Royal Arrangement

26) KABIR~ Making her Mine

I stared at the sleeping face of Nalini. Her body was curled up. Her face glowed under the dimmer light. I could hear the ocean loud and clear. It was everything I wished for. The way her hair were tied up in a braid. Her body was covered with a thin layer of robe. That was the only thing keeping it separate from me.

I shifted gently as I thought of what had happened before. My relationship with Nalini was progressing at a much faster rate than I had ever thought it would. It was fascinating how fast our relationship progressed but I would never say I didn't like it. I hated to say it but I did indeed like the feel of ease.

She shifted towards me gently and I was yet again reminded of Hina's words. She had so much depth to what she seemed. She was way deeper than the thin layers of mask she wore everyday.

I wanted to know everything about her and I was determined to do so. No matter what it took; I would free her from the pain of the past she was holding deep inside herself, afraid of letting it go. I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes. She shifted closer and I soon drifted into a slumber.
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I loved the way Nalini looked at me. Her cheeks screamed they were exhausted of blushing so much. Her eyes had avoided mine the whole time today. The way she'd just nod at things and casually lean into my touch made so much difference. I was happy that she was finally feeling better. She wasn't just smiling, she was feeling gleeful inside out. Maybe because she knows she isn't the only one feeling things.

I saw it in her eyes, it scared me a little too. I saw it in her eyes that she is falling for me. I have been looked at like that before, I was familiar with it. Even worse, I myself looked at her the same way. But there was something about Nalini that was way dangerous for me than others in the past. She had this innocence to her, she had this courage to love me despite her past experiences. It made her liking for me almost like a punishment for the resent I had for her.

I gulped when I realised it. Last night was sure fun but I felt it with my own eyes, what Hina said and meant. I sat there in silence as I heard Nalini's ruffled footsteps in the background as she hummed a song. A song I had memorised in the imperfect way she hummed it. I smiled gently as I looked outside at the setting sun. Another day had already passed and it felt like time was running out of my hands.

I didn't have a chance from the beginning to not feel all these emotions. This was inevitable, it was something I should have known. I didn't know why, all that excitement, that playfulness and happiness was now replaced with something so much more gloomy. My emotions were a mess. I took a deep breath as I turned my head to look at Nalini. The way her figure swayed with her steps like the wind. She was so light on her foot as if she was flying. Everything about her was light, then how did she manage to carry an the heaviest emotional bag over her shoulders?

Ever since I had a conversation with Hina and I actually started noticing Nalini, I wondered if Nalini had put her trust into this, in me. She did cry in my arms. She did let her guard down. Why was I so persistent in letting her go when I knew I was falling for her? Why was I even letting my ego get in the way when I was very aware of it.

"Kabir." She said as she edged closer with a small glass container. "Can you.." she stopped as she stared at me. Her eyes searched my face. I knew she saw through me. I knew she read what my face had written all over it. I knew she was wondering the reason. I let her know.

There was thick silence. She stood there and stared at me, a few steps away. The ocean made the most beautiful sound while the golden sun crashed our bodies. The wind caressed our faces and it was one of those times where I was speechless. I had nothing to say yet I wanted to say everything on my mind.

"Should I ignore it?" She asked with a small frown and gentle worry in her eyes. I nodded my head gently.
"State your answer clearly." She said again. I noticed her grip tightening on the glass bottle in her hand. I swallowed the lump in my throat.
"Yes. And continue with what you were about to ask." I answered truthfully. She inched closer until she was standing right in front of me. She bent down on her knees before she held the bottle in front of me.