Beauty and The Blind

Chapter Thirty Four

I did it.

I got Sitara her job back.

I freaking did it!

The letters from the kids were a nice touch. I wanted Sitara to see them. But that wasn't what got Sitara her job back. It was Shruti. My taking the metro to Hauz Khas and speaking with Shruti was what won the battle. I knew it would.

God, that felt good.

I step outside the office myself while Kunal Dubey and Sitara briefly discuss a few administrative details. After a few minutes, the door creaks open. I take a step back, squinting to try to make out Sitara's outline. "Sitara?"

There's a long silence. For a moment, I'm scared Kunal is going to tell me she's gone. But then I hear Sitara's voice say, "I'm here."

I let out a breath. "Hey. Um, you should have this folder. It's all letters to you."

Sitara tugs the manila folder from my hand. Good. I wanted her to have that.

"Is there somewhere we could go?" I ask. "Just to talk for a minute?"

"Yash..."

"Please, Sitara." I hear my voice breaking, which is embarrassing, but I push on. "Please, let's talk."

She sighs loudly. "Okay."

Her soft fingers graze against my hand to let me know she's next to me. I take her arm and she leads me down a hallway and around a corner. We enter a room, and she places my hand on the back of a chair. I feel for the seat, then carefully lower myself down.

"I appreciate what you did," she says. "Thank you. That was really nice."

"I didn't do it to be nice," I say through my teeth. "I did it because I care about you." I hesitate. May as well lay it all out there. "I really like you, Sitara. A lot."

She lets out a snort. "Yash, please don't feel like you have to-"

"I don't feel like I have to do anything!" I'm trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

"The truth is, Sitara, I... I can't get you out of my head. I've been beating myself up for screwing things up with you. Please, give me another chance."

"You don't mean that," she mumbles. "I heard what you said to your friend."

"Will you forget whatever stupid thing I said to Dev?" I clench my hands into fists.

"I swear I didn't mean it. I want to take you out to dinner. Will you please let me do that? Just dinner? It would make me the happiest guy in the world."

"I think you're being a little melodramatic," she murmurs.

She's right. I'm overdoing it.Pull back.

"Sorry," I say. "I've never made an emotional romantic speech before."

"You need practice."

"It's even harder than braille." I admit.

She laughs and my heart leaps in my chest. Good sign. Very good sign.

"I don't want you to feel pressured into anything," she says. "I don't want you to just be tolerating me because you feel guilty."

"I promise you," I say, "that's not the case."

She's quiet for a minute. "You know, if we do go out..."

I bite my lip. "Yeah?"

"You'll have to kiss me eventually."

My heart starts thumping loudly in my chest. I feel like it's so loud, even Sitara can hear it. "I'd like to kiss you now, if that's okay."

Another long silence. "Are you sure?"

"I am extremely sure."

I lean forward, toward the dark, fuzzy outline I know is Sitara. I won't be able to see her lips. She's going to have to bridge the rest of the gap. I sit there, my eyes closed, waiting.

And then I feel it. Her lips on mine. Sitara kissing me.

In case I had any delusion that Sitara's deformities were some trick everyone was playing on me to see if I truly loved her or some bullshit like that, it's quickly clear that the deformities are real. Her lips feel rough, like scar tissue. There are ridges where there should just be smooth skin. It's very different from all the other women I've kissed in my life-and there have been many.

But then she opens her mouth and her tongue is soft and warm. It sets every part of me on fire. I feel myself pulling her toward me, unable to get enough of this girl. I touch the skin on the back of her neck, which is soft and unscarred. There are parts of Sitara that are perfect and parts that are not perfect. And I'm falling in love with all of them.

When our lips separate, we are both breathing hard. She's clinging to my chest and I've got my hands on her jaw.

"Yash," she whispers.

"How about that date tonight?" I say.

I feel her fingers on my own face. "What if I have plans?" she says, her voice teasing.

"What plans are better than a night with a war hero?"

"But-" I kiss her again. This time it lasts even longer than the first time. I want to show her I'm not messing around here. When we separate, she's shaking.

Full disclosure: so am I. "I guess I'll see you tonight," she says.

I smile at her. I imagine her pretty brown eyes looking into my sightless green ones. I imagine her straight brown hair framing her face. In my head, she's the most beautiful woman in the world.

"I'll see you tonight," I say.

My back pains!

Don't forget to vote and comment!