*SIGH* I know u guys might have lost interest or forgotten this ff for i see not that many replies or comments... if u wish not to be pmed of this ff anymore plz feel free to hit me a PM i will not take any offense for it would be lesser burden on me too 😊 anyways for those who have been wanting this updated here it is.. i personally want to thank every single person who made an effort to hit the like button and comment... i have been wanting to reply but coll is over demanding i would rather write an update in the little time i have what say? 😳 but dont let the comments stop they do encourage me 😊Chapter 33: Parthaal Pasitheerum (Seeing will appease Hunger)
~Present~
After much persuasion and cajoling Geet had finally managed to if not mend the coldness of Kritika towards Maan, she had managed to at least avoid Kritika's rowdy behavior towards him. She hoped even that coldness changed and she accepts him warmly. But Kritika was Kritika she would only accept someone if she wills to do so, no amount of cajoling or anger could change her.
"Kriti, Arjun, Maan, aayiye the dinner is ready!" Geet yelled from the kitchen, wiping her hands with a towel. She was setting the table when everyone arrived to sit in their respective seats. Arjun took a seat beside Kritika while Geet set her plate between Kritika and Maan. "Kriti vaadi nokku ootivittutu naan chaapidaren, (Kriti come, I'll feed you and then eat)" she said mixing some rice and sambar in Kritika's plate.
"Maa! Don't put too much ghee, mujhe moti nahi honi!" Kritika piqued looking at her mom pour ghee into her food.
"Oi hello drama queen itni si ghee main moti nahi ho jaogi,"
"Don't worry Kriti you will never become as fat as your mamma," Arjun pitched in causing Kritika to giggle.
"Arre kisne kaha meri Geet moti hai?" Maan questioned feigning anger.
"Ha dekha my Maan is there to support me. Thank you Maan in logon ke beech mein I have seriously caught the madness," Geet complained pretending to wipe off sweat from her temples.
"Don't worry Jaanu main hoon na," Maan assured.
"Where were you when she needed?" Arjun mumbled under his breath.
"Chalo nautanki ab chup chap kha lo," Geet said bringing a ball of sambar rice in front of Kritika's mouth.
"Maa if I close my mouth how can I eat?" Kritika sniggered causing Arjun to chuckle loudly and give a hi-five to her.
"Teekhai meri intelligent queen ab please kha lo," Geet said feeding her a scoop.
Maan looked at Geet feeding Kritika and a smile crept on his face only to be erased soon when his thoughts went drifting to Anu ma. After his own mother she was the only person who had genuinely care for him. The first time when she had fed him and a lone tear escaped from his eyes. After Geet had left his interaction with Anu ma had decreased drastically for he had wallowed in his own world. He wished to talk to her for he did always miss her all through the years.
Geet looked to the side to see Maan looking at Kritika without serving himself anything. "Maan aap nahi khayenge?" she asked eyeing his empty plate.
"Voh mujhe bhook nahi," he said wiping away the corner of his eyes.
Geet decided it would be of no use to argue and she would take care of the issue once she fed Kritika. Arjun on the other hand silently finished his meal, washed his hands and decided to retire for the night.
"Alright Ammulu mujhe kuch kaam hai, I am going to head down," he said kissing her head and bent over to Kritika. "You young woman mamma ko tang mat karna," he said ruffling her hair, "magar uss Maan ko tang karo," he whispered in her ear to her glee. Kritika giggled at his order causing Geet to eye Arjun curiously. "Shh voh hamara secret hai," he said looking at Geet. "Good night Maan," he said turning to Maan who nodded in return and smiled.
Geet managed to feed her and put Kritika to bed as tomorrow she would have to wake up early for school. She came back to the kitchen where Maan seemed to be deeply engrossed in his own thoughts. "Maan," she whispered softly picking up a plate and serving some rice and sambar before mixing it. She scooped a handful of rice and held it in front of his mouth gesturing him to eat. Maan held his hand out for her to put it in his hand so that he could eat. She narrowed her eyebrows in annoyance and shoved away his hand with her other hand and forced his mouth to open and stuffed it with the sambar rice. He was startled by the sudden invasion but he chewed the food slowly looking at her intently.
When Geet saw Maan looking at her feeding Kritika, she realized what he thinking. The pain in his eyes was evident and she knew she was the cause of it. She had asked her mother not to interact too much, in fact cut all the ties with Maan fearing he would find her. She couldn't bear to see the pain she had inflicted upon him and decided if not salvage it at least tend to it. A drop of tear rolled down his cheek. She kept the plate aside and wiped it away only to see his break down and hug her tightly. She rubbed his back trying to soothe him as he tightly held onto her. The unspoken words filled the silence.
"Maan, mujhe bhook lag rahi hai," Geet whined, holding on to her grumbling stomach and turned around to see Maan biting his lower lips and driving seriously.
"Isiliye toh hum ghar ja rahein hain," Maan said looking at her before focusing on the road in front as he drove through the now deserted streets of Delhi.
"Nahi mujhe abhi chahiye!" she stressed.
"Abhi yahaan kuch nahi milega Geet," he said looking straight ahead at the road.
"Milega Maan, vahaan dekhiye!" she said excitedly. "Stop the car," she said hurriedly. Maan stopped the car worrying why she was getting impatient.
"Geet what was the need to become so impatient kya hua?" he asked annoyed.
Geet turned his face to show him a corn vendor in the corner of the road. "Mujhe voh chahiye," she said excited at the thought of roasted corn ears along with lemon and green chilly sauce.
"Jaanu tumhe voh chahiye?" he asked with disbelief.
"Haan, nothing beats a hot roasted corn on a chilly evening," she said licking and smacking her lips.
"Magar," he hesitated.
"Kya magar? Oh I understand aap toh the great Maan Singh Khurana aur aapko yeh sab hygiene nahi lagta aur you have never eaten roadside food," she began ranting.
"Chup! Maine kab kaha hygiene problem I was thinking of something else, chalo if you insist," he said removing his seatbelt and getting out of the car.
Geet hurried out of the car to his side and ran to the vendor who was busily stacking the ears of corn on the hot burning coal. "Bhaiyya hume do chahiye," she said gesturing two with her fingers.
"Aap hi chunegi ya," the vendor began when Maan came to stand beside Geet.
"Aap hi kuch deejiyena," she said only to be stopped by Maan.
"Nahi bhaisaab main chununga," he said and started rummaging through the pile of fresh corn.
"Maan aapko kaise pata, let him do it na," she said looking at Maan seriously checking the corn. She shrugged her shoulders seeing he didn't bother to reply back to her. The time ticked and Maan was still picking out corn ears. "Uff Maan, jaldi keejiyena," she said impatiently.
Finally he gave two ears of corn for the vendor to roast it. Geet looked eagerly as the corn crackled at the contact of hot coal. The vendor busily fanned the coal to increase the heat while occasionally turning the little handle of the corn. Geet eagerly rubbed her hands anticipating the hot and roasted corn. The man finished roasting and asked whether they would like the hot chilly and lemon sauce spread on the corn only to be answered yes by Geet. The man spread the sauce evenly on both corns and placed it under corn leaves and gave it to Maan and Geet. Maan paid him and turned to walk along the road while Geet followed, slightly blowing the corn before she could take a bite.
Geet stretched her lips and opened her mouth so that she bit a piece of corn without letting the hot sauce on her lips. "Hmm," she reveled in pleasure at the contact of warm corn in her mouth. She looked sideways to see Maan intently staring at the corn in front of him. "Maan aap nahi kaoge?" she asked taking another bite. "Dekho you have to eat like this," she said displaying the method to eat the corn without letting her lips touch the corn.
Maan chuckled at her demonstration and shook his head. "Arre buddhu do you call that a way of eating?"
"Oi hello Mr. Khurana you think you know?" she bit angrily.
"Ippo paaru kanna, (Now see)" he said wetting his lips and letting his lips touch the roasted corn before biting little bit of corn and smacking his lips, letting the spicy chilly sauce seep through his skin. As the tingly sensation of the hot chilly ran through his lips, he licked his lips and smiled satisfactorily. Geet gaped at Maan, alarmed at the fact that he had actually sucked the really hot and spicy chilly sauce.
"Oh my Muruga!" she gasped as he smiled back at her.
"This is the tareeka to eat loosu penne (mad girl)," he said haughtily and lightly smacking her head. "The whole point of the chilly is to let it tingle your senses not for show. Mujhe pata tha isiliye I was hesitating at first." Geet's hand covered her mouth in shock. "Ab samjhi?" he asked as she robotically nodded her head. "Khao," he urged.
Geet stared at her corn in front of her and blinked a few times thinking of the chilly before hesitating to take a bite like Maan had demonstrated. As soon the chilly sauce hit her lips a kind of shock ran through her senses and she quickly bit the corn before retreating and let the taste seep through. She closed her eyes tightly letting her other senses take over as the taste slowly faded leaving behind a nice tingly feeling. He was right it did feel good and her lips curved into a smile.
"Accha laga?" he asked looking at her smile.
"Hmm," she sang, closing her eyes.
"I know," he said lifting his collar.
"Haha very funny," she said smacking him arm.
Maan stood near a short raised compound wall and jerked at sat on the wall. "Ajao," he said patting the seat beside him.
Geet was about to reach and sit but she realized she was short and could not sit. "Maan," she whined. "I cannot," she said looking dejectedly. He kept his corn on the side, got down, and called her to come nearer. She came and stood, facing away from him. He caught her under her arms and lifted her and seated her on the wall in a jerk. "Thank you," she squeaked swinging her legs.
Maan adjusted his seat, picked up his corn, and had another bite. Both ate in silence while swinging their legs in sync. After each bite both hissed letting the chilly seep through their skin. They finished eating and nibbling all the way and looked to throw the waste. "Maan," she called while he searched for a garbage can and smiled hinting something Maan could understand.
"Nahi," he refused.
"Oh come on Maan its fun," she urged. "Ready one two three," she counted and flung the waste over her head, letting it fall into darkness while he did it too simultaneously. They laughed at their act and Maan got off. He was about to walk away when he heard her call him. He turned to see her helplessly trying to get off the wall. He chuckled at her helplessness and came to stand near her and gestured her to jump down. She shook her head vigorously at the thought of falling down, in case he didn't catch her properly.
"Trust me Jaanu," he assured. She closed her tightly and jumped preparing for a nasty fall only to be caught securely by a pair of strong arms.
Maan saw her jump and instantly reached for her and brought her close to his chest, securing her in his arms and cradling her. Her hands instantly crept to his neck and wound around it tightly while her face crooned in his neck. He slowly walked to the car holding her in his arms and as soon he reached the car he was about to place her down when her grip tightened around his neck. He smiled at her fear and brought her back to his embrace and softly caller her, "Jaanu," looking intently at her closed eyelids.
Geet felt she was falling and had tightened her grip around his neck only seconds later to be secured once again in his arms. She heard him whisper her name tenderly against her face and fluttered her eyes open to see her staring deeply at her. A slight shiver ran through her nerves as she drowned deeply in his chocolate brown eyes.
"You are safe in my arms Jaanu," he said looking at her. She nodded in trance while he bent a little to place her steadily on the ground. She didn't break her eye contact while he busily steadied her on the ground. Somewhere in her heart she felt safe and secure and satisfied. His warmth and closeness and brought a sense of peace and a whole set of new emotions in her. She was surprised at the workings of her heart but let it reign as it felt good feeling the kind of new emotions that ran through her body. It was too early to name it but she liked the anonymity and a shy smile formed on her lips while a tinge of hue crept on her cheeks. She instantly looked away hoping to shake off the feelings in case Maan saw her. "Kya hua?" he asked seeing her looking away only to see her nodding in the negative and step back. "Ghar chalien?" he asked and she merely nodded and went to sit in the car while he went to take the driver seat.
The ride back home was quiet as she stared out of the window while he drove looking straight ahead. They reached Geet's house and Maan stopped the car in front of the gate. He turned to see her staring blankly out of the window and reached over to her side. He patted her shoulder lightly causing her to come out of her reverie and look confusedly at Maan. "Kahaan kho gayi tu?" he asked with concern. She instantly nodded in the negative and hurried got out of the car. "Ajeeb hai," he commented at her weird behavior.
"Bye Maan," she said waving to him and running inside the mansion before he got a chance to see her blush timidly at the thought of him carrying her.
"Ammulu?" Arjun called as he saw her walk into the mansion in a trance. "Arre Geet!" he called a little louder, startling her.
"Huh?" she asked dazed.
"Kahan kho gayi?"
"Nahi toh, main, mujhe jaana hai," she stuttered and dashed for her room before he could interrogate further.
Geet reached her room and hurried closed her door and stood leaning on the door panting a little due to her hurrying. She wondered what was she going through. Something in her had been appeased today. A sense of serenity and peace flooded her veins. A huge played on her lips and bit her lower lip, chuckling. Was it the magic of his touch or the magic of the moment? Was she coming to a conclusion too soon? Afterall he was her friend, best mate thus it would wrong of her to take his actions in any other way yet his touch brought a new freshness in her, and a feeling she had never felt before. She slowly walked to the window and felt a breeze grace her beautiful face. She leaned on the window edge, supporting her hand on the ledge. The calmness of the night enveloped her and she closed her eyes to savor the moment. Whatever it was she would let destiny take its reigns, hoping to enjoy the pleasant ride.
sorry for the late updates my coll is really eating up a lot of my time... plz bear with me... i hope to keep the pace going faster... 😊Edited by madhu.pmlist - 13 years ago
