3. Saviour

"...Baby, I can see your halo...You know you're my saving grace..."

The phone lying on the wooden floor blared loudly, interrupting her heavy sleep. She groaned and looked at the clock. Why was he calling her at this hour?

"You jerk!! Its 3 am in the morning. Why the hell are you calling me?" she whined.

"I am standing in the airport. I thought you could pick me up," he trailed off.

"You're in Las Vegas?!" She was already out of her bed, looking for her car keys.

"Surprise!" he laughed.

​​

She drove like a maniac, paying no heed to the speed limit. She ran through the terminal, barefoot. Her hair was still messy from sleep, her eyes glazed. He was standing with his minimum luggage, shuffling his feet. She ran towards him and threw her arms, wrapping him completely.

"You're in your pajamas," he was laughing.

"And you're here," she muffled a sob.

"Happy Birthday, baby," he held her tightly.

They had studied in the same school, been to the same college and were neighbours for 22 years. They were best friends.

No one had ever made the effort to make her birthdays special. Her father had always been too busy for his rebellious daughter and she had not seen her estranged mother for the last 15 years.

And yet, her best-friend had travelled across the oceans just for her birthday, two days before his wedding.

After they returned to her apartment, she questioned him again, probably for the billionth time, "Why are you marrying her?"

She had never exactly approved of his fiance. She thought her to be the other woman, someone who would be detrimental to their friendship.

"Because you won't marry me," he said flatly.

"She's a gold-digger," she mumbled.

"And, you're too stubborn," he shrugged.

She didn't reply. Her parents' failed marriage had affected her adversely. Her mother's infidelity had led to their divorce and it was why she strongly condemned the idea of commitment or marriage. She never had her parents when she was growing up and somehow she was content with loneliness.

The only person who cracked her code was him. The walls around her heart, never stood a chance against his charms. The silent moments they shared were comfortable, he never coerced her to change --- to be outspoken. He accepted her reserved personality, her quietness and her terrible mood swings. He accepted her without terms and conditions. That was one of the many things she loved about him.

She snapped herself out of her subconsciousness.

Love? She had never known "love", ever in her life! She wasn't meant for love. People she loved always left her heartbroken and alone at the end. And she couldn't possibly fall in love with her best-friend, that too two days before his wedding?

"You're leaving at 11 a.m?" she asked him, trying to distract herself from such unruly thoughts.

He nodded, pulling her into his embrace, he flopped onto the bed. He cocooned her into his safe and secure arms.

He was so warm, he smelt like home.
He was her home.

She closed her eyes, his delicate snores ringing into her ears.

Her heart was troubling her mind. Memories poured into the brick lane of her subconscious.

His laughter. Her tears.
His headache.

Her smile. His frown.

Her best-friend.

His first date. Her first kiss.

His first heartbreak. Her first love.
Her one and only.
His beginning and her end.

He had always saved her, from solitude, from sadness and especially from herself.

She opened her eyes. It was late in the morning and he was nowhere in sight. The clock read 11: 30 a.m. Surely she wasn't too late? Surely he wouldn't have left without a goodbye?

Frantically, she left the apartment, she he had to bring him back. She had to try. She ran down the staircase, the elevator would take too long. She was halfway into the garage when she collided into a strong pair of arms.

There he was, standing. The collision had sent his coffee out of his hand, his white t-shirt was now murky. He looked baffled and began to explain his sudden disappearance in an apologetic tone.

"I missed the flight because I woke up just now and I went out to grab some coffee. I would have never left--" he was rudely interrupted.

She was kissing him as if her life depended on it and it did.

Without reasoning with her head, she just did what her heart demanded her to.

The feeling of security in his arms, his tenderness, his soft pair of lips kissing every square inch of her face was too overwhelming. She wouldn't survive a minute without his warmth, his touch, his smell and just him.

"Marry me," she exhaled, "just marry me. Because without you, I can't breathe."

"What took you so long?" he whispered.

"I know 20 years is a little too long but--," she held him tightly. She couldn't lose him now.

"I would have waited for you, if you needed twenty more," he smiled.

"I love you, Ranbir," she finally confessed.

"And I love you, Deepika," he could finally say it back.

[Earlier in the morning]

It was 8 a.m., when he woke up. He still had three hours left.

He was watching her sleep, she looked calm. Her plump lips forming a perfect 'O' as she breathed with her mouth open. Loose strands fell upon her cheeks, where her dimples were hidden. Maybe if he stayed, she would stay with him too. Maybe she would realise she loved him, this time.

He could give her all the time in the world, just to hear those three words from her.

Maybe he could save himself by staying with her.

Maybe he could save his heart from being broken.

Maybe he could be happy.

Maybe he could miss his own wedding.

Maybe he could miss the flight.