Something About Us- MG || (Part 51|Page 52) - Page 19

part 12

This is her moment to shine. She knows the circles that she was not part of before. Now they will not just pay attention to her, they will envy her.

They have turned the boring event into an interesting one. Watching the predictable people with amusement.

part 13

He blocked the guys trying to reach her. A very protective action.

part 14

They are partners in crime tonight. A couple of teenagers causing mischief.

part 15

She just asked him to go out with her. He is right about being her boss. The whole thing went down the drain quick.

Great part

Wanting Maan to agree for this date of theirs

May be Maan can be feee and share things

Cont soon

Nice part

Something changing for good

Lagta to hai

Maan jaayenga geet ke sath

Part 16

Maan sat there like an idiot, still holding his damn pen, watching the door swing shut behind her.

Oh F!

He hadn’t meant it like that.

Or maybe he had.

Maybe he had meant it in the worst way possible because this was getting too real.

Because last night had been too real.

And now she was asking for more.

And Maan—Maan wasn’t built for more.

But as he sat there, staring at the empty space where she had been, something inside him cracked.

Because she had asked.

She had wanted to spend time with him, had put herself out there, and he had humiliated her.

And Geet—Geet didn’t do that.

She wasn’t the kind of girl to chase after things.

She wasn’t the kind of girl to ask for something she couldn’t handle.

Which meant—

He had just F'ed up. Badly.

His fingers curled into a fist.

He was fixing this.

Maan didn't waste a second.

The moment Geet turned away, her face tightening in embarrassment, he felt it.

That sharp, familiar sensation of realization hitting too late.

Shte.

He grabbed his coat, striding out of his office with purpose, his long legs carrying him through the building faster than he’d like to admit. He had to find her.

By the time he stepped onto the street, the late afternoon sun was slipping behind the skyline, casting long shadows over the busy sidewalks. People moved in every direction, but it took him only a second to spot her—weaving through the crowd, her head down, her arms hugged tightly around herself as if shielding herself from the world.

From him.

Maan clenched his jaw and picked up his pace.

"Geet!" His voice cut through the noise of the street, firm, insistent.

She heard him. He could tell by the way her shoulders tensed.

But she didn’t stop.

She quickened her steps instead, as if desperately trying to outrun the embarrassment clinging to her like a second skin.

Damn it, Geet.

Maan cursed under his breath and pushed forward, maneuvering through the sea of bodies with sharp precision. She was fast. But he was faster.

Her gaze darted around, searching for an escape, and then—she found one.

A narrow alley between two buildings.

Before Maan could call out again, she slipped inside, pressing herself against the brick wall, her hands flying up to cover her face like a child hiding from the world.

Maan turned the corner just in time to see it.

A deep exhale left his lips.

She wasn’t running anymore.

She was hiding.

And for some reason—that hit him harder than it should have.

His footsteps echoed in the confined space as he approached slowly, the dim alley shielding them from the rest of the world.

And then, he stopped just a few feet away, watching her.

God.

What was he supposed to do with this woman?

Her fingers curled against her cheeks, peeking out just slightly, but she refused to look at him. Her posture was small, shy, shrinking into herself—something he had seen in her before, in those early days when she had been humiliated by the elite at parties, forced to endure what others wouldn’t.

But this?

This was because of him.

And he hated it.

A small, unbidden smile tugged at the corner of his lips despite himself—because this was Geet, stubborn as ever, dramatic when she didn’t mean to be, fierce in the ways she didn’t realize.

He sighed, stepping closer.

"Geet," he murmured, voice softer this time, not demanding, not teasing—just honest.

Her fingers tightened over her face. "Go away," she mumbled.

Maan exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "You don’t have to hide from me."

She peeked through her fingers but still didn’t look at him directly.

"It was silly," she muttered, voice muffled. "I shouldn’t have asked."

Maan’s jaw ticked.

She actually thought that.

She actually believed asking him for something—wanting something—was a mistake.

He took another step closer, voice dipping lower, quieter. "No, it wasn’t silly."

She finally lowered her hands, hesitant but listening.

Maan met her gaze, holding it steady. "I was just being..." he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "well, me. And I’m sorry if it came out wrong."

Geet stared at him, still half-wrapped in uncertainty, her lips parting slightly as if she didn’t know what to say.

For once, she was seeing Maan without his walls.

And Maan?

Maan was letting her.

Then, as if to break the weight of the moment, his lips curved into something lighter—something teasing, but not cruel.

"So... about that carnival date." He raised an eyebrow, voice warm, playful. "If the offer’s still open, I’d be an idiot to say no."

Geet’s eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering in them before something else took over.

Something lighter.

Something almost happy.

And then—she smiled.

A real one.

Small at first, but growing, warming, reaching her eyes in a way that sent an unfamiliar tug through his chest.

She let out a soft laugh, the tension dissolving. "Yeah... it’s still open."

They stood there, breathless from something that wasn’t just the chase.

The silence between them wasn’t awkward anymore.

It was something else entirely.

And as the golden light of the fading sun painted the alley in soft hues, Maan realized something.

He was actually looking forward to this.

To something outside his carefully guarded world.

To something as simple and ridiculous as a carnival.

With her.

And that?

That was something he didn’t know how to deal with.

Not yet.

But maybe, just maybe—he didn’t have to.

Because Geet was still smiling.

And for now, that was enough.

++++

After their conversation in the alley, a sense of anticipation fills the air between them. For the rest of the week, neither mentions the upcoming date directly,

But there’s a change in their dynamic—a quiet excitement that simmers beneath their usual interactions.

Geet catches herself glancing at Maan during meetings, wondering how he’ll be at the carnival, picturing him in a setting far from the polished boardrooms and formal office spaces.

The thought alone makes her smile.

Maan, too, finds himself unusually distracted, his mind drifting to Geet’s laughter and her unexpected boldness that day.

+++

On the day of the carnival, Geet gets ready, choosing a simple but pretty outfit that feels carefree, she wears a simple cotton top tucked in with a pleated calf length skirt suitable for the afternoon heat of the carnival

She arrives at the carnival, her heart beating a little faster as she spots him near the entrance, hands in his pockets, his gaze scanning the crowd until it lands on her.

He’s dressed casually, no suit or tie, just a plain casual shirt and jeans. He looks younger, more relaxed, and a little less like the Maan she’s used to seeing. For a moment, she just watches him, taking in this side of him.

Maan, smiling as she approaches- You made it.

Geet, smiling back, a little shyly- I wouldn’t miss it. I mean... it was my idea, after all.

They exchange a soft laugh, the air filled with a nervous excitement as they walk together into the carnival. The atmosphere is vibrant—children running with balloons, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy wafting through the air, the distant sound of laughter and games, all creating an energy so different from their usual world.

The sun was beginning its slow descent, casting a golden haze over the city. The air was warm, carrying the mingling scents of fresh popcorn, melting ice cream, and something sweet—something nostalgic.

Geet hadn't been to a carnival in years.

She had forgotten the feeling of it—the hum of chatter, the echo of laughter, the way the colors bled into each other, like something out of a childhood dream.

And next to her, walking with an easy stride, was Maan Singh Khurana.

She still wasn’t sure how that had happened.

Or why he hadn’t canceled.

Or why, even now, as they stepped deeper into the chaos of it all, he looked... intrigued.

Not just by the carnival.

By her.

They moved without direction, slipping into the current of people. The usual tension between them felt different today. Lighter. More fluid.

It was strange.

Maan had been many things to her—untouchable, infuriating, sharp-edged and reckless. A man she had tried to use and failed miserably against. A man who had seen through her from the start and yet never truly pushed her away.

But this?

This slow, easy stroll through a world neither of them belonged in—this was new.

And Geet, despite herself, wanted to see where it went.

“So…” she said, glancing up at him. “This is your first time at a carnival?”

Maan scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “What do you think?”

“I think you probably had a very boring childhood.”

He smirked, tilting his head slightly. “Depends on your definition of boring.”

Geet huffed a small laugh, shaking her head. “You know, you can just say you never did things like this and move on.”

He glanced at her, a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze. “I never did things like this.”

Geet nodded, satisfied. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

Maan shook his head, amused, but didn’t argue.

A moment passed.

Then—

“What about you?”

Geet blinked at the question, caught slightly off guard.

Maan was looking at her now—really looking.

Like he actually wanted to know.

She hesitated for a beat before shrugging lightly. “I used to love them. Carnivals, fairs, anything with lights and noise and people.” She exhaled, her fingers grazing the pleats of her skirt. “It was one of those things I thought I’d never grow out of.”

Maan hummed, tilting his head. “And yet?”

She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “And yet… I grew out of it.”

Maan’s gaze flickered over her, reading her the way he always did. But—for once—he didn’t push.

Instead, he looked ahead, exhaling through his nose. “Maybe it’s time to grow back into it.”

Geet turned to him, lips parting slightly.

She wasn’t sure what she had expected him to say.

But it hadn’t been that.

And before she could think of a response, before she could untangle the warmth curling in her chest—

Maan spoke again.

“Alright, what’s next?”

Geet blinked.

Maan Singh Khurana was willingly participating in this date.

God help her.

After walking aimlessly for a while, they stopped near a row of food stalls. The scent of grilled meat, spices, and something sweet filled the air.

Geet’s stomach growled, betraying her before she could pretend she wasn’t starving.

Maan, of course, noticed.

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Hungry?”

“No,” she lied instantly.

Maan huffed a laugh and turned to the nearest stall. Before she could protest, he handed over a bill and grabbed a single plate of food.

Then—without hesitation—he handed it to her.

Geet frowned. “What about you?”

Maan leaned against a post, too casual, too him. “I’m waiting to see if you survive first.”

She rolled her eyes but took a bite anyway.

And of course, it was good.

Too good.

Geet groaned softly, eyes closing for half a second.

Maan stilled.

The sound was barely there, barely a breath—but he felt it.

Something shifted.

Something unspoken.

When Geet opened her eyes again, Maan was watching her, his gaze just a fraction darker than before.

She swallowed, suddenly hyper aware of every movement, every breath.

Then, refusing to give in to whatever this was, she held the plate out to him.

“Try it,” she said, tilting her head in challenge.

Maan hesitated.

Then—slowly, deliberately—he leaned forward and took a bite straight from her fork.

Geet stopped breathing.

Because shte.

That was too easy.

Too natural.

Too close.

She should’ve expected him to pull back immediately, to break the moment with some teasing remark.

But he didn’t.

Instead—he took his time.

Chewed slowly. Thoughtfully.

Then—with the smallest, laziest smirk—he nodded.

“Not bad.”

Geet exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

And she had no idea if it was because of the food—

Or because she had just shared a fork with Maan Singh Khurana.

The taste of the food faded, but the moment lingered.

Geet watched as Maan stepped back, the smirk still lazy on his lips, but something in his eyes had shifted.

It had been nothing—just a shared fork, a casual bite.

Except, it hadn’t been nothing.

It had been too easy.

Too natural.

And now, neither of them was pretending otherwise.

They didn’t talk about it, but after that, they only took one plate of food from each stall.

It started subtly—Geet grabbing a dish first and absentmindedly holding it out for Maan without thinking.

And he?

He took a bite. Without hesitation. Without question.

Then, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, he handed her the plate back.

They moved through the carnival like that—sharing everything without a second thought.

A cup of freshly squeezed juice. A skewer of grilled meat. Even a ridiculous fried dessert that was too sweet, too indulgent, but somehow perfect.

By now, it was effortless—the way they shared everything without thinking.

A single plate of spicy noodles. A cold bottle of soda passed between them.

It was seamless, unremarkable—except that it wasn’t.

Because somewhere in the middle of this, something had changed.

Like when Geet wiped a stray speck of sauce from Maan’s lip, without hesitation.

He hadn’t reacted—hadn’t smirked or teased like she expected.

He had simply let her.

And then there was the dessert—too sweet, too much, not to her liking.

She had barely made a face before Maan stole it off her plate and shoved it into his mouth without a word.

He hadn’t commented on it.

Hadn’t asked if she minded.

But Geet had noticed that he did it deliberately so he didn't have to endure the food she didn't like.

And for once, she didn’t say anything.

Because there was nothing to say.

Because somehow, between all the moments they didn’t acknowledge, between all the things they let slip by without question—this had already become something else.

He more than made up for his mistake. This was a perfect outing. Very down to earth and simple. They could just be two people out together.

There is a major shift between them now.