Chapter 22

Side Story.

Jay coughed and lay down on Ranjeet's blanket.

Ranjeet whispered, "Why are you so loud?"

Jay replied, trying to control her voice, " You cuttt?"

"Huh?" Ranjeet asked. his eyes wide.

"Ranjeet, you..." Jay said in a female voice. he did not realize that.

"Why are we in the same blanket? People are watching us." trying to control his anger.

"Damn! I do not care."

Jay looked at Ranjeet's face and mesmerized. "You're beautiful," he added.

"Jay?" Ranjeet replied in confusion.

A teacher's voice came from outside. Jay responded angrily, "What?"

The teacher said, "Get up!"

Jay replied, "Yes."

Ranjeet pretended to be asleep, and the teacher shouted, "Hey, Ranjeet, wake up!"

"Jay, is it morning now?" Ranjeet faked a yawn.

Jay and Ranjeet got up and continued walking to the washroom. Many men were bathing under one roof. Jay was brushing his teeth. He usually didn't focus on Ranjeet, but now he looked over when Ranjeet was lifting his shirt. Ranjeet caught Jay's gaze and raised an eyebrow. Jay forced a smile, continued brushing, and looked in the mirror, appearing thoughtful and stressed. Ranjeet, now shirtless, took the toothbrush, and said,

"You look like a joker. I didn't know you were so clumsy." He put toothpaste on and started brushing.

"I am not," Jay replied angrily.

"Is it true that I look beautiful?" Ranjeet looked and smiled.

"Uh, I mean handsome." Jay looked at his chest and then tried to fix his gaze on his eyes.

"Don't worry. I like being beautiful. I usually feel like a......g.. girl, so being beautiful is my dream," Ranjeet said, smiling with contentment.

Jay was shocked, then smiled, washed his mouth, and asked, "So you're a have girl's soul and now a girl is standing with me shirtless. What should I do?"

---------------------------

She picked up her bag and started to leave. I hugged her tightly from behind, crying like a child.

"Do not... not leave me. Please, Talk to me what happen?"

"You are better off alone."

She was leaving, and I pleaded.

"Geet, that's enough, okay? You cannot leave me like this!" I yelled, crying hard, my eyes filled with tears.

I continued, and she paused. "Do you think it's easy for me? I spent my entire dream writing a simple book, and I accidentally married you... you, yes... I..."

"Stop lecturing me! You are too loud & late, Payal. .....I hate you," she said, her eyes filled with anger and deep hatred, as if she meant it.

"Is this your love? In your words (*Kaga re kaga song), you said something about unconditional love, that you would wait even after death." I am still yelling, crying hard, my eyes filled with tears.

"Excuse me? Love? How many times do I have to repeat. I HATE YOU," she smirked.

I know why my words aren't coming out right. I have no hope left. Nothing remains. Geet is going down the stairs, and Mom sees her carrying her bag. She asks Geet:

"Geet, are you going somewhere?"

I follow her, still crying. Mom looks at me, concerned.

"I do not love her. That marriage is fake." Geet replies, trying to control her anger and speaking very politely.

Mom takes her hand, looking serious, and walk her to my room. I follow and stand in the doorway. Mom says, "Geet, I already know everything. She told me everything."

Geet socked then responds, "I do not like her."

Mom stares at her angrily while I wonder, did mom really can stop her, I know that Geet will refuse.

Geet asks, "What do you want, Aunty?"

"Why? you do not love her?" Mom asked

"I can't tell." I moved face away.

Mom paused, and Geet continued, "I don't understand family. I don't have one."

"Your mom?" mom asked in politest way.

"She died. And Dad too," Geet said, feeling deep pain.

Mom gave her water and said, "If you want to cry, you can. I hope you think of me as your mother."

Geet, looking nervous and on the verge of tears, replied, "I'm too bad for her. I don't understand family...... Yes, you are just like my mom. She deserves a good person."

Mom responded, "You are a good person."

Geet added, "I don't think so. I feel like I'm a curse for her."

Without thinking, I blurted out loudly, "You're not a curse! you are stupid. Damn, even I'm not that dumb. (I started speaking more gently.) You came into my life, and I found strength. I never thought I could have friends. The moon and the earth are amazing, and my insecurities never gave them a chance to show their... (crying, my eyes filled with tears) ...LOVE... your love. I had never seen it before. I was too caught up in anger and frustration. I never thought logically. You are the reason I understand myself. I think..."

I paused, and Geet got up. She was sitting on the bed, and Mom already sitting next to her.

"I think..."

Mom quick replied, "She is in L...."

"Mom, you will ruin it." I started being

Mom smiled as I held her hand and led her out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Geet was shocked, standing there frozen, I am smiling and crying at the same time.

"I think... I..." Geet continued, looking without blinking.

I continued, "I think..."

Geet said, "It's okay... I know you're scared too." She came closer, step by step, and placed her right hand on my cheek. As my face rested against her hand, I felt the softness and warmth. I stopped crying and took a couple of deep breaths (Sabkiyaa).

I looked into her eyes and her eyes is sparking and her face is filled with sacred and she is trying to understand my pain.

"I hate you" she said & chuckled.

"I hate you too" I chuckled.

I looked at her. We were both silent, just looking at each other, feeling comfortable. I kissed her. my hand was on her cheek and Her eyes widened in shock, and I felt nervous, pulling back and hiding my lips. Without taking a second, she kissed me back. Her lips were soft, with the taste of chocolate-flavored lipstick that I always liked. It felt like biting into a soft apple, and the whole world froze as I closed my eyes. Her soft hand moved from my cheek to my neck, while my hand was in her hair. The world went dark, and all I could sense was her softness, feeling like a flower blooming. The fresh, cold mountain air touched my heart. I felt light, and a tear welled up in my right eye.

Mom knocked on the door, yelling loudly, "Are you fighting again?"

We stopped, and I hid my lips. I looked at her messy lipstick and smiled. She smiled too, and we both smiled at once. As she moved to open the door, I said, "Geet," and stepped closer to her, gently wiping the messy lipstick with my thumb. "Go." She touched her lips, looking for messy lipstick marks, and she asked me again through her head gesture and I gesture in not then opened the door.

Mom asked, "Geet? Are you okay?"

With fake anger, I said, "You only care about her. Who asks about me? mommm, I'm not fine either."

Mom sighed, "You are drama queen. Okay, I'm going to sleep. Don't fight now, okay? We'll talk in the morning."

We both nodded, trying to control our laughter. As soon as Mom left, we started laughing and then lay down on the bed, looking at each other. She looked relaxed, as if she had found something that felt like.... home. She wanted something, but she didn't say it. Her eyes always said everything if I looked closely. She was tired, like she had been running from something her entire life. She is free from everything. Her relaxed eyebrows are telling everything. Now, she just wanted to enjoy this moment. Noticing her eyes smiling at me. She asked me softly.

"Wanna have..."