The Favour (COMPLETE)

Chapter 31.

Leyla

"Is everything okay?" Rahul asks pulling me towards him by my waist. I smile trying to forget what my uncle had just told me.
"Haan now I'm with you," I kiss him as the music begins to pulse through me.
"So you're dancing today?" Rahul laughs as I begin to shuffle my feet.
"Haan, looks like I am," I feel like I'm ready. Ready to finally tell Rahul that 'I love him'.
"You look so happy today," Rahul smiles placing his forehead on mine.
"I feel like I have a lot of people looking out for me today," I mumble, "and Rahul... I..." Someone taps me on my shoulder ruining the moment but there will be plenty of moments in the future to tell him how much I love him. I remove my forehead from Rahul's a smile plastered on my face. I'm about to spend the rest of my life with the man I love. I'm going to be a family with the two most important people on this earth. I'm not going to be alone anymore. Rahul removes his hand from my waist as I turn round to speak to whoever wants me. I guess this is what it's like when you get married-centre of attention something I'm not used to.
"Haan," I say as I complete my turn.
"Leyla," his gravely voice hits me first, then his thin lips, small nose and... Hooded eyes. Piercing hooded eyes.
"You?" I barely breathe as a wicked smile plays on his lips, removing my smile completely.
"Me," he whispers thrusting something cold and sharp into my stomach. I place my hands around his feeling all the air being knocked out of me before his pulls his hand away the blade cutting into my hands. I look down at my stomach blood beginning to soak the front of my red lehenga. I feel unable to speak, unable to breathe, unable to comprehend what has just happened to me. I slowly look back up all the background noise being replaced by a loud buzzing which is deafening followed by the sound of whooshing blood. My legs start to shake unable to hold the weight of my whole body as I plummet to the floor landing in Rahul's arms.
"Leyla?" His voice sounds so far away as I feel a small mouthful of air enter my lungs. Suddenly I feel so cold, like someone has turned the air conditioning on or put me into a freezer, making my body shiver. Rahul looks down to my stomach where blood is beginning to dribble onto the floor. He places his hand over mine using the other to support my back.
"Somebody call an ambulance!" He screams in slow motion as the crowds of people turn to see the commotion.
"Rahul?" My breathe is slow and laboured, a piercing pain racing through my body making me grimace.
"You're going to be fine," Rahul whispers pressing onto my stomach to stem the flow of blood. I feel my body shake violently. I know deep down I'm not going to be okay.
"Rahul promise me something," I sigh with my shallow breathe.
"Anything," he smiles but in his eyes I see panic, sadness and pain.
"Promise me you'll tell Jaya all about me," I choke. Rahul shakes his head tears falling down his cheeks and landing on our hands.
"You'll be able to do that," he says, "you'll be able to tell her all about yourself." I shake again, my body feeling heavy and weak.
"Promise me," I croak sternly. Rahul squeezes my hand.
"I promise you she'll know all about you," he sobs leaning his head close to mine.
"And promise me you'll learn to be happy?" I sigh feeling my feet and legs going numb as my body tries to reserve the remaining blood in my body for my vital organs.
"I promise," Rahul cries. With the last remaining strength in my body I remove one of my hands from my stomach and place it on Rahul's cheek. His eyes connect with mine and I feel ready.
"I love you," I mumble feeling my breathe getting caught in my throat.
"You'll be saying that to me everyday," Rahul leans down and kisses me. His kiss feels warm, feels like home, feels like pure love.
"I love you," I whisper feeling a lone tear escape from my eye as my hand slowly drops from Rahul's cheek onto my lap. I can no longer pretend I'm fine. There is a small puddle of blood on the ground below me and I feel so tired that I can't keep my eyes open.
"Leyla I love you," Rahul says as the paramedics arrive.
"I love you," I breathe feeling my body going limp and my eyes flickering shut. I love you...