Maneet: <Mujhe Haq Hai> ThD-2 Chap 39:: PG: 93 - Page 22

"Itnay saalon baad..Pehli dafa..maine usko terrace par se dekha tha..uska chehra mujhe theek se dikhayee nahi diya..lekin shayad woh thori sehmi huwi si thi.. dad usko aur aunty ko ghar lekar aaye thay..uss raat dadi..dad..aur maa ne uskay aanay ki baat ki thi..aur phir jab dad bahar unlogon se milne gaye..main chup chaap excuse karke terrace par chala gaya..kya woh GEET thi?! ..uss raat dining table par maine yeh show kiya k who mujhay yaad nahi..aur shayad main usko bhool he tou gaya tha..kitna waqt laga tha mujhe..lekin aaj phir woh aai thi..

Geet,,meri sabse achi dost..jisko main tung karta tha..magar uska khayal bhi rakhta tha..lekin woh bhi kam nahi thi..apni har baat manwani usko aati thi.. hum saara time saath main guzartay..kheltay bhi saath main..aur parhtay bhi saath main..mujhe yaad hai kabhi kabhi Geet ka homework karna..kyunki usski Science ki teacher bohot kharhoos thi..aur woh science main week thi.. school main bhi sabko pata tha k hum dono best frends hain..kyunki aik tou humara ghar bhi barabar main tha..aur main bhi apnay ghar main aik bacha aur woh bhi apnay ghar ki aik he bachi thi.tou hum hamesha aik doosray ko company detay thay. ..uss waqt tou hum chotay thay..lekin tab bhi hum main kitni baar larhai hoti..lekin usse humari dosti aur gehri he hoti thi..lekin shayad bachpan ki dosti itni gehri thi..k waqt guzarnay k saath saath woh kab mujhe achi lagnay lagi pata he nahi chala..uss waqt tak main 16 saal ka tha..uss umar main pyaar tou nahi keh saktay..lekin woh mujhe achi lagti thi..iss me mera koi qasoor nahi tha..ghar main hamesha maa aur dadi mujhe Geet k naam se chirhatay thay..kehtay thay k humari shaadi karwa dain gai..pehlay main chirhta tha..lekin phir halkay halkay mujhe aadat si parh gayee..Geet aur apna naam saath saath sunnay ki..

woh mujhse 3 saal choti hai.. mujhe yaad hai jab uski 13^th birthday ko sabse pehlay maine usay wish kiya tha..tou uss ne mujhe apnay jaane ka bataya..woh loug aik haftay k andar andar move honay walay thay.. phir next day uncle aunty ne meri family ko yeh baat batai..bohot arguments huway..magar woh log jaa rahay thay..sab meri samajh se bahar tha..mujhe bas yeh pata tha k Geet mujhe chorh kar jaa rahee thi..aur kuch din baad woh chali gayee.".

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Geet was still standing..motionless, unmoving, several minutes after the astoundment had shrinked..But the thought that..Maan was in love with her was still making her head spin.  It was earthshaking..she dully walked to her room feeling every step getting heavier..and locked the door

"Maan mujhse pyaar..pyaar karta hai," she repeated to herself unbelievably.

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phir mujhe uss raat neend nahi aa rahee thi..yeh soch kar k subah  jab main ussay milon ga tou kya hoga..kya main usay yaad hoon?..mujhe sab ajeeb lag raha tha..so main kitchen main apnay liye coffee bananay gaya..aur hum milay..kuch aisay k maine kabhi socha bhi nahi tha!..uss waqt maine usko girne se bachaya tha..shayad yeh meri qismat main hai..k har baar main usko har mushkil se bachanay k liye tayyar rahoon..pehli dafa usko apnay saamne  dekh kar meray labon par muskurahat aagyaee..woh apnay childish night dress main bohot funny lekin pyaari lag rahe thi.. uss k saamne bhi main yeh koshish kar he raha tha k mujhe woh kuch kuch yaad hai..k uss ne apna naam bataya..kitna bolti thi woh..usko bhook lagi thi..mujhe yaad tha uski fav strawberry thi..so strawberry jam aur bread se zyada achi cheez uss waqt mujhe yaad nahi aai..so maine de diya..aur chup chaap apni coffee bananay laga..lekin madam aik min. k liye bhi khamosh nahi raheen..

iss tarhaan har aik din hum log nazdeek aatay gaye..chahay woh usko pehlay din poora ghar dikhana ho aur terrace par mera rude behavior..ya phir humari ice cream parlor trip..uskay baad mera mazaq karna aur Geet ka naraz hona..aur phir  aik bachpan ki silly si photograph..jis par kehnay ko tou hum larh rahay thay..lekin shayad woh sabse pehli baar tha..k maine usko apnay itna nazdeek paya tha.. aur phir uss din maine Geet k saamne yeh accept kar he liya k main uss ko ignore nahi karsakta..woh meray bachpan ki dost thi..main uskay saath zyada din tak apna angry young man drama nahi karsakta tha..aur phir uska admission..aur shayad iss sab ki shuruwat wahan se huwi..shuru main  pyaar kya hota hai..,main nahi jaanta tha..lekin I even didn't knw when the childhood friendship—teenage crush—turned into TRUE  LOVE??..

shayad woh first date jab main Geet ko dinner par lekar gaya..uss raat woh kitni khoobsoorat lag rahee thi..k jab maine usko ghar se bahar aatay dekha..tou bas dekhta he reh gaya.. haan..shayad usi raat se jab maine Geet ka mangetar honay  ka natak shuru kiya..shayad uskay baad se he woh mujhe attract karne lagi..pehlay woh mujhe achi lagti thi..magar phir  bohot achi lagnay lagi..,mazaq mazaq main..mein uskay saath flirt karne laga tha..meray iraday kabhi bhi ghalat nahi thay..Aur Geet yeh jaanti thi..isi liye woh bhi meri har baat ka jawab flirt karke he deti thi..uss k liye tou yeh sab mazaq ki had tak raha..lekin mein iss mazaq main..serious kab huwa..yeh mujhe bhi pata nahi chala..aur hotay hotay yeh sab kuch hogaya..

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After wandering aimlessly on the roads, Maan stopped at a cliff..his mind bombarded with remembrance of the moments he had spent with Geet and what had just happened, each thought sending more pain through his heart

'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' he spoke angrily to himself..   

'Yeh kya kiya maine..kia soch kar kiya..'  The problem was that his brain had not been in control.  He had let his emotions win over and run away with every shred of common logic he possessed.  She was just so desirable.  And that kiss.  Even though Geet had not responded and the kiss persisted for few seconds, but it had filled Maan with speculations and sent energy whizzing through his whole body.  It had felt so good.  But the price of that kiss was far too soaring..

I don't know what came over me. What have I done? Where did that come from?. I'm still beating myself up about it. Her lips were soft and... no Maan stop! Main yeh kya soch raha hoon..mujhe koi haq nahi hai..woh meri nahi hai! Maine jo kiya woh bohot ghalat tha! She'll never forgive me..woh sochay gee maine uskay akelay honay ka faida uthaya..Mujh main aur Ankit main kya farq reh gaya.. She would have been disgusted by me..ab tou woh meri feelings ko kabhi bhi nahi samajh paaye gee..

She knew now, knew that I loved her.  And she doesnt love me back.  How would we going to get let this go?  How can it possibly not affect our friendship and the ability to live and see each other under the same roof?  Every time she would look at me from now on it would be with the knowledge that I had these unreturned feelings for her.

"Ab main kya karoon ga!?..ab kya hoga!?"  Maan asked the blankness

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"It's been so much time since I kissed Maan..NO!..He kissed me.. but the feel of his lips still lingered on mine.." she thought..

 "As if this gorgeous man read my mind..Woh kabse mujhse pyaar karta hai..woh mujhse pyaar karta hai..?" the consideration was beyond to her belief and seemed to be so new the each time she was thinking about it

 "But what if I had responded to the kiss..what if I had kissed  him back!!." The thought of kissing him back gave her shivers..but the next moment she affronted the bitter reality

Nahi Geet..acha huwa aisa nahi huwa.. who mujhse pyaar nahi karta..woh tou  iss tarhan..mujhe chorh kar chala gaya..jaise ussay koi bohot barhi ghalti hogayee ho..Yeh jo kuch bhi huwa..ussay usko kya mila?..agar woh meray liye feelings rakhta hai..tou phir bola kyun nahi?..kyun iss tarhan..mujhe.."..she was tired..she helplessly sat at the corner of her bed.. she had been thinking so much.. she wanted to scream, cry, blame him for putting up her wall of hope and then to knock it down in the same second..what had he done?..make her feel that he loves her for some seconds and then reacted like as if he had committed a sin..he regretted..as if she was not worthy enough to be his love..the thought made her feel awful..awful about everything..the days and moments she had spent wid Maan..she was hating all..herself and Maan..and their relationship..but then the other second concern besieged her.. she looked at the clock..it was 2:58 am..it was so late and Maan was outside..

"where did he go?" she thought worryingly

She took her cell phone which Maan gave to her..and rang his number..but there was no response

She tried again..and so many times..but he was not answering the phone..she knew he had left his phone in the car when they came back from the hospital..which meant it was wid him..she was really worried and scared..like Maan used to take care of her..she also used to it and him being out of the house at that time was very dreadful..she started waiting..

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He didn't knw where to go..he was not going back.. he simply could not bear the thought of seeing her right now..he didn't have answers to Geet's questions that she wud ask if he goes back..or what if she stops talking to him..she would..

"she would hate me!"..he thought griefly

he was thinking where to go..when suddenly he heard his phone ringing..he saw Geet's number on his phone..his heart almost sank..he didn't have the courage to answer the call..so it kept ringing..and so many times she called..but he didn't pick up the phone..

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Every time she was trying..Maan was not replying..instead each time the answering device told her to leave the message..she tried to say something..but her voice and words vanished..she disconnected..

After some minutes..she again called..and same happened..but this time she tried to speak something

"Hallow..Hallow.. ..  Maan!" there was a pause..  

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The light on Maan's phone was blinking..there was a voice mail for him..he quickly picked up the phone..and  heard her voice on the voice mail..she called his name..but didn't say anything else..maybe she is concerned for me..or maybe she wants the explanation of whatever I just did..he cudnt figure out her tone..was she upset?..was she angry?..he wanted her to say something else..but she had hung up

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"Main pagal ho jaaon Gee!..yeh sab kya ho raha hai?..Kyun tumne humari zindagi ko itna uljha diya hai Maan!..humaray rishtay ko..mujhko..sab kuch..aur ab kahan chalay gaye ho!" she was frustrated..she was alone in this huge mansion..there was no one with whom she cud have shared her dilemma..because the one she used to share her troubles wid..he fled..leaving her behind wid confusion and frustration

"KYUN MAAN!?"..she whispered laying down on her bed..hugging a pillow while the tears seeped down from her eyes..making her pillow below her head oozy

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Suddenly feeling so very tired..he made his way to a hotel..coz he was not going back home..he had cum pretty far away from his house..he started driving..and the memories started haunting him once again ..

"I think u r Maan..rite..the akrhoo maan"

    Geet: haan to batao..pehle kabhie larhkee k saath bahar nahi gaye kya?..

Maan:inn sab faltu cheezon k liye time nahi hai..!

Geet:.."tumne kya kaha..i mean tumhara matlab hai..we are not friendz?"

Maan: u knw we are frendz..woh bhi childhood frendz..and I can't deny it..ab tum mujhko jitna bhi tung karo..ho to meree frend na..

Maan: Geet listen!..im sorry ok..i knw mujhe bhoolna nahi chahiye tha..but I got so busy wid the office work that it just slipped out of my mind..

Geet: hey handsome..

Maan:"hey gorgeous"

Maan: soo kaisa laga mera sorry kehnay ka Andaaz!!

Geet: veryyy sweet..u knw wat..she moved her hand closer and slightly pulled his cheek.."u r veryyy cutee"

Geet: kya tum mere saath thode din k liye..meray fiance hone ka natak kar sakte ho..

Maan: kya mujhe woh saare benefits..and rites milain gai..jo aik fiance ko hote hain..

Maan: ohh..acha..thats ok then..lekin agar main sach main tumse shaadi karloon tou?

Geet: to main karloon gee..Sucide

Geet: haha..oh yeah?!..lekin tum khud he socho..main tumhare paas aane se kyun daroon gee..

Maan: iss liye k kahin tumko mujhse "PYAAR" na hojaye..

Maan: acha..tumko kaisa ladka chahiye!?..

Geet: hmm..maine kabhi socha nahi..koi to aisa hoga he..jisse mujhe pyaar hojaiga..aur usko mujhse..aur jab hoga tab dekha jaiga..waise bhi pyaar ho jata hai..kiya nahi jaata!

Maan laughed: Pyaar??..wahi filmi baatien

Geet: oh hello..pyaar hota hai ok!..acha agar tumharee Ms. Perfect tumhare saamne aajaye..to tumko usse pyaar he to hoga!

to tumko usse pyaar he to hoga!

"Tum sahi theen..kyun meray saamne aayeen..kyun mujhe tumse pyaar hogaya"..he was severely tensed..and cudnt realize the car in front

The loud voice of horn brought him back in the present..he was about to hit the other car..but luckily the driver from the front made a irrepressible turn which caused the car to bang into the tree..Maan stopped and quickly got out to see if the driver was ok

.."Oh God..Are u ok..are u okay ma'am?" he was terrified to see a girl inside..her head down on the air bag

She slowly picked her head up..holding it in her hands..Maan was shuddered to see that it was no one else but

Samira!