Not 'Sleeping', Not 'Beauty', but Trapped and Waiting, yes!

Candlelit dinners and moonlight walks.

Valentine's cards and fresh red roses.

Birthday surprises and kisses under mistletoe.

Halloween parties, proms, new year's events to attend, hand in hand.

Whispered sweet nothings and late night chats.

Customized presents and cute 'one month', 'three month', 'anniversary' celebrations.

A hand to link my fingers through, and a shoulder to lean my head against.

Arms to rush into, a body to cling on to.

Nice cologne to breathe in and make a part of me.

A face to trace my fingers across and hair to play with.

Someone to call every time I can't get sleep.

Someone to text, throughout the day.

Cozy evenings in, watching movies, snuggled up.

Naughty things to get up to, coyly, playfully, purposely.

Someone to vent on, knowing they will understand.

Someone to hug, anytime, every time, all the time.

Heaps of photographs, chronicling the memories.

Being told 'we're cute', 'a sweet couple', or 'made for each other'.

Blushing and smiling and feeling all dizzy on dates.

Living in a big, blissful bubble of romance and mush.

Giggles and hushed conversations and sneaking around to meet up.

Butterflies and excitement rushing till the ends of my toes.

Feeling so safe, so secure, so comfortable, so close.

My idea of love and romance. Yes, I know it's very Bollywood, chick-flick, and chick-lit inspired, but oh well, that's hardly a surprise, right? It's what I've been envisioning, anticipating, awaiting, ever since I was about ten, I think.

I was so sure, just SO goddamn sure that he would come, arrive like magic into my life, mystically interwoven into the complex plot of destiny. I was patient, I would daydream of him all the time, and every night as I lay waiting for sleep to take over. He would be tall, fair, with longish, dark brown hair, and bright, warm eyes. He would wear glasses, preferably, and have a husky, sexy voice. He would love me like how Raj loves Simran in DDLJ, how Todd loves Elizabeth in the Sweet Valley series, how princes love the Disney princesses, how Zack loves Laney in She's All That.

Over a decade later, I'm still waiting.

Still daydreaming and obsessing every night. Gradually losing patience though. If he exists, surely, I would have found him by NOW? After having lived in three different countries, after having completed both school and college, after almost reaching a age which society irritatingly labels (horrified gasp!) "marriageable" (shudder)?

Okay, I know it's way too far fetched (what with the hunky looks criteria and all) and obviously, I am willing to compromise. I don't care if his hair's not long and not dark brown; I don't care about the eyes or the voice either. He does have to be tall and fair though. (Coz, err, ahem, I am tall and I am more fair than should be allowed.) And he has to love me, d'uh. In that stomach-turning, world-changing way. :P

Dear Prince Charming,

Please arrive.

Soon.

I want to quit feeling like a loser about having absolutely ZERO healthy romantic experience to date, emotional or physical.

Till then, I'll be singing: "Mila na koi aisa, mere sapno ke jaisa, chhan ke mohalla saara dekh liya!" (From Action Replay. Click here to listen)