Mine, To Hold And Behold

Chapter 4

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! That's the only word I could think of to describe me. I mean, how the hell didn't I recognize my sweetheart?

I should have known better than that.

Ugh... I groaned, pulling at my hair.

#FLASHBACK#

"You will never let me go, right?" she asked, her eyes wide full of hope. "Never," I said, pecking her lips softly. She smiled and blushed oh so beautifully. For a ten-year-old, she was way cuter than she should be or maybe it was just me. After my mom's death, I spent most of my time at Mr Sharma's house, not only because he was my father's friend and my guardian, but also because I was in love with his daughter. Pari! My sweetheart! That's what I call her. Sweetheart!

After my mom, she is the only one who understood me completely. One look at my eyes and she knew, what was wrong with me. She is the only reason, that my temper is at bay these days, or else I would snap at everyone for everything. I have always been an angry child.

One smile. One look. One blush. That's all I needed from her to make my day complete.

"I would never leave you alone, Pari!" I said, completely aware, how much she hated, me calling her anything other than Sweetheart. She narrowed her eyes at me and pouted, trying to look angry but failing miserably at it. She looked so cute.

"Call me sweetheart! Only sweetheart"

"Only if stop calling me bad boy all the time"

She grinned and shook her head. "Nope," she said popping 'p'. "Bad boys are called a bad boy and you are a bad boy"

"And why is that?"

"Hmm..." she tapped her chin with her index finger making it seem like she was in deep thought. "Because you eat chocolate in the morning without brushing your teeth," she said and crossed her arms. I narrowed my eyes at her. "You know what else bad boys do?" I asked taking a step towards her. A spark appeared and her eyes widened in excitement. She turned around and took off squealing, me tailing at the end, "they chase princesses, sweetheart. RUN!!"

We would play all the time. Everything made sense when she is with me. Everything was beautiful with her around me. I was her bad boy, but I wanted to be the good boy for the world so that when the time comes, no one could take me away from her, because she was good and my bad temper always made me look bad.

I wouldn't complain anymore at my father's absence. I would learn anything and everything Mr Sharma would teach me. I wouldn't bully anyone or start a fight. I would eat at the time, sleep and wake up at the time as well. I would be too good to make her mine.

But, everything changed. Her mom passed away. Deciding that it would be difficult for Mr Sharma to raise a daughter on his own, they sent her to her grandmother’s home in Delhi.

That night, before she left, I sneaked into her room through the window. I held her in my arms all night. She kept asking me, "you wouldn't let me go, right?" her voice filled with so much hope. Hope that I wouldn't let her get away from me. Hope that I wouldn't let anyone separate us. And I would answer her "Never" I knew I was lying. Deep down she knew that too but was fighting against it with her hope. We both cried ourselves to sleep.

And the next day she was gone.

She cried, begged her father not to let her go. She begged me silently with her eyes, to not let her go but what could have I done? I was a kid too, just like her. There was nothing I could have achieved even if I tried.

I was just a twelve-year-old kid, who couldn’t do anything.

#Flashback Ends#

"Hey Bro! Wassup?" Kumar asked waking me from the time travel that I just had. He just joined us in the college canteen. I sighed and leaned my head back and pulling my legs onto the table.

"He’s been like this since he came" Sameer filled him in.

"Seriously, what is it, bro?" Jai asked getting frustrated by my silence.

"It’s...Nothing" I told them. I couldn't tell them that I was stuck up on a girl. They wouldn't understand what she meant to me. They would think that I am being girlish, thinking about my long lost love. The love I experienced at the age of twelve, who would understand it? Everyone thought that it was just a mere crush, which they crushed oh so cruelly, with their 'mature' decisions. And now, again, they would think that I am being ridiculous, my love for my sweetheart is ridiculous. What would it make me look like? A pansy! A guy who is affected by his childhood crush?

I couldn't let that happen. Not even in my worst of the worst nightmares. I have an image for devil's sake and I had to keep it up. So I just couldn't let them know the real reason for what has been bothering me. Though they are my most trusted men.

I am a man! I don't get affected by some girl.

Except that, she isn't just some girl. She is... well, She.

"Bro! You can tell us," Kumar said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder and giving me that look, which says, 'we are your friends. We will be there for you'. Wrong move dude! Wrong move!

What the hell! No one, and I mean no one, can dare give me that look. I am not weak. I don't need a bloody peer support system to fight my emotions. And I definitely don't need Kumar, who is far inferior to me, to be that system. And its time, I show him, actually, It’s time I show everyone, who the boss is.

"Well..." I removed his hand from my shoulder, "if you all so want to help me out, then let's do it" I smirked, and as soon as he realized what I was implying, he gulped visibly. "Let's get in the ring"

"You know the rules; each one gets three chances to hit. The one who stands after the third blow wins" Randy, a.k.a Randhir, re-said the rules, though we were very much familiar with them. It was a regular sport for us, a way for us to get our pockets filled without depending on my oh-so-rich father. We train among ourselves in this same old 'garage converted into a gym' and we take part in the downtown boxing matches that are held on every Friday and are strictly illegal. The stakes are high and so are the risks.

Kumar was tensed, I could feel it. After being with each other for eight years, it was so easy to read each one of them. They were like an open book to me. One look and I knew what was going on in their minds. That was one of the reasons that made me the leader of my gang. I knew each one of them like they were my family. Funny thing is, I didn't know much about my family as much as I did about them.

I smirked and took my stance. Kumar started his leg movements and got ready for the fight. We circled each other, not breaking the eye contact even once.

Kumar advanced, throwing a punch right to my jaw; I quickly dodged him and lunged a punch in his left ribs. He groaned in pain but muffled his voice. One important rule in fights: Never let your opponent know, how much you affect them. He was one hell of a student. Learned from me and used it against me. But I was the master; I knew how intimidating I was.

We circled each other again, Kumar aimed a punch to my gut this time, and I gave him the satisfaction of hitting me, though it hardly affected me. I quickly moved behind him and sent a quick punch to his right shoulder. He fell to the ground clutching his shoulder.

"Get up" I ordered. "Show me how 'in control' you are and 'how out of focused' I am," I said. Realization crossed his features. Finally, he knew what his mistake was. He shouldn't have pointed out, the things I already knew.

"I didn't mean it-" I didn't let him finish, I kicked him square in the jaw with my knee, making him tumble back and clutching his jaw in pain, which was now bloodied.

It wasn't even ten minutes as the fight started and it already finished. I looked at the rest of them. They all looked pale, at my sudden outburst. Ugh! I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. Eight years, they should have known me better than that, before frustrating me.

A loud gasp broke the thick silence in the room.

We all turned towards the source of the sound, Pari? What the hell is she doing here?

She was hiding behind the half-broken wooden door and the drum beside it. Her brown kurta and white Patiala were just a mere addition to her cuteness. Her hair was again tied up in a high ponytail and a couple of bangs were falling on her face. Sweat dripped from her forehead but it just made her sun glisten in the sunlight.

Now I knew why I didn't recognize her. Who would have thought that that tiny little cute thing would transform into this sexy cat? She was still tiny, around 5'2, not more than that, but she was sure sexy a hell!.

Her eyes widened as she realized that she was no more hiding behind that door. She came out from the hideout. I was shocked was just an understatement. My jaw was hanging open and I bet my entire gang didn't miss my reaction. How the hell did she find me here? No one except the gang knew about this place. How on earth did she..?

She was looking down to the ground and was fidgeting with the strap of her bag. She does that- fidgeting with her dupatta or her bag strap, or her hair and if nothing then just her fingers- whenever she is on the verge of getting caught doing something wrong.

"Sweetheart?" I asked, my voice just a mere whisper. if it wasn't for the silence that filled the room, no one could have heard it.

"I need your help" she muttered,

"What?" besides the fact that I was standing in the middle of the garage and she was standing at the door, I heard her crystal clear, though she just muttered it. It's just that I was a little confused, she needed my help?

“I said, I need your help," she said in a 'duh' sound.

"I heard. But, what I mean is,..." I sighed, it was a futile attempt to try and reason with her. Knowing how stubborn she is, she wouldn't give me a satisfying answer unless I do first, "what can I do for you?" Great! I just sounded like an inquiry counter receptionist. What the hell is wrong with me? Damn! She is affecting me again.

"Can we talk?" she asked her voice a little shaky and I was on my high alert mode. Something was really wrong.

I quickly stepped out of the ring and walked towards her. Standing a foot away from her. “Let’s go" I said and walked away, having her tail behind me.

"Ugh! Where are we going?" she asked after walking for a couple of silenced minutes, with me towards where I parked my bike.

"I thought you said, you needed to talk," I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah! But where are you taking me?" she asked

"My place," I said coolly and got on my bike, pulling it out of the parking slot.

"What? It’s like an hour drive from here, that too if the traffic is fine" she panicked.

"I'm not talking about the mansion, sweetheart. I have a one-bedroom flat of my own, just a couple of streets away. We can go there and talk. So get on" I started the bike

"N-no" she stammered. "I need to show you something. Let’s go to my place" I need not be told twice. One look in her eyes and I knew something was really bothering her and this 'talk' is really important. I motioned her to get on my bike and she hesitantly got on.

My Sweetheart, on my bike, it was a feeling that I’ve never felt before. A sense of possessiveness and pride spread through my heart.

That has been y dream since my childhood. That was enough reason for me to speed through the roads. Her hands instantly snaked around my waist and she held onto me tightly for her dear life. I grinned victoriously. I rode through the traffic and halted suddenly at the signal. The sudden break made an impact and her chest collided to my back. Her soft breasts touching my back, heaven! The fact that I was wearing nothing but a hoodie which was drenched in sweat, just increased the sensations of her touch to a hundred times.

All those thoughts vanished, with one glare from her through the side view mirror. She soon placed some distance between us, with her bag and held on to my waist not as tightly as before. I pouted at her reflection. She just continued to glare, which was still, just as cute as ever.

Our little exchange was interrupted when the light turned green and I took off.

She was leading the way into her room. I silently followed. I had a high definition view of her perfect little a$s, right now, and I wouldn't care, even if she took me to the terrace and made me jump from there. Her hips swayed so naturally, hinting so many naughty thoughts to my dirty brain. And oh that ass of hers... damn! I am getting turned on just by looking at it.

She stopped suddenly and turned around.

"What are you looking at?" she asked narrowing her eyes. I smiled sheepishly as I got caught staring at her ass. She glared at me. "Sit," she said like she was talking to a dog. 'doggie SIT'. I should have felt offended but who am I kidding here. She was the sexy angel and I was her puppy right now, so I obediently sat down on her bed.

Oh! Yeah! We were in her bedroom. I didn't even realize it until she pointed to the bed and asked me to sit.

"Jeez! I didn't know, you were so eager to get me into your bed so soon" I smirked, leaning on my left elbow and making myself comfortable. She rolled her eyes.

"Look! I need your help and let me tell you, this is something really serious so can you try and control your cockiness for a bit?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest. Her little action bought my attention to her chest. Her modest clothes were just brightening my imagination skills. I am sure the treasures behind these nun-like clothes were more exciting, which I would be discovering soon. Very soon.

"I know! Teenage hormones are a very serious problem. I get it" I said sitting straight, still not removing my gaze from her perfectly covered breasts. "So let's get started?" I raised my eyebrow and smirked as she caught my gaze. She glared at me. Ugh! I groaned mentally, she was glaring at me to make me feel intimidated and here I was, getting all hot and bothered. Man! How cute and sexy she looked while she tried to look pissed off.

A smile crept onto my face. She groaned "Ugh!" and started pulling her hair, "what do I do with you" she groaned, which was completely adorable. She paced the room for a minute and stood in front of me, crossing her arms.

"You are so-" she pointed a finger and gritted her teeth, I cut her off, not letting her finish her sentence

"Charming? I know" I smirked and relaxed my shoulders,

"Insane" she yelled.

"Hm... and that's what you miss about me the most, don't you? My insanity" I said, knowing well, that I was hitting a nerve

"I didn't miss you," she told defensively. I smirked

"Keep telling yourself that. You might believe it one day" I leaned back on the bed and laid flat on my back, my legs hanging off the bed. "But I sweetheart, am not as stubborn as you. I can admit, that I missed you too" I locked gazes with her.

"Don't call me that" she muttered, looking away.

"What? Stubborn?" I asked innocently

"No! Sweetheart. Don't call me that" she said looking at me.

"Why? Remember, how much you loved it when I used to call you sweetheart. You never let me call you anything else. You always begged me to call you sweetheart. So what changed now?"

"Everything. Everything is changed. You changed. I changed. You broke my promise. You said you would never let me go, but you did. You forgot about me. yo-yo" her eyes clouded, and she took a deep breath.

"Sweetheart! Don't cry" I grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.

"I've stopped wasting my tears on you long back Raghu. There are no more tears left for you" I pulled her even closer as now she was standing in between my legs. She continued looking away.

I grabbed her chin, making her look right into my eyes. "Good and you're not gonna need them anymore too 'cause you will never cry anymore 'cause your problems are mine now and so are you"