First Kiss
Movie: Namastey London (2007) Prompt: First Kiss ----------------------------------------- "Congratulations. You were right, Charlie. I got to be the best man, but you're the man for Jazz. She loves you and I wish you both a very happy married life. Please take care of Jasmeet, sweet little Jasmeet. Don't hurt her. Ever. And this time I'll come back for a match and it won't be rugby....Goodbye Charlie, goodbye Jasmeet", Arjun spoke in fluent English. Fluent English. All Jazz could do was stare at him. Stare at this man who she had known for just a short month, who had come to her aid as a friend and a more than needed companion. He had finally opened up his own Pandora's box, and she had been left stunned. She had wished to know more about him than the person she'd always assumed he was. He had always, however, steered clear of any talks of himself, and focused primarily upon her; her life, her needs, her relationships, like a counselor, yet always with a friendly atmosphere. He spoke to Charlie, his eyes twinkling, because of the unshed tears at his loss, or for her happiness, she knew not. He smiled at her, a grin overtaking his features as he spoke about a rematch, but all she could hear was not what kind of a rematch, but why. He wanted her to be happy, and any minor detail resulting in her unhappiness was not to be left in the dust, because no matter how minor, it obviously had a major impact on him. She looked over to Charlie, who was trying not to grimace at the obvious affection exerting from Arjun for her. She could see him bordering on annoyance and fear, trying his best to hide it with a smile, or what he tried making look like one. Was this the man she wanted to marry? Who couldn't face off one of her closest friends and take in the advice he gave with a sense of humor? Looking back at Arjun, she saw the sadness and grief he so clearly tried to keep hidden. His smile now, clearly forced, but for her happiness he kept it hidden; he kept everything hidden. His ability to speak English and his not-so-villager-like behavior. She thought back to every moment spent with him in the past month, from India to here, to now. She remembered his stalker phase, jumping from roof to roof. She remembered him in his drunk state, the night he backed her up against the wall and recited compliments. She remembered his patience, the urge to get to know her before the sudden marriage. She clearly saw the happiness he was illuminated in when they all sat down to finalize the wedding. He was happy, because he thought that SHE had accepted, unknown to the fact that her father had forced her. But looking back, she didn't regret any of it. Her father had forced her into the best relationship she could hope for. In this whole "drama", she had gotten a chance to be with Arjun, not as a traditional wife who was expected to meet certain standards. Instead, her relationship with him gradually escalated from strangers to acquaintances to friends, and possibly even to best friends. He understood her like no one else. Now that she had gotten to know him, understand him, and wasn't pressured to be a certain person, she found herself knowing exactly what she wanted. She wanted a friend, a shoulder to cry on, a person to laugh with, someone to vent to about the unfairness in life. Someone who'd listen and tell her honestly what she wanted to hear but with every crtique known. What she wanted was standing right in front of her, ready to hand her off to maybe what will be the worst decision in her life. The only way to make her avoid this was him. She wanted HIM. Her thoughts were scattered everywhere. Thoughts of him. She watched him walk out of the church. It felt more like walking out of her life. She stared out after him, hoping, for something. Was this it? Had the fight in him left? Of course it had, she dimished every hope of his of earning her love, and this was the final nail in that coffin. She was jerked from her thoughts by the father reciting the words that demanded an answer from her. I do; the answer everybody was expecting from her. But she didn't feel that answer was deserved by the man standing across from her. The only person she could picture those words being spoken to had already left. She searched Charlie's eyes. She could see the happiness, that slowly formed to confusion. She couldn't, however, reciprocate the first feeling; not now and maybe not ever if she went through with this. Everybody had told her about Charlie; how she wouldn't be happy with him, how he couldn't provide her with what Arjun could, how she would be the 3rd conquest in his life and probably even the 3rd abandonment. She didn't love this man, not like she thought and hoped she had and could. If she went through this marriage, she'd be miserable. No. No. No. That was her answer to this; no. No to Charlie, no to the life she would live with him, no to his feelings, no to everything and anything related to him. No. "Jazz?...", Charlie's voice broke through her debate, which no longer existed because she wasn't confused anymore. She knew exactly what she wanted, and she was going to go after it. "No...", she spoke in a whisper. No. She backed away from him, away from what her life could be. She turned toward her father, giving him the largest smile she could muster. Throwing her bouqet towards him, she ran. Ran down that aisle, out that church, and towards Arjun. Behind her, she saw everybody inside rushing out after her. She noticed that Charlie was not the first one out there. That right there showed her exactly how much he wanted her. Waving to them she began her miles long marathon back home. ************************** Back at the house, Arjun had began packing. His flight back to Punjab left tomorrow in the afternoon. With Jasmeet gone, he had no reason to stay; in this house and even in the country, and the sooner he left, the faster his heartbreak may be mended. He had taken off his suit jacket and bowtie, feeling a little more free from the events of today. The suit jacket reminded him of where she had touched him as he walked her down the aisle. The bowtie felt more like a noose, leaving him delirious from the lack of air. Sitting on the couch in the living room, he had his arms resting on his thighs and his head in his hands. The unshed tears he tried difficultly to keep at bay had finally fallen like waterfalls. Painful sobs had racked through his body. He had decided to let all of this pain out, hopefully ridding it from his body, mind, and soul. He sat there for God knows how long, just letting the pain melt away. The doorbell ringing brought him out of his ministrations. Wiping away the tears from his now wet cheeks, he got up to check who was at the door. The ceremony may have been over but he was sure that wasn't the end, not when the groom was Charlie, who needed any reason to celebrate. The doorbell kept ringing, and he moved faster, determined to stop whoever was at the door, annoyed and frustrated that he couldn't get some peace and quiet. With a forceful turn, he opened the door to reveal...Jasmeet? He stared at her, confused as hell. Did she forget something in the house? Was Charlie here with her? He looked behind her to see if she was accompanied, only to find nobody. "Jasmeet, what..what are you doing here? You..you're supposed to be with...with Charlie. Is everything -", Arjun's concerned rambling was cut off by Jazz throwing herself at him. Her hold on him was powerful. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, unable to make a move, fearing this was an illusion his mind had conjured. Throwing caution to the wind, he brought his arms around her, real or imagination, and hugged her. Closing his eyes, he let his body melt in with hers. The arms around her waist pulled her closer and tighter around himself, her feet barely on the ground. He took deep breaths, willing himself to breathe during this weird time. Jazz loosened her arms, pulling herself back slowly from his body. It wasn't far, noses still touching, breaths still mingling, and eyes still closed. Arjun opened his eyes to find Jazz's still closed. She was breathing heavily, trying to reduce her fast beating her. He didn't wish to break the peaceful silence, yet it was bound to happen, so why not sooner than later? "Jazz?" That got her head to snap up and open her eyes. The relaxation vanished from her face and instead was taken over by...confusion and sadness? Those were definite moods that he hadn't seen on her since he had opened the door. "Jazz?", Arjun repeated this time in confusion as well. Her response was to let him go and take a step back, his body no longer supporting hers or having any physical touch with it. "Jazz, are you alright?" Tears began to moisten her eyes, and he was more than confused at that moment. What was he saying wrong? He was only asking her if she was alright, if something had happened that she was forced to come to him. Her fragile voice broke through his confusion, "Don't call me that." "What, Jazz?" She flinched at the name. "Jasmeet?", he tried again and this time it earned him a gaze from her, that didn't necessarily support the sadness there before. Jazz. Jasmeet. Jazz? Arjun was oblivious to the reason why she wouldn't want him calling her by her nickname. The reasons, however, did bombard him right then. He had mocked that name when asking her about Charlie. He told her that she would soon be Jasmeet Brown, but backtracked to Jazz Brown, an identity she picked up he was not on board with. It represented her life here, someone she was before she ever met him. He had called her Jazz before leaving her at the altar beside Charlie. A name he took before deciding to rid himself from her life. Jazz. She hated it because that's not who she is with him, or who she wishes to be. It was a name which he uttered from his lips with dislike and last said it before leaving her. It made him give her a small, loving smile. "Jasmeet", he whispered softly against her lips before capturing them altogether. She didn't respond, and he feared that he had misread her. He was about to pull back and begin apologizing when she she moved her lips, bringing her arms to interlock on his neck. His hands magnetically landed around her waist, bringing her flush against his body. The kiss became more ferocious, filled with passion and love, and longing. A loud horn made them both jump apart, faces flushed and heavy breathing a result of the intense intimate gesture. He looked over her head to see a cab out by the front of the house. The man resting his hand on the middle of the wheel. Jazz followed his gaze, a blush still covering her cheeks. "I'm sorry to interrupt this moment perhaps filled with infidelity, but I have a job. Unless you wish me to take you somewhere else, I'd really like to be on my way, Ma'am", the cab driver shouted in his thick British accent. Jazz widened her eyes and looked back at Arjun. "I didn't have money on me. I totally forgot about him", she spoke. He gave her a small laugh and shook his head. "I'll take care of it", and with that, Arjun walked over to the driver, reaching for his wallet to pull out a few bills, more than enough to cover the ride and then some. "Thank you, have a good day", he smiled cheekily, which got him a shake of his head. He watched the cab pull away and made his way back to Jaz- Jasmeet. Jasmeet. She doesn't like Jazz, well the name, not the music. He hoped, however, that with time she'll come to accept that name once again. "Let's go inside, we have a few things we need to speak about", Arjun told her, putting a hand softly to her back and guiding her through the foyer of the house and to the living room. "More like a lot. And one of them is your acting skills and how you should be in Hollywood, or wait...Bollywood." -------------------------------- So this happens before "Rotis & Frustration". Not much dialogue, I know. So that kiss, tbh, I was planning on making Jazz be the one to take action and do it, but I just wrote it and that happened. I still don't feel right about Arjun kissing her first because this is supposed to be Jazz's realization, that she wants him, to prove to him that this is her final decision. But eh.. (Arjun's character is just not the one to intitiate such an intimate gesture, according to me. I kinda went a little off character for that scene, my mind made me do it.) There's gonna be one more that takes place after this, then comes the "Rotis & Frustration". So yeah...good talk. Hope you like it. Ya'll can always request, I don't mind. xo, Harpinder
