When I Finally Made You Mine (Completed)

Chapter eighteen

“Did we push her too much? She seems so down.” I asked Maya lowly when Gini dashed off the place hurriedly with her soaked red eyes.

“You’re melting already? We haven’t even been on second phase yet. Please don’t let your emotions befall you. Get a grip. And no, we haven’t pushed her at all. She is having a hard time to realise why she hadn’t let any girl come to you. Also, she is dealing with the distractions she is receiving from you. She has always seen you tailing after her. Things have changed. And sometimes changes are good.” Maya demonstrated me the new chapters of the book LOVE and soon enough I realised I was at a ground level.

“I’m not used to see her swollen eyes. And I can’t even think the reason behind it could be me” I exhaled a mourn.

“Why do you like her, Naman? She is clearly not the prettiest girl in town. She is average in studies, kind of a dummy when it comes to reasoning behind your soft behaviour. What made you fall for her”? Maya questioned while I set off our feet on the damp road.

I chuckled softly at her question and I was wondering what and how to answer this question. Truth to be told, I myself had never realised the accounts behind my love for her. As long as I could remember, it’s been always her!

“It was a part of growing up together. I have seen my mother dying in hospital bed, my father retiring earlier than his time. Never had any relative who could stand by us in the time of need. And then my dad left the city life and dumped me here. I could have become an unhealthy toxic kind of a boy, hadn’t I found Gin. She became a sister, a friend, a mother for me. Amidst the darkness that was gnawing its sharp beaks into my soul, she saved me. She channelized me, guided me through and most importantly she filled my life with hopes and dreams. There weren’t a time when I felt a need of anyone other than her.”

“Aren’t you mistaking generosity for love”?

“Generosity is one of the contributing factor in love”

Maya inspected my face in the dark and spoke, "she doesn’t know what she has.”

“Just the opposite. I didn’t know what I had unless I lost her.”

“She is still very much yours. She just needs to feel that.”

The quiet and calmness of the evening made me forget the clamour of the noisy world but the fact that Maya and I both walking side by side under the moonlit starry sky was the most healing moment I had in a long time.

But something was still biting me. I should come clear before its too late. Even if this ends every hope for me, I won’t use her.

“Maya, uummmm about earlier, you said you had a long time crush on me. Is that why you chose to help me? If that’s the case I honestly have nothing to offer you. I’m sorry. You are wonderful but I can’t be more than a friend”.

“I don’t rob empty banks, Naman! Its true you were and still are my crush but it has nothing to do with this. I won’t harm the person who I had looked up to. And I’m sorry for not telling you earlier.” Maya’s diligent eyes don’t lie. If I had learnt something about her in past few days, slyness and lying weren’t her cup of tea. Although her carefree attitude sometimes make her look like an evil but she keeps her sharp claws out only to protect herself.

“Thank you, M! You are an insightful person. And it’s a pleasure knowing you!” I extended my hand to meet hers.

She held my hand tightly and shook it vigorously, slipping her smile to spread only happiness but even the darkness of the night couldn’t hide her damp eyes. She sniffled, “It’s a pleasure crushing on you.”

Tears were gathering up in her black pools. Maya had control over everything except the one who she had loved. We all are crippled and immoral when it comes to love, I guess! And who would understand her situation better than me as I myself was battling in a wrong war.

Maya advanced her hands to reach my shoulder but I didn’t move away. The only thing I could lay out for her was a friendly hug. I spread my arms but she declined. Rather she clutched my fabrics and placed a quick peck on my right cheek.

“Keep my first kiss safe with you” Saying that, she dashed off.

Certainly, I wasn’t expecting a peck from her but I wasn’t alarmed either as I knew I just trimmed the tiniest hope that she had ever harboured. Rahul was right, “We all are villain in someone’s story”.

The evening was transferring into another state of dark shades. I took myself off and aimed towards my block. The sound of crickets and frogs and the smell of wet soil filled the air while provoked the emptiness. The new moon had worn new colour. The soaked trees were doing a perfect sway. And the person in me was ending another day with a hope to being with his soulmate.

--

A sudden knock on the wooden entrance disconnected me from my left over home work. When I darted my eyes at the wall clock, it notified me half past twelve which was odd because no humans would visit to the two most uneventful persons on earth this hour; one was reclining around forty eight and another was a scapegoat of puberty.

"Who would come at this hour?" Sir Rajiv came out of his study room and examined my face in anxiety.

"Ghosts? Thieves?" I triggered his fear jokingly.

"Neither thieves nor ghosts have the courtesy to ring the bell these days"  he smugged.

"stay put behind the door" I told him as I adjusted my eyes in the peeking glass, "Whaattttt the fu..."

"Language, son" He firmed his voice.

"What are you doing here alone?” I immediately unlocked the door to find Gini’s beautiful face.

“Sorry to bother you” She spoke softly.

“Are you nuts? Its past midnight. Who knows who or what you would meet in this hour? Crazy, Gini?” I slammed her with bunch of questions that were driven by the insecurities I felt for her.

“Let her come inside, you idiot.” Dad scolded me and directed his eyes at Gini’s shaky face, “Gini, my dear, is everything all right? Is Koushik okay? Brinda? You could have called Naman over your place if necessary. Its not safe walking alone at night.”

“I’m sorry uncle. I called but I found his phone off. I…” She excused herself by a solid lie because my phone was still very much alive.

“Sit here.” Dad pacified her by dragging a chair and gave me a nod before he switched himself off, “I’m going to bed early. Have a seminar next week. Need to work.”

Gini settled herself on the chair with her face down. I felt a cramp in my stomach. Was she fighting with Vivek? She would never potter about at night unless she was in trouble and by trouble means, badly screwed.

“Gin, whatever reason you’re here for, just know this, never ever come alone at night. What if something had happened”? Fear and anxiety both roared in my voice.

Gini stood up immediately and let her arms find my neck. Her shaky member woke me up completely from a light dizziness due to the late hour of the night and I realised she was sobbing.

***