PEHLI MOHABBAT

CHAAND BAALIYAN

[ BONUS CHAPTER - PART 2]

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The ocean breeze coated her skin in a light mist of brine leaving it salty to taste. When she gets home every kiss would remind her of the waves that pound the beach in white foam spray, but right now it's just the perfect coolness to keep her mind right here in the present where she felt the happiest.

Without any hesitation, Aarushi laid her towel down upon the tiny grains and chips of rocks that the oceans might had turned into sand over the years. She took a moment to put her life on hold and gazed at what nature had to offer her. She reflected upon all of the other places she could have been instead of standing with her toes curling in the warm sandy beach and smiled in appreciation of her situation.

Her head turned upwards, the fond memories flashing in front of her. A younger Aarushi running across the shore with the waves catching her. The moving clouds formed another picture - of her parents. She could see the white cotton ball making a silhouette of her Baba, his smile stretching into a grin as she called out his name.

Involuntarily, she closed her eyes with the words reaching her ears - "Baba, the waves will destroy my castle, we need to protect it!!"
Her Maa, sitting right next to him laughed at her daughter's antics.

Aarushi opened her eyes. There, amid the golden sands was a flowing pond of sky in the happy company of palms, an oasis that could have jumped from the pages of a storybook.

The presence of someone beside her, made her head turn sideways. And there stood right in front of her, her prince charming. Though he didn't own a white horse, yet he was nothing less from the ones she had daydreamed as a young girl.

She blinked back at him when he asked her to bend forward.

"Do it na!" He pleaded.

So she did, bending her head a little forward for him to place the tiara on her head. A small smile appeared on her lips as she ran her fingers on the white petals and greenly stems that were woven into each other.

"Now you look like her." Arjun said aloud. His cheeks turning a shade darker to pink.

Aarushi looked at him with admiration. His face to her eyes was all the beauty a man could possess, not for his features, yet for the light in his eyes and the gentle warmth of his soul.

"Like who?" She raised her brow.

"The Disney princess," His eyes shone with admiration, "You look the same now."

He paused leaning forward, his lips brushing against her ears and whispered ever so softly, "Actually, a lot more beautiful."

And that's when Aarushi realized that her prince charming was much better than Cinderella's or Sleeping Beauty's. Because he made her blush like none of the fairytale princes could. And most importantly because, he didn't fight for her, didn't disappear her worries in a blink; instead he stood beside her as a pillar of strength when she was fighting away her fears.

He empowered her to never give up, to keep fighting and cured her when she was wounded. It wasn't him who ended her story on a happy note, but it was 'they' who worked together to make it a story full of memories. Their life's story.

Without a second thought she threw her arms around him, taking Arjun by surprise. The sudden action made him stumble back as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, making them both fall back on the sand.

He heard Aarushi giggle on top of him as she lent in for a kiss, the kind he wanted to last forever. But after a time he withdrew to gaze at the face he loved so much.