May I, My Love? ✔

46. t h e u n f o r g i v i n g s t o r m

I staggered back as my legs trembled. This was the greatest embarrassment someone could feel in their lifetime. It felt as if everything I had built for myself came crashing down in a matter of few seconds. The shock, the pain, and the feeling of loss was prominently etched on my visage as I saw the horrible scene in front of my eyes – it was a video of Josiah kissing me for the first time in the rain. Someone had the audacity to do so and then, post it online for the world to see? Who could it be?

But I had no time to think about all of that as a booming voice downstairs shook me up entirely. Father was home, and he wasn't happy. I looked up at Lisa for help, my eyes getting blurred due to tears falling uncontrollably and the shortness of my breath told her that I was almost having a panic attack. We both knew how ruthless he could be at times, and when I had done something so incredibly despicable in his eyes, I could only imagine his rage and fury.

"Har, calm down. You can't go talk to him in this state, because it's time for standing up for yourself. You know that Josiah will be by your side, right?" Lisa asked me in a comforting manner, and for the first time, I thought of Josiah since all of this happened.

Was he okay? Was he angry? Did he know about this? Would he speak up in front of his grandfather and admit to His Majesty that he loves me?  I quickly fished out my phone from the bedside table and dialled him. There was a little bit of nervous back and forth until he picked it up.

There was a brief moment of silence until I spoke up first, "Josiah...I-I wanted to...this... all of this... what's happening Josiah? Please tell me."

I broke down again, not wanting to believe that there was someone who wanted me to be scarred like that for the rest of my life. I admit I would have to face my family, and his too someday, but the moment would come much earlier than expected, and in the most unexpected way, I had no idea.

"Harmony, listen to me please. I don't know why this happened so early, but you have to be stronger. I've had reporters call me on my phone and in the office all day long, so I won't be able to keep my phone on from now. I'm sure your family too, must want to talk to you about this, but just trust me, and don't worry about anything else. Talk to them, and tell them all about us. They need to know that we're in love with each other, so leave no stone unturned, okay?" He soothed me calmly, but his words brought out a completely different reaction out of me.

Listening to him made me sob harder. It was as if I couldn't believe that I had met a man who would want to take responsibility – not just for his past actions, but also for me. He was willing to go through all of this for me, and now, I felt foolish and imbecilic for thinking that he would want to abandon me too. And just like that, we were both back in our own bubble, forgetting all about our surroundings.

"I miss you," I told him while sniffling. I just wished he would teleport here in my room and hold me tight and whisper sweet nothings in my ear. I just wish we would be in the backyard now, sitting on the piano and making new tunes, lost in our own world, because running away from the reality and hiding yourself in the covers of fantasy was much easier.

Yet, it wasn't possible. No matter how many times I would want to erase these memories from the timeline of our life and write a new chapter, I couldn't do so. The brutal reality was smack in the middle of the room, and it was harder to evade it than look at it in the eye and fight it.

"I miss you too, Harmony. I love you," He said in return, which made me cry harder.

But I had to square up my shoulders, because if I previously thought this was just my instinct, I was wrong about it. This was so very much real, and Josiah might have kept some secrets from me, but I will have to face the consequences of our actions. This was a whole storm, an u forgiving tempest, and it totally intended to sweep my dreams away, and eventually kill me.

But now, I will have to become stronger, adamantine. This was for my future, for our future together, and if I didn't brace myself for a little bit of criticism, I wasn't fit to be a Prince's girlfriend. Drawing energy from his soothing yet loving words, I took in a dee breath, completely calmed down and ready for war. No matter who or what comes in between now, I will never give up on what, or who I want. Not this time.

With a strange resolve in my voice, I told him three last words so confidently that I shocked myself for I had never been this way with him.

"I love you too."

And just like that, all of my fears and insecurities vanished. I was now properly ready to face the storm, and kill it completely.