Part-38
Maan arrived in the dining hall & saw everyone seated & having a good time at the dining table.He greeted Geet's parents warmly who were only too happy to see him.Dev had taken his seat between Annie & Rhea.The only member who was absent was Geet.
"Maan bete,Geet kahan hai?"asked Dadi.
"I don't know!" asked Maan surprised.
"Look,Geet has come!" said Rhea,looking through Maan's shoulders.
Maan looked behind & saw Geet approaching with quick steps.But as she reached near him,she was almost going to trip.Maan surged forward & caught her in his arms.They shared an eye-lock for a few seconds until they realized that eight pairs of eyes were constantly looking at them from the dinner table.
Annie whispered to Dev,"Bhai,camera hai kya?I want to capture this!"she said with a sly smile.
"Camera kyun?Phone se capture kar na!phir pass to me via bluetooth!"
There Maan & Geet were getting uncomfortable with Maan still holding her.
" Geet!Yahi time mila tha to slip?" he whispered to her
"Then who told you to prevent me from falling?" she snapped back.
They distanced from each other trying their best to face the supposed audience who still did not seem to lose interest.
Then Maan walked ahead of Geet & pulled out a chair for her to sit on.Geet stalled for a while & so did all.Geet didn't know why but a childhood memory suddenly flashed her mind.Maan had once dropped her that way making her an April fool!.Remembering that, she frowned at him while Maan threw a questioning glance at her. Geet quickly took the other seat while Maan being surprised had to sit on the pulled chair!.Everyone started laughing at this.
"Geet!Today is no April fool & we are not kids anymore!!!"
"Toh when I told that I have tickets of a cricket match??" she said in the same manner.
The elders who knew what the matter was continued laughing while Maan & Geet exchanged smirks & stares!
"What was that??" asked Rhea,clueless.
"Don't worry Rhea!Geet will explain everything in detail later!!" she said while looking at both Geet & Maan.
While they were having dinner,Geet's dad Mohinder asked,"Maan beta,how was your business meeting in Pondicherry?"
Maan,Geet,Dev,Rhea all of them stalled their intake for a moment hearing 'Pondicherry'.
"OMG!I forgot to tell Maan that I lied mom-dad about the meeting!"
"Meeting was better than what I had expected!" replied Maan,calmly looking at Dev who smirked.Geet was a little surprised hearing that from Maan as if he really had a meeting of some sorts! but he did not tell her! Also when did he meet someone there?She couldn't recollect.She finally recognised that she had heard Rhea's voice in the club.So that meant Dev & Rhea too were in Pondicherry! So did Maan meet Dev?Yes!There was a possibility!.concluded Geet..
After the dinner was over,the elders sat to discuss the marriage preparations & rituals.Maan & Geet maintained a safe distance so as not to get embarrassed again! Geet finally noticed that no one was looking at her & Maan.She walked towards him with slow steps careful that no one notices!She finally nudged him & signalled him to come to the terrace.First Geet left from there followed by Maan
Terrace--
Geet was standing there waiting for Maan. Just then Maan came & stood behind her encircling his one arm around her waist.With his other hand,he slid her top a little off her shoulders & began kissing her.Geet shivered in delight.He whispered between the kisses.
"Geet,don't you know?I am more interested in you now than a cricket match!"
Geet turned to face him,"Maan,I want to give you something!" she said cheerfully.
"Achcha?" he pulled her closer.
She held his hand & carefully slid the engagement ring in his finger.Maan was surprised as well as amazed.She shifted her gaze downwards shyly.Maan held her chin & made her look at him.
"Geet...pleasant surprise!!"
"Pata hai!This ring was specially designed for you a decade ago.My parents really thought that you will marry me! but I...I was almost sure that the day would never come when I will give you this ring...our worlds were completely different.You were in London & I was here...& when you came over here...I was sure our marriage will never happen...,the circumstances given at that time.. "
"Geet..now this is the truth of my life that you are everything to me" he held her tightly in his arms.She hugged him while he kissed her forehead.He was caressing her.She was right.He would have never ever thought of Geet if the will was not made...he had wanted her only to gain power & money.He shivered at the thought.And now he couldn't even tell her the truth,else everything will be finished...
They were still in a hug when Geet asked,
,"Maan!Did you meet Dev in Pondicherry?"
Maan was shocked hearing her,"How did she know that!' he thought.But he knew how to maintain calmness, "Dev?But how will I meet him!He was no there!"
"I dashed Rhea in the club due to which the drink got spilled in my sari!"
"Really?That's a co-incidence but I didn't see Dev nor Rhea!" he said in the same tone!
She seemed to be satisfied with the answer.
"Anyways,leave it!Even they must have gone for vacation."
They broke the hug but their eyes refused to part.
"Geet,lets go down,otherwise everyone will start questioning!"
She nodded.But they still kept looking at each other while going downstairs & later parted when they were visible to all.
Soon it was time for Geet along with her parents to return home.Annie wanted to spend time with both her bhabhis before she goes back to London.Even Dadi wanted Geet in the mansion.So it was decided that Geet would be coming to KM everyday.Maan was happy as well as not happy with the idea.Happy because he would be able to meet Geet & take her revisions before going to office & not happy as Dev would be lurking around...
Next Morning (KM Library)--
"How can you do this to me!!!!"pleaded Geet in shock
"I can do anything!!And you need to co-operate!" said Maan,giving her an angry glare.
"But I have done everything barring the last answer,it's quite tough!!"
"No it's not tough!Atleast read it once!!!"
"I can leave it for option!!!!"
"No,you can't you have to be prepared for everything,Everything!You hear!!!"
"Ha!As if I am going to fight a war!!!"
"Consider the exam as your war with regards to your previous tests results!!!!" said Maan still giving her that stare.
"Maan Sir!You are very cruel!!" snapped Geet.
"How many times will you praise me,studentji!!!!" he said in the same manner.
"I hate you!!!" she glared at him.
"But I think I still love you!!" he smirked.
"Enough is Enough!!" said Annie,famished who was sitting just a table away from them, "Freak!!They argue in everything from bread to butter!!!Better I go from here!!" Annie walked out of the library.
"Fine!!!You win!!Happy!!!" saying that she got up from the chair.
"I always win!!!!" he smirked.
Geet wandered her gaze through the piles of books & files which were arranged alphabetically in the library while Maan was checking her notes.Suddenly her eyes fell on an old newspaper which Maan wouldn't want Geet to see it.
"Maan see this!!" Geet showed him.
"How come this newspaper is here!!" thought Maan. "Do you know anything about this scandal?" he asked her sharply.
"Ofcourse I do!!" said Geet in an excited tone,"How can I forget this drug scandal which took place three years ago interestingly in the same year in which the Khurana factory had this short circuit..like you said.."
So she believes him that the factory was not intentionally burnt!.Moreover Geet did not show any signs of connecting the shoes factory burning with the drug scandal...Maan did not know whether it was a good thing or a bad one...
Geet continued,"Gosh!This case was also unsolved!!Perhaps that year was unlucky for the police & crime department!I mean..just look at this case..the FBI caught the foreign suppliers but they couldn't locate the Indian man who was also involved...like the person disappeared in the thinnest air!!Isin't it wierd!!!!"
Maan stared at her shocked & surprised at the exact details that she had about the incident which was hushed up within a few days.
"Maan,I know what you are thinking..how I know about these things.The factory business was related to Khuranas,so I know that & the info about the scandal goes to Papa telling me I should know about current affairs!Phew!!"
Maan thought it best to change the topic,"Anyways leave it aside!I assume you will be completing your revision within four days?"
"As you say Maan Sir!!" said Geet like an obedient student.
Just then they were called for breakfast.Both proceeded downstairs.Dev was still in the coridoor of the third floor outside the library.
"Hmm..interesting.So Geet knows everything!.I need to take full advantage of that!I will wait for the right time to spill the beans out!First I need to lay my hands on the New York project so that bro gets trapped from all sides!!" he gave an evil smirk...
After breakfast Maan made his way to office,kissing Geet away from everone's eyes. Geet was roaming in the palace dissolved in Maan's thoughts.While passing by Dev & Rhea's room,she couldn't help but overhear or rather see them talking as the door was slightly ajar.
"Dev.." said Rhea holding his hands in hers,"You know how much I love you!!"
Geet could see the intensity in her eyes as she spoke.It was terrific!
"I love you too!" Dev hugged her.
Geet thought is best to leave from there.She couldn't help but question herself about who loved the other more-Dev or Rhea?.She saw Annie decending down the stairs & called out to her.
"Hey Geet!I was thinking about you!'
Geet joined her as they walked outside the mansion to the garden.
"So Maan Bhai went to office!They way you two were arguing at the breakfast table!Gosh!Dadima & I could only stare!"
"What to do!We always manage to find a topic to irritate each other.We were literally enemies in childhood!" laughed Geet.
"But still you love him!!"
"I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him" confessed Geet.
"Whoa!Your pair is completely different from Dev Bhai & Rhea!"
"Really??"
"Yes..like they don't agrue at all with each other!!Whatever Dev Bhai says,Rhea agrees to everything.I mean..I have seen her stage plays,she is a brilliant performer but once Dev said to leave everything,she gave up a bright career!"
"Do you know how they met?" asked Geet excitedly.
"there is no spice in that like Rhea was once doing a stage play which Dev Bhai went to see.Then they began dating & finally marriage!"
While they were talking seated in the garden,Geet's eyes suddenly fell on a man outside the KM gates lurking around.
"Oh God!He is here too!!!!!" exclaimed Geet,irritated.
"Who?"asked Annie surprised.Geet directed her eyes to Gopal.
"He has been following us from quite a few days even to Pondicherry!"
"Are you serious?" said Rhea who had joined them,"Even I have seen him in Pondicherry speaking to Dev.He was even following us!"
"Rhea!Let's lodge a police complaint about this man!it's too much!!" suggested Geet
"Yes ofcourse!" agreed Rhea.
As Geet was about to dial the number, Annie who was looking at Gopal from quite a few minutes said,"Geet stop!Don't do that!He is so cute!!!"
"What!!!!!!!!!" Rhea & Geet were dumbfounded hearing that,"you like him??Rhea !Check whether she is alright!!"
"Please guys!!"
"In which angle is he even good-looking???He even chew paan!!Paan!!!!" said Geet,stressing the last word hoping that it would have some impact on Annie
Annie was unaffected,still looking at Gopal, "Forget paan yaar!See,if I give him a make-over he will literally look dashing!"
"Uff!These teenagers!Geet!Call the police!!!" said Rhea,ignoring Annie.
"Geet,Rhea!Please!I am serious!"said Annie irritated.
"Ms Khurana,do you know that man is in the most bad books of your Maan Bhai?"said Geet, "Do you know agar Maan ko yeh love at first sight business ke baare mein pata chalega toh kya hoga??? The man won't be spared!!"
"I don't know about that!!" said Annie getting up,"Just that!You two don't tell anyone about it while I will try to know his name!" Annie walked inside the mansion ruefully.
After Annie went,Geet asked, "What to do Rhea?Call the police or not!"
"Avoid.nahi toh kisi ka dil tut jayega!"
Both laughed & returned inside the mansion.
While Gopal was still outside the gates,he pondered,"Where is Dev saab?Maan saab toh went office!"
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