OS: O Re Piya

The ambiance was perfect. The smell of roses mixing in the air, the tiny flames of hundreds of candles illuminating the room, the cool breeze coming in through the windows. There she stood, glowing like a goddess in the light. There she stood, looking like a princess in the red saree. There she stood, the woman who'd cast a spell on his heart.

He had come here looking for her so she could explain how Pari had decided to leave in the middle of her assignment but all words died in his mouth when he'd seen Geet come out from behind the shadows. His heart still bled from her words, yet he could not control its beating erratically when he saw her. His ears still rang with her accusations, yet he could not stop them from yearning to hear her voice. His skin turned cold at the thought of how she'd pushed him away from her, yet he could not help that his blood burned with desire to just have her touch him again.

He walked towards her. With each step forward he took, she took one back until she ran into the twisted iron banister of the stairs. He walked forward and with each step he closed the distance between them. As his eyes looked into hers, she bashfully looked away.

"Geet," he said in a low, husky voice.

She looked up at him with her cat like eyes.

"Pari kahaan hai Geet?" he asked.

She blinked and looked away, "Mujhe nahin maloon."

He knew she was lying. She'd never been able to look him in the eyes and lie. Even that night at the club, try as she might, she couldn't look him directly in the eyes and say she didn't feel anything for him. She couldn't look him directly in the eyes and say that she didn't love him. Instead she'd looked him directly in his eyes and made excuses. She didn't tell lies, just half truths.

"Phirse pooch raha hoon Geet…Pari kahaan hai?" he asked again, this time a bit more forcefully.

"Main nahin jaanti," she said turning her face away from him.

"Mujhse jhoot bol rahi ho Geet?" he accused.

She looked back at him with shocked eyed.

"Mujhe aapse kuch nahin kehna," she said as she pushed herself away from the banister. "Jaane dijiyeh mujhe."

He didn't budge.

"Please Sir, mujhe jaane dijiyeh," she pleaded.

He'd never been able to deny her anything, so he stepped aside.

As she turned to leave, the corner of her anchal got stuck between the twisted designs of the banister, causing it to cascade off her shoulder. He heard her gasp as she became frozen with embarrassment and shame. There she stood, her short blouse accentuating her midsection with the red fabric hanging loosely to the banister. He body was perfect he knew, but he refused to look. He'd protected her honor numerous times, he was not going to dare and dishonor her like this. He looked at her face. He involuntarily swore as he saw tears begin to glisten in her eyes.

Silently he moved another step towards her. She inhaled and held her breath, as if waiting to see what he was going to do. Without any words, he simply untangled her anchal from the iron. When she felt it was lose she moved away only to feel a tug from behind.

"Ruko Geet," he whispered.

As he came around her, her eyes were closed, here breathing shallow, her cheeks red from shame. He draped the fabric across her body and over her shoulder, returning her dignity to her. It was then that she opened her eyes and looked at him. He knew her innocent eyes. Now…now those innocent eyes housed questions.

"Tumhe kya laga Geet?" he asked as his anger began to surface. "Main kya karunga tumhare saath?"

She didn't answer – of course.

"Tumhe kya laga, main aaisa kuch karunga tumhare saath? Kuch ghalat karunga main tumhare saath?" he asked as he pulled her body so close it was pressed hard against his.

"Main tumhare saath……." his voice died. After just a second he pushed her away keeping her at arms length. "Nahin Geet nahin," he began. "Tumhare saath aaisa kuch karne ke bare mein toh main sooch bhi nahin sakta."

He saw guilt and remorse in her eyes.

"Tumhare saath koi baatamezi kare woh main bardasht nahin karunga. Toh main khud kaise tumhare saath kuch karoon jiske vaje se tumhari izzat pe koi aanch aaye?" he asked.

She stood silently, her eyes down cast unable to meet his.

"Tumhare saath aaisa kuch karne se pehle main marjaunga Geet," he said.

Instantly she looked up, her eyes wide with pain.

"Main tumse pya…" he'd begun.

His sentence remained incomplete as she put a hand over his mouth.

"Please Sir, aur kuch maat kahiyeh," she begged.

He raised his hand to meet with hers. When he touched her, it was like fire rushing into his heart. Gently he pulled her hand away from his lips, down to the side but still he didn't let go.

"Kyun naa kahoon Geet? Kyun?" he questioned.

She pulled out of his grasp and ran to the open window, her face radiant in the moonlight.

As he approached her, he saw the tears running down her face. He knew that it killed her to run away from him, just as much as it killed him to stay away from her. He knew that deep down, she too felt like he did. He knew, that something – something – was holding her back.

O re piya haye

Udne laga kyon man baawla re
Aaya kahan se yeh hosla re
O re piya haye

He held her shoulders and turned her so that she faced her. With her eyes still looking away, he gently wiped away the horrid tears that felt like daggers in his heart as they dropped.

Tanabana tanabana bunti hawaa haaye bunti hawa
Boondein bhi to aaye nahi baaz yahan

Sagish mein shaamil sara jahan hai
Har zare zare ki yeh iltiza hai

He took her hand and pulled her close as a shudder suddenly went down his spine. Was it from the breeze that just blew in, or was it from her beauty? He didn't know.

O re Piya
O re Piya haye
O re Piya

Holding her waist with one hand, he took her hand in his other. It was like imaginary orchestra played as their bodies began to sway. So in sync, so in rhythm, so engrossed with each other.

ni re ,re re ga
ga ga ma
ma ma pa
pa ma ga re sa
sa re re sa
ga ga re
ma ma ga
pa pa ma
dha dha pa
ni ni sa sa pa
pa sa ma pa dha ni sa ni
re ni sa sa sa

He twirled her until she was breathless. Her luscious locks making contact with his face like tiny, silky feathers.

Nazrein bolen duniya tole
dil ki zaban haaye dil ki zubaan
Ishq maange ishq chahe koi toofan

Chalna aahiste ishq naya hai
Pehla yeh vada humne kiya hai

She looked up at him, their eyes locking unable to look away. It was all new to them. A new flutter in their hearts, a new path to take, a new bend in the road, a new feeling to explore, a new emotion to treasure. Their bodies almost one, unable to break apart. Their hearts beating wildly, unable to calm down. Their souls talking swiftly, unable to keep quiet.

O re piya haaye
O re piya
Piyaaaaa

yehhh piya

The fire burned strong between them. The fire burned stronger than anything else in the world. The love poured from their souls. The trust and respect shone in their eyes. He pulled her close.

Nange pairo pe angaro
Chalti rahi haaye chalti rahi
Lagta hai ke gairo mein main
Palti rahi haaye

He pulled her close, cradling her safely in his arms. He wanted to take her away from everything. He wanted to take her away to a place where it was just them two, not another thing between them. He wanted to take her away to a place where pain and tears would never find her.

Le chal wahan jo
Mulk tera hai
Jahil zamana
Dushman mera hai

Haaye

He felt the moment was fleeting. He felt her barriers coming back up. He spun her out, then spun her in causing her to crash into his body. Automatically her arms went around his neck, his around her waist. Automatically she pushed ever so slightly as he drew her in. Automatically she held on tight as he embraced her……mind, body and soul.

O re piya haye

She pulled away, but it didn't shock him. He knew her better than he knew himself. She took only two steps forward before he caught her anchal so that she couldn't go further. The sheer, intricately done, red fabric created a flimsy barrier between them.

"Mujhse daarti ho Geet?" he asked as he took a step closer.

She shock her head in response.

"Phir mujhse door kyun bhagti ho?" he asked in a raspy voice.

"Main…main aapse bhag nahin rahi hoon," she said in a trembling voice.

He took another step closer. "Tumhari zuban se joh baath nikalti hai, aur tumhari akheen joh baath kehte hai…dono mein farak kyun hai Geet? Main joh kehta hoon, main joh karta hoon…usse tumhe kyun farak padta hai Geet?"

She shook her head slowly. "Mujhe farak nahin padta…mujhe farak nahin padta…"

He came around her, face to face.

"Saachai kya hai Geet? Joh tum kehti ho, aagar woh saach hai…toh aaisa kyun hai ke jaab main tumhare kareeb aata hoon, tumhare dhadkane baad jati hai?" he whispered into her ear.

He didn't miss the shudder that ran through her body. He didn't miss the breath that she held. He didn't miss the sudden quickening of her pulse under his fingers.

"Jaab main tumhe choota hoon, toh aaisa kyun lagta hai ke main mere aapne ko choo raha hoon?" he said and he trailed one finger across the full length of her arm.

She turned away from him as a deep blush crept up on her face.

"Jaab main tumhe dekhta hoon, toh aaisa kyun lagta hai ke main woh insaan ko dekh raha hoon joh kuch hi dino mein, meri zindagi baan gayi hai?" he asked as he stepped just an inch closer. "Batao Geet, saach kya hai?"

She let go of the breath that she held as she stepped away from him. She didn't get far because he grabbed her wrist, not letting her go.

"Saach kya hai Geet?" he repeated.

"Kuch nahin…" she said.

"Saach kya hai Geet?" he asked again.

He knew she'd stopped fighting herself as her shoulders slumped.

"Main nahin bata sakti," she said in a weak voice. "Main nahin bata sakti."

"Kyun Geet, kyun nahin bata sakti?" he questioned.

She stayed silent.

"Kyun Geet, kyun?"

Finally, she spoke.

"Kyun ke main aapse pyaar karti hoon!" she yelled.

Just then a strong gust of air came in through the windows causing a crystal vase to shatter. And then, just like that Maan came back to reality.

He blinked once…twice…thrice. There she stood, across from him just like she had been when he'd come searching for her. The same fragrance of flowers mixing with her sweet sent, the same breeze playing with her hair, the same light from the candles illuminating her face, the same red fabric wrapping around her like second skin, the same blush in her cheeks – the same pain and confusion in her eyes. 

It had all been a dream he thought as he closed his eyes. The Maan Singh Khurana who had never dreamt with his eyes closed before, was now dreaming with his eyes wide open because she'd come into his life. Yes, it had all been a dream – a bitter sweet dream.