Parachute (Maan-Geet) Ch 09, Pg 22 - 21/03- Page 3

hey nice one dear..

so dev has finally shown his face...

thnx for the pm...

waiting for God is Dead...update that also soon........

Chapter 3: Floater

"Dev?" Geet recovered first and exclaimed his name once again. Maan noted that there was a relief in her tone; the one which clearly said "Thank God you haven't left the town permanently". He never believed otherwise in reality. He knew that Dev would always comeback irrespective of what kind of a jackass he turned out to be. Dev looked little affronted to see both Maan and Geet together right in front of his house. He didn't hide his surprise and stared at him and Geet; oscillating unable to decide which sight surprised him the most; seeing Geet, Maan or both of them at that time of the night.

"You are here", she said as if she was reaffirming whatever she was seeing was actually real.

"I am", Dev replied looking at Geet intently.

Maan slithered away into darkness wordlessly without bothering to look at either of them. It was mere curiosity which had drawn him towards Geet early that evening. It fascinated him to see someone who looked as emotionally fragile as her was trying best not showing her vulnerability and hanging on to the concept of relationship with a man who had cheapened it with his carelessness. But as the evening had worn his curiosity wasn't anywhere near being quenched given the way her reactions borderline between ambiguous cynicism and irrationally fragile. He couldn't wrap his head around the dualism she so nonchalantly embodied.

--o00o--

"I didn't think you ever wanted to see my face again", he said not looking at her.

"Why would I do that before getting any answers?" She asked him tears pooling in her eyes. The past couple of days were extremely hard on her. With her background, she was the person who always overcompensated for things. Her behavior was almost instinctive and was never a means to get around. At first Dev had thought that she was being overly kind and cautious but only later he realized that it was in her nature to be that. What he failed to understand was beneath all her idiosyncrasies lay an extremely wounded person who had managed to camouflage all her short comings effectively. Geet had always been that sweet little innocent girl with who spending time was like dipping feet in a cool stream on a hot summer afternoon. There was no rush, hurry or grand expectations from him. But there were times when her nature had irked him and made him wonder if it was enough for him to continue to be the way he is. He always felt that she held back all her emotions and leashed them close to her heart.

Their relationship was sweet.

But Dev had wanted unwarranted passion where nothing was held back nor was anything stopped.

At times he wondered if she was a mere shadow of her true self.

"Geet, it's really late now and I am just coming after a tiring journey. Can't we talk about it tomorrow morning after we both get some good night's sleep?" Dev tried to buy some time his cajoling tone almost turning to one of begging. She wouldn't hear any of it.

"Good night's sleep? Do you think I have been able to rest my eyes for more than a minute without knowing where you were or knowing the reason why I was left alone on my engagement day? Do you even realize what the consequences of your brashness can result in done Dev? "

"I know what I did was wrong Geet and I am sorry I had to leave you like that on your engagement day but…"

"Our. It was our engagement Dev. Not yours, not mine but ours", she spat before he could complete whatever he wanted to.

"You are right, sorry, our engagement. But I had to Geet. The situation called for my presence." Dev tried to reason with her. He was truly tired and all he wanted to do was to take a shower and get some sleep. He pushed past her ignoring her scathing look and walked towards his apartment. He seriously had no energy to deal with her at that moment. But she had no intention of giving up just yet. She followed him through the lobby her voice decibel raising just an octave.

"Pray tell what could make a man not show up and send an insensitive message via third party to his own engagement? What was it Dev? Or should I say, who was it?" She didn't bother to hide bitterness in her voice. There was perhaps no way she could. On the day of engagement she had gone back home and went straight to bed. She knew sleep wouldn't come to her that easily yet she had wholeheartedly tried to sleep as much as she could. But all the memories had chosen that moment to flood her senses making her numb with emotion. She had finally given up on sleep and had tried to watch stars from her window only to have a tree branch obtruding her vision.

Dev's palm which was turning the key trembled and was still for a moment. She looked at him incredulously when jingling of keys stopped. He silently opened doors to the apartment, threw his bag on the floor, went straight to refrigerator and picked up a bottle of water. Once he finished chugging down half the bottle, he sat down on a chair by dining table and gestured her to do the same. She wordlessly sat opposite to him.

"I had to Geet. I just had to", he whispered softly as if he was convincing himself for his absence at the engagement.

"Why? Do you know what I had to go through on that Dev? I wouldn't have minded if we had postponed the engagement to a later date. Hell I wouldn't have cared if we had canceled all together. Only if you had told me few hours in advance and not when I was waiting like an idiot all dressed up in a party which was supposed to celebrate the promise you were going to make. It hurt Dev. It hurt so much that had I seen you that afternoon after all guests had left, I might have damaged your face permanently and then some more. But you know what hurt the most Dev? It was the pathetic look of pity which people threw in my way feeling sorry for the poor jilted girl. No one cared for the reason you not being there you know. Everyone just noticed a lonely girl waiting for her fiance-to-be and immediately arrived at a conclusion that she just wasn't the one for the man. It didn't occur to them that there might be an alternate possibility. The whispers and murmurs had begun the moment I announced that the party remained canceled indefinitely. It was in that moment I hated you the most Dev; the moment I lost my respect and importance of my own individuality just because of absence of a man on my side."

She wondered how much he really knew and understood her.

Did he really not know anything about her or did he simply choose not to care? She wondered.

"What do you expect me to do Geet? She was dying!" He banged his fist on the table. Geet looked at him open mouthed. She knew the woman he was referring to but the thought hadn't really crossed her mind.

"Go to hell Dev."

To be continued.