Michael.

"Cinderella," I said slowly. "What happened?"

"You...you were right, Mama was behaving weirdly because she...she was planning to send me abroad," She sniffed. "Julian...he overheard his dad talking with mama, she...she was trying to get things ready for me to...settle down there-"

"Calm down," I kissed her on the forehead and held her closer. "No one can take you away without your permission, and even if they do something like that, I will find you."

She looked at me; her eyes were sparkling with tears and her cheeks were stained with tear tracks.

"No matter what happens in the future, Michael, you should find me."

"I promise," I wiped her cheeks on either side and looked into her eyes. "Can you stop crying now?"

She gazed into my eyes.

"If they are planning to take me away, my mama will surely talk to you as if it's for me. She will surely try to make you guilty and make you believe that letting go of me is the best thing you can do for me," she said.

I took a deep breath and untangle her hands from my torso.

"Michael, answer me!"

"You are drenched and shivering, come inside first," I said and guided her inside.

"But-" she stopped as I moved her to the couch and brought a towel.

"I am fine! We have more important matters to discuss-"

"Nothing is more important than your health. You know you have asthma, you cannot treat yourself like this," I told her as I sat beside her and started to wipe her hair.

"My mama is planning to take me away from you!" she looked distraught and I stopped patting her hair with the towel and looked into her eyes.

"As I said, no one can take you away from me, that's a promise, Cinderella."

"But she will make it look like it's the best thing for me-"

"Well then I am a bit selfish about you," I looked into her eyes. "Maybe more than your mama realises it now."

She bit her lips for a moment, and then looked at me.

"Michael...When the tech-fest was ruined because of me, I knew that...that staying away from you would be the best thing I could do for you because I knew that my mama wouldn't ever stop bothering you even in the future..." she dragged off for a moment. "It took me a lot of courage...to...to decide that I want to get engaged instead, it was not an easy decision."

"I know," I told her truthfully. "And I am happy that you choose to face it with me rather than giving up on us for my sake," I said. "So it's my turn to stand with you, no matter what."

She nodded slowly. Her face relaxed.

"If she insists on her decision, let's get married as we planned. She cannot take away my bride then," I said and her eyes snapped to me.

"I thought about it, but they said we need to wait at least a month to get our marriage registered after all the formalities, it would be too late then."

"I know, but we can always opt for a simple ceremony before the legal procedures. It's the safest and best plan we have now." I looked at her reassuringly. "And I won't allow you out of my sight before that."

"We do have another way," she bit her lips anxiously and I raised my eyebrows in question.

Her eyelids fluttered close and she moved towards me, making me surprised.

She stilled about a few centimetres away from my face and opened her eyes. "Michael...I...we...let's...make a baby?"

Every time I believe I have become used to her sense of logic, she surprises me with something new!

She looked nervous and unconfident and I moved closer, closing the distance between us.

The kiss was slow and tentative, but it started to build up the fire inside me.

It had been so many days that I was with her that it was no surprise as I couldn't hold myself back anymore.

I poured my feelings to the kiss and let her know how much I wanted her. Cinderella wrapped her hands around my shoulder and kissed me back.

I tried to take control and moved back, and then I quickly got up from the sofa and took a step back.

Cinderella looked at me in surprise.

"We are not...making a baby...to solve this," I told her firmly. "You are...very young...You have dreams...I want you to fly high."

She bit her lips and looked down. Her hair curtained her face from me.

I took a few breathes to calm myself and knelt down in front of her. I lifted her chin with my hand and looked into her eyes.

"I...I am...Sorry..."

"You don't have to be..." I told her slowly. "I too want a baby with you. I want to start a family with you too..." I said and she looked at me in surprise. "But Cinderella, If we are going to have a baby, it will be because we are ready and want a baby, not to solve a problem," I told her. "Besides, you wanted to get approval from your mama for our relationship. How am I supposed to get your mama's approval if I do it like this?"

"But Mama...she is taking me away-"

"She is super possessive of you and so am I," I told her firmly. "So I want her to realise it in a good way and trust me. I don't want to hurt her or blackmail her. I am sure that you don't want it either," I stopped.

Her eyes started to fill again and I held her close to me.

"Just trust me, Cinderella, I will never give up on us, nor do I allow anyone to take you away from me, do you understand?" I asked her.

She nodded her head with a sob.

Ella.

Michael held me back and wiped my eyes again.

"Then stop crying, princess," he whispered soothingly and kissed my tear-stained eyelids.

"I love you, Michael..."

"I love you too," he looked into my eyes. "Would you like to...stay with me?"

I looked at him in question.

"It had been so long since I got you all alone like this," he whispered.

"But...I...I thought-"

"I never said I don't want to be with you, I just said that I want the baby only when you are ready." He whispered as he closed the distance between us once again and I automatically responded to him.

When we made love, it felt a hundred times meaningful to me as both of us were feeling emotional. I could actually feel Michael's love for me, pure and raw. It was impossible not to feel it as it seemed to be pouring from his very being.

I looked at him as I lay on his side under the same blanket.

He kissed my hair and caressed my cheek.

"What's it?"

"Don't you think that...you are the...weird one?"

"Why?"

"Because...You set so many rules and principles for yourself," I smiled. "You do things your own way and don't follow things that normal people would do."

"Why do I feel like I am a case study?" He turned to me and asked me with mischief. "Are you going to do a thesis on me?"

I looked at him in confusion.

"I saw a diary in your room," he smiled. "I never knew you were stalking me for that long."

I finally understand what he meant by doing a thesis on him!

"I didn't take you as a guy who would peek at someone else's diary!" I pouted. "How much did you read?"

"Not much, I didn't have enough time as your housekeeper was watching like a hawk," he said and I laughed.

"So when are you going to give me that? I would love to read it."

"One day when you get tired of me," I said. "Then you will realise how much I love you and run back to me."

"That means I am never going to read it?"

My insides warmed and I grinned stupidly at that.

"If I didn't know better, I would think that you are a player!"

He turned around, pressed me to the mattress and held me there.

"Hey!"

I stilled as he buried his head in my neck. Our skin touched and I felt Goosebumps all along my body.

"I love you, Cinderella; I am so glad that you forced your way to my world."

His words sent my heart overdrive. As I laid there inside his hands, I felt as if I am the luckiest girl in the world.

An hour later, we were both watching TV on his couch. I placed my head on his shoulder and started to eat the M&M chocolate from the box.

"I swear that you are worse than Jinu and Jiji," Michael laughed.

"Remind me to replace it," I said.

"They are planning to settle there with their grandparents."

I got up from his shoulder and looked at him, "what about you then?"

"I can't ask them to stay with me forever," he said. "And I will always be there for them. I am their Uncle."

I wrapped my hands around him and put my head back on his shoulder.

"You have me," I said. "And you can ask me to stay with you forever."

"That's a deal," he said and I laughed.

My alarm started to ring and I switched it off.

"It's 8, you will be in trouble if you don't go back now," Michael said.

"I don't care. Mama thinks I am hanging out with Julian," I snuggled closer to him. "I like spending time with you like this. I want to stay here with you forever."

He wrapped his hands around me, "we will move into a different place then," he looked at me curiously, "what kind of place would you like?"

"Um...I want it to be somewhere private and comfortable, with a garden around the house like when we stayed at the Navy house." I thought of our time together and smiled. "I like glass windows and chandeliers." I looked at him. "But Michael, As long as you are with me, I will be happy even if it's a small hut."

He looked at me seriously, "I want you to love yourself more, Cinderella. I want you to be strong and have the courage to follow your dreams."

I smiled.

"Everyone thinks that I am putting my life and happiness on one person," I said. "But to me, you are my way out, my freedom. Michael, you have no idea how free I am around you." I looked at him. "I don't have to constantly worry about being judged. I can do whatever I want. For me, being with you means I can be myself without any pretence. I want my life to be like this." I put my head back on his shoulder. "I know that even if I take a wrong step and fall down, someone is there to support me. I have been more brave and confident to follow my dreams. That's why I insisted to you that you are my destiny."

"It's difficult for me to believe in illogical unscientific things," he told me. "But if it is destiny that brought you closer to me, then I am willing to believe in it."

I smiled stupidly at that. I had never been so happy in my life.

"So, when are you going to give me your diary?"

His next question made me get up again. I turned to look at his face.

"Why do you want to look at it?"

"I find it fascinating..."

"Him...let me think of it," I said.

I am sure that Michael will find me silly and that he will laugh at me if he reads it.

"Do you think your dress will be dry now?" He asked after a moment. "You are starting to distract me."

I was wearing his oversized shirt as my dress was drenched from the rain.

"I like your shirt better," I said mischievously.

"I like you more without it-"

"Michael!"

"...and I want to take it back."

"What! No!" I jumped out of his reach with a squeal.

"Now," he pulled me back towards him and pinned me to the couch.

And before I could even utter another word, we were kissing each other again.

..........................

Salena Adams.

"What's the commotion outside?" I asked the housekeeper, Anna.

I had reached late yesterday and just slept in a little more as it was Sunday.

"Ah...Ella is learning to ride a bicycle," she said.

I was really surprised by this news. I couldn't believe that she would try to learn cycling.

I walked to our sit out and watched her cycling in the garden. Our watchman Babu's son, Vinu was shouting at her.

"You cannot learn cycling if you keep using the training wheels!"

"But I am not confident without it!" Ella shouted back like a kid.

I was rooted to the spot at the sight. Memories of the past came back to me.

Ella used to love cycling when she was a kid. It was one of those rare things she did with her papa back then. But she had never touched her cycle after he left.

I realised that she is starting to recover her wounds from the past.

"Ma'am?" Sara walked out to the sit out. She had stayed at home as I was out on a business trip.

"Who brought her the bicycle?"

"It was me," Sara looked at me. "She said she wants to go for a picnic with her friends and that she wanted to learn cycling," she said.

"Who are these friends? Nisha, Sam and Michael?"

Sara nodded.

Even I could not make her use the cycle again, but that guy can!

Of course...Whenever that guy is concerned, Ella is ready to do anything...

I took a deep breath.

"She will be back by the evening. Do you want me to stop her going out?"

"No, let her do whatever she wants. Just keep an eye on her and make sure that she is safe."

She is going to hate me after what I am going to do. I can only hope that she will recover quickly after I take her away.

"Is everything ready?" Sara asked me slowly.

"Yeah," I confirmed.

"I am worried about Ella, she is...she is too much involved with her friends now."

"I know."

"I think she will be angry with you if you trick her," Sara said again.

"There is no other way. She will never go there willingly," I said.

I know she will hate me for it, but her future and well being is more important to me.

"How many days are there for her year-end party?"

"It's only a week," Sara confirmed.

"Let's put the plan to action as soon as it is over," I said. "Let her free until then,"

"Okay Ma'am," Sara nodded her head.

*********************

One week later: The year-end party

Michael.

I held my breath as I watched her. She was beautiful and angelic and the gentle melodic music that flowed in the air was magical.

The whole hall went into loud cheering as she stopped playing. I watched proudly as she got up elegantly and bowed to everyone.

Her eyes met mine as soon as she straightened and I walked to her with a smile.

"Ella, it was wonderful girl!" someone shouted as she walked towards me.

Everyone was complimenting her and she looked embarrassed.

"See, that was not difficult," I told her. I had urged her to play a song in front of everyone today.

"It feels odd to get compliments from them as they had always considered me as a loser," she said.

Suddenly we were surrounded by another group.

"Ella! Why didn't you join the music club if you were this talented?" the club member almost looked shocked. "I am enrolling you today itself."

"But-" she stopped as I looked at her pointedly. I am sure that the easiest way to get rid of the group was to just agree with them.

"Ah yes," she nodded slowly. "I...I will think about it."

"There is nothing to think about it," The head of the music club and my batch mate turned to look at me. "Michael, see that your girlfriend...uh...fiancée is enrolled in the club, she is talented," she told me.

"Sure," I nodded while Cinderella gave me a look.

"Wow, you are a celebrity now," I teased her as soon as they left.

"I want a drink-" she stopped at my look.

"Ah...um, since you are with me-"

"No alcohol for you, Cinderella," I said. "You were going to kiss a waiter when you were drunk-"

"I thought it was a girl! And I wouldn't have-"

"Do you think it is okay to kiss a girl?"

"How many times did I explain, Michael, I just thought I will just give a peck on the cheek-"

"Hey Ella, Senior Michael," Alex reached us with a glass of champagne and nodded. "It was good music, Ella. Why the heck did you take CSE? You should have taken music, even a tone-deaf me could right away see that!"

"Stop flattering me, Alex, where is the Vipin?" she asked him back.

"Right here," Vipin appeared as if in cue and I laughed. "Would you like to dance with me?" Vipin then gave me a look. "Of course, as a friend," he added.

"You will have to wait then, my dance card is almost full," she said mischievously and I turned to her in surprise.

She grabbed my hand and literally pulled me towards the dance floor, almost tripping on her own gown in the process.

I steadied her as I had anticipated it and pulled her to me on the dance floor.

She looked at me in surprise. I looked into her eyes as she placed her hands on my shoulder.

"Why don't you give me the chance to initiate anything?" I asked her. "I wanted to ask you to dance first, but you just pulled me here. I wanted to propose to you, but you beat me to it. Even the love confession, you did that first."

"The order and formalities don't matter when you love a person, Michael," she said. "I want to take every chance to get closer to you. When you love someone, you should be brave and bold to do everything to chase it."

We started to move slowly and I looked at her.

"I am not a good dancer," I said.

"I just realised it," she smiled at me. "Apart from the alcohol tolerance, your second weakness," she giggled.

"Why? Are you still going to do a thesis on me?" I said slowly. "If you are, then I will gladly prove you my abilities as well."

The sentence was overlaid with double meaning and Cinderella's eyes widened.

"Michael! We are in the middle of the dance floor!" Her cheeks turned red and she looked adorable.

"I was talking about the coding, why are you acting like this?" I asked her innocently and she gave me a glare, making me laugh at her.

Ella.

The party was in full swing and the music was getting louder.  It was one heck of a crazy evening and half of the students were drunk even before midnight.

"I promised mama that I would be back by midnight," I turned to Michael.

"Let's leave then," Michael told me and I nodded.

"I will drop you."

"Mama will send Uncle Jose. Don't worry about it." I said. "Let's take a walk outside when we wait for him. I am craving for the ice cream from the Iceberg near the college."

"You are just like the twins," he touched my nose and smiled. "Let's go."

I let Michael guide me outside.

"I learnt cycling," I said proudly. "We will surely win the next time."

The last time we hang out with Sam and Nisha in the park near the college, they beat us on cycling.

"Will you insist on using the training wheels like last time?" Michael teased me.

"I have improved," I said.

"I am sure," he chuckled.

"I am serious-"

I tripped on my gown again and Michael supported me for the third time that night.

"Make sure that you wear comfortable clothes and shoes, Cinderella," Michael sighed.

"My feet are killing me," I pouted.

He gave me a look and then moved me to sit on a bench outside the party hall.

"Wait here, I have your sneakers in the car," he said.

"You know me well! You are a life savour," I looked at him in amazement.

"I have a feeling that I will have to keep it in my car all the time," he chuckled. "I will bring it now, wait for me."

He walked away and I removed my stilettos and pressed my heel with my hand.

My phone started to ring and I saw Sara's number flashing across the screen.

Shit! Is Mama angry at me for being late?

I attended the call.

"Sara, I left the party, I am coming back-"

"Ella!"

I stopped as her hysterical voice reached me.

"Ella, your mama...she collapsed and we are in the hospital," she said.

"Wha...what?"

"It's an emergency! We need to fly her outside now or it will be too late." She said and my whole world trembled.

I gripped the phone tightly and got up from the bench. I felt numb as I listened to her.

"Where's...mama? I...I want to...see her..." My vision blurred and my whole body trembled.

"Uh...Don't worry too much Ella, she is stable and okay now. The doctor said we cannot prolong the treatment for long."

Stable and okay...

She's okay...

Mama is the strongest person I have ever known in my life. Nothing will happen to her...

"Let's...let's not wait anymore, please finish all the formalities to transfer her. I will come there now," I tried to be strong and level headed.

I want to protect my mama as she had protected me all this time.

"Okay. I have sent Uncle Jose to pick you up, He will be there by now," Sara said.

I saw my car driving towards me.

I should tell Michael!

"The car is here, I will call you back," I disconnected the call.

My mind was so much occupied that I just got inside the car and started to dial Michael's number.

"Uncle Jose, where is mama hospitalised?" I asked him as I pressed the call button.

The call didn't connect and I frowned, then looked up, "uncle Jose-" I stopped.

It was the new driver who came to pick me up when my car broke down a few weeks back.

"Where is Uncle Jose? Sara said Uncle Jose will pick me up?"

Michael.

I felt them following me even before I saw them.

My car was parked in the underground parking lot. I placed the sneakers back and stepped out of the car slowly.

I looked at the four guys blocking my way out.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked them slowly.

"We don't want to hurt you," one of the guys said. "We are ordered to stop you from going back, but if you don't cooperate with us, we would have no other way but to fight you."

The guy's face registered and I recognised him as one of the guys who were waiting for the order from Salena to attack me the other day I visited her company.

It's Salena Adam's bodyguards!

I realised.

Cinderella...she is in trouble!

A bolt of lightning went through my heart and I started to move.

"We are warning you-" he stopped midway as I kicked him out of the way. I was halfway down the parking lot as another guy stopped me.

I was kicked to the ground and I rolled and got up.

"If you behave like this, we will have no other way but attack you," the first guy warned again.

"Where's Cinderella? What are you planning to do?"

"Cinderella is safe with her mama," the guy said. "You need to calm down and get your head straight. There's no way you could beat the four of us."

I fisted my palms and looked at the guys.

Logically speaking, I know I cannot win them alone. But as long as Cinderella is involved, the logic didn't concern me anymore.

So I decided to fight for it rather than stepping away.

Everything that happened after that was in a haze. I kicked, punched and fought them, but every time I managed to get rid of one person, another guy would stop me from getting out of there.

"The boy has gone crazy! I can't hold him down!"

Someone shouted as I rolled away and kicked him as he tried to get me.

Cinderella is in trouble...I can't waste any more time...

I realised that there's only one way out now.

So instead of trying to fight them, I ran towards my car and started the engine.

I reversed the car and faced the now bewildered bodyguards in front of me.

"Listen to me well because I will only say this once." I looked at the guys from the car. "I am going to drive out of here and if you ever try to stop me, I am going to run my car over you."

I pressed on the accelerator and the car roared as if in a warning.

"Out of my way!"

I bellowed, but before any of us could move, someone came running towards us.

"Stop this!" Uncle Jose looked distressed and out of breath. "Stop this madness now and listen to me, Ella...she is gone, I can't...I can't find her anywhere!"

"What nonsense!" One of the bodyguards said. "We just saw her sitting on the bench before we followed him."

"She's...really not there..." Uncle Jose seemed to be trembling and I knew that there's more to it. "One...of the students said...that Ella left in her...car, but her...car is still in the workshop undergoing maintenance..."

I literally froze at that.

————————-

Hope you guys are not confused.

Q: What do you think happened?