MG FF: Someone Like You THREAD #1 - Page 31

 

He kept clicking picture after pictures with his beloved camera, capturing moments of unadulterated joy and laughter. He didn't know why he had spoken to Geet and he had no idea what compelled him to even go close to her. He had disliked her way too much. He still did. 

 

Everyone sat down in the hall, talking, laughing, singing and rejoicing Krishna birth. He clicked pictures of Ana and Kabir and Dadima and his parents and their Bal-Gopal. He strode towards the puja hall and found her sitting by the swing of Bal Gopal, talking to her Kanha.

 

"You enjoyed?" she asked cutely.

 

He had to admit that he had never met someone with such different thoughts. He gave credits to her but still remained sceptical about her. He watched her take her Kanha in her arms and speak about how she liked the food and everyone. Strange, she never talked about him or their encounter some time back. Not that he wanted her to, but she never complained. And somehow he just wanted to capture her moment with her Kanha. That expression she had was just so serene, which comes with pure unadulterated love. He focussed his lenses such a way that captured her frame sideways, looking at her Kanha.

 

"Geet...where are you?" Ana's voice startled her and she quickly looked around.

 

--Click--

 

She was captured!

 

They just remained still, looking at each other, not knowing how to react.

 

Maan had no idea how to explain why he had been clicking her photograph secretly and Geet had no clue as to how to handle the situation. Why would he even think of taking her photograph, knowing the certain coldness that they shared?  But none bothered to explain. He walked away, leaving her with questions. What was he thinking?

 

She fell on the bed beside Ana and talked of the day and she told her a few stories of her and Kanha from her childhood. But tiredness seeped in too quickly and both the friends slept off.

 

He kept on browsing the photograph that he had taken the whole evening and stopped at a particular one where he had captured Geet. She had turned back when he had clicked the picture and her curly hairs had veiled her face, sparing her brown eyes. He kept watching her for a while when a sense of Dj Vu crept in. Something was familiar about this picture. A faint memory of a similar picture danced in his head and he quickly looked through his folder of pictures to find something...anything related to it.

 

A few pictures of Ana and Kabir back in Shimla brought fond memories of that time. He watched them lovingly and he watched the stranger woman who had been captured accidentally in the background. He took a closer look and then recalled the picture of the same woman he had deleted. Even she had brown eyes. He looked at Geet's picture he had taken and then compared it with the similar picture he had taken in Shimla. They seemed so familiar. Could it be that...

 

*****

 

New places didn't give her comfort very easily and that is why she was awakened way before the sun was up. Ana was fast asleep and she knew they were to bunk college for the day. Quietly, she pulled the chair close to the window and opened it. Cool breeze rushed in, dancing around her and she breathed in the morning dewy air. The window opened out to the estate lawns and it was a beautiful scene to behold. The light mist added to the freshness of the morning. she looked around and found her Kanha on the table, along with the long peacock feather that Dadima had given her the previous night. She placed kanha on the window pace and herself sat on the chair, resting her head beside Kanha, on the window, holding the soft feather.

 

The white netted curtains flapped by the corners and she kept looking at the beautiful feather in her hands. She had passed by Dadima's room and had seen a beautiful bunch of peacock feathers decorating the Krishna idol in her room. She had been so awed by it that she had asked dadima for a feather. Dadima offered her a few but she took only one.

 

When you walk out of one phase of life and another phase is about to begin, you halt and look back at your past. And whilst you are busy looking, nature drops in hints of what is coming next! She had found her next' in New York but then she never realized that her next' was now'.

 

He jogged his way into the estate and slowed down to a walk. He loved the solitude that the dawn blessed him with. A man of strict principles, he never liked distractions. Of late, he had found nothing but distractions. He sat on one of benches that lined the estate driveway and enjoyed the early morning view. A flock of birds flew across the sky and he looked up to admire them. He was a nature lover and wished if he had his camera now. His eyes fell on an open window of his mansion and the woman looking out of it.

 

She caressed the feather across her face, revelling in the soothing tickling feeling it gave her and smiled. She stopped her feather half way across her face and looked at the faint figure of a man, looking up at her. They were far enough to not see each other's expressions but they were close enough for an eye contact. She knew it was him. The intensity of the eye contact was enough for her to recognise him.

 

He watched her through the blue-green feather, shining in the first rays of the rising sun. He had found himself in her vicinity these days and he didn't like it. It always happened, he knew it well, that the more you try to run away from something, the more it comes closer to you.

 

She didn't want another faceoff like the previous night. She failed to understand him and hence, the best solution was to stay away from him. He was someone who was bad for her health. She quickly pulled the curtains close and went back to Ana.

 

 

Days passed into weeks and weeks turned into a month. Geet didn't visit KM after that day and college was demanding. She and Ana spend ample time in the library, doing assignments and at times, Ana would go to Geet's apartment and both would study till dinner time. Geet was sceptical about Ana visiting her small one bedroom apartment, knowing where she came from but Ana surprised her with her love for her friend. She told Geet to shut her mouth and just let her be. And Geet felt a deep sense of respect for that innocent woman. She met up with Kabir from time to time and she saw no Maan.

 

It was time for applying for internships in various companies. Geet and Ana prepared well for the drives. Geet and a few others qualified for Khurana Empires while Ana never opted for KE in the first place. She got her internship in some other company and she was pretty happy that she did it of her own and not for the surname she had inherited.

 

The end of their first week was tiring yet exciting for both. Geet was surprised to find herself interning under Kabir. As much as it relieved her, she was sceptical about her friendship with him. Yes, she saw him as a friend now for he had been really sweet, unlike his brother. But Kabir was a strict task master. And when he wore the cloak of professionalism, there was no stopping him, something he had learned from Maan over the years. Geet liked that. She never found him lenient on her just because he knew her. He was just the same to her like he was to anyone else.

 

Saturday rolled in and Geet and Ana decided to hit a pub to shrug off the week's tiredness. Kabir joined them too. The trio sat on a table, holding their share of wines and beers and raised a toast.

 

"To your successful first week" Kabir chimed as they took sips of their respective drinks.

 

"Where is Maan Bhai? I haven't seen him in a few days!" Ana asked.

 

Geet even wondered the same too. Not that she was curious about him, but she worked in the same office as him and she never saw him even once in a week.

 

"He had been to San Francisco for some deal and I think he'd be getting off the flight as we speak."

 

They talked of random stuffs, ate too little and drank a little more.

 

"okay Geet, tell us who is Raj!", the drinks had perhaps started their play with Ana.

 

Kabir's mouth curled up to a smirk, "Ohh a guy! Geet you didn't tell you had a boyfriend!"

 

Geet smiled and shook her head, "He is a childhood friend."

 

"I don't believe that! I know I have known you just for a month but don't you think I would have noticed? The way you get all excited with just one text from him or the way you forget the world when he calls in the middle of college hours...tell us no!" Ana insisted.

 

Kabir ordered his third Absinthe and Geet held his hand, stopping him, "Don't get drunk! You have to drive us home, remember?"

 

"And don't you try to change the topic Geet. I am pretty good at handling alcohol." Kabir bit back, teasingly.

 

Watching their curious faces, Geet sighed. She had no way out. And may be the drinks had a little effect on her too. She had been too protective of herself all these days. It wouldn't hurt to loosen up a bit.

 

"Okay, Raj is my childhood friend and we had been engaged!"

 

"WHAT??" the siblings cried in unison and put their drinks down.

 

Geet kept her beer away and looked at her empty ring finger that had once held a beautiful ring. She recalled those times and so lovingly caressed her skin there, as if feeling it's presence in the emptiness.

 

"Geet, you never told you are engaged!" Ana complained, feeling hurt.

 

"I Was. Now am Not." she answered with a bittersweet smile.

 

Kabir gulped down his drink and watched her beautiful face with emotions splayed.

 

"What happened then?" Ana was curious.

 

"Its okay Geet. If you don't want to share it with us..." Kabir left it lingering there.

 

"No. its fine." Geet shook her head and looked up at the duo, "We couldn't get married. End of Story."

 

The bewildered look on both their faces made Geet smile. People always thought whatever happened to her was tragic but then that was a part of her life and she had learned to live with it.

 

"What happened Geet?" Ana held Geet's hand, sad and curious eyes peering down at her, "Why didn't you get married?"

 

"He loved Pooja. And I didn't want him to forego his happiness with her. So, I broke the engagement on our wedding day and asked them to get married to each other. And now, am here, completing my studies and they are back in Manchester, happily married.", she ended with a smile and a little tear in her eyes.

 

"Pooja? Your friend?", Ana asked, to which Geet nodded.

 

There was a heavy silence that hung between the three until the DJ played some music. Ana stood up and cupped Geet's face, "He is an Idiot Geet. You deserve someone much better. Just don't think about him anymore."

 

She gulped down another pint of beer and rushed to dance. Geet stood up to join when she felt a strong hand hold her and pull her close.

 

She gasped and found Kabir, holding her firm by her hand and his dark eyes, peering down at her. She didn't understand a thing but then froze when he so gently pushed away a curl of hair that teased her cheek.

 

"I know there is more to it but you know what Geet, am so proud of you for what you did. Everyone deserves his/her share of happiness. And you deserve your happiness too."

 

His left her disoriented with his words and went to the bar to get his high. She just sat back, with Kabir's words floating in her head. She had never encountered him talking so serious. Yes, he was serious as a boss but never like this! He had always been a fun loving guy but she just could not miss the intensity with which he had looked at her. Like he meant every word he said!

 

 

She realized that leaving the siblings alone was a bad decision on her part for both were drunk and she had no idea how to deal with them! They laughed and talked senseless stuffs and if she could, she would have definitely taken them to KM in a cab but she didn't know how right it was, knowing Dadima and her sentiments.

 

Kabir's phone rang and he laughed seeing the name. He was in no condition to talk sense to his brother but when did drunken minds acted sane?

 

"Heeelooo Bhaiii!" he laughed over the phone.

 

"Where are you two? And why are you drunk Kabir?" Maan reprimanded on the other side.

 

"We areee ceeleeebrating..Yoou too join us..."

 

Maan rolled his eyes, "tell me where are you? Is anyone near you, sane?"

 

Kabir gave a smile and pressed the phone to Geet's ears, gesturing her to talk. She had no idea who it could be.

 

"Hello?"

 

He stopped for a while, hearing that voice after so long but he didn't want to admit.

 

"Who is it?"

 

She knew it was Him! And knowing him, he'd already be mad at her for nothing. But she had none but him to help her out. Gathering her courage, she finally managed to have her first proper conversation with his.

 

"Erm... Actually I need help to get these two home."

 

He pressed his lips tighter, "Umm. Tell me your location. I am reaching."

 

She helped Ana settle back in the car while Maan helped Kabir in the passenger seat. Once done, he faced her, finally! Dressed in skin-fit jeans and a loose tee-shirt, she seemed a little tipsy but sane enough.

 

"Thanks for coming." She managed to mumble when things got too awkward for them, just standing and not speaking, "We really needed to get home."

 

He shrugged his shoulders and threw her a cold look, himself not knowing why he did so, "Well then, Good Night Miss Handa!"

 

She has taken aback with his coldness. He didn't even offer her a ride home.
Indeed, Maan and Kabir were poles apart. He was rude and arrogant and for some reasons he had some problem with her.

 

He drove out arrogantly in his black sleek Merc. He was Maan Khurana after all. why would he care for someone who did not mean anything to him at all? she was practically a stranger to him and he couldn't care less...perhaps!

 

She cursed him under her breath as she walked down the path way, searching for a cab in the middle of the night. This time, she was lucky that she found one. She went home, bad-mouthing her luck for always ending up around him, failing to notice a certain black sleek Merc, take a U-turn from the parking in front of her apartment that held one arrogant man and two soundly sleeping siblings!