The Prince And The Commoner (Shubman Gill)

~SEVENTEEN~

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"Akanksha...ek chance, I'll never leave your side. Mai humesha tumhara sath dunga. Ek baar mujhpe bharosa karo, I'll prove it." He extended his hand for her to hold onto. She continued to cry. How was she to believe in something so...impossible? 

'Never'?? 

But to him, it wasn't something impossible, it was something he had to make possible. For her, for himself, and for Chitra. How could he forget her? He had fully accepted it in his heart since the beginning. If she likes him back or even if she doesn't, he has already accepted Chitra as his family. He wanted to give her the father's love even if he wasn't her father. He didn't realise when it happened...but as he day dreamed with a life with Akanksha...Chitra had always been there.

"Mai nhi kar paungi..." Shubman didn't budge, she hadn't yet said that she didn't like him. And as long as she hadn't, he wouldn't stop trying.

"Akanksha, tum ek baar himmat se mera haath pakdo, mai, tum jab tak khud mera haath na chodo, tab tak tumhari strength banne ko taiyar hu." She shook her head. (Bohot cheesy hai na?)

"Tum kya bole ja rhe ho kab se, tumhe pata bhi hai? This is only the 4th time we're meeting Shubman, kya kya waade kare ja rhe ho? Tumhe kaise pata mujhe kab tak ka sath chaiye? Ya mujhe chaiye bhi ya nhi?" Her voice sounded irritated yet her voice cracked. The truth though...she really begged in her heart...she begged Shubman to not leave her as every other male in her life did. She wanted to deny that feeling that had unknowingly crept into her heart.

"4 din ho ya 4 saal, Akanksha mere waade nhi badalne wale hai." He didn't know what would happen in their lives but he knew even in just the 2 months he's known her...he wanted her around...for however long he could hold onto her. He looked into her eyes intently as he spoke.

"Sab mard ek jaise hote hai...pehle toh waade karte hai...aur jab time aaye nibhane ko, waade se mukar jate hai." Shubman shook his head. "Nhi, mai kahi nhi jane wala. Kabhi nhi."

"Tum bhi chale jaoge. Papa, Avinash, Aakash-*HICC** sab, sab chodke chale gaye Kushal bhai bhi ja rhe hai...aur tum bhi- tum bhi chale jaoge..." She had to constantly wipe her tears with the intensity they were flowing. 

"Akanksha, ek baar bharosa karo mujhpe. Mai yahi hu." His eyes struggled to stop the tears that welled up in his eyes. He felt a sting as he watched her cry, she repeatedly mentioned him leaving her. He couldn't even dream of it...and here she was repeating it like a mantra...something that would protect her when he did leave.

"Kabhi nhi jaunga mai..." He wondered if it was really assault or if everyone just left her. 

She choked on her tears dropping to her knees, coughing. She looked broken, she held onto herself tightly afraid if she let go she'd fall apart.

"Tum bhi chale jaoge." She gasped. "So please just leave now and make my life easier...agar aur paas aaye toh nhi bhej paungi dur." She whispered into her cries. Her voice was so soft and vulnerable. He barely heard her last sentence. 

He needed to prove it to her...he won't leave. He will never leave.

"Mai kahi nhi jaunga." He repeated.

"Nhi tum bhi chale jaoge." It was no longer small hiccups, they were gasps for air. She was getting a panic attack. This was what Shubman was avoiding. This was why he stayed away from her but now it was no longer possible. He took the step forward and dropped to his knees engulfing her into his warmth.

He felt horribly guilty for being the one to drive her to the state she was in now. Her coughs and gasps for breath didn't halt. Her eyes looked unfocused. Her body was there but it seemed her mind had blanked out. She repeated her mantra again and again.