Both ate in silence, stealing glances at one another... wondering what to talk...How to talk...Both were hesitant to initiate, But Maan knew, being man here, he was responsible and supposed to talk first.. calculating his thoughts, he decided to break the awkwardness between them... Maan took a sip of water after finishing his food and started...

Maan:- So, how's the food ???

Geet:- Hmm, delicious ... (She passed a small smile towards him)

Maan:- what would you like in desert??? or a drink???

Geet:- Umm, am fine ... I will have mango juice..

Maan(looked at her in amusement with her choice, such a simple choice and then nodded):-okhh... Sure...

He asked the waiter to bring a mango juice and a mocktail... Done with the waiter, he looked at Geet and smiled... They haven't even started to talk on the matter, for which they were there at this Hotel...Finally, Maan thought of something to start a convo...

Maan:- Umm, Geet... dad was saying , you were worried abt this outing ???

Geet(looked at him, thinking why Papaji told him that)ST:- Traitor Super Dad, he told him that too??? She looked here and there to avoid his gaze and then decided to tell him abt her worries, sincerely...Since, her super Dad would have enlightened him with her worries , she had her own doubts ...But she was thankful to Her Super Dad as He did half of her work):- Umm.. I.. wanted to say something...

Maan(nodded):- Hmm.. Say !!!

Geet:- I was worried, thinking what will you ask me ... and before you can ask anything .. I want to clear a few things ... I mean, want to share my thoughts abt US ... (Maan was listening to her quietly so she contd)Its not like.. I don't want to be in this relation... I want to be with you... But, (she looked at his eyes) I need some time for US...(He gave surprised look, she sighed and looked down on the table) Am still studying and amidst of that, Am not feeling right to start relation with you...You know like... (she paused at that and looked at him, who was looking at her with a smile)

Maan(was amused at the direction where her thinking was going to..He smiled and then thought to clear her doubts):- Who said , I want to start a FAMILY with you???

Geet(looked at him shocked, cursing her big mouth to even voice her worries to him, ST):- Shouldn't have told him abt my worries... He is finding this funny...(To Maan):- Then??? What did you mean by Couple ???

Maan(was abt to laugh at her thinking but he controlled and instead sighed, covering his laugh so that she wouldn't feel awkward-The thing which he wanted to decrease):- Geet, Couple means.. As a husband and wife...they share their views, their likes, their emotions, thoughts, hobbies, everyday activity etc..And not like, I want you to come into limelight as Mrs MSK .. Be with me in the business parties to show off etc, everybody knows you... like that.. So, No, am not talking abt these all things ...We don't even converse properly.. I just want, to decrease this awkwardness in our relation, I just wanted that ... You were thinking too far ...

Geet(sighed in relaxation):- Oh !!

Maan(smiled):- Yeah...

By then, Waiter came with their drinks and again they went silent... Geet was pondering over his words... Her mind was playing games at her... and in that , she foolishly asked him, something which she shouldn't have...As he wasn't thinking in that line... Unknowingly, she gave him a wrong signal... But the damage was done... So, forgetting abt her foolish words she thought abt his words...

Maan kept stealing glances of her... He knew, she was in deep thinking, maybe she needed time to process his words and so he just sat there quietly, observed her... drinking his mocktail.. and waited for her to get free from thinking over his words...

Maan(ST-His analysis):- She is naive ... innocent...respectful.. intelligent...smart..Beautiful.. loving... caring..Bit childish... At times very much mature ..And , Funny.. (he smiled to himself as he recalled her reasoning abt his US words from before)All in all, she has every quality... Has won everyone's HEART... except mine... That, she will win soon now... (He looked surprised at his own thinking)Am not gonna fall for her. But will respect her...Am not testing her anymore... She is Perfect... She won't betray us now... I don't think she will...She is far more innocent from those evil thinking girls... Shall I give her a chance in my life matters now??? Or is it too soon...Maybe she doesn't want that for now??

When he was fighting with his own thoughts... Geet was lost in her world... Her dreamy world... His words of clarification of his thoughts made her like him even more... she felt special???

Geet(ST):- For once, am liking him even more... Liking leads to Love..Right !!Am I falling for Him?? The way he cleared my doubts without actually making fun of me, indicates, how much he expects from me, for this relation... well, maybe for now...(She stole glances at him) He has everything, one can ask for... He is handsome... Has attitude... Is successful ... Intelligent... Focused...Business-minded...Loving and caring... Clear minded...Sometimes, smiles too... (She smiled at that thought) Never HURTS anyone intentionally... So, he wants me to share our views to each other... Hmm.. starting from liking ...

She glanced up at him and saw the glass of mocktail... a thought came in her mind and in the next second, she was asking that to him...

Geet:- Ummm ... Do you drink??? (she pointed towards the raised glass in his hand)

Maan(was out from his thoughts, hearing her sudden question..He looked at his hand and answered):- Well, not really... But rarely.. and right now, am not drinking.. Its a mocktail-non-alcoholic drink...

Geet(nodded but fired another question on his way):- Do you smoke???

Maan(smiled and looked away then shook his head and said):- No...Am not a smoker...

Geet:- why do you eat Continental food for ??? (she asked as she has seen his food items were continental)

Maan:- Are we playing the likes game??? (She nodded with a smile..making him smile at her) Well, they are healthy... Good for health...

Geet:- But they are bland ..Tasteless... How can you eat that ???

Maan:- I eat for living... and for maintaining my fitness... so that I don't fall ill... Can't take days off from work...(He smiled saying so)

Geet(ST):- He is so workaholic...(She smiled back at him) Well, even with such caring, one can still fall ill...

Maan:- Agree, but why can't we be cautious ...

Geet(finished his sentence):- And forget abt freely living in life??? Sorry, but ... You should live life the way it comes... Even after coming to such beautiful places (she looked around) where lots of food varieties are present , you eat your boring, umm sorry, regular Continental Cuisine...You should try something new... You can eat that at home naa, then why come here and waste your money on these things ????

Maan(became serious at that):- It has always been like this for me...I don't enjoy my life Geet...Simply, don't know how to... Never had before... and maybe will never ...

Geet(sensed his seriousness and felt sorry for opening her big mouth):- Umm, sorry...Didn't mean to HURT you...(Reluctantly she placed her hand over his)

Maan(smiled, looking at their hands):- I know... (He sighed) Geet, no matter how much I try to move on, my past won't fade from my mind... It had been etched in my heart,my mind, since I was born... (He leaned back on his chair, taking his hand back from Geet's soft hold)Will never be able to forget anything related to my past...

Geet:- But you can make few beautiful present memories... That may decrease your bitterness from the past...

Surprised, Maan looked at Geet just as he heard her words... It was an advice ...a request... a plea... or maybe a demand, to forget his past... He couldn't guess, what it was... But whatever it was, he didn't mind her talks...For the first time, she was this much comfortable in his presence and was sharing her views... Surely, he didn't want to snap at her... So he kept silence...and nodded at her ...

Geet noticed he was silent ... she felt bad... was feeling odd to break the silence... But at last she did... as he was not talking anything ...She started to laugh ... Her mission was to grab his attention and that was accomplished, as he gave her quizzical looks...

Maan:- What happened ...

Geet:- Just got reminded of papaji's talks...

Maan:- Ahh!! and what did he say??? That's making you laugh even now???(He was curious to know)

Geet(instead of replying to his question directly, she twisted the answer and said):- You know, am not afraid of you anymore...

Maan(was surprised yet again):- Really??? That's nice...

Geet:- yeah coz, papaji... said, to tell you anything and everything without being afraid, from your anger... As he would handle you afterwards..(She smiled at his way, saying that)

Maan was shocked at his Dad's words... He couldn't believe his Dad said so... that too to her... But then thinking on that , his Dad nowadays was on Her side more, than His ... So he smiled at his Dad's way of giving her courage to speak up in front of him .. whatever she wanted ... by indirectly, telling her that he would scold Him if something went wrong ...Maan just shook his head and smiled...Geet saw him smiling and got a perfect chance to ask her question, that she wanted to talk on this date...

Am really thankful to all of you, who still are interested in reading my works despite of....me being not much active from past couple of months....and this being a re-posted work of mine.....You give so much love and show interest in my writings....Really Thank you so much all of you... 

Thanks to those who are liking this story of mine and thanks for comments as well... have replied to all do check if you wish to ..

Much Love Rose