The party was in full swing and everybody was dancing and having fun.The kids, however, soon got tired out from the eventful day and were taken back to their rooms..A little girl wearing a fluffy pink dress escaped the coordinator"s eyes and skipped away to meet her prince charming..She had seen him standing alone in the lobby when they were coming up.She had tried to get him to look at her during the party but he did not come near her.She pouted..This was her last chance to woo him...If she failed then she would not be able to meet him again...
She ran down the staircase lest she get caught waiting for an elevator.Another boy of the same age also saw her running and escaped too.He was a bully that everyone was scared of except this girl!He knew she was going to that man from before,the one she liked.He was going to ruin it for her...With an arrogant smile he followed her down the stairs.
The little girl"s name was s.h.i.+ Ai and she was the one that had proposed to Ah Hai earlier.Even now she was going to find him.He had helped her last night when she had been unable to pick her bag when they arrived and patted her head.She had instantly fallen in love..She must get him to fall for her and that was only possible if she was wearing a pretty dress like now and looking like a princess...
She reached the lobby with a happy smile on her face which was soon whisked away when she saw the empty lobby...He was gone....And tomorrow they would leave soon after the ceremony and she would not get a chance to talk to him....
Just as she was about to head back,she saw a shadow move in the garden.Her little heart skipped a beat when she saw the silhouette of the person she was looking for..
She followed the lonely figure into the garden but before she could call out to him,a stubby arm stopped her causing her to let out a small scream in fright.
"What are you doing s.h.i.+ Ai?Why did you run away from there?Do you want to get into trouble?"Asked the fat little boy.
s.h.i.+ Ai glared at him and said,"You are the one who wants to get into trouble!Why are you following me?Do you want me to punch you?"
"Ha,I know you are looking for that big brother and you like him.But s.h.i.+ Ai what is the point of going after him?It"s not like you are going to grow up.Even if he likes a dirty little girl like you,you are going to die soon then he will leave you.Then what are you so happy about."
By the end of the boy"s statement,s.h.i.+ Ai had come back from her dreamworld with a thump.She glared at the horrid boy with eyes full of tears and threatened,"If you don"t want to get a beating you better run away now.Or else"
The little boy was happy to see her cry and ran back immediately in case she made true on her threat...
s.h.i.+ Ai stood there dejectedly and after a few moments of crying silent tears she started to go back.Her rosy face was now ashen.Her vision was blurry and she lost her balance ruining the pretty dress as well..For a moment she was dismayed...such a pretty dress she had received,she had been going to wear it on her birthday but then she remembered...she may not live until then..With another sob she ran towards the hotel but only after a few steps,collided with a pair of legs and almost fell on her rump but was caught by a pair of strong hands.
She thanked the person who saved her without looking and tried to leave.But the person was holding her firm and did not let go..She looked up and was even more dismayed when she saw her saviour.It was her prince charming.She wanted him to see her at her best and instead he was seeing her now...at her worst...
She hicupped and a sob was caught in her throat.
Ah Hai looked at the girl who was staring at him with her big doe eyes.It was clear that she was feeling embara.s.sed.He noticed that her knees were hurt.
"Come with me."Ah Hai was wary of a little girl.If his fellow soldiers ever found out that he was scared of her,they would laugh at him....But tears made him scared...
Seeing a bench swing nearby he made her sit on it and went down on his knees to inspect the wounds.Taking a clean handkerchief he wiped off the mud that was stuck to her knees.He saw her fingers tighten in her lap when he cleaned the wound but the girl did not complain.Looking at her bravery,Ah Hai felt his heart soften..He took out his phone,dialed a number and said,"bring a first aid kit and a water bottle to the garden.leave it at the entrance."
The swing was hidden from the entrance.He did not want anyone to see the girl in such a vulnerable state.He looked at her and said gently,"I am going to go bring back the first aid kit.You sit here."He was about to get up but then suddenly looked up and asked,"Will you be alright here?"
Once she nodded,he got up and went towards the entrance.