Geet recalled the incidents happened an hour back. She had to attend an award ceremony with her parents. It was a function she didn't have any interest, except for the fact that her dad has been nominated for the 'Best business personality of the year'. He had high hopes of grabbing the award for the 5th consecutive time as he had been already awarded by it for the past 4 years. But unfortunately this year, it was gone to his business rival Mr. Mihir Khurana. It made him highly disappointed. He just left the premises in frustration forcefully taking out his wife & daughter out. His wife tried him to stop but her efforts were all in vain. Nobody could control him when he was angry.
Geet was born to a conservative family. Her father was hell strict, he had so many strict rules for his wife & his daughters. Geet as raised up, under such draconian rules. Being in the age of sweet sixteen Geet didn't have any freedom to hangout with her friends or socialize. She was like a bird, trapped in a cage. She didn't have anyone to share her feelings. Her mom wasn't much close to her. Her parents supplied her with all the comfort, but they failed to maintain a strong emotional bond with their daughter. Geet had another elder sister named Deepali, who is actually her half sister. Geet's father Raj was married before & was abandoned by his first wife.
Deepali & Geet were poles apart. Deepali never treated Geet well, neither her step mother Padmini. Deepali was just 6 years when Raj re-married. She had a soft corner for Deepali & treated her has her own daughter. Deepali too loved her but with the time passed Deepali was brainwashed by her mom's relatives that her mother left them because of Padmini, as Raj had an extra marital affair with her while Padmini was working as his secretary. Deepali's love for Padmini eventually turned out to hatred. She was a stubborn teenager back then. It became worse when Geet was born. Deepali was jealous when her father started loving her new sibling. Deepali never cared to call Geet as a sister. Raj often used to punish her for her adamant behavior, that made her ill-treat Geet more. Raj was often stressed out with the family matters & he decided to send Deepali to a hostel in order to change her behavior. When you are in a hostel, you need to obey the rules & regulations, no matter how hard they are.
Raj's plans failed twice. Deepali was dropped out of two hostels. Finally she was sent off to her aunt, Raj's only sister Roma. She could handle her, & after much effort Deepali agreed to stay there. She completed her studies as an accountant & came back to them. Deepali never wanted to sort out the difference with Padmini & Geet, the only thing she wanted was her father's property. She came back & pretended to be in good terms with Padmini & Geet. Raj was surprised to see her change but he was extremely happy that everything was back to normal.
Deepali's come back made Geet's life worse. Deepali wanted to hurt her in every chance she get. Geet was used to her misdeeds but each & everything made her depressed. In the other hand, she was stuck at home with her father's draconian laws. She got freedom only at college, that too for a few hours for a day. Her father dropped her at the college everyday & her mom came her to pick up in the afternoon. Her friends used to tease her when her parents accompany her to the college like an elementary kid. She didn't have a friend whom she can share her feelings. Her childhood best friend Tara migrated to Canada when they were in the 6th standard. She had only a handful of friends, they too weren't that much close.
'How could that bloody Khurana win it? I'm sure he had bribed the committee!' Raj was furious. He couldn't hold his anger anymore. He started slamming the things at the living room with great violence. Padmini tried to calm him down but she eventually failed. He shut the door & locked himself in the room.
'Yet another alcoholic encounter!' Geet sighed. Geet was tired of all these things. Home was an awful place for her. Days passed, without much drama, except some few news paper articles about her father leaving the award show made him loose his temper. He avoided answering the media.
Finally something positive was happening around. Geet's cousins Rahul & Rashmi came to India. Rahul & Rashmi were twins, & they were Padmini's elder brother's children. Their family migrated to London a few years back. The twins wanted to come to India for a vacation since they have completed their studies at London. Both of them were willing to settle down in their motherland. Both of them have excelled in accountancy so their parents discussed with Raj to get them work experience in his office. Initially Raj was hesitant but he couldn't deny it because they were close relatives. Raj agreed to accommodate his niece & nephew & offer them a job at his company.
Their arrival brought happiness in Geet's life. They could bring up a genuine smile on Geet's face after years. Thankfully Deepali was away from home, working on a project quite far away from their city. Raj had to lessen his draconian rules for Geet since Rahul & Rashmi were around but they have been warned as well to behave well.
'Ah finally it is done!' Rashmi smiled with a satisfaction after completing her task of colouring Geet's nails. She gave Geet a manicure. 'Wow Rashmi didu! it's wonderful!' Geet thanked her with a bright smile. Her nails were coloured in her favourite rainbow colors.
'Oh god Geet! how many times I've told you! just don't call me 'didu' It makes me feel much older! yuck!' Rashmi chuckled.
'Of course you are older than me!' Geet winked.
'So? does it make a difference?' We look like the same age right?' Rashmi giggled.
'You are gonna turn 21 next week! & I'm gonna be 17 soon, so it's 4 years already.'
'Hahaha but missy! just call me Rashmi. Sweet & short. Simple as that!'
'Mom & dad will chide me!'
'I know you are taught to respect elders! But hey! I don't consider myself superior. And I just feel awkward when you call me didu' 'So here after just call us by our names, not didu & bhai.'
'Hmm okay!'
'Girls girls!' Rahul stormed in to Geet's room. His voice was filled with excitement.
'Sup bro?' 'Why do you sound so excited like never before?' Rashmi giggled.
'Guess what?' 'I found him!'
'Eureka! I found him! I found him!' Rahul sang.
'What the hell wrong with you?' Rashmi widened her eyes.
'Him?' 'Who is 'him?' Geet inquired with a confusion.
'Him?' 'Your long lost love?' 'Eww you sound like a homosexual'! Rashmi laughed out.
'Shut up!' Rahul punched his sister playfully.
'Ouch!'
'Finally I could meet my childhood best friend Maan.'
'Maan??? You mean that Maan?? Maan Singh Khurana??' Rashmi shouted in excitement.
'Yeah that one, you had a secret crush on him back then.' Rahul chuckled.
Rashmi blushed with embarrassment.
Geet was listening to them yet confused.
'So how is he now?'
'Oh man! he has grown up to be a handsome hunk!' Rahul smiled.
'Erm Rahul seriously? You sound like a fan girl!' Rashmi laughed out. Geet too joined her.
'Oh! I bet you girls cannot resist his hotness' Rahul winked.
'For the first time I saw a guy complimenting another!' Geet chuckled.
'Of course Geet! why should I be jealous of my best friend?' Rahul winked.
'Anyway I'm glad you met Maan' Rashmi smiled. 'I too wanna meet him soon.'
'Next week! Our birthday is coming up na! Let's go out! I'll ask Maan to join too. May be Geet can come too.'
'I don't think dad would permit me to go out.' Geet replied in a dull tone.
'I'll convince uncle.'
'In your dreams Rahul!' 'Dad won't let me go! I doubt if he would permit you guys to go out either.'
'Oh come Geet! We are not 5 year old kids. I know you have been raised up under so many restrictions! But hell! this is the 21st century. I can't understand why uncle still follows those orthodox rules. As a teenager you should have freedom to socialize. What would happen to you when you go to the society one day? How could you stand up alone huh?' Rashmi was speaking like a machine.
'Hey Rash! just stop behaving like a damn lecturer! You are boring us' Rahul teased his twin sister.
'Shut up Rahul! Have you got any solution to take Geet out of this prison? No right? Just knock your head.Come on she deserves much freedom in her life! Rashmi raised her voice.
'Okay guys! please calm down' Geet tried to make peace. She truly felt happy to see someone is there to care about her. She hugged her cousins with extreme gratitude. The twins pacified her that they will take her out on their birthday by hook or crook.
Finally their 21st birthday came up & the duo could convince Padmini to take Geet outside to celebrate their birthday. Geet surprised their cousins in the morning by baking a cake by her own. They were so much thankful for her. Thankfully Raj has gone outstation for some business matter & he wasn't there at home. Padmini could not stop them. Padmini was in a dilemma whether to permit them go out. Rashmi could convince after assuring her & promising a thousand times that she would take good care of Geet & they would return back home soon.
Geet felt like a bird freed from a cage. She was extremely happy to go out with her cousins. Rahul & Rashmi accompanied her to their favourite restaurant. Maan was about to meet them there.
Geet was sipping her favourite beverage, orange juice. Rashmi was gobbling french fries as an appetizer as she couldn't wait anymore till Maan comes to start her meal. Rahul was waiting for his best friend impatiently.
Maan was too late. All of them were waiting for him. Geet was dying of hunger. Her orange juice has not worked either. She was a little bit pissed off with Maan. She has never seen him, but she hated people who cannot work on time. She hated sitting & her stomach started wailing in hunger. She couldn't wait anymore, she excused & went to order something for her to eat.
There were varieties of food in the buffet & she wanted to try out a complete meal with starters & appetizers. It's been a quite long time she came to eat from a restaurant & she just couldn't miss the delicious chances. She decided to try out a Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup. The tantalizing aroma of it boosted her taste buds.
She walking towards the table when somebody accidentally collided with her. That resulted her newly served Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup flew off the air & kissed the ground with a loud thud. The soup bowl broke in to pieces & the soup flowed off like molten lava from a volcano. A few of it where on Geet's dress as stains.
'What the hell you?' Geet started chiding the person while trying to clean off her dress.
'Oh crap! My blackberry!' The stranger shouted with extreme disappointment. The poor fellow's phone was on the floor as well, covered with the soup.
'Are you blind or something? What the hell did you just do?' Geet rebuked at the stranger.
'Uh me?' The stranger shrugged.
'Who else? Just concentrate when you are walking! Specially when you are texting while walking!' Geet advised in an aggressive tone.
'Oh! so you have already seen what I was doing but you decided to come & bump to me?' The stranger spoke with a sarcastic smile.
'I assumed it! & I am not crazy to bump into someone deliberately!' Geet frowned.
'Oh is that so? assumed it? You sound like a fortune teller! if you can guess what I was doing in my past I think you've got that super powers to tell me what I would do in the future, right?' The stranger winked.
'I am not interested to talk to you anymore! just let me go!' Geet tried to go away but the stranger was blocking her way.
'Sure you can go! I'm not holding you back.' The stranger chuckled.
'Idiot! he ruined my dress & now trying to act smart!' Geet left muttering, almost chiding the stranger.
People who have come to serve themselves in the buffet were watching at this drama from a distant. They felt bad about the young girl who just missed her chance to taste the mouth watering Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup.
Rahul & Rashmi was impatiently waiting for their friend Maan at the other corner of the restaurant.
'Where the hell is your best friend? Oh god! he should learn to work on time!' Rashmi bawled out with displeasure.
'He is almost here! texted me a while back!'
'By the way, where is Geet?'
'She just went to serve something for herself. I don't know why she is late! It's been more than 10 minutes now!' Rashmi was worried.
At long last Maan appeared in their table.
'Yo Rahul!'
'Maan! finally!' The friends hugged each other greeting.
'Hey Rash! remember me?' Maan smiled.
Rashmi was stunned to see the hot figure in front of her. She couldn't believe that the Maan she used to know back then has changed to be a dashing young man. He is absolutely handsome & irresistible.
'OMG Maan! Is this really you?' 'Man! you've changed a lot!' Rashmi hugged him.
'Hahaha really? But I'm still that old Maan who used to pull off your pig tails!' Maan chuckled.
'Dude you are late! we've been waiting for you for more than an hour!' Rashmi complained.
'My apologies for it ma'am! Blame the traffic in Mumbai! & when I just got here, a crazy girl bumped on me!'
'Haha Maan! that's simply because you are so attractive & I think girls can't get off from the magnetic field of your body!' Rahul teased.
'So where is your cousin? you guys told me that you are gonna bring out your cousin sister, isn't it? Maan inquired.
'Oh yeah Geet! there she is!' Rashmi pointed out to Geet who was coming towards their table, speaking to herself in an aggressive manner. She was chiding the stranger who bumped in to her. Maan was seated opposite so Geet didn't notice him.
'Geet! where the hell have you been? You went to serve food right? why you seems to be pissed off?' Rashmi inquired.
'What the hell you?? what are you doing at our table? that too after spoiling my dress?'Geet was shocked to see the person whom she collided with a few minutes back. She was unaware that it was none other than her cousin's best friend, Maan.
'Huh? you here?' Maan too was surprised to see her.
Maan & Geet were staring at each other with widened eyes. Rahul & Rashmi were confused.
Maan couldn't take his eyes off Geet. He was mesmerized by her beauty. He was attracted to her by the first sight even though he didn't show it. He has seen & even interacted with so many girls but neither of them couldn't steal his heart. Maan was trying to control his feelings but he couldn't deny the fact that he felt something special about the stranger whom he collided with a few minutes back.
Geet too couldn't resist the charm of the masculine figure in front of her. Though she was hell angry with him for ruining her dress & her soup, something special was blooming deep inside her.
'Umm!' 'Excuse me?' Rahul's voice brought Maan & Geet back to normal. Both of them looked away with embarrassment. Rahul & Rashmi exchanged a glance.
'What's happening around?' 'Geet are you fine?' 'What happened to you?' Rashmi inquired breaking the silence.
'Rash! look at my dress! He ruined it!' Geet frowned at Maan.
'Oh hello! that was an accident okay?'
'Whatever! You just ruined my best outfit!' Geet rebuked.
'Oh so you think you look good in this outfit?' Maan teased.
'Huh?' Geet frowned.
'Geet?' 'Just tell me what happened?' Rahul inquired. 'And you Maan! how come you...?'
'Let me explain!'
'No let me explain!' Geet interrupted.
'I went to serve something from the buffet, & I served my favourite Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup...'
'Eeks you love that?' 'That has an awful taste!' Maan intruded.
'Shut up!'
'Then this idiot came & bumped! He just ruined my dress & also my soup!' Geet continued chiding Maan.
'I told you! It was an accident!'
'But you could have been more careful!'
'Okay call me careless! you could have avoided it na? Cause you seems to be uh.. so 'careful' na? Maan chuckled.
'Seems like your so called delicious soup made you forget where you were!' Maan added more. Geet couldn't speak anymore. Maan got a smart answer for each & every question.
Rahul face palmed. His best friend & cousin were fighting for silly reasons.
'Dude! I just saw your text & was about to reply you that I was here. That just took my eyes off from the pathway for only 5 seconds & this disaster happened!' Maan explained.
'That's why it says don't text while driving! Accidents can happen!' Rashmi craked a joke. All of them shared a laughter.
'Okay okay! calm down guys!' 'Let me introduce you guys to each other.' 'Geet this is my best friend Maan! Maan Singh Khurana. He is an architecture student! A talented painter, a maths genius & also a great singer! 'And..'
'Dude just don't flatter!' Maan chuckled.
'And Maan, this is Geetanjali. My cousin sister. Call her Geet!'
'Geetanjali! what a beautiful name you have got!' Maan winked. 'But you need to train anger management!' Maan teased her again.
'Thank you for your precious piece of advise!' Geet grinned.
Maan, Geet, Rahul & Rashmi had a great time with each other. The birthday celebrations went in a simple way, yet wonderfully. Maan couldn't stop teasing Geet. Geet too often got irritated with his actions but she just chose to laugh off & show that she was unaffected by them. They spend 4 good hours, chatting enjoying the delicious food & cracking jokes. In the evening Rahul & Rashmi cut their birthday cake which was a surprise treat ordered by Maan.
Maan & Rahul soon started playing with icing running behind the girls. Rashmi & Geet tried their best to escape but they couldn't get rid of the icing attack. Suddenly Geet felt someone rubbing her cheeks with icing. It was none other than Maan who was continuing his mischievous acts against Geet. Geet couldn't wait anymore. She too started showing her evil side.
She almost took a huge amount of icing on her palm & almost painted Maan's outfit with icing while he was struggling to get rid of it.
'Geet! what the hell? stop it!'
'Tit for tat! Tee hee!' Geet winked smiling sarcastically.
'What the hell?'
'You ruined my dress! didn't you?' Geet grinned.
'Oho so you are on revenge mode huh?' Maan inquired. Geet winked without replying him & continued bugging him with icing. Within no time Maan held her tightly from her waist. He pulled her more closer. One of his arms were around her waist & the other one tightly holding her hands.
'Maan what are you doing?' Geet tried to loosen his grip. Maan was staring at her eyes. Her eyes were filled with innocence, yet her eyes were so expressive. He was completely lost in her beauty. Geet was fidgeting her hands trying to get off, but he was much stronger. Their bodies were almost glued with icing & both of them felt the burning sensation of it. Geet couldn't resist his charm. Eventually her fidgeting came to and end & she too started staring at him. She felt something special blooming inside her heart, an unspoken feeling. Maan too felt the same that they are meant to be with each other. Both of them were lost in each other.
Both of them were unaware that people at the restaurant were watching at them. Among the spectators, someone was burning with jealousy. Something bad is yet to happen in their fate. They were unaware that someone had almost captured that moment.
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
1.1k