FF: Forever and Always........Updated link to Thread 2 - Page 2

PART-1

It was time for college fest. They were in final year and like every year this year also XYZ College had arranged the fest. Meera was one of the event coordinators. She still remembered that fateful night when Armaan lost his life. Many others were there with him. But watching Geet not mourn for him yet being a zombie had been unravelling.

It was fine in the beginning but then she realized that it was unhealthy. Geet did not cry, not even a single drop, for Armaan. But she was consumed by her own grief so much so that she stopped communicating at all. It was ages she had heard that once chatty girl really talk. Geet spends most of her time studying as if she does not want herself to give a minute of time for memories. Meera knows better not to believe in this faade.

Geet never really sleeps. It is as if Armaan had taken away with him everything positive in her. Geet was silently doing her work of painting. Geet had always been a good painter. Like every year, she participated in the competition. Meera stood behind Geet watching her work with her brush. She was a confident painter and each stroke of hers proved that.

The painting itself was much different. Instead of the landscape she put for last year this was of a girl. The girl was staring up watching the sunset yet the clouds had taken a beautiful shape, almost as if of two pairs of eyes watching the girl from heaven. The pair of eyes was known to Meera as was the emotions behind those eyes. It was full of love, hope...something which reminded her of Armaan.

She held Geet by her shoulder and Geet stopped working. Meera held her gaze and asked softly,"Geet, what's this?"

Geet turned back slowly and watched Meera with hollow emotionless eyes as she spoke," Meera, today was his Birthday. I didn't know why I drew this. But I could not help myself."

Meera just hugged her knowing well she won't cry. She had closed herself off imprisoning herself with her grief, with her pain and with her loneliness...

Meera said in a neutral voice," Finish it off babes!!! I am sure you will win."

Geet smiled a cordial smile and said," hmm."

Geet was back to complete her painting. Every stroke itself was crying out her pain as she was giving colors to her imagination. Meera smiled and thought ruefully," I hope one day you meet someone from your destiny who have the keys to open your heart again. I wish you get the one who will fill your life with hopes and dreams again."

The commencement of the fest brought on bright smile on everyone's face save one person. Geet mechanically did what she was supposed to do. But soon she felt suffocated. She remembered the excitement in Armaan's voice when he had got a chance to represent the college for inter-college quiz competition.

Armaan:"Geet, Geet, Geet!!!"

And he twirled her around in glee. They were standing at their spot. It was nothing special, just a beautiful lake surrounded by hills. The meadow was filled with wild flowers.

Geet:"Put me down Armaan!!"

Armaan:"I got through. Geet am the one representing our college for inter-college quiz competition. This is the first time a first year is allowed in the team. I am so glad Geet..."

Geet smiled widely. His smile was infectious. She said in a soft voice," I am sooo happy for you Armaan."

They hugged each other in glee sharing the happiness.

Geet was brought back to her present as she realized that was the last time they visited their spot. Geet was always alone for all other visits. But this place already gave her solace. She could always feel Armaan's presence here.

Geet came to the spot and looked far away towards the horizon. She wanted to feel that touch again; she wanted to feel that love again. She wanted to hope, to dream, to laugh, to love again. But she was helpless. Armaan was gone never to come back and with him she had also died.

The slight breeze made her smile a bit as she raised her foot dipping it into the lake. The chilliness of the water gave her a pain making her remind of another day from past.

Armaan was sitting in the edge. It was quite cold this early morning. But Geet was in full mood for naughtiness. She came from behind with noiseless steps and pushed him. Armaan was totally unprepared for this unnecessary push and was plunged into the water splashing water in all directions.

That time the chilliness she felt had made her happy while today it was painfully cold. It was the warmth of Armaan's love that had covered her around in a blanket cocooning her with it.

She suddenly saw something shining below the water surface. It was sparkling and she leaned forward to get a better view. She was busy trying to figure out what was the thing below the surface of water when she was harshly yanked away. She looked up to find a tall, well-built person standing in front of her with his eyes spitting fire.

Stranger:" Are you out of your mind? You could have fallen into the water?"

Geet watched his eyes without listening to him. His eyes were so beautiful and it had some hidden pain. Armaan's eyes were beautiful as well but the stranger's eyes had more depth. Suddenly she realized she had been staring at him for quite long and it is rude to do so.

She slowly tried releasing her arms trying to put some distance between them and said in a soft passive tone," What are you trying to say?"

The stranger was exasperated by now and said in quite a loud voice," Don't you understand English or what? Why were you standing so much near the edge? You could have fallen down and...

Geet smiled a polite smile and cut in between saying," And I would have swam back up again. I know the stupid daily soaps portray women as some crippled creature who need saving at every moment of their life. But I don't need you to save me. But thank you for your concerns."

The stranger stood stupefied and said in a soft voice," Not everybody knows swimming. I am sorry for intruding in your private space but I genuinely thought you would fall down."

His words were simple but the pain laced beneath the words made her turn back to the old time. That day after pushing Armaan when he surfaced with little difficulty, he admitted sheepishly that he cannot swim. She remembered her alarmed state thinking what could have happened over her innocent prank. Armaan had hugged her soothingly and said," I could never learn swimming Geet. I am severe hydrophobic. I fear water. Who knew a little mermaid will come in my life making me love waters?"

She had shied away hiding herself in his broad chest inside the folds of his arms.

Geet remembered that Armaan will never come back to soothe her fears again. Somewhere she did not know why but she felt connected to the stranger's pain. She softly said," You do not need to say sorry for trying to save me. Sorry if I had sounded rude. "

Geet left the place and reached her hostel room. The stranger had not said another word but just nodded his head. Geet found Meer in room working on some presentation on her laptop. She just took out her diary and started writing there:

Dear Armaan,

I am back writing my daily experience with you. I finished off my painting for the competition. You know your eyes found its place in the drawing. I really did not intend on doing so but don't know why it just happened. I miss you Armaan. I wanted you to be with me, us sharing a life. Meer tells me every day to let go, to move on. But I cannot. It feels wrong to let go. I feel like I am cheating you Armaan. I have learnt to be alive without you in past three years. But I cannot live with someone else. I have enough memories of us to spend my life.

You know Armaan, today a strange thing happened. I found a stranger at our place. Don't worry, he was kind of sweet. He tried to save me from falling down in fact. But I did not need his saving Armaan. I need you to save me from this loneliness, this lifelessness. He had strange painful eyes Armaan. The type you get lost into. In fact I got lost too. Does that make me a bad person Armaan? Did I cheat on you Armaan? But he had a strange thing about him that got me connected to him. Not any type of romantic connection but a connection of pain. I felt like me, he is also waiting for someone who cannot come back. But then, I don't think we will ever meet again. Let's say we both are two strangers connected by something I cannot fathom. But I will always love you Armaan. It will always be you dear.

Forever and Always

Yours Geet

Geet kept her diary away and stood at the window. The dusk had completely set in. Nights were her friend. The darkness consumes everything and she does not need to pretend to be happy. She can just sit and cry and for once just wanted to be herself.

Meera was tired of trying to bring Geet back to normalcy. But she failed. Geet had replied in one little sentence," I had my perfect fairy tale right here when I lost everything. I don't know how to just bounce back again Meera?"

Meera is still searching for the answer. After all if bouncing back had been so easy she would herself have done that when Yash had left her for Pari. She wondered if happiness had become just a myth. Everybody is struggling just to survive.

Thank you for your comments everyone. I have read through them but could not reply. Sorry!!! Here is the part 1. The red parts are geet's memories of past. Hope you enjo it. Do comment and like and those who wants pm please add me in their buddy list.