OS: Fight Back - MG

It’s so strange to be back. I never thought I’d ever be here again. Being an army brat, I lived in many places during my childhood. This town is one of them.

I lived here for a short term. I think I’ve had the most impact on my life here. It feels amazing to be back. But for now, I better get some ice cream for my grandmother. She’s such a kid sometimes. Being the sucker that I am, I do whatever makes her happy.

It’s so crowded here. This town has certainly grown over the years. And this Saturday afternoon, it seems like the whole world is outside. I don’t blame them; the weather’s beautiful. But I really wanted my first walk around to be less crowded.

I weaved through the maze and finally reached my grandmother’s favorite ice cream store. As soon as I stepped in, somebody tapped me from behind. I turned around to see the eyes that haunted me for most of my life. The difference is that this time the eyes are not framed with glasses.

‘Hi, I know you,’ she stated in her melodious voice. It pleased me that it was a statement and not a question.

‘You know me?’ I asked her. She looked a little flustered now.

‘I know that I know you. How do I know you?’ she clearly wasn’t going to give up.

‘Are you sure you’re not trying to hit on me?’ I teased her. I don’t know why, I just wanted to joke with her. Fate was clearly joking with me. It had brought me a present my first day here; the most beautiful gift.

She blushed. I laughed. Instantly, I was transported back to time when she had actually changed my life.

Because we kept moving, I had developed a tough exterior. Being the new kid everywhere, I was teased mercilessly, but I didn’t care anymore. I had learnt enough about humans to not take them seriously.

This town was every other town. This school was every other school. There was a bully in every school. And I was teased again. I ignored it, as always. The pesky kid here was Dev.

One day during my senior year of high school, I walked out of class and was hounded again by Dev and his gang in the corridor, in front of everyone. She came out of nowhere and stepped in front of me.

‘Why are you making fun of him? What has he done to you?’ I remembered seeing her in class. Her nose was always pressed against a book. She was also teased because she wore thick glasses and braided her hair. Regardless of that, she was gorgeous. And I remembered her fallen reputation which when I thought of it, didn’t mesh with what I had observed of her.

‘Nothing, it’s merely the fact that he exists,’ Dev, the bully, smirked. It clearly showed that he thought it was a smart retort. And where had I heard that line before?

The girl was quicker than I had given her credit for. ‘Oh come on, how original. Quoting Harry Potter? Seriously? You think you’re James Potter? He’s the only one that got away with that line. And you think you can? Whatever!’ This was the longest speech I had ever heard from her; not that I ever paid attention to her. But now I did, with both my eyes wide open.

Dev turned slightly red, but he didn’t back down. ‘And you actually know where I got the line from. What does that make you? Oh yeah, I remember, a nerd,’ he smirked once again and my hands turned into fists. I didn’t like the way he was speaking to her or the way he was looking at her. I knew that look, and I detested it. It was a look of lust. I was able to identify it because I had become very quick at reading people.

He continued with his low thoughts, ‘And anyways, why do you care if I tease him? What is he? Your lover?’

Before I could say anything, which I was about to do, she came back with a sharp retort that left me jaw slacked, ‘And what if he is? Just because I refused to be your lover, you defamed my character. I wonder what he refused to do for you that you’re slandering him, now.’

This literally left the entire corridor shell shocked. And Dev, the biggest bully on the face of the Earth, turned a nasty purple color. He took a step forward with his hands clenched in fists. I recognized that he was going to hit her and I pushed her behind me. Our eyes met and my world turned upside down.

I mentally shook myself and focused on the problem at hand. I didn’t have to do anything because Dev’s victims stood in front of me facing Dev. They had all had enough of him. Dev saw them all and ran away.

I turned and saw her looking at me. I smiled at her, ‘Thanks, I didn’t need your help, but thanks.’

She laughed, ‘Yeah, you didn’t need my help at all. I could see that. And thank you as well. I’m Geet Handa.’

‘I’m Maan Singh Khurana,’ we shook hands and I felt something. I looked at her and she was still smiling at me. I don’t think she felt anything. She thanked me once again and left.

I didn’t see her after that day. My dad got reposted and I couldn’t attend my high school graduation. I learnt a lesson that day. I learnt a lesson about courage. The slip of a girl had enough courage to stand up against a bully. The most poignant moment for me was that she had never stood up for herself, but she stood up for me.

After that, I decided to work against bullies. I started a program called ‘Fight Back’ and that program gives students mental courage and physical courage to fight back to the bullies. We show students some martial arts moves that can scare bullies away. We have hotlines for students who are being bullied and those students are helped by our resourceful staff.

Not everyone has the courage to fight back, but it just takes one person to stand up for what is right. I learnt a great lesson that day that has stayed with me ever since. And here was my inspiration standing right in front of me wondering how she knew me. I guess the question should have been how I knew her.

I smiled at her blush and she turned back giving up on me. She started walking away from me when I shouted out, ‘Geet.’

She stopped, turned and looked at me with a slight smile. ‘So you do know me.’

‘Yes, I know you. Do you want to have an ice cream and catch up? I’ll tell you who I am,’ I wanted to know everything about her. Most importantly, I wanted to know if she was still single.

OS: The Book - MG

            His eyes blazed with desire. Without removing his gaze from hers, he slowly removed his tie. He knew the effect he had on her, and he gloried in the knowledge.

            Deliberately, he skimmed his hand on his shirt and watched her gaze follow the movement. He took a step forward and opened his first button. He saw her eyes darken with lust and felt the urge to quickly get rid of his clothing. He ruthlessly denied the temptation.

This night was for her.

            He opened his second button slowly; and then the third. A tantalizing view of his chest appeared.

 She gulped, hypnotized by the view of his broad hands moving south. She knew that in no time, those masculine hands would be caressing every inch of her body. And his mouth would follow the trail.

 She couldn’t wait-

‘Geet!’

Geet fumbled with the book and dropped it on the bed. The blood was still roaring in her ears. She quickly picked it up, slid the bookmark in and hid the book under the pillow. She hastily stood up and went near the door.

Her husband strode in their bedroom in his office attire. ‘Geet, you look flushed. Are you OK?’ he asked concerned. He put his hand on her forehead to feel the temperature. It was fine. He frowned.

She cleared her throat. It felt too hot in the room and she doubted she could speak. She cleared it again. ‘I’m fine, Maan.’

‘OK, if you’re sure. It was so busy at work today,’ he continued not realizing that Geet was just staring at him. ‘But I kept missing you and Muskaan. I hate to miss even a second of her life, but I guess it is what it is. Are you sure you’re OK?’ he asked once again on not hearing her reply. She was usually so bubbly and full of life that her silence was a huge cause for concern.

Geet forced a laugh. ‘Of course I’m fine.’ She cleared her throat again and stuttered. ‘I was just.. I was just thinking.. I was just thinking about how fast Muskaan is growing. She’s already two months old!’

Geet, get your mind out of the gutter and focus on the conversation, she thought furious at herself for noticing how well his shirt clung to his sculpted muscles. Her husband was still as good looking as he was when they had first met.

Then she looked at herself. No wonder her husband didn’t want her anymore, she still had some of her pregnancy weight. Her husband still looked like chiseled perfection and here she looked like a goat. She felt very melancholic.

She shook her head, broke out of her miserable inner reflection and smiled. ‘I’m so glad you’re home. Dadima took Muskaan to stay at Dev’s house for the night, so I was just getting bored.’

‘I know a way of getting rid of your boredom,’ he said his voice suddenly husky. He took a step towards her. Geet stared into Maan’s eyes and silently rejoiced. Was he finally going to make love with her?

He took another step toward her and her throat became dry. He lifted his hand, grazed her cheek-

Her breathing became labored.

And he took the towel that was hung on the rack. ‘Why don’t you make coffee for me while I take a shower?’

Disappointment stabbed through her heart. She was ready to cry. But no, she would not do such a thing. She didn’t want Maan to know how much he hurt her.

‘Fine,’ she stepped away from him. ‘You shower and I’ll go make some coffee. That is just the most perfect way to get rid of boredom. Thanks a lot,’ she said sarcasm dripping in every word.

She stomped outside the room, down the stairs and to the kitchen. ‘What the hell does he think of himself anyways? Does he think I’m a servant? Or a doormat? Or a fixture of this house? He wants coffee? I’ll make him coffee alright!’

She angrily took a mug out and made the coffee. She then put six spoonfuls of sugar and mixed it furiously. She then put three spoonfuls of ground cloves and nutmeg. ‘This will teach that man a lesson; never mess with Geet Khurana!’

She stormed back to their bedroom. Her temper quickly deflated when she saw Maan placing her book back on the nightstand. She gulped when she saw him lift his gaze to hers; the gaze that was completely lust-filled.

‘Could I have the coffee, Geet?’ he asked, his voice husky.

She walked towards him slowly and placed the tray on the nightstand. She saw him standup from the corner of her eye.

He hasn’t showered yet, she thought foolishly.

His hand skimmed his shirt and she followed the movement with her eyes. He brought his hand back and opened the first button of his shirt. Her gaze flew to his as she realized what he was doing. He was enacting the scene from the book!

He opened the second button slowly and she was hypnotized. He slowly undid all his buttons and removed his shirt.

He walked towards Geet who took a step back. His eyes were blazing. He continued walking towards her until her back hit the wall.

She stood mesmerized. She saw him lift his hand to her face. He brushed his thumb over her lower lip. Her breath hitched. He rubbed his thumb against it until she shivered.

‘Now I know what my wife does when nobody’s at home,’ he whispered in her ear.

‘No, I.. I.. the book-,’she stammered.

‘The book what Geet?’ he asked nibbling her ear.

‘The book.. the book..,’ it was so hard to concentrate on the topic when he was evoking such delicious sensations. But she had to explain!

‘The book’s not like that,’ she tried to explain. ‘It was just that one scene in the book.’

‘What scene, Geet?’ he asked turning his attention to her neck.

‘The.. mmm’ she moaned when he nipped her neck. She tried again, ‘the scene that had the bookmark.’

‘Oh, that scene,’ his senses were clouding up as well. ‘That scene was very erotic, wasn’t it?’

‘Yeah,’ she sighed but then backtracked, ‘I don’t.. I don’t.. read stuff like that. This book just had the scene.’

He suddenly turned her around so that her back was facing him. He skimmed the exposed skin with his knuckles and she shivered.

She tried to put her mind back to the conversation, ‘I thought you didn’t want me anymore. I know I’ve gained weight and I don’t look the same anymore,’ she voiced her earlier doubts.

He muttered an oath under his breath. He put his hand on her zip and she inhaled quickly. ‘Not want you? Gained weight? What nonsense, Geet? You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. And you’re more beautiful now then when we had first met. You’ve given me love, our baby and more happiness than I could have ever imagined.’ His words and actions were creating havoc to her body.

He tormented himself by slowly pulling the zip down. ‘And how can I not want you? I’ve wanted you every goddamned second of every goddamned day! Not having you was driving me crazy! I’ve wanted to touch you,’ he touched her skin that was being revealed. ‘I’ve wanted to kiss you,’ he kissed the skin further exposed by him pulling the zip down. ‘I’ve wanted to bite you,’ he lifted his head and nipped her neck gently. ‘You’ve been driving me crazy, Geet!’

‘Then why didn’t you do anything?’ she asked confused even when he was driving every thought out of her mind.

‘Do anything?’ he asked as his brain clouded with love and lust. ‘I couldn’t! It was too soon. I read somewhere that women need time for their bodies to recuperate after childbirth. I was just giving you time. And becoming mental every night when you were so close, yet I couldn’t touch you!’

Geet was touched by his consideration but.. ‘Muskaan was born two months ago, Maan! Maan,’ she moaned his name as he flicked her bra open.

‘I know; it was driving me mad. I finally broke down and went to ask your doctor how long it would take,’ He continued the descent of the zipper.

‘You went to the doctor?! Maan, you’re mad!’ her breath hitched again as he stroked her back.

‘I know! I had to know though! I just had to. And when the doctor told me that it was OK, I almost cried with relief. I came back home thinking I’ll seduce my gorgeous wife tonight. I almost had you before I came to my senses and asked you for coffee. But I wanted it to be special.’

‘Then I saw the book and something in me snapped,’ he turned her around again and looked into her eyes. ‘I love you, Geet.’ And all her doubts went out of the window.

‘I love you, Maan.’

And he finally, finally kissed her on the lips.