My Ghostie Best Friend
Banner credit - Me!
Part 4
oOo
Asad opened his car door for me and walked around his side to get inside. I put on my seat belt and looked around. Not that I was sitting in his car for the first time but it would be the first time I would be sitting in his car as his date. I looked at Humaira through the rear view mirror and corrected myself; as his "surrogate date". I suppressed the giggle that threatened to escape every time I used the word 'surrogate date'. Humaira was such a drama queen. Humaira was clapping her hands in glee and blatantly ogling Asad. I wanted to reprimand her but couldn't do that in front of him. I didn't want him to think that he was taking a freak with him as his date.
I was really excited to go to the party, it would be the first time that I would covering such a huge event. Aapi was really happy to know about my promotion. Ok not a promotion but it's definitely a great thing to have a column, a separate column of you. The amazing feeling when you hear people say that they like the page written by you. I was abruptly brought out of my thoughts when I saw Humaira coming forward; she raised her hand and was just inches away from touching his chest. My eyes widened and before I knew it I heard myself yell,
"STOP!"
The car came to a halt with a shriek of the tires. Asad looked at me with a bewildered look and I wanted to slap myself for shouting out loud but the girl never listened to her, did she? Humaira simply smirked and went back on her seat. I massaged my head and tried to get my heartbeat back to normal. Asad kept his hand on my shoulder and looked at me, his eyes full of concern.
"Are you ok?" he asked. And I wanted to hide my face somewhere for humiliating myself like that. I wanted to turn and shoot an angry glare to Humaira but I think I'm done with my quota of humiliation for the day. The last thing I want is for my boss, who was also trying to be a little extra sweet then necessary, to think I'm some crazy rehab chick.
"Yeah I'm f-fine! I'm great, let's get going." I try to sound enthusiastic; Asad raised his eyebrow at me but started the car none the less.
"So, I was talking to your appi and she seemed to be very excited about this party." He tried to make small conversation.
"Yeah that's because this is the first time I'm going to such type of party." I said while looking at Humaira who was fidgeting with my dress. Asad looked at me incredulously.
"You can't be serious."
I looked at him with furrowed brows. "Why can't I be serious?"
"You really want me to believe you haven't been to any such parties?"
"You need dates for these parties and I didn't want to go alone." I replied with a shrug.
Asad's eyes widened further, "You mean no one has ever asked you out?"
"Well if I quote Dorothy Parker, 'Men seldom make passes on girls with glasses' unquote." I smiled sadly.
"That's not true, Dorothy Parker was a sad soul with a number of failed relationships and so she liked to associate her failures as everyone's failures." He replied back. From the back of my eye I saw Humaira yawning.
"Stupid girl that's not what you say to a guy on a date. He is probably hyperventilating thinking about how to behave with you on YOUR first date, that's probably the reason why he was jabbering about some Doremi." Humaira clicked her tongue.
"Dorothy!" I corrected her under my breath. My voice only audible to Humaira but Asad turned to look at me as if he heard me say something. I need to be more careful around him; he seemed to be having sharp big ears.
"Yeah whatever, it's the same." She waved her hand.
I looked out of the window but silence and peace just vanishes when you have a talkative ghost around you.
"Don't you worry Zoe, I'll teach you everything." She fluffed her hair proudly which made me roll me eyes.
"Tell him he looks hot." She replied with a huge grin on her face showing her 32 white teeth. I had this uncontrollable urge to shout at her so I balled my fists to stop myself from bursting. I quickly took out my cell phone and muttered some lame excuse to Asad.
"Aapi, aapi just texted me, I'll just reply to her." I said; I didn't want to look rude.
Humaira's eyes remained fixed on my phone screen and I quickly typed in big bold letters, 'I AM NOT GOING TO SAY ANY SUCH THING AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!'
"It's MY date Zoya and you have to say it. Men like to hear compliments just as much as we girls do." She said casually.
I added another comment, 'What type of a pansy fishes for compliments like a woman?'
"Zoya everyone likes to receive compliments, that doesn't make them pansy." She said in a disapproving tone which made me guilty.
"So what is your aapi saying?" he asked.
"Just that you are hot." I replied without thinking and bit my tongue later. Asad's ears turned red but he didn't say anything, pretending to not hear anything. Humaira was guffawing loudly and rolling in the back seat while I hid my face in my hands too embarrassed at my slip of tongue. Humaira came ahead a little and said in between her giggles,
"Great your aapi thinks he is hot; now tell him that he looks handsome. Do it now!"
I scowled at her but turned to look at him anyway; I knew she would not let it go.
"Um, you, err, you… you look, handsome." I whispered hesitatingly. I peeked at him from under my lashes and saw him smile.
"Thanks. So do you." He replied.
"Huh? Handsome?" I raised my eyebrow.
"I mean, beautiful, you look beautiful." He turned his gaze toward the road ahead but I saw the blush on his face and I giggled.
"Eeep he called me beautiful." Humaira fanned herself and smiled at her childishness.
"Well we are here." He announced and unbuckled his seat belt. He then came to my side and opened the door for me. Always a gentleman; I gave my hands to him and he helped me out. He then handed the keys to the valet and led me inside, I stopped on the pretext of smoothing my dress, to wait for Humaira to catch up with us. It surprised me how in a span of just one day I became so attuned to her, so used to have her presence around me. She frolicked toward us and took Asad's hand in hers and walked with us.
A string of photographers from different newspaper and magazine were lined up at the entrance, I even spotted Imraan, the photographer for our magazine and he waved at me, I waved back awkwardly, the flashes of hundreds of camera were blinding and I had to squint my eyes.
"Mr Khan, can you please pose for the photo?" shouted a photographer and Asad pulled me closer to him, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. I smiled at the camera, the blinked a few times at the flash. Some other photographers also took some pictures; Humaira was also posing for the photo, as if she would appear on it. Oh god, she won't appear in the photo, will she? I made a mental note to ask her if she will.
Asad led me, I mean, us inside the hall and I was awestruck at the jaw dropping view in front of me. The magnificently decorated ballroom was so stunning and better than what I had imagined it to be. It all felt like those fairy tale balls. The maitre d'event welcomed us and showed us, our seats unfortunately the table seated 10 and there were only two empty seats left for us but Humaira being Humaira simply made herself comfortable on the table, sitting beside me. I massaged my head and again thanked my lucky stars that no one could see her.
Asad turned to look at me and asked with a huge smile on his face,
"So how do you like it so far?"
"I think it's perfect!" I replied with an equally big smile, praying it remains perfect throughout.
A/N – I know I am updating this after ages and I know I still haven't given the party wala update, next part main pakka wala promise! Tab tak keep guessing what will Humaira be up to in this party and what problems will zoe have to face because of that. I love to read my reader's suggestion and since I haven't planned what to write I might even take in ur suggestions for the party. Ooh ooh ooh I made the banner for this FF! It's at the top. Please do comment
Love,
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