut them all up. He then burst out laughing himself, and said "Thankyou guys! You really are my best friends!"
It was time for celebrations, and they celebrated in a big way. Their families couldn't be happier and within two months they were happily engaged.
That one evening of poetry tied them in an inseparable bond, and they couldn't be happier!
How was it?😕
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Love
Swati
Ishaani
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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