W e d l o c k F l a r e Up
[Part 1]
Amidst the sleeping bodies of her friends, she could feel a cold breeze touch her skin from the open balcony door. In the many nights of her life, tonight seemed to be the longest. Being careful not to disturb the resting ladies around her, she followed the whispering winds to the balcony. She closed her eyes as the air caressed her face. This was the most peace she had gotten in these last few weeks. With all the wedding preparations going on, it was hard to breathe alone. But she knew the peace and love she would receive after her marriage would be enough to make up for these chaotic days.
A smile crept up her lips as she remembered the havoc she created with her to-be husband at the slightest of issues. There was never a reason as to why they bickered, only that they loved doing it. Opening her eyes to the dark surroundings of her home, she looked down at the decorations of her own hands. Even with little light, she could clearly see her lovers name engraved in Arabic calligraphy with the deep red of henna on her hands: Farid' the name that had caused restlessness to abide within her tonight.
Caressing his name with her thumb, she wondered how he had managed to capture her soul. With their constant quarreling, it was hard to imagine that they would ever end up together. Their first meeting was still clear in her head. Her heart fluttered at the remembrance of him; water droplets dripping from his bare body as he approached her with bold steps. The passionate look in his eyes, not to mention his appealing build, had her looking at him twice.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" he had asked, his intentions quite clear from the smirk dripping out of his voice.
"Does it look like I own this place? Sit wherever you want, dude." Rolling her eyes, she gathered her artistic equipment to make room for the unwanted guest.
"What if I wanted to sit on your lap?" he answered, a grin matching the mischievousness in his eyes. She shot him a glare, wiping off his grin efficiently. "Are you always this feisty?" he asked while taking a seat next to her, under the shade of her umbrella.
"Are you always this annoying?"
"Not unless you want me to be." His grin morphed into a smirk as his eyes trailed over her body. What had allured him towards her had been the difference of her outfit from the others on the beach. Unlike the strappy, clinging bikini's most of the other girls had worn out here; she was wearing a simple tank and shorts. Even with the sheerness of her clothes, she had managed to look appropriate for the beach. Her bangs making it roughly over her dark brown eyes and her hair tied in a ponytail, she had something no one else here had; innocence.
"My name's Farid, by the way," he said making himself comfortable.
"And my name is Not Impressed" she replied, throwing the same smirk he had given to her, back.
"That's a nice name' I wonder if that's what your parents were thinking when they named you," he said, a chuckle leaving his lips.
"You know, you're pretty desperate for a guy who thinks about parents," she said keeping on a smirk, now trying to ignore him as she fumbled with her camera.
Her quick remarks were inciting him towards her personality, something she was absolutely unaware of as she just wanted for him to vanish from her moments of peace. New in the city, she had come out to the beach to click of a few pictures of a beautiful, serene, sunset near the ocean; hoping to commence her new life freshly. An inconvenience named Farid was not expected nor wanted to intrude her space ' yet she was enjoying the mock she gave him.
Readying her camera, she stood up from her spot to take a few snips of her surroundings. She grinned as the corner of her eye caught his shadowy figure simultaneously follow her steps. "So'" he called out to her while stretching his arms behind him simpering "you never told me what else your parents called you other than Not Impressed."
"Since you're so desperate'" she turned around to face him "its Rubina." As much as she hadn't wanted to interlace herself in a love-affair already, she was having fun with this one. What had unknowingly intrigued her about him was his candidness as he didn't try to impress her with those white lies.
"A pretty name for a pretty girl," he complimented as he caught up with her. He could see her trying to hide her smile, making him grin with self-satisfaction. "You know, you're allowed to giggle, blush, and then say thanks."
"I'll save that for someone that actually makes me want to do that."
"And who would that be?" he raised an eyebrow towards her.
She stopped walking to face him firmly "definitely, not you," her stern face melting into slight giggles as she continued walking towards the shore.
"'if not me, then who else?"
"There are tons of people for me; you should worry more for yourself," her voice came off as though she was dealing with a child.
"I can't imagine any person, other than me, that would stick around with you for more then a few seconds before you scared them off with your attitude," he replied grinning to himself.
She shot him a glare before harshly replying "Oh shove it, desperate boy."
"Desperate' would be me, on my knees, begging you to take your clothes off," he replied in a thoughtful smug as interesting images ran past his mind.
"You disgust me," she said shaking her head, and hoping to be able to ignore his wit.
"You delight me." An enjoying grin had been plastered on his face the whole while he had been around her. It was more about irritating her now than it was about flirting. "Why are you at the beach anyway?"
"Why, am I not allowed to be at the beach without your permission?"
"No, but it doesn't look like you're here to get naked and party' so I thought I'd ask," he answered shrugging lightly with a pout of his lower lip. Amused with his answer, she let out a soft giggle while shaking her head.
"Well, you're right then. I'm actually here to paint," she said turning her head, to look at him completely for the first time since they had been talking. A cold sigh left his lips as the image of her eyes beheld his. He hadn't realized when he had stopped walking to assiduously drown in the amber of her eyes. She tilted her head at his abstracted expression. "What's wrong; not interested in me anymore after knowing I'm the painter type?" she asked, a smirk playing on her lips.
"No, nothing'" he said shaking his head, with it expecting to shake away the immersing feeling. Walking with her again, he continued the conversation struggling to forget the sparks that had gone off in his heart "so, do you need a model?"
"I already have a model," she smiled proudly looking back at the crashing red waves of the ocean.
"Really, is it better than me posing shirtless?"
Taking this as a chance to review his body, again, she looked him up and down. The droplets had dried, leaving his skin gleaming in the bright light of the setting sun. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he had quite the figure. But this thought of hers would remain in her thoughts, for she didn't want his egoist personality to brood over her with a smug look.
"I believe so," she replied with a grin, compelling him to frown.
"Who is this model then?"
"The dude that's been shining on us all morning," she said giggling at the change of his expressions.
"Oh, him'" he said chuckling with her "at least you don't have to worry about the lighting with him."
"That's cheesy," she laughed.
"It made you laugh though."
She had just shaken her head before turning to look at the sun. Having taken a step in to the cool water, she leveled the camera near her right eye. As she had taken her first picture, she wondered whether she would ever see Farid again or not. She smiled at the irony, as from tonight onwards his face would welcome her every morning.
Their first meeting had seemed as though it would only last for that moment. It was destiny that brought them to meet each other once again. Twirling the red scarf in her hands now, she let out small giggles while shaking her head as her own mischief made way through her head. His angry scream turning into a sheepish smile was still as clear in her head. She wondered why she hadn't realized earlier that she had fallen for him. After all, jealousy only strikes those who love something, in her own case someone. Maybe it was the way he smiled at Sonia, the same smile he had given her, as they talked sitting at a window table.
Before, she hadn't thought of it as her own dreams crushing, rather the betrayal of another girl. And so her fury had led her to walk over to his table, composed and disinterested until she 'tripped' and dropped her boiling coffee over Farid.
"Shit'" he flared up cursing under his breath as his hands quickly moved across his shirt, up and down, from the burning sensation on his chest.
"I'm so sorry," she faked, putting her hand over her now smiling lips. She smirked as she saw him shoot an agitated look at her and then slowly melt into a sheepish smile as he looked back at his accomplice. "Oh, Farid' is that you?" she asked, her smirk deepening.
"Hey'" Farid said abashed, feeling the temperature rise, and it wasn't just from the coffee spilled on him.
"It's been so long, no? How have you been? And who's this you're with, latest girlfriend? Looks a bit old for you this time." She threw back the same disgusted look she received from the girl standing, crossed arms, across from Farid. She couldn't help but preen at Farid as he fumbled over his words looking at the glaring girl to give an explanation. "Hi, my names Rubina," she held out her hand "I was with Farii last week on the beach, we had so much fun."
The girl rolled her eyes, and looked at Farid "Who's this b*t*h and what is she saying?" she asked impolitely, making Rubina's intention of breaking her up with Farid stronger.
"Didn't I just tell you? Do-you-not-under-stand-eng-lish?" she moved her lips slowly, and used her hands as a tool to convey her words. The purpose was to aggravate the already attitude-driven girl.
"Farid, say something!" she whined, with a screech to her voice.
"Sonia, what should I say? She already said it!" he replied, somewhat mocking her annoying screech.
"Are you trying to tell me that you're cheating on me?"
Rubina put her hand on her mouth in fake shock, holding back a giggle. "You're cheating on her?! Dun-dun-dun' more drama, ey cougar lady?" she said looking back and forth from the frustrated look of Sonia, and the restrained smile of Farid's.
"Oh shut up, you b*t*h!" Sonia said glaring at her.
This made Rubina grit her teeth, she had been trying to tolerate the attitude being given to her. "This 'b*t*h' right here can kick your ass to Japan and back. So watch your mouth you lil' B-B-B." She could see Farid's jaw drop from the corner of her eyes, as she glared at the girl in front of her.
Before taking a step closer to Rubina, Sonia pointed up her finger and said "Listen you'" but wasn't able to finish her thought as Farid stepped in front of Rubina like a barrier.
"Chill out, babe" he said, a bit sheepishly as he could hear the stifled growl of Rubina's from behind him. He knew enough of her to know that she didn't like depending on others, and yet he still stood in front of her to protect her.
"Don't call me babe. I don't ever want to see you again, it's over!" Sonia said huffing, and quickly grabbing her stuff to stomp out of the coffee shop.
Farid waited for Sonia to walk out the doors before whispering a solace "Shukr hai Rab da, museehbat talli."
He turned around relieved to see Rubina, crossed arms and raised eyebrow, looking at him suspiciously. "What was that?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You owe me a clean shirt and a girlfriend," he said grinning.
"No, aren't you supposed to be running after her?" she asked, now confused.
"She wishes. I wouldn't run after her if she was the last woman on earth."
"Then why are you going out with her?"
"Because she's my boss, and I wanted to keep my job," he said with a shrug while sitting back in his seat nonchalantly. He could see her face fall towards a guilt chase as she stood there flustered. "I was going to break up with her in a few days, because I've been looking around for other jobs."
"I'm so sorry'" she said taking the seat Sonia had been earlier sitting in. "I thought you were one of those jerks' I'm really sorry, is there something I can do?"
"Yes actually, order coffee for the two of us. I will be right back, I'm going to try to take the coffee stain off my shirt" he said chuckling at her. She shook her head at him and watched him leave for the bathroom. The evening had turned out much different then she had planned. From there, her friendship with him had started. As destiny wanted, they would end up bumping into each other at different places.
--//--
Hellooo... *sheepish smile* It's been months since I've written something, but I couldn't help myself from writing this. It was mine and Rinki's anni after all. Happy Anni Rinkz! Hope you like it. There's going to be more parts in it. But I thought I wuld post this much on our Anni, because I wouldn't get time later today. And I'm really tired, so yea.
Anywayy! Have fun reading. I was gonna say more, but I forgot. Shh!
Oh I remember! Ignore the cursing please. Its not my fault Rinkz has a bad temper. 🤣
kimz
Anupamaa
