[MG-SS] If it wasn't for The Night [Epilogue-p 89] - Page 42

surgery for wwat..?? hope u'll be fine.. get well soon and take care of urself.. 🤗 🤗

Chapter 5

The door closed behind them with a large click. He rested his hands against the now closed door, his back facing Geet.

He felt his body shake with suppressed rage, and closed his eyes to keep his erupting anger in check. He didn't have a nasty temper, not really. In fact, when compared to his bro, he was a saint. However, there was someone on this planet who could annoy a saint. The great Geet Handa is her name. He hit his head against the closed door, slowly, praying for patience, lest he would throttle her, the moment he turns around to face her. He could still feel his erratic heartbeat; he could still feel the anxiety that clouded him when he received the call from Ihina…

What would someone do when they wake up one midnight at your friend's place, who by the way was behaving out of character for two days, and when you'd found out that the depressed girl is missing, leaving a note, what would you think?

And what would you do when you search the whole mansion and found her no where?

You'd panic. And that's exactly Ihina did the moment she woke up. The first thing she did was to call him. Only god knew what went through him the moment he heard Ihina gabble in the phone, in trepidation, her words coming out as short gasps, as she recalled how she'd found a note in her hand and there was no Geet with her. Only god knew, how hard it was for him to keep his voice in check and to console Ihina that nothing would happen.

"Nothing would happen to Geet. Have you checked in washroom" he asked keeping an calm voice though he felt his heart pound against his ears.

"I..I did Rehan. I ca—can see her nowhere" she said then and after a pause while both of them were busy pondering about the places she could go and also trying to calm down, he heard her speak.

"Rehan, will she be okay?"

That was the moment when he truly was robbed off speech. How much he wanted to say with confidence that she'll be, only to have felt his own voice betraying him.

Nothing soothed his anxious heart. Not even the very missing girl's presence. Though he felt relieved when he first saw her, there still was a nagging thought that gnawed him and pricked his heart. The one thought of what if… made his stomach lurch. What if he didn't find her in bro's room? What if he'd lost her in this stupid cat and mouse chase… What if…

He shuddered at the mere thought. Geet was too precious to lose. He did give her a lot of time, and now was the time to knock some sense into her otherwise empty brain.

He felt his hand form a fist and he hit the wall not knowing how to let his anger out. She heard Geet gasp, and turned fiercely to face her.

"Not a sound from you, until I ask you to" he thundered, making her wince.

"Rehan I—"

"I SAID SHUT UP" his voice thundered, making her take a step back.

Never had she seen this side of him. This wasn't the Rehan she knew. The Rey she knew was her partner in crime, someone who always made her smile, someone who'd indulge her in the silliest of his deeds, someone who'd rescue her from all her problems, someone who never tolerated anyone raising their voice at her, but for the first time in twenty two years of her life, she'd seen him getting angry, and that too at her, and that itself made her take a step back. She saw his body shake with rage, and understood that he was trying hard to keep his anger in check.

"Geet" she'd heard an unexpected voice from her behind and turned back, startled. And only then had she come to know that they were not alone in the room. There was another person in the room apart from them. Ihina.

One glance at Ihina surprised her, for she didn't see her, this tensed before. Her eyes roamed on Ihina's restless face, to her hands which clutched the card, and had seen the letter that was peeking from there, and then had she understood the gravity of the situation and the reason behind the tension in Rehan and Ihina. Geet felt a shudder in her spine as she felt the worst nightmare coming true. This is the moment she needed to face them, and explain the reason for her actions. Disclosing everything through a letter was so easy, however meeting them in the eye and talking it out was something, she was not sure she could stand, especially when she'd the feeling inside her heart that she'd witness disappointment or worse hatred in her best friends' eyes.

She felt sweat beads trickle down her forehead and wiped them off with the back of her hand. Watching Rehan's anger, she felt her heart drop to her stomach. In the blaring silence that now surrounded her, she closed her eyes to muster some courage and surprisingly and all she could see through her closed eyes was hurt on Maan's face, when she had ran away from him.

The thought made her eyes snap open, as she was reminded how much hurt she would cause the other person if she simply run away from problems. Running away was never a solution for any of the problems. It was an easy way, and she'd chosen it many times before. However, this time she wasn't going to take an easy way. She'd hurt people enough. She needs to face the problem now, and face it she will.

With a renewed energy, she took a deep breath and raised her head to find Ihina looking at her with concern written all over her face.

"Geet—"

"Let me deal with this," Rehan's voice cut her in between.

"Rehan—" Ihina's voice soon faded as Geet felt Rehan come, stand before her, blocking her view to Ihina's face.

"Geet Handa" his stern voice made her squirm and close her eyes, weakening her resolve to stand strong with every passing minute.

"You think I placed this card for chickenlegs in your book?" she felt his voice sneer over her head, and didn't have the guts to raise her head. She nodded her head meekly.

The place went silent again except for the incoherent spluttering Rehan did, most probably, his efforts in starting a line of thought going in vain.

Giving up, he bit out "Are you blind or crazy or both Geet?"

She'd raised her eyes then, to meet his, and what she saw there surprised her. She saw desperation.

He opened the card and shoved it almost in her face, as he rambled "You think I have written this for her? For chickenlegs? Are you kidding me?"

The incredulity in his voice made her snap her head at his direction, and invariably her eyes darted to meet Ihina's face, and she regretted looking at Ihina then. There was an unmasked hurt on Ihina's face, and that moment she realized one truth, she was not aware of all these days: Ihina's feelings for Rehan. She felt that shoot up a pain in her chest. Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she shifter her gaze to look at Rehan. If Rehan didn't keep this card wasn't for Ihina then…

Her line of thoughts weren't completed since Rehan continued his blabbering.

"I always knew you are dumb but never knew you were this dumb Geet. Have you been blind all these days? Haven't you seen the obvious? Okay forget that. Answer me this question honestly. Do you know me at all?"

She felt drained of energy a she felt a sickening feeling. Wasn't Rehan interested in Ihina? Was he interested in her all the time? And what'd she gone and done, she'd got Ihina in this mess and made a mockery out of her. She felt the guilt increased manifolds and swallow her whole.

He'd paused but upon receiving no reply from Geet, he caught her shoulders and shook her up, to get her out of the dazed state she was in.

"Answer me dammit. Do you know me at all?"

He'd seen her nod her head feebly.

"Then don't you recognize my hand writing? For God's sake, my hand writing is barely legible and this," he said pointing out at the poetic lines on the card "this is no way less than calligraphy damn it"

Geet stilled as she raised her eyes to face Rehan. Wait a minute what was he hinting at?

"What are you say—"

"I am saying that" he cut her crossly "This writing isn't mine. Even if it was, this style isn't mine. I'm not a send-a-card-without-names person. You know what I'd do had it been for me to express my love for her?" he asked raising his eyebrows. "Watch me" he whispered before stalking to Ihina and with a jerk, he pulled her close, with one arm encircling her skinny waist.

"Ihina" his voice came out gruff, startling both the women in the room, since it was the first time he'd called her with her given name.

Geet watched dazed as she saw Ihina flutter her lashes looking at him, the vulnerability still visible on her face.

Ihina felt an unusual feeling in the pit of her stomach as she gazed into the smoldering dark brown orbs that seemed to enchant her.

His breath fell on her face, and she could neither shift her gaze from his face, nor could she look at him. She felt his fingers graze her cheek, and not soon after felt them travel behind her ears. Her brain seemed to stop working, hence she couldn't understand that he was tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

She watched, waited, her breath long forgotten, her senses stopped waiting for him to say something, anything and finally he did speak.

"Be mine"

And the world stopped for her.

Geet looked at the two people before her, her own heartbeat quite audible to her ears.

She saw Rehan turn towards her and replied "There, you got my style now?"

She'd seen him walk towards her, and before she could blink he was near her.

"Tell me something Geet, how did you even imagine that I could write such lines. I neither am that brainy nor poetic, hell man they look Greek and Latin to me. And you thought I wrote it? What do you think I am? Shakespeare? Really, woman you need to get your brain checked." He said tapping her head.

However, she stared at him blankly, as the truth of his words were sinking down, Geet quickly pulled the card to hers and thought she'd read the poem a million times before, this time when she'd read it, for the first time, the eclipse cleared and her eyes saw it from a different light.

She raised her eyes to look at Rehan, her eyes widening. As if understanding her unanswered question, Rehan gave her an affirmative nod. She felt the floor beneath her slip as the words she loved and cherished turned out to be for her, at the end.

And the only words that escaped her mouth now was his name… Maan.

* * *

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AngxwJooC9I[/YOUTUBE]

He felt drained of energy and needed to take hold of the punching bag to steady him. Sweat beads trickled down his face, starting from his forehead, travelling through his jaw, and throat, finally disappearing into the insides of his vest.

Still he didn't want to stop. He closed his eyes, threw his head back and ran his hands through his hair, which were wet with the amount of sweat that came out of the exhaustion he put himself in. He'd removed his vest in one swift motion and threw it away, and got back to practice martial arts.

Every fiber of his body ached but he wanted all the pain in the world. In fact any physical exhaustion would not equal what he might feel when he would catch the flight for Bangkok tomorrow, to be away for almost three months. He knew after the little confrontation he and Geet had, it might be awkward for her to meet his gaze. He felt a smile cross his lips at the irony of it. Meet his gaze, now that was a joke, when did that happen at all? Except for that one night…

The memories of that night stirred something in him as he felt his moves go violent now. Try as he may, he couldn't forget her, nor her eyes, nor could he extinguish the flame inside his heart for her. And now knowing that he had no bloodied right to harbor such feelings for her, he felt ashamed of himself. More than that there was a dread, a fear of having her so close yet so far for the rest of his life.

He threw continuous jabs in air, as he felt his body shook with the suppressed feelings, wanting to be released. But wasn't it too late. He'd lost her already.

A whiff of the fresh breeze, bought in with it the fragrance of jasmines, which was unmistakably Geet's. He stiffened and turned his back to find her there, standing few meters apart from him. The single sight of her was enough to make him clench his fist as he was hit with a raw pain straight in his heart at the vision of her. How wrong he was all these days; he thought by immersing himself in work and making him scarce at home, thus not coming before her would make the pain lessen. He assumed, that by staying away from mere three months on the pretext of some project might make him forget her memories, thus by would make the intensity of his feelings lessen, but how wrong he had been. Watching her after two whole days itself was enough for him to lose all the resolutions he'd taken. He might be called a heartless jerk for loving his brother's girl, but all the coherent thoughts didn't enter his mind at the moment. He made his way to her, not breaking the eye contact, wondering if she'd disappear and turn out to be an illusion if he as well blink his eye.

Half of him had a firm belief that the Geet that stood before him was a dream his restless mind conjured. And that belief strengthened with every step he took towards her. She should be a dream, that is the only logical expression of her being there at this place at this point of time, that would only explain her not flinching even when he stood close to her, like now. That would only explain the way she was looking at him now. He looked at the Geet before him and saw a tear trail down through her eyes, and he involuntarily raised his hand to wipe those precious pearls off, not wanting to see them there.

He did raise his hand but hesitated, wondering what would the imaginary Geet might feel, however another fresh breeze of wind passed by the room, causing the long tresses of hers to flow and fall on his extended hand.

"Geet" he whispered as he was harshly bought out of his daze. Only then had he realized that he wasn't imagining her. She was there here, before him in reality.

However he'd also realized what she is for him at that particular instant and immediately pulled his hand away, though all he wanted to do at the moment was to crush her to him and never let go.

He'd averted his gaze, not trusting himself enough of what he'd do had he stayed there for few more minutes. Turning his back, he walked few feet away, picked up the discarded vest, wore it in a jiffy.

Though all he wanted to do was walk away, he couldn't. He knew there was no mistake of Geet in all this. What was her mistake if he harbored feelings for her? What was her mistake if she didn't reciprocate his feelings? What was her mistake if her heart belonged to someone else? What was her mistake if that someone was his brother?

He clenched his hands as the mere thought ripped his heart it did million times before. It was easy to walk away however he can't evade the situation forever. He needed to face her for the rest of their lives when she comes to live here, after getting married to…Rehan.

"What are you doing here?" he didn't mean to sound rude but that's how his words came out, especially since he was busy fighting his demons.

Upon receiving no response, he turned his head partly to face her. "Are you… did…you…" he turned his face back and closed his eyes as he bit those painful words out "Rehan is in his room"

"I know" he heard her voice and felt someone squeeze his heart.

"I..I met him already" he heard her voice now, and he felt thousand needles prick his heart.

He gave a curt nod, without turning back, and started to move out of the room. He didn't have it him to handle anything more than this.

She felt her heart hammer against her chest with every passing minute. She couldn't remove her gaze from his eyes from the moment he started walking towards her. How stupid has she been, unable to see through what his eyes were portraying so clearly… for her…

She'd seen him go rigid and turn his back to her. She'd raised an arm to stop him, however, he walked away before she could hold his hand. She fought for words, fought to let them out properly. As involved she was, it startled her when she heard his voice, and she replied the first thing that came to her mind.

"I..I met him already" she added meekly, and her gaze travelled to his hands, only to find them fisted, and she felt a stone drop in her stomach. She closed her mouth with her palms as she realized she said something which she isn't supposed to say. She'd seen him walk away then, with long strides, just like that day when he'd left her in attic. She suddenly felt the room closing down on her, as she felt a dj vu of reliving that fateful night. It felt as if she was in the attic again. She could still feel his grip around her shoulders as his questions bombarded her.

"Why did you run away?"

"Can't you bear to be around me Geet? Does my presence make you that uncomfortable?"

"Does my touch disgust you?"

"Tell me Geet, does my touch make your skin crawl?"

"Does having me around you suffocate you?"

Opening her eyes he'd seen him walking away from her, just like he did that day, and the words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop.

I've been holding this picture of you in my heart,

He stopped as he heard the words, the long forgotten words of his heart come back to him…

That keeps a spark glowing when we are apart;

She saw him stop, and felt her heartbeat rise with every passing second. She felt her legs buckle when she tried to take a step forward, but she kept going, decreasing the distance that lay between them.

You never notice the way I yearn –

He felt a bile rise in his throat as the words pricked his soul. As he remembered how he had watched her from afar all these years, without her notice…

Nor the way you make my pulse churn.

She felt her own voice break as but she felt the onerous weight in her heart slowly crumble down with every step she took towards him.

You never take heed of the way you knock me off of my feet –

He remembered that day when she'd closed his eyes at the swing, and he could still remember what he felt at the mere touch of her, what he felt when she ruffled his hair…

The way I find your caressing smile ever so sweet;

She stood right behind him now, as she felt a bittersweet smile play on her lips remembering the smile he gave her years ago, when she ruffled his hair.

You don't understand what I mean to say when I return your glance –

He felt her voice come from behind, which touched his nape, and it took all his continence to stop himself from turning to face her.

The one gaze that sends me into a hopeless trance;

She'd remembered what all they spoke on the ball night, and all the silly nonsense she told him. She'd remembered the way he looked at her then, the one look which shook her being, and troubled and tortured her for the following two days and nights.

There is nothing more this poor soul has to imbue,

He felt her voice lower to a mere whisper and he closed his eyes in an attempt to pray for control. Why was she making it difficult for him?

Than to not go another day without being closer to you.

There was defeaning silence in the room except for the whoosh of breeze now and then. They both didn't utter another word for several moments, and stood glued to their spots.

His eyes were fixed to a distant spot, while hers were glued to the floor.

She didn't know what to say and where to start but knowing that this is the time she needed to speak, she heaved a sigh and started speaking "I've got the card a year ago and mistook it to be from Rehan—"

She saw his hands fist and quickly added "—to Ihina"

She saw his fisted hands drop down and knew that it caught him by surprise.

"These words" she paused as a bittersweet smile played on her face "These words had caused me many sleepless nights when they came into my life a year ago. I fell in love with them knowing that they aren't for me. I haven't fell in love with the writer of these lines. I have fell in love with the feel of it, the love behind each syllable. Though I knew these aren't for me I couldn't stop myself from retaining the card, I couldn't for the life of me could even think of the possibility of parting away from it. And now…" she paused as she bit her lip.

"And now all of it seemed to be farce, all of it is the conclusions I've drawn. And the words I cherished and loved were" she held her breath as she rasped out "for me"

There was another long pause when she anticipated him to speak something anything, now that he knew everything. But he didn't speak for a long time, thus increasing her worry.

"Say something" she asked as she felt the nervousness come back to her.

"What shall I say? What will I say?"

"Maan please—"

"Do you know this is the first time you took my name before me?" she stopped abruptly as she heard him speak.

"Do you know this is the first time when you have talked to me properly without flinching? What shall I say when I am afraid that this moment would fade away lest I say something and scare you away. What will I say when I am scared that the moment I turn around to face you, this moment would fade away and all I would see is you cowering back in fear"

She felt a lurch in her stomach and closed her eyes and the tears finally rolled down from her eyes.

"Yes I am scared of you" he heard her speak.

"I am scared of facing you, scared of looking into your eyes because I am worried they might convey what I feel when you're around me. I am scared that I'd end up behaving gauche and mess up things, I am scared that you might hear the irregular heartbeats of mine whenever you come near me. Scared that you might see the Goosebumps I get whenever you touch me. You make me more nervous than scare me off Maan. You were someone I admired from afar, always. You were someone that'd make me break into a sweat out of sheer nervousness of breathing the same air as yours. You're the unattainable"

He turned fiercely to her and walked towards her while she walked back.

"Tell me what shall I do to let go of this unattainable tag. Tell me what should I do to be able to be with you, laugh with you, watch you make silly mistakes, watch you be yourself with me? Tell me Geet, what shall I do?"

She felt the wall against her back and soon his arms caged around her as he continued "What shall I do to make you be what you are, with me Geet? I may not be like Rehan, I can never take his place, given how inseparable you both are from childhood. But I want to be Maan with you, simply Maan without any attached tags. Is it too much to ask for?"

She felt her throat go dry as the words stung in her heart. "Maan"

She saw his eyes soften at her as he raised his hands to touch a stray strand that fell on her forehead.

"Is it too much to ask for if I want to look into these eyes without witnessing fear and aversion?" he said tucking it behind her ear, as he didn't break the eye contact.

"There was no aversion" she'd no idea why she replied promptly for that without as much as blink of an eye, but those words just came out of her mouth.

"There was no love too" he said averting his gaze from hers.

She lowered her eyes. There was attraction. Her mind screamed, but she didn't have it in her to speak that out. Like every other girl of her class, she'd a crush on Maan too. However bringing that up when the man before her was in love with her seemed silly for her. She always believed in fairytales and wanted one, yes, but since she'd Rehan fiercely protecting her and dodging all the Romeos that approached her, she never visualized herself falling in love with someone. It was a fantasy, a dream, but when it was this close, she was surprised since she never anticipated it.

"I—I—" she suddenly felt lack of words and when she looked at him and found the grim look on his face she quickly spoke "Time please. I am stuttering since I am thinking of a good line to say but not getting one. I'm not afraid now. Don't misunderstand"

She quickly closed her eyes cursing her stupid motor mouth for talking mile a minute. She hesitantly raised her eyes to meet his, and she felt her knees melt into a puddle as she saw the man before her smile heartily, his eyes glowing with the happiness. She saw him cup her cheek as he whispered now "I want to witness this silly motor mouth. I want to experience this side of yours Geet. Will you let me?" he asked with such tenderness that she felt herself go limp against the wall.

He took a step back and raked a hand through his hair "I'm sorry" he said not wanting to be too pushy.

But surprising him she caught his hand and shook her head in negative. "Please don't go" she said slowly making him snap his head at her direction.

Lowering her eyes she replied "I've always watched you from afar and marveled."

"Same is the case with me" she heard him reply.

"We never really got to know each other directly"

"Never got the chance though we practically grew up together" he completed the words for her and suddenly an idea stuck him.

Taking her hands in his and going on his knee he asked "Would you Geet, give a chance to me Maan, whom you don't really know. Consider we met on the masquerade ball for the first time. Consider we are still on the stage after our dance, consider I am besotted by you which I really am, and want to know you more. Will you give me a chance, give us a chance?"

She felt her toes curl as she saw him kneel before her and with a deep voice utter every word. She bit her lip and slowly opened her mouth "On one condition."

She saw him scrunch his eyebrows and mutter dubiously "Go on"

"If at all I break your watch or any of your favorite item in future by mistake, it is supposed to be by mistake."

She'd fluttered her lashes and slowly raised them to meet his amused ones.

"And?"

"And I didn't break your watch back then, but I'm not revealing the culprit's name, as I am tied down by pinky swear."

He needed to control his smile as he tilted his head to a side and asked "And?"

"And I stole your favorite pen. Oops sorry. It was a beauty. Not my fault"

"Are you done confessing your deeds, am I getting an answer tonight"

"Sorry of course yes" she said and the next moment she was lifted off her feet and was twirled.

"Ouch..oh..Maan" she said gasping for air, trying to tell him about her not standing twirling, but could not get the words out. Once she wanted to, but watching his happiness she didn't have the heart to stop. Well, he'd wanted to know her, and this would mark their journey. The moment he'd keep her on her feet, she'd sway so bad that he'd get to know that she can't withstand a little twirl.

For the moment, she caught his shoulders and for the first time in her entire life, threw her head back and laughed, trying to enjoy the moment, not worrying how her head would spin after few moments.

And her fairytale started from then…