Chapter 21 : I love you

Oh boy! Genies are staring at me! This is not good. This is too much attention. I don't understand if they are happy, jealous or in awe of me. I don't think it would be bad if they were in awe of me – I am the first genie who this happened to after all. Am I supposed to say something? I looked at Zora and Amun for some sort of a sign if I needed to do something. Zora nodded at me and asked me to come forward. I feel very self-conscious when everybody stares at me. In fact, when I've all the attention, I end up becoming a little clumsy. As I kept walking towards Zora, I kept praying that I don't trip and fall.

It's been a few minutes since Zora and Amun made the announcement, but still I don't hear the genies say anything. It's like all of them have been frozen. When I got to the centre of the stage, I said "Hi." I don't know if they could hear my apprehension but I could hear it loud and clear. I waited to see if I would get any response. I took a deep breath and said, "Let the party begin." At the word 'party', everybody seemed to have come out of their trance and there was a loud shout from the crowd. I could not understand what they said but it was somewhere on the lines of 'congrats'.

Soon the chairs that everybody was sitting on disappeared. A huge dance floor appeared. A few of the younger genies were taking care of the music. We did not have food on tables since we would just use magic to get what we wanted to eat. The chairs were magically placed at the corners of the auditorium. Once the music started playing, everybody changed into their party clothes on the spot and started dancing, shouting, howling and sing the words of the songs being played. When I got into the crowd, I was swarmed by everybody to congratulate me. There were some of the older genies who would even tell me that I'm really lucky. Well, I guess, in a way, I'm lucky. I, finally, found Tama Home in the crowd. He was patiently waiting for me to get free from everybody.

Things had changed a lot since he kissed me last night. When he kissed me, I lost my train of thought. My mind conjured up Draco. When Tama Home kissed me, I was thinking of Draco. By the time, I realised that it was not Draco but Tama Home I was kissing, the kiss had already gotten pretty intense. I wanted to end the kiss that second but I also knew that if I ended the kiss abruptly Tama Home may get hurt. So, I, very tactfully, ended the kiss slowly so he would not suspect anything. Just before I ended the kiss, I peck him on his lips.

He looked so happy. "Do you have any idea how long I've been wanting to do that?"

Honestly, I didn't have an idea. "Hmmm… I don't know."

He chuckled. "A very long time. I've wanted to be more than friends with you for so long."

"Then why do you want to wait?" Did I seriously just ask that? It's good he wants to wait. I'll get enough time to get over Draco then. But do I really want to be over Draco? I think the sooner Tama Home and I get down to business, the sooner, I'll forget Draco.

"Wait for what?" He asked. I was not sure if her was genuinely asking me that or he was making fun of me.

I sighed, "The whole settling down thing?"

"I dunno. I thought maybe you'd want to date for a while and you know see how it goes and all." Aww…He knows me so well. He knew that I would have wanted to date for a while before settling down. "Don't get me wrong, if it were just up to me, I would have already asked you to marry me." He winked and smiled naughtily at me.

"Do you think what we've been doing all these years for each other, you know the whole being there for each other thing, will be considered as dating?" I asked uncertainly.

"In a way, I guess. That's why I think Zora and Amun wanted to discuss settling down plans with us."

I made a face when I was reminded of them asking us about it. "That was embarrassing! I mean, even we didn't discuss it yet and here they are asking us about it. Crazy!"

"Well, if you saw it from their points of view, you would not think it was that crazy. Practically, everybody in Genieland thinks we've been dating for God knows how long! I mean everybody is so sure that we will end up together."

"What about you? What do you think?" Like, I cared about what Genieland thought! He blushed a little. "OH MY GOD! Tama Home, are you blushing!" I shouted.

"Shut up, Pari!"

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Well, what do you think about us?" I asked the question like I was talking to a little kid.

He looked down on the floor and started rubbing one of his ear lobes. He usually does it when he is nervous. He took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "I think, we will end up together as well." There was something very cute about a nervous Tama Home. It's the only time he looks vulnerable. It's the only time, I feel like I should take care of him. All the other time, I want Tama Home taking care of me.

I pulled him into a tight hug and said, "I think so too." There's no way in hell anybody else would love me like he does. I have to let Draco go and move on. The faster it happens, the better it will be for Tama Home and I.

"Hey! Lost in thoughts?" Tama Home's question pulled me out of my thoughts.

"I was just thinking about last night." I informed him.

"Having second thoughts, are we?" He sounded nervous.

"You wish." Though I knew it was a lie, it sounded very true to me like I meant it.

"That's good. 'Cause I need to ask you something?" He said and we started walking towards the stage.

"Why are we going towards the stage? After today, I don't want to get on it ever again. Having everyone stare at me like I was an alien was the most I've been stared at. I don't want that experience again."

Tama Home

I laughed at her theatrics. She has always had a way with words. I wonder how she does it. So, while we were walking towards the stage, she kept complaining about the genies staring at her. If there's anything she doesn't like, it's being stared at. She hates being the centre of the attention. Ever since the moment she came home and told me that she's free, I've been very happy. I got free just a few months back and now she's free as well. We don't have to wait anymore for our lives to begin.

Pari has always been special for me. We became friends almost instantly. She had a very tough time accepting the genie lifestyle. I would listen to her for hours while she kept on cursing the man who turned her into a genie. Before I realised it, she was like family to me. She started to think of me as family as well, I think. She tells me everything. The only thing I was unsure about was her feelings for me. She never said things back but she always told me that eventually she would. When she spoke like I often wondered how can a genie know what will happen in the future but I chose to believe her, anyways.

When we kissed last night, at first, I thought she would pull back. The kiss went on for a while and I sort of got my confidence back. When she said that she thought we would end up together as well, I was sure that maybe she was beginning to feel the same things that I feel for her. That's when I thought that I should do this.

We were standing on the stage and I was watching her continue her rant about being stared at. I kissed her. I could her feel hesitate at first but she relaxed soon enough. We ended the kiss when we heard hoots from the crowd. We smiled at the crowd. "There's a reason I brought you here."

"I'm sure you have one." She said cheekily.

I was amused by what she said. "I want to ask you something." By now, everybody in the crowd was looking at us and wondering what we were up to. The music was turned down. She looked perplexed at first but I could see that she was thinking real hard. "Stop thinking so much, will you?" I asked. I had a feeling she figured it. She nodded.

"Pari, I know, we talked about waiting a while but after talking to you last night, I just could not stop myself." I paused to see if she was going to say something. She just looked at me with complete understanding. I got down on one knee and held her left hand in my right. I looked at her earnestly and started speaking, "Pari, I know we have eternity together, but with you, even eternity seems like a short time. Till now, we've always wondered how our life together will be. We have talked enough about it, now I want to start living it with you, if you let me. I will be the happiest genie in Genieland if you give me this opportunity. Pari, do you want to be Mrs. Pari Tama Home?" I pulled out the ring from my pocket.

Pari

While he was saying those things, I felt my eyes fill up. He's so honest and so pure. While he was saying those things, our life till now flashed before my eyes. When he pulled the ring out of his pocket, I was shocked. It was platinum ring with a huge sapphire in the middle. I understood immediately why he picked sapphire. Blue is my favourite colour. I smiled at him. He just asked me if I wanted to be 'Mrs. Pari Tama Home'. It did have a nice ring to it.

I knew my answer has to be yes. All these years, I knew that whenever he would ask me I would have to say yes. But now, I was doubtful. I should have never met Draco. My mind was wandering to Draco. In fact, my imagination was so strong that Tama Home was flashing in between himself and Draco every few seconds in front of my eyes. I have to push Draco out of my mind. At least, the smile on my face was still plastered on. So, me prolonging my answer would not raise suspicions in anybody's mind.

"Ummm…Pari…It would be nice if you'd answer today." I could sense the fear in his voice.

"Nah, I think, I like to see you kneel in front of me." Dude, you have no idea how messed up my thoughts are right now. I need a few moments so I can straighten my thoughts a bit. Also, you decided to do it in front of everybody, it's a bit disconcerting.

"Right, I should have realised that you would be thinking more about me kneeling down rather than what I said." He sounded a little unsure of himself.

"I paid attention to what you said as well. I'm just waiting for the words to settle in. I didn't think, you'd be asking me this today. Let's just say I'm surprised. Please give me a few moments." I tried to lighten the atmosphere but I think I failed miserably. He nodded in understanding.

"Yes." Finally, I found my voice to say yes. I, literally, had to practise saying yes in my mind a couple of times.

"You mean it?" Did he really ask me that? Pari, I think, you should come clean. Tell him that you're in love with Draco and that you want to be with him. I nodded. I should tell him before all this goes out of hands. Wait! Did I just admit that I love Draco? I love Draco Malfoy. "I love you."

"I love you too." When Tama Home said that, I was pulled out of my thoughts. He assumed that I told him that I love him. He looked so happy that it almost broke my heart. Before I could say anything more, Tama Home put the ring on my finger and pulled me for a kiss. But I love Draco Malfoy.

The crowd went wild and the party resumed again.

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Neepa :-)