Part 16
Maan was surprised by her sudden move, but without any protests, he also kissed her back. Initially, it was a gentle kiss. Both of them were just feeling the presence of the other. But gradually, Maan's passion took over him. All those ups and downs that he'd felt in the past days, the roller coaster ride of emotions he'd gone through, the feeling of not being able to do anything, that helplessness, it all came out in his kiss. All his doubts, his insecurities, his weaknesses, everything compelled him to convey something to Geet, through his actions, and he tried his best to accomplish it. For Geet, it was something she'd never felt before. It was as if she was in another world, where Maan had showered all his love on her, and he would protect her from everything that could harm her. She was enveloped in the warmth of his care, where she was invisible to the world. They kissed each other like there was no tomorrow, Geet feeling the security his arms had cast around her.
"Main hoon na, i promise i wont let anything happen to you. Can you trust me?"
These words rang in her mind to tell her that no matter what, he would be there with her, to safeguard her from the evil.
"Can you trust me?"
The words repeated themselves over and over again, compelling her to think if she could trust him at all. Flashes of that day at the music room came back to her, where she'd seen Maan with Mallika. Immediately, she let go of his face and pushed him a little. Maan felt beyond shock when he saw Geet withdraw and push him away. She had closed her eyes and was hugging herself, when Maan came close to her again, and touched her cheek. He saw the immediate effect, Geet coiled into herself.
"Geet, aankhein kholo, open your eyes and look at me", Maan almost shouted his plead.
Geet heard the agony his voice carried, as it slit through her heart. As much as she tried blocking him away from herself, so much deeper was his pain felt by her. She slowly and involuntarily opened her eyes, and was met by a shocking sight. Maan's eyes were red, not with anger, but with water. Tears flowed through his eyes, and Geet wondered the extent to which he was hurt, such that these tears had reddened his eyes in such a short span. But this wasnt the time to think all that, Maan was in pain, and her heart just couldnt bear that.
"Maan", she spoke softly. She kept both her hands on his, one resting on her face, and the other entwined into his other hand.
"Maan, i'm sorry, i'm very sorry. Mera tumhe hurt karne ka koi irada nahi tha. Par jabse main tumhari life mein aayi hoon, lagta hai ki tumhe chot pohunchana hie ek maksad reh gaya hai. Pata nahi kyun tumhari life hamesha meri life se takra jati hai. Tumhe itna avoid karne ki koshish karti hoon, kitna try karti hoon ki tumse door rahu, tumse judi har baat se door rahu, par phir bhi har cheez mujhe tumhare hie pass kheench lati hai. Sachi, mera yakeen karo, bohut koshish karti hoon main ki kAdi tumse saamna ho hie na mera, par sab ulta ho jata hai. Jaane kyun...", tears flowed at a stretch as Geet continued blaming everything on herself.
"Kyun itna door bhaagti ho mujhse?", Geet's words came to an abrupt end as Maan directed his question at her.
"Batao Geet, aakhir aisa kya hua hai, jo tumhe mujhse door bhaagne par majboor karta hai? Kyun tum hamesha mujhe avoid karna chahti ho? Kyun mujhse aur mujhse judi har cheezon ke utne hie kareeb aati hoo, jitna door tum mujhse jaana chahti ho? Divine College, mere friends, newspaper, music, Tara, aur main, main Geet, tum hum sab se is tarah jud chuki ho ki door hote huye hum se zaada takleef tumhe hogi. Phir kyun tum khudko itni takleef dena chahti ho? Mujhse bar bar door jaane ki hie tumhari koshish tumhe mere itne pass layi hai. Agar tum itna na bhaagti, to aaj shayad situation kuch aur hie hoti", Maan spoke in a voice filled with pain and frustration.
"Isi baat ka to darr tha mujhe, ki meri door rehne ki koshish hie tumhe mere pass le aayegi (Maan looked at her with a confused expression) Maine tumse door rehne ki koshish ki, isiliye tumne mere pass aane ki saazish ki. Main shayad wo pehlo ladki thi, jisne tumhe, Maan Khurana ko haraya, aur tumhare ego ko challenge kiya. Bas, tab tumne khudko challenge de diya, mere ego ko hurt karne ka, haina? Isiliye mere kareeb aana chahte they tum, ye prove karna chahte they ki tum jo chaaho haasil kae sakte ho. Tumhe koi nahi hara sakta, koi bhi nahi...", as Geet spoke these words, Maan had released his hands from hers. He shook her vibrantly as he let his anger flow,
"Tum jaanti bhi ho ki kya bakwaas kiye ja rhi ho tum Miss Geet Handa"
Geet saw his dilated pupils, that emitted nothing but the furiousness of his words.
"Main wahi bol rahi hoon jo mujhe lagta hai sahi hai", she spoke firmly, not looking in his eyes. Maan left her, and turned away, ruffling his hair to let down the frustration. Suddenly he turned back, and pinned her to the tree.
"Tumhe ye sahi lagta hai, par, par tumhara dil, kya tumhara dil bhi isi baat ko sach maanta hai?", Maan looked in her eyes that were downcast, and felt a change of expression at his words.
"Bolo Geet, ye jo baatein Adi tumne boli, tumhara dil bhi inhe sach maanta hai kya?", Geet heard the plea in his voice for the umpteenth time. It was her time to make a decision, and it took her a second to decide her answer. It wasnt an easy one, but who said life was easy. She closed her eyes, and it took all her strength to speak that one word.
"Nahi", she spoke very softly, so soft that she herself didnt know if she'd heard it or no. Maan had heard her answer, but this one word could change everything between them. He didnt want any misunderstanding to take over him, so he released the pressure on her arms a bit, and spoke again.
"Geet, ek bar phir se bol do, please", the way he said it, her eyes flung open, and she stared into the deep ocean in front of her, that was filled with the water of hope.
"Nahi Maan, mera dil un sab baaton ko nahi maanta", she said, and lost herself in his eyes, that glimmered with a spark. They both stared deep down into the others soul through the way of eyes. Both had wanted to say so much, but right, they found the silence more blissful. It was only after a few minutes, that they came out of the trance, when they heard a few shouts.
"Geet"
"Geet"
"KIDDO"
Geet heard her name being shouted in the distance, and leaving Maan, ran in that direction. Maan also followed her lead. Geet was brought to a sudden stop as she crashed into a hard body.
"Geet, tu theek hai na... kuch hua to nahi... jab humein pata chala ki tu jungle ki taraf aayi hai, aur wo gunde bhi tujhe dhundte huye isi taraf ko nikle, tabse hum sabko itni tension ho rahi thi... tu bata, tu unhe mili to nahi na... Geet, kuch bol na..."
Maan saw that the guy had his hands placed on Geet's shoulders and was talking non-stop.
"Abhinav jeej, relax, main bilkul theek hoon. Aap khud dekhiye, i am fine. Tension mat lijiye..."
Maan realised the guy was Abhinav, Geet's dear Abhinav jeej. But till the time this realisation sunk in, he saw another guy come rushing in and pushing Abhinav aside, hugging Geet. He was followed by Arnav, Khushi, Raunak, Siya and Dev. He spoke nothing as he hugged her tightly, while from Geet's expression Maan made out that she was also surprised by the sudden turn of events. A sudden curiosity arose in him about the guy who was hugging her.
"Adi, relax. Wo bilkul theek hai", Abhinav spoke, but the guy paid no heed to him. After a few seconds, the guy who Maan guessed was Adi, left Geet suddenly, and turning his back to her, stood next to the nearest tree. Maan observed the scene there. All the people except Adi had a weird expression on their faces. They watched him as if he was a bomb that would just blow up. Maan saw Geet about to go and say something to him, but Abhinav shook his finger pointing to her not to do so. Maan found it pretty quaint as he went and stood next to Khushi. Arnav left Khushi's side, went to Adi and placed an arm on his shoulder. Maan saw Abhinav trying to stop him too but Arnav missed out Abhinav's warning. Maan found the whole thing very irking, what was everyone's problem?
"Adi...", Arnav just spoke a word, when Adi jerked his hand, turned his face and Maan got to see his face. Adi's face was stiff, his eyes were sore red, and expressionless. Maan was reminded of the zombies that he'd seen in the movies, and smiled a little. But looking at the others, he thought better than smiling, and his smile wiped away as he saw anguish take over Geet. He didnt have to wait long, to get an answer to his mental questions.
"Dont!", Adi said this single word in a cold voice that sent shivers through Maan's body as well.
"Dont you dare. Kuch mat bolna tum... main hamesha se jaanta tha, ki Geet tumhare saath safe nahi hai, isliye tumhe kitni bar us se door kiya, lekin tum kuch samajhna hie nahi chahte ho. Har bar kisi na kisi tarah uske pass aa jate ho. Kitni bar maine Geet ko mana kiya ki tumse na mile, tum se door rehna hie uske liye behtar hai, par tum har bar useh behla fusla kar apne pass bula late ho. Par jo hona hai ho gaya, ab main khud dhyaan rakhunga is baat ka, ki Geet fir kAdi tumse na mile. Aaj bhi galti mujhse ho gayi, agar mujhe pata hota ki Geet yahaan aa rahi hai, to main useh kAdi na aane deta. Agar useh aaj kuch ho gaya hota to... soch ke bhi darr lagta hai mujhe, khud ka chehra dekhne ke layak na rehta main. Poori zindagi kaise jeeta main, huh? Gussa to tum par itna aa raha hai, jee chahta hai ki yahaan isi waqt...", Adi moved forward towards Arnav, raising his hand, while Arnav had his head down, rooted to his place. He was about to hit Arnav, and the velocity with which his hand came, Arnav was sure to lose some bones. Maan took a step forward, when he saw Adi's hand stop midway.
Geet had come to stand between Adi and Arnav, shielding Arnav from Adi's wrath. Adi's expressions sombered as soon as he saw Geet's face stained with tears. Maan also felt a constriction in his heart when he saw her state. It was clear in her eyes that she cared for Arnav, cared enough, to come and face Adi. Also, she cared for Adi, as it was visible how much it hurt her to protest against him. A voice inside Maan cried at his own helplessness, his heart screamed to go and help her, but his mind told him against it. His mind showed that these people held a lot of importance for Geet, and he was no where in the scene. After sharing such a closeness with her, it hurt that she was still so much distanced from him.
"Sorry", Geet pleaded in a soft voice, that rang through the silent jungle. The only other sound audible was that of the moths that had woken with the rising sun. Maan saw the immediate effect of Geet's words on Adi's face. His expressions gave away his thoughts. He looked at Geet, without shifting his glance. His gaze was accusatory, and Geet's guilt was clearly visible. Maybe that was the reason Adi didnt speak any other word, just held Geet's hand, and started walking in the direction from where they all had come. Dev was the first to follow them all, while the others just stood there. Khushi came and placed a hand on Arnav's shoulder, who hadnt moved even once. When he felt Khushi come and stand next to him, he lifted his face, and Khushi let out a gasp at what her eyes saw. Arnav's eyes were also sore read, and tears were still flowing from them.
"Khushi, aisa kyun hota hai, Pari ki life mein waise kam dukh hain, jo main unhe hamesha badha deta hoon. Adi sahi keh raha tha, Pari ke liye yehi behtar hoga ki wo mujhse door rahe. Pata nai kyun main jaane anjaane usko itni chot de deta hoon. Kyun hum sab useh dard ke alawa aur kuch nahi dete, pehle main, aur ab Ar...", Arnav spoke in a shattered voice, when Khushi placed her hand on his mouth.
"Arnav...", she pleaded with her eyes, assured him that he wasnt wrong, when Abhinav also came forward to speak to him.
"Arnav, main jaanta hoon ki tumhe kaisa lag raha hai, par yakeen maano, yahaan galti kisi ki nahi hai, na Adi ki, na Geet ki, aur na hie tumhari. Tum galat nahi ho, tum Geet ki zindagi ka bohut important hissa ho, isliye wo tum sab ko bhula nahi paayi hai, aur yehi wajah hai ki wo aaj tum sab se milne aayi, college assignment ka bahana bana kar. Wo shayad isi din ka wait kar rahi thi, na jaane kabse. Aur jab Geet tumhe itna maanti hai, to tum galat kaise ho sakte ho? Khud par nahi, to kam se kam Geet ki choice par to bharosa rakho. Aur jahaan tak Adi ki baat hai, tum jaante ho wo Geet ko lekar kitna possessive hai. Baat jab Geet par aati hai, to Adi kuch bhi nahi sochta, kuch nahi samajhta. Geet uske liye kitni important hai, ye mujhse better tum samajhte ho. Kitna pyaar karta hai wo Geet se, ye mujhe tumhe batane ki zarurat nahi hai... aur Geet ke liye Adi kya importance rakhta hai, ye tum dekh hie chuke ho...", Abhinav's voice faded as Maan's mind stopped listening after this line.
Adi loved Geet, and Maan himself was a witness to Geet's loyalty and commitment for him. In those few seconds, he'd realised Adi's place in Geet's life. But now, instead of being hurt, anger overtook him. If Geet had loved Adi, then what was she doing with him a fes minutes ago? Did that kiss mean nothing to her, all those things she'd said about them, all those feelings he'd seen in her eyes during the past so many days, was it all a hoax? His heart shouted a no, but he just couldnt overcome Abhinav's words. Abhinav was her family, so obviously he would know whom Geet liked, or loved. Abhinav wasnt lying, which meant that whatever time he'd spent with Geet, was all a pretense, Geet's drama. Hatred immediately flowed all through his body as this realisation sunk in. Just then he heard Raunak call him.
"Maan, hum sab wapis ja rahe hain, chal"
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