OS: Maan & Geet - The Pier

"It's been a long time."

She circled the rim of the coffee cup with her finger, the warm aroma of mocha tickling her senses and providing her with a comfort which she couldn't seem to find anywhere else. The light breeze of the pier played with her hair, sending a few stray wisps flying across her complexion.

She pushed them away with her small hand, her eyes beholding a strange glow as she met his windows to his soul.

"It has indeed," she replied, giving him a small smile.

He was still the same 18 year old boy that she had fell in love with. His physical appearance had changed, as was expected after 10 years – but the same mysteriousness in his eyes, the same smirk that played at the corners of his mouth, the hidden wisdom behind his hard set jaw – all of that brought back a rush of memories and familiarity and a calmness which she had been searching for so long, but had never truly seemed to find.

"You haven't changed one bit," he stated, leaning back into his chair as he crossed his arms over his navy shirt, letting the fabric crinkle with the noise.

She had the same brown curls that represented her vivacious, rebellious character; her hazel eyes which still shone brightly, despite the pain that he saw etched within them; her flawless complexion which appeared untouched and untainted after all these years.

She sighed as she sipped the hot liquid, hoping the gooey warmth would sooth her frantic insides.

"I wish you wouldn't look at me like that," she spoke softly, as the waves overlooking the pier thrashed violently against one another, almost as if they represented her own untamed feelings.

"Like what?" his voice was deeper, huskier, as he dared to lean forward, his hand itching to encase hers.

"Like you're analysing every single part of me," her thick eyelashes fluttered nervously.

"I don't need to," his fist clenched as he felt his heart do the same. "I already know and have known every detail about you."

She let out a shaky sigh as she placed her hands on her legs, hunching her shoulders forward as she brushed her forehead. Somewhere along the timeline of her past ten years since their departure from one another, she always had the inexplicable feeling that he was still with her somehow, from afar – a feeling which she always tried to brush aside, but could never ignore.

"You got engaged a year after we parted. You got married six months later, despite your wishes to hold back on such a heavy commitment due to your ambitions of becoming a journalist. You were unhappy in the marriage, so two years later you sought out a divorce, which was granted after a particularly unpleasant court battle. This estranged you from your family," her eyes met his then, making it clear that he was crossing into forbidden territory at this moment in time; but he could care less, not when she was finally here, with him, after so long. "But you continue to hold your head high and strive for your ambitions in life… despite having to give up the one thing which meant the most to you."

He read the wary, fearful emotion in her irises as she tried to second guess on just how much more he knew about her. Tilting his head sideways, his calm yet focused expression gave it away as her strength buckled and she caved, her head in her hands as she shook with tears on the coffee table.

His being longed with a need to engulf her into his embrace, but he kept his distance – instead settling for a gentle caress on her arms as she composed herself, rising her head as she wiped her eyes with a nearby napkin.

"I had to give him up… I couldn't live the life they wanted me to. I couldn't be restricted from the freedom for which I desired. They wouldn't let me move far away from them, for the fear of losing their only grandchild," she sniffled, her finger burning from the excessive circling of the rim she was doing now. "Until my father offered a proposition – I could live my life how I wanted, only if I gave my son up to them…"

"Geet, don't justify yourself-" he began, but she cut him off with a gesture of her hand.

"Arya is my life, my soul, my everything. He lives within me, he is a part of me. Whatever I am doing now, it's all for him," her lips trembled. "Even if he may never understand that…"

He laced his fingers through hers now, their elbows resting on the table as they mirrored each other's posture. "No matter what anyone says, you are his mother. You will always be the woman who brought him into this world, the woman who will love him unconditionally."

"I couldn't give up my desired freedom for my child. What kind of a mother does that make me? I am not even worthy of the name," she lowered her gaze, but Maan reached over & tilted her head up by her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"You were constantly repressed throughout your life, by the people who wouldn't let you be with me, the people who got you married off to someone you hardly knew – those same people who then shunned you for having dreams and ambitions. You deserve to live by your rules, not through the eyes of others."

He looked at her innocent, unblinking face then as he saw her place all her faith and trust into his palms with the sincerity of her eyes. Just like she had all those years ago when he had first met her.

"God damn, I love you," he whispered, inching closer. The wind ruffled through her hair once more, yet this time he brushed the dancing strands from her face. "I always have and I always will."

He moved forward to steal a kiss from her lips, but she moved away, pushing her chair back and abandoning her mocha as she moved out onto the pier, facing the carefree water that splashed in the ocean.

When she sensed his presence beside her, his entirety consuming her as a whole, she turned to him, placing her hand on top of his. "Despite my flaws, my mistakes, my painful past? You still think I'm worthy to be loved?"

He held her by her shoulders as he twisted a lock of her hair around his finger, bringing her closer to him. "I can't think of anyone more worthy than you. You may mistake giving Arya up as selfish – but in my eyes, it's selfless. Ensuring your son will be brought up with care and love and everything he could ever ask for, with the support of his father and grandparents, for his secure future – not many women would do that."

She looked away, not able to meet his gaze then for the tears merged once again in her eyes as she studied the dance of blue & green amongst the waves. He had peered into her heart, understood her soul – even after such a long time away from him, he was still able to read her like a book.

"You knew you would struggle alone, starting out here. You knew the best solution for him was to be within a stable environment, not being pushed from pillar to post because his mother was a freelance journalist."

Her hand tightened over his on the rail, a lone tear escaping from her eye as she turned to face him. "How do you know everything about me?"

"I had my sources."

"You mean you stalked me."

"No." He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "I hired someone to monitor your every movement, because I was protecting the woman I love. I was waiting for you in the shadows, because I knew one day you would come back to me."

"Did you ever feel the same way, Geet? Did you ever feel like one day, we would end up together, having overcome the obstacles and hurdles that stood in our way?"

She paused for a few moments, comitting his face to memory and implanting it in her heart. Then she stepped closer, placing her hands on either sides of his face gently as she watched his eyes close in contentment at her touch.

"It was always you, Maan. It will always be you."

And they sealed their future with a kiss, a kiss that echoed in the crashing ocean as it symbolised their love.