Mannmeet (completed)

Part 2

Few days later

Geet smiled happily as she put the bitter gourd on the table. 'I've made it.' She announced to people sitting with a smile.

Darji,'Geet beta has grown up. This whole week you've been cooking dinner.

Geet smiled happily and said,'try this bitter gourd darji. I know that they're your favourite.'

Dar ji happily started to eat.

Geet looked around the table. Everyone was eating except Maan.

Geet innocently asked,' why aren't you eating Maan?'

He sent her a glare but in front of everyone he couldn't retort but he decided to get even. For the past whole week, he was forced to eat  rajma chawal, bitter gourd, cheese spinach and other such atrocities. She knew that he wasn't fond of any of these things.

Five years later

Geet was ready to go downstairs. She was wearing black colour shalwar kameez with light silver embroidery on sleeves, front and at the neck. She was wearing small diamond earrings and watch. As she was not allowed heavy makeup, so she wore only kajal and lip gloss. She was wearing black high heels which her friend Pooja had gifted her.

It was her birthday today. Well, strictly speaking it was going to be her birthday in two hours. It was ''his'' birthday as well. No, she didn't had the misfortune to be born on the same day as him. She was, in fact, born at 1 a.m. on 17th September while he was born at 11.p.m. on 16th September. So, she didn't know why but their parents celebrated their birthday together at the midnight. This ritual had started on her 13th birthday and was still continuing on.

She came out of her room at the same moment that he came out of his; both glared at each other then went downstairs together. Their expressions changing from angry to smiling as they looked at their relatives gathered below. It was usually a family function but today few close friends were invited.

Geet went to her friends who were standing in a corner. Pooja, Kuljeet, and Fariha were her college friends.

She knew Pooja from childhood but Kuljeet(nickname:KJ) and Fariha (nickname: Fari) became her friends later. They wished her happy birthday and gave her a group hug.

Geet was talking to them, her back to room when she heard two ladies talking near her.

She recognised the voice of Nirmala aunty, a family friend, who was talking to few unknown women. Nirmala aunty hadn't seen her.

One of the unknown women said,' Are Maan and Geet engaged?'

Nirmala aunty replied,' I don't know. Simran or Roshini never say anything. They just smile if this question is asked but I think that, may be, they are engaged. I remember few years back Geet refused to tie rakhi on Maan's hand although she did tie on Dev's hand. And since then, their family is celebrating the birthdays together.'

Geet controlled her laughter with difficulty. These old women and their never ending thirst of gossip! Always guessing who is getting hitched with whom. She would die before putting the rakhi on that tormenting jerk.

Just then Geet noticed that Fari was looking at her in question. Fari didn't knew about my ''history'' with Maan and as Fari, herself, was in love, and engaged. So, she tended to search for love stories everywhere.