bits and pieces of the fairy tale

Fairy tales--ah! I have grown with them. Since my earliest childhood, the princesses and their "prince charming" have been of sheer interest to me. It was the princess inside me who dreamed of such a Prince Charming: the handsome sweet yet strong man I would love. My heart wanted to see the person for whom I may dress up, who would love me the way I am, who would be there for me in all times. He will be the one whom I would dance with in the ball room, dressed in the finest silk and sequins. His touch would give me paradise, his voice will be music to my soul. He would hold me by my waist and look into my eyes, just to let me know that he is deep in love with me. The sweetest romantic song would be for us.
But how would I know who is that Prince Charming. Well I knew I would know him the moment i see him. His eyes would speak to me, to let me know that "I am yours!" I knew the moment I would see him, I won't be able to look anywhere else. My heart would jump up, my hormones rushing. I would feel that upsurge inside me.
Such were my imaginations! Funny huh?!
To tell the truth, it happened.
It did happen to me.
What all I dreamed of, thought of.
I remember the day I first saw him. My heart did start pumping harder, my eyes wanted to stick on to him. The princess inside me knew it was him.
But my princess is shy. She kept it covered. She never accepted it. But whenever she used to see him, she used feel the same way.
I remember the days when one small glance of him used to make me so happy and yet so sad. I felt like I knew him for such a long time. I didn't know him though, so could not talk. Neither did he. Because he never noticed. He never used to look at me. He used to be busy in his own world. As if I don't exist.
That was what i used to think.
Things took a turn when he first looked back at me. I could see the glee in his face, the mischievous smile, the glittering eyes I was mad for. And yes, he did look back at me. Not once, he kept on giving me his smiles and looks whenever we would pass by. I can't think of the emotions and excitement that I used to have. It felt like I know him so much but yet we are strangers. We didn't know each others' name. We just knew that he was my Prince and me his Princess.
I remember the cold winter evenings when I used to open my window for a short while and would coincidentally see him. In fact he used to keep an eye on my window it seemed. It was that small naughty smile that would make my heart go Topsy-turvy. I remember one evening when I was returning home alone and he passed me on his cycle and kept encircling me; and everytime he passed he would pass me a look or a smile.
Our fairy tale took a shape when he first approached to talk. It was so predetermined, as if he approached I would definitely talk. We have talked much more through our eyes. And words were formalities. The prince and princess met; their story started. And it's no less than any of the sweetest fairy tales. It was about love, care, trust, happiness, sharing and compassion. I fell so deeply in love with him. My prince was with me; it was beyond my thought. It seemed to be so heavenly. Being with him was paradise. I love the way he would say "I love you pig" even though pig was not a proper princess! I loved to love him, loved to talk with him, loved to be with him. I had no grievance as long as he was with me. I could not be angry with him; could not be egoistic against him. I wanted to give myself entirely to him. I wanted him to have me.

But...

It was fairy tale; and it was too good to be true. The storms came in, ruined my sweet dreams. Reality woke me up. And my Prince Charming was gone, leaving me all alone. We were torn apart. And so was my heart. He was my first love. He was the oxygen for my soul. He was the cool breeze on a hot summers afternoon. They took him away from me, leaving me scarred and deserted. They left me with tears and a broken bleeding heart. I remember the day I cried when he was going to some far place, I was so shattered then to be away from him. Reality showed me that was nothing. And here I am, the real girl. But reality could not take away my love. The princess is still alive, and so lives her love for her Prince Charming. That's a fairy tale. It lives on. Reality can never take away the fairy tale. And so remains the story of my first love embedded in my heart---like the stories of princesses, like the immortal love stories.