Rahul stood there, on the balcony where it all had happened last night. He closed his eyes and played the scene in his head once more.

"This is literally my favorite spot in all of England." The girl he'd met at the gala laughed and led him up the stairs.

"What's your name?" He tried to get some information out of her.

"What's the point of a masked gala, if you know everything about me?" She rolled her eyes and responded snarkily.

"Well, I can continue calling you Woman or Girl-" Rahul frowned but she laughed and turned around to face him.

"You can call me, Anaya." She informed him. He archived this information.

"Can I say something?" Rahul asked, he started to see light at the end of the stairwell. His eyes adjusted to the new bright light.

"After the view," Anaya informed him. He saw the twinkling city lights and the moon hanging above in the sky, like a Christmas ornament. Stars sprinkled across the sky almost like glitter on a black and blue cloth. There were the occasional whisps of clouds, that made the sky look even more beautiful.

"This view, always gets me's to smile." Anaya smiled and just gazed at the sight in front of her. But KL was a bit more focused on her. Her smile, the way she'd been shy at the start before warming up to him. Her gold mask hid her identity from KL. Her brown hair flowing behind her as the wind blew it.

"This view certainly does." KL smiled unconsciously, Anaya turned around to note that he was looking at her and not the senary. He saw her cheeks turn red, he smirked and averted his attention to the outlook.

"Now, can I say something?" Rahul sighed impatiently and tapped his foot, she hummed a response, which he took as a 'yes'.

"I love you."

"That's great."

"Wait... What-" Anaya whirled around to face him, he smiled.

"I love you." He repeated Anaya's cheeks flushed as she slowly inched away from him.

"I have no clue, why I said that..." Rahul ran a hand through his hair. "It felt true though."

"I... Uh... So..." Anaya was unable to word her emotions, partly because of his sudden confession and partly because KL had an arm around her waist and was leaning toward her. As her reflex, she closed her eyes. Before she could open them, she felt something the arm around her waist tighten in grip and KL's lips brush against hers. At the start, it was just a gentle brush, but then he captured her lips and deepened the kiss. Anaya's heart pounded against her rib cage. She didn't know how to react, the butterflies in her stomach were revolting.

KL broke apart and wondered if this was a good time to take off his mask. Anaya didn't know that the guy who'd just kissed her, would change her life. If she'd known he was KL Rahul, she would have avoided him and hung out in the corner. But his mask deceived him, she didn't know who he was. She knew him as just another guy named 'Rahul', Which KL loved. He didn't want to defined by his fame, he wanted to be considered ordinary.

He let his fingertips brush against the edges of Anaya's mask. Anaya swatted his hand away and he laughed. She pouted a bit, making KL freeze.

"Stop making me want to kiss you again." KL chuckled, his eyes fixated on her lips. She bit her lower lip. KL took a deep breath and pulled off his mask.

Anaya gasped.

KL grinned, loving her reaction. He let his fingertips linger at the edge of Anaya's mask. He was desperate to know who was behind the mask. Anaya shifted in his arms, knowing that she had been with KL Rahul throughout the gala. And wasn't too happy about it, she knew the prices of fame. Stalkers, threats, and people invading your privacy. Anaya wasn't willing to go through that, she had enough of it during her childhood. Besides, she had to go. She would be fired from her job if she didn't leave right now, and she needed the money that her job provides.

It was going to be her life or saving her sister's.

She chose her sister.

"I have to go." Anaya backed away, and KL frowned.

"Anaya, wait." He started but Anaya had turned her back to him and started to go down the stairs.

"Anaya!" He called out, regaining his senses, and began to go after her.

"Anaya, come on!" He tried once more. "What's wrong?"

At the end of the stairwell, he whirled around, looking for any trace of Anaya. But it was like she'd disappeared.

KL kicked the wall with all his might.

"Why do I have to have a messed-up love life?" He muttered under his breath. He looked around for a while for Anaya.

"She didn't even leave me a glass-slipper."

⁑ Without A Glass Slipper ⁑

Coming Soon