FROM DARE TO LOVE (Editing)✔

CHAPTER 45

To my shock and utter surprise, she smiles and takes the rose from me. Our fingers brushed and a felt a strong electric jolt run through my spine, and violin music playing in my ears. I felt little disappointed when she said she can't be my valentine but I am happy that she accepted my rose. She then turns around and walks away, I smile and then look at my fingers, these fingers had touched her. I bring it to my lips and kissed it gently, imagining I am kissing her soft fingers. I feel like I am a love stuck puppy.

I look around the school and see many love-struck couples proposing, hugging. In one corner, I see a couple kissing and blushed hard looking away.

That night I am surprised to see Urooj smiling and blushing, I wondered what is the matter. I and Urooj share a special and close bond, we share everything. Urooj knows my love for Aleesa but I have made her promise to never tell her anything about my love for her. I hugged Urooj tightly when she confessed she and Adnan love each other.

Next day, I teased Adnan until he turned into red tomato 'From now onwards I should start calling you Jeejaji...Bro-in-law' I tease Adnan.

One year later,

I am super excited, today at lunch Aleesa and Ruchi had come to me. Aleesa needed help with her physics assignment this time. I readily agreed. And when she said she might be coming to my home I am on cloud nine. Khala and Khalu have gone out and will be returning late, so Aleesa and Adnan can stay longer and more comfortably.

Urooj helped me select dress and she requested me to change my hairstyle and not use so much oil but I refused. For me love should be deep, more than looks, and so I don't want Aleesa to be attracted to me just for my looks but I want her to love me for who I am as a person.

Oh, my God! she is looking so beautiful as she sits beside me dressed in her casuals. She looked bored but I wasn't. I kept glancing at her and felt butterflies in my stomach, the pencil I held slipped from my fingers as my palms sweat with nervousness.

I nervously explained to her as I write her assignment. Sometime later, I lost track of time. When she is with me everything else ceases to exist. Gosh! I love her so much. But my Pagal heart, it doesn't let me confess to her fearing she might reject me.

After some time, she gets bored and goes to sit on my bed, I am little disappointed because I wanted her near me but then I am happy at least she is there with me in one room and I have the privilege of helping her.

Next day, when we wait for the bus to arrive. I look at Adnan and Urooj who are blushing and stealing glances at each other clearly distracted. I take this chance and hand Aleesa her assignment. She smiles widely and takes it, she mutters thanks and I smile too.

One year passed and its Valentine day today, this time I didn't give Aleesa any rose. I wanted to but then last time she had indirectly refused to be my valentine, she had never spoken about it again and I being a gentleman I didn't bring the topic again. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable by giving a rose again.

Like always there is a valentine party and this time the girls Aleesa and Ruchi will be joining us. They seem really happy; I am sure they must be nervous too as it's their first time coming to such a party.

I don't like coming to such parties, the music is too loud and the dim lights are annoying. Drunk people dancing their heads off, couples hanging out together and dancing around. Like always I tag along Adnan, we leave the girls and walk towards our gang of boys. I haven't mingled with any of these boys, just some random hi hellos or at times when they need any help in academics. I and Adnan get cold drinks; we are one year short to drinking age. Adnan had suggested we break the rule, 17-18 not much difference and who will know what is our age. I was tempted with the idea but then I suggested we wait one more year, we have waited for so long why not a little longer.

As I stand silently sipping my cold drink I see Aleesa stand few distances away from me. She is looking directly at me and I am confused. Am I hallucinating? She signals me towards the stair case leading up the terrace. I didn't react, she turns around and is walking towards the stairs. I shake my head and smell my drink, am I accidently drinking alcohol? No, its cold drink only. I look up, she is looking at me and tilts her head gesturing towards the stairs. She then walks glancing at me. She stands on the stairs and then I realized perhaps she is looking at Adnan. I look at him he seemed busy chatting with the boys. I look at her again, she is looking at me and taking her steps, climbing up. I wondered if she is in some sort of trouble, maybe she needs my help. I rushed, I didn't want to take any chances lest she is in trouble.

I hurriedly climbed the stairs, as fast as my fat legs lets me. I come up and find her standing there. She is looking little tensed and now I am really worried. I walk up to her and ask if she is alright. she nods her head, I ask if I will call Adnan, perhaps she will be able to openly speak with her brother.

She refuses and I am confused. I am praying everything is alright and she is fine, she is my priority and will always be.

She then says something that blows my mind. She confesses that she loves me. I had been waiting for this day since forever. But for some reason I am not seeing love in her eyes, maybe it's too filmy thing- seeing love in eyes.

I want to believe her but then the way she is looking at me and touching me, I feel like it's not Dil se. Call it my sixth sense, but I sensing something is amiss.

Nevertheless, I don't want to miss this opportunity and so I confess my love for her insincerely. I say her everything I felt from bottom of heart with uttermost honestly. I felt her cringe when I held her hand. Maybe she is nervous.

My eyes widen when she said she wants to kiss. Ki-Kiss! I want to kiss her but not now, I want to take it slow. First she gets comfortable and then only we will kiss, I say her the same. She insists and I give in not wanting to disappoint her. Anything to see her happy.

As our lips met, I felt sparks erupt inside me, my lips on fire. I didn't know how to kiss and neither did she, but we managed. It didn't matter, all that mattered was that Aleesa, the girl of my dreams, the most gorgeous girl in the whole of universe is with me, in my arms. And I am kissing the love of my life.