Chapter 24

Side Story

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

Ranjeet, feeling shy, tried to leave, but Jay held his hand. "Where are you going, 'Haseena'?"

Ranjeet shouted, "Stop teasing me! Are you a roadside Romeo?"

Jay replied, "Maybe I am... I'm pretty sure a husband is allowed to do that."

"Shut up and do your work." Ranjeet had a habit of touching but didn't this time, and I laughed as he left.

After taking a bath, they went to the gym. Ranjeet was feeling stressed while Jay was doing everything easily. After some time, Jay said, "I don't know if I should tell you this or not."

They were both running on the treadmill. Ranjeet asked, "Yes, what?"

"When I was little, I really liked a something. Dad took it away from me, saying girls play with it. After that, I started playing with guns. I was nothing but sad."

"What was that?" Ranjeet felt awkward.

"I liked it when Mom would teach me. It was so much fun."

"You wanted to be a fashion designer, so why did you become an engineer?"

"I thought I could just design apps on the computer," Jay said with a laugh.

"You're really cool."

"You too, just understand yourself a little."

"How do I understand? Inside me, there are two souls talking: one is the Ranjeet everyone knows, and the other is my true self, which is hidden and doesn't speak much."

"I never thought you were so scared."

"Someone whose dreams never came true is always scared."

After the treadmill, they both did push-ups, and we were both managing the gym easily.

"You've built a good body," Jay said, noticing Ranjeet was sweating.

"Do you like the gym?" Ranjeet asked.

"Yes! Do you?"

"Baba said to get fit, but I don't really like it," Ranjeet replied while wiping his sweat.

Leg exercises started. Jay completed them, but Ranjeet could hardly move afterward. Jay said, "It hurts."

"Yes! It turned my legs to stone; they feel so heavy," Ranjeet complained.

Jay offered his hand. "I'll support you."

"No need to play the hero role!" (Ranjeet was quite annoyed.)

"I was just trying to be a husband," Jay said, joking around.

"Stop this drama! Once we step out of here, our families won't let us be together. What baba did—he would even kick us out."

"Are you that scared of baba? ohh patidev (husband)" (Jay was joking.)

"Jay, whatever is happening here, we can't change it! Why should we fight with anyone?"

"Why fight with the people here? Let them think what they want."

"Fine! Just stop behaving like this."

"You and I are husbands. how else should I behave?"

"You've been acting like a fool since I saw you without a mustache."

"Yeah, because I fell in love at first sight."

"This isn't just because of the mustache; are you joking?" Ranjeet replied, annoyed.

"Yeah, because I never saw you as a person before. We all say not to judge, but I judged you by your mustache, thinking you were just another toxic guy. But once it was gone, the fire inside me was released. My mind has gone crazy; I've started dreaming about you."

"Isn't this too fast?" Ranjeet said, drinking water.

"No! Actually, when you said you love me, I went back and imagined myself with you. I felt the same way when you were with me. I just created all these stories in my head, maybe out of jealousy when I went to break your wedding." shinning eyes.

"So it was your hand in all of this?" Ranjeet said angrily.

"No, my hand, my leg and everything. I knew Payal wouldn't say anything, she'd just pretend to run away."

"we're stuck here." Ranjeet shouted

"So what? We'll find a way out. Why are you so worried?"

"I don't know if we'll get out; I've lost hope." Ranjeet became sad.

"You just look at me. We'll fight with the people here too."

"How?"

Umeed walked over to Jay, who asked, "who are you sister?"

A modern, beautiful girl, walking like a model, replied, "This is Umeed."

Ranjeet said, "Looks like she's excited."

Umeed excitedly said, "See, I'm being taught here!"

Ranjeet remarked, "They are making her an alpha."

Jay laughed, "Alpha is for boys; here she has become a ginger, all twisted, and no one lets anyone else become what they want."

"There's no point in lecturing. These people are deaf and won't listen; just throw them out," said Umeed.

It was breakfast time, and after having breakfast, they sang the song "Men Don't Feel Pain" and broke many stones. Jay showed some girls and said to ignore them. A quote from Chanakya Niti said to stay away from girls; they will ruin you. The poor boys thought, "I want to be ruined."

A little later, they were given a one-hour lecture on how to walk like robots, and boys shouldn't be playful. After a very toxic environment, Jay and Ranjeet were exhausted, while Umeed was getting tortured on another level.

After a while, they were told that boys don't eat chocolate. Jay asked, "So what should we eat? stone?"

The teacher ignored the question, and then everyone had lunch. They were told that girls cannot always dominate boys, they are weak, and nothing should be done without their permission. Girls are supposed to take care of children, while boys are meant to provide. Aside from this, nothing else matters. Girls should be kept at home, and boys' eyes should be protected because we are very weak-hearted. Umeed got angry upon hearing this and punched the teacher, saying, "Let me show you how weak I am."

The teacher replied, "You girl, sit quietly in your place."

At that moment, Jay stepped forward and said into the mic, "Do you say the same to your ma? Maa Durga, do you get this kind of respect? Everyone lies and creates such men so that outside, they believe these useless things and end up started rapping. don't make such men animals."

Everyone's attention was on Jay. Ranjeet took a gun from a guard and said, "Step back, or I'll blow up your teacher."

Ranjeet said with excitement and anger, "You call that freedom? To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing. Even you are getting garbage knowledge, it's time to come out of the dustbin."

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I saw Geet smiling. She looks so sweet when she gets angry, she looks even cuter to me. I don't know how to keep things good; I'm not a good wife. She always likes it when I kiss her. The world just stops for me. A kiss is like a stress ball. I entered a new world where I feel the warmth of emotions and breaths. The first time I touched her lips, my heart was on fire—no fire guard could put out these flames.

I imagine myself lonely in the whole world, and when I'm caught up in emotions and feel scared, Geet enters my life. I've met thousands of people, but what she did, nobody else could do. The spark I feel when I hold her fingers, even just being beside her, makes me feel the magic. I feel safe, and colorful butterflies fly all over my body. I kissed her once; can I do it again? I hope she doesn't think I'm a lustful person. I am a good person; I just need one more kiss.

She touched my finger, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, the moon was kissing the earth. The earth didn't know if it was real or imagination because she once said, "Krish" the moon is drunk on love; she can't do this.

I looked at Geet, her sparkling eyes and genuine smile towards me. I really wanted to die in her tight arms. My hands unconsciously put both my arms around Geet's neck, and I almost kissing her. Just as I was about to close my eyes, Earth and Moon shouted,

"Wait, what the heck? Are you guys together now?"

Geet and I looked at each other, both unsure of what to say.

I slapped Geet and said, "Geet, are you flirting again?" Damn, I lied. I always do this. I could have handled it calmly. She got angry again. Why didn't I slap her gently? Geet stood up, her face red with anger, and stormed out, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Her eyes were half-closed as Earth said, "Why is Krish here?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.

Moon replied, "Are you drunk? I'm in the moon."  I though you like me?"

"Why? I love Krish." Trying to open wide eyes and Earth said.

"Hmm," Moon softly said, looking down.

"No way!" Earth started laughing, a mix of disbelief and relief, her shoulders shaking.

Moon looked puzzled and asked, "What?"

"Are you kidding? The moon can't kiss me. She hates me." Earth's laughter turned to tears, her body shaking with sobs.

"No, I don't HATE you," Moon added loudly, stepping closer.

Earth continued laughing and crying, her hands covering her face. "Yes, you do, Moon." She paused, as if realizing something. Her eyes widened, and she gasped, "Wait, what?" She sobered up, trying to open her eyes wide, slowly lightly touching Moon's hair, then her eyebrows, nose, and lips. She was in shock. "You are the Moon. I can't believe it!" Earth hid her lips with her right hand, her eyes filled with wonder.

Moon smiled warmly, "I thought I finally found someone who loves and admires me. I'm sorry for treating you so badly. Give me a chance. Do you want to date me?" Her voice was gentle, her eyes pleading.

"Do you have feelings for me...me..me?" Earth asked, her voice soft and uncertain, her hands fidgeting.

"Not before the kiss, but after you kissed me back, yes, I have feelings now. I want to move on from all the garages stuff, it's suffocating. I really need someone. I thought you were always in front of me, and I never considered you." Moon's voice was sincere, her eyes filled with tears.

Earth started crying harder, her body trembling. "Please don't say that. You took care of me. I'm sorry for being rude to you. Yes, I did have feelings for you. I thought I could move on from you when I started dating him, but he ditched me. I felt like I'd never find true love or an honest person to share my warm and funny, weird thoughts with." Her voice was choked with emotion, her hands covering her face.

"You're really smart. You could never be weird," Moon said, feeling like she could cry too, her voice cracking.

"I'm not as beautiful as you. I think I don't deserve you," Earth stood up, tears streaming down her face.

I was watching them and got an idea of how to make up with Geet. They are so cute; it made me want to cry. When you lose people, you find them again in different soul.

"You do deserve me," Moon stood up. Earth was trying to leave, but Moon hugged her from behind, crying. Moon's voice was desperate as she said, "Please stay with me. Those magical words you said to Payal, 'I could bring the real moon for a person if I like someone,' you can understand my love. Yes, you are the only one who understands. Sometimes we never find the right person our entire life, and sometimes we find them in a moment. You are that moment."

They both cried, holding each other tightly. Their tears mingled, and they spoke like two broken people finding each other. Their love story should be called Kintsugi. The idea of Kintsugi is that fixing things is not just about bouncing back from hard times but also about the process of repair and renewal. Just like fixing broken people. In simple words, broken but beautiful.

I was searching for Geet when I found Dad. Dad said to me, "Why is Geet here?"

"I don't know, Dad," I replied, lying again. Take courage, Payal.

"Didn't you break up with her?" he asked.

"No, I love her."

"You love her? Do you think she's good for you?" Dad tried to control his anger.

"Yes," I said, showing courage and sincerity.

"She's just—"

"Enough, Dad! I've made my decision. She's the person I love, and I want to spend my entire life with her. Thanks to you, I called her. I wasn't a lesbian, Dad, sorry for lying. I didn't want to marry that guy. He was just as toxic as you were to Mom..."

Dad interrupted, "You've lost your mind." His anger was boiling, and he looked like he might slap me. My mom saw us and said, "Don't say things like this. He's your dad."

I said politely, "I wish he wouldn't." As Dad tried to slap me, Mom held his hand.

Dad shouted in anger, "You hold my hand? Who are you?"

Mom, with courage, said, "I'm your wife, and wrong is wrong. She's my daughter; you can't do this."

Dad, angrier, shouted louder, "You fool! You think you know the world? I'm the reason this house is running. Do you know how to run a household, you bloody housewife?"

Mom calmly replied, "No, I don't know. But I know how to raise a child. I spend my time with people, not animals. And one more thing, don't raise your voice, raise your point. I hope you can tell the difference."

Dad stormed off in anger, and I hugged Mom tightly. "Thank you, Mom!"

Mom said, "Thank you. I found courage because of you. You are the reason I fight."

I said to Mom, "Okay, bye, Mom. I'm in a hurry!"

In the garden, she was playing basketball. I asked her, "Where did you get the basketball?"

With anger, she replied, "I stole it from the neighbor's kids."

"Ohh, it's so hot."

"Yes, it's very hot... (she looked at me) especially with some people around." Her eyes seemed to pierce through me.

I took the basketball and started playing with her.

Geet said, "You know how to play?"

I looked at her and smirked. "No, but I watched KKHH."

"What's that?" she asked, trying to snatch the ball.

I winked, and she got lost for a second. I put the ball into the basket, and Geet said, "Cheater!"

I smiled and said, "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Geet, you wouldn't understand."

In anger, Geet replied, "Cheater! Filmy girl."

She started to leave, and I held her hand. "Hey Geet!" I called, and she nodded.

I slowly moved close to her cheek. The moon is so bright and big that I can feel the cold breeze on my feet. Her hair is flowing. As I am feeling like everything is happening in slow motion. She blinks, takes a few steps, and I cross the gap of her personal space. She is an ocean to me, and I want to dive deep into her. She started feeling shy as I touched my lips to the spot where I had slapped her and blew gently, Touch my lips. I close my eyes. I stay there. Her cheeks are producing heat and are redder than my lips. Her breaths are rapid, and the warmth of her breath provides a comforting relaxation. We are so close that I feel a bit nervous, but my desire dominates, or I do not know I really want to make up with her. she unable to move as she stands frozen, looking at her toes.   I gently place my hand on her tummy, I could feel her breath quickens, generating more heat. Blew gently, my lips touch her cheeks again and the heat from them burns my heart.

Geet said, "Stop messing with me? This time, I won't give up."

I kissed her eyes and said, "I don't know. Since my feelings came out, you look like ice cream to me."

Geet smirked and said, "So when will it be time to melt this ice cream?"

I looked at her with shyness and shock, feeling like I couldn't bear to take another step closer to her. People say that when we feel scared, it means we lack experience with a particular thing. Is that what this fear is? "Huh?"

I stepped back, and she continued coming closer as I kept taking steps back. She is confident, while my confidence is falling to the ground. she smirked. "It's boiling out here, right? Let's go turn some ice into water!"

Not knowing anything feels so awful, especially when you truly have no idea what's going to happen next. I've watched countless movies about straight couples, but these next steps in love feel terrifying when you have no clue. What's Geet going to do? I'm so scared that my condition is terrible, like my heart is going to jump out of my chest.

In this love journey, people touch each other's lips and feel close in a way that's almost magical. Where will that touch go now? The touch scent of flowers, the electric spark of connection between us—what will happen to all that? What will it lead to? It's a big, daunting question, but it's there. The question is driving me crazy, 'Aage kya hota hai?' (What happens next?)