Chapter 26
Pang of Jealousy . . . Infatuated
A gentle breeze wafted through the open window as he closed his eyes. A smile traced his lips as he saw her walk through the gate and into the parking lot. He had purposefully come early that day with the motive of seeing her as soon as possible.
He was getting anxious with every passing moment. It had been fifteen minutes since she supposedly entered the KC premises and she was not yet in the office. May be she took the stairs instead of the elevator but why would she do that. But this could only be the reason for the delay. Was he hallucinating when he saw her enter the gates? God, this girl was driving him insane.
It was then that he saw her walk into her cabin. Ok, he sure was hallucinating . . . she was literally walking with her eyes closed and hands supporting her back.
Her face contorted with pain as she walked inside her cabin. Throwing her wait on the chair she tried to ease the pain in her lower back as she pushed her head backwards. Now, one thing was certain, if you do something bad like lying to your lovely elder brother, God gives you your due and apparently she was getting hers at the point of time.
Last night Maan had dropped her at her so called apartment and since she had been clearly warned against using public transport, she did not take a cab to the villa. Yes, she knew most probably even if she would have taken a cab, her Veju wouldn't have gotten to know it, but there was something called obedience. Although she was not really the docile-obedient sister considering she had just the other day fooled her bodyguards cum spies and disobeyed her brother but there were still times when she could go by his wishes. And not taking public transport was one of them. Besides if by some damned chance Pari would see her in a cab, Geet knew there was no stopping Pari from telling Veju. So weighing all options, she decided on taking 'gyara number ki gaddi'. The first few kilometres' of the 14 KM walk were easy, not much of a trouble but as soon as the villa neared her legs started giving up. And by the time she reached her house, she was literally dragging herself to walk. Although that time only her legs paining, the next morning once she woke up she felt her entire body ache and if that was already not enough, cherry on top, she got a lecture from Pari for her irresponsible behaviour. It took her an hour to convince Pari not to call Veju. At once it nearly slipped her lips that she was lost in a jungle. But lucky for her, Pari was so busy ranting that she missed the word jungle that had escaped Geet's throat. Anyway . . . to put it simply yesterday was not her day.
He saw her mumbling something to herself more like complaining to God as she was all the while staring at the ceiling.
This girl was, well . . . something that he couldn't yet figure out.
It was then it struck him.
There is always a start at knowing things, and for knowing her he needed to spend time with her. And for spending time with her he needed to call her to his cabin. So he did.
******
Geet entered his cabin as she felt a nagging ache in her knees. She tried her level best not to make her ache obvious to the eye. She greeted him good morning to which he replied with a "Hmm"
"Had hoti hai yaar . . . he could have at least smiled, but no he has to be Mr-I-M-Expressionless" She muttered under her breath.
"Ms Geet so I was going through the records and I think by some mistake your permanent address is not mentioned here neither your phone number or anything as much as your background detail, could you fill in" Maan said with a straight face. Well, this was his way to know things.
"Oh . . . is it" She was trying to avoid it.
"Yes . . . So you are from Chandigarh right"
"Yes" Geet gulped
******
It was tea break.
Geet and Manish were discussing something standing at the reception.
It was then that Savitri Devi saw caught Maan ogling at . . .
Looking in the direction Maan was intently staring at, she saw the object that held his affection . . . Manish.
She smiled ruefully as she left the office without meeting Maan. She had come to the office to show Maan some photographs of gay people but when Maan had already chosen the one, she had nothing left to do.
********
Two days passed with the same routine. Him ogling at her while she remained completely oblivious to it. Whenever he would call her in his cabin, something or the other came up and he did not get a chance to talk with her. The only interaction they had was about work and only work. He was missing her enter endless chatter about absolutely anything and everything. God, they should have been lost in the jungle for some more time.
But Along with desperately missing her bubbly side, he was also surprised that she knew how to keep her professional life separate from her personal. She was acting as though the jungle episode never happened. Although there were times when by a slip of tongue she addressed him by his name but she was quick to recover. Sometimes when for a brief moment their eyes would meet, she would flash one of those friendly smiles and all he could do was adore her.
He had caught her mumbling things to herself quite a few times and to be precise he had also heard her call him Hitler ki tail when he yelled at her for a minor mistake of hers. But before he could react to that his cell phone started ringing and that gave her a chance to duck out. He would observe her every minute gesture intently.
Yesterday he saw her standing in the cafeteria and talking with a lizard. She never failed to amuse him.
~~Flash Back~~
"ChipkalI . . . you know why I am standing five feet away from you" Geet said as she looked at the lizard on the opposite wall.
"How will you know, you are not a mind reader are you . . . waise dekha jai toh ho bhi sakta hai, I mean who knows what you can do . . . anyway I was going to tell you why I am standing away from you. Actually, I am scared of you, in fact I am scared of absolutely anything and everything, even a frog. Pata hai, sorry main bhi na tubelight hun tujhe kaise pata hoga tu to delhi main thi na aur woh kamina khota shadai frog toh Chandigarh main tha, ae lo tujhe kya pata Chandigarh kahan hai. Main batati hun, Chandigarh Punjab aur Haryana ki capital hai. Tu soch rahi hogi na ki ek city do states ki capital kaise ho sakti hai. Woh kya hai na Haryana was earlier a part of Punjab so when it was formed that time . . . chal chad tu jaan ke kya karegi. So haan, frog ne kya kiya main woh bata rahi thi na, ullu ka patta frog jumped at my feet. Oh, how can a frog be ullu ka patta, ullu to bird hai na, frog to bird nahi hai, so drop ulla ka patta, toh haan gande walle frog ka patta, nahi yaar mazza nahi ayyaa kuch aur crisp walli line doonth thi hoon, you know what let it slip, kyun bechare ka father badloon, toh woh apne papa ka patta jumped at my feet and I jumped back . . . tab na Pari bhi thi wahan pe, so like she was not scared of it and then she lifted it and kept in Veju's school bag. Oops, how will you know who Veju is, he is my elder brother . . . I love him a lot and pata hai mere liye veju kuch bhi karsakte hia. BTW chipkali teri tail kisne kaati. Tune apne veerji ko bataya, nahi bataya toh bata de, agar woh tujhe bin pooch dekh lega na toh use bura lage ga, waise agar tu batai gi toh bhi bura lage ga lekin phir bhi batana chaiye na. Waise tere veer hain na, it's sad if you don't have an elder brother. Agar tera bhai hota toh tu thori teri tail gayab hoti, brothers are protective you know, mine is overprotective. You're missing out on alot of fun, pata hai kitna maza aata hai when you dream about what you will do at your brother's wedding. Mere veju ki marriage hone waali hai, acchha theek hai not yet decided though but anyway he is engaged so wedding toh honi hi hai. Pata hai, meri would be sister in law is my best friend, so I will get to steal Veju's shoes as well. Yipiiieee, I will be from both the sides. But yes during the games and all I will support my brother only. Pari hai na Meera ki side lene ke liye. Oh madam tune mujhe late karva diya, main yahan coffee lene ayyi thi aur tunne mujhe distract kar diya. Pata hai mera boss dus sar walla ravan hai, agar main kaam main late ho gayi na toh mere bechare ear drums ke drums drumming bhool jayenge and main deaf ho jaungi. Ae lo, phite muh, tu soch rahi hogi ear drums kahan se aa gaye, abhi batati hun . . . meain late ho goyi toh mere boss mujh pe shout karenge and agar woh apni scary awaaz mein shout karenge toh mere ears ka toh murabba ban na hi ban na hai . . . acchha ab main chalti hope not to see you again as I am scared of you. Oh yes before going I have something to say, mere boss Dusht danav hain lekin woh friend acchhe hain . . . Bye- Bye Chipkali"
That was what she had said. This girl was a mental case and yet he couldn't stop thinking about her.
Her not being in his sight would make him restless. Her talking with Aditya or any other male species for the matter burned something in him. So what is he did not get to spend time with her, he made sure Aditya was given extra work so he stayed away from Geet. He was amused at his own behaviour but strangely he was enjoying just seeing her around. Her laughter made his day, her one smile elated him. He was not being himself. When he had nothing to do, he would sit by the window and remember the short cast away and smile, and he knew he was losing it. In fact he was so lost in his own world that he failed to notice the big bruise on Dev's forehead when he collided into him the other day.
On the other hand, Geet was completely oblivious to Maan's affections. When alone she did think of the time she spent in the jungle with Maan. At once she was about to ask Pari about the butterflies she felt but then she dropped the idea as she couldn't tell her about the short cast away.
She was missing her Veju but at the same time she was enjoying just simply working like any other normal girl. After office she and Pari would go shopping, movies and would talk for hours. They would surf the net for hours, checking out wedding dresses, jewels, Geet was also making a painting that she would gift her brother. Since she hadn't attended any wedding till date, she spent a good time reading about the wedding rituals and everything.
Life was going good for her.
******
Maan was just stepping out of the elevator when . . .
"AS . . ." Geet screamed as she ran and threw her arms around the man standing next to Aditya as Maan seethed.
Maan was burning inside out.
Geet in another man's arms was not at all something he would have liked to see.
Ok . . . if that was not enough, that guy whoever he was twirled her around. Curling his fingers into a fist Maan gritted his teeth in fury.
He hated to see that spark in her eyes when she hugged that man.
Who was he?
"You're a week early" Geet squealed in excitement still hugging him
"Did you not want me to come early" he asked.
"Yes but you said you had prior engagements" Geet replied as she broke from the hug.
"Yeah I did but you know what you wanted to see me, I had to come" he said as he smiled knowingly.
"Thank you" Geet beamed as she hugged him again.
Maan heard their conversation and he did not like it one bit and the moment she hugged that man for the SECOND time he so wanted to pull her to himself. He walked straight towards them and just as he was about to pull Geet away from that unwanted bloke, he saw Geet suddenly push him away. Now that made Maan smile.
Scrunching her nose she grumbled "Why did you not call me on my birth day"
"Sorry" he held his ears as he lowered his eyes.
Turning her face Geet said "I am not going to talk with you"
"Sorry" He repeated as he came in front of her.
"Don't you try that puppy dog face, won't work and if you don't leave in another five minutes I will not let you enter the house"
Now that took the smile off Maan's face.
He just stood there as he saw the man trying to pacify Geet. He balled his fingers as he saw that man pull Geet by the wrist and forced her to face him. He saw him hug her again as she pouted but did not push him away.
Maan wouldn't have her hug a man in front of him, no chance whatsoever.
"Ms Geet could you care to maintain office decorum"
She froze.
What would she tell, if he asked her anything about AS.
Precap 1: "uff . . . Aditya call me Manisha not Manish"
That was when Vikrant called out to Manish oops Manisha oops his would-be Bhabha.
Precap 2: Maan barged into her cabin.
And then . . .
"Are you in a relationship?"
"Nope"
I hope this was long enough . . . If by some fleeting chance you did not get what 11 NO KI GARRI means . . . it means walking . . . 😆
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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