❝The only kind of love I want is one where even if it is just for a short moment, it feels like I have lived a lifetime in that moment with that person. ❞ - Jhanvi Raichand.
**You CANNOT read this as standalone. Read Dare to Be before reading this...
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2.51 Smokin Gun
"Dove?" I call her out spotting her walking down a corridor. She turns to face me and I scold crossing the distance between us, "Did I not tell you to stay in your room instead of wandering the halls? Why do you not take this seriously? It's not safe to..." I abruptly stop my lecture when, on reaching her, she hides her face in my chest and wraps her arms around my body in a bear hug. "Hey, what's wrong?" I grow concerned at once, wondering if everything happening around her scared her.
I should have known not to give in to her insistence. I never should have brought her to the palace.
She shakes her head, but she cannot lie to me. I am her brother. I know when something has rattled her enough for her to want to return to her safe haven. "What happened, Aru?"
"I want to go home."
I faintly recall that two doors down from where we are standing is Randeep's room. "Did you just walk out of Randeep's room? Did he do something? I swear, if he..."
Parting from the hug, she denies, "No, bhai. He didn't do anything. I just want to go home."
As much as it's something I have been convincing her of the past couple of days, it doesn't make sense for her to agree suddenly at the last moment. "You couldn't wait to get ready just an hour ago. What changed?"
She shrugs her shoulder, offering, "Nothing, I just miss mom and dad. Plus, you were right. I don't need to get in anyone's way. I know the travel ban was just lifted and it might be tough to arrange, but any way you can get me on a flight back home?"
For her, ofcourse.
I may not still understand exactly what happened - because I am sure that her reason isn't as simple as missing mom and dad - but I would still get her home if that's what she wanted. Then, tomorrow, I will talk to her when she is ready to explain why she couldn't wait to get away from here. And if that reason has anything to do with Randeep then I officially have my first reason for disliking him. This time, not even Annie could stop me from punching that guy.
"Meet me by the parking in half hour. I'll send someone for your bags."
She hugs me once more before leaving for her room to pack. Retrieving my phone from my pocket, I call Vikas to get a car and then Mohit to check with airlines for three tickets - Ishaan, Arshiya and himself. Those two wouldn't stay if Arshiya wasn't.
I walk down the corridor towards the room I am currently occupying to get her passports that I had kept with myself for safekeeping. A worker walking by crashes into my shoulder and apologizes. I wave it off, not getting into scolding him. He seemed to be carrying a heavy plate and there's probably last minute preparations that they are rushing about.
