~ll~ Mahapurush of the Week is Manita!~ll~ - Page 16

Khanak was packing her bags for the tour when Divya came running from outside and hugged her from her back. Divya was her cousin, her Mama's daughter, studying in class 12 and as enthusiastic and fun – loving as any 17 year old girl would be.

"Di, you are leaving? Have a nice time, haan?"

"Divya please….." Khanak shrugged and tried not to let her cousin's little mind wander in unseen crazy territories, "I am going for work dear…..I'll focus on that."

"Okay, I understand, what else can I expect from a boring person like you?" she teased her.

The sisters had a small teasing session and after that Khanak picked her bag and bid goodbye to her mama and mami and left for the tour to Panchgani, with her troupe.

Khanak was the only child of the Mittal's. After her mom's untimely demise, her dad remarried and relocated to Germany. Her mama (maternal uncle) brought her with him to take care of little 6 year old Khanak. She was with her mama since then. Though her mami never liked Khanak's coming to their house but a few days after Khanak stepped in their house, her mami received the good news that she had conceived. Her mama- mami had been a childless couple since 8 years now, and everyone said that this good news was due to positive vibes around Khanak. Mami gradually started tolerating Khanak, but her mama and now Divya loved her more than themselves.

Khanak took her small luggage and waited at the decided spot where the van was supposed to pick her up.

Shantanu had been sitting with ace photographer Vikram Behl and was discussing the photoshoot that was supposed to take place at Panchgani. After finalizing on a lot of things, Vikram stood up.

"Don't worry Shantanu, I will mail each and every detail to Khanak. You won't have any problem."

"Khanak?... a girl?" he raised his eyebrow mischievously.

"Didn't I tell you about my new intern. You have seen her work before..….."

"Yes, I remember…….the photographs was pretty impressive."

"She is very hard working and very talented. They will reach there by today evening as they will go by the van. You can drive and reach tomorrow, no issues about that…….I'll try to join you guys in 2-3 days….."

"I am fine……I trust you. If you have decided on someone to take care when you are here in an urgent work, then she must be good. And as you said that she is a girl……I don't mind at all…..." he smiled typically.

"Shantanu…….she is just not your type…..she will blow your senses out of you, if you try to mess with her……"

"Really? That's interesting……" he smirked.

In Panchgani, Khanak and the troupe reached on time and decided on some locations for the photoshoot. They were here for a video-shoot of a music video and the still-shoot for the same.

Shantanu was playing the lead…..he had a strong personality….he was handsome, was very much in demand, was good looking, stylish, had loads of attitude and innumerable girlfriends. Girls used to swoon over him and he never lost an opportunity to turn it in his favour. He changed girlfriends more often than his clothes…... And he was rather infamous for this one trait of him….. Khanak had been tired listening about him, his adventures, his girlfriends and Casanova image.

They all were put up in a small and quite hill resort at the outskirts of Panchgani. It was pretty and peaceful by every means of the word.

Khanak unpacked and set a few things in her room and looked out. It was usually dark very early in hill places like these and Panchgani was no different. It was hardly 6.30 and what she saw outside was darkness engulfing the woods and the few cottages around the resort. It was a secluded place nevertheless.

"Maybe I can manage a small walk before dinner. Then I'll sit at the net and jot down the instructions given by Vikram Sir…." She thought to herself.

The rest of the team and Shantanu were about to reach the next day so she had a night to formulate and prepare the necessary steps for the module.

She stepped out of her room and looked around. It was completely dark and quiet.

I really don't know where is everybody else. I need to find them too……

She had a walk around and felt much fresher. After that she finished dinner in the dining hall with everyone and retreated back to her room.

Everybody was put up in the ground floor. As, the first floor wing on left had only 3 rooms…..huge and spacious. 2 of them were allotted to Shantanu and Vikram Sir and hence were vacant today….. to be filled tomorrow and after 2 days….. The 3^rd was her's in the extreme corner.

She walked thorough their rooms thinking about them.

Vikram Sir…..ever so understanding and helpful….hope he finishes the work and joins us soon. This type of shoot needs a lot of experience. Hope I do justice to his confidence in me.

As she passed through 'his' room…..Shantanu…..have only seen him till now on TV and newpapers. But the way people are getting excited, he must be a prominent personality. I really hope the interaction goes well and uneventful, he doesn't have a good reputation when girls are concerned. One more thing, someone said that he is arrogant and rude too sometimes……hope I don't get to see that side….otherwise it is going to turn really bitter for all of us.

She had always been the one who guarded her self respect like a treasure and had lost many opportunities because of her self-esteem, but she hardly bothered as long as she could keep her head held high. She could adjust and compromise on anything but not on her principles and character.

Lost in these thoughts, she reached her room and opened the gate. It was completely dark inside and she cursed herself for not letting the lights on before leaving. She closed the door slowly behind her and as she turned, an unknown hand in the dark pulled her in his arms.

Shocked at this, she opened her mouth to scream but a strong palm covered her mouth and now she was trapped with his one arm on her waist and the other hand covering her mouth. She still tried hard but the figure in the dark thrust her to the nearby wall and settled her leaning on the wall. His hand was still on her mouth and he whispered, "Ssshh, keep quiet. It's me."

The confidence in the voice said that he wasn't an intruder or a rapist. He expected her to know her, but who was he…..she could not move and was completely enveloped by him leaning on her with his weight on her that she could hardly breathe and his hand still on her mouth when he leaned further and kissed her cheek.

She closed her eyes and tried to control her heart beats while thinking of ways to get out of his hold. She tried to struggle again, only to be pressed more by him. She could feel his cheek with a stubble on her own soft cheeks as he moved towards her ear after kissing her cheek. She could smell his cologne and feel his skin…..feel his breaths on her cheek, her ear and his soft palm…much softer for a male, yet firm on her mouth…..but she felt this only for a while and was back to her 'self defense' mode.

"What happened? Why are you behaving as if you don't know me….." the husky voice spoke in her ear like a hot melted sugar syrup burning her from inside. She wished she was with this man in better circumstances…..not like this.

She nodded her head vigorously, once again with a little meek sound from her throat….making his palm tighter on her mouth.

"You wanna shout?….. It seems my hand is not good enough for you. Stay quiet, I'll remove my hand……….but only for better things……. I'm going to kiss you now."

She shivered and dreaded the next step…..the effect of this man on her was already overpowering, intoxicating…….was he really going to kiss her ? No !!!

She didn't even know who he was !!

She prayed hard as he came closer and let all her stiffness loosen out. She eased herself and stopped struggling and lay completely motionless so that he eased too. Her trick worked and his hold became softer as he came still closer towards her and as he was about to remove his hand to be replaced by his lips……she gathered all courage, lifted her left foot and tapped it strongly over his foot.

"Ouch…." He stepped a little away and she used all her force to push him and started to go out. As she reached for the latch, she realized that while she had pushed him, he had bumped into a small Almirah on the left of the wall and had hurt on his forehead, she would have hardly cared if he had not whined with a ….. "Shelly !!"

So, he thought that she was Shelly?….Ohh, she discovered the confusion. The room that they were in right now was originally booked for Shelly, the female lead.

She turned back. It was still dark and they couldn't see each other, "I am not Shelly….. were you thinking that I am Shelly?"

"What? Then, who are you……?"

"Are you hurt?" she asked slowly, still maintaining a comfortable distance and being near the door to make a safe exit when required. She however gathered that he had misunderstood her for Shelly and won't harm her now.

"Nah…it's okay ! I'll manage….." he moved towards the door.

"Shelly's room is downstairs…..2^nd room from left….." she spoke softly, as he crossed her.

"I thought, this was supposed to be Shelly's room….." he voiced his doubt.

"It was……but this room is more secluded and she felt scared staying here alone. Rest of the two rooms on this floor are empty ….….."

He stood still for a minute and turned to lean back towards her and said in a deep baritone and flirtatious bent to his voice, "Don't 'you' feel scared?"

"Do you want another push?" she asked.

This question made him laugh and he didn't reply back.

"I am expecting a 'sorry' from you….." she said.

"I know that….……but I did not say it purposefully…….…as I am not." The last part was the huskiest, stirring her from within.

She locked the door from inside as he left with swift steps surprising her completely.

What kind of a man he was ?…..looking for Shelly first, later he started flirting with me…….

In this darkness and seclusion, he could have misbehaved and could have taken advantage ….but he didn't. He just left after he got to know that she was not Shelly…..

Hmm……she tried to stop thinking of him.

She was tired but had a lot of work. She changed and sat with her laptop and notes but in between every few minutes, she couldn't help but remember this small, strange meeting with a complete stranger and no matter, how hard she tried…she couldn't shun away his smell, the feel and his touch over her.

She finished her work and was off to sleep.

In the morning, she met everyone at the breakfast table downstairs. And with rest of them, she saw a new face…..very good looking and handsome…..she knew him and he was the one who she was supposed to work closely with…….Shantanu.

She could see a small band-aid on his forehead and smiled inwardly when someone mentioned that he had reached last night itself.

So, it was him, last night in her room…….Shantanu, the playboy and the Casanova…..

Serves him right…..she thought.

He looked up at her while they were being introduced and got to know that her room was next to his on the first floor. Their eyes met only for seconds, but as if they knew each other since ages…..and she couldn't guess what, but their eyes did talk to each other.

Slowly, the people drifted away to meet in an hour and move for the shoot of the video first.

She got up to get her coffee and saw that though he had finished…..he didn't go.

They were the only two left and he came to stand behind her.

"So, I was in your room?……...I hope you will not turn last night's fiasco into gossip news and use it to boost your ego."

She felt extremely insulted and though she cursed him heavily from inside……still, she turned to him and smiled, "Don't worry. Luckily, I am not in a profession, where I would need cheap publicity ….. my work speaks for me."

It was time for him to taste the dose of an insult. It crept on his face and she could see it very clearly, when he said, "Good for you……. as even if you tell people, no one is going to believe you….."

"Really? But, I thought you had a reputation of sorts with girls……people have already told me about you…..everyone knows you….."

"People must have definitely told you about me…..but I think they forgot to mention, that I maintain a class. And you don't figure in any of my lists….I get turned on by classy and sexy girls…..absolutely not by behenjis like you."

"How dare you?" she said with a bitterness and hurled her hand towards him with a strong jerk, which he could not guess, whether was aimed to slap him or scratch his face, but he was quick and timely enough to hold her wrist and stopped it in air. He held her tightly at her wrist and twisted it to take it towards her back and tuck it at her back making her come closer to him in the process.

For a moment, their eyes met. She remembered the last night's fiasco and it seemed that even he did. But, it was hardly for few seconds.

"Take it easy baby…..good girls don't get physical with men." He said in a flirtatious tone.

"Dare if you talk to me like that….." she was trapped once again but resisted strongly.

"One thing that I'll simply add in my previous statement on turn -ons…...a wild and a strong girl is the biggest turn-on……….so now you are topping my charts. I'll see to it that you are mine, before we leave this place."

"Am I supposed to take it as a compliment? It was rather, very cheap……"

"Take it as you please," he left her and moved to the table to pick up his shades.

"Dare if you try to come to my room again…." she warned him.

He laughed loudly at this and said, "I think you did not collect proper information about me. I had a chance last night….did I do anything to harm you, once I knew that you are not Shelly? I left like a gentleman…..because sweetheart, I 'am' a gentleman. I don't force myself on anyone….people come closer to me like iron does to magnet. I don't misbehave unless someone forces me to….."

"I just saw a glimpse of how gentlemanly you treated me, right now….." she refuted his claims with a sarcasm, nursing her almost red wrist with her other hand.

"You started it……I just requested you to keep quiet and you said that I make news for cheap publicity."

"Hello….you did not request……you almost thought that I would boost my ego by taking your name…."

"There is nothing wrong in thinking like that..…….girls often do that…..….to raise their reputation…..."

"Sorry to disappoint you but presence with you runs the risk of damaging any girl's reputation than raising it……."

Saying this, she left the room making him smile behind her.

After that, they spent a lot of time at the shoot. She was worried that he would embarrass her but he didn't even look at her and she was relaxed.

After lunch hour, she had to do a solo photo shoot with him and this made her a little nervous.

Relax Khanak! You are not alone with him….there will be people for lighting….for make up….other smaller work. Relax ! Calm down…..she told herself.

"Thinking about me?" he came towards her and spoke so low that it was only for her ears.

"I have much better work in life…." She lied and this amused him.

"You are lying…..it's written clearly on your face that 'I am missing Shantanu'…."

"You think so highly of yourself, right?" she signaled him to sit at a particular place on a rock. It was an outdoor shoot coupled with a music video, so they had to keep a lot of things including landscaping clear in their minds.

"It is natural for anyone in my place….." he spoke while sitting and adjusting his jacket.

"Why? What is so special about you?" she said this, very casually, as a matter-of-fact, while kneeling on one knee and adjusting her camera.

He was shocked at this question….. recomposing himself took a few minutes, before she said, "Can you please turn to this side…..and keep this expression on your face…..suits you….." she said smiling.

"I think it's going to be the best photo shoot ever……...you will keep ragging me and I will retain these intense expressions throughout….….." he said jokingly but was obviously upset. This was the first time in his life that a girl had asked him that 'what was so special about him.'……

After a few clicks he came towards her…..she was busy on the digital screen of her SLR and was pondering over the improvement required to add contrast. She was startled with his voice as she was focused on the camera and was almost about to drop her camera.

"Hey…."

"Can't you stop startling me?" she accused.

He ignored her remark and sat near her, "Did you really mean it when you said that there is nothing special in me?"

"Why does it even matter to you?" she spoke in a soft but indifferent tone, still busy with her work.

She was right…..he thought…..why did it matter to him?….she was a nobody as compared to him….she was not related to him…..she was not his friend…..so why did her opinion matter ?

Still it did……he was not able to guess why……

"Just wanted to know, a neutral POV………how can you think that I have nothing special to flaunt about? I am good looking, handsome, stylish, educated, very rich and a successful professional, any thing that a girl could ask for, in a man……"

She listened to this and smiled at his over confidence as well as his innocence……..

Turning to him, she said, "look……everybody has different criteria….. for me physical attributes do nothing. All I look for, in a man, is a strong character and you lack there. So, for me, you have nothing……" she said this lightly but very firmly and got up to instruct the lighting arrangement.

He kept sitting where he was…… as she had disturbed him immensely. But what he couldn't understand was why her words shook him every time she was near him…..he was not used to this kind of response from any girl. All he had seen till now was girls drooling and swooning on him waiting for his attention and dying to be with him…..even if it meant being with him in his bed…

He had never experienced any difficulty with any girl at any point of time and he almost assumed that he was an irresistible magnet……...until this girl came from nowhere and woke him up.

He was intrigued……He got up and again went to talk to her.

"SK…..we have decided that the light is poor right now and the sun has set…..so rest we will shoot tomorrow. Can you manage getting up early?" she spoke as a thorough professional.

"My name is Shantanu Khandelwal……...not SK….."

"That is too long……I don't have that much time," she spoke nicely while picking up her bag and camera.

The rest of the crew started winding up too and she walked in the direction of their resort which was quiet far…..it was around 20 minutes of walk if someone walked fast enough.

"Are you not taking the van?" he asked from a distance.

"No, I am walking down…..I feel like walking today and will see a bit of the place too. " After walking for a few steps, she noticed a pretty wild flower at the ground among many thorns and she automatically kneeled down adjusting the camera and took it's picture.

She checked it back on the screen and felt happy…..….she smiled and pressed her lips breathing in the beauty of the place and was surprised to see him standing and observing her from a few steps away. He smiled too and this made her conscious and she stood up.

"Very pretty," he said while looking at the flower, "but 'Tch'…..so many thorns….good to look at, but difficult to hold….."

"We don't need to hold everything we like…..sometimes, it is fine to appreciate from a distance….just by looking at something."

He understood her reply to his analogy in the same reference that he had said.

"Will you come with me for dinner? Think before replying…….no girl has ever refused me."

"What makes you think that I will say yes?"

"I don't think that……I am just hoping…..."

"Why are you even thinking of me?…..I am a typical 'behenji'…..not exactly hot and sexy as per your standards……."

"I told you that you are still topping my charts……..now for various reasons….."

"I am yet another game for you……..and you have challenged yourself that how quickly you can get me in your bed."

He shrugged, "It isn't about the bed thing every time……."

"Oh I'm so surprised…….So, tell me - what do you look for, when you date a different girl every time …….soulmate? I'm so sure against that…."

"I'm just so confused with you, I don't know what it is….….but I want to know….…."

"Do you really want to know? I'll tell you – you find me interesting as you couldn't get me easily…….the tougher the target, the more interesting the game…..right?"

She turned and started walking.

"You can't act indifferent. It seems I don't affect you at all…..…" he walked with her and said in a frustrated tone.

"SK…..we are here to work…."

"My name is not SK…….." He stressed again.

"Shantanu is a long word for me…."

"Call me Shaan then…."

"All girls call you that…..I am not that bracket…." She stopped and turned to reply.

"Which bracket are you, then?" he asked huskily, coming closer.

"No bracket…….I am just not associated with you….. at all……" she said turning away.

He followed her and held her wrist softly yet firmly.

"Leave my hand, someone will see us."

"There's nobody here……and it is quiet dark."

"Please leave….." she pleaded.

He let her go…….and she swiftly swept through the deserted road to turn towards the mall road.

Their one week tour extended to 10 days as Vikram couldn't join them after 2 days and the heroine Shelly had to go for a prior commitment for 3 days in between. They had been working since 4 days now and he stared at her relentlessly whenever he was with her and she avoided all his gazes and attention.

"Coffee?? After we wrap up?" he asked once again, in hushed tone.

"Do you ever give up?"

"I don't…….I have been asking since 4 days now and you have been refusing….."

"What makes me so interesting for you?"

"Everything……everything about you attracts me….." he said it in a way that it became hard for her to control her racing heart beats.

Somebody was interested in her…..since childhood, nobody had ever shown this much interest in her. There were men who proposed to her or confessed liking to her, but backed off once she showed disinterest. She always had this no-nonsense attitude since childhood. And she scared people away by this serious demeanour. For the first time, she was being pursued with this passion.

But, the only problem was that her pursuer was SK…..who himself didn't know how long any girl could sustain his interest in herself. No, she wasn't going to get hurt….

"Go away……I am not interested……." She removed the lens from the camera and put it in it's case.

"Tell me one reason and I'll go away…."

"You don't respect women…." She kept doing her work and avoided looking at him directly.

"No….that is wrong. I do respect women……...a lot. I respect my mom, my nani, my dadi, my sisters, cousins…..lots of women."

She kneeled down to pick up her bag from the floor, hiding her smile.

"Why are you smiling?"

"By women, I meant all women……not your relatives and mom."

"I respect 'you'……..is that enough?"

Another sentence to make the now calming heart beats to go fast again. He definitely knew how to speak effectively….especially with girls.

"I was not talking about myself." She got up from the ground and placed her bag on her shoulders.

"Khanak, a person gets what he asks for and what he portrays that he wants….….you expect nothing but respect and I give you that. Have I ever been mean or disrespectful to you? Same is the case with mom and other relatives……they demand respect and get it. Self –respect is in our own hands…….we tell others whether to respect us or not. Any other girl never asked for it"

She liked him comparing her with his mom and relatives…..in fact she loved it. He had kept her apart from other girls. And one thing that she was sure of him…..was that he was anything but fake. If he said it…….. he meant it……

"I don't want you to think that someone could fill in for the time Shelly is out…….Isn't she your official girlfriend?"

"Official? Is she a document?"

"I mean declared….."

"Leave that non-sense, come with me for coffee…." He pleaded again.

"No….I don't want to be seen with you."

"Why?"

"I have a reputation……" she couldn't complete the sentence as he interrupted.

"And you think that it will get spoilt?"

"Yeah…….I think……"

"Please come……just 1 coffee…." he insisted again.

She gave it a thought and finally gave in, "Only 1 coffee….."

His face lit up like a kid….

She was still not sure why she agreed to his invite. But she genuinely liked him. She observed him over the cup of coffee and felt that what he said about himself was right. He was definitely good looking and attractive…..he was successful and rich….he was very stylish with loads of attitude ….

but then, what was he doing here with her?

If only……he was't Shantanu……she sighed.

She had imagined a prince charming in her dreams sweeping her off her feet. Someone who would persistently and passionately follow her….…... Someone who wouldn't care for the world, just because of her. Someone who would be hers…… forever and ever……someone who would marry her and make her feel the most special person on this earth……..but this was not the case here.

He was SK and he definitely did not believe in anything of the above. He was a playboy and she was another game……

She was back to reality after a nice fairy tale trip.

But she was sadder now………. disappointed and disgusted.

They didn't talk much and she didn't know what he was thinking. But when they got up, she observed that a small group of 3-4 college going girls spotted him in this small coffee shop and rushed to talk to him. She stepped aside and gave them space, but he didn't even look at them properly. His eyes were on her as she moved outside to wait in the garden area.

He reached there within a few minutes and they walked quietly. She couldn't believe that they had met just 4 days back as she could feel a certain warmth in him as if they had known each other since years.

After dinner, late at night…..some of his close friends, the director, the choreographer and the manager sat around a campfire as it was getting colder…..Vikram had joined them in the evening.

This was a group that talked everything and teased each other. Amongst loads of leg pulling and jokes, someone asked, "Hey Shaan, when is Shelly coming back?"

"I……I don't know……" he said confused, looking at Khanak, who was observing him.

"Of course, why would you know or care? You got another 'time pass' here….."

"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

"I saw you sitting with someone in that secluded coffee shop, but I didn't disturb." Said the choreographer of this video.

Khanak froze at the thought of being seen with him. He looked at her face immediately to check whether she was fine.

"Oh wow, did you see who she was ?" someone asked.

"No, I could just see the back and actually I didn't feel like watching also….why to disturb the love birds." They all laughed at it.

"Come'on yaa……Can't I sit with some one and have coffee? She was a serious and sensible girl….not everyone is an affair….."

Everyone laughed at this comment from him….

"Serious and sensible? Then what was she doing with you? Accept it Shaan…..you are a hot property and girls find you as irresistible as an ant finds honey….they just can't stay away from you."

"Even, I think the same…..but the quality lies in Shaan…..how does he manage is a big question…he gets a girl anytime, anywhere….as if they are just waiting for his approval ?" said someone else.

"How do you do it Shaan?…..sometimes I feel I need to learn a lot from you…" laughed the director and everyone teased him.

Khanak had picked up her plate and excused herself on the note that she felt cold and needed to bring her shawl.

"Shut up everyone," Shaan was very angry, "Can't you all think and speak?……I was simply sitting and having coffee…..there is no need to derive any meaning out of it…"

"Oh yeah……we understand these things boy…..." Added Vikram and made everybody laugh again.

"You guys are disgusting….." he became angry and got up to leave. They were already planning to get up so everybody started dispersing, least perturbed by his anger and protest.

Khanak cried inconsolably after reaching her room. They had not seen her and their cheap talks about the girl made her so upset. Had they seen her, what impression, she would have made on all…….

What if people come to know…..or media? What if mama – mami and Divya come to know of it? She had not done anything wrong, how would she prove it?

No one will believe them……..

He would be least affected….it was another feather in his cap, but she would lose all her reputation. People will look at her as an easily available chick. Mama-mami will consider her as a bad influence on Divya….she felt all the hard work of years going into the drain.

She did not need this…..she did not need to talk to him at all.

There was still time and she should let good sense prevail. Let sanity be her saviour. Avoid him at any cost……..she told herself !!

She was still crying, when she heard the knock on her door. It was a very soft knock.

She spoke softly, "Who's that?"

"Khanak, it's SK?"

"Please go…….I don't want to talk….."

"Just open the door, for few minutes…….please…"

"Go……please," she pleaded.

"If you don't open, I'll knock louder and create a scene here….."

She shuddered at the thought and without thinking much, she immediately opened. He came inside and closed the door behind him.

"Why are you crying? No one saw you….."

"But, they could have……look, we don't need this at all…...did you see what impression it leaves on just being spotted with you? It might not make much difference to you, but will spoil my life……." She spoke in a flow.

"What are you speaking? Calm down….." he held her hand but she took it away with a jerk.

"Khanak……listen to me….."

"No…..please go……I don't want you here?"

"Do you want me in your life?"

She was shocked at this unexpected question and replied with a firm, "No….."

"You are lying…." He placed his hands on her shoulders.

She was irritated at his words, "Why are you always so confident of yourself? Everyone has to like you……...everyone has to want you….."

"I am not bothered about everyone anymore…..in fact I am not bothered about anyone now……It's just 'you'………." he looked at her eyes intensely.

Her tears had stopped but eyes were still moist and cheeks still wet. He raised his hands to wipe off her tears, "Just give me a chance, I'll correct everything about myself. I'll see to it that you get respect when you are with me."

"I am a very simple girl…..how will you prove that I was not throwing myself at you?…..and after few years, I don't know how people will look at me…..."

"I'll handle everything, no one will point a finger at you……I promise."

"For how long?…….till you get another game to stimulate you?"

"I'll be honest………I really don't know why I am doing this and what do I want…..but please let me give a chance to this, 'coz I have never felt like this before……."

"This is a transient feeling….." she said softly, "believe me, it will fade away with time."

"Aren't you attracted to me?" he said in a husky voice, coming closer.

His proximity disturbed her and she stepped back. He kept coming closer and she kept stepping back till her back rested on the wall near the door. And he did not stop and took her face in his hands, cupping her cheeks in his palms.

Finally, she managed to speak, "Getting attracted is different from trying to get what you like. Like that flower in the woods….We can't try to get everything we like…..I have learnt to appreciate things from a distance and move ahead."

"But, I haven't………….I want you……….." he whispered huskily

"Leave me………..you are insane……"

"For the first time in my life, I feel like protecting someone, respecting someone and thinking beyond making love……..….."

She did not respond, just kept looking at him with moist eyes. It was a trap that she knew of and still she had fallen in it……he was an ocean and she had lost herself in it….

His gaze traveled from her eyes to her other features and stayed on her lips for a while. He bent down and placed his lips firmly on hers. It was more than a peck but much less than a kiss as she did not respond back…..slowly, he moved away. Immediately, she raised her hand and gave him a tight slap.

He was shocked at this and bit his lower lip between his teeth. She was shocked herself and felt terrified expecting a strong response from him but he kept standing still and did not react.

She could see the effect of her slap in form of visible red marks of her fingers on his cheek……..

"I'm sorry….." she panicked.

"It's okay…..….I deserved it…….." and he moved slightly away from her.

In an impulse she leaned towards him and wound her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, before hugging him, "I'm so………. so sorry………please forgive me."

He held her by placing his hands on her back and drew her closer, hugging her back tightly.

"Thanks……" he said softly in her hair.

"For what?" she was surprised.

"For slapping me…….Trust me, I've never met a girl before, who guarded her character and self-esteem this fiercely……..will never let you down……I was really confused about what I felt for you. I knew that it was love but couldn't make myself accept it..…just wanted someone to make me understand what exactly it was…...…"

"So…..?"

He moved away to look at her face, in her eyes.

"Your slap helped……… I would have never taken it from any other girl, but when 'you' slapped, I felt like taking you in an embrace and assuring you that I won't leave you ever…… ….I've never said it to anyone before, 'coz I have never felt it..….. I love you Khanak."

"I don't know if I love you……..it's too early to say………but I want to."

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