[MG-SS] If it wasn't for The Night [Epilogue-p 89] - Page 18

read both parts .they r mindbiowing.i just loved them

Oyeee u were going to update like... eons ago... 🤬

😃 🤬

loved d updates
waiting for d nxt part
plz update soon

when r u updating?????????
waiting 4 update

You are a great story teller..Believe me telling a story is also an art..It has nothing to do with term "writing"..The way you started the story and connected past with the present is commendable..That card gave a hint of "misunderstanding" that could happen in future but you turned the tables completely in chapter two..

Sorry sorry sorry, so sorry for the late update. After ages, here I am again. This update is dedicated to Deepa. Belated happy birthday sweet heart. Also to Keshu ;) my sweetest sweetest Pardadi 🤗

BG Music

Chapter 3

"Why is life so unfair? Why was his love unrequited?"

That one sentence of her turned his world upside down. That one sentence changed everything for him. When he asked her for a dance, there was a part of him, which expected her not to recognize him, yet there was another part of him, which dreaded the very thing. However, to his greatest luck, she didn't recognize him.

Yet, he did feel a pinch somewhere that though he could recognize her in millions of people, even if she was in the best disguise ever, though he could just recognize the unique scent, the mixture of jasmines and roses; and a pinch of the fragrance that was exclusively hers, though he could identify the glint of her eyes, the musical laughter of hers, though he could recognize everything which is her. . . Yet she can't recognize him with a simple mask on…

He wanted to laugh at his musings. Whom was he kidding? Wasn't this anonymity is god's grace for him? If not, he wouldn't have had asked her for a dance, he wouldn't have had the chance to pat her head, when she choked on her drink, he wouldn't have experienced her mindless blabbering, he wouldn't have had her in his arms…

It felt like a dream when he held her soft hand in his hold, it felt like a dream when he walked her to the dance floor and it felt like a dream when he found her humming her favorite hero's song, lost in her own world. It felt like a dream to have this close to her and see her as her. As Geet..

Thousands of words came to him, only to be stopped at his tongue. He could've said a million things, to initiate a conversation, but he didn't. He didn't want to try to be what he was not. He didn't want to flirt or use those clichd lines with her. Instead, he thought to utilize the best of this by just being him, not Maan Singh Khurana, but Maan. Just Maan.

And so, he initiated a conversation with her, with something which was an innocent question. Her answers amused him to no end. He felt his heart fill with joy for being able to know her from this close, for being able to see her falter, and correct herself, for being able to witness her silliness.

For someone like him, who didn't have had the luxury of looking at her from close, without scaring her off, this indeed was a dream come true. He could see how she blurted out things she didn't mean to say aloud, he could see how she chewed her bottom lip, and he could make an estimate of how much she would've been cursing herself and cribbed to her Babaji and he smiled at her.

However, a single change of music was all that took to change everything between them.

He saw something change in her eyes as the music played, and when she started speaking, he let her speak, without interruption. He had not expected himself to speak anyway. He wasn't a man with many words. But then, one sentence was all that was needed to make him react in a way he never thought he would. One sentence was all that it took for him to bare his soul in front of her, in a way he never expected.

"Why is life so unfair? Why was his love unrequited?" That's all she said, and that's all that needed to make him speak his heart. That one sentence of her stirred something in him, and her innocent remark asking him if he found her insane was all that was required to break the thin thread of tolerance in him. When the control snapped and when he gave words to his feelings, those long cherished words of his heart.. he never knew. Only when his words were out in the open, did he feel the lightness in his heart.. as if a weight was lifted off from his heart. He passed a hand through her arms and pulled her closer and tilted her face up to look into those soulful eyes. He wanted to see them so badly right now. Finding no fear in them for him was such a relief, and it wasn't something he got every day. However, when he hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her face to face him, he found her eyes closed. He blew gently on her eyes, resisting an urge to touch his lips to her closed eyes instead. He whispered gently near her lips to open her eyes and saw her eyes flutter and she slowly raised her lashes to look at him.

His gaze fell to her trembling lips and he had this undeniable urge to do what he wanted to do for so long…

He just wanted to lean in and close the torturous distance that existed between them, and when he leaned in closer, her eyes closed on their own accord, showing him her submission that lay within the simple act.

Her name escaped his lips as a reverent prayer, and just when he thought he was about to close the aching distance between their lips, he was pushed away. The sudden moment jerked him out of his stupor as he watched her trembling form before him. He raised his eyes to look into her hazels and found tears rolling down through her cheeks, shooting daggers at his heart. But what truly had disturbed him was the thing he saw in her eyes. It was worse than her fear for him. It was regret. Regret for having shared or nearly shared that magical moment.. that very moment which he would cherish for the rest of his life.

"Geet" her name slipped from his lips again, as he felt a mixture of hurt and helplessness and saw her jerk her head up, as recognition lit her eyes.

"Maan" she whispered back and turned her back to him and ran out of the dance floor away from him…

He watched her retreating back clenching his fists, and unclenching them. He felt that like a slap on his face, whatever happened just now. He bowed his head as he stared at the floor, where he was not alone moments ago, where he just had the best moments of his life. He looked up now, and found her nowhere. And he felt a familiar anger coursing through his veins. Anger at himself for giving her the power to hurt him, anger at her for hurting him, anger at his destiny, for taking away from him, one thing that he dearly loved. However, the moment he closed his eyes he remembered her tears and it pinched him. Was it because of him? Did he put them there?

He felt as if someone punched him in his gut. Like always, he made her cry, and like always had she ran away from him. He closed his eyes, passed a hand through his hair. Opening his eyes, he made up his mind. All these years, whenever she ran away from him, he let her go. But not today. He'd enough of hide and seek with her. Today will not let her go away without answering some much-needed questions... And answers he would get from her.

* * *

Her heart bet fast and her body trembled, her legs looked as if they would give up on her any minute but she didn't stop. She ran as soon as she could, not caring about the curious glances shot her way. She didn't know where she was heading, she didn't care. All she wanted is to get away from…everything and everyone.

She felt her heart beat loud against her rib cage as she recalled everything that transpired between them that evening. The moments that passed, the dance they shared played before her like a broken record making her stomach churn and her lips tremble. She felt hot tears on her cheeks as she recalled everything that happened out there. She didn't know why was she crying at first place? Is it because of the intensity of the words he uttered? Or is that because of something else..? She didn't know and she didn't even want to know what it was that disturbed her or why was she running away from the dance floor, from him…

"Unrequited love, I exactly know the feeling. After all…" his voice reverberated in her ears, making her stomach churn. She wanted to shut away that voice. She felt a raw pain in her chest and she felt the urge to cry her eyes out. She balled her hands to fists, when the voice reverberated in her ears.

She closed her eyes shut as she remembered his baritone, remembered the hurt in his eyes, when she left him. As involved she was in her own world, she didn't notice the person before her and almost ran into him and stumbled only to be caught at her shoulders and steadied by the other person.

"Geet" she heard a familiar voice and found Rehan, who was unmasked and was looking at her surprised. She saw a confusion pass over his face, which soon turned into concern as his eyebrows furrowed and his hold over her shoulder tightened, while she looked at him blankly.

"What happened?" she heard his steely voice and met his gaze.

Though her mask was still on, he could see her eyes and the hurt that lay within, the tears that flew nonstop and he felt those tears shoot daggers at his heart.

"What happened Geet tell me? Who hurt you?" he asked his voice turning steely every passing moment.

He saw her suddenly look at him with widened eyes. "N—Nothing, I am fine" she whispered and he could still make out the shiver in her voice.

"GEET" he hissed getting angry. "Just tell me god damn it, what the hell happened" he asked as he caught her shoulders again and pulled her closer.

"Who the hell hurt you?"

"No one hurt me" she muttered lifeless, and pushed his hands off and took steps back slowly.

"No one hurt me," she repeated again, shaking her head, looking at a distant point. "It was I who hurt everyone—" she trailed off as a sob escaped her lips and she closed her mouth with her palms in an attempt to control it.

"It was me, it is always me" she mumbled as she hiccupped.

He immediately reached out a hand to touch her, to lock her in his embrace and to provide her some much needed comfort but what came next surprised him. She took a step back, and shook her head. "Go away" she muttered, making him furrow his eyebrows at her strange behavior.

"Geet" he said, walking towards her and touched her arm, and opened his mouth to say something but she cut him in between by pushing his hands off her shoulders and took a step back.

"I am fine"

"Geet" he said taking a step closer, knowing better. He knew when she was down, she would shut herself from everyone, and run away from circumstances and that's exactly what she's doing right now, running away.

"Geet" he said trying to go close to her again only to see her taking another step back.

"Don't come near me" she said as she mumbled and took a step back as tears rolled down her eyes.

It hurt him. Her words and actions, but her tears hurt him more. They shot daggers at his heart but he moved forward, not wanting to give up easily, wanting to comfort her in any which way possible.

"Leave me alone Rehan, go away" she said slapping his arms, that were reached out to her.

"What's wrong Geet?"

"Nothing, nothing is wrong" she said as a low sob escaped her lips. "Please leave me alone. I beg of you. Let me cry in peace" she said folding her hands, turned her back to him, and ran, making him clench his fists in utter helplessness.

* * *

She finally stopped at the attic and closed her face in her palms feeling her eyes burn. She want to let it all out, she want to erase all the hurt she felt looking at his eyes, at the moment she pushed him. She pushed at him out of a reflex action, when he took her name, when she was snapped out of the trance, he put her in. Only after he stumbled back and uttered her name, had she recognized him.

She felt her fingers press her eyes, as she tried real hard to stop the burning sensation.

She felt foot steps behind her and turned rigid. She heard them coming closer to her and she quickly wiped her tears taking a breath.

"I asked you to leave me alone. Didn't I?" She asked facing her back to him. She expected him to leave but she couldn't hear any movement.

"For God's sake please go awa—" she said turning to face him, and as soon as she did, her words died at her lips and a gasp escaped her lips instead as she saw the sight before her. There was no Rehan in front of her, as she had expected. Instead, there stood Maan, looking at her square in the eye.

She took a sudden step back only to stumble on her long gown, and slipped back dangerously. But as her body stumbled back, he instantly moved forward, caging her petite form in his arms. However, they swayed due to the lack of balance and she fell against the pillar that was behind her, while he slipped and fell on her, his body pressing hers tight against the pillar. His one arm was under her head, while the other was behind her waist, which prevented her to get hurt, and instead nestled her closer to his chest. Her hands fisted his shirt, as she buried her face in his chest, her breath labored.

Once the initial fear of falling subsided, her eyes widened, as she noticed their position and quickly moved out of the hug, as his hands around her fell to his sides. She took a step back, but the pillar behind her subsided her moves and she ended up hitting her back against the pillar.

As soon as she stepped back, he felt as if someone ripped his heart alive. He felt the usual pain in his gut as he felt her cringe away from him— that's how he saw her movement.

He stepped closer to her and put his arms on either side of her head, trapping her.

He saw her lower her eyes, and her uneven breathing and not meeting his eye, showed him her feelings clearly— uncomfortable; that's what she is right now, and that's what she was whenever he was around.

He felt his hands formed fists, which rested on either side of her head.

"Why did you stop, go on, ask me to go away" he said in his harsh tone, making her flinch. She didn't dare lift her head. She fisted her dress, her breathing turning hard with every passing moment.

"Or do you think I am not even fit for you to say that?" he asked making her jerk her eyes up to look at him.

He saw the thin water layer in her eyes, and he reached his hand forward to remove the mask off from her face. He saw her close her eyes shut, and stopped his hand in mid way.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you" she heard him say, his voice soft. However, the next set of his words make her snap her eyes and look at him.

"I am not a monster," he told her, and it felt someone squeeze her heart as she heard something in his voice. Hurt?

He touched her mask and untied it so as to look at her face. Her face was an open book, and so he wanted to see her face, when he spoke his heart. He flung the mask away and faced her, only to have her look at the floor.

"Geet" she heard him utter in a soft voice, which made her give a shudder. She had never remembered him uttering her name, at least not like this. Suddenly her name, the four letter syllable looked beautiful, for it sounded like a reverent prayer coming from his lips.

She felt her nails dug into her hand as she felt the bile rise in her throat. She didn't want to look into his eyes now. She couldn't. However, his fingers made their way to her chin and tilted her face up, urging her to look at him. She looked down, blinking rapidly, but a soft command from his voice, saying "Look at me" made her slowly raise her eyes.

As soon as her eyes met his, she felt a pain in her chest, for the eyes, which held a warm expression few minutes ago, in the dance floor, was devoid of the warmth now. All that was visible in those pair of eyes was coldness, and that made her heart shatter. His expression was closed, and his lips were set in a grim line as he looked at her.

"Why did you run away?" his voice was blank, and sharp.

She felt her eyes lower but he jerked her chin up, startling her.

"Answer me" he bit out in a harsh whisper.

She felt her throat go dry, and her palms sweat out of nervousness.

"Can't you bear to be around me Geet? Does my presence makes you that uncomfortable?" he asked, and if she wasn't mistaken, there was an edge to his voice.

He caught her arms and pulled her closer, as his eyes furrowed in a deep frown. She involuntarily tried to wriggle from his painful grip. His eyes darted at his grip and her movements and something snapped in him.

So, she is cringing away from his touch now. All these days, he was content with having her at a distance. He assumed she was scared of him, but shows that he was wrong after all. She wasn't scared, she's repelled by him.

"Does my touch disgust you?" she heard his voice, which was just above a whisper and jerked her face to look into his eyes, suddenly going rigid in his arms.

"Tell me Geet, does my touch make your skin crawl?" he asked as his hands traveled from her shoulders to elbows, only to pull her closer.

"Does having me around you suffocate you?" his questions came on, while she stared at him, her eyes filling up.

"Oh, now I get it why do you run away after all," he told her leaving her elbow and taking a step back.

"I am sorry. I never thought I disgust you. If I knew it before, I never would have crossed my path with you" he said, but his hands formed fists, and his voice was raspy, and tears rolled down her cheeks, as each words of his shot daggers at her heart.

He stopped momentarily, as he witnessed her tears and his hands itched to wipe them off. However, he could not raise his hands, not knowing how she would react. Instead, he tucked his hands in his pockets and turned his back to her.

"Even now it is not late Geet, just ask me to never show my face, and I would try. I can't promise as it is practically impossible given we are neighbors but it isn't impossible too. Just say once, and you won't see my face again."

"I nn..never s..ss..said tt..that yyou yyou—" she trailed off.

He turned violently as he pinned her against the pillar. "When did you say anything?"

Her breath hitched as she stared into his eyes "When did you say anything at all Geet, all you do is run away. . . from me"

She felt her heart give out a shudder at his words. "Why?" she felt a whisper near her lips and raised her eyes to look into his eyes.

She opened her mouth to say something anything but words ditched her. Instead, she shook her head, as tears fell from her eyes.

"For once tell me what you feel Geet, tell me if you want me to remove my hands off you, tell me if my touch disgust you, tell me to get out of this place, if you want that from me, just like you wanted to moments ago. Finish your sentence Geet. Ask me to get out"

She then remembered what she was saying moments ago, when he entered. She thought it was Rehan, and asked him to get out and Maan thinks…

"It wasn't.. I wasn't.." she mumbled and closing her eyes, she blurted out "I wasn't expecting you"

She meant him coming into this room. She wasn't expecting him. She thought Rehan followed her, despite her asking him to do otherwise, however her words were misinterpreted.

His hands on her stilled as he looked the tears that rolled down from her now closed eyes.

"I wasn't expecting you"

She wasn't expecting him. Was there someone else she was expecting? Is that the reason why she opened her heart moments ago on the dance floor, thinking that he was someone else? Is it why she pushed him away?

"Who do you think I was?" he asked mechanically.

She opened her eyes now and he saw her lips tremble momentarily, before she said the name, that name which made his hands drop off her.

"Rehan"

His hands dropped off her elbows, and he took a step back.

"Rehan"

He could see the glimpses of past in front of his eyes like a motion picture, with every step he took back. He could see the moments she and Rehan had since childhood, their chases, their laughs, their fights, everything. He could see Rehan twirling her around this evening, and she laughing, throwing her head back. He could see her closing her eyes with a contented smile, while she was in his arms.

He moved back, as he suddenly felt a wave of disgust hit him. All these days he wondered why wasn't she looking at him. It never crossed his mind that she was looking through him, and at his brother. He felt repulsion on his own being for coming between his brother and Geet. He turned his back and stormed off the room, not being able to tolerate another minute here, after knowing that his Geet loved someone else and that someone was his brother.

Only if he had turned back once, he would have seen Geet extending an arm helplessly, as if to stop him, only to crumble down moments later on the ground, hide her face in her knees and break down...

* * *

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Originally posted by: Cloud9.

Sorry sorry sorry, so sorry for the late update. After ages, here I am again. This update is dedicated to Deepa. Belated happy birthday sweet heart. Also to Keshu ;) my sweetest sweetest Pardadi 🤗

thank u so so so much honey...kisses...gonna read and will comment tomorrow...

oh no!!!