[MG FF]- Surrender...Author's note page 49 - Page 22

Maan kept staring at this little beauty in his arms as he made his way into his tent. He just couldn't take his eyes off her. It looked as though she was where she rightfully belonged: in his arms. His heart beat accelerated and his eyes were stuck on her face. She felt so light and she was really beautiful. Her kurti was stuck to her body making the curves of her body more prominent and it had become slightly transparent given that it was of white colour. She was completely drenched and her hair was plastered to her back with some strands covering her face. She looked like a mermaid.

Maan slowly lowered her down to the wet floor of his tent and then went away to get his bunk ready. As soon as it was done, he came back, lifted her up and made her sleep on the bunk. He slowly, very hesitantly pushed the hair strands behind her ears. But somewhere his heart said that he was doing a mistake. Ever since he had seen that girl in dargah his heart had registered her to be its rightful owner but now there is another girl whom he is ogling at. This is wrong na? Asked Maan's heart to him. He knew that but somewhere he felt that she might be the same girl whom his heart had started yearning for. He felt the same feeling right now as he had felt in the dargah or whenever he touched her payal. He slowly took out her payal from his pocket and stared at it wondering if he ever had any luck of being united with this mystery girl of his. Till now he had not even seen her face and now here he was, taking care of another girl and staring at her like an idiot. He realized that he was stupid. He mentally scolded himself and went to the corner of his tent. How long he sat there thinking how could he find that girl? This payal's owner. He knew that she was made for him since the moment his heart felt that tug to go the place where she was standing. But now without any clue about her how on earth was he supposed to find her. He didn't now what exactly he felt for her. Was that love? Was that plain attraction? No, that couldn't be attraction. He has not even seen how she looks so how can that be attraction? No probably this was something really strong. So strong that now even his heart refused to see him with another girl.

Suddenly he realized that he had left the girl without attending to her. Daadi would kill me...he thought and went near her. She was still sleeping with a small smile playing on her face. Her simplicity was really enthralling to him. But his heart still refused to accept it. She was not the girl whom he had seen in the dargah...it thought. He became very restless not knowing what to do. Should he take care of her? But his heart refused because he had no rights on her whatsoever. But if something happens to her then Daadi would be really angry said his mind. But he has no right on that girl. Being a man he shouldnt be taking care of some unknown girl said his heart. But she is not really unknown...she has stayed in Prachetas for like 3 days and Daadi likes her very much his mind fought back. But to care for somebody it is necessary to have some sort of strong connection and when he has someone else in his heart he probably shouldnt take care of another girl his heart defended. But he can even take care of her for humanity. She is all alone and she needs help. He doesnt have to look at her in that way his mind defended. This internal dual went on and Maan just sat there not knowing what to do.

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Here, Annie was tensed and restlessly pacing around the drawing room. What of something happens to her? She left the house because of my hurtful words. If something happens to her then I would never be able to forgive myself. Did bhai find her or not? were the thoughts that constantly haunted her.

She couldn't take it anymore and she went and slept on her Daadi's lap and Daadi stroked her head and tried to convince her 'kuch nahi hoga bete...aap nischint rahiye...duniya mein aisa kuch bhi nahi hai jo aapke bhai nahi karsakte...dekhiye...aap ke bhai us ladki ko ghar zaroor laayenge...'

'Par Daadi, itni der hogayi hai aur bhai ab tak nahi aaye hai...agar unhe ya us ladki ko kuch hogaya to?'

'Annie bete, shubh shubh boliye...kuch nahi hoga un dono ko.'

Annie still wasnt convinced and she prayed with all her might that her brother and that girl would be safe...

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Naina was burning with anger. She had never been this angry all her life and now with the tension of what might have happened to her best friend she had become extremely irritated and often used to snap people for no mistake of theirs. Her brother had become the target but he never used to complain as he knew what rough time his sister was going through. She couldn't tolerate if a pin pricked her best buddy Geet and now with the constant fear of her being killed this anger was bound to surface.

'Rajiv...Geet ke baare mein kuch pata chala?' she enquired for the umpteenth time and again became disappointed when he shook his head. He had been trying all possible ways of finding more about Geet but not even an ounce of information was available.

She hugged her pillow and burst into tears while Rajiv ran to console her. They both were missing Geet so much and daily they used to pray their babaji to bring her back, unaffected and safe.

'Geet kaha ho tum..please wapas aa jao...' she sobbed between hiccups and finally drifted into an uneven sleep.