Short Story - Dream a little dream [Last Chapter - P 34] - Page 16

Good to see you back😊 nice one

7.

I had always liked the idea of Maan...what I had thought he is, what I had seen of him mostly through other's eyes. There still was the Maan I had not known by myself, not until I met him again here.

I still might not know him the way others do, but I was privy to a part of him, and glimpses of him that made him more real than he ever was to me. I still might not know him entirely as a person. It would take years and ages to know one such, and sometimes a lifetime wouldn't suffice... but as the night progressed bringing a beautiful morning, it had opened a window to his soul that I would always have a keep sake in my memory.

Before, I knew it was attraction, but now, there was a strange sense of camaraderie between them, an almost friendship that made me enjoy his company more and more with every passing night.

The night camps of ours continued, and there were no silences that filled up her late dinners. There were conversations that had not followed a particular pattern. I figured Maan would tell nothing but the truth if put a direct question. He would be straight forward, and so precise to the point of sounding technical. Somehow his honesty made me reciprocate the courtesy to him, although I hoped he never should bring up any of the past incidents that happened between us, which I came to realize he remembered. He never asked about my eccentric behaviour around him back then, and I liked it that way.

Initially we started taking about his cooking and business, my usual day at work, Mumbai, Goa, Sahil, anything and everything that connected us or meant something for us. As time passed however, we toed some line and got into silly arguments. Both of us weren't seriously devoted to the topic we were taking side of, yet, we did our best to slightly rile up the other person.

"Who ever made costumes for Superheroes is a nincompoop"

He did a good show of gulping the gold spot as he smiled at me.

"Go on"

"I mean it is so ironic that they got to wear something so stupidly glaring. It is as if they aren't getting enough attention already"

"That's your explanation?"

"Of course. If the choice of color combinations are disastrous and loud like Reds and Blues""

"There's Zorro and Batman who wear black"

I scowl at him.

"And what's with wearing the extra underwear? Batman and Superman are super dumb to do that"

"You know it might be just for extra protection. Now that they have so many enemies, they got to have something extra to protect their family jewels"

I look at him for one long minute before bursting out laughing. I surely did not have this conversation with Maan Khurana. Did I?

"This is not fair" I say after I try to calm down my hysterical laughter. "If you take away one thing I contribute to these night camps, I don't know what I will do"

"And what is it"

"Blabbering. Come on!" I say and he raises his one eyebrow at me, amused but doesn't say anything.

"Do you think that is the only thing you contribute to?"

"Of course. You cook""

"I haven't cooked today. I got us food from my restaurant."

"Yeah, but bottom line you contribute delicious food while I sit and hog on the food like a pig"

"That's stretching it a bit far"

"Don't contradict something so obvious. It is like saying Astrology is not a pseudoscience. And""

"Why are you getting astrology in between?"

"I am just making a point, wait a minute, you believe in astrology"

"I didn't say that"

"You have that look on our face"

"What look?"

"Your eyes had that remembrance, that light, like it's very precious." I said with a frown, trying to recollect where I had seen it. Yes, it was there when he spoke about his mother all those years back in Goa with my mom. He lost his mom not more than a couple of years before he moved to Goa and maybe that was one of the reasons he was so close to my mother. My mom did love Maan like she loved me or Sahil; in fact more.

As mixed up my thoughts were, it took me a full moment to realise what had I done. I saw him staring at me intently, and I knew he caught on it too.

I speak as if I know what each little crease in his forehead meant, as if I know for ages. The expertise with which I judge his facial expressions or the distinct shift in his eyes is a bit bizarre. My this talent truly screamed out vicious stalking and nothing else.

I was half rising to quote an excuse of feeling sleepy, but stopped myself when I see him push a pack of cards towards me.

"Want to play?"

I raise my eyes to him, trying to understand how quickly he changed the subject and why, while he adds, "If you're not sleepy that is"

Something about the voice sparks a niggling doubt in me, as I sniff a faint trace of amusement in his voice, but I push it away, naming it as my usual overthinking.

"Sure" I say and he smiles at me, before shuffling the cards.

I didn't know how many games we played, I didn't know how many times I lost or won, how many times we cheated, how many times we caught on each other's' cheating, and how many times we threw cards at each other. I didn't know when I fell asleep, on the top of the water tank, my cheek pressed against the cards, my body into a foetal position.

What I did know was, when I woke up, there was no sunrise still, but the sky was a bright blue, indicating that it would be morning soon. What I did know was, I woke up to a cold wind, but wasn't feeling so cold on my body as much as I was on my face. I woke up to have a jacket put on me, giving me warmth.

What I did know was I have never felt this tender in the deep contours of my heart that moment when I had looked to my side and found Maan sleeping next to me, his arm under his head, the breeze ruffling his hair.

Something about his face looked younger, and so serene that I couldn't look away, until I see his eyes slowly open, to look at me, after a long time, while I try to act casual and look away.

His sleepy eyes were red, and with only his Jeans shirt now crumpled, he was the most handsome man I had ever seen, but what made him more heartbreakingly handsome is the half smile he gave me as he sat up.

"Geet?" he said after a bit of silence, and as I looked at him in the eye, he pointed at something to my cheek, and while I quizzically look at him, he extends his hand and removes a card that stuck to my cheek.

I try not to give away the breathlessness I felt with the small moment, and though not even his fingertips touched my skin, I could feel my heart beat wild against my ribcage and I suddenly feel so awkward, and vulnerable sitting next to him.

I can feel his eyes on me, but I dare not to look at him, as I look at my hands in my lap and say tentatively "I got to go, before anybody wakes up and starts looking"

"Okay"

I give him a parting nod as an acknowledgement, and try to rise up, but before I could do that, I see he already stood up and extended his hand to me.

I tentatively put my hand in his, and take the support, as I feel his warm fingers close around mine.

"I uh" thank you" I say suddenly at a loss of words as I look at him. I know it isn't the end of the world, but I do know it is the end of the wonderful nights I shared with him, because the morning brings a new day, Ashwini's wedding, and also my departure to my old life, back to Mumbai, back to being the Old Geet.

Only that the old Geet hasn't experienced the magic of falling in love with the same person twice, and I had.

It was wow update...

awesome update as always i like all maan of ur stories all of them are so good i think u have sketch the maaneet characters to a diff level which always bring a calm happiness in ur reader heart keep doing such work waiting for ur other stories plz don't abandon them like other good writers bcz it hurt a lot when a good story doesn't get its end tc dear love u for ur work bye

Part 25 loved the talks between Geet and Maan simple facts of his life that he just shared with her and also acknowledged he learnt the cooking from the best cook that is Geet's mom

Suuiperb yaar.. I loved their secret dinner.. I hope maan has fallen for her as well.. Cont soon hun

Wonderful update. Your writing style is amazing.