Chapter Two: The Scandal

Flashback (2 days ago)

It was the Break-up Party. The hall was festooned with various lights & the air was filled with unwavering music. While some humans danced to celebrate their break-up while others took to boozing at the bar counter unable to bear the sadness of separation.

While the party was in full spirit, two souls were engaged in a weird conversation.

"Are you here to get someone arrested?"

She stared hard at the metal handcuff which Meera was showing her with so much pride. Geet did not have any valid reason for being in this party since she was miles away from pyaar-vyaar ka chakkar. She had come there on Meera's insistence.

"No yaar! Now listen to me very carefully. We are on a mission!" she said in a grave tone, "I hate break-up parties so I brought this handcuff so that I can lock one hand each of any two ex-lovers who want to get back together but won't admit it. By forcefully being together, they will sort out their differences & then I will unlock the handcuff. So I brought you here to help me find still-in-love exes."

Geet blinked hard at her after hearing the masterplan.

"Are you okay or shall I arrange for a psychiatrist?"

"I am serious!! Whenever Yash & I have a fight, we do the same thing! And we are getting married next month, all thanks to this marital handcuff." Meera blushed.

Geet was irritated.

"Marital handcuff? What stupidity!"

 But after a lot of coaxing from Meera, she finally agreed to help.

While both the friends were gearing up for the mission, there was a new arrival in the party. All heads swiveled when he walked the passage leading to the hall. Girls shrieked & swooned as they touted him as the most irresistible man who could ever walk on the face of the Earth. His charming features included his gelled black hair, chocolate brown orbs, the sharp long nose, his luscious 'M' shaped lips. His well-toned muscular body veiled by his black half buttoned shirt which gave a tempting view of his chest. The broad shoulders & steeled biceps meeting his hands, the touch of which any girl would desire. BUT Maan Singh Khurana strictly stayed miles away from girls but the other way around was obviously far from truth. And the latest girl who wanted to pounce on him was Sunaina who was stalking him everywhere. So to save his izzat, Maan randomly entered the party.

His pride was brutally shaken when his eyes fell on the girl who stood at some distance from him. And her angelic features prompted him to stare at her in detail. The hazel brown eyes outlined with a streak of kohl, the cute little nose, her soft pink pouty lips, her hair was left loose & some of the curls fell on her cheeks. Her ears wore long silver accessories & a bracelet went around her hand. She had worn leggings & a black butterfly-like top with netted sleeves.

He looked away, sensing she had demanded too much attention more than he wished to give any girl.

"Maan! You here?!"

Meera greeted him in a surprised tone. She knew him as Yash's friend.

Before he could reply, Meera again spoke.

"Anyways, let me introduce you to my friend!"

Saying that, she called 'Geet' & Maan saw the same girl, who had caught his gazes, walking upto them. Geet was aware of his eyes fixed on her as she neared them. Fine! He was handsome but she didn't like being stared to such an extent. She began doubting his intentions.

"Maan Singh Khurana here. Nice to meet you Miss--."

He stretched his hand to her with a smile.

"Geet Arora."

She smiled back shaking hands with him. But some where she felt that there was something else going on in his mind. And her doubts were confirmed when he didn't leave her hand. Maan was lost in her. He even was amused by the fact that she was able to captivate his mind & eyes to a huge extent which no one had ever succeeded to do before.

While Geet flinched to free her hand from his firm hold, Maan saw Sunaina enter the party. He was fed-up.

"God! This girl!!!"

Maan did not realize when he pulled Geet in his arms & placed his lips on hers...Sunaina saw that! Stamping her foot she went away & here Maan, in a state of oblivion, was still kissing a shocked Geet. She pushed him away with a herculean effort & planted a tight slap on his face...!

The realization of what he had done & the slap occurred simultaneously to Maan. Next moment, he heard her angry cursings as she clutched his collar!

"How dare you?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew you were a lose character the way you were looking at me & not even leaving my hand!!!!!!Just because I shook hands with you & smiled doesn't mean you show your real face so shamelessly!!!!!!!!What do you think of yourself!!!! I will get you life time imprisoned for this!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

Maan tried very hard to sincerely seek forgiveness & offer a clarification but she just went on & on & on. Meera tried to intervene but couldn't. Maan found no other option but to kiss an enraged Geet again to silence her! Geet got a double shock feeling her lips pressed against his & she blessed him with another tighter slap after shoving him away.

Now Maan was not going to take that easily.

"You did it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't you understand human language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I tried to stop you but you weren't listening to me. So I had to kiss you!!!!!"

"So couldn't you place your finger on my lips to silence me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Why would I risk my finger?!!!!!What if you had bit me?!!!!!"

"Do I look like a wild cat to you that I will bite you?!!!!!!!!!!!"

"The way you are behaving right now, no one will call you a mild cat!!!"

They just kept on bickering hurling taunts & jibes at each other.

"Stop!!!!"

Meera shouted but both of them plainly ignored her. Ultimately Meera got so pissed off that she unknowingly handcuffed Maan's left & Geet's right hand...!

Maan & Geet stopped dead feeling the handcuff chaining their hands. Both of them glared at Meera.

"Meera!!! What have you done!!!!!"

"I thought this is the only way to stop both of you & see it worked!!!!!!!!!" exclaimed Meera in victory.

"Separate us right now!!!" Maan said sternly.

"Okay Okay! Relax! I have got the key! You will be free! Wait a minute!"

She searched her purse & handed the key to Geet who in turn desperately tried to unlock the handcuff but couldn't do so. Maan snatched it from her.

"Give it to me! I want to be away from you as soon as possible!!!"

But even he couldn't unlock. Geet snatched it back again & they kept on snatching the key from each other. Meera tried to help but again she was ignored. Ultimately the key broke into two pieces...!

Maan & Geet were equally horror-struck.

"Omigod! Yeh kya kar diya??!!!"

"Meera!! You must be having a spare key! Say yes!!!!" Geet shot a plea at her.

"Spare key toh hai...par..." she hesitated, biting her lips.

"Par kya?!!!!" Maan asked, impatiently.

"Ermm...it's with Yash..." she glanced sideways.

"Toh kya hua?!! Call him here!!!!"Geet was impatient.

"Err...I can't call him now!!"

"Why?Is he busy in doing yoga?!!!!" Maan tried to make sense.

"Because he is out of town for a case & will only return tomorrow morning so both of you have to stay together for the night I am really sorry but I am not responsible since both of you broke the key."

Meera said in one full breath not even wanting to imagine their faces. There was dead silence as the harsh reality seeped in Maan & Geet... Both of them received a huge shock of their lives...

"You're joking na Meera." Geet uttered with a lump in her throat.

Meera shook her head to utter a no. Seeing their puffed faces, she quickly spoke again.

"Guys Please! I know it will be difficult but for one night you two have to stay together, there is no other option. Tomorrow as soon as Yash comes, you will be freed from each other."

"One night with him!!" Geet glared at Maan.

"I can't stay even one nano second with her!!!" Maan glared back at Geet.

They fought for some more time but finally accepted defeat & both were mentally preparing themselves to bear the other the entire night...

"He kissed me twice...what if he does something wrong to me... Babaji raksha karna!"

"She slapped me twice...what if she pounces at me...God save me from her!"