Keshav crushed Myra in his embrace and kissed her hair while she sobbed into his chest. He cupped her face and smashed his lips with her nibbling and sucking on her lower and upper lips alternatively. A few seconds later Myra started responding and their lips moved in sync. Keshav stopped kissing and pressed his lips on her eyes.
Keshav: Please don’t leave me alone.
Myra: I m sorry.
Keshav: Will you let me confess everything from the beginning rather than you getting to know it in bits and pieces ?
Myra took a long breathe and nod her head. He pressed a chaste on her cheeks and lead her to the bedroom holding a tray with juice and sandwich. He made her sit on the bed and sat next to her pulling her to his chest.
Keshav: The once happy and extrovert Keshav turned into the extremely introvert and reserved boy when I came to know about my brother’s jealousy over me. I stopped myself from wishing for anything and came to a conclusion that I just wanted my brother’s happiness and nothing else. I stopped from making friends because I was scared that I would let out my extrovert self if I made friends. Everyone thought I had attitude problem but everything changed the moment an angel entered through the doors dressed in a pink and white frock with a high ponytail.
I didn’t knew that you will change my whole world one day but damn I was wrong, you changed my world instantly. You lit up my world with your cute smile. You were the first to call me friend in a long time other than Rakesh and I really wanted to be the friend to the little cutie pie who kissed me. When aunty left you in our home that day I informed her that I will take care of you and I took that a serious mission to protect you. Everytime I saw you smile, my lips curved.
My cricket cards were special to me and I hid them from Krish because I couldn’t hurt him if he destroy them but I couldn’t hurt you when I saw the cards were scribbled by you.
May be that was the moment Krish knew you took a special place like him so he started avoiding you near me. He would take you to play with him at your home and even when you were at our home then he made sure to stop me yet I stayed away from you both and took care that you both weren’t hurt when you played together.
Keshav picked the juice and placed the rim of the glass near her lips gesturing her to sip. Once Myra took a few sips he placed the glass back on the tray and stretched the sandwich gesturing Myra to take a bite which she did.
Keshav: I didn’t know what was happening to me butterfly but I loved watching you and protecting you and I have been doing that for years. You loved butterflies very much and I wanted to gift you that so on your 7th birthday I spent the whole day at the parks collecting them, I even called Rakesh to help me and collected them in jar. It was very tough but everything was worth when you jumped into my arms and kissed me for that gift yet I didn’t know why I wanted to make it special to you and why I wanted to look at you smile.
When he saw Myra has swallowed the sandwich he made her sip the juice again and continued his past.
Keshav: When you got hurt in school I felt a pain that I couldn’t say in words yet again I didn’t knew why. When I returned home with your favoruite chocolates Krish gave them to you and I couldn’t stop him because he was crying already. But I was happy that you were so comforable in sharing your pain with me. You kept ranting about how you were hurt and it broke me to see you in tears. I pledged that day that I will do anything to not let you cry yet I didn’t know why I felt that.
When you took my advice and befriend Naina, Krish threw tantrums that you listened to my words. He was crying that he was your best friend and not me. He took things seriously and drifted us apart and I knew it too. You were right, it was my mistake, I should have handled him better.
On your 11th birthday I bought your favourite barbie doll but Krish took that from me and gave it to you as his gift. I loved him so much that I couldn’t see him hurt so I gave that gift to him.
The same thing happened next year too. To avoid his jealousy and to gift you at the same time, I bought a gift without his knowledge and named it as from K and started leaving gifts every year with my initial only.
I was happy seeing you smile from far. I always had my eyes on you. One day when I came back home I saw you both doing some project but soon you both left to have dinner. Whe Krish came back home he was trying and I was watching him but he fell asleep.
I know you will feel bad if the project was not done so I stayed awake and completed the project. I just imagined the smile that would appear on your face. I fell asleep and rest was history.
Myra: When did you realize it was love ?
Keshav: On your 16th birthday, when you go into the accident.
Flashback……starts..
Keshav’s POV ( Myra at the age of 16 )
Keshav returned home at midnight with a spare key and entered his room. He stood before the mirror and picked the small gift from his backpack.
Keshav: Wish I could give this directly to you little one but its ok, I will be happy knowing you will be happy to see this gift. I bought this the same day when you were admiring at this model watch from the newspaper. Finally you will receive it today. I don’t know why I feel an immense happiness to see you smile. Happy birthday little one.
Keshav walked out and saw the gifts that his mother had kept ready for Myra. He hid his gift with them and returned to his room to sleep.
Morning he was ready for work and walked out talking to someone over call. He stopped when he saw Myra stretching the sweet box to him but his eyes were on the watch on her wrist and beamed in happniess.
Keshav: Happy Birthday little one
Myra retracted the box and Keshav cocked his eye brow controlling his smile.
Myra: I m not little one uncle. I m sweet 16 and grown up.
Keshav Mv: Ofcourse my little butterfly is growing up and I m so proud of you.
Keshav chuckled and when she again passed the box towards him, he picked a piece of sweet and fed her wishing once again. Myra picked a whole sweet and stuffed in his mouth showing her tongue out. Keshav ruffled her hair and returned to his room.
He stood before the mirror and smiled at the way she was feeling comfortable around him even when they were hardly interacting with each other.
Keshav: I m really going mad to this feeling to be around you all the time butterfly but at the same time I scared. I still remember when my friends teased me like I m a pedo for talking about you all the time. I stopped talking about you to anyone and hated talking with anyone in general too and now I m unable to answer my heart that is going crazy when it comes to you. I m 26 and matured enough to handle everything yet you are a puzzle that I couldn’t solve all these years.
Keshav heard that Myra was leaving for the ice cream parlour with Krish and Naina.
Keshav: You will be high on sugar once you have ice cream and its difficult to handle you especaially at the peak hours of traffic so its better I stay around to see you are safe until you reach home.
Keshav arrived at the spot but parked his car at a safe distance and watched Myra and Naina walking out of the ice cream parlour. A smile crept on his lips looking at her talking animatedly waving her hands in the air but his heart stopped its beating for a second when he saw Myra got hit a bike.
Without a second thought he rushed to her and carried her to his car ignoring everyone including Krish who was crying. Keshav looked at Myra from the rear mirror and tears escaped his eyes looking at her unconscious form and blood on the new dress she wore for her birthday. His knuckles turned white from the way he clutched the steering.
Keshav Mv: What is happening to me butterfly ? My chest is aching to see you like this but it shouldn’t happen right ? You are just 16, my little butterfly and I m 26 but my heart is not beating the way it should be around you now. Please god… let her be fine and I will not let anything happen to her. I will protect her with my life..
His trance was broken when Krish started crying.
Keshav: Krish, Calm down. Myra will be fine.
Keshav Mv: She has to be fine. She has to be.
He stopped the car and wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeves and rushed to open the back door and carried Myra to the emergency for treatment. He called their parents and informed about the accident and saw Krish was still crying so he pulled him into a hug and pat his shoulder.
Keshav: Stay strong and if you cry like a baby then who will take care of her. She will be fine.
On seeing the doctor walking out of the emergency Keshav broke the hug and rushed to him.
Keshav: How is she ?
Doctor: nothing to worry, injury is minor one and she fainted because she was scared of the sudden hit. She will be awake very soon and you can take her home after observing for 3 hours.
Keshav: Thank you so much doctor.
Keshav felt his life has returned to him and followed Krish who entered the ward to see Myra. Keshav’s heart was ready to jump out of his rib cage on seeing Myra’s dress stained with blood.
Keshav: I will wait outside. Call me if you need anything or Myra wakes up.
He walked out and closed him face with his palm hiding his tears.
Keshav: I would have died if something happened to you butterfly. I can’t see you like this, please wake up and tease me as much as you want. I love you little one, I love you so much. I can’t lose you Myra, please
He stopped abrutply realizing what he was ranting. He rushed to the washroom and splashed water on his face and looked at his reflection.
Keshav: Love ? Am I in love ? Is this love what I feel for my butterfly ? But she is just 16 you fucker, she is just a kid. Everyone will call you a pedophile, they will not understand that my love is pure for her. How could this fucking heart beat for her ?
An old man entered the restroom and stopped on seeing Keshav wiping his tears.
Old Man: Are you ok young man ? its ok to be not ok and you can share if that will make you feel better.
Keshav: My heart beats for someone whom it is supposed not to.
Old man: What do you feel for her ?
Keshav: I feel everything for her and today I realized it is love when I felt almost losing her in my life. I can’t do this.
Old man: Will you stop caring or protecting for her if she doesn’t love you back ?
Keshav: No, I will do anything in my power to protect and care for her.
Old man: Your heart doesn’t belong to you and it doesn’t beat for you anymore. It belongs to her and you have no right over it, follow your heart and it will give you peace. No one better than you can love her.
Keshav: She is just 16 and I m 26. I have seen her grow before my eyes.
Old man: She won’t be 16 forever. I m 87 and my wife is 73. I got married to her when she was 13. She became my friend before she became my wife. She grew up before me and I taught her everything in life. Age is just a number young man when love is true and pure. Have patience, if she is in your destiny then she will come in your life. Love doesn’t happen for everyone so don’t let it go for any reason. Its the most beautiful feeling. I need to go, my wife needs me constantly by her side, stupid woman.
Keshav chuckled at the old man’s words for his wife and watched him leave. He turned to his reflection on the mirror and smiled at himself.
Keshav: So finally I get to know that I m in love with you. I will never leave you little one, I will love you forever until I breathe my last, its my promise to you.
He walked out of the washroom and saw the family out of the ward talking and excused from them. He reached the nearest florist shop and bought a bunch of yellow roses.
He inhaled the fragrance of it and rubbed his nape to hide his blush.
Keshav Mv: I will wait for you to grow up and I will confess my love in the most special way butterfly. I hope you will fall in love with me. I will wait even if that is for a life time.
He sneaked in the hospital to give the flowers to Myra and sighed in relief as he saw the family leaving the ward. He held the knob to open the door but stopped on hearing Myra and Naina’s conversation.
Naina: Myra, I suggest you better talk out your feelings and make it out clear. If he is in love too then you can be couples and if not you can be clear of everything. Its always better that you don’t delay.
Myra: Shut up Naina. We are only 16 for god sake. Atleast let me wait until I turn 18 or 19. If Krish is also in love with me then he might propose me first or may be on my 18th birthday as surprise.
Naina: Oh Oh someone is blushing.
Keshav felt the earth slip away beneath his feet and he stumbled away from there with tears brimming his eyes. He got into his car and cried his heart out for losing her. An hour later with a help of nurse he sent Naina from the room and he entered inside. Myra was asleep due to the effects of the medicines.
Keshav placed the flowers beside her and caressed her hair gently.
Keshav Mv: I love you so much, Wish I was born late or you were born early then we could have been together. I fucking hate for being born the elder son but its ok if you don’t love me butterfly. I will keep loving you my whole life. Good bye butterfly.
He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room leaving his soul behind with her.
Flashback ends.
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A/N:
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